Category: Bible (Page 47 of 423)

Colorado possesses a long history of mining. Enduring long winters and brutal conditions, men searched for gold and silver. A handful made a fortune, while the rest moved on after the mines played out. No one cleaned up after themselves, and as you drive around Colorado today you’ll see evidence of old mines, especially the tailings of stone expelled from the shafts. Boring holes into solid rock took strong backs, sturdy picks, and plenty of dynamite.

Bringing the wrong tools to break rock solid hearts, prophets in Jeremiah’s day shared their dreams. These teachers boldly lied and spread deceit in the name of God. They believed in themselves, but failed to believe in God. Instead of teaching from the Scriptures they taught opinions, leading their king and nation astray.

The Lord excoriated these so-called prophets for their failure to produce words of meaning and consequence. A prophet speaks for God, and the words of God arrive with power. God spoke through Jeremiah: Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully…Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? 

The divinations of these soothsayers dripped from their mouths like saliva from a madman. In contrast, God’s truth comes on like fire, scorching away lies and deceptions. The Scriptures pound folly like dynamite blasting a tunnel into a mountain.

In the Bible we discover words like a sledgehammer. Run the ideas and philosophies of our day through a good pounding. What emerges, that which lines of with the truth of Scripture, is worthy of our time and attention. Sweep up the broken shards and toss them in the garbage. In a world filled with talk, invest in energetic, dynamic, life-giving words—Words like a hammer.

Jeremiah 23:28-29

Photo by MATHEW RUPP

Wisdom eludes even the most persistent. One certainly finds little sagacity in our online world. Lots of entertainment and laughs, plenty of consternation and angst, but few nuggets of insight. Like explorers once searched for the source of the Nile, seekers of understanding must turn to the originator of wisdom.

In his missive against the tongue, James pointed out how wisdom from the world around us tends toward boastfulness, falsehoods, jealousy and selfish ambition. Where this wisdom holds court, obnoxious practices spread. He uses the idea of disorder to represent the hearts and minds of those struggling to find a way. James calls this brand of wisdom earthly, unspiritual, and even demonic.

James turns to the better way of slowing our mouths and waiting in the ensuing quiet for words from the Lord: But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Impartial and sincere people remain scarce in this world. They stand out for their peace of mind and winsomeness. Representing the opposite of disorder, folks like this hold societies together and make our towns and cities wonderful places to live. Befriend these, and seek the impartial and sincere wisdom of the Lord for yourself.

James 3:13-18

Photo by Simon Wilkes

I’ve noticed that when life is good, I think less about God, but when difficulties arise, I find myself praying. I suppose this is normal for most of us. I subtly believe that fortunate circumstances arise due my smarts, but want the Lord to bail me out during the downturns.

The prophet Jeremiah brought a word to Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, expressing a similar sentiment. God said, I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, “I will not listen.“

During the thriving days of the kingdom, God sought to draw people to himself. This king, along with the majority of his people, refused to pay attention. Later, when the invaders ravaged the land, they cried out to the Lord. Too little, too late.

In my prosperous days, am I any better? I hope so, and try to give attention to the Lord. I find it helpful to write down the many ways God has blessed my life. Gratitude softens my spirit and reminds my of all the good in my life that I’ve done nothing to deserve. Am I in prosperous days? Sure feels like it, and I hope to make it a time of gratefulness and expanding my relationship with the the Lord.

Jeremiah 22:21

Photo by Nitin M Nisar

When our oldest son entered elementary school he started bringing home spelling words. We practiced and he aced test after test. He took to spelling like he took to cupcakes—making short work of both. I thought, my wife and I are excellent spelling teachers. Perhaps we should teach others the secrets of our success, and even produce a video series for less talented parents. Then our next kid came along and found spelling terribly difficult, then our third kid as well. So much for the videos. I learned that some people inherently spell better than others. Our oldest son? Now a journalist, working with words every day and spelling them all correctly (without spellcheck).

When things go easy for me I think I’m hot stuff. But life breaks into my reverie and I realize I’m not as good as I realize. I have a lot I don’t deserve. James the apostle wrote a strong reminder along these lines:

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

I’m severely misled when I think the things I enjoy in life came about because of my talents and abilities. In reality, every good thing around me comes from God, the Father of lights.

I find in the Lord no deceptions, no whims, no discrepancies, no shifting of shadow. I don’t need to worry about the Lord dropping the ball, or making a promise with his fingers crossed, or saying oops! James goes on: Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

God embodies truth. He created you and me by his word, which is totally and unquestionably accurate. When I want to stop jiggling like jello in my beliefs, I turn to his word. When I hope to stand in the midst of calamity, I turn to his word. In order to step out of the quicksands of our cultural moment, I climb onto the rock of his word.

Do not be deceived. The best way to avoid fraudulence, either around me or in my own mind, is to discover to the truth. God’s Word, the Bible in my hands, is a bounty from the Author of Truth. Open the book, avoid deception, and enjoy the good and perfect gifts surrounding us.

James 1:16-18

Photo by Maria Oswalt