Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

A doxology is the speaking of the praiseworthiness of God. But what's in it for me ? In the most famous doxology in Scripture, the answer is PLENTY . He is ABLE TO KEEP ME FROM STUMBLING . He helps TODAY, at the " stumbling - point " moment, if I ask. Then He helps on THAT DAY . He presents me BLAMELESS . This of course is "impossible" for all but God Himself. Who else can...

When you go to church, the place should smell like smoke.  Everybody there is either in need of being SNATCHED from the fire, or HAS BEEN SNATCHED from the fire. Nobody comes to the Lord who isn't impossibly snatched.  We are snatched by the Lord's LOVE.  Love snatches us. We should ACT LIKE we've been heroically snatched.  It is an active, ongoing, perhaps even tiresome process.  &...

Jude is an emergency letter written in an emergency situation .  The essence of it is a LEADERSHIP CRISIS . Leadership crisis are particularly bad because it is the fastest way to take out the whole swath of the congregation. Leaders are at risk in three main categories: Power , Profit , and Pleasure .  It looks like Jude's target congregation's leadership suffers from all three. But mos...

Jude writes an emergency letter occasioned by an emergency sexual situation founded on an emergency  attitude toward God . Because BEHAVIOR betrays BELIEF, what is going on with people's ZIPPER  shows what's going on in their attitudes toward God. It is no different in times of the Old Testament. People have been gifted with sexuality since Adam got WOWED by Eve. Similarly, people have b...

One of the people Jesus left to lead the 1st generation of the church was his actual brother, JUDE. He was one of the family members that thought Jesus "out of His mind" before the resurrection (Mark3:21).  He's come a long way since then. Jude wants to write a leisurely long letter, but because of urgent circumstances, he has to send an EMERGENCY letter. He calls on his audience to...

We leave the book of Hebrews with our pockets full of HELP.  We have the PAST (the great cloud of witnesses) helping us with our NOW . We have the example of Jesus (who for the joy set before Him He endured the cross) using the FUTURE to help with the NOW . We are left equipped for the very difficult moments of our TODAY . Yes Lord, we want the good stuff. We do want all Your provisions and all of...

There are 16 named, and a whole bunch of anonymous men and women who are highlighted in the "Hall of Fame of Faith" of Hebrews 11. They are important to us, because each of us plays on the "field of faith" every single day.  We'd best pay attention. Each one of these heroes demonstrates a facet of faith. Abraham had a RESURRECTION FAITH, Sarah has a CONSIDERED faith, Gideo...

You'll need to know a few of these pearls from Hebrews 9-11: God goes to great trouble to " put away " your sin He saves us out of sin and INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF He wants us to be occupied with the  things of God amidst the  people of God God was " UNJUST " just one time (the suffering of Jesus) out of LOVE for YOU We are to be Drawing NEAR to Him because of all th...

Here's a couple of highlights: Don't be dull to the pointy end of conviction We're all on the unpalatable road to JUSTICE , but God offers the better MERCY Opportunities for repentance are now , but will not be infinite We have a steadfast and sure anchor Jesus is seated on an active THRONE of GRACE , not on the Lay-Z-Boy God only saves stinky sinners --the shiny and bright need not...

Pay attention! Here's the "Best of Hebrews" vol 1: it's not angels God helps, it's PEOPLE Jesus "tasted death" for all of us by taking our penalty for sin on the cross He helps us with our here and now with a whole THRONE of GRACE Don't "follow your heart" (it's terrible advice) but LEAD IT(this is good advice) We are to actively STRIVE to ent...

Jesus gets a promotion , if that is even possible, at the conclusion of Hebrews.  He goes from being the GOOD Shepherd to being the GREAT Shepherd .  The mega - Shepherd . Hebrews is about Jesus being large, being great,  and even a little surprising. Part of the bad news is you are still a sheep . Probably still have a tendency to do what is right in your own eyes. Probably still tend to wander ....

Give us the good stuff Lord! Equip us with EVERYTHING GOOD. PROSPER us fully. Please don't leave any blessing on the table.  We want it all . Why? So we can be on PURPOSE for You. So we can do Your will. So we can be on Your team and be on Your tasks. And, that You can work in us what is PLEASING in Your sight.  May it all result in what we do and say and think being pleasing to You. Finally,...

