April 30

Numbers 7; Psalm 42-43; Song of Solomon 5; Hebrews 5

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 85: WHAT IS THE TENTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The tenth commandment is, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.”
Scripture: Exodus 20:17.

Numbers 7

This chapter documents the offerings made at the tabernacle after it was first erected and when Moses and Aaron had just finished consecrating it for service as described in Exodus 40.  It seems that these 12 days preceded the 7 days of ordination for Aaron and his sons in Leviticus 8-9.  Alternatively, the offerings depicted here may be what Aaron offered in Leviticus 9:15-24...but I like the previous idea better.  We see from Exodus 40 that there was at first an inability to enter the tabernacle due to the glory of God so filling it but it must be that shortly after Moses enters as depicted here in Leviticus 7 or the Exodus 40 ending was maybe a summary that does not depict a particular single day.  It is also unclear to me if Moses entered the Most Holy place or if he merely heard the voice of God from the other side of the veil since it only says that he entered the tent of meeting.  Either way, God was talking to him!  The tabernacle is where God was pleased to dwell among his people, but I recall Isaiah 66:1-2 and I know that God now dwells in the one who is humble, contrite, and trembles at his Word.  Let us tremble O God! 

Psalm 42-43

These two psalms are one.  Together they are a lament over spiritual dryness or depression.  The psalmist is hungry for God in a sense of feeling distant and wanting to be near.  He is recalling days of leading great procession and being very joyful and reflects upon why now is it not so.  He has hope that he will again praise the Lord gladly and he preaches to himself…”Hope in God”.  Let us preach to ourselves daily to hope in God, the one who is our salvation and our God.  He is not our salvation and our buddy.  He is also not our God and our condemner.  He saves and he rules.  He does not save and issue license.  He does not rule and convict.  We have a God who is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom 3:26).  Let us hope in God as our savior and fear him as our God.  This is what the psalmist preaches to himself when he is low.  It seems that the sons or Korah (prominent temple singers along with Asaph and his sons) wrote this Psalm (2 Chron 20:19).  In Psalm 43 it becomes clearer that the psalmist is facing some oppression (spiritual attack?) and he is asking for God to lead him with light and truth.  I take this to mean that he is searching the scriptures and looking for God to lift his affect by the Word.  He hopes to come to the holy hill of God (Ps 15:1ff, 24:3-7).  This psalmist is the everyday believer who longs to wake in the morning with a song and a fire within but sometimes doesn’t.  Lord may we pray like this and may we seek you in your Word when we have an oppression or a heaviness or an unknown emotion that keeps us low.  May we hunger for you and ask with pure hearts that we may come up your hill and join you and commune with you.

Hebrews 5

     v1.  A high priest is chosen from men to serve on behalf of men in relation to God.  This is from the bottom up in the vertical relationship to God.  He must be a man and his job is to relate to God, to interact with God on our behalf.  He is to present gifts and sacrifices in order to follow God's precepts and the process he gave for the atonement of sins.  It must be a man, no angel, no God alone, but a man.  Jesus came not as God only, but as the God-man.  He is fully God and at the moment of the incarnation became forevermore also fully man.  We have a brother who holds the universe together.  A man stands at the throne of God praying for us!  A man holds the waters back and orders the universe moment to moment!  He was made for a time lower than the angels but in his glory man (like the man Jesus) is exalted above the angels.
     v2. Because he has his own failures and weaknesses he can deal gently with the people he represents.  Jesus dealt with all the weakness but conquering without sin he can sympathize with us an yet offer us his strength (Heb 4:15).
     v3.  These weaknesses actually require him to offer his own sacrifices to God to cleanse himself before he can deal on behalf of the people.
     v4.  This is a high honor that cannot be assumed by any man but is given by God alone, just as he called Aaron.  Ministers of the Gospel are called by God and not self-assigned.  Spurgeon speaks of the preacher being a man who knows there is nothing else he is to do.  The preacher is not the man who finds himself with no other option but perhaps to go into ministry…no.  The preacher knows that regardless of his current lot…preach he must do or die.  The preacher is called of God.
     v5.  Now enter Christ, who also did not assign himself as priest but was assigned at the time of his conception by God the Father.  The begetting of Jesus here is referred to be his physical body being made in the womb of Mary.  I think this speaks to him lacking a physical human body prior to this point.  The Son seems to have had some physical (at least visible) manifestation before his incarnation but not a "human" body (or soul) as we know it.  God claims this Son as his own and thus Mary is with child apart from human reproduction but by divine intervention to place in her the divine essence in a now human body and soul.  This Son is heir and is king but he also has no real beginning and will have no end and he is before Abraham as Jesus would later clarify.  Of note is that it says "today" and this clearly indicates an action in time…though planned from before time, it is executed in time and space and yet the divine Son created time and existed eternally as the begotten.  The begetting of the incarnation here depicted is plainly having to do with incarnation and not the eternal state of the Son in relation to the Father, which had no beginning in time.
     v6.  This priesthood will not end because Jesus will not remain dead after the crucifixion…his sacrifice will be once forever and he will then reign as king and priest and he will forever serve the people of God in this office of the king-priest.  This is the picture of the mysterious Melchizedek.  This King-priest who has no beginning or end and is somehow greater than Abraham, the Father of us all.  He seems outside of the lineage of God's chosen people in this sense.  The Patriarchal line of Jesus is nothing more than the great I Am.  The matriarchal line is from Judah.  Genesis 3:15 sets the seed of Adam against the seed of Eve.  Eve has no seed, but merely eggs so this can only speak of this begotten Son of Mary as God refers to the matriarchal line of Jesus here.  The seed of Adam would be all of mankind by where his sin is ours.  Mankind is set against the Son…set against God.  Only a man can serve as our priest.  Only God can do it perfectly and forever.  We needed the God-man.
     v7.  Amazing picture of the loud cries and supplications of Jesus while he walked the earth pleading with the Father.  Here it mentions "him who was able to save him from death".  It also says he was heard because of his reverence.  Do I pray with reverence always?  He pleaded with tears and was heard because though he pleaded it was with the highest reverence and may I say dependence upon the Father.  Is this a picture of Gethsemane where he asked for the cup to pass?  The Father surely heard that prayer but the answer was in the negative.  Or perhaps the answer was the sending of the ministering angels who strengthened him (Luke 22:42-44)?
     v8-10. Maybe the next verse helps…though he was a Son he was perfected through suffering.  The sacrifice was made perfect here in the Garden and up on that cross in suffering for his people, his co-heirs.  He learned obedience through what he suffered.  The garden and the cross were necessary for the Son of Man.  Avoidable for the Son of God because the Father was able to keep him from death…but needed for the perfection of the sacrifice and the perfection of the priesthood.  He took all our sin and we are united in his death and he knows each of us as he suffered the wrath and shame of all of my individual sins and my wickedness.  He became the source of "eternal salvation"…an unending salvation for those that obey him.  Not those that believe with a demon faith or a dead faith or a vain faith, but those that obey.  Good clarification that to believe is to obey and that our salvation is not something that is complete until the last day, but it is ever eternal and we are always "being” saved (1 Cor 15:1-2).  The idea of obeying Jesus being a reference to obeying the gospel or in other words…simply meaning to believe in the gospel can be an argument but I lean to the obedience=belief connection (Bonhoeffer).  God designated Jesus as our high priest forever.
     v11-12. The writer (probably Paul) gets hard here and tells them they have not progressed as they should have in their knowledge and faith.  They need to be taught again instead of doing the teaching they should be doing by now.  He says it is hard to explain to those who are dull of hearing.  Perhaps this is dullness in understanding due to sin or ?.  They need reminder of the basic principles of repentance and faith.
     v13.  Living on milk is for the unskilled in the word of righteousness (the scriptures concerning Jesus) since he is a child…newborn…new christian.
     v14.  But solid food is for the mature who has been seeking and renewing their mind in the word and who has, by testing, discerned what is the will of God and what is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:2).  This person is ready for the harder things like understanding the priestly service of Jesus and his current office.  These things are beyond the idea of his death and resurrection and are important to our lives for encouragement but is takes some understanding and some surrender unto God.  If we are still working on repenting and really believing then these topics are not for us yet.  O God make us mature in Christ and cause us to devour your Word and to gain understanding by your Spirit and make us to know you and to make use of your Word in our lives!  Let us eat the solid food you offer and may you give us this hunger today.

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 29

Numbers 6; Psalm 40-41; Song of Solomon 4; Hebrews 4

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 84: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE NINTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The ninth commandment forbids whatever dishonors truth, or injures our own, or our neighbor’s good name.
Scripture: Ephesians 4:25; Psalm 15:3; 2 Corinthians 8:20, 21.

