Showing posts with label devotion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devotion. Show all posts
Sunday, July 13, 2014
A Week For Devotion
Monday. Another monday. Every week comes and goes and brings another week when it is finished. The seemingly-endless cycle of days upon days and weeks upon weeks is back again. And with each passing measurement of time we are presented with a decision, an opportunity for either rebellion or disobedience. This monday, this week, let us make the most of the opportunity we've been given, let us take this week for devotion.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Romans 12:1–Present Your Bodies
Romans 12:1–"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
To present your body as a living sacrifice is a theologically-dense proposition. Not only is it a commentary about how different Christian worship is in contrast to every other form of worship, but it is also a testament to the wholehearted devotion that God desires from us. It is insufficient for us to merely believe. We need to support our belief by offering ourselves in body to the will of God for our lives. Furthermore, Paul tells us that this kind of devotion is, it turns out, our spiritual worship. Let us consider, then, how important it is for us to remember that God wants it all–our bodies too!
To present your body as a living sacrifice is a theologically-dense proposition. Not only is it a commentary about how different Christian worship is in contrast to every other form of worship, but it is also a testament to the wholehearted devotion that God desires from us. It is insufficient for us to merely believe. We need to support our belief by offering ourselves in body to the will of God for our lives. Furthermore, Paul tells us that this kind of devotion is, it turns out, our spiritual worship. Let us consider, then, how important it is for us to remember that God wants it all–our bodies too!
Friday, January 10, 2014
Psalm 84:1-2–My Soul Longs For Your Courts, O Lord!
Psalm 84:1-2–"How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God."
There is something here about praise and perspective, but mostly this passage is about priority. The passage, in some ways, asks and answers the question of 'what does your heart desire above all else?'
I have to honestly ask myself if I would agree that my soul longs to the point of swooning as I desire the presence of God. But isn't that the degree and intensity of passion that this verse is addressing? In some ways, it is a statement of pure praise, but in another sense it is a call to praise, an exhortation to a deeper devotion, if you will.
Let us take this verse under prayerful consideration as we would seek to love the Lord with every bit of our beings.
There is something here about praise and perspective, but mostly this passage is about priority. The passage, in some ways, asks and answers the question of 'what does your heart desire above all else?'
I have to honestly ask myself if I would agree that my soul longs to the point of swooning as I desire the presence of God. But isn't that the degree and intensity of passion that this verse is addressing? In some ways, it is a statement of pure praise, but in another sense it is a call to praise, an exhortation to a deeper devotion, if you will.
Let us take this verse under prayerful consideration as we would seek to love the Lord with every bit of our beings.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
A Statement About Devotion
Devotion, the fine word we use to describe and define our most sincere relationships, in particular our relationship with God Almighty. It is, then, necessary that we would define devotion so that we could know either when we possess it or, maybe more so, when we lack it. Thus the purpose of this blog will be a brief look into the concept and the significance of devotion.
In the most basic sense, devotion is the process and knowledge of being devoted. That is, being devoted to someone or something in a relationship that goes beyond simple acquaintance beyond the level of commitment but it is that commitment meeting a desperate and abandoned desire. Devotion, in this sense, is not merely a deeper degree but, rather, a different perspective in regards to those we hold dear. It is about commitment, to be sure. But it is also about passion and depth, focused outward at an external being. In the case of Christianity, this means, quite plainly, God Himself through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Space does not permit for more but I hope this is a helpful start to get you thinking about devotion and its vital importance in our lives.
In the most basic sense, devotion is the process and knowledge of being devoted. That is, being devoted to someone or something in a relationship that goes beyond simple acquaintance beyond the level of commitment but it is that commitment meeting a desperate and abandoned desire. Devotion, in this sense, is not merely a deeper degree but, rather, a different perspective in regards to those we hold dear. It is about commitment, to be sure. But it is also about passion and depth, focused outward at an external being. In the case of Christianity, this means, quite plainly, God Himself through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Space does not permit for more but I hope this is a helpful start to get you thinking about devotion and its vital importance in our lives.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Isaiah 48:17–God Teaches and Leads
Isaiah 48:17–"Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.'"
