1 Peter 1: A Tested Faith

Today’s reading is 1 Peter 1.

Let’s begin with Jesus. Do you recall what happened to Jesus as soon as He was baptized? After the Father had declared Jesus His Son, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted or tested by Satan. He was with the wild beasts and the angels ministered to Him (Mark 1:12-13). We might expect Jesus to be baptized and then ushered to His throne to rule as God’s Son. But, first, testing, trial, temptation. His genuineness is demonstrated by what He suffered. Further, He was perfected by what He suffered (Hebrews 2:9-13).

In like manner, what happens to us after we have been baptized into Christ? As was Jesus, we will be “grieved by various trials.” Why? So the genuineness of our faith might be proven and result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed to us. And in that revelation, we might obtain the salvation of our souls which is the outcome of a tested and proven faith. That salvation is the resurrection from the dead “to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

The struggle, of course, is Satan wants to twist the testing. God allows us to be tested in order to prove our faith, perfect our steadfastness, and lead us to final and full salvation. Satan tests us in order to destroy our faith and separate us from the saving God. Satan wants us to face the test and decide because we are grieved by trials, we must not be saved. There must not be any home waiting for us. There must not be any salvation reserved for us. He would have us give up.

But Peter wants us to understand God is guarding us through our faith. But faith is not faith if we only hold it when it is easy to hold. Faith is only faith when it is put to the test and hangs on. It’s not saving faith unless it withstands the test. The faith that crumbles when affliction, trial, persecution, temptation arises is the rocky ground faith: quickly proclaimed, quickly abandoned. The faith that guards our souls and leads us to salvation is a tested and proven genuine faith. If we hang on to our faith through the trials, temptations, and tests, we will have the salvation which is ready to be revealed in the last time.

James teaches us the same thing. He began his brief sermon by telling us to rejoice when we face tests and trials, because when we persist in obedient faith, we gain steadfastness and steadfastness will grow us to completeness (James 1).

As gold is tested in a fire to prove its genuineness, we too will be tested in the fire. But hang on by faith. Our salvation is reserved for us in heaven.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Peter 1.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does 1 Peter 1 admonish you?

Mark 15: Carrying the Cross

Today’s reading is Mark 15.

Another Place in the Story

As we read the accounts of Jesus’s trial, death, and resurrection, we naturally find ourselves relating to various perspectives in the narrative. Yesterday, we walked in the shoes of Barabbas.

But what about Simon of Cyrene? What is this story from his perspective?

We all Have our Cross to Bear

How often in conversation do we mention a difficulty we face or a hardship we endure and someone responds, “Well, we all have our cross to bear.” Of course we do. But that isn’t what Jesus means when He tells us to take up our cross and follow Him.

No, He actually means we need to be like Simon 0f Cyrene.

Simon wasn’t simply dealing with a hardship. He was snatched from the crowds by a Roman soldier because Roman soldiers were allowed to do that sort of thing. By law, they could make anyone who was among the enslaved nations bear a burden for up to a mile. There was nothing Simon could do but comply.

Jesus was obviously struggling under the weight of the cross. Being beaten near to death and dealing with the shock of blood loss can have a tendency to affect a person in that way. Exactly what prompted the soldiers to grab Simon, I don’t know. Maybe Jesus collapsed under the cross. Maybe He just stalled out and couldn’t walk any further. Maybe He was just going too slow. I am certain of this: the soldiers didn’t put the cross on Simon out of the kindness and compassion of their hearts.

But we need to understand, being enlisted to carry this cross is far different from being asked to carry a soldier’s usual load. Even though it wasn’t Simon’s cross, carrying it was a shame for Simon. In fact, being grabbed to carry this implement of torture and death said something about Simon. He may not have been walking to his immediate death, but having to carry that cross demonstrated the shame of enslavement and death under which the Jews constantly lived as slaves of Rome. He might not die that day. But death was coming for him. And the Romans could kill him at any time, just as they were killing Jesus.

At the end of Simon’s walk, Jesus took up the cross again. Then Jesus was raised up on the cross.

Take UP Your Cross and Follow Jesus

Back in Mark 8:34, Jesus told the crowds, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (ESV). Then Simon literally takes up a cross and follows Jesus. This is what it means to bear our cross. It means to take up the implement of death and walk behind Jesus. It means giving up all we think makes life special and giving it to Jesus.

That can feel like an incredible sacrifice. But Jesus’s point is it is no sacrifice at all. Carrying our cross doesn’t kill us. It saves us.

In fact, it seems that is precisely what it did for Simon. Mark tells his audience Simon is the father of Rufus and Alexander. Why would he do that unless he expected his readers to know those two fellows? In other words, while we don’t know what happened with Barabbas after his encounter with Jesus, it seems pretty obvious what happened with Simon. He did give allegiance to Jesus. He raised his boys to do so as well.