Spiritual leaders, whether Pastor, teacher or even small group leader have tough jobs: to keep watch over something that is invisible. Invisible, yes, but giving evidence in behaviors. They will give an account for the job they do in this improbable goal. Similarly, being a follower has its' challenges too.  We are to be a JOY to our leaders.  We are to make their job a JOY . If we asked your...

King David's  heart struck him . He had a  change of heart . He went the great distance from, "of course I am right" to "I could be wrong about this".  If you have ever walked that path, you will know those are the most difficult steps you will ever take. Repentance is "expensive" in that way and is a big step toward true worship. Worship requires effort, attenti...

Generosity is expensive and difficult .  It involves taking EARNED DOLLARS and converting them into GIVEN DOLLARS. Typically, that is not done without some wrestling with yourself. Generous worship , similarly, is also expensive.  It is supposed to cost you something. Good worship is to be offered frequently . Good worship is contingent on attaching it to Jesus and calling on His name in praise. ...

Biblical Geography informs interpretation . Our charge for today is to "Go TO HIM", Jesus.  Where do we find Him? OUTSIDE the Gate, OUTSIDE the camp, OUTSIDE the city. Why? Because it is too shameful of an activity for Main Street. He's out there on the cross suffering a penalty for "the sin of the world" and "for the sin of one--me."  (You won't appreciate...

Good leaders have a tough job in the Church.  It's a high call to be qualified for that job and it is a high call to  keep that job.  For those who do, they are worth remembering . We would do best to call them to mind when we PRAY , and when we are GRATEFUL . They should have imitatable outcomes of their behavior, if they are getting the principles right.  They should be humbled by their con...

Contentment is the posture of the heart that treasures being God's possession. Contentment is NOT in what I  possess . Contentment is in knowing Who I am possessed by.  Our contentment  here rests on our contentment  there , being in the heart of God.  Being  possessed   is my most valuable asset.  Wrestle with me today for 7 minutes to be free from the the LOVE OF MONEY so we can be free to...

You can honor your marriage before  you even get there. That would involve preserving what is only for marriage for the actual marriage. Lots of that has to do with your zipper. You can honor your marriage during  your marriage. That is keeping what is only for marriage within the marriage. Lots of that has to do with your zipper. Everyone can honor marriage and hold it as a high value.  Everyone...

God the Creator will someday "consume" His creation. Poof. Gone. His choice. But not  everything will be on the menu.  He preserves a couple of things: His KINGDOM and His  people . There is an eternal party in heaven with the Godhead, angels and people of FAITH . Now they are people who have no real right to be there and have received GRACE and MERCY by faith. He warns us not to reject...

You are invited to a PARTY in heaven . You have an engraved invitation . God, who is all holy and just will be there, so there needs to be some satisfaction for your unholiness problem.  Fortunately, Jesus is there to permanently fix that problem with "a better blood" than Moses or Able had access to. Lots of angels will be there at this " festal gathering ". So will an assembl...

God is in the holiness business, but to what extent am I in the holiness business?  We are asked to RUN HARD after something ONLY GOD CAN GIVE . We are asked to STRIVE toward a holiness that is only sourced from God. God is in the holiness business.  I am involved in the RELENTLESS PURSUIT of holiness business. I am to RUN AFTER a grace that only God can give. Let God do His fine work of sharing h...

If you know any wonderful spiritual people, they likely got that way  one correction at a time . It didn't happen in a POOF. They seriously considered the question, " What could I be doing better?"  Consider these three steps: BE WRONG . If you hear the Voice of conviction , that is a good thing . Worse is the silence of indifference . This is what Fathers do for sons. The first ste...

You'll have a problem  today . Everybody will. It will be very real, and very now. All you have is  TODAY  to act upon it. But today is not the only day we have to influence  our situation.  We have THE PAST examples and THE FUTURE promises to assist us. We are to use the  past   to help us with our  present . look to this great surrounding cloud of witnesses that did it right look to Jesus a...

Sometimes you gotta wait. But what if as you wait , you are mocked, flogged, chained, imprisoned, stoned to death, homeless, impoverished, and my personal favorite, sawn in two. Sometimes being in God's family is no picnic. We may not be facing these actual horrors like our forefathers and mothers, but we are facing something. Likely you'll have a bit of suffering today, if in no other w...