This verse comes at the beginning of a passage of judgement in which God judges the people of Israel for their apathetic indifference and for their utter disregard for His commandments and blessings.
Taken out of context, this verse can seem like a fine assertion, like: 'now remember, I am your God and I'm the One who is suppose to teach you the way you should go. So listen up.' But it is void of those lovey-dovey connotations. God is telling Israel–and us–that He is the Lord and deserving of our obedience and our praise. Additionally, He is asserting within that statement a warning that those who would disregard this message will not go unpunished for their unbelief.
We would do well, then, to always keep proper perspective in focus as to who we are and who He is. In this way, we will go a long way to ensuring a solid footing with each step as we will be stepping in faith that He is leading us in the way we should go.
This verse comes at the beginning of a passage of judgement in which God judges the people of Israel for their apathetic indifference and for their utter disregard for His commandments and blessings.
Taken out of context, this verse can seem like a fine assertion, like: 'now remember, I am your God and I'm the One who is suppose to teach you the way you should go. So listen up.' But it is void of those lovey-dovey connotations. God is telling Israel–and us–that He is the Lord and deserving of our obedience and our praise. Additionally, He is asserting within that statement a warning that those who would disregard this message will not go unpunished for their unbelief.
We would do well, then, to always keep proper perspective in focus as to who we are and who He is. In this way, we will go a long way to ensuring a solid footing with each step as we will be stepping in faith that He is leading us in the way we should go.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Dissecting Devotion
Devotion. It is a word thrown around with such frequency that its meaning has all but disappeared from our vocabularies. But it, like all words, conveys a specific idea. It is a noun but a verbal noun, that is to say that it describes a certain type of action, a particular brand of love. Devotion is, when it is stripped of its periphery connotations, a matter of love. But this love is unlike the average, it is something more, another level, a deeper degree. Devotion is a profound loyalty and trust that is rooted.
This is what we are called to as Christians: to be devoted to God. It is not enough to tacitly claim devotion, for true devotion cannot be tacit: it is holistic and all-encompassing. If we are truly devoted to God then it matters not which part of us is in use; it is devoted to God. This is the very essence of the Christian experience, the very crux of Christian life. We are to be whole-heatedly devoted to God, body, mind, and soul. There is, it turns out, no other way to love God. We will either be on-fire for Him in love and devotion, or else we will be lukewarm and loveless.
Let us then always be assessing our devotion as we seek after God and His glory. Eternally speaking, no amount of firmly held doctrine matters. The only thing that does is what Christ has done on our behalf and that alone is worthy of every ounce and inch of our devotion for eternity!
This is what we are called to as Christians: to be devoted to God. It is not enough to tacitly claim devotion, for true devotion cannot be tacit: it is holistic and all-encompassing. If we are truly devoted to God then it matters not which part of us is in use; it is devoted to God. This is the very essence of the Christian experience, the very crux of Christian life. We are to be whole-heatedly devoted to God, body, mind, and soul. There is, it turns out, no other way to love God. We will either be on-fire for Him in love and devotion, or else we will be lukewarm and loveless.
Let us then always be assessing our devotion as we seek after God and His glory. Eternally speaking, no amount of firmly held doctrine matters. The only thing that does is what Christ has done on our behalf and that alone is worthy of every ounce and inch of our devotion for eternity!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Giving Yourself Fully to Christ
To give yourself fully to Christ. This is the task for the Christian. We hear it from teachers, we read it in the Scripture, and we say it to each other, but what does this mean? And while we throw this phrase around with a sort of recklessness, it is but an indistinct clang of a cymbal if we do not stop to answer the basic questions: what does this mean and how do I do it?
What does this mean?
