31 Reasons to Study the Psalms

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Wayne Davies

I just finished my latest book, How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 42-72 (Psalms Bible Study Guides, Volume 2).

(Volume 1, How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 1-41, was released in February 2022 and is also available on Amazon here.)

Why these 31 psalms?

Because the book of Psalms is organized into five “books,” or groups. And Book 2 happens to contain these 31 psalms, Psalms 42-72.

Here are 31 reasons to study these 31 psalms. By reading this book, you will learn:

What to Do When You Get Discouraged or Depressed
3 Compelling Reasons to Rejoice in God
4 Biblical Ways to Glorify God
How to Pray Like David (about Your Sin)
2 Simple Questions that Unlock the Meaning of Any Psalm
10 Great Truths about Our Great God
3 More Ways to Pray Like David
How to Experience Victory through Defeat
How to Find Rest in God
How to See Our Invisible God
What to Do When Reading a Difficult Psalm
3 Characteristics of a Godly Petition

You can read excerpts from the book here:

How to Read the Bible Like Billy Graham (from the Introduction)
https://godwrotethebook.com/how-to-read-the-bible-like-billy-graham/

How to Flourish Like David (Thoughts on Psalm 52)
https://godwrotethebook.com/how-to-flourish-like-david-thoughts-on-psalm-52/

The #1 Reason to Pray for God’s Blessing (Thoughts on Psalm 67)
https://godwrotethebook.com/the-1-reason-to-pray-for-gods-blessing-thoughts-on-psalm-67/

Containing one chapter for each psalm, this book provides insights I have gleaned by studying these sacred hymns for the past 18 years. Ideal for both individual and small group study, each chapter also contains “Questions for Further Study, Reflection, and Discussion” that will guide you into a better comprehension of the psalms by prompting you to interact with the text and apply it to your own life.

Enjoy!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

How to Flourish Like David (Thoughts on Psalm 52)

Posted on September 17, 2022 by Wayne Davies

David wrote about half of the Psalms. He was a gifted writer and musician, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he wrote a host of hymns that have resonated with the hearts of God’s people for centuries.

Psalm 52 is no exception. It ends with these words:

“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever.
I will praise you forever for what you have done;
In your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”
Psalm 52:8-9 (NIV 1978)

David experienced much pain and suffering in his life. In his early years, before becoming Israel’s king, he was the victim of undeserved abuse at the hand of King Saul. And after taking the throne, he brought much turmoil on himself as a result of his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband Uriah.

Yet through it all, he maintained a life of devotion to God. He is described twice as a man “after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). And here in Psalm 52 we see David reflecting on his life and saying, “I am like a green olive tree” (ESV). Like any tree, a healthy olive tree should have green leaves and bear fruit. This is what a tree is made to do. This is what it means for it to flourish and thrive.

After comparing himself to a mature, fruit-bearing olive tree, David then proclaims what that kind of life looks like. He takes a personal inventory and sees the evidence of God’s power at work in his attitudes and actions.  And while David praises God for his provision, we get a firsthand account of five characteristics which enabled him to pursue and maintain a godly life no matter what.

Characteristic #1: Acceptance of God’s Forgiveness

“I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God.” Note that David says he is like a fruitful tree in the house of God. The temple wasn’t built yet, so this is a reference to the tabernacle, the place where repentant sinners came to acknowledge their sins and offer an animal sacrifice to symbolize the provision of God’s grace through his forgiveness. A godly life starts here, with the recognition of our rebellion against God and our need for his mercy. When we repent, God is more than willing to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). To live a God-pleasing life, David knew that he needed God’s forgiveness, as evidenced by his writing of Psalms 32 and 51.

Characteristic #2: Faith in God’s Love

“I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever.” David was a firm believer in the never failing, steadfast love of God. He had a confident conviction in God’s unwavering commitment to His people. This faith was based on a profound understanding that God knows what is best for us. He can be trusted because He is trustworthy. We can rely on him to take care of us through thick and thin, good times and bad. Just like us, David had plenty of both.

Characteristic #3: Praise for God’s Work

“I will praise you forever for what you have done.” At any point in time, David could look back on his life and see what God had done for him. David recognized God as the ultimate source of all he had experienced in life, and he continued to worship God regardless of his circumstances. The beginning of verse 9 can also be translated, “I will thank you forever, because you have done it” (ESV). David was a thankful man, filled with gratitude for the grace and mercy of God to him, an undeserving sinner.

