December 26 - 1 John: Want to Commune with God? Love Each Other

Today’s Reading: 1 John

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

John is not afraid of the "s-word", but he also does not want people to confuse it with the "l-word".

Summary in 100 Words or Less

We saw the Word of Life. If we walk in God's pure Light our sins—brought into the light—are taken away. You are in God when you obey. Warning, the world separates you from God.
Antichrists deny Jesus is Divine.
God's True Children, like Jesus, sacrifice themselves for each other. Practice real, non-condemning love.
Believe only teachers who openly confess faith in Jesus.
God's Spirit is greater than the world's.
Reflect God's Love. Walking God's Way proves we are His.
Everything points to Jesus as God—stop doubting. Boldly and freely interact with God. Guard against all imitation gospels.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

We seek to experience communion with God.

John's first letter centers around being in and with God. We tend to see his letter as a strange, esoteric foray into spirituality. Though when you read it as a whole you realize that is is more theoretical than esoteric. There are practical ways to do what John encourages these people to do. John doesn't mention them because he expects them to flesh them out. All of them center around one point—communing with God. We want to be in God's presence. We want God to acknowledge our presence. The way is not found in losing everything, emptying our minds, and giving up all urges.

Communion with God is found by loving your neighbor as yourself.

Okay, I'm mixing Jesus' Words with John's. The point is still the same—communion with God is found when we love others, not when we hate ourselves. The tests all involve love. The world separates us from God because it teaches selfish love. God is pure Light—Love. There is no darkness—hatred—with God. We cannot hate others and say we are in the light. When we love our neighbor as our self we commune with God.

God wants to remove barriers to communing with Him but we must be willing to put them up for his removal.

The reason stubborn unwillingness to acknowledge sin prevents communion with God is that we are not willing to let the barriers go. If we let them go, God will remove them. The Light will shine on us again and we will be purged of our mistakes. God wants to set your relationship with Him right. Give up the barriers by bringing them to the light.

The Antichrist is anti-Christ.

We love to make complicated, Hollywood-style dramas out of the Bible. The Antichrist or antichrists has been blown so out of proportion that most influential people are eventually called the Antichrist by their enemies. The Antichrist and antichrists are easy to spot. There is one, simple test: Do they publically confess that Jesus is God? If they do, they aren't. If they won't, they are. The important thing—and the part most people ignore—is that anyone can be antichrist. All you need to be is anti-Christ.

The person who acts right is right.

Christians have an epidemic of doubt. This doubt is not doubting whether God exists, Jesus is God, or if God will actually set all things right—though many do doubt these things. The epidemic of doubt is if we are righteous or not. It comes from the fear that since we cannot earn back our relationship with God, we can never know if that relationship is right or not. John sets that doubt and fear aside by writing that those who act righteous are righteous. Their righteousness still comes from God and we have not "earned" it. But we are righteous nonetheless! If you want to know you are righteous, do righteous things. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Then you will know you are righteous. The opposite is true, as well. You can never be righteous when you do not love your neighbor as yourself.

God's Spirit is greater than any other spirit.

The concept of God being greater, stronger, and longer-lasting than anything people want to defeat Him will be the central driving force behind John's Revelation. There is nothing that can prevent you from being in communion with God. Nothing can separate us from God's Love. God's Spirit is too strong.

Those who commune with God have great prayer-power.

God will act when people who commune with Him—by loving their neighbor as their self—ask Him to act. This isn't magical, it's based on the fact that as we submit to God we pray for His Will. As we pray for His Will to be done our prayers are answered. Those who pray against God's Will are the ones who think God will somehow be magically forced to grant their wishes because they are God's Chosen People.

Has the Message sunk deep into your life?

July 9 - Isaiah 1-4: God Speaks Through Isaiah - Stop Playing the Religious Game

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 1-4

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading begins the last major section of the Old Testament, the Major Prophets. They are called "major" because each book is longer than the 12 "Minor" prophets. Since Isaiah lived during the reign of four kings, this book will be interspersed with the historical narratives of their lives.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

When Judah stops playing the religion game and obeys God, then He will heal their land.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The visions of Isaiah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah:
God says, "I have decided to give up on Israel. They don't want me anymore.
"Don't go through the motions of religion. Set things right!
"Let's talk—I'll wipe your sins away!"
Isaiah chimes in, "Someday the entire world will worship and serve the God of Peace. Let's do it now!
"Your imitation gods will be destroyed. God will empty Judah. No one will turn it around. Only the righteous will survive.
"Everything that gives you pride will vanish. Then the land will be God's once more."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Israel has forgotten their god. God will "forget" them.

God's relationship with Israel has always been tenuous. Now, no matter what God does, His Chosen People will not stay faithful to Him. It is a sad moment when God's Chosen People are willing to create a god out of stone, wood, gold, and silver instead of obeying the one who freed them from Egypt. Since Israel has turned their collective backs against God, He will no longer protect them from their enemies.

God does not delight in religious actions. He delights in clean hearts.

God is direct,

Quit your worship charades.
   I can’t stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—
   meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more!
Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
   You’ve worn me out!
I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion,
   while you go right on sinning. (1:13-14, The Message)

God wanted them to change their actions:

Go home and wash up.
   Clean up your act.
Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings
   so I don’t have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.
   Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
   Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
   Go to bat for the defenseless. (1:16-17)

I cannot read this without thinking of our weekly Sunday meetings, mid-week meetings, small-group meetings, gospel meetings, VBS, etc., etc., etc. Could God complain that our churches meet for "religious" times but continue sinning? God does not want your church to hold weekly meetings. God wants your church to clean up its collective and individual acts!