Numbers 6

Here Moses covers the Nazarite vow that we will see Sampson, Samuel, and John the Baptist as life-long Nazarites.  The vow is a special devotion to God for either a specified period of time or even for a lifetime.  The chapter closes with a wonderful blessing that the Lord gives to Aaron to speak over the people...“23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:23–26, ESV)
 

Psalm 40

David begins this Psalm in celebration of what the Lord has done for him and he tells of his the testimony of his life has brought others to put their trust in the LORD or at least speaks of it futuristically.  May our lives be so transformed as we wait patiently upon the LORD that we would have a joy about us in all circumstances that others would see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.  In verses 6-8 David describes how our God wants our hearts and not our sacrifices.  He wants my devotion and not my apologies.  He wants me and not anything less.  May we live unto God and may we not be double-minded living yet unto the world and trying to justify our rationalize rebellion.  Verses 9-10 speak of evangelism and the obligation we have to others and to our God that we should be sharing this great deliverance that we did not deserve to receive in the first place.  Let us be telescopes that reveal the glory of God in the face of Jesus that others may be glad in God and not hide the treasure that we have been given.  From verse 11 to the end David seems to reveal that he was coming to God with a heavy heart and with a load that he wants removed but this did not stop his prayer fro beginning with praise and thanks and a seeking of the hallowing of God’s name!  Verse 17 captures a wonderful truth for the soul.  You take thought for me O God!  Regardless of my ups and downs of emotions or attitudes and regardless of my circumstances may I be able to slow and to ponder the fact that you in your omnipresent and omnipotent holiness take thought for me.  I am a spec in the universe but yet, you take thought for me!

Psalm 41

The big takeaway from this Psalm is reconciling the sin of verse 4 and the integrity of verse 12.  How does David confess his sin and then proclaim that the LORD has upheld him because of his integrity?  I think we have integrity when we confess our sin and when we repent of our sin and when we seek to not be guilty of presumptuous (willful) sin (Ps 19:13).  We will ever have sin and this does not compromise our integrity in the larger sense.  We can rightly hate sin but we will always still have confession to make before our God.  Another takeaway is the blessing that accompany a compassion and an active mercy for the poor.  Lord give us hearts that pour out for others and make us generous people! 
 

Hebrews 4

     v1. He speaks of the promise still being available so the "rest" he speaks of has not come and gone but is ever-present.  Yet there will be a time for each of us when we will be past the point of access to the promise (death).  He actually suggests that we have a healthy fear of God in this and that we take action now.
     v2. Hearing is not the only requirement.  We must have a specific type of faith that makes us one family united in the Lord.
     v3.  The fact that he mentions keeping some from entering his rest due to their unbelief, God affirms the possibility of entering it to suggest that his rest has not concluded even though he finished the act of creation long ago.
     v4-5.  The theme here is that although God spoke of resting long ago he also speaks as though this rest can be entered into today.
     v6. So since we can still enter and we know that the disobedient do not enter…
     v7. We are to listen for his voice and not harden our hearts due to the challenges or troubles or the need for faith and we are to hope in the unseen.
     v8. The rest is spiritual and not the physical coming into the promised land or God would not have spoken of this rest after Joshua brought the Israelites into Canaan.
     v9.  So the rest remains available to us, the people of God.
     v10.  When we enter God's rest we rest from our works and efforts to achieve a righteousness of our own based on these works.  We will rest in the work of God that is complete and we will joyfully be transformed in a state of rest.
     v11.  So let our striving not be to produce our own righteousness but to rest in the work of God and allow his Spirit to do this.  It is disobedience to do anything but rest in the work of Christ and this disobedience will preclude us from entering God's rest.  I must not have the disobedience of unbelief in the finished work of Christ to empower the fulfillment of God's promises to me and thus I must resolve to not turn back at the first sight of a challenge, but I must face it and march forward resting in Christ and his work.  I must be like Abraham who did not waver concerning the promise of God but grew strong in faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God could do what he had promised! Rom 4:20-21.
     v12-13.  This is a fine matter of the heart and a subtle thing and yet the God of creation can see and know where we stand…on our own merit or on Christ's.  Lord let me never stand on my own merits but let me whole heartedly rely on Christ and his work of redemption for my soul.
     v14-15.  Yes the Word of God pierces and tests and evidences and trains.  But we also have a mediator.  We have a high priest who knows us and who stands to give us mercy and grace.  Jesus, as our high priest, passed through the heavens…take this to mean came from deity and took on human form on our behalf or reverse in the ascension knowing that he is at the throne of God interceding for us.  We are told to hold fast our confession of faith because he is able to sympathy with us in our weakness.  So maybe don't freak out and walk from your faith when you have failures.  Know that Christ faced these things too, but he didn't fail!  This is our strength!  He knows what we face and that we are weak and that we will have failings.
     v16.  Because Christ will not be surprised by our struggles and because he waits there at the throne as our advocate and our brother and our king…we can approach the throne of God, trembling though we aught to be, with a confidence that it is not to our destruction but that we are in his rest and that the work is complete.  His throne is one of grace and we will find empowering grace and mercy when we are in need and we will receive help when we draw near in the confidence of our high priest.  Jesus knows us perfectly and walked in our shoes and he bids us "come".  This is enough…

Soli Deo Gloria! 

April 28

Numbers 5; Psalm 39; Song of Solomon 3; Hebrews 3

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 83: WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE NINTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The ninth commandment requires that we maintain and promote truth between persons and that we preserve the good name of our neighbor and ourselves.
Scripture: Zechariah 8:16; Acts 25:10; Ecclesiastes 7:1; 3 John 12; Proverbs 14:5, 25.

Numbers 5

Interesting passage here dealing with jealousy and potential infidelity in the marriage.  Our God is a jealous God and we are his bride.  May this sense of conviction and heart check come to un when we run from him.

Psalm 39

This is an interesting Psalm.  The commentaries and notes all seem to put David resisting expressing his sorrow perhaps in the form of speaking out against God and the impact this would have before unbelievers would be plainly damaging.  But I also wonder about this merely being a broader example of white knuckling and resisting the expression of sin by binding (muzzling).  I can setup restrictions upon my actions that keep me from outwardly sinning but this does nothing to address my heart and the turmoil and burning that can still well up and if only the muzzle fails then my sin breaks out.  This is the picture I see here and I see David cry out to God that he would have an eternal perspective and a heart change so that he would not sin on account of a new desire and not on account of a physical restriction.  He wants to hope in God and find deliverance from his sin from God and not from his own efforts of self help.  Toward the end after this prayer he seems to acknowledge now that he holds his tongue not by his power but he says that the Lord has done it!  In the end it looks like he comes back to a request for reprieve from whatever is brining him to this sin that would break out.  He is hoping for the lifting of the discipline of God.  Let us learn out lessons swiftly Lord!  Teach us to fight sin at the source and not just muzzle ourselves O God!

Hebrews 3

This chapter is about evidencing one’s self to be part of the body of Christ by the perseverance of faith.  Just like the Israelites were all part of the visible people of God but only those with faith in the coming offspring were saved (circumcision of the heart according to Deut 30:6; Rom 2:29-29), so too there is a visible church and an invisible one.  The pugs may be filled with unregenerate hearts that are still far from God.  My take is the the chapter here is not suggesting a falling away from God in a true individual sense of losing a salvation once had, but rather it is speaking of a falling away from the visible church by evidence that one was not part of the invisible church to begin with.  So the falling away is like a weed being plucked or a circumcised Jew coming to know that his heart remains yet uncircumcised and he finally splits.  We do not want to see this.  We want all the professing Christians around us to prove true and to hold fast and to evidence in the end that they indeed do have the Spirit of God.  Let us be part of God’s sustaining work by the power of his Spirit in the lives of our brothers and sisters!
     v3. he makes very clear to them that Jesus created Moses.
     v6.  We are the house of God (the church or the individual or both?)  If we hold our confidence to the end…individual!  See John 14:23 and Hebrews 3:12-14.
     v7-11. A reference here to the rebellion where God did not allow those whom were among his own people to enter the promised land due to their rebellion and disregard for his command.  They did not trust God and they were more interested in their own opinion and comfort.  God shows that this results in being outcast- eternal damnation for those who disregard him and do not obey. This is now paralleled to the one who hardens his heart among us…
     v12-14.  “Brother” here I take to be within the visible church or outwardly circumcised people of God.  He is addressing professing Christians even though some may not be true believers.  We must know that a profession of the mouth that does not come from a newly justified heart is not a saving confession (Rom 10:10; Matt 7:21-23).  Here the writer makes it clear that perseverance is a community project (Piper sermon title) and that we need one another.  It is clear that the one who does not hold fast to his faith until the end was not a believer in heart at all and so since we do not know hearts we are to encourage and exhort one another daily to avoid seeing this hardening happen.  Let us confirm our election!  It is the deception of sin that causes the hardening of our hearts.
     v15.  Do I have a hard heart that does not do but merely hears?  Do I have a hard heart that assumes I need not comply with God’s commands and instructions?  Do I have a hard heart that lives under the cheap grace of license rather than transforming grace of godliness?  Do I live in surrender or rebellion in my heart and in my mind…in my desires and drive and motives and hope…where is my real hope?  Search me O God and lead me in the way everlasting!
     v16-18 Ties the sin in with the reason for condemnation…unbelief is tied to disobedience.  These are hand in hand and so we have a warning and a clear reference to the opposite of fruit in the believer. 

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 27 (late entry)

Numbers 4; Psalm 38; Song of Solomon 2; Hebrews 2

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 82: WHICH IS THE NINTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The ninth commandment is, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
Scripture: Exodus 20:16.

Numbers 4

This chapter covers the listing of all the Levites among the sons of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari.  These three clans were given specific items of the tabernacle that they were responsible to carry when they packed up.  Aaron and his sons will cover all the holy things very carefully as directed by God here in this chapter and once the ark and all the holy things are covered, then the Kohathites may come in to carry them but they must only touch the poles and not the actual items.  There seems to be a message that it is a holy calling to be in the service of the Lord and yet there is an accountability and a responsibility to God in it.  It seems that the Lord does not take a time out and set his holiness aside during the move of the tabernacle.  Following these directions are a life and death matter as you would see in 2 Samuel 6:6-7 that Uzzah paid his life when he touched the ark rather than let it fall to the ground.  It seems there that we cannot decided when it OK to break God’s law based on our perceptions.  It has also been offered that Uzzah was wrong to think that the ground would defile the ark more than his hand would.  May we fear God and honor him in all we do!