To give yourself fully to Christ is a daily moment-by-moment submission of will, talent, ambition, goal, resource, relationship, and everything else imaginable to God. A complete surrender. The funny thing is that there is really no such thing as a half-way surrender. If you don't give it all, you haven't really given any of it. But the thing about it is, there are stages to this submission. I mean to say that what you have offered as a sacrifice of submission today is predicated upon what you have been blessed to submit yesterday; it may not happen all at once. Fortunately, God works like that!
How do I do it?
This one is simple: practice, practice, practice. But what do I practice, you might ask. For fear of writing too much I will say this. We are called to practice godliness. Quite literally, this means that we will imitate Christ. From a practical standpoint, this means that we will love God with every pore of our beings, that we will make prayer and Bible study a vital part fo our daily lives, and we will love people fiercely. But again, God has given us a Helper in the Holy Spirit, who guides us and strengthens us for this task of daily devotion.
Hopefully, now when you hear/read someone say that we ought to give ourselves fully to Christ, you would be better equipped to raise your hand in exuberance and cry out: "Amen!"
What does this mean?
To give yourself fully to Christ is a daily moment-by-moment submission of will, talent, ambition, goal, resource, relationship, and everything else imaginable to God. A complete surrender. The funny thing is that there is really no such thing as a half-way surrender. If you don't give it all, you haven't really given any of it. But the thing about it is, there are stages to this submission. I mean to say that what you have offered as a sacrifice of submission today is predicated upon what you have been blessed to submit yesterday; it may not happen all at once. Fortunately, God works like that!
How do I do it?
This one is simple: practice, practice, practice. But what do I practice, you might ask. For fear of writing too much I will say this. We are called to practice godliness. Quite literally, this means that we will imitate Christ. From a practical standpoint, this means that we will love God with every pore of our beings, that we will make prayer and Bible study a vital part fo our daily lives, and we will love people fiercely. But again, God has given us a Helper in the Holy Spirit, who guides us and strengthens us for this task of daily devotion.
Hopefully, now when you hear/read someone say that we ought to give ourselves fully to Christ, you would be better equipped to raise your hand in exuberance and cry out: "Amen!"
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Devotion: It's a Love Thing
The Christian life is about loving God with the utmost reverence and adoration. This is the very nature of devotion, and it forms the basis for our devotional life. While much could be said about duty and obligation, the essence of Christian devotion is a matter of love: we love God.
It is our love for God that compels us to pray. It is our love that urges us to read His holy Word. And it is our love for God that obliges us to love one another. Whenever devotion neglects this necessary foundation, then it becomes lopsided and deformed. After all, why would we worship if we didn't want to?
This is the key. We should never fall into that pit which would question our level of devotion as a problem with obedience. Instead, wavering in devotion is not an issue of duty: it is a problem with love. We need, then, only ask ourselves: "How much do I love God?" The answer to this question will most certainly correspond to our devotion.
It is our love for God that compels us to pray. It is our love that urges us to read His holy Word. And it is our love for God that obliges us to love one another. Whenever devotion neglects this necessary foundation, then it becomes lopsided and deformed. After all, why would we worship if we didn't want to?
This is the key. We should never fall into that pit which would question our level of devotion as a problem with obedience. Instead, wavering in devotion is not an issue of duty: it is a problem with love. We need, then, only ask ourselves: "How much do I love God?" The answer to this question will most certainly correspond to our devotion.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Technology and Bible Study
Technology has transformed are world. Our culture is faster, more demanding, more entitled, and more connected than it has ever been in all of history. The accessibility and overwhelming storm of information which is the internet has brought the wealth of the world's knowledge to our fingertips and made it easier to be distracted from the Lord and from His Word. Luckily, the horizon is not so glim because technology has helped Bible studying too.
For instance, Bible apps have been created that let us have the whole Word with us wherever our phone is; several Bible study websites send daily emails with verses and readings; and, because of the statutes of copyright law, many works of the great theologians of the past can be found online for no cost.
Years ago, these commentaries and resources for Bible study would have been so expensive and hard to find that they would have been nearly out of reach for most Christians. And many of them were not even in existence yet. But now the technological advancements of the last couple decades have made these valuable assets available to anyone with access to a computer.
