Category: Writing

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:19–25

We have a majestic “therefore” on our hands. Our author has just finished explaining the fact that Jesus’ self-sacrifice is the once-for-all, final sacrifice necessary for the salvation and sanctification of the elect. The work is done; our High Priest now sits. And so, “therefore,” we have three “let us” statements for us to consider as we reflect on that sacrifice:

1. “Let us draw near” (22): Remember, there was no “drawing near” under the old covenant. There was a curtain between the presence of God and those in the temple to keep people from accidentally drawing near and dying. But now, we are as clean and as purified as the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, thanks to Christ. We can come into the presence of God, the Creator of the Universe and the King over all!
2. “Let us hold fast” (23): If we know that our salvation is sure, and that no eternal, lasting harm can come to us, why would we waver in our steadfastness? Our proclamation of the truth must be steady, unwavering, and rooted in the fact that our role in the process of being saved is to receive the great gift.
3. “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (24): We have a great hope, and it is not ours to keep. We are to share this hope with each other. Each of us will have good days and bad days, but the beauty of gospel fellowship is that we can spread the good days out over the entire body of Christ. When we meet together (even over Zoom!) one of our main goals should be to encourage and exhort one another to carry on and persevere. That is the goal, that is the mission. The ultimate encouragement we have that we remind one another of is the finished work of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Don’t forget the implications of what Christ has done for you! These three should keep you busy, but can you think of more? Praise God for his inexpressible gift!

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.

Psalm 47:8

What a simple truth: God is in control. The question is, do we really believe it? If, here in California, our workplaces stay closed for another month or two, and our churches aren’t allowed to reopen until Fall, will we begin to despair? Will we start to question what God has planned, or to resist what his will seems to be?

We need to be careful not to confuse our rights as citizens of America with our preferences as citizens of God’s Universal Kingdom. While we live in this country that allows us to vote and have our say (which is an incredible blessing from God!), that does not mean that we can apply those same standards to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Consider God’s challenge of Job’s questioning. God is honored when we respond to trials with peace-filled confidence in his direction and sovereignty.

God reigns. Over everything. And he has a plan. How we respond to what happens in his world demonstrates how much we really believe that.

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out.

Numbers 9:16–19

Wow, what a difficult lifestyle to get used to. I have been camping many times, and it takes a lot of work to set up and break camp. I can’t imagine what a logistical headache it must have been to set up and break camp for over 2 million people in a desert! I think that it would have been really challenging for people to feel settled. Obviously, they knew that God was with them, so they were safe and protected, but they never knew how long they would remain in a place. And setting up and tearing down that tabernacle was a lot of work! I’m sure they got pretty skilled at making the process quick.

But obviously, there was a reason God did this—he wanted Israel to remember two things: first, that the wilderness was not their final destination—they were on their way to the Promised Land. And second, they were not in charge of their journey; he was. They were following him and his lead.

As much as we feel like we have control today, the same things still apply to us. When God allows things to be upended in our lives, we should remember that there’s a reason for that: this world is not our home. We should never grow so comfortable here that we forget where we are going. And second, as much as we think that we are in charge of our lives, we should remember that He is sovereign and in control and we are at his mercy! The pandemic has—or at least should have—underscored this reality for all of us. We should thank God for his direction and for the destination which he has in store for us.

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment

Hebrews 5:11–6:2

How interesting it is to see the author of Hebrews call his audience out on their intellectual laziness regarding their pursuit of God. He shares with them a gentle frustration because, by now, they should be better than this! Their conception of their relationship with God should have moved past the basics of the gospel, and if it had, they would have been more secure in their faith and more able to be ready to deal with the persecution and trials they faced.

This is the case today. We must not assume that we can “get by” on the baby food we first learned. God calls us to love him with all our mind, soul, and strength. This means we will need to develop further. We do this with anything and everything we truly love. Think of your passions and hobbies. You don’t stay at the elementary level of knowledge about them. “Real” sports team fans don’t just know the names of the most famous players on the team, they know the names of the managers, and even people who own the teams! Yet, we can be so lazy in our pursuit of God and of his Word. We cannot be surprised when we live that way, and then are overwhelmed, scared, and frustrated by the world. We aren’t equipping ourselves for it.