Psalm 38

David confesses to God and laments the state of his mind and heart that his sin has caused.  He is very affected by the conviction of God and he desires to be rescued from this weight.  He is asking for help from the pain of sin.  May we hate our sin and feel its impact so much that it would be like poison to our bones and it would drive us to Jesus like this and may we seek repentance like water in a dry desert. 

Hebrews 2

There is a lot in this chapter and there are a couple ways to look at it also.  One proposition made at the outset is very applicable.  We must listen carefully, observe carefully, let we fall away from the truth.  We cannot be flippant about our beliefs and about what we hear in the Word of God, but we must search the scriptures and we must know the message.  Let us not neglect such a great salvation.  If this is real, if God came as a man and made a way for us to have fellowship with him by the blood of his Son, then let us seek him and know him and be confident of his teaching to us.
     v3.  Declared first (resurrection or Mosaic law?), attested to by those who heard (apostolic teaching or prophets?), God bore witness by signs and wonders (apostolic miracles or those of Jesus?), gifts of the Spirit (apostles or us?).
     v6-8. Man is so small and yet you love us.  Not only this but you took on flesh and became as lower than the very angels you created for a time to save us!  Jesus is now crowned with glory and honor and he rules but yet there is a battle that evidences not all is perfectly subject to him yet.  He announced that he has been given all authority in heaven and on earth at the great commission so this verse must indicate that perfect subjection is different than authority.  You have given Jesus authority over all things and in the end of redemptive history you will put the final rebellion under subjection to man in the person of Jesus!!!  So in putting everything under Jesus’ authority, you leave nothing outside the control of the Son of Man.  Our big brother is king and it will be perfectly evident in heaven when we see all things subjected to him!
     v9. By the grace of God and due to our common humanity you have given that Jesus should suffer and die for the sake of, and in the place of, his bride (Heb 9:15).  He only tastes death because death no longer has dominion over him once he tastes it.  He spits it out defeated and he wins.  Rom 6:9.
     v10.  God had used suffering and discipline in the history of Israel leading up to the cross and so it is fitting that this too is the way of perfection for the Son of Man.  The sacrifice and the plan or redemption are completed or “perfected" in suffering.
     v11. Jesus and us all have one source…Hmmm.  The feeling here is our common humanity clearly so I may incline to the source being Abraham.  No Adam because he speaks of us being brothers and we now that Rom 9:8 tells us that it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God.  Yet at the same time God is also our common source since we are created by him in his image.  Jesus not being created but for his flesh…his flesh was indeed created by the Spirit of God in the womb of Mary.  Jesus sanctifies by his blood and those whom he sanctifies are the elect children of God.  He is not ashamed to call us brothers because we are children of promise…counted as offspring by God himself.
     v13.  The children given to Jesus by the Father will put their trust in the Father.
     v14. Since we have physical bodies that suffer and die, he too took this on that he might effectively destroy the devil who holds the power of death (deception is his only power) until he is finally subjected to christ.  It is the power of God that judges and condemns and this is to his glory…make no mistake here.  Clarified in v15
     v15. Here we see the power spoken of is of deception to get us living in fear of death, thus keeping us from trusting God.
     v16.  He does not help the angels but the offspring of Abraham (another hint at the common source being humanity or God’s image).
     v17. In order to serve as our representative (priest) and to make payment for our sins (propitiation) he needed to be one of us (human).
     v18.  Because he suffered and understands our body and human soul directly, he is able to help us who are tempted as he was.  Now it would seem that nothing could stop him from helping us but somewhere it is on our end that our knowledge of his common experience helps us to trust or see or recognize his ability to relate to us and to help us from a point of common experience.

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 26

Numbers 3; Psalm 37; Song of Solomon 1; Hebrews 1

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 81: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The eighth commandment forbids whatever would unjustly withhold or diminish a person’s possessions or attainments.
Scripture: Malachi 3:8; Ephesians 4:28; Romans 13:7.

Numbers 3

In this chapter the Levites are substituted for the firstborn of all the tribes of Israel.  The firstborn are redeemed by the Levites.  The LORD had determined back at Sinai at the golden calf incident that he would replace the first-born of all Israel with the Levites and they were consecrated into the service of the LORD by putting the idol worshipers to death at the command of Moses.  So now it is the Levites that devote their lives to service of the LORD in the protection of, care of, working of the tabernacle.  They will not go to battle and they will not be called upon for other duties that to keep others away from the tabernacle and to care properly for it during moves or during encampment.  There was nearly an identical number of Levites to replace the firstborn of Israel and a redemption price was paid for the gap.  Within the Levites there are various clans with various specific jobs since the entire tabernacle must be packed up and moved as the nation travels.  They were to camp surrounding the tabernacle and Moses and Aaron and their sons camped to the east at the opening of the tabernacle.

Psalm 37

A key verse of the Bible in whole is found here in this psalm.  Ps 37:4 tells me to delight myself in the LORD and he will grant me the desires of my heart.  God wants me to enjoy him and he plans to be a river of delight to me as I set my mind upon him and as I spend my lifetime learning of him and connecting with him in his Word and in prayer and in fellowship and in giving and in all the “means of grace”, which are the means by which we are empowered to experience God.  I am to commit my way to him and he promises to bring forth my righteousness as the light.  This sounds similar to Isaiah 58:8 where the Lord explains the type of spirituality he prefers from us and how it is this type of spirituality that he will honor and that will result in his bringing forth our growth and maturing and our sanctification.  The picture there is not an isolated spirituality but one that pours out for the good of others.  Back to Psalm 37 David tells me to be still before the LORD and to wait upon him and to not be all bothered by the apparent prosperity of the wicked (Ps 37:7).  Soon enough the wicked will be gone and only the righteous will be preserved.  Recall that the righteous are those who trust in the Lord and bear the righteousness of God, by faith, and not the ones who wash the outside of their dishes.  There is encouragement here to remain blameless even when the wicked seem to be doing just fine in their sinful state…our eyes are to be upon the unseen and not the seen.  We are to take God at his Word.  David contrasts the generosity vs the selfishness of the righteous and the wicked.  Psalm 37:23 is key in that it captures the attitude and the blessing that accompanies trusting in the sovereignty of God.  When we trust his omnipotent goodness to be at work for us we can delight in the way of the Lord regardless of the temporary outcomes (like being thrown into an oven).  When we take our delight in the way of the Lord, he establishes our steps and we know that we are ending up in the place he would have us (even if its in an oven).  We may stumble but like Peter, we can trust that Jesus is praying for us (Rom 8:34) and that our faith will ultimately not fail (Luke 22:31-32).  Verse 31 tells me that when I keep the law of the Lord on my heart I will not slip.  I can kill presumptuous sin in my life by being in the Word daily and by memorizing the Word and by delighting in the Word of God.  Though the enemy will surely call me to trial and place blame on me whenever I fail, I know that there is no condemnation for me and that I will be upheld because I bear the righteousness of God and not my own (Phil 3:9; Rom 8:1; Zech 3:1-5).  Let us take refuge in God alone!

Hebrews 1

Paul (possibly the author) lays out in the first couple verses that Jesus was directly involved with creation of the world and that he currently and continually sustains the existence of all his creation by the word of his power.  He tells us that God speaks to us now through Jesus rather than through prophets.  This was communicated well in the transfiguration (Matt 17:1-5) where Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus (representing the law and the prophets) and God spoke, telling the disciples to listen to his beloved Son…and then the others vanished and only Jesus remained there with the disciples. Back to Hebrews- the writer tells us that Jesus is the heir of all things.  The radiance of the glory of God pictures to me what we as children of God are to be.  We are to radiate his glory unlike Moses who reflected his glory until his face would fade (Ex 34:33-35; 2 Cor 3:13).  Jesus is an exact imprint of the nature of God…imprint suggesting that it is on something (someone) other than the Father…the Son is a separate person (the trinity).  The Son exists from all eternity as a subsistent manifestation of the Father’s knowledge of himself (technical way to describe what the Bible means by the Son being begotten, whereby the Father from all eternity knows himself and his perfections so well that the Son necessarily manifests as a separate person whom the Father loves and enjoys as a representation of himself).  Imagine being so infinitely powerful that as you contemplate your own perfections (using imagination!) and enjoy yourself that this contemplation burst into a separate person before you…not created by you, just mutually existent as a part of you but separate enough for your to have community with!  Now picture in that same eternal moment that the love and joy that the Father and Son share for one another necessarily proceeds to manifest as the person of the Holy Spirit (not begotten by the Father but proceeding from the relationship between the Father and Son).  Different, but not unlike the “spirit” among members of an organization where they share the same values and have a common mission (think of esprit de corps). Here is a picture of the trinity, the Godhead, that is one being (or substance) yet three persons.  The Son then receives a physical body at Christmas and his flesh is very much not God, but human.  Interesting that right after mentioning how he upholds the universe the author goes to the cross.  He goes right to the greatest pain and suffering of our Lord and says that after he made purification for sins he sits and the right hand of the Father.  Interesting that he has such control and has such a distinct plan and this cross and this people who jeered at him were themselves upheld by the word of his power that they were challenging. 

