For the
communion message the speaker said, “We take the elements to remember His
sacrifice on the cross.” For believers today the bread, which represents His
body, and the wine, which represents His blood, bring us to the foot of the
cross where we remember His sacrifice. However, for the disciples participating
in the Last Supper, the impending death of Jesus and the cross would not have
crossed their mind. I can imagine each of the disciples brought a different
remembrance to the Lord’s Table that day. “After taking the cup, he gave thanks
and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I
tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of
God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and
gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in
remembrance of me” (Luke 22:17-19 NIV).
The Christian Ear is a forum for discussing and listening to the voice of today's church. The Lord spoke to churches,“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Rev 2&3
December 31, 2019
December 30, 2019
Warranty
My friend purchased
a previously owned Jeep that had been modified to accommodate larger tires. The
vehicle was less than two years old, had low miles and the price was right. The
Jeep ran great at 65 MPH or under, but anything over 65 and it had no power.
After multiple trips for service and replacing various parts one dealership
finally diagnosed the problem. The previous owner had not swapped out the gears
needed for the bigger tires. In the course of solving the issues the new owner learned
the modifications have also negated some of the warranty. I see something
similar on the religious landscape. People try to modify Scripture, revise the
plan of Salvation and give Jesus a new look, but they fail to consider that
their actions may in fact negate the warranty of salvation. In Revelation John cautions
us about adding and subtracting to God’s Word, “I warn everyone who hears the
words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will
add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words
away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the
tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Rev
22:18-19 NIV).
December 27, 2019
Know the Scripture
My friend
attended a Bible study where she was told by the teacher that people who go to
hell don’t stay in hell, they just turn to dust and cease to exist. I was able
to give her Scripture references to counter the false teaching, but once again I’m
remained of the importance of having the Word firmly planted in my mind. The
Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, questioned Jesus. He said, “You
are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matt 22:29
NIV).
December 26, 2019
The Gift of God
When he
heard Philip preach the good news, Simon the Sorcerer believed and was baptized.
However, it wasn’t until Peter and John arrived on the scene and laid their hands
upon believers that they received the Holy Spirit. Simon proposed buying the same
ability to lay on hands. Peter answered, “May your money perish with you,
because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You
have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before
God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord.
Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin” (Acts
8:20-23 NIV). We may not personally know someone a brazen as Simon, but there
are believers who, rather than having their heart right before God, want to
market and exploit the church for personal gain.
December 25, 2019
The Lord’s Favor 2019
The child in
the manger came to fulfill Scripture. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on
me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me
to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to
release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”
(Luke 4:18-19 NIV).
December 24, 2019
Not Ashamed
I go to the
gym every morning and one of my gym-buddies, an older gentleman, said, “Do you
think all of this is doing us any good?” His question gave me pause. At this
point in my life, my physical exercise goal is not for improvement, but rather maintenance.
I suppose I have a similar thought when it comes to the study of Scripture. My
goal has never been to become a theologian, but rather to have an active and
working grasp of Word of God. Paul said, “Do your best to present yourself to
God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who
correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15 NIV).
December 23, 2019
The Letter
With less
than a week before Christmas I had no time to shop for Christmas cards, or colorful
holiday stationery. I simply wrote my Christmas letter, photocopied in onto generic
white paper, put it in a business security envelope, and stamped it with US Forever
flag postage. I trust the recipients will read the letter even though it isn’t decked
out with holiday colors, style, or images. My NIV Study Bible, with all its chapters
and verses, footnotes, commentary, and references may add color and explanation to the narrative, but I wonder if
that might somehow detract from the Epistles. Rather than studying Paul’s
letters, it might behoove us to read the letters as he intended…a personal
letter. To the Corinthians Paul said, “You yourselves are our letter, written
on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that
you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink
but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets
of human hearts” (2 Cor 3:2-3 NIV).
December 20, 2019
More Blessed to Give
As an adult
I’ve found myself in a number of long-term care-giving situations and I’ll admit
that over the years I’ve thrown a few pity parties. During a recent poor-me situation
I was brought up short when the Spirit within me ask if I’d rather be a caregiver,
or a care-receiver. In his farewell to the Ephesians Paul said, “ In everything
I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,
remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to
give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35 NIV).
December 19, 2019
Labor Pains
Even though
we moved into our new house in October, we continue to have a punch-list of
things that need attention. Most recently we discovered a leak in a shower and
the tile must be removed around the drain in order fix the problem. At this
point I can only compare building a new house to being pregnant…nine months of
anticipation, labor pains and birth. I know that when it is completely finished,
I will enjoy the new house; however, getting to the end has been painful. Jesus
said, “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but
when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child
is born into the world” (John 16:21 NIV).
December 18, 2019
Proud Parents
In the movie
The Cowboys Mr. Anderson, played by John Wayne, lay dying. His last words
to the school boys he hired for the cattle drive, “Everyone wants to see his
children better than he was.” I thought of Paul’s words to young Timothy, “I
have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother
Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you
also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,
which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us
a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self–discipline” (2
Tim 1:5-7 NIV). I can only imagine the pride felt by grandmother Lois and mother
Eunice as they read Paul’s letter.
December 17, 2019
The Lord Opens Hearts
Many believers
in God hear, but yet fail to respond to the Gospel message. Paul said, “On the
Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a
place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered
there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a
dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God.