However—a word of clarification. Notice that the Apostle Peter uses the same metaphor in 1 Peter 2:2-3 when he writes, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” Notice that here, the exhortation works the other way: we should never lose sight of the simple truth of the gospel message: Jesus Christ died for me, and because of that I can know him and have eternal life. That “milk” should be what drives your desire for the greater knowledge!

It can be easy to carry ourselves to the other extreme of Christian knowledge and forget what it was that won us to Christ in the first place. We must, with the help of God, strive for maturity based on the original, simple truth of Christ crucified. The context of both books is the same: strength in persecution and persistence in faith in the midst of suffering. This balancing act is the means to that perseverance.

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:1–3

Notice how David writes that he “waited patiently” for the Lord. If we read the next line, we realize that he waited patiently as he was drowning in the “miry bog.” As he fell into the pit of destruction, David cried out to the Lord and waited for him to reply in his timing and in his way. This shows the incredible faith of David. He knows that God will rescue him, so he drowns patiently.

Even better, David knows exactly why God rescued him: “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” The purpose of this divine rescue isn’t just the fact that David’s steps are now secure it’s that God gets all the praise and glory for the rescue. No one praises the drowning man for drowning, we praise the lifeguard for saving his life! The ultimate result of this incredible act of God is that “Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” When God is glorified for his work, people are drawn to him.

Do you have this mindset now? Whatever you are suffering, whatever you are enduring, are you waiting patiently for the Lord? Or have you started to waver? Be patient! He knows what he is doing. He has perfect timing. And he will rescue you from whatever you are going through in a way that brings him glory and brings you a greater appreciation of the sure hope you have in Jesus Christ. He will incline to you and hear your cry.

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

Hebrews 3:12–14

In Hebrews 3, the author tells his readers to “take care” that they do not develop an “evil, unbelieving heart” (3:12). In the context of the passage, the author is comparing the Christian under Christ to the Jew under Moses. The Jews had the incredible experience of the Exodus and the very real presence of God as they journeyed to the Promised Land. They had no excuse for the unbelief which ran rampant through them and lead to the regular grumbling, rebellion, and apathy which both caused and exacerbated their wilderness wanderings.

However, the author has just spent two chapters helping us see that Jesus is superior to Moses. He is greater—much greater. Thus, for the believer, there is an even higher standard to meet than that of the Jew, because compared to Moses, Jesus and his testimony are better on every level. This is an area where the body of Christ can be such a mutually beneficial entity—we can, and must, challenge each other not to give in to apathy and unbelief. For those of us who are truly saved, we hold a much greater, much more beneficial gift than the Law—we have the Word of God, Christ Jesus himself.

So, two questions flow from this: first, are you being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin? Do you need to repent? And second, are you actively encouraging your brothers and sisters in Christ in this area? Let us work together to ensure that we run and finish this incredibly race with endurance!

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 1:3–4

Many of us have heard that the priests weren’t allowed to “sit down” in the tabernacle or the temple, because the work of purification was never finished; there was always more sin to atone for. When the author of Hebrews writes that Jesus “sat down,” he’s making a declaration about the work of Christ. There’s no more to be done in the cosmic battle against sin. From an eternal perspective, Jesus has won, has defeated sin.

Now, we still live in the midst of the earthly battle, working to fight against the indwelling sin in our lives as we seek to conform ourselves to Christ and his example. However, we should do so without ever forgetting that Jesus’ work is now to remind God of his accomplishments as our Mediator (1 John 2:1-2). There’s no more for him to do! The sin in us fights to do as much damage as it can but Christ is not anxious about our sin. He rests from the work of purification.

