Coming to the Still Waters

Today's verses are Galatians 2:15-19, which reads, v.15, 16 - We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. Paul had to speak to Peter about Peter's sin of hypocrisy.  Peter was saying one thing and doing another.  His actions were not matching up with his words and that action was not only having a negative response on Peter but those who were around him. The Jews were different than the Gentiles because they were chosen by God to receive the Law and from them would come the Messiah, Jesus.  In the light of these advantages and privileges "nevertheless" they all fall under the fact that they are justified (made right before God) not by works of the Law

Today's verses are Galatians 2:11-14, which read, v.11 - But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. Trouble in River City and that is with a capital "T"!  Antioch is the location of the first Gentile church and after Paul comes from the counsel of Peter, James, and John in Jerusalem, Peter (Cephas) comes to see for himself what is going on in the north with Paul and Barnabas.  A confrontation takes place between Paul and Peter because of a sin revealed in Peter's life. v.12 - For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. Peter has been there for awhile ministering with Paul among the Gentiles and then another Jewish group comes from Jerusalem.  At the sight of them, something kicks into gear within Peter that makes him withdraw from the new converts of Christ.  He

"The true test of our worldview is what we find entertaining ." —Albert Mohler This is one of those statements that makes me stop and think and ponder what I am participating in or thinking about participating in. Adam

Today's verses are Galatians 2:6-10, which read, v.6 - But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)--well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.   Paul was chosen by God, called by God, commissioned by God, coached by God, co-commissioned by God through the leaders of the 1st century Christian church (Peter and James), combined by God with Barnabas, and yesterday under the submission of the counsel of God through the leaders of the 1st century Christian church (Peter, James, and John). Paul presented to them the gospel that he was preaching that is faith in Christ alone and nothing else added to it.  It is "only" Jesus and not Jesus "and" this other thing you need to do to get salvation.  After presenting this to them of "...high reputation...," they had nothing to add.  Paul put himself under their Godly counsel. v.7-9 - But on the contrary, seeing that

 God provided a vehicle for our Jason and Sam and the soon to be coming granddaughter!!! And God continues to provide with our Vue that hit another milestone.  We have owned this vehicle since 2006 when it read 49,000.  I know what the service engine soon light is for and actually it has been on since it rolled to 200,000.   Adam

Today's verses are Galatians 2:1-5, which read, v.1 - Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. Paul's journey of faith continues.  He was chosen by God from his mother's womb. He was called by God on the road to Damascus through Jesus Christ. He was commissioned by God to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He was coached by God for 3 years in Arabia. He was co-commissioned by God and the apostle Peter and James the brother of Jesus in Jerusalem to the area in the north. He was combined by God with Barnabas to help with the ministry. He was confirmed by God that the gospel he was presenting was resulting in people glorifying God rather than himself. Paul is speaking of a time 14 years later after the first visit to Jerusalem to be ordained by Peter and James to the north.  He has with him Barnabas who had been his companion in the ministry sent by those in Jerusalem to see what was happ

Today's verses are Galatians 1:18-24, which read, v.18-20 - Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.  But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother.  (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) This is pretty fascinating.  Paul is continuing on with his conversion story.  He realizes that he was chosen by God in His mother's womb; he was called by God through the salvation offered by Jesus on the Damascus road; he was commissioned by God to go the Gentiles with the gospel message; and then he was coached (taught) by God in the desert outside of Damascus.  Hmmm... 3 years of training and Jesus was with the disciples for 3 years.  I wonder if Paul thought that if Jesus was in public ministry of disciplining the disciples for 3 years that he did the same being coached by God for the same time period.  (All my own thoughts

Today's verses are Galatians 1:13-17, which says, v.13, 14 - For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. Paul is giving us a picture here of his life before Christ and there are some important distinctions given here. "...my former manner of life..." - A transaction or transformation has happened to say these words. "...in Judaism,..." - Paul does not call Judaism the Law.  Paul would later detail extensively that the Law is to point us to Christ but Judaism is something different.  Judaism was created out of the rabbi's teachings and traditions which lead to works to righteousness rather than the grace of God. "...the church of God..." - Judaism is not the church of God.  Actually this term t

