Category: Scripture Journal

HIGHLIGHT

1 John 5:21 (ESV): 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

EXPLAIN

This last verse of 1 John is intriguing. John had written this letter to assure the believers after they had experienced great conflict due to false teachers spreading lies in the church.

John had written of loving God and loving one another. John had written of assurance of forgiveness of sin. John had written of the necessity of leaving sin to return no more.

John had also written that we must not love the world, but rather love God. Yet the idea of “idolatry” seems almost out of place.

APPLY

In fact, however, this is the key: that anything that comes between our love for God… anything that replaces our love for God… is an idol, a replacement god, for us.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to love you, and to never allow a love for the world, for some fancy, intriguing doctrine, nor for anything else to come between me and you. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Samuel 5:22–23 (ESV): 23 And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees.

EXPLAIN

This is the second time in this chapter that David inquired of the Lord. But before that, we read that David knew God had established his kingdom because God exalted David’s kingdom for the sake of the people of Israel (v. 12). We also read that David became greater and greater because God was with him (v. 10). In verse 3, the people made a covenant with David before God.

APPLY

David’s power and wisdom was a result of his close relationship and reliance upon God. If we would have God’s blessing upon us, we must have God with us.

Truly, David was a mighty warrior and appears to have been skilled in battle and strategy, but it also seems clear that this skill came because of his closeness to God.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, I pray for a closer relationship to you. May I live submitted to your will. May I listen closely for the Spirit’s voice at all times. May I seek to honor Jesus in all I do. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

1 John 1:3 (ESV): 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

EXPLAIN

John was writing a church that had struggled mightily with false teachers. There had been great conflict in the church, and a number of those caught up in false doctrine finally departed.

Now John wrote this church to assure them in their faith and to emphasize that the Christian life is about loving God and loving others.

APPLY

John’s stated purpose for writing this letter – and for sharing the gospel – is different than the emphasis we have often focused upon. John wanted these people to have fellowship with him and the other apostles and churches, as their fellowship was with the Father.

What do we lose when we forget the emphasis of community and fellowship in sharing the Good News of Jesus?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for eternal life and the fellowship this gives me with you, the Son, and the Spirit, as well as with other believers all throughout the world. Thank you for your love that you have poured upon us, and cause to bubble up inside us. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Peter 1:8 (ESV): 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

EXPLAIN

Peter begins this second letter with the assurance that God gives us everything we need for life and godliness. Then, he challenged his readers to add to their faith certain qualities: excellence, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

If we possess these, we will not be ineffective or unfruitful spiritually. In verse 10, he also assures us that if we practice these, we will never fall spiritually.

The second chapter contrasts the believer who follows after these qualities with false prophets who bring in destructive heresies and act wickedly.

APPLY

These verses give us the secret for a spiritual life that is effective, fruitful and faithful. Therefore, the application is clear: we must intentionally seek to increase in these qualities through the empowerment of the Spirit.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to be faithful to do what is necessary to grow spiritually and serve you faithfully. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

1 Peter 4:12–13 (ESV): 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

EXPLAIN

1 Peter was written to believers who were suffering or would soon suffer greatly for their faith. The theme of living faithfully despite opposition runs throughout the entire letter.

Peter addressed various issues and concerns related to how the Christian should live in an unholy, unforgiving world, but the main idea is to live confidently in a way that Christ would live.

APPLY

In a world today that seemingly is becoming more secular and hostile to Christ followers, we also should be aware that suffering for our faith is not out of the ordinary, but typical for those who love Jesus.

Therefore, we should rejoice in the privilege of sharing in Christ’s sufferings and strive to live in every moment in a way that would honor Jesus.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to live faithfully, joyfully, confidently for you, regardless of my surroundings. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

James 5:11 (ESV): 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

EXPLAIN

In James 5, we find the ungodly rich people being warned, those who were mistreating others.

James then addressed believers who were experiencing hardship, challenging them to be patient like a farmer waiting for the harvest.

James told them not to grumble against each other, but rather follow the example of the prophets, as well the steadfastness of Job in suffering.

APPLY

James wrote that the people had seen the “purpose of the Lord.” Oftentimes, in the midst of difficulty we have trouble discerning God’s purpose.

