“Don’t Forget to Pray”

May 29, 2024

May 29, 2024

Read Joshua 9, Proverbs 24, 1 Corinthians 8

What’s something that you have neglected to pray about in your past? How did it turnout? Last year my son needed a vehicle and we knew we had to have it. So we went about looking for one, thought we had a great deal and bought it. But I forgot to pray about it. I took for granted that I needed to take this “trivial matter” to the Lord to see if that was the right vehicle for my son. You can guess the rest of the story I bet. We had problem after problem with it from the day we drove it off the car lot. Note to self, Don’t forget to pray.

The same thing happen to Israel in Joshua 9. No, they didn’t a lemon of a car, but they made a decision without seeking the Lord first. A group called the Gibeonites tricked Israel into thinking that they were from a far away land and not on the list of nations that God told them to wipe out. The deception was good, they pulled out all the stops and made food that seemed to be foreign and misled Israel. Verse 15 says, “The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not enquire of the LORD.”

This put Israel in a bad place. God had told them to wipe out the Gibeonites with all the other nations, but now they had made a vow to the Lord not to kill them and treat them as subjects.  These subjects would be a thorn in their side and bring temptation from other gods to Israel. It amazes me that how serious Israel took keeping their own vow to the Gibeonites. What if we acted this way today. Whatever we do and vow, don’t forget to pray!

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes do you notice?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Devoted to the Lord”

May 28, 2024

May 28, 2024

Read Joshua 8, Proverbs 23, 1 Corinthians 7

What’s something you are devoted to? I know the “Sunday school” answer if you grew up in a church, it’s probably “Jesus.” But what other things are you devoted to? Family, a spouse, a job, a hobby? The list could go on and on. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul addresses the church at Corinth about a new problem they were having because of their new faith in Christ. They had some questions about what to do in their marriage relationships when one person in the family became a believer and the other spouse was not. In summary, Paul encouraged them to first devote everything they did to the Lord and His will for their lives, not acting in their own interests. “I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” v. 35. He discussed that in either way a husband or wife should not leave their spouse just because they were not both Christians. “To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” vv. 12-16.  Paul’s advice was to stay married or stay single and allow God to use them as they were, married or single.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Is Christ Divided?”

May 22, 2024

May 22, 2024

Read Joshua 2, Proverbs 17, 1 Corinthians 1

My wife and I are “a house divided.” She grew up about 30 minutes from Auburn, Alabama and is a die-hard Auburn fan. I grew up about 45 minutes from Athens, Georgia and am an equally loyal Georgia fan. What are some ways that you might be divided in your house? Is it over schools, sports teams, movies and music, or something else?

The one thing that we want to avoid dividing over most as Christians is in our faith. The letter to the church at Corinth starts out with a short greeting and then Paul gets right into the first problem they faced, a divided church. “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” v. 10. What were they divided over? We might not know everything but apparently Paul calls them out for which one of their teachers and leaders was their favorite to follow. Paul even mentions that he was glad they he had not baptized only a few so that they could not fight over that too. Paul boldly asks, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” v. 13. Paul was telling them they had their eyes on the wrong person. It wasn’t supposed to be on Paul, Apollos, or Cephas. They were only to have their eyes of Jesus Christ.

We might laugh at this and say, “how silly they are,” but we must be careful not to fall into the same trap today. We might have our favorite podcasts, preachers, or teachers but these need to come secondary to our Savior. Do we favor a book over “the book?” Do we prefer to listen to an eloquent speaker over listening to the Word of God? Do we prefer “a new word” from some contemporary Christian over the old Word of God that never changes? What else do you see in these three chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stick out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Strong and Weak”

May 18, 2024

May 18, 2024

Read Deuteronomy 32, Proverbs 13, Romans 14

Have you ever made a judgment of something or someone that you later took back? Maybe it was a decision that you judged for yourself about how to walk your faith out in a certain area of life. I have done this many times and had to admit when I was wrong or make an apology. Being a Christian does not mean living in a bubble exempt from the world. We must learn to live together as Christians even in our differences. The statement that is often repeated is “In the essentials we have unity, in the non-essentials we have liberty, and in everything have love.”