Characteristic #4: Hope in God’s Goodness

“In your name I will hope, for your name is good.” David was a man of hope. Because of the goodness of God, he had a positive outlook on the future. In Scripture, the word “hope” is not the wishful thinking that says, “I hope I win the lottery.” Instead, it is the strong expectation and certain assurance that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28).

Characteristic #5: Fellowship with God’s People

“I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” David did not trust God in isolation from others. His faith and hope were bolstered by a close relationship with other believers. He lived for God with the people of God. This is one of the indispensable marks of genuine faith — identification with and involvement in the body of Christ. The genuine Christian life is not a solo flight. It is lived out in the context of the local church — the family of God, the household of faith.

Reality Check

As you reflect on these key characteristics of David’s life, I urge you to take an inventory of your own life. How are you doing in each of these areas?

Do you regularly and genuinely confess and forsake your sins, going to God directly to express heartfelt sorrow over your faults, as well as the need for God’s power to overcome them? Then, while looking to the death of Jesus as the sole basis for God’s forgiveness, you experience the sweet joy of reconciliation with your Savior.

Do you believe in the sovereign, never-changing love of God? To increase that faith, it is essential that you spend much time in the Word, knowing that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17).

Do you offer praise and thanks to God for His work on your behalf? A true Christian is increasingly enthralled by God’s work of salvation on our behalf through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We never tire of hearing the good news of the gospel of Christ. It is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold!

Do you find hope in the goodness of God? You do not have to travel far or spend much money to experience God’s kindness. Simply open the Bible and you’ll find evidence of His grace on every page. Then take a look at your own life and you’ll see the same God extending that same grace to you.

Are you actively involved in a local church? Do you enjoy spending time with God’s people, worshipping King Jesus together, serving Him together, and becoming increasingly like Him together? If not, something is amiss and you are living outside the will of God.

By the grace of God and the strength provided by the Spirit of God, every believer can flourish by living in the presence of God. May this be my experience, and yours as well.

Questions for Further Study, Reflection, and Discussion

  1. According the heading, David wrote this psalm “When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: ‘David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.’” This incident involving David, Ahimelek, Doeg and Saul is found in 1 Samuel 21 and 22. Take time to read that passage to better understand the background of Psalm 52.
  2. How does David describe Doeg in Psalm 52:1-8, and why? What did Doeg do that caused David to use such strong language?
  3. According to this psalm, what will be Doeg’s ultimate destiny?
  4. In verses 8-9, David testifies to the greatness of God, even after the tragedy involving Doeg, Saul, and Ahimelek. Please take these five characteristics to heart and answer the question posed above: “How are you doing in each of these areas?”

#1 – Acceptance of God’s forgiveness
#2 – Faith in God’s love
#3 – Praise for God’s work
#4 – Hope in God’s goodness
#5 – Fellowship with God’s people

As you evaluate yourself in these five areas, which one(s) do you view as a strength? Which one(s) do you view as a weakness? How can others pray for you as you seek to cultivate these characteristics?

NOTE: The above is excerpt from my forthcoming book, How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 42-72 (Psalms Bible Study Guides, Volume 2)

Volume 1 of this series is available on Amazon: How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 1-41 (Psalms Bible Study Guides, Volume 1)

 

Posted in Thoughts on the Psalms | Tagged , | Leave a comment

This Free Bible Study Will Take You Deep into the Word

Posted on September 16, 2022 by Wayne Davies


What a treasure chest of truth we have at our fingertips. The Bible is an inexhaustible goldmine of divine instruction, “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Why do we read and study the Bible? Why do we strive to understand and believe the Word of God? The passage above tells us – so that God can teach us how to pursue holiness. This assumes our need for God’s loving rebuke, gracious redirection, and merciful discipline, all for the goal of spiritual growth and maturity. Only then can we do the good works “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

To that end, I’m writing to tell you about a free 11-week Bible study on the book of James that can help you dive deep into the Word in order to be holy, for the will of God is nothing less than your sanctification (see 1 Thessalonians 4:3).

It’s entitled:

James: Living a Life of Genuine Faith
by Jen Wilkin

Here’s where you’ll find it:

https://www.jenwilkin.net/downloads

This Bible study contains the following resources, suitable for both individuals and small groups:

91-page PDF, written by Jen Wilkin. It contains study questions for each of the 11 lessons. Also contains an Appendix with the ESV translation of James.