God desperately wants to talk.

I love God's message to Israel. He is forcefully against their sin but is equally forceful about His mercy and forgiveness,

If your sins are blood-red,
   they'll be snow-white.
If they're red like crimson,
   they'll be like wool.
If you'll willingly obey,
   you'll feast like kings.
But if you're willful and stubborn,
   you'll die like dogs. (1:18-20)

God is willing to forgive and heal if you are willing to speak and listen.

People from everywhere in the world want to worship God.

To us, this seems normal. People from all over the world worship God every day. However, to Israel, these were surprising words. The god of Abraham was their god and no one else could worship Him. I alluded to this at the reading of Jonah. The reason the entire world will want to worship God is simple: God sets all things right. There will be no need for war when God sets all things right. When the entire world knows God, they will want to worship Him.
What about today? It is here, but not yet. What does that mean? Everyone in the world can worship God; however, not everyone chooses to worship God. At the same time, we, the Chosen People of God, also struggle with the concept that God is for all. Someday, this will happen!

Do you play religious games?

June 1 - Psalm 119:89-176: Ode to God's Way Found in God's Word - Part 2

Today’s Reading: Psalm 119:89-176

The Message

English Standard Version

Today we finish the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. Because the psalm is so long it was split it up into two days' worth of reading. This is the only chapter that is split because of sheer length.
In a technical detail, the psalm is arranged as a grand alphabetic acrostic, meaning the sections follow the Hebrew alphabet and within each section the first letter of every line begins with that letter. There is no easy-to-find English equivalent to this setup; however, there are about a dozen of these versions found in the Bible.
In addition, today's reading marks the end of the concentrated psalms readings. There are 18 psalms remaining (we have read 132!), but they will be spread out from now until the end of September.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Notice how the psalmist's attitude toward the wicked is indifference rather than anger.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 119

(From Wednesday's reading) In this ode to God's way, the writer continuously praises God for His Way that protects His People who study them in His Word.
(From today's reading) God's Way never goes out of fashion. The psalmist loves God's Way and that has made all the difference. All that God has written will help us survive—if God helps us learn. May God's Word always stay with us.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God's Way is always up-to-date.

As a person who loves technology I am amazed at how fast it becomes antiquated. My phone I bought in 2009—four years ago—now lies in the dinosaur tech pile. Philosophies also become dated. How many of us subscribe to the philosophy of "technology will make all things better?" Although there are grains of truth within these philosophies which last, none of them have had the staying power of God's Way. Think about it, I am a man living three to four thousand years after the Bible was written and I have found hundreds of ideas for my life today. That's staying power! God's Word and God's Truth are as dependable as ever.

When the wicked lined up for battle, the psalmist focused on God's plans.

What dedication! I love the reason behind it as well, "I see the limits to everything human, / but the horizons can’t contain your commands!" (v. 96) "As those out to get me come closer and closer, / they go farther and farther from the truth you reveal", (v. 150,The Message). Even teachers' wisdom became too superficial. When we focus on God's Commands, the world's ways will seem shallow and unworthy of our time. In the end you realize the world doesn't understand God's Ways or how God sets things right because they have never looked in God's Word to see how He sets all things right.

Focusing on the Word of God leads to action.

I grew up thinking this psalm was an ode to God's Word. What a limited view of this psalm! God's Word was not intended to guide study. It was intended to guide action! It is in action that God's Way is found—by setting things right.

God is right and God does right!

May 30 - Psalm 119:1-88: Ode to God's Way Found in God's Word - Part 1

Today’s Reading: Psalm 119:1-88

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading is the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. Because the psalm is so long we will split it up into two days' worth of reading. This is the only chapter that is split because of length.


In a technical detail, the psalm is arranged as a grand alphabetic acrostic, meaning the sections follow the Hebrew alphabet and the first word of every line within that section begins with that letter. There is no easy-to-find English equivalent to this setup; however, there are about a dozen of these types of psalms found in the Bible.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Consider what God's way will do for you.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 119

In this ode to God's way, the writer continuously praises God for His Way that protects His People who study them in His Word.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

We are blessed when we stay on God's Course.

That is the first way the writer begins praising God's Way. When we stay on the straight road that may seem boring to some, we prevent a life worth regretting. Want to live a life free of regret? Stay on God's course!

While people around you waste time talking about others, be absorbed in God's counsel.

One of the main reasons misunderstandings and problems happen between individuals, groups, and whole cultures centers on the fact that they spend a large amount of time telling each other about that person or those people. These actions cause two issues: 1) they have no time for building relationships with the people they are discussing; and 2) they are bound to get facts mixed with opinion and vice versa. Instead of listening to blabbering about people who are not there (because who would gossip about a person standing right in front of you listening?) do something worthwhile—learn God's path! When this happens, you will find yourself happier, less stressed, and a better person.

Ask God for eyes to see His ways.

This psalmist writes "Open my eyes so I can see / what you show me of your miracle-wonders" (v. 18, The Message). We ask that God provide us the ability to see Him working. We do not call God to work around us because God is already at work around us!

Do you have a bend for God's words of wisdom or of piling up loot?