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 24

Numbers 1; Psalm 35 ; Ecclesiastes 11; Titus 3

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 80: WHICH IS REQUIRED IN THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The eighth commandment requires that we pursue lawful and useful work to provide for our needs and for those unable to provide for themselves.
Scripture: Ephesians 4:28; Proverbs 27:23; Leviticus 25:35; Deuteronomy 15:10; 22:1-4.

Numbers 1

This chapter simply brings my mind back to the golden calf episode in Exodus 32:26 where Moses, after making the Israelites drink the ground up idol then called out “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.”  Only the Levites, his own tribe, came to him.  Here the Levites were charged with the holy task of killing all the idol worshipers they could find from among their people, the Israelites (Ex 32:27).  3,000 men were killed that day and the Levites were consecrated into the LORD’s service (Ex 32:28-29) and it would later be explained that they replaced the first-born of all Israel (Num 3:11-13) that would have been tasked with the priesthood of caring for and guarding the Tabernacle.  So the Levites are here in Numbers 1:53 tasked with keeping the people away from the tabernacle that they might not be killed by the wrath of God as they were at the base of Sinai following the golden calf incident. 

Psalm 35

This psalm never has a conclusion where it is obvious that the Lord answered his prayer, as is the case with some others.  In this case David is string out and asking that the Lord take action.  It seems that he is growing impatient and that God seems to not be intervening and the circumstances are not improving.  Through verse 8 David is basing his request upon his own protection and based upon wanting to be delivered.  At verse 9 he begins to relate it to the glory of God and the purposes of God in the world.  David speaks of his personal reaction that would take place inwardly verses 9-10.  In verses 11-16 he goes back to explaining why he feels this frustration and we learn that he had been compassionate toward these people who now are ruthlessly against him.  From verse 17 to the end he alternates from voicing his concern to crying for intercession to explaining how it will result in praise and thanks to God.  Most notably in verse 24 he asks that the LORD vindicate David according to the LORD’s righteousness and not because of David specifically deserving to be delivered!  Here he is appealing purely to the character of God and looking for the glorification of God and the exalting of his name.  From this point on he is pretty well focused on making the case of how the LORD will be lifted up and shown to be glorious by the rescue of David.  This is a good lesson in prayer and in appealing to God not based on our merit or our comfort, but based on his glory and his purposes among the peoples of the world and among his sheep.  Hallowed be thy name!  My prayers should not be so focused upon my comfort and my protection that I am not thinking of my purpose here and his purpose here.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done!  Will my rescue magnify his name or just keep me from losing money or something else I idolize?

Ecclesiastes 11

Over-all, and captured well in verse 5, it sounds like Solomon is saying to invest one’s self broadly because we do not know what will happen and where there will be success or failure.  He suggests in verse 6 to be busy about laboring to sow and to work hard.  This seems and encouragement to not lose heart when things are not going our way and to continue on and to trust that the Lord will bring the growth and the return in his timing.  Verse 8 seems to suggest that there will be dark days so rejoice when things are good.  Knowing, however, that there will be a judgement and that we are all accountable to God he warns that we are mindful of honoring God in our rejoicing and our enjoying of prosperity.  So the close in verse 10 is to remove vexation (frustration) from the heart and to put away evil from the body.  Perhaps this is a picture of the double mindedness (James 1:8, 4:8) that can befall us if we are trying to enjoy both the world (and the sin that comes with that) and God.  The heart will surely be troubled and frustrated since we know that we cannot serve both God and money (Matt 6:24) and we cannot love the world and claim to love God (1 John 2:15).

Titus 3

Titus is facing some hard people within these churches.  Paul is really hitting him with some hard things and some real corrections.  Paul references how everyone was at one point led by the flesh but that now, as believers, we should know the power of the goodness and loving kindness of our great God.  Now we should experience the washing of the Spirit in new birth and the renewal of our minds by the Spirit.  We have been made right with God and are heirs hoping now for an eternal redemption.  So how can we still behave as we did before?  Paul urges Titus to insist on this and that they be devoted to good works and that they drop their arguments and quarrels about things that do not matter.  He suggests that two times is enough when dealing with someone decisive in the congregation and then they should simply be put out.  Disagreement is one thing, but divisiveness and failure to submit to the authority within a church body is not to be tolerated.  Paul finally urges Titus to be sure that the people are fruitful and are looking to be generous and help others who are in need.  It sounds like Titus is dealing with a tough crowd!


Soli Deo Gloria!

April 22

Leviticus 26; Psalm 33; Ecclesiastes 9; Titus 1

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 79: WHICH IS THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The eighth commandment is, “Thou shalt not steal.” Scripture: Exodus 20:15.

Leviticus 26

This chapter covers blessings and punishment with regard to Israel’s faithfulness to the Mosaic covenant where they agreed to live under covenant by the statutes of the LORD (Ex 19:5, 8, 24:3).  Fortunately the chapter also speaks of another covenant.  It speaks of the covenant made by God (unilaterally) with Abraham, which was extended necessarily to Isaac and Jacob and to all the true children of Israel (Gen 15:17-21).  If god merely expected us to live up to the law (Mosaic covenant) then we would be without hope and we would only suffer the punishments detailed in this chapter.  But thanks be to God that he remembers his covenant with Abraham that came 430 years earlier (Gal 3:17-18; Lev 26:).  It is the covenant with the forefathers that rules!  So we have a terribly contingent covenant at Sinai that requires our detailed and full obedience that is somehow supported and guaranteed by the unilateral covenant that preceded it.  In Genesis 17:4-7 God declares to Abraham that he has already accomplished and fulfilled the covenant and it is a certainty, though he rehires Abraham to "walk blamelessly before him”.  I take that God is extremely serious about the keeping of covenant and that he will surely punish the guilty law breaker, but that his promise supersedes and his mercy is given preference and he ultimately accomplishes the newer covenant in a way that respects the previous one.  He accomplishes the fulfillment of the Mosaic covenant in his children by the perfect obedience and sacrifice of their big brother, their king (Rom 8:3-4).  His obedience made him an appropriate sacrifice (John 1:29; Heb 4:15, 9:12-15).  His humanity and freedom from the stain of a sin nature made him a federal representative, like Adam (1 Cor 15:20-23, 45; Rom 5:14).  His obedience fulfilled the law’s negative requirements of righteousness (Rom 8:3-4; Phil 2:8).  His sacrifice fulfilled the law’s positive requirements to love God and love neighbor (Matt 5:17; Rom 13:8, 10; Gal 5:14).  His sacrifice fulfilled the requirement that sin be punished by death and separation from God (Rom 6:23; Is 59:2; Ezek 18:4).  Note that the covenant with the forefathers is “remembered” by God when the people repent.  Enter the Holy Spirit!  We will only find repentance when the Holy Spirit breaks through our hard and uncircumcised heart to give us new life, circumcising our hearts and giving us the gift of faith and repentance (Eph 2:8-9; Acts 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25; Ezek 36:26-27; Deut 30:6; Rom 2:28-29).  But why does the Holy Spirit choose to break in like that and grant us sight and hearing?  Enter the earliest covenant of God…the covenant of redemption whereby he determined to rescue a people before he ever created them and he determined to do this by the blood of his Son before time began (2 Tim 1:9; Eph 1:4-6; Rev 13:8; Rom 8:29-30).  Yes Abraham, you will indeed be the father of many nations, and no I will never leave you or forsake you! 

Psalm 33

The steadfast love of the LORD is our only hope and it is all the hope we could ever need!  All he does is upright and faithful.  he loves righteousness and justice (Ps 33:4-5).  But this is a huge problem!  We are unrighteous and sinful and if he is faithful to his name then we will receive due payment for our sin.  Ah!  But the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD (Ps 33:5)!  We live and breath today because of his steadfast love.  The continued existence of mankind is a testament of his loving kindness.  Truly his mercies are new every morning as the sun rises again over the wicked and the righteous (Lam 3:22-23; Matt 5:45-46).  Let us fear the LORD and honor his name because he freely chooses mercy and he chose to create us knowing that is would put his Son on the cross for the sake of love (Ps 33:8-9)!  Our God males plans and they stand forevermore…never are his plans frustrated (Ps 33:10-11).  We cannot be delivered by might or by deeds (Ps 33:15-17), but we are saved by his steadfast love toward those who fear him (Ps 33:18-19).  Therefore let our souls wait upon the LORD and be glad in him, the one in whom we trust (Ps 33:20-21)!

Ecclesiastes 9

Solomon reflects on the poor situation we are in under the curse of sin (Eccl 9:3).  The righteous and the wicked alike suffer consequences to sin in this life.  We both die.  We both suffer.  He suggest that we enjoy the blessings that we receive and that we walk uprightly before God (Eccl 9:7-9).  He prefers wisdom to weapons if he were to go into battle and he acknowledges that sin is damaging (Eccl 9:18). 

