Comfort One Another with These Words

Today’s reading is 1 Thessalonians 3-4.

I have nothing to add to this today:

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore for encourage one another with these words.”

Now, that is what I call a real Independence Day! Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Thessalonians 5 and 2 Thessalonians 1.

Building Your Own Gallows

Today’s reading is Esther 7-8.

I wonder how many people today even know the phrase “Hung on his own gallows” is actually a Bible phrase? Many today often lose sight of the Biblical origins of many statements. Let us never forget Haman hanging on his own gallows because he is a lesson to us all. Whatever we build to attack and fight against God will eventually be turned against us. If we will fight against God we cannot win no matter how large a gallows we build. Be reconciled to Jesus who hung on His own cross for you or you will hang on your own gallows.

Tomorrow’s reading is Esther 9-10 and Proverbs 1.

He’s Waiting for You!

Today’s reading is 2 Peter 2-3.

Do you ever wonder why God continues to let every evil thing that is happening in this world continue? Peter makes it clear–God is waiting for you (2 Peter 3:9). He continues to let every evil thing that is happening in this world continue because if He were to do something about it, He’d have to judge you along with the evil world, and He doesn’t want you to perish. He’s waiting for you to come to repentance. “But I’ve already repented,” you say. Well then, He is waiting for someone who is just like you. Will you begrudge God His patience for others just like He was patient with you? Will you begrudge those others the same time to repent that God gave you? Surely not. Praise the patient Lord for His patience and salvation!

Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Corinthians 1-2.

The Blood of the Wicked

Today’s reading is Psalms 57-60.

Imprecatory psalms, the psalms that ask God to break the teeth of the wicked and bathe his feet in their blood, are tough for me too (cf. Psalm 58). They seem unloving and therefore unChristian. I certainly don’t have all the answers to why those psalms exist or how they translate from an Old Covenant context into a New Covenant context. However, I do know this. The wicked will be judged. No one gets away with sin. Either we will surrender to Jesus and allow God’s wrath that was poured out on Him to atone for our wickedness or we will hold Him at arm’s length and God’s wrath will be poured out on us. And I think we are happy for that to happen to the people out there we think are truly wicked, but what we need to see is that is us. Therefore we need a Savior.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalms 61-65.