Let’s follow in the footsteps of Simon. Let’s take up our cross. Let’s follow Jesus. Let’s give our allegiance to Him, realizing that, as Paul said in Philippians 3:7-8, everything else we think meaningful in life is rubbish compared to being found in and with Jesus.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 15.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Mark 15 prompt or improve your trust in God?

Mark 13: Jesus’s Word Will Not Pass Away

Today’s reading is Mark 13.

In Mark 13:30, Jesus explained He was talking about a judgment which would come in the lifetime of the generation listening to Him. But then He makes an interesting statement:

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
–Mark 13:31, ESV

Heaven and earth did not pass away within that generation. Does that mean Jesus lied? Does that mean Jesus was mistaken?

No.

Jesus was not saying before that generation passed away heaven and earth would pass away. He was saying His Word is more stable than even heaven and earth. He was essentially saying heaven and earth will pass away before His words pass away. In fact, in this passage, He doesn’t even actually mean heaven and earth will pass away (though other passages do say that will happen at some point, see 2 Peter 3:10-13). He means as solid and stable as the heavens and earth are, His Word is more solid and stable. We can count on His words still being true tomorrow more than we can count on the heavens and the earth still being here tomorrow. We can trust His words more than we can trust the ground beneath our feet.

Of course, Jesus made this statement in a particular context. His point was judgment would come on Jerusalem and Judea. That word would take place. Of course, it did. In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in it for a second time. However, we can apply the point about Jesus’s words to everything He said.

Jesus’s words never pass away. All His teaching is true. Everything He says about how to live and how to have eternal life are all true. They won’t change. His teaching about a life worthy of His calling and salvation from sin, will always be valid. If Jesus said it, we can bank on it. When Jesus said Jerusalem would be judged and destroyed, it was going to happen. When He said the poor in spirit inherit the kingdom, we know it will happen. When He said if we seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness God will supply our needs, we can take it to the bank. When He says if we don’t repent, we will all likewise perish, we know it will happen.

Jesus’s words will not pass away. We will. But if we have based our lives on His stable and steadfast word, even when we pass away, we will live.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 13.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Mark 13 prompt or improve your hope in God?

Mark 13: Don’t Be Led Astray

Today’s reading is Mark 13.

As we pointed out yesterday, the language of Mark 13 is typical judgment language. Judgment simply happens this way, any judgment, all judgments. Even though Jesus was in this context talking about the end of Jerusalem and the temple and not the end of the world, we still learn some great lessons about how to live today as we prepare for whatever judgment comes next–whether that is another national judgment or the final judgment on the whole world.

Perhaps the most important warning is found in Mark 13:5:

And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray” (ESV).

He then goes on to explain many will come claiming to speak in Jesus’s name and they will successfully lead many people astray from Jesus. He even says there will be all kinds of horrific things happening in the world, but that is not the judgment. They are just birth pangs. I find it intriguing that today some want to use this paragraph about wars, rumors of wars, and natural disasters as “signs of the times” in order to freak people out about the end of the world. But even Jesus says in the face of these things, “Do not be alarmed.” These events shouldn’t alarm us at all. They aren’t the end. They aren’t even signs of the times. They are just what happens in the world. Yes, they are birth pains showing judgment will come, but they aren’t actually signs the judgment is about to happen.

But the big deal is people in every circumstance will strive to lead us astray. Some may pretend to be Christ Himself. Some will pretend to be His emissaries. Some will try to lead us astray through persecution.

The thing we need to remember is judgment is coming. Between now and then we have an enemy actively attempting to wreck our preparation for the judgment. Don’t let that happen.

Hang on to Jesus as revealed in Scripture. Don’t be led astray by false narratives about Him. Don’t be led astray by misrepresentations of Him. Don’t be led astray by threats against Him. Hang on.

We will be hated for His name’s sake. But those who endure to the end will be saved. Hang on!

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 13.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Mark 13 prompt or improve your trust in God?

Psalm 136: His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

Today’s reading is Psalm 136.

the Lord’s Incredible Chesed

When the Lord revealed His name and character to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7, the central character trait was His steadfast love. Not only does the Lord abound in steadfast love, He keeps it for thousands, demonstrated by forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. That idea of keeping it for thousands contrasts with the following statement about visiting iniquities of the fathers on the children and even on their children. The grammatical structures are parallel. That is, if the “third” and “fourth” of the iniquity visiting refers to generations, then so too the “thousands” with whom the Lord keeps steadfast love. Imagine that. The Lord’s steadfast love lasts to the thousandth generation. If we average out that a new generation is born every 20 years, God told Moses His steadfast love will last for 20,000 years. It doesn’t take much at all to realize God wasn’t speaking literally. He was using a number so large it is unfathomable to us. He was saying He keeps steadfast love forever.