Titus 1

Paul writes a very strong pastoral letter to Titus, who seems to be overseeing some churches in and around Crete.  Paul opens his letter with a clear delineation that those who come to a saving knowledge of God are his elect, who were chosen and given promise before all time (Eph 1:4-7; 2 Tim 1:9).  He says that this knowledge of the truth accords with (or is consistent with) godliness.  He makes reference to a proper time upon which the elect are brought to salvation through hearing the word preached.  He seems to setup this theology at the outset of his letter in order to be a foundation to support what he will be telling Titus.  He then leads into directions on appointing elders (overseers) in the churches.  These are men who will lead the church and be responsible for the teaching/preaching.  These men must evidence maturity in Christ and they are to be able to rebuke others and defend the gospel and the truth of God’s Word.  These men are not to be loose and wild, but respectable and self-controlled.  They are to be knowledgeable in the Bible and able to discern theological errors.  They must have the guts to be able to call people out and to chase out the wolf.  The chapter ends with Paul telling Titus that there are many who do not low God, as evidenced by their deeds, although they claim to be believers.  He says that their works expose them and that they are detestable and unfit for any good work (like being an elder).  Paul clearly recognizes that a profession of faith and salvation are not the same thing.  He will go on in the next chapter to expound on this for us a bit.  Paul denies that cheap grace…grace that grants license is true grace.  The grace of God is powerful and transforming…if indeed it is able to save us from our sin!

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 21

Leviticus 25; Psalm 32; Ecclesiastes 8; 2 Timothy 4

Daily Catechsism

QUESTION 78: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The seventh commandment forbids all unchaste thoughts, words and actions.
Scripture: Matthew 5:28-32; Job 31:1; Ephesians 5:3, 4; Romans 13:13; Colossians 4:6.

Leviticus 25

This chapter covers the Sabbath Year and the Year of Jubilee as well as the general redemption of property and slaves.  It also covers caring for poor relatives.  The sabbath year gives rest to the land and establishes that the LORD is the provider and sustainer of his people and that the land is ruled by him.  The Jubilee expresses that all land and all persons belong to the LORD.  It seems that there is a lack of evidence that the Jubilee was ever actually followed by the Jews and there is direct evidence that it was at least for a time, not honored (Lev 26:34; 2 Chron 36:20-21).  Farmland that was sold would have to be calculated with a proration due to the fact that in the 50th year it wold return to the original owners, regardless of the sale.  Slaves would be freed as well.  Jubilee makes clear that land and slave possessions were not forever.  Some exceptions were walled homes and the fields of Levites.  Walled homes could not be redeemed after one year (except for the Levites) and the Levites farmland could never be sold in the first place.  Here we see the use of the Biblical term “redemption” and understand that it is a purchasing back of freedom or ownership.  The redemption price depends upon the number of years to Jubilee, which was like an auto-redemption accomplished by God without a redemption price.  

Psalm 32

Great teaching on repentance. 
v1-8.  These verses alternate between action and a response (or result) that follows.
v1-2.  Begins with the forgiveness and justification but it is for the one who’s spirit is not deceitful.
v3-4.  Then he describes the state of the sinner who recognizes his sin and fails to confess.
v5.  Moves then to the confession and resulting forgiveness.
v6-7.  Encourages all to take this similar step in the present for preservation.
v8-9.  The Lord teaches repentance now as the refuge and the preservation…this is a very practical preservation.
v10-11.  Sorrowful will be the one who does not repent and confess his sin, but glad in the Lord will be the one who enjoys the righteousness of Christ!

Ecclesiastes 8

Ultimately we cannot know the precise will of God and it seems that he is pleased sometime to allow the wicked to prosper (for a time) and the righteous to be afflicted.  In the end (eternally, at the very minimum) the righteous will do well and the wicked will suffer harm.  Fearing God is the difference between the two groups.

2 Timothy 4

Paul gives a stern charge to Timothy here to preach the Word.  He references the judgement of Christ as to suggest that Timothy’s calling is such that he would be judged for not preaching the Word.  He is to be ready always and he is not to hold back punches.  He is to thoroughly utilize the scripture to teach and to train the flock.  He is to be patient and know that there will be opposition and troubles.  Paul give examples of the opposition he has faced as encouragement for Timothy to fight the good fight and not give up.  He speaks of those who will want to be taught what they want to hear rather than the full counsel of God.  Preaching to the desires of the people is a bad idea.  It takes devotion and endurance and labor to fulfill the ministry of the Word.  Paul speaks of rewards in heaven in his reference to his crown of righteousness.  He indicates that there will be crowns for all who wait eagerly for the Lord’s coming, not just for the preachers.  Verse 18 reveals that the rescue Paul has in sight is an eternal one and not a temporal one…and for this Paul rejoices! 

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 20 (Resurrection Sunday!)

 

Leviticus 24; Psalm 31; Ecclesiastes 7; 2 Timothy 3

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 77: WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The seventh commandment requires that we preserve our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2; 2 Timothy 2:22; Matthew 5:28; 1 Peter 3:2.

Leviticus 24

This chapter deals with candles, bread, and capital punishment.  Interesting mix.  Perhaps the light speaks of your revelation to mankind and your presence with us and the bread your provision for us.  In all you love us and care for us, your creation.  Then you speak to the very creation that you are upholding and explain the seriousness of our blaspheming you.  Moses then records additional sins that would result in capital punishment, such as murder and then the life of an animal for the life of an animal if a person kills another’s animal.  A concept of justice is set forth here that reparation is due from the injured party to the guilty party and it is to be a full payment of debt.  Justice is not served by mercy.  Mercy is not justice.  Mercy is a problem for justice, because where mercy is present, justice is not…unless there is a substitute.

Psalm 31

The psalmist here speaks of taking refuge in the righteousness of God.  There is no protection to be had in my own righteousness that is mixed with sin and that fails.  There is no refuge in my afforest to walk uprightly.  There is only true refuge in the very righteousness of God that was manifested in his Son (Ps 31:1-2).  Because my salvation depends upon the righteousness of God, then it is his name that is at stake.  He upholds the glory of his name when he rescues me from my sin (Ps 31:3).  Sin steals my peace and leaves me in a poor state (Ps 31:10).  The goodness of God is stored up for those who fear him (Ps 31:19)!  This contrasts to the wrath of God that is stored up for those who are hard hearted and presume upon God’s kindness and decide for themselves that repentance is not required (Rom 2:4-5).  Presuming upon God’s kindness is surely the opposite of fearing him and thus we have a clear picture of the attitude of the believer vs the unbeliever.  May we never allow a presumptive attitude to take root and trap us in the thorns of cheap grace that allows a skewed view of the grace of God to become license rather than transformation.  Back to verse 19- the abundant goodness works for me!  And it works for me here and now in the sight of all.  His unstoppable power is directed at me to do me good (Jer 32:40-41; Eph 1:19-20)!  He is risen in the power that works for my good each and every day!  Let us love the LORD, all us who fear him and whip are preserved in our faith.  The LORD repays the proud as owed with the wage of death (Rom 6:26, 3:23), but the broken spirit and contrite heart he does not despise (Ps 51:17).

Ecclesiastes 7

Death is highlighted over birth presumably because death is our bodily redemption or for the psalmist living before Christ he would recognize an end to suffering and a joining God.  He repeatedly speaks of truth as dominant.  The song of fools vs the rebuke of wisdom.  Patience over pride.  He urges us to consider that the LORD brings both prosperity and hardship (Is 45:7).  Knowing that his goodness is always at work for me (Rom 8:28-29) I can rest in quiet assurance that his plan is good and wise.  Therefore I can be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Cor 6:10) with indomitable joy.  He speaks of a balance in righteousness and wickedness that I can only surmise would be not making much of any righteousness that God works in me (don’t be self-righteous and legalistic) and yet not allowing wickedness to reign in me (don’t be slothful, but put sin to death by the Spirit).  The one who fears the LORD will not make either error (Eccl 7:17-18).

2 Timothy 3

     v1.  Times of difficulty for Timothy and the church in the last days.
     v2-4.  People will love self and he proceeds to describe modern attitudes and lifestyles of our day.      v5. Another trouble will be people who appear to be believers and to be godly but do not have the transforming power of the Spirit in their life making them holy.  We are too avoid them and the ESV SB suggests this means excommunication.  The power of God’s grace in my life means transformation.  A lack of repentance and the presence of presumptuous sins evidences a disqualified or dead faith (2 Tim 3:8; James 2:17).
     v6. This is evident because they are adulterous and take advantage of weak women who are led astray
     v7.  Interesting here as statement that they are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the Lord.  I think he speaks of the men, rather than the women.  The men are the main topic here.  They are educated and seek knowledge but not the knowledge of the Lord and perhaps it could even include bible knowledge but they do not seek to love God and to walk faithfully before Him.  They are hard hearted and are not doers of the Word that they hear.  So we will have unsaved people in our midst doing damage to our households.
     v8-9. Men are corrupted in mind and disqualified in faith.  Bad ideas and thoughts of God coupled with no real faith that is active and transforming…these men are not saved.
     v10-11. But Timothy followed Paul's teaching and the way Paul lived and suffered.
     v12. If you want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus you will be persecuted…no doubt here!
     v13.  Evil people and impostors will both deceive and be deceived themselves more and more.
     v14-16.  But you stay committed to what you learned from childhood and know that you can trust who you learned it from because of their witness and their holiness.  The scriptures you were given are able to make you wise to salvation.  They are breathed out by God (inspired) and useful to lead and correct and teach and train on righteousness (passive and active)
     v17. Therefore be complete and equipped for every good work!

In summary, Paul teaches that there will be those who reveal a love for the world rather than a love for God and it is those who fear God and are transformed by his righteousness that truly know him.  These are the ones who read and apply his Word and who live godly lives.  These people are ready for battle and ready to labor for the kingdom even at the cost of their comfort or possessions or rights or safety.