However, acknowledging that these resources are available is vastly different than taking advantage of them. Doing the latter requires intentionality and focus. Unfortunately, many believers take full advantage of technology for entertainment, social networking, and business, but they fail to use technology in to grow their faith. This should not be so. Let us then strive to use every asset available to us for the purpose of following Christ to the fullest!
For instance, Bible apps have been created that let us have the whole Word with us wherever our phone is; several Bible study websites send daily emails with verses and readings; and, because of the statutes of copyright law, many works of the great theologians of the past can be found online for no cost.
Years ago, these commentaries and resources for Bible study would have been so expensive and hard to find that they would have been nearly out of reach for most Christians. And many of them were not even in existence yet. But now the technological advancements of the last couple decades have made these valuable assets available to anyone with access to a computer.
However, acknowledging that these resources are available is vastly different than taking advantage of them. Doing the latter requires intentionality and focus. Unfortunately, many believers take full advantage of technology for entertainment, social networking, and business, but they fail to use technology in to grow their faith. This should not be so. Let us then strive to use every asset available to us for the purpose of following Christ to the fullest!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The Key is Consistency
Consistency is key. No matter how strong or smart a person is, if they are inconsistent, they will be ineffective. For instance, in baseball the most important position is the pitcher. And time and time again a young gun slinger who is able to throw all the ball like a bullet but is so inconsistent in his performance will prove to be unable to make it in the pros.
Consistency is key. Christianity is all about consistency. Think of all the people who, because of rushes of the Holy Spirit and emotional experiences, have given themselves to Christ, been baptized, even gone to church a few times, yet because of their inconsistency have failed to reach the point of bearing fruit.
Consistency is key. Think of the words of Joshua: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from you mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make you way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Josh. 1:8)."
Consistency is key. While Joshua was specifically addressing the Israelites as they were about to take possession of the Promised Land, his words still ring true for believers today. For living a life that is dedicated to Christ requires that we "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matt. 22:37)."
Consistency is key. This means that we will build good, godly habits and that we will become slaves to those habits. The right word to describe this is practice; to live for Christ is to practice a life that is in love with Him, devoted to Him, and obedient to Him. It is true that this requires an active believer that is intentional to live for Him daily, if not moment by moment. For truly, consistency is key.
Consistency is key. Christianity is all about consistency. Think of all the people who, because of rushes of the Holy Spirit and emotional experiences, have given themselves to Christ, been baptized, even gone to church a few times, yet because of their inconsistency have failed to reach the point of bearing fruit.
Consistency is key. Think of the words of Joshua: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from you mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make you way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Josh. 1:8)."
Consistency is key. While Joshua was specifically addressing the Israelites as they were about to take possession of the Promised Land, his words still ring true for believers today. For living a life that is dedicated to Christ requires that we "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matt. 22:37)."
Consistency is key. This means that we will build good, godly habits and that we will become slaves to those habits. The right word to describe this is practice; to live for Christ is to practice a life that is in love with Him, devoted to Him, and obedient to Him. It is true that this requires an active believer that is intentional to live for Him daily, if not moment by moment. For truly, consistency is key.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
How Far Would We Go For Love?
There is an old sailor's tale that goes something like this:
There was once a proud sailor. He had sailed the seas of the world his entire life, living his whole life on a ship. The sailor had always loved the allure and freedom of the seeing, never considering that he would or even could be pulled away from the torrent and tides of the deepest oceans. He had a variety of lovers at each of the ports he would visit; a different girl in every place.
Then, on one of his frequent in-land tours, he and his party stumbled across a native peoples that intrigued him. They were a fishing tribe but were remarkable skilled in dying fabrics, and they wore of the brightest colored clothing that he had ever come across. While trading various trinkets with the tribe, he met the chief's daughter.
She was a beautiful woman with auburn hair that stirred up images of autumn and her lightly-tinted, grain-colored skin reminded him of the grain-filled pastoral plains of his childhood. Within moments of being in her presence, he fell for her like the dropping of an anchor from the ship of his heart. He vowed that he would make her his wife.