If you take the time to answer these study questions, you will benefit greatly. I highly recommend that you write out your answers. Print out the PDF and write your answers on each page, or use your word processor or other device to record your thoughts.

My wife and I did this Bible study in the summer of 2020. Oh, what a meaningful time it was for both of us! We did the homework each week on our own, then got together and shared our answers. It was a rich time in the Word that I will never forget. It brought us closer to the Lord and each other.

You can also listen to Jen Wilkin’s teaching sessions on each of the 11 lessons.

The audio files (approx. 50 minutes each) can be accessed from the following websites:

https://jenwilkin.podbean.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flower-mound-womens-bible-study/id503752876

NOTE: Jen Wilkin is a prolific author, speaker, and Bible teacher. The target audience of her ministry is primarily women, but I find all her materials to be edifying. My wife and I read her book, Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds, which I have recommended before and I am recommending it again, whether you are female or male.

Posted in Bible reading | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

This No-Cost Bible Study Tool Has 40 Million Users

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Wayne Davies

Here’s an excellent Bible study resource for your PC.

It’s a free software called e-Sword and you can download your copy here:
www.e-Sword.net

I’ve used it for years and have always been amazed that it continues to be offered as a free download. Since the year 2000, it has been downloaded over 40 million times.

 

There’s a boatload of excellent Bible reading and Bible study resources available in this program: various Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, and helpful tools that can enhance your time in the Word.

There are also free Christian books by many of my favorite authors: Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Pink, Andrew Murray, F.B. Meyer, R.A. Torrey, John Calvin, A.W. Tozer, E.M. Bounds, and D.L. Moody.

I could go on and on about e-Sword.

I recommend you take the time to download and install the program (which takes less than 5 minutes) and dive in and learn how to use it. Click on “HELP” and then click on “TRAINING” and learn how to use e-Sword through online demos. These tutorials show you how to:

  • Learn the basics for getting started with e-Sword
  • Download additional resources
  • Do Biblical word studies
  • Search the Bible for a specific phrase
  • Search for all occurrences of a specific Hebrew or Greek word
  • Use the Scripture Memory tool to memorize the Word
  • Use the Prayer Requests tool for a consistent prayer life
  • Create a Bible reading plan to encourage you to read the Bible daily

Sure, there are more sophisticated Bible study software programs out there. But they are not free.

That’s what distinguishes e-Sword. You will be hard-pressed to find a resource like this at no charge.

Posted in Bible Study Software | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Billy Graham and His Regrets

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Wayne Davies

Got regrets?

Who doesn’t?

Even Billy Graham had regrets.

I’ve been reading a fascinating book, Ask Billy Graham: The World’s Best-Loved Preacher Answers Your Most Important Questions. It’s filled with the evangelist’s wisdom on a wide range of topics, including family, politics, evangelism, and his relationship with U.S. presidents. My favorite section is entitled, “On Himself.”

Here are a few quotes that stopped me in my tracks.

Do you have any regrets?
“I should have studied more and prayed more and spent more time with my family.”
USA Today, February 5, 1998

What’s the mistake that’s been the hardest for you to live with?
“Not studying enough. I don’t think anybody considers me an intellectual or a very smart man. I’m just an ordinary man. I feel more like a plowboy back on the farm today than I ever did.”
ABC News, Primetime Live, December 30, 1993

You’ve said on a number of occasions that you consider yourself a failure. Why is that?
“I feel that if I had stayed home more, studied more, I would have done more for God and my soul. I needed to grow inside more. I traveled too much, went to too many places, accepted too many invitations.”
CNN’s Larry King Live, May 29, 2005

Here’s the man who preached the gospel to more people than anyone in history, and he wished he had spent more time studying and praying and being with his family.

I find that amazing.

It’s also encouraging to me that he was humble enough to realize this and to talk about it publicly.

I have similar regrets, especially regarding prayer. And I regret how much time I spent at the office, consumed with making more money.

How about you? If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?

Something to think about, pray about, and repent over.

May we all be moved by the honesty of Billy Graham to seek God’s help to live more in accord with His Word and His will from this day forward.

Posted in Famous Christians | Tagged , | Leave a comment

When Is the Best Time of Day to Read the Bible?

Posted on August 28, 2022 by Wayne Davies

I received this comment recently on the GodWroteTheBook.com blog:

“I have a Bible that my pastor gave to me and I am not sure which time of the day my pastor expects me to read it to gain knowledge of God.”