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 19

Leviticus 23; Psalm 30; Ecclesiastes 6; 2 Timothy 2

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 76: WHICH IS THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The seventh commandment is, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
Scripture: Exodus 20:14.

Leviticus 23

I take the main point to these celebrations that the LORD wants his people to remember.  He wants them to ingrain into the fabric of their lives a reverence for him and a remembering of God’s work to deliver them and to set them apart.  He wants them to know that they have a special purpose and that they were chosen by him apart from their works.  The law and the special ceremonies, however, become a source of pride and stumbling for the Israelites (Rom 11:9-11).  But this stumbling was for the salvation of the world and will ultimately pass (Rom 11:13-14, 23-24, 25-26). 

Psalm 30

I will praise you and my heart will rejoice because you sustain me always and you hear me when I call out to you (Ps 30:1-2).  You lift my countenance when I am low O God and you restore me when I am tired or weak (Ps 30:3).  May you always move me and all the saints to praise your name and to give thanks when you have lifted our head and given us joy and satisfaction (Ps 30:4).  Your discipline is real but it leads to joy in the end and I thank you that weeping may come for a season, but indeed joy comes in the morning (Ps 30:5).  May you remind me in times of prosperity not to trust in myself or in my circumstances that I would not be arrogant and that I would not begin to love or enjoy the gift more than the giver.  It is you who give abundance Lord and it is you who take it away (Ps 30:6-7).  Let me always remember Lord that it is mercy I need and not wages.  You do not owe me but you give because you love me and because it is your good pleasure to bless me (Ps 30:8).  It is mercy Lord that you would allow me to remain and to labor for your kingdom…please grant me great resolve to praise you and to tell of your faithfulness (Ps 30:9-10).  Lord you rescue my thoughts whenever I am distressed and you have turned my attitude to gladness even when circumstances are hard in order that your name may be exalted and that I may have the great joy of reflecting your glory (Ps 30:11-12).   

Ecclesiastes 6

I see that Solomon points out the folly of toiling to whet an appetite that is never able to be fulfilled (Eccl 6:7).  He indicates that the difference between the wise and the fool in this is that the wise will find satisfaction in what he sees (what he already has) and the fool will continue to hunt after what he does not yet have (Eccl 6:8-9).  Our life is but a shadow and if we live merely for stuff and things we will surely levee no legacy or impact on this place or on our children’s children.  Let us live to the glory of God and hope for what is unseen (Rom 8:23-25)!   

2 Timothy 2

     v1. Paul prays for strength for Timothy.  The servant of the Lord must be strengthened for the service he is to provide.  Delivering the Word of God and leading a people in his way is not a simple task and it takes rigorous work and diligence.  Note that he prays it be the grace in Christ Jesus that strengthens him.  He wants Timothy to rely on what he himself received from Jesus…the hope and joy and forgiveness and the satisfaction he gets in Jesus should give him strength to labor for others.  Grace here is the power of God and not anything like license or a hall pass.  Grace is the transforming power of God to bring change and glory to his name.
     v2. He wants Timothy to pass along the teaching to faithful men who will do the same.  This is the multiply model of biblical discipleship.  This is the small group concept of focused attention (sometimes one on one) and is different than congregational teaching.
     v3-7.  Here Paul tells him to share in sufferings as a good soldier.  He then switches analogies a couple times to indicate essentially that there will be much labor and struggle involved and that there will even be danger.  No shortcuts.  You will suffer with the Lord and this should be your aim.  Seeking creature comforts is a distraction.  Don't look to build up the bank account and enjoy the offerings of the world.  No- you are a soldier on point here.  You need to compete by the rules that God assigns and he does this by suffering and he shows that the hard worker gets the harvest, not the sluggard.  Labor for your flock and be not distracted by the world.  My family is part of this army Lord and may you help me to lead them and point them to the battle and to support them and to not leave them as easy picking for the enemy.  Help me to live this message in context of family as well as ministry and make me always a faithful shepherd.
     v8.  If the suffering begins to get to you…remember Christ.  He rose from the dead.  You too will live and do even now.
     v9. And remember those that suffer even more than you do for his name.  No suffering or struggle can keep back the Word of God.
     v10. So when Paul thinks of Christ and the gospel he is motivated to endure anything at all because he knows that his service is used to call the sheep and to gather the choir of lights for King Jesus.  Jesus saw his offspring, his brothers and sisters, Jesus saw and was satisfied to suffer for their sake (Is 53:11).  So too Paul is willing and we aught also to be willing to suffer for the sake of the elect.  This is calvinistic evangelism 101.  Evangelize at great cost precisely because God has chosen to save some.  Seek them out…the reward is sure.
     v11-13. Difficult passage here.  I think context immediate and large is needed and still I am unsure.  This sees to be a parallelism where he contrasts two sets of statements.  First is about positive statements with positive outcomes... if we are united in him and references Rom 6:5 and Rom 5:17.  Then switches to negative with negative outcome.  Matt 10:33 and then Matt 7:21-23 suggest that denying Jesus could result in Lord Lord.  This seems an unsaved state and condemnation when our would be savior does not confess his union with us.  If we are faithless he remains faithful- for he cannot deny himself.  So here is the most debatable part.  Does this refer to his faithfulness to us or to himself?  I think it is clear actually because of the final statement that he cannot deny himself.  So this faithfulness here is about God being faithful to himself…yet does this swallow us up in it because of our union with Christ and the indwelling Spirit?  Or does this indicate that he is faithful to himself and therefore condemns just like he will be faithful to himself and fully righteous to condemn the world? See Rom 3:3-8.  There the judgement of God proves the righteousness of God.  This even is against the chosen people (Israel) if they are faithless.  It is not so much God's faithfulness to the one who is faithless as it is his faithfulness to himself and also, consequently, his faithfulness to uphold his righteousness for the sake of the faithful ones who trust in him.  He killed his Son and vindicated this righteousness and he will not deny Jesus.  He will not deny the need for his sacrifice and the fact that he must be received by faith or there is no hope of salvation.  I believe this passage is not granting unending hope to the faithless... but warning.  This again is why Paul labors so for the elect.  Not because people are slam dunk when they profess faith but because they must endure and they must remain faithful or else there is hell to pay.  Back to the exegesis.  Remember the first half…if they have died, they live.  If they endure, they reign.  Living and reigning is a contrast to the outcome of denying a righteous God who is faithful to his righteousness and to the dying vindication of His Son.  Remembering Peter tells us that a temporal denial and temporal faithlessness is not the problem but a failure to endue to the end is.  The elect will return from faithlessness and strengthen their brothers (Luke 22:31-32) and the others will not (Matt 27:5).
     v14. Paul further tells Timothy to remind the men who will pass along the message of this so they will be motivated to avoid quarreling over words that ruin the hearers and focus on the truth that will help them remain faithful.
     v15.  Prepare and know the Word.  Suffer and come through approved after testing.  Do not be slack but come in from battle with a message from the king!  Labor and come in with a right and sound word that you need not be ashamed about.  Do not pick it up at a drive through window with no labor or toil or validation or confidence.  But suffer and work and try and pray and pour yourself over the text and come in with confidence that you have handled the Word of God well.
     v16.  This is to avoid irreverent babble that would take people into more ungodliness.  So this might be talking about things that are not really from the Word or that are not of eternal consequence or that are not thoroughly vetted in the Word.  If it does not take the death and resurrection of Jesus for the message to make sense then it is irreverent to be taught in the house of the Lord to the children of God and thus is not worship and has no place there.  If the house of the Lord on the Lord's day be a place for anything but worship and feeding the sheep from the Word of God what will be faithful and beneficial for their soul and their eternal state, then there is irreverence before the holy God that we serve.
     v17-18.  Also the irreverent babble could be unconfirmed and un-vetted statements that are really not researched that could lead to false ideas and teaching to spread because if the shepherd does not see fit to validate his sermon, then how likely are the sheep to look further into it.  And if he is careless in the words he uses and the impression he gives the sheep likewise may be careless and /or they may take away an unintended concept and spread it.  This could kill and be used by the devil to poison and devour and indeed here it has.
     v19. God' firm foundation of holiness stands and thus a sign of his disciples, and shepherds, is increasing personal holiness (sanctification).
     v20-21.  Know that there will be some among you who are vessels of wrath.  So you can recognize the honorable vessels because they repent and they are made holy by their holy God.  They are useful for the cause and they are prepared to do good for the kingdom.
     v22. So spend your free time with those that are seeking the Lord with a pure heart.  Flee from the passions of the flesh and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.  Love issuing from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.  1 Tim 1:5
     v23-26.  Stay away from arguments and controversies.  Do not give in to the cat fighting and the temptation to make a point and be right.  As a servant of the Lord you must be kind to all (unbelievers as well as believers with differing opinions) you must be able to teach even those that disagree on some points.  Can this be possible if you hurl insults and condescension at them?  Patiently endure…so they may be off base and you may have to endure their comments and their failure in not acknowledging the holiness or sovereignty of God but this is for the sake of their souls and for their faith!  Suffer as a good soldier!  You may very gently correct them and pray that God might grant them repentance.  God may yet grant them knowledge of the truth for their salvation or for the building of their faith.  The last verse seems to make it sound like these people are unsaved and so these would be arguments with unbelievers who want to debate.  Perhaps these could also be saved people that are still doing the devils bidding (the flesh is ruling by default due to a lack of seeing and engaging in the battle) and they can be won unto faithfulness to their calling and like Peter, can return to even strengthen others.