Maybe James’ first readers would even question if they knew God’s purpose. But James says they had seen God’s purpose, and had experienced the compassion and mercy of God.

If you have the whine in you, kick it out ruthlessly. It is a positive crime to be weak in God’s strength.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, April 14 entry

While we may have difficulty understanding God’s ways, we should rest assured knowing God has a purpose for us, and we should be watchful for his hand at work in our lives.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, in whatever state I am in life, help me to live aware of your purpose. And if your purpose seems obscure, help me to live confidently, knowing your purpose is still at work. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

James 3:18 (ESV): 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

EXPLAIN

James 3 talks about the deadliness of the tongue. James asked how the same tongue could speak both blessing and cursing. It doesn’t make sense, but it happens all the time.

In the final sentences of this chapter, James urged his readers to seek the wisdom that comes from God, rather than the wisdom of the world.

God’s wisdom is the ability to love God and others the way God wants us to; the wisdom of the world is carnality that always lusts for the interests of Self.

APPLY

If we seek and receive God’s wisdom, we will bear a harvest of righteousness. This harvest is sown in peace as we make peace with others, instead of warring and fighting for what we think we should have.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to be a peacemaker and so produce a harvest of righteousness for your glory. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Hebrews 10:35–36 (ESV): 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

EXPLAIN

The Hebrews writer used the illustration of the Old Testament sacrificial system to explain how Jesus is a better priest and provided a greater sacrifice.

The ministers of the Old Covenant offered the blood of bulls and goats to make atonement for the people’s sins, but these sacrifices never took away their sins (Hebrews 10:11). Jesus offered once a single sacrifice to take away all sins and then sat down at the right hand of God the Father.

We now have confidence to enter into the Holy of holies to seek God, but this privilege must be handled with supreme responsibility, living holy before him. We must not throw away our confidence, but rather endure for Christ.

APPLY

The grace we have received from God must be valued highly. Despite opposition and suffering for Christ, we must endure in order to gain the crown.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for your great grace. Help me to live holy before you. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV): 22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

EXPLAIN

God determined to destroy the Amalekites because of how they opposed Israel when they were in the wilderness. Samuel brought God’s message to King Saul to utterly annihilate everything of the Amalekites.

Saul, instead, saved the best of the flocks and did not kill the Amalekite king. God revealed this to Samuel and Samuel confronted Saul.

Interestingly, Saul never owned up to disobeying God’s command. Saul first claimed that he had obeyed God’s command. Later, he admitted that God’s command was not completely followed. And he insisted the spoil was saved for an offering to God.

Yet in all of this, Saul continued to insist that the people were at fault, not himself.

APPLY

Could it be that saving the spoil and the king were not Saul’s idea at first? Could some of Saul’s men, greedy for spoil, questioned the king’s command? We cannot say so with any certainty.

Regardless, Saul was at fault because he was the leader and God had given him the command to annihilate everything.

Whether our excuses are flimsy or ironclad, God sees through all of them.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to live with integrity, obeying you fully. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

1 Samuel 11:14 (ESV): 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.”

EXPLAIN

The people of Israel foolishly desired a king. Samuel was a godly leader, but his sons were not men of integrity. And so the people of Israel began to pine for a king.

Samuel obeyed God’s voice and found them a king, Saul, who stood head and shoulders over everyone. But at first, Saul appeared to be shy and retiring. Some did not accept him.

However, when the crisis at Jabesh-gilead occurred, with the Ammonites threatening wipe out the city unless all the men were willing for their right eyes to be gouged out, Saul rose to the occasion.

Now, the Israelites were solidly behind Saul as their king. Samuel wisely called the people to confirm Saul as king with a spiritual ceremony, making offerings to God.

APPLY

If we would have God’s favor, we must follow God’s direction and acknowledge God’s sovereignty over us in all aspects of life, business and society.

The Israelites’ desire for a man to be their king instead of God was a troubling cultural development, but Samuel sought to draw them back to following God’s leadership upon their lives. So we should also seek renewal by recognizing Christ’s lordship of our lives.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge you as my King. Help me to follow your precepts. Guide me each step of my way. Amen.