Latest Thoughts of the Day

I Peter 2:2

9/21/2019

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your spiritual life.

A newborn will not grow healthy by drinking water. Food is needed, administered in the manner best suited to his need. As babes in Christ, we are able to influence how and what we eat, and Peter advises us to choose what will clearly be best for us. The hunger is there by virtue of the life of Christ within, brought into being by the work of God’s Spirit. The enemy of our souls would have us choose food that will actually stunt our spiritual growth, or even kill it. But Peter fortifies us with the challenge to seek pure spiritual milk. Christ Jesus is the bread of life for our souls. He challenges us to feed upon Him. Let us seek Him today, and drink deeply of Jesus.

James 2:2

9/21/2019

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.

James poses a practical problem that can easily come to pass in any assembly. A rich guy visits and a poor guy on the same day. Who will get the warmest welcome? We all love Jesus, but we can’t help thinking that a rich member would help the cause of Christ in our area, and he would be much less trouble than the poor guy, who is probably poor because his life is messed up. There is something pretty deep in all of us that would avoid the trouble of a troubled soul and want a successful man in our midst. But James will move on to rebuke that instinct and challenge us to change our thinking that we may be more like Jesus.

Hebrews 2:2

9/20/2019

For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,...

We normally take a fairly lax view of the law, realizing that it is binding, but remembering God’s grace and His wonderful forgiveness. Details don’t appear to us to matter very much. But it is not so with a holy God. Holiness demands perfection and judges any deviation with clear-cut severity. Jesus calls us to perfection. He warns us that even our idle words will be brought to judgment. In Person, as it were, God tells us again what He clearly declared through angels at Sinai, that He is a Holy God, and it is a fearful thing to fall into His hands. Paul sets up an “if” to answer it with a “therefore”. If God is who He is, how shall we escape His condemnation without our Savior, Jesus?

Philemon 22

9/19/2019

And one thing more: Prepare a room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

Paul has challenged Philemon to some pretty difficult things, and he wants to stay close to him to help him work them through. Always before he has felt free to invite himself to enjoy Philemon’s hospitality, and he wants to keep that relationship intact. His words sound almost matter-of-fact, but there is real desire to be casual and close. Lord, grant us wisdom in challenging Christian friends to hard things while maintaining relationships that preserve our usefulness to them. Sometimes we walk on eggs. Jesus is tender and sensitive to us, even when He leads us in a difficult way. He always offers His own presence to help. Help us be like Paul, but especially like our Lord Jesus.

Titus 2:2

9/18/2019

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Lord, help us to reflect these qualities in our lives as we age! When we were young we wanted to make a splash, to call attention to ourselves, to be the center of attention because of something out-of-proportion. Give us a smoothness and a peace that is evident in our lives. Make us upright and honest. Keep us from irritation and anger and deepen our love for Jesus Christ. Help us to love others and to keep on keeping on. What You would have us to be, make us to be, by the help of Your Holy Spirit. We would bear fruit down to old age, even as a tree planted by rivers of water. Our hope is in You, and we are looking every moment to Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:2

9/17/2019

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

Faithful men committed to transmitting God’s truth to others will always be crucial to the church that Paul is striving to establish. Our resources for equipping these men exceed what Paul could ever have thought or imagined. But the place of the church in recognizing and overseeing these faithful men has not changed at all in 2000 years.A man studying theology on his own cannot be a leader in Christ’s church without the oversight and involvement of existing church leaders. Mature Christians are to take charge pulpit supply and eventual ordination of those who are to lead the church of Christ. Lord, help those young men who aspire to leadership see Your purposes in ordination to the ministry of Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:2

9/16/2019

...for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Paul lived long before the time when political involvement by ordinary people became possible. He does not advise political action to try to strengthen righteousness in the land or to protect the rights of those who want to live godly lives. Essentially, he says that we are to pray for political leaders and to get on with living our personal lives to the glory of God. Our goal is not to “raise awareness”, or rumble opposition, but to let them get on with the business of government, while we get on with living for Jesus. Peaceful and quiet lives are what we hope by God’s grace to pursue. Lord, help us to labor today toward peaceful and quiet lives of love and service to our Lord Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 2:2

9/15/2019

...not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report, or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.

Nobodies in the church who want to be considered somebodies can present their own ideas and try to attach them to Paul. Paul warns the Thessalonians to listen to him and not to them. There seem to be plenty of teachers in our day who try to do the same. They give the “real insight” of what was “really” meant, and in so doing twist the words of Scripture and undermine the solid foundation of the people of God. What the sources of mis-information were for Paul we cannot say, but we can see the same thing around us. We must beware of teachers who “fill in the blanks”. We desire the truth as it is in Jesus.

I Thessalonians 2:2

9/14/2019

We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.

It was in Thessalonica that there had been a reception of the gospel that became known throughout the Roman world, so that wherever Paul went, they recounted what had happened there. Opposition was an indication that the Devil sensed what would happen and did all he could to prevent it. Lord, help us to be bold with Your gospel, most especially when opposition rears its head. The devil does not want the spoiling of his kingdom, but the One who pulls down strongholds and everything that exalts itself against God has sent us forth conquering and to conquer. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Gospel. Embolden our words and stir our courage, Lord Jesus.