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 18

Leviticus 22; Psalm 28-29; Ecclesiastes 5; 2 Timothy 1

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 75: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The sixth commandment forbids the taking of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, including whatever acts tend to this loss.
Scripture: Genesis 4:10, 11; 9:6; Matthew 5:21-26.

Leviticus 22

This chapter seems to be a bit of a summary regarding the offering of sacrifices and it has a focus on the cleanliness of the priest and it revisits the theme of the prologue to the law with a new clarification.  Lev 22:32-33 now includes the thought that the LORD if to be sanctified among his people.  I see this not as his people making him more holy that he was a moment ago, but as his people revealing him as holy.  We are to live in a manner that shows the holiness of God to the world!  He is the one who sanctifies us just as he is the one who brought his people out of Egypt.  Our God can do impossible things and the more impossible the better!

Psalm 28-29

David cries out to be heard and to not be left to himself like the wicked are.  He knows that there are things that will limit his prayer and he wants nothing to do with that.  He desires to connect to God and to be heard.  A theological statement is made in Psalm 28:4-5 that correlates with Romans 2:6-11 and Romans 4:4-6.  David asks the LORD to give to the wicked according to the work of their hands…to give them their due reward.  And the reason he gives is key.  He says “because that do not regard the works of the LORD or the work of his hands”!  So David is preaching to us a substitutionary righteousness and a warning that if we will not trust in God’s work then we will suffer the payment for our own work.  God’s work results in gift to us but our work results in due payment by God and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).

Ecclesiastes 5

Here Solomon warns against being flippant or overly comfortable before the LORD.  He tells us that our words should be few and we should mostly listen, not speak.  We are to bring the Lord our worries and our troubles with confidence that he wants to hear from us (Phil 4:6-7) but we need to remember whom it is we are addressing (Matt 6:9).  Perhaps we should see Jesus more as our king and less like our homeboy?  Error can be made either direction here no doubt. 

2 Timothy 1

     v1. Paul now writes knowing that he will be put to death soon.  Paul in this opening verse of the letter to Timothy adds "according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus."  So what kind of life is this and how is it found "in Christ"?  How is the life in him a promise related to me?  The reality of the resurrection makes all his promises supremely valid.  Yes he is alive and indeed he is interceding for me!  One aspect of this life could be his current office.  Another could be the newness of life I walk in when I am in Christ.  This activates and unites me to all promises as I am now a child of Abraham and an heir of God and co-heir with Christ.
     v2. Paul loves Timothy and is very endearing to him.  It seems that he pours himself out for this man and perhaps Lord you would allow me so to pour myself in discipleship into my son and that he would follow me into ministry or at least into a servant's heart and that even in whatever capacity he could be on fire for your cause O Lord.
     v3. Paul says he serves God with a clear conscience here, like his ancestors did.  He must refer to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob I suppose and by clear conscience I wonder what he means.  That he is walking above reproach or that he has been faithful to give Timothy all he needed or that he has given the message he was called to give, he has fulfilled his ministry to his ability and beyond?  Remembering Timothy seems to have something to do with it…
     v4. The sharing of the faith and a joy in the Lord and the struggles of ministry unite these two and there is a kinship that is sweet.  Paul is filled with joy as he thinks on this young man.
     v5. Paul speaks here of a faith that seems to be handed down through generations in their family.  He talks about faith like it is a thing, like it is a spirit that can indwell one and then another.  It is a sincere faith.  Share in the faith of our father…walk in the footsteps of the faith of our father…
     v6. So God put something into Timothy that sits in wait.  It needs fanning…it needs care and grooming and awakening.  He tells Timothy to tend it.
     v7. He tells him not to be afraid to tend to this gift of teaching and leading.  He bolsters him referring to how God has given him a spirit of power and love and self control, not fear.  So this power and love and self-control are key in ministry.  How? Power could be unction and insight and anointing and being a mouthpiece to reach heart.  Love can be that we do not teach information and we do not download truth but we live truth and we love others and we care for them.  We love the Lord and we love others, not just love information or doctrine.  Self control could be in the maintenance of our qualification for ministry and the witness of our life matching up with our message.  Lord let me maintain and build a love and affection for Jesus and a union with him and an abiding in you that would carry me through this life in the flesh such that I would never return to my former vomit and that I would serve you faithfully for the remainder of my existence here on earth and into eternity.
     v8. Here he ties Christ's suffering to ours.  He warns that we not be ashamed of his suffering nor our own.  He wants us to gladly own suffering by the power of God.  I aught to recognize the tie between these sufferings and rejoice in it.  What is it to be ashamed of suffering…of Christ's or Paul's suffering?  Is it to have no answer for why and so avoid it?  Is it to think that it is not needed?  Is it to think that God is not ordaining it?  Is it to think that is has no purpose?  What is it?
     v9. This verse helps answer because he saved us and called us for his purpose and he did this before the ages began. He has a purpose and he needs to suit us to it.  He picked us for this not because of anything in us (Rom 9:11-16).  So my calling to ministry is not because I am all that or because I am super special or because I work hard to study the Word or because I wake up early or because I have impressed God with my power of mental gymnastics…ha!  No, not at all.  For he chose me before the ages and he looked not upon my ability, but his.  His purpose first- the mission.  Then his grace- the calling and enabling and anointing for service.
     v10.  The covenant of redemption where he wrote my name in the book of life (Rev 13:8) was manifested at the coming of Jesus (Gal 4:4; Eph 1:10) to ratify and fulfill the requirements of the Abrahamic covenant in my place (Deut 30:16; Rom 10:5; Rom 8:3-4).  Life, immortality, and light…see Rom 4:17; Rom 8:11; 2 Cor 4:6.
     v11-14.  These verses are about guarding what God has placed in us and about the Holy Spirit being the key to this.  He has entrusted a message to us and the Holy Spirit will see that it is delivered.
     v15-18.  He then speaks of some who did not guard the deposit but turned away.  But there are others who hold fast and serve the Lord.

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 17 (happy birthday Nicole!)

Leviticus 21; Psalm 26-27; Ecclesiastes 4; 1 Timothy 6

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 74: WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The sixth commandment requires all lawful efforts to preserve our own life and the life of others. 
Scripture: Ephesians 5:29, 30; Psalm 82:3, 4; Proverbs 24:11, 12; Acts 16:28.

Psalm 26-27

In Psalm David looks for the LORD to vindicate him.  He believes that he has walked uprightly and he hope that the LORD and by the end of the Psalm it seems that his request is to not end up with the same fate as the wicked.  He hopes for deliverance and for some kind of meaning and joy and fulfillment in this life.  He seems to conclude that he will walk in his integrity and trust that the LORD will redeem him and be gracious.  Lord, I too hope for your blessing in this life and that your gracious hand would be upon me and that you would cause me to be a light to the world by my unwavering trust in you and my suffering for the sake of Christ and I pray you would indeed sustain me in all circumstances.

In Psalm 27 David exults in his knowledge that the LORD is his light and his salvation, his stronghold (Ps 27:1).  He has no fear because of this, even though there are threats against him.  This is a wonderful place to be and a trust that does not rely on circumstances.  He references his adversaries falling so he is experiencing the protection of God in his circumstances that is feeding his confidence it seems.  But he makes clear what he delights in and it is not victories, but it is seeking the LORD and gazing upon his beauty (Ps 27:4).  David is confident in the promises of the LORD to bless his throne and to maintain his throne forever and be believes that the LORD can deliver.  He celebrates that the LORD is his defense, not swords and armor, not might and skill (Ps 27:7).  Indeed LORD, let me exult in you and trust not in my own devices to protect me or my family from danger or evil but let us wait upon you and trust you and walk in your wisdom trusting you to get us through.

Ecclesiastes 4

Solomon takes note of the oppressed and those who toil just out of coveting their neighbor or out of envy that they don’t want other to have better than themselves.  This is the American Dream!  He wrestles with how worthless it seems to toil and strive just for things.  Nobody is ever actually satisfied and thus he sees it as a striving after the wind.  It is a never-ending task and it get us nowhere.  But he breaks out with some positive wisdom in friendship or partnership whether in spiritual or earthly focus.  Two are better than one and a third is even better…not quickly broken.  Men need a a close band of three guys who share life together and who are vulnerable with one another and who pray for one another and who ask the hard questions and who sacrifice rights and comfort and resources for one another. 