I fight legalism constantly and I think it’s easy for me to imprint those fears and tendencies on Jesus’ attitude. I am anxious about my sin because I want to be good enough, I want to be better. Jesus just wants me to love him. If the work is completed by him, the only worthwhile motive for pursuing holiness is demonstrating our love for Christ and for the work which he has finished! If we have that mindset, our fight against sin will be less infused with anxiety and more worshipful.

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

It seems that, given the fact that we know that these words were written by a man singularly gifted by God with incredible wisdom and insight, we would do well to take these words to heart. These words are the culmination of Solomon’s search for the purpose of life on earth.

Fear God: As we know from Solomon, the fear of the Lord is the source and foundation of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). The reason for this is that, when we understand who God is, we understand our place before Him and how desperately we need to obey him.

Keep his commandments: The act of obedience is how we demonstrate our love for God (2 John 6). When we know who God is and what he expects of us, we must respond with obedience. The alternative is rebellion and sin.

According to Solomon, this is the motto of a God-honoring life which makes the most of the vanity of existence on this planet and stewards our time, resources and blessings well. A life lived this way will pass the final test of God’s judgment!

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:1–7

As Paul concludes his letter to Titus, he moves from the Christian’s conduct within the Church to his conduct in the world at large.

Notice that Paul starts out reminding Christians to live under the authority of those whom God has appointed to lead in the political realm. The Christian should exude a peaceful submission which understands the hand of God in the ways of men, and strive to obey with graciousness. This level of respect for authorities then expands out to all men—we should be those who do not give into arguing, to bitter gossip, to slander. We are to be known as those who love others and show “perfect courtesy.”

The rest of the quoted passage tells us why. Just as we saw yesterday, today we see that the gospel must be the primary influence underpinning our relationship with the world. How can we treat the world with anything but love, knowing that we ourselves are only different because we were rescued from it? No one who has experienced drowning and has been rescued will mock or laugh when they see someone struggling in the water—the memory of that experience will place an indelible mark on their memory and cause an overflowing of sympathy. So must it be for the Christian. We love the world because we understand that the world is lost and in desperate need.

I predict that these verses will be essential for us to keep in mind in the coming months. As the world seeks to “re-open” itself after the coronavirus pandemic, and we deal with the fallout of decisions both good and bad, there will be (indeed, there already is!) a great temptation to badmouth those who were put in the positions of authority which God ordained them to hold. And as the lines are drawn and people pick sides, it will become a great temptation to slander and cut down those who disagree with us. Let us keep in mind where we were before Christ, and what he done in us because of the indwelling of his Spirit. Let us be marked by “perfect courtesy.” That, I believe, will draw this hurting world towards their only true Savior.

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11–14

In Titus 2 we find the great chapter on “conduct within the church,” Paul’s instructions for Titus and the churches in Crete for how the body of Christ must look, from older men and women to younger men and women to masters and bond servants. These verses form the basis of many peoples’ understanding of discipleship and Christian maturity, as they ought to.

However, these last few verses are often overlooked, or at least not emphasized in our study of Titus 2. This is a grave mistake! These verses give us the “why” of Paul’s expectations of Christian conduct. Simply put, we are to look a certain way because of what we have received by the grace of God through the self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We should:

1. Renounce ungodliness and worldliness.
2. Live lives of self-control and moral purity.
3. Eagerly await the return of our Savior.
4. Remember our identity as Christ’s possession.
5. Foster a zeal for good works.

The gospel reality of our redemption in Christ is what must fuel our pursuit of holiness and maturity. To reverse the two is to practice self-righteousness and legalism! When we let the glory of the gospel be front and center in our thoughts and actions, maturity, dignity, and holiness will flow out in a beautiful testimony to God’s goodness. This is the sign of true Christian conduct and maturity—and it is entirely dependent on Christ!

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The “Isolation Introspection” series started as an opportunity for me to encoruage members of our Bible Study with daily reflections from the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan during the 2020 “Stay at Home” mandate in Los Angeles. I’ve moved them here so that they can be shared easily, and perhaps benefit others. I hope you enjoy!