Romans 14 talks about what we should do when we have disagreements among believers with these non-essential items. First, we need to accept and understand that we will not always agree. We must do this without passing judgment on them. That is the Lord’s job. “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters” v. 1.

Second, be set in our own personal convictions. “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” v. 5. This is much like taking the plank out of our own eye in the illustration that Jesus taught in Matthew 7.

Third, we are not to look down on other believers even if they have a different view than our own. “The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him” v. 3. And again in verse 10, “You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” God will do the judging and not us.

Fourth, we are to focus on the main things and set our priorities in them. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men” vv. 17-18.

Finally, we should avoid becoming a stumbling block to others. “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in your brother’s way” v. 13. If we know that some we believe is okay to do offends another person, we should avoid doing it before them or in a way that causes them to stumble.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“Blessing and Cursing”

May 14, 2024

May 14, 2024

Read Deuteronomy 28, Proverbs 9, Romans 9

Would you rather have a high five or a high five… to the face… with a chair? I know, I know, that is not really a tough decision unless you are a masochist of sorts. There is something going around the internet now where ladies are asking “Would you rather be lost in the woods with a bear or a mean abusive man?” I’m not sure what that is about but I think it’s saying something about men’s behavior here lately.

In Deuteronomy 28 we find the same type of question. Do we want blessings or cursings in our lives? “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands that I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God” vv. 1-2. Then it goes on to give examples of what those blessings might look like. It’s rather long!

But near halfway down the chapter, we find the other side of the coin. “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees, I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you” v. 15. Then you thought the list of blessings was long? The list of cursings is three times the length. The difference between the two is one simple word: obedience. God gives us the greatest gift of freewill to chose for ourselves what we want to do.

This seems like a no-brainer, but we need to be careful not to allow our pride to get in the away. The pull of the sinful nature is strong, and we must learn to mortify it daily so that the Spirit will win the battle of wills in our life. It is always easier on paper (in the Bible) but much more difficult to live out in the real world.

What else do you see in these chapters? What repeated words, verses, or paragraphs speak to you most?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Pick Up the Phone… It’s Wisdom Calling”

May 13, 2024

May 13, 2024

Read Deuteronomy 27, Proverbs 8, Romans 8

Think back to a time when you received an important phone call or received an unexpected phone call from someone important. Who was it? Was it setting up an important date with a perspective boyfriend/girlfriend? Was it a call to let you know that you had been accepted into a program or had won something? Did you talk to someone famous?

Proverbs 8 talks about one of the most important calls we can answer as Christians, and as people in general. “Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?” v. 1. And then in verse 4, “To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.” Wisdom calls out to everyone, but not everyone answers the call and receives her.

The rest of the chapter in Proverbs tells us the benefits of heeding wisdom’s call.

First, wisdom will never lead you down the wrong path. “Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. 7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. 8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. 9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge” vv. 6-9. What are so things that you need wisdom for today?

Second, wisdom has rewards for those who listen to her call. “With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. 19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full” vv. 18-21.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“The Struggle is Real”

May 12, 2024

May 12, 2024

Read Deuteronomy 26, Proverbs 7, Romans 7

The phrase, “the struggle is REAL!” is a statement you might hear someone say when they are having trouble doing something fairly easy or ordinary. Things like walking, or changing a lightbulb, or just trying to speak a sentence in English (or your native tongue). What have you struggled with recently? Opening a pickle jar or something else? The one thing we all struggle with is sin. It affects us all in various ways. Paul wrote about his struggle with sin in Romans 7.

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” vv. 14-20.

Paul was writing about the struggle he faced with his sinful nature and the life he lived through the Holy Spirit. When we decide to follow Christ we receive the Holy Spirit who helps us and convicts us of sin. Until we go to be with the Lord we will have the same battle that Paul did. We aim to mortify our fleshly sinful nature, but sometimes we will miss it.