1 Timothy 6

     v1. Respect authority so as not to turn others against God or the teaching of his ministers.  This is what happens when people see hypocrites.  It damages the work of the laborers.  Let us respect and honor our teachers and ministers.
     v2. Don't use your Christian connection to take advantage of people who have authority over you but remain under them and respect their authority.
     v3. Do not listen to any teaching contrary to Christ or that leads aways from godliness.  Don’t let your flesh interprets grace and license but understand that grace is the power of God to kill sin in your life (Titus 2:11-14).  Grace is freedom from sin and nor freedom to sin!
     v4.  The one who teaches such is puffed up with conceit and knows nothing.  He craves controversy and quarreling.  This is a pretty apt description of someone who merely wants to debate theology and shows no fruit of godliness in his life.
      v5.  There is constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth.  Their thinking is not according to grace and is still stuck in sin and they are not being fed the truth.  They are thinking that godliness is a way to get something else they want.  Let not godliness be a means to gain something before men.
     v6-7.  The truth is that godliness with containment is the gain.  Being content to just be godly!  Not be godly in order to get some other great stuff…amounting to idols.
     v8-10.  Let us be pleased to have basic provision and he warns against desiring to be rich as it is a trap of the devil.  Love of money is a root of many evils.  Many are led away by the devil by this and they face many struggles.
     v11. But the man of God is not like that.  He flees such things and seeks after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.
     v12.  Fight! Take hold of what is yours even now…wait not for the future.  Be not idle with triflings but go after it!  Be zealous and fervent in spirit- Rom 12:11.
     v13. Like our Lord and savior gave confession before the one who would slay him, we too aught to give the good confession in our lives before this world who hates us.  Jesus confessed to be the King of the jews and said that this is why he came.  We were called and we remain for the furthering of the cause of Christ.  He was given human life in order that he may bear witness to the truth- to reveal God to his sheep.  Now we are alive for this purpose as well.
     v14. Be godly and do not forsake the commandments but remain firm until the end…until his coming.
     v15-16. He will declare when the time is right so you just focus on the task at hand.  he is in control.  he knows what we face.  He is ultimately and supremely powerful so do not fear!
     v17-19. Those who are rich- do not trust in your riches but hope in God.  Be rich toward God for he supplies all we need and with everything that is to be enjoyed.  Riches are fleeting and uncertain.  God is forever the giver.  These are to be full of good works and generosity Rom 12:8, 13.  Giving away is storing up! Give to truly live!
     v20. Guard the truth.  Guard the message.  Do not get tricked into focusing on meaningless babble and contradictions.  Do not join in the fight over men and over creeds.  Serve the Lord.

Soli Deo Gloria!

April 16

Leviticus 20; Psalm 25; Ecclesiastes 3;1 Timothy 5

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 73: WHAT IS THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The sixth commandment is, “Thou shalt not kill.” Scripture: Exodus 20:13.

Leviticus 19-20

"You shall be holy, for I the LORD am holy.”  “You shall do this or not do that: I am the LORD your God.”  “Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”  “You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and I have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.”  All of the statutes in the law, in addition to following the prologue of “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt…”, relate to these statements above.  God has chosen a people thought whom to reveal himself to all people of the earth.  This is a high calling and a wonderful blessing for the Israelites.  He is revealing mysteries of creation and of morality and of human nature and of our purpose and of his own glory, and he is doing it through the Jews.  They are not to be holy to save themselves or to earn redemption, but they are to be holy because they are his family and they are to bear his likeness.  We, as children of Abraham by faith are also part of this covenant people of God.  We are to be holy, not to prove something to God or others but to reveal God to the watching world.  We are to treasure Christ and to show the world the glory of God.  Psalm 23:3 says that the LORD leads us in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake…not ours.  We are living our purpose in this and we are to celebrate the fact that is is indeed the LORD who does this sanctifying (setting apart) work in us.  We do not struggle merely in the flesh but we rely on the Spirit to change our desires and drives and attitudes and emotions.

Psalm 23-25

You lead me in paths of righteousness not for my sake LORD but for the sake of your name (Ps 23:3).  You glorify your name in your people.  Because you are my shepherd LORD I know that I will dwell in your house forever (Ps 23:1, 6).  All of creation belongs to you O God (Ps 24:1) and which of your creatures may approach you to know you without being destroyed by your holiness and glory (Ps 24:3)?  You sanctify your children O God (Lev 20:8) and you clothe us in your own righteousness (Is 61:10), which we receive from your hand (Ps 24:5) thanks to the great exchange with your Son (2 Cor 5:21).  Because you are holy and we have union with your Son, we are holy and yet becoming holy.  We receive righteousness from the God of our salvation, from the King of glory, the LORD of hosts!  Let us wait upon you Lord and will you lead us in your ways for the sake of your name (Ps 25:5).  Remember me, for whom Jesus died, and not my sin that is a foreign invader within me (Ps 25:7; Rom 7:20).  Make me humble Lord that I will not be hardened against your teaching and your instruction.  Let me hear and let me be a doer by your gracious working upon my soul (Ps 25:9-10; James 1:22).  Let me know my guilt and own it Lord and let me know friendship with you by a fear that honors you and not by a pride or a sense of entitlement that dishonors you.  Let me understand that I do not deserve your love in the slightest and let me then exult in your favor that it has pleased you to pour upon me (Ps 25:11-12, 14-15).

Ecclesiastes 2-3

The main takeaway I see is to know the God is in control and that our striving does not make a difference (Eccl 2:11, 3:11, 14), it is our trust in God and our relating to him that brings knowledge and joy (Eccl 2:25-26).  We will all die and since we do not see what comes after death we rely on what we do see and we know ourselves by this life and so we ought to enjoy the labor that the Lord has given us here rather than waste time here waiting for eternity to begin (Eccl 3:21-22).  What is our labor, those who trust in the Lord?  Stop for a second…how do I read the Bible?  Is Ecclesiastes somehow unique that I should read it and understand it in a vacuum or is it like every other book of the Bible?  Should I not interpret it in light of the whole of scripture (Prov 23:4, 28:20; Mark 10:23; Phil 2:4, 3:8)?  Indeed!  Now, what is our work?  It is to love the Lord and to love others and to make disciples and to enjoy our God forever.  Let us never grow weary in doing good (Gal 6:9; Heb 12:3; 1 Cor 15:58) and let us enjoy this labor and its fruit!

1 Timothy 4-5

     v1-2. In later times people will fall from the faith due to deceitful teaching of demons through liars with seared consciences.  Joseph Smith and others? 
     v3. He likely speaks of the Gnostics of the first century who taught asceticism due to a belief that the body and the physical world altogether was evil.  Today this could relate to folks teaching yoga and vegetarianism and even homosexuality as some type of spirituality? 
     v4-5. All food is ok to eat as God made all things good and they are enjoyed with clear conscience by thanking God in prayer.  Keeping with the unity of scripture I cannot take this verse to be a license to enjoy wickedness because “everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected”…I am to hate what God hates (Rom12:9).
     v6. Here and verse 11 we are told to teach these things.  Unclear if simply the preceding statements or more than that.  At least teaching that some will fall away and why.  And training in godliness we are to teach.
     v7-9. Here is a great charge to spiritual discipline in our life.  We are to be godly and this takes discipline.  Our bodies too are trained by discipline but spiritual discipline is of greater value because (in part) it serves us now and into eternity.  So something about our degree of godliness here means something in heaven (even though we are changed in an instant and will all have no sin any longer and all that ).  So this can refer to rewards and authority and gifts to the feet of God etc.
     v10. We toil and strive to bring all we can to the place of love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith because we don't know who will believe.  We don't know who, for God desires all to be saved.  Thus he has no ill will for the lump but he is just.  We are to be indiscriminate in our efforts.  We don't know who will remain or fall away.
     v11-12. Command these things. Have authority.  Don't be held down due to your youth but set and example that they might not question your authority in this noble task.  Act like a man.
     v13-15. Do not be slack.  Preach and teach and labor and use your gifts.  Immerse yourself in the work of the Lord so that you improve along the way.
     v16.  And watch you heart and your teaching and stay pure to the doctrine you were given and what is reveled in the Word.  You will not only save yourself in this way (remember reference to guys he has handed to the devil) but you will save others.  The Word the flock receives impacts them and the mishandling of the Word can injure them!  Protect me O Lord and teach me and lead me and let me not do it in my strength!


Chapter 5...
     v1-2. Paul explains how to rebuke those older than you and of each gender.  Rebuke is not even the word to use for those older than you- encourage.  He stresses the respect of those senior to us and brotherly affection to our peers.  We must also do so with purity.  Perhaps he means not sinning in the way we rebuke and surely not sinning sexually with any woman or opposite gender.  Perhaps rebuking the younger woman as sisters "in all purity" could be taken to mean something like- rebuke and counsel young women with someone as witness and do not leave room for reproach or the appearance thereof.  Yes Lord give me brotherly affection for those that I need to call out and let me do so in love always and let me be discerning and wise in your counsel in this area now and into the future.
     v3-16.  This whole section deals with widows and how the church should only really care for widows who are truly alone and who love the Lord. Also if she has only had one husband and if she is over 60 years old.  Young women are to remarry and bear more children and be cared for by her new family in old age.  Caring for my family (even extended) is important and it speaks loudly against me if I do not step up and help the elderly in my family.  Here Paul says that I deny the faith if I do not love my family enough to care for their welfare.  Verse 16 can be taken to mean that the church should not spend its resources helping people that are able to help themselves and that we should help the ones who are truly helpless.
     v17-18. Something here about honoring the shepherd and paying him decently and not stopping him from teaching or speaking the truth.
     v19. Charges against elders should be considered with caution and need two or three witnesses due to the honor and expectation of holiness that is put upon them.
     v20.  But those in leadership who are found in unrepentant sin are to be rebuked in front of the whole congregation as a message of holiness and the expectations of the role of elder.
     v21-22. Do this and don't be hasty about ordaining elders or pastors.  Don't take part in the sin of others.  Rebuke people.  Take a stand.  Set them out of ministry when needed.  When the hidden sins come out they come out.  Do not hide and allow them to remain.
     v24-25.  Hidden sin and hidden good works come out eventually.

Soli Deo Gloria!