BibleVersity

"...when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matt. 6:18)    Years ago I went on a fast, but did not tell my wife, but rather choosing to make it a secret from anyone. I just so happened that a day or two later that she desired on of her favorite quick-meals: bean burritos, extra cheese and no onions. Due to my fast, I ordered nothing. As we drove down the road she asked me the inevitable question, "Would like some of this burrito?" My answer was a simple "No thank you." This was repeated several times until she began to wave said burrito in front of my face, telling me just how marvelous it was. It was at this time that informed her that I was fasting, which caused her to feel quite guilty. Looking back at I can clearly tell you that it was funny then and even funnier now (at least to m...

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them..." (Lk. 6: 1-6, ESV)    In these short six verses, Jesus outlines three areas of spiritual life: righteousness, giving, and praying. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of spiritual qualities. These were chosen by our LORD to teach a very important lesson in Christian living. What lesson is this? Knowing who your audience is. Notice how Jesus addresses each aspect. The issue is not the acts themselves. I doubt many people would argue that these are unimportant or irrelevant aspects of serving God. Righteousness should be an important (and growing) part of any Christian's life. Giving is the same, and so is prayer. Each of these qualities should be present and increasing in our lives. In addition, these things should certainly be seen by those around us. If we truly are the people of God, then these qualities should be evident to those around us. The problem is when we p...

"And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped. "(Rev. 5:14, NASB)    Have you noticed yet in the Bible that in every instance of someone's vision of heaven we see worship happening? In Revelation chapter five John tells us that he sees the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders, the angels, "myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands" of folks, and "every created thing" singing about and worshiping. (v 11-14) This is not only the case with John's vision. We see the same in the visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Even Jacob's vision way back in Genesis 28 hints at this same occurrence. With all this worship taking place in heaven, what are we missing down here on earth?    We usually equate worship to singing, but worship is more. The word "worship", in the original Greek language ( προσκυνέω)  means to "prostrate oneself in homage."* It is an...

  And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. (Lk. 5:18, NASB)    One of my favorite Jesus stories is the healing of the paralytic as recorded in Luke 5. Here lies a man who is paralyzed, being carried by four of his friends to Jesus. Jesus heals the man but it was not because of the man's faith. No, his healing came as a result of the faith of his four friends, who happened to lower their paralyzed friend down through someone else's roof, right in front of Jesus, while He was teaching. It is a beautiful picture, and a great example of what the church should be. Furthermore, it contains all sorts of spiritual and life lessons for you and I today.    As I am reading this story again this morning, a thought occurs to me. While we do not know the extent of his paralysis or how long he has been this way, he had an obvious physical need, and has survived on the m...

"for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (Acts 1:5, NASB)    There is a phrase we use in Texas that says, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could." As a non-native Texan, the phrase holds true for me. The idea also holds true in regard to Pentecost. I was not raised in a Pentecostal environment, but I have been now for over 20 years, and have no plans to every change. The crossover was a little difficult for me, but not for reasons that may seem obvious.     The Bible says Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, and performed miracles. Anyone who reads the Word of God will agree. Furthermore, the disciples of Jesus did the same; both those that walked with Him and those who came after Him. For me it was not a big stretch to believe that these still happen. Truthfully, it was the manifestation of these supernatural gifts that caught the attention of my heart and caused me...

"Then Moses said to the Lord, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." - (Ex. 4:10, NASB)    As far as biblical folks go, Moses is my favorite, but Moses had a problem. We are not certain what "slow of speech and of tongue" means, possibly that he stuttered or had some other physical malady. What we do know is that this was a major hurdle, at least to Moses. During his original meeting with God, Moses gave several excuses for why God should choose someone else. The final one was his speaking issue. This stands out in most of our minds, for this is where God brings Aaron on board and gives him the task of speaking for Moses, leaving Moses to performing miracles and leading the people.  However, this is not the only time his speech problem is mentioned. Twice in chapter six (6:12, 6:30) we find his struggle mentioned as bein...

" So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God".   (Rom. 10:17, NKJV)    Jesus told us that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed in order to cast the mountain into the sea. (see. Matt. 17:20) That's impressive, but was Jesus telling us that the size of our faith does not matter? I do not think so. Jesus was speaking of the power of faith in Himself. Even a small amount of faith in Jesus can do mighty things. But, what if we had a large faith? What might God be able to do? Well, faith is like a muscle, in a sense. The more we exercise our faith in Jesus, the greater our faith becomes. However, there is a danger. We can actually get to the place in our spiritual lives where we  trust in "faith", rather than trusting in Jesus, who is the the object of our faith. Faith in Jesus is always grounded in the Word of God. So, then, the real question becomes, "How can I strengthen my faith in Jesus?"     Paul's subject in ...