Many people will often fault Christians for being hypocrites and not living up to the standard in the Bible. If this happens to you, the best thing is to own it. We all fail and miss the mark in some ways. Hopefully we can minimize the consequences and damage done to others, but sadly this is not always the case. When followers of Christ sin it doesn’t mean that Christianity is false, in fact, I would argue that it gives evidence that the Christian faith is an accurate description of how the real world is in truth and reality.

If you are struggling with sin, take heart remember even the Apostle Paul admitted his own struggle and he is one of the giants of the faith who wrote 13 books of the Bible and won many people to Christ through his mission trips.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“One Man”

May 10, 2024

May 10, 2024

Read Deuteronomy 24, Proverbs 5, Romans 5

In Romans 5 Paul takes us back to the beginning, to the creation account. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” v. 12. The New Testament sheds light on the Old Testament. Those who believe that God created the world through the process of evolution must deal with this passage. They may either attempt to say Paul was speaking metaphorically or some other explanation. If there is ever any doubt about the beginning of the world and the creation account we learn from the New Testament that it all started with “one man.”  But if you take the meaning of “one man” not being Adam then you should also take the second part of this passage metaphorically too and that is near impossible to do. That would deny that Jesus died for our sins. “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men” v. 18. What a poetic way for Paul to explain the gospel. Through “one man” (Adam) sin entered the world and through another “one man” (Jesus of Nazareth) righteousness came into the world. Sin affected the who world, but so also did the payment Jesus made on the cross for our sins.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“Wisdom”

May 6, 2024

May 6, 2024

Read Deuteronomy 20, Proverbs 1, Romans 1

If you could pick anyone in the world to sit down with for coffee or maybe spend the day with them who would it be? Think about all the people you could learn from and gain wisdom from. The Bible says that Solomon was the wisest man of his time. God gave him the ability to gain wisdom and apply it in all sorts of situations. The opening of Proverbs is the explanation of the wisdom that Solomon wrote down and the benefits it brings.

“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” vv. 1-7.

First, we might ask what the difference between wisdom and knowledge is? Knowledge is something we learn but wisdom takes it a step further and is the application of the knowledge we have. Wisdom helps us gain discipline. Disciple refers to learning to control ourselves in various ways for our own betterment. Wisdom is for learning right from wrong. Wisdom is for everyone, both the simple and those who are already wise. Anyone can use wisdom to gain more. Wisdom is for our own guidance and helps us discern not just right from wrong but right from almost right.

There are all sorts of people with wisdom in our culture today. People with knowledge from areas all over the spectrum. But wisdom from God is supreme for a couple of reasons. First God is God, and we are not. His wisdom is complete and lacks nothing. Second, as our creator God knows us best. His wisdom gives us insight on every aspect of our lives. Do we accept God’s wisdom or reject it. Do we spurn God’s authority in our lives or receive it gladly? As you read through the book of Proverbs, read it with an understanding that it will add to your life in many ways. What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“The End of an Act”

May 5, 2024

May 5, 2024

Read Deuteronomy 19, Psalm 150, Acts 28

Do you have a favorite play or show that you have seen? I have been to see “Wicked” at the Fox Theatre a couple of times and enjoy the storyline from one of my favorite movies growing up, The Wizard of Oz. Screen plays and shows often come with acts, which are large sections of the play that contain several scenes often tied together by a similar theme.

When the ship that Paul was traveling on wrecks into the beachhead at Malta the people of the island have all sorts of opinions about who Paul is. First they think Paul is a murder for having such bad luck from being bitten by a viper, but then when he survives, they view him as a god. “When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god” vv. 4-6. Paul had a really wide first impression from the people, both of which were wrong.

Paul finally arrives in Rome and he gets back to what he has always been doing, sharing the gospel with anyone he can. “For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain” v. 20. He stays there for two years preaching the gospel allowed to live in a house under a Roman guard.

Here in the last chapter of the book of Acts we find the end to Paul’s story. It is left a little unfinished as we do not read about the fate of Paul. Tradition tells us that he was martyred for his faith there in Rome. How will you end your final act? None of us may know, but we can make sure like Paul that our trajectory is one that serves the Lord. Will we be faithful like Paul to serve him until our last breath?

What else do you see in these chapters? What words or phrases, or stories stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

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