 

I’m encouraged by this situation for at least three reasons:

1. It’s great to hear that the pastor provided a Bible to this individual. Perhaps this person never owned a Bible before. Can you think of a better way to enhance a person’s life than to give them a printed copy of the Word of God?

Have you ever given someone a Bible? Then you know what I mean.

If you haven’t, why not look for opportunities to do so? Who do you know who would benefit from having a Bible to read, perhaps for the first time? Offer to spend time together, simply reading one book together, one chapter each time you meet. I recommend starting with the Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of John. After each reading, ask and discuss two straightforward questions:

“What does this passage teach about God (Father, Son, Spirit)?”

“What is my response to this teaching?”

2. I love that this person knows that the purpose of reading the Bible is to “gain knowledge of God.” Amen to that! There are two types of people in the world – those who know God, and those who don’t. Those who know God possess the most precious knowledge in the universe. Without it, we are trapped in a life of futility and are doomed to face an eternity of misery. With it, there is hope for both this world and the next.

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

“This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

3. As far as what time of the day is best to read the Bible, here’s a blog post that addresses that question:

Bible Reading Tips – When Is the Best Time of Day to Read the Bible and Pray?
https://godwrotethebook.com/bible-reading-tips-when-is-the-best-time-of-day-to-read-the-bible-and-pray/

(For the past 8 years, this has been one of the most popular articles at GodWroteTheBook.com. Many people are eager to know the answer to this question!)

The psalms offer examples of believers who seek God in the morning (Psalm 5:3), at noon (Psalm 55:17), and at night (Psalm 119:62).

Another biblical response to this question is found in Psalm 1:1-3:

“Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (verses 1 and 3).

Anytime is a good time to spend time with God in His Word. Find what time of day is best for you and cultivate the godly habit of sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him, learning from Him, and delighting in Him. Enjoy!

Posted in Bible reading | Tagged | Leave a comment

The #1 Reason to Pray for God’s Blessing (Thoughts on Psalm 67)

Posted on August 21, 2022 by Wayne Davies

Why do we ask God to bless us? Have you ever thought about that?

Psalm 67 provides a wonderful answer to that question.

 

Verse 1 begins the Psalm with a prayer: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us.”

What a great petition! Wondering what to pray for today? Here’s a great place to start. Ask God to provide his grace, his blessing, and his face to shine upon you.

If God demonstrates his love for you through these three realities, would you be content in any situation? Should God answer this prayer, do you think you would have a heart filled with joy and gladness? I would think so!

As we continue reading the psalm, verse 2 says, “so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation [may be known] among all nations.” The first two words of this verse are the key that unlocks the meaning of the whole psalm. The psalmist asks God to graciously bless his people so that all nations on earth would know the ways and salvation of God.

Do you see the significance of this prayer? Verse 1, at first glance, and when viewed by itself, seems to be primarily about God’s people and their desire to receive the blessings of God’s goodness. And there is certainly some truth to that assessment.

But the psalmist didn’t stop there. He also included the purpose of this prayer. He is asking God to bless his people for a specific reason: in order that they can be the channel through which God blesses the rest of the world. We are the recipients of God’s grace in order to communicate the beauty of that grace to all nations.

What we have here is an evangelistic prayer for the salvation of all peoples. The rest of the psalm continues this theme.

3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.

Note the repetition of the words “peoples” and “nations.” This Hebrew poet is concerned about the spiritual condition of Gentiles all over the world. He is pleading with God to make his presence known to the Jews so that pagan peoples from every land will worship God with joy and gladness!

Psalm 67 is nothing less than an Old Testament version, in sacred song, of the New Testament “Great Commission” delivered by Jesus to his followers before ascending to heaven:

“Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
“Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations” (Luke 24:27).
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8)

This is the reason that God spoke to Abraham, an idol worshipping pagan, and led him from Ur of the Chaldees to the promised land of Canaan. Joshua quotes these words from the Lord himself: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods’” (Joshua 24:2).

God spoke to Abraham and told him,

1 “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

The Lord of heaven and earth promised to bless Abraham and his offspring, the nation of Israel, so that all nations on earth would be blessed through God’s channel of blessing, the Jews.

Ultimately, this promise of blessing through Abraham was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus, for “He (Christ) redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit” (Galatians 3:14).