Today's verses are Galatians 1:10-12, which read, v.10 - For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?  Or am I striving to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. Paul, when he was first persecuting Christians, was doing so to please men, the Sanhedrin, the 70 ruling council of Israel.  Paul used to live his life that way.  It was all wrapped up in doing things to get the glory or to receive the glory of others but something has happened to Paul.  He has become a bond-servant of Christ. Paul is a slave of Christ but it is a willing slave of Christ.  The slaves were released after a period of time of service but a slave could at the end of that time decide to willingly stay with his master rather than depart.  That slave now was one who made the commitment to live out his life in service of the master. This is the total opposite of getting glory for yourself or to receive the glory from another.  This is a li

Today's verses are Galatians 1:6-9, which read, v.6,7 - I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. Oh-no.  Something is happening within the churches of the Galatia.  Paul and Barnabas had been to these areas and given them the gospel of Jesus Christ based on the grace of God.  Now in their absence, the Christians are abandoning the message and doing it easily and quickly.  They were switching to another system other than the grace of God through Jesus Christ.  Paul can't even call what they are following now a "gospel." There are people behind this move from the grace of God to something else.  Someone is "disturbing" them and "distorting" the message that they have heard and "called" by God to follow.  v.8, 9 - But even if we, or an ang

Today's verse are Galatians 1:1-5, which read, v.1,2 - Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me; To the churches of Galatia:... Paul is writing to the churches located in the region that today would be modern Turkey.  The churches of that region were Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.  These were visited and founded during the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. I am always amazed at how fast the apostle gets to mentioning the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Paul mentions it in the first verse.  This is the truth that we have be persuaded of to the point that is a conviction that we hold onto with confidence of the hope of His return. Paul writes this letter to be passed around to these 4 churches and the brethren could be the men who would be delivering this message. v.3-5 - Grace to you and peace from God ou

Today's verses are Jude 24, 25, which read, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen." Jude ends with a long sentence full of phrases that have deep meanings about our God and the ramifications of following Him.  It is a benediction that many have used at the end of a worship service.  Maybe this was a part of the original letter that he was going to send because it deals with "common salvation" mentioned in verse 3. "Now to Him who is able to..." - One ability of our all-powerful God is... "keep you from stumbling,..." - ...to sustain you from following false teachings... "and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless..." - ...and continue to support and provide for yo

Today's verses are Jude 17-23, which read, v.17-19 - But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts."  These are the ones who causes divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. Finally Jude is turning the conversation around to the "beloved."   He will be giving how the Christians are to be living in contrast to the false teachers and leaders.  The first thing is for the Christians to remember the words of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The eye witnesses and sent ones of Jesus spoke of these false teachers and they relayed the teachings of Jesus.  The Bible is God's Word and part of its function is to warn and protect. In the Bible these types of false teachers are explained out in detail so that we can discern and not follow their ways.  " In t

It's not you, it's me! Take time to read this one - it is really good!!! Adam

Today's verses are Jude 14-16, which read, v.14, 15 - It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." I am feeling like Jude is one of those kids in Sunday School that had all the answers.  He is pulling information from all over the Bible.  Jude brings up Enoch and even gives the fact of what generation he was from Adam.  Enoch was a holy man who was described as one who "walked with God."   This one spoke of the second coming of Christ when he says, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones,..." This is not the first coming of Christ in the manger because the Lord and His holy ones are coming "...to execu