The sailor brought the woman gifts of the finest jewels and silk from the farthest corners of the earth but she was uninterested in his knickknacks. He then decided that he would impress her by studying her tribe's culture and history. As his ship set sails for other shores, he stayed behind to settle with her until he could convince her that he loved her. For months, he tried to impress her with his enthusiasm and gifts, but he was always hindered by the significant language barrier.
Finally, as his time was drawing to a close because his ship would be returning, he determined to learn to speak her language so that he could tell her in her tongue that he was madly in love with her and that he wanted to make her his wife. Over much arduous and intent practice, he had finally learned enough to tell her that he loved her.
In the end, this final step was what the chief's daughter was waiting for. Although there had been many sailors who had tried to woe her and win her hand with gifts, none of them had been so determined in his affections that he would learn her own language. When the sailor had learned her language and gotten to the point that he could tell her how he felt, he had proven his love for her by his persistent pursuit and determination. She then knew that he would go to any lengths to love her.
This tale is one of love. It is remarkable how determined the sailor was to love the woman. He went to the limits of his power to express his love for her: he gave her his finest treasures, he gave her his time, his career, and his mind. In the end, it was his utter and persistent devotion that was the limit of his love.
Let us translate this to God. How far are we willing to go to love God? Would we give up all our treasures? Our time? Our very lives? Like the sailor, there should be no lengths to which we would not be willing to go to show our love for God. Truly, there are many verses that express this very thought, but perhaps Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25 says it best:
"Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Let us, then, determine to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and with all strength regardless of the cost!
There was once a proud sailor. He had sailed the seas of the world his entire life, living his whole life on a ship. The sailor had always loved the allure and freedom of the seeing, never considering that he would or even could be pulled away from the torrent and tides of the deepest oceans. He had a variety of lovers at each of the ports he would visit; a different girl in every place.
Then, on one of his frequent in-land tours, he and his party stumbled across a native peoples that intrigued him. They were a fishing tribe but were remarkable skilled in dying fabrics, and they wore of the brightest colored clothing that he had ever come across. While trading various trinkets with the tribe, he met the chief's daughter.
She was a beautiful woman with auburn hair that stirred up images of autumn and her lightly-tinted, grain-colored skin reminded him of the grain-filled pastoral plains of his childhood. Within moments of being in her presence, he fell for her like the dropping of an anchor from the ship of his heart. He vowed that he would make her his wife.
The sailor brought the woman gifts of the finest jewels and silk from the farthest corners of the earth but she was uninterested in his knickknacks. He then decided that he would impress her by studying her tribe's culture and history. As his ship set sails for other shores, he stayed behind to settle with her until he could convince her that he loved her. For months, he tried to impress her with his enthusiasm and gifts, but he was always hindered by the significant language barrier.
Finally, as his time was drawing to a close because his ship would be returning, he determined to learn to speak her language so that he could tell her in her tongue that he was madly in love with her and that he wanted to make her his wife. Over much arduous and intent practice, he had finally learned enough to tell her that he loved her.
In the end, this final step was what the chief's daughter was waiting for. Although there had been many sailors who had tried to woe her and win her hand with gifts, none of them had been so determined in his affections that he would learn her own language. When the sailor had learned her language and gotten to the point that he could tell her how he felt, he had proven his love for her by his persistent pursuit and determination. She then knew that he would go to any lengths to love her.
This tale is one of love. It is remarkable how determined the sailor was to love the woman. He went to the limits of his power to express his love for her: he gave her his finest treasures, he gave her his time, his career, and his mind. In the end, it was his utter and persistent devotion that was the limit of his love.
Let us translate this to God. How far are we willing to go to love God? Would we give up all our treasures? Our time? Our very lives? Like the sailor, there should be no lengths to which we would not be willing to go to show our love for God. Truly, there are many verses that express this very thought, but perhaps Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25 says it best