Psalm 67, written hundreds of years after God’s promise to Abraham to bless all nations through his seed, continues the theme of God’s love for the whole world. God has always had a plan to make known his ways of salvation to all peoples. And he chose the Jewish nation to be the human means by which this message of redemption would be brought to fruition. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).  We see that in Psalm 67 from start to finish, for verses 6 and 7 repeat the wonderful truth that God blesses us so that he can bless the world through us:

6 The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

May it be so today!

Questions for Further Study, Reflection, and Discussion

  1. Reflect on the meaning of the three requests found in the prayer of verse 1:
    1) God’s grace;
    2) God’s blessing;
    3) God’s shining face.
    How have you experienced each of these spiritual realities recently? Offer a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for these gifts from God.
  2. Specifically, how would you like God to answer the 3-fold prayer of Psalm 67:1 today? For yourself? For your local church?
  3. What is your response to the truth that God blesses you and your local church so that you can be a channel of blessing to others? Specifically, how can your answer to Question 2 be turned into a prayer for God to bless those in your community and throughout the world who do not know God’s salvation?
  4. From Psalm 67, what new insights did you learn about God and His purposes for us?

NOTE: The above is excerpt from my forthcoming book, How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 42-72 (Psalms Bible Study Guides, Volume 2)

Volume 1 of this series is available on Amazon: How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 1-41 (Psalms Bible Study Guides, Volume 1)

 

Posted in Thoughts on the Psalms | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How to Learn Contentment through Comparison

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Wayne Davies

I rarely read a book other than the Bible more than once.

Here’s one that I’m now reading for the fourth time: The Art of Divine Contentment, by Thomas Watson, a 17th-century Puritan pastor and author.

Four times . . . Really?

Yes, it is that good. I need to be reminded often of the Bible’s teaching on contentment.

We are commanded to be content. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

I especially like Chapter 9, “How to Learn Contentment,” which contains 18 rules that show Christians how they can attain contentment. Here is Rule 10: “Often compare your condition.” Mr. Watson unpacks this principle by explaining five types of comparison that lead to a contented life. My favorite is comparison #1: “Let us compare our condition with what we deserve.”

Here are some of his comments on this biblical truth:

“If we have less than we desire, we have more than we deserve. For our mercies, we have deserved less. For our afflictions, we have deserved more. First, consider out mercies . . . What can we deserve? We live on free grace. . . Whatever we have is not merit, but bounty. The least bit of bread is more than God owes us. We can bring kindling to our funeral pyre, but we cannot add one flower to the garland of our own salvation. He who has the smallest mercy will die in God’s debt.”

Is this not what Scripture teaches?

David said it well. “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10). If God did treat us as our sins deserve, where would we all be right now?

In hell. But where are we right now?

This simple yet profound comparison, when practiced regularly with an attitude of joyful gratitude for God’s abundant grace toward us, is one way to learn contentment.

NOTE: There are many editions of Watson’s book available online. The one I’ve been reading is an unabridged, modern English translation by Jason Roth. This book was originally published in 1660 and is regarded as a Christian classic. Books such as this can be hard to read. Unfamiliar vocabulary and sentence structure can obscure the original meaning. This updated version makes Watson’s 17th-century writing style more accessible to readers today.

It is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback here:
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Divine-Contentment-Modern-English-ebook/dp/B077XZ55G5/

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Worship God by Serving Your Neighbor

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Wayne Davies

Do you find the Christian life to be easy or hard (or both)?

Jesus said that the way that leads to life is “hard” and the way that leads to destruction is “easy” (Matthew 7:13-14). Yet He also instructed us to “Take my yoke upon you . . . and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).

 

 

How can a yoke, which by definition is hard, also be easy? And how can a burden, which by definition is heavy, also be light? A paradox, for sure, as we are “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10).

Certainly we can affirm that God expects us to work hard for His kingdom, and that such work will be hard work. We were “created in Christ Jesus for good works . . . that we should walk in them.” And we have been instructed to “do good to everyone” (Galatians 6:10).

Doing good works for our neighbor can be hard, and Scripture acknowledges this. Here are two passages that refer to acts of kindness with language reminiscent of an Old Testament sacrifice.

Passage #1
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16).

Doing good and sharing with others is described as a sacrifice. You give up something in order to benefit another. This may be painful to you, resulting in financial and/or emotional loss. Or maybe you give up use of your time. Yet you also benefit, because “such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Doing the will of God brings you much joy and contentment, and knowing that He rejoices over your generosity is a reward in and of itself. Furthermore, God has promised to reward you abundantly in heaven for such demonstrations of love. In light of these temporal and eternal blessings, did the giver really lose anything?