Today's verses are Jude 11-13, which read, v.11 - Woe to them!  For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. Jude is using, in rapid fire, a string of bad examples to follow about the demise of the false teachers who had no regard for God.  He starts with the word "woe" which his half-brother Jesus used many times when He was talking to the scribes and Pharisees. "...the way of Cain,..." - Cain brought less than his best to God and then rejected God's instruction and then took matters into his own hands.   "...the error of Balaam,..." - Balaam was a prophet for hire and going to the highest bidder.   "...the rebellion of Korah." - Korah and about 250 others rejected the God-appointed leadership of Moses and Aaron and received divine judgment. v.12, 13  - These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast

Today's verses are Jude 8-10, which read, v.8 - Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. Jude is warning his readers about false teachers who have "crept in unnoticed" in the church.  Yesterday he gave three Old Testament examples of what happens to those who follow the path of unbelief.  It is not a neutral position.  Not only does this position cause God to act against it but it leads them down a path farther and farther from God. Jude is now pointing back to those false teachers, "in the same way these men."   Some characteristics and actions are given here that they are participating in.  Instead of sharing the Word of God and the Gospel, they were sharing their dreams.  Instead of honoring the body that God had given them as a temple of the Holy Spirit, they were defiling the flesh.  Instead of submitting to God's authority, they were rejecting it and following t

Today's verses are Jude 5-7, which read, v.5 - Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. A reminder that Jude was going to write a letter of salvation to his readers but then was urged to write a letter of warning about false teachers who had "crept in unnoticed" into the church fellowship.  He is now going to give three examples of what unbelief can do. The first is the event of the Exodus and the wandering in the desert.  Jude wants us to think of this event and how it all happened.  God heard their cry and sent in Moses to speak and act for Him.  God showed His mighty power through the 10 plagues and they were released from bondage.  He gave guidance day and night; He parted the Red Sea; He provided food and water; He spoke through the 10 commandments; yet when Moses was up the mountain they created the golden cal

It is probably going to be a "blah" day today.  We lost our dog yesterday.  Kierra had her stomach flip.  It happens to perfectly fit dogs in middle age who have deep chests and that describes her.  Fine in the morning and afternoon and gone in the evening.  It is the second cause of death behind cancer in dogs of those characteristics.  We got her from the pound after the accident that Stephanie and the boys were in and she also was there when I went through cancer.  She went "vegan" with us, too.  We were concerned about how she would make the move to Oglesby but she did it in stride and actually we think the backyard was such a haven for her.  I love this picture that is attached of her in "her" backyard.  So the house feels really empty today.

Today's verses are Jude 1-4, which read, v.1,2 - Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and the brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:  may mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. Jude is believed by most scholars to be another half-brother of Jesus along with the author of the book of James.  A half-brother of Jesus is first saying he is a "bond-servant of Jesus Christ."  Above even his common mother, Jude is first a follower of Jesus Christ. Jude is writing this to those who the "called," those who have turned their eyes toward Jesus.  He is writing to those who are "beloved," those who know of the unconditional love of God through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.  He is also writing to those who are "kept," those who have been given eternal life and He is preserving their souls for them see Jesus face to face.  If you are a follower of Jes

Today's verses are 3 John 11-15, which read, v.11 - Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.  The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.   John goes back to addressing Gaius, someone who he has shared the faith with who has been walking in that faith.  John is asking Gaius to use some discernment of following the fruit of the lives of those around him.  To "imitate" is to mimic or follow after with action.  I think it is interesting that John says the good one is "of" God but the bad one "has not seen" God.  "...of God;..." - out of, from, by "...has not seen God." - (have not) to look at, behold, with your eyes v.12 - Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.   John gives Gaius an opposite from Diotrephes that we talked about yesterday.  Diotrephes

Today's verses are 3 John 9, 10 which read, "I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.  For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church." After John tells us about this "great" guy in the church named Gaius, he tells us about a guy in the church name Diotrephes as just the opposite.  Gaius heard the gospel from John and is walking in it.  He showed great hospitality even to those traveling missionaries and preparing them for future travels.  Gaius' faith and love is being spoken of by others to the rest of the general church. Diotrephes is another story.  Another letter was written to the church and it is possible that it didn't get there or wasn