*** Today's post is an updated repost from 2014, but was one that was on my heart this morning.  "...This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."      - Genesis 15:4 (NASB)    When God first told Abraham he was going to make him a great "nation", he was 75 years old. Abraham was directly promised a son by God. Not a bad source for a blessing. What Abraham did not know is precisely how the LORD was going to cause this to happen. After some time past, without a child,  he and Sarah (his wife) decided to "help" God by providing a physical means for His promise to arrive. (Gen. 16:1-4) The result was Ishmael's birth, Abraham was not age 86. (Gen. 16:16) Thirteen years later, after the birth of Ishmael, the LORD reaffirmed His covenant to Abraham. One year later, Sarah gave birth to her only child Isaac: She was 90, Abraham was 100. If you do the math, from the time the LORD thirst spo...

"...And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." - (Matt. 6:4, ESV)    Jesus uses the phrase above three different times in this chapter of Matthew: in relation to giving (v.4),  prayer (v.6), and finally fasting (v.18). We understand that when things are repeated in the Bible the author is letting us know that we need to pay attention to something is important.    We must be clear that Jesus is not telling us that others cannot  see these deeds. Anyone who has ever fasted while sharing a home with others understands that this is impossible. In addition, sometimes giving anonymously is just not possible. The same holds true with prayer.  So the questions is, "What is Jesus telling us?" Jesus is telling us is that spiritual deeds should not be done for the purpose of displaying our "spirituality" in front of others. If you fast more than a meal or two chances are good that someone will notice. Does this mean that your fast was useles...

"...Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." - (Gen. 6:9, ESV) Wow! What a testimony. Three simple qualities. First, Noah was righteous, meaning that he was in right standing before God. Second, he was blameless in his generation, meaning that he lived right before mankind. However,  that does not necessarily mean that Noah was accepted by those in his generation . Yet here is a man who was spiritually right before both heaven and earth.  How did Noah accomplish this? I believe that he accomplished this because of the third quality mentioned above: "Noah walked with God."  When we walk with God, we are made righteous by God. We cannot make ourselves righteous, only God can do that. And, when we walk with God, we find that we live differently before those in the world. A vibrant and continual walk with God will enable us to live like Noah: one who is known in heaven and earth for devotion to God.  In a day where a g...

   "So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God that the LORD might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat." - (2 Chronicles 10:15, NASB)    "Thus says the LORD, 'You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.' So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam." - (2 Chronicles 11:4, NASB)     Two verses of Scripture today that point to the same general idea. Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, according to Scripture. However, in his humanity, he acted foolishly by erecting and worshiping idols and "other gods", As a result his kingdom was going to suffer. After he died, his son Rehoboam became king. And, due to foolishness of his own, the kingdom of Israel split into two groups of people: the kingdom of Judah, with Rehoboam as ruler, and the ki...

  "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the  word of God." - Rom. 10:17 (NKJV)   Some time back we would occasionally sing a song that went like this:  "Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith. Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith. You don't need a whole lot, Just use what you've got. Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith." The song was a hit among many including myself, but the theology of the song is a little weak. It is true that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed to move mountains (see Matt. 17:20 ), but Scripture is clear that we are to grow in our faith.    The Romans verse mentioned above is in relation to faith. As a matter of fact, the whole chapter deals with faith in God, through Jesus Christ, that comes as revelation of the Word of God: i.e., the Bible. Now, focus for a moment on what Paul says in verse 17, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." ...

" And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons."  (Mk. 3:14-15, NASB)     Many of my friends know that we (my wife and I) have embarked on a new venture of raising and breeding long-haired dachshunds. Currently we have, well, enough, and each one has its own personality. Daphne, our little brown female, loves to mow with me. The other dogs will run away once the mower is cranked up, but not Daphne. She runs towards the mower, wanting me to hold her while I work. Yesterday, as I was mowing, she was contently in my arms as I walked and mowed. She never made a sound, and never made a move. She just quietly rested in my arms as I worked. I was amazed at how she was content simply to be with "her master" while he worked.     I could not help recalling the verse above. Jesus most certainly had a task for the disciples to do, and He would give them ...