Passage #2
“I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18).

The Philippians sent Paul money to support him while he was in prison in Rome. Notice how this display of unselfish giving is portrayed not only as a sacrifice, but also as “a fragrant offering . . . acceptable and pleasing to God.”

To describe an act of kindness as a sacrifice to God adds much to our understanding of the meaning of “good works.” Doing good should be far more than a horizontal event. It is not merely the giving and receiving of love between human beings. This is also a vertical event. To give something of value to my neighbor is to offer a sacrifice to God. To feed my enemy is to worship my Lord. To return good for evil is to send a sweet aroma to heaven. And God accepts these gifts and is pleased with them because He is pleased with us for giving them, provided we do them with a heart of love that is tuned to sing His grace.

The Hardest Thing about Good Works
Here is one of the most startling verses in the Bible: “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).

Does this verse mean what I think it means? Does Paul really mean that I can give away everything I own, and yet receive no benefit (such as the rewards God has promised) because this act of apparent kindness was not done out of love?

At first glance, this truth can be alarming, taking the wind from our sails and causing us to doubt what we do.

But the more we reflect on it, the more it makes sense. In the Old Testament, an animal sacrifice, if not offered with a heart of faith and repentance, became a meaningless ritual, turning an outward act of obedient worship into an ungodly activity. This happened repeatedly in Isaiah’s day. Listen to God’s rebuke of His people:

“The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me.” (Isaiah 1:11-13)

Likewise, we must offer our sacrifices of service with a heart of love and compassion, for God is seeking “true worshipers . . . those who worship him . . . in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). May it be so.

Questions to Stimulate Your Response to the Comments Above:

  1. What can you do to cultivate the proper heart attitude when serving others?
  2. Who do you know in the household of faith who would benefit from an intentional act of kindness? What can you do this week to “do good” to this person as an intentional act of worship?
  3. Same question as #2 above, except replace “Who do you know in the household of faith” with “What outsider do you know . . .”
Posted in True Religion | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Breathtaking Description of Jesus from Colossians 1:15-20

Posted on July 30, 2022 by Wayne Davies

I recently read the book of Colossians and would like to share some thoughts about Jesus based on chapter 1, verses 15-20.

Here is one of the most stunning descriptions of the Lord Jesus Christ in all of Scripture:

 

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)

Jesus asked the apostles, “Who do you say I am?” Peter responded with these words: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15-16).

In Colossians 1:15-20 we read how Paul answers the most important question ever asked:

Who is Jesus?

As the image of the invisible God and the dwelling place of all the fullness of God, Jesus is God.

Since all things were created by Jesus and through Jesus, He is the Creator of everything in the universe, both seen and unseen.

Because all things hold together in Jesus, He is the Sustainer and Maintainer of all that exists. All energy originates from Him. Every hurricane, tornado, earthquake, and flood is His doing, for Jesus controls the weather 24/7 – every drop of rain, every ray of sunshine, every stirring of a gentle breeze.

As the head of the church, Jesus is the supreme authority and Judge of His people. We answer to Jesus and are held accountable to Him for everything we think, say, and do. Every idle thought, every careless word, and every unintended action will one day be evaluated by Jesus, “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Yes, “the Father has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son” (John 5:23-24).

The purpose of everything that happens is found in Jesus because all things were created for Him and have as their ultimate goal His preeminence. Everything was made for the glory of Jesus. He is the reason that everything exists. Without Jesus, there is no meaning to anything and we remain the hopeless recipients of “the futile ways inherited from [our] forefathers” (1 Peter 1:18).

And because of what Jesus did on the cross, there is hope of reconciliation and redemption for the estranged and guilty prisoners who inhabit this planet. Only through the death of Jesus can enslaved transgressors find peace with their Maker, for His blood is the payment of the price that purchases our freedom from the bondage of sin. “We have redemption” in Him, and only in Him (Colossians 1:14). This is why the 24 elders sing a new song before Jesus the Lamb,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:9-10

This is who Jesus is. This is what Jesus did. This is what Jesus will do for us, should we humble ourselves before Him and embrace Him with faith as our God, Creator, Redeemer, Reconciler, and Peace-Maker.

Who is Jesus? Jesus is breathtaking. Does He take your breath away?

Posted in Attributes of God, Jesus Christ | Tagged | Leave a comment