The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message” (Acts
16:13-14 NIV). It occurs to me that even today, some believers need the Lord to open their
hearts.
December 16, 2019
Bethlehem’s Manger
I was taken
aback when the pastor said, “I don’t know why he [God] sent his Son to be born
in a manger. I don’t understand that.” The simple answer is, “…because there
was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7b NIV). The more in-depth answer is that
the situation fulfilled Scripture, as well as the requirement that Mary and
Joseph travel to Bethlehem to be counted for the census. The prophet Micah foretold,
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out
of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are
from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2 NIV).
December 13, 2019
Test Everything
December 12, 2019
Conspiracy
My NIV Study
Bible noted that in the Near East the coronation of a new king was often the occasion
for the revolt of people and kings who had been subject to the crown. The
recently released DOJ’s Inspector General report on the FBI and FISA investigations
clearly, and embarrassingly, show the conspiracy against the Trump campaign. For
me, this is a modern-day example of nations and people who conspire against the
Lord. The psalmist wrote, “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in
vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers
gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. “Let
us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” The
One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them” (Psalm 2:1-3 NIV).
December 11, 2019
The Work of God Displayed
Disciples
questioned Jesus about the sin associated with a man who was born blind. Jesus
said, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that
the work of God might be displayed in his life” (John 9:3
NIV). I always assumed the work of God was displayed at the moment of healing,
but I’m now reconsidering that thought. The verse states that God’s work will
be displayed in the man’s life, not in his healing. In other words, what the
man does with the rest of his life, after he received his sight, will display
the work of God.
December 10, 2019
Only What is Given from Heaven
Webster’s
defines career as, “A profession for which one trains and which is undertaken
as a permanent calling.” Jesus and John the Baptist had similar career
skill-sets — preacher, baptizer, teacher, each was called Rabbi and had
disciples. Some of John’s disciples opined that people were going to
Jesus, rather than John, to be baptized. To this John replied, “A man can
receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves
can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him’ (John 3:27-28 NIV). All too often we feel that our career is
by our choice and our design. However, John reminds me that in my calling I am
sent and can receive only what is given me from heaven.
December 09, 2019
See for Yourself
The 2 X 3-foot
window above the front door in our new house cracked and the builder ordered a
replacement. When the installer got ready to replace the window, he discovered it
wasn’t cracked, but there was string of glue running the full height of the window.
No one had ever climbed on a ladder to inspect the window, nor had the cleaning
company cleaned the window because it was going to be replaced. Everyone, including
the builder, just took one another’s word for it that it was broken. I’ve always
been curious as to why some of the disciples did not believe what other
disciples had to say. For example, the women were not believed when they
returned from the empty tomb (Luke 24:9-12) and Thomas would not believe the
other disciples when the said they had seen the resurrected Jesus (John 20:24-26).
Obviously, there are times when we should see something for ourselves and not
rely on the testimony of others.
December 06, 2019
The Favorite Child
Real or imagined,
in most families there is a perception of one child being favored over others.
Jesus was God’s only son, so there is no family favoritism, and He was loved
beyond measure. It gives me pause to know that Jesus loves me the same way God
loves his one and only Son. Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I
loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9 NIV).
December 05, 2019
Going Out to Meet Jesus
John
described The Triumphal Entry, “The next day the great crowd that had come for
the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They
took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel” (John
12:12-13 NIV)! Whether it’s in Bible study, fellowship with other believers, or
in prayer, I can encounter Jesus. But I’m trying to imagine picking up a palm
branch every morning and going out to meet Him…rather than just running into Him
throughout the day.
December 04, 2019
Camouflage
Most of us,
especially during the holidays, have experienced losing our car in a packed
parking lot. Yesterday at Walmart I noticed a camouflaged SUV with a woodsy
paint job that covered the vehicle from the bumpers to the extra carrier on
top. No doubt the outdoors man-owner could easily find the SUV in the city
parking lot, but if he were hunting in the woods his vehicle would no doubt
blend into the foliage. There are times when believers too put on camouflage in
order to blend into the world. “Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and
a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she
said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what
you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the
gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow
was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an
oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those
standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your
accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses
on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man” (Matthew 26:69-74 NIV)!
December 03, 2019
The Carpenter
Regardless
of one’s profession, career, craft, or trade, it’s natural to compare our work
product with that of others in our field. I have to laugh when I think of those
in the construction trade (framers, roofers, finish carpenters, etc.) arriving
in heaven. On earth Jesus was a carpenter and I can just imagine construction
workers scrutinizing the Lord’s carpentry skills. Jesus said, “Do not let your
hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my
Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am
going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you
also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where
I am going” (John 14:1-4 NIV).
December 02, 2019
In the Presence of My Enemies
We had family
and friends over for Thanksgiving and one of our guests asked if we could
accommodate another elderly gentleman who would be alone on the holiday. Of
course, the man was welcome to our home and to share in our table. However, I
was taken aback when I learned the name of the additional guest. While I do not
know the man socially, when I served on City Council, he was one of my
political enemies. I had to laugh at God’s sense of humor. The psalmist wrote, “The
LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down
in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores
my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head
with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow
me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm
23 NIV).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)