Morning Musings – Page 221

Morning Musings: 1 Corinthians 12:31

August 28, 2017August 28, 2017Leave a comment

“But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (ESV)

Verse 31 here of chapter 12 offers important context for understanding chapter 13 that most folks ignore. Chapter 13 is, of course, the famous “love chapter.” Paul offers us a beautiful and vaunted description of what love looks like and the necessity of its centrality in our lives. And while it is certainly and obviously generally applicable, it’s context is advice on how to get our practice of the spiritual gifts right in the church body. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Proverbs 20:22

August 28, 2017August 27, 2017Leave a comment

“Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.” (ESV)

When we have been affronted by some evil, or when we see someone else who has been affected by it, our natural response is to want to repay it.

Throughout the whole of human history, our natural response has been to repay in kind when we have been dealt an offense. And this is right, isn’t it? If something is wrong, we need to act to set it right. For someone who doesn’t believe in a just god, this is obviously necessary, because who else is going to do it? But even for those who believe in a God who is perfect in justice this should be something that is good and right, yes? After all, this would be our participating in His character of justice. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

August 25, 2017August 23, 2017Leave a comment

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

It takes a lot to make the church work. There are all kinds of different roles that need to be filled. Some of them are out front and flashy. Some of them are entirely behind the scenes and go completely overlooked…unless they’re not being done.

The challenge this presents the church is that we tend to assign value based on external factors only. If something is visible, we count it as more valuable than something that is invisible. If something draws our eyes because of its prominence, we count it as more valuable than something which is not as eye-catching. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Psalm 99:8

August 24, 2017August 23, 2017Leave a comment

“O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

One of the things that can be so frustrating about the Scriptures is that over and over they take two ideas which seem to be contradictory, declare them both to be true, and, rather than resolving the tension, simply leave it in place.

Some examples of this would be divine sovereignty and human responsibility, Jesus’ full humanity and full divinity, and the three-persons and one-person nature of the Trinity. Right here we see another tension. The psalmist declares God to be both a forgiver of sins, but also an avenger of wrongdoings. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: 1 Corinthians 10:13

August 23, 2017August 21, 20172 Comments

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Temptation is everywhere we look. The Siren song of sin sings sweetly at every corner. Sometimes it feels like all we ever do is drift from one temptation to another. And yet, Paul’s observation here is true and powerful. I think there are several things we can say about our efforts with the Spirit’s help to walk in the righteousness of the Lord based on what Paul says here. Read the rest…