"...They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread...  And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?"  (Mk. 8:14-21, NASB)    The disciples were so . . . human. When we read the gospel accounts we see a group of men that dealt with the same struggles, temptations, and weaknesses that we do. I am not sure if that brings us comfort or not, but it does remind us that we am not alone.    In verses mentioned above, the disciples were a little concerned because they jumped on the boat with only one loaf of bread. Why is this such a big issue? Well, they wanted to eat just like everyone else. So they are just a little concerned that there will not be enough to go around. Here's the real problem though: they still did not get just who Jesus was. Up to this point they had watched Jesus heal people from various diseases and infirmities, and watched Him perform various other miracles including walking on water. In chapter ...

" Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction..." ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3, NASB)      There has been a lot of talk through the years about the "apostasy" that Paul spoke of. Apostasy, in Biblical use, refers to an "act of rebellion against, forsaking, abandoning, or falling away from what one has believed."** Some of the arguments revolve around if the apostates referred to are genuinely believers or merely followers "in name only". Call me simple, but I believe that when the Bible tells us that some believers will fall away, then it means that some believers will fall away. (see 1 Tim. 4:1-2)    What precisely is Paul referring to when he speaks of the apostasy? We do not know when it will take place, or what it will look like. I think most of us will agree to this point. But, Paul informs us that the return of Jesus, in what w...

"But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus." - Jn. 12:10-11 (NASB)    The story of Lazarus miraculous return from the grave is one of the greatest miracles Jesus performed during his earthly ministry. Jesus allowed His friend to remain dead for four days until He showed up at the tomb and commanded Lazarus to live again. This incredible act showed his disciples, the onlookers, and even the unbelieving that He was God. What we often miss is the events that follow.    In chapter twelve, just prior to Jesus' entering of Jerusalem for the last time before the crucifixion, there was a plot to kill Lazarus. Yes, the same man whom Jesus had just raised from the grave. The religious leaders wanted to kill him for the simple reason that many of the Jews were coming to believe in Jesus. The miracle that Lazarus has received was extraordinary, but being brought ba...

"There is a way which seems right to a man, but it's end is the way of death." - Prov. 16:25 (NASB)    Solomon's words are so simple, and yet so true. I realize that there is nothing new, in regard to sin. The same problems that have been plaguing men since the beginning are still here today. Yes, they may be dressed up and presented differently, but they are still the same.    Solomon's words speak to our world as much as his own some three thousand years ago. Man, by his own account, does what "seems right" to him. Some have used the phrase "moral relativism", and I think that is appropriate. Society continually changes what is right and what is wrong. There are social, sexual, and spiritual themes that persist today, and are deemed "right" by society, and yet run contrary to the Word of God. Even if a people group, a government, or a church condone them as acceptable behavior, they are still wrong when they run contrary ...

"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved." (1 Corinthians 10:31-33, NASB)    Two weeks ago I read an article by a notable Christian magazine which presented the idea that Christians are free to use marijuana, but they should not. Although I cannot speak directly for Paul, I'm pretty sure that this was not what he meant when speaking of liberty. Usually, any discussion of questionable behavior eventually devolves into a legalism-vs-liberty debate, with supporters on each side brining in "other" topics, which clouds the issue. Christ has given us freedom: freedom from sin, not freedom to sin; freedom to live and serve, not freedom to indulge.    My heart and spirit is deeply disturbed by the willingness of some within the c...

This week marks one year that I have been posting Biblical insights online. "Thank you" to each of you that have read, commented, shared, or have otherwise been encouraged in your faith. As a way of commemorating the first year, I have decided to post some of the most popular posts of 2013, chosen by your interactions with them. I look forward to many more years of encouraging and equipping believers in the Word. "… and shall let the live bird go free over the open field." - Lev. 14:7 (NASB)    Leviticus records that two birds were brought for the one who wanted to be made ceremonially clean. The unclean person (leper or other) would bring the two birds, one of which would be killed over the clay pot of fresh water. The live bird is dipped in the mixture of water, blood, along with the cedar wood, hyssop (a plant), and a scarlet thread. The priest would take these and sprinkle the unclean person, making them ceremonially clean. At this point a man is clean,...

This week marks one year that I have been posting Biblical insights online. "Thank you" to each of you that have read, commented, shared, or have otherwise been encouraged in your faith. As a way of commemorating the first year, I have decided to post some of the most popular posts of 2013, chosen by your interactions with them. I look forward to many more years of encouraging and equipping believers in the Word.     "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB)    How many times have you heard someone say about a difficult situation, "God will give you a way out?" Each of us encounter trials (temptations) on a regular basis. Although we do not enjoy them, life is unfortunately filled with them. However, God uses trial...