We must not be surprised then to discover a common refrain of praise: “His steadfast love endures forever.” This statement is recorded 26 times in our psalm and 16 times throughout the rest of the Law, Prophets, and Writings. The word translated “steadfast love” by the ESV is the Hebrew word “chesed.” The “ch” should be pronounced like the “ch” in Bach, not in “church.” It refers to ongoing favor and kindness due to covenant loyalty.

Have you ever participated in a responsive singing or reading of this psalm? Sadly, even the most devout among us can find it tedious by the time we’ve said “for His steadfast love endures forever” the twenty-sixth time. But perhaps we should understand something. The psalmist didn’t write this psalm for our entertainment. He wrote it to drive home one point and one point alone. The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever. In fact, it wouldn’t really be steadfast love if it didn’t, would it? He wants us to say it so often we can’t possibly forget. He wants us to say it so often it becomes an earworm that plays on our mind even when we aren’t thinking about the psalm. He wants us to say it so often we even begin to recognize it as the absolute truth.

And don’t miss this incredible point. Recall the Songs of Ascents ended in Psalm 134 with the call to bless the Lord, praising Him. Psalms 135 and 136 answer the call. Again and again, those who worship using Psalm 136 bless the Lord, praising Him. This psalm tells us to profess thanks to the LORD, the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the only one who does great wonders, who by understanding made the heaven, spread the earth above the waters and on the list goes of the deeds of the Lord. But again and again, the statement is made not that the worshipers should profess thanks to the Lord because He did great wonders of creation, redemption, and sovereignty, but because His steadfast love endures forever.

When we look up to the heavens, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When we walk on the solid ground of earth, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When the sun rises and sets, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When we pick out the constellations, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When we recall His great acts of deliverance and rule in the world, especially in the history of ancient Israel, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. And, as the psalm ends, when we eat or even feed our pets, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever.

Because of a handful of stories demonstrating God’s wrath against sin, folks have the notion His wrath endures forever. They have the notion God is up in heaven looking to zap people. Not so. Every day we wake up and see the sun, we have another piece of evidence our God isn’t looking to zap people. If He were, you and I wouldn’t have survived the night. No. Our God is looking to forgive, save, deliver. His steadfast love endures forever. The question is will we surrender to it?

Will you? If we can help you, let us know in the comments below.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 136.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 136 prompt or improve your praise of God?

Psalm 119:81-96: How Long?

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 81-96).

How Long Must Your Servant Endure?

I don’t know why it still surprises me. I’ve seen it in the psalms over and again. Yet, when I hear the faithful question God, it gives me pause. Can any of us doubt the author of this psalm is a spiritual giant? Can any of us doubt his faithfulness to the Lord? Over and again he expresses his commitment to God and God’s Word. Despite hardship, he hangs on. Despite turmoil, he trusts.

Yet, listen to this section within KAPH:

I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
How long must your servant endure?
When will you judge those who persecute me?
-Psalm 119:82b-84 (ESV)

Even the most faithful struggle. Even the most trusting doubt. Even the strongest falter at times. Even the most believing question.

“When? How long? Why aren’t you acting? You promised to act.”

I can hardly imagine coming in to God’s presence in this manner. And yet, I have. In moments when the hardship, the struggle, the battle was strong, and seemed overwhelming, moments when I tried to put on a strong face and behave and pray the way I thought I was supposed to, but the veneer cracked. Moments when I simply couldn’t understand why God was doing what He was doing, allowing what He was allowing, ignoring what He seemed to be ignoring. The questions slipped out and then the fear that I had crossed a line.

And yet, as inspired Scripture, the psalmists question. When God gave us an inspired look at how to talk to Him, these questions are included. God works on His own timetable, but He is not ignorant of our struggle with His timetable. Well aware of our finite perspective, He knows we can’t help but wonder why He makes the choices He does. While He calls us to trust, He doesn’t expect us to be machines. He allows for the lament, the despair, even the demands.

“God! I trust You. When will You do what You promised?!”

We fear this kind of prayer indicates a lack of faith. Apparently not. What does, then, indicate a lack of faith? Not prayer. Despite the struggles, the psalmist still prays. No. Lack of faith is demonstrated by ceasing to pray. Lack of faith is demonstrated by ceasing to follow.

For all this psalmist’s struggles, he still takes them to the only one he believes can do anything about them. He still takes them to God. Even when the One he is struggling with is God, the psalmist still takes his struggles to God.

God’s shoulders are big enough for our doubts, our struggles, our questions, even our accusations. He allows us to call Him to keep His Word. He allows us to question why He hasn’t yet kept His Word. As long as we decide to keep loving, listening to, and following His Word, He accepts and even strengthens us when we are weak and doubt and struggle. If you are in the middle of the battle and you can’t understand, ask Him. No, I can’t promise the deliverance will happen today. After all, we still have eleven more stanzas of turmoil and trust in this psalm. But I can promise, as long as you are going to God as the one you know is the only one who can do anything about your struggles, He won’t condemn you either. He will listen. He will comfort. And when the time is right, then He will deliver.

Praise the Lord!

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 81-96).

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 119:81-96 admonish you?

Psalm 64: Enemies

Today’s reading is Psalm 64.

Kidner points out Psalm 63 has God at the center with enemies on the periphery. Then he explains Psalm 64 gives the reverse perspective. The end result is the same, but the perspective is slightly different.

Either way you look at it, the Psalms and especially here in Psalm 64, we come face to face with enemies. Last week, we gave a great deal of attention to the dry times, times we simply don’t feel the love and presence of God so we take it on faith. Akin to those dry times are times of attack. In fact, the end of our last psalm showed they are often the same times. When enemies attack, we can feel dry, like we’re running on empty.

Through many of the psalms this concept of enemies comes up. Let’s hit it head on.

Enemies.

We have them.

In some instances, they are merely competitive enemies. That is, we and our enemies are competing for the same ground, same goal, same something. The fight is on. We both want the promotion. We both want some property. We both want our competing rights fulfilled. A co-worker may stab you in the back because he/she wants the promotion, but that is not about your faith in God. Other times, the enemies are against our faith and against our King. That is a completely different story.

As powerful and loving as our God is, you’d think we wouldn’t have any enemies. However, we do. And the ultimate enemy will use that against us. Like the dry times, Satan will use our enemies both directly and indirectly. He will use the enemies themselves directly as weapons to attack us. But he will also use them indirectly to discourage us so we get angry with God for letting us have enemies.

Don’t. Don’t let him discourage you. Yes. God’s people have enemies. You will have enemies. Even Jesus had enemies. Are enemies attacking you now? Don’t quit. Don’t give up. David hung on. You can hang on.

In the end, remember, the enemies aren’t actually fighting against you, they are fighting against God. And God always wins. Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 64.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 64 prompt and provoke you to praise God?

Do Not Shrink Back

Today’s reading is Hebrews 10.

The Greek version of the Old Testament says, “Because there is still a vision for the time, and he will appear at an end, and not in vain; if he is late, wait for him, because one coming will be present, and he will not tarry. If he draws back, my life does not find pleasure in it, but the righteous one will live by my faith” (Habakkuk 2:3-4, The Lexham English Septuagint, 2nd Edition). Our author brings this passage to mind.

Though Habakkuk was talking about Babylon coming to conquer Judah, the point for us is judgment is coming. Just as Habakkuk, plagued by those who betrayed God, had to patiently wait the coming judgment, we must do the same. We may like for God to deal with those who plundered our property quickly. We may like for Him to deal with it before others see us as fair game and it happens again. God may not do that. We may deal with reproach, affliction, imprisonment, plunder, persecution for an extended period of time. We may deal with it repeatedly. Why do we hang on? Because we believe.

Despite the fact it looks like God’s side is losing, we believe God’s side is winning. We live by that faith. We know Jesus will appear again. We know He is coming to save those of us who eagerly await His appearing. We press on in that faith. We will not shrink back from our faith. We will grow in it. We will grow it. We will hang on to it. And through this faith, our souls will be preserved.

Don’t shrink back. Press on. Move forward. Grow in faith. Our King will appear. Our enemies will be judged. We will be saved. Praise the Lord!

Next week’s reading is Hebrews 11.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Why is it difficult to maintain faith until Jesus reappears?
3. Why is it important to maintain faith until Jesus reappears?
4. How can we help each other maintain and live by faith until Jesus reappears?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?

Hate is No Surprise

Today’s reading is John 15.

It is surprising to me how many times throughout the Scripture the Holy Spirit prepares us for hate. Considering how good, loving, compassionate, and kind Jesus was, it is amazing that He was hated. But He was. In fact, so hated, He was taken to the cross. This was the very point those around Him didn’t grasp. If He was the Messiah, even if hated, He shouldn’t suffer for it. And this is, perhaps, one of the largest aspects of following Him that we miss today. If we are walking in the footsteps of Jesus, we heedlessly believe, everyone should like us. The world and the worldly will be so impressed with our Christlike love and compassion that they will long to hear what we say (if we are doing it right). The world shouldn’t hate us, we think. If they do, we are doing it wrong, we believe. And yet, Jesus prepares His followers again and again and again. It will not be different for us. Hate is no surprise. The world is going to hate us. The world is going to make us suffer for it. Obviously, we aren’t trying to be hated. But be ready. And be ready to keep loving one another and also loving those who hate us. That is what Jesus did when hated.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 16.