February 21, 2025

Luke 13: 2, 3 Jesus answered, “Do you think these . . . were worse sinners . . . ? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (NIV)

In times of tragedy, the most important question is not who caused it or why, but how will we respond.*

In this passage, we find Jesus using the big news stories of the day as a teaching opportunity. We don’t know much about the first incident except that Pilate was blamed for the slaughter of some Galileans as they were performing their sacrifices, causing human blood to mingle with that of the animals on the altar. The second event involved an unfortunate accident in which a tower fell on and killed eighteen people. Jesus presented his listeners with the thought-provoking question, “Did these people die this way because they were worse sinners than anyone else?”

It seems logical and fair that the punishment should fit the crime. In a civil justice system, that’s the way it should be. If sin were judged according to the same standards, it would stand to reason that bad things wouldn’t happen to good people.

Jesus redirected the focus from, “Why did this happen?” to, “What does this mean to us?”* He wanted his listeners – and us – to understand that life isn’t fair. Not every bad thing that happens is retribution for bad behavior, nor is good fortune an indication that an individual is a deserving person. His point was not that the people who had died were innocent but that they were not more guilty than anyone else.*

Paul echoed Jesus’ point when he wrote in Romans 3: 23 that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Everyone is guilty therefore everyone should repent. Everyone dies and most are taken by surprise by it. And unless you repent of your sins, your fate is worse than death. Repent, Jesus said. Don’t live in fear of dying, and don’t be afraid that you will get what you deserve!

The ultimate disaster is carrying your sins to your casket.*

February 20, 2025

Matthew 27: 12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. (NIV)

The silence of the Lamb of God still speaks volumes.*

Jesus’ accusers had never heard of the “Miranda Warning,” but Jesus knew that anything he said could and would be used against him in a court of law - although what he faced could hardly be described as legal proceedings. There was no evidence presented, no testimony by sworn witnesses, no justice, and no mercy.  And he was not there to entertain the crowd. He was there to fulfill prophecy and to accomplish his mission.

Jesus wasn’t always silent. When he spoke, people listened and were amazed. His words transformed lives and changed the world. The temple guards who were sent to capture him came away empty-handed, declaring, “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” (John 7: 46) But when there was nothing to be said, he said nothing.

I doubt if any of us could have controlled the urge to defend ourselves against such vicious and false accusations. I’m not even sure if there is a lesson in this for us. Very few – if any – of my readers will ever face a situation at all similar to this one, so we won’t need his example of stoicism to carry us through such an ordeal. What’s important is that we remember that he did face it, how he faced it, and why. He did it because someone had to pay the price for our sins and he was the only one who could stand before his accusers in complete innocence. He is the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. What else could he have said?

Jesus wasn’t silent because he had no answer. Jesus was silent because he was their answer.*

February 19, 2025

Matthew 6: 6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)

We must become so quiet of heart and spirit that we can sense His presence.*

If we tried to understand this verse alone and apart from any other of Jesus’ words or actions, we would be sure to misinterpret what Jesus was telling his disciples. Previous to issuing this command, Jesus warned his listeners about the dangers of doing your “acts of righteousness” before men. He was not pronouncing a prohibition against praying out loud in public, just against showing off. Indeed, in the gospels, we find Jesus praying both privately and publicly. And he didn’t own an actual closet himself - so what did he mean?

Prayer is a conversation with the Father, and just like human conversations, there are variations in methods and purpose. We tend to use prayer as a means to ask God for stuff and there are human interactions that follow similar patterns. Public prayer is like the conversations that occur in a group – the subject matter tends to be more general in nature in order to connect with the majority of the people. The best conversations are the personal, private, one-on-one encounters with a good friend. Without face-time, the friendship becomes weak from neglect.  And the best prayers are the ones that deepen our relationship with the Father.

Jesus didn’t establish any rules about when and how often we should enter into this prayer closet. If he had, the legalists among us would follow the rules to the letter and be judgmental of those who didn’t. And we would miss the point of praying. We must be intentional in maintaining any relationship, but who wants a friend who spends time with us according to a strict schedule? Is it a friendship or is it a duty? Where is the spontaneity? Where is the joy in each other’s company?

Jesus said that the Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward us. He doesn’t specify what that reward is but the clues point to this: getting to know God. There is nothing more rewarding than spending time with him, learning to talk to him without asking for anything except for the joy of his company. After all, Jesus said that the Father knows what we need before we ask him (Matthew 6: 8), so why not move on to the next level in your relationship with him?

“I have wonderful things in store for your life but first you must seek my heart.”*

February 18, 2025

Jeremiah 20: 8, 9 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. (NIV)

It is not my call that keeps me going, but the One who calls.*

As God’s spokesman, it was Jeremiah’s job to be the deliverer of bad news. He was commissioned to warn the nation of Judah of their impending captivity by Babylon. He was never happy about his job but he performed it faithfully. In these verses, we see Jeremiah agonizing over the consequences of speaking the prophecies of the Lord. His predictions are met with insults, reproaches, and suspicion. But what can he do? If he tries to keep his mouth shut for the sake of popularity, he finds that God’s word is like a fire raging inside of him. The power of God’s truth overwhelmed his feeble attempts to speak a more socially acceptable message. 

We have no doubt that Jeremiah, though deeply convicted to proclaim God’s message, was free to choose his course of action. I think he would have benefitted from a decision-making tool I often use: I ask myself, “What is the worst that can happen?” and I choose the less odious of my options. For Jeremiah, would it be better to be well-received by his audience or to continue his attempts to hold back the seething volcano inside him?

Has God ever called you to some unpleasant task? Are you involved in a ministry that doesn’t bring you joy? Are you sure this is what God has called you to do? On one level, Jeremiah wanted badly to escape his calling; on another level, neglecting his duty was worse. If you ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen,” what is your answer? Is it worse to continue serving in your current capacity – or would you feel the fire of your calling if you tried to quit? When your heart fully submits to God’s call, you allow room in your heart for the joy he promised for those who serve him. You don’t have to love your job to experience the joy of the Lord!

 If you could do anything for the Lord, what would it be?*

February 17, 2025

Ruth 2: 11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband – how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.” (NIV)

Even truthful words can damage.*

You get a strange feeling when you find out people have been talking about you. Alarming yet flattering. Chances are good that they weren’t saying good things about you – but you mattered enough to take up some of their time.  I have always wished that I didn't care what they said as long as it was the truth, but the truth isn't always spoken kindly.

Lucky Ruth. She has caught the eye of the local most eligible bachelor who, it turns out, has been asking around about her. People may have gossiped about the foreigner in their midst, but her reputation stood up to their scrutiny. Boaz’s sources seem to have reported the bare facts without editorial embellishment. How unusual!

A spotless reputation is no guarantee that you will be treated fairly when gossipers gather to plot character assassinations. It is possible for someone bent on mischief to use the truth against you. Did his accusers not sneer at Jesus for claiming to be a king? Was there not a kernel of truth in the accusations made against Paul in the province of Asia (Acts 21: 27-29)? Jesus said that we are in good company when others say bad things about us because of him – that’s how the prophets were treated (Matthew 5: 12). “Blessed are you,” he says, when the talk gets ugly. Take Peter’s advice: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (I Peter 2: 12)

Silence to man and prayer to God are the best cures for the evil of slander.*

February 16, 2025

John 14: 26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (NIV)

Apprentices to Jesus are lifelong learners.*

An attorney wears many different hats in the performance of his job. He provides legal advice, represents you in court, helps you complete and file important documents; he is a mediator and an advocate. My divorce attorney walked me through a process for which I was totally unprepared – and she gave me some very good personal advice as well. No matter which role your attorney is playing at the moment, he is still your attorney.

The same is true of the Holy Spirit. The word translated here as “Counselor,” is sometimes rendered as “Comforter.”  It literally means “one who is called to the side of another.” While the word usually refers to one who represents another in a legal process, it also applies to one who provides any kind of help or encouragement. So whether the Holy Spirit is serving as a counselor or a comforter or an advocate, he is still the Holy Spirit.

In this verse, Jesus tells his disciples that the Holy Spirit will come alongside of them to teach them all things and to remind them of everything Jesus has said to them. This should come in handy as some of them will be responsible for writing parts of the New Testament and they probably weren’t taking good notes as they followed Jesus around. Without the fulfillment of this promise, we wouldn’t be able to trust in the accuracy and authenticity of the gospels and the epistles.

This promise was delivered by Jesus to a specific group of people, but the gift of the Holy Spirit is promised to us as well. When he performs any of his roles on our behalf – whether we need him to intercede for us to the Father, to comfort us, or to remind us of a passage of scripture that applies to our circumstances of the moment – he is still the Holy Spirit whom the Father sent in the name of Jesus. We are not alone!

Without the voice of the Holy Spirit, there is no conviction of sin and ultimately no truly wise counsel.*

February 15, 2025

John 13: 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (NIV)

We do not obey only as far as we have no questions left unanswered. That would be a pitiably small degree of obedience.*

To put this verse into context: It is just before the Passover Feast, at the evening meal. Jesus gets up from the meal and proceeds to wash the disciples’ feet – a duty usually performed by slaves. His demonstration of humility went right over Peter’s head so Jesus very kindly explains things to Peter, knowing that eventually Peter will get it.

We may not be as impetuous as Peter, but we can be much like him in our lack of understanding and our desire for action. Our enlightenment may be delayed due to our own misconceptions and spiritual immaturity, so we jump to conclusions and act rashly because we don’t know what else to do.  We haven’t learned to wait.

As we grow in the Lord, we learn that we often have to wait for the Lord to open our eyes. Sometimes we don’t understand his will or his purpose until he is ready for us to understand, not because we’re slow learners. We learn to wait before we act because he has yet to reveal to us the steps we should take next. My spiritual growth spurts almost always occur while I am waiting.

Next time you are bewildered about what the Lord is doing in your life, remember his words to Peter: You don’t understand now but you will later. The promise should comfort you while you are waiting.

Meaningless activity can produce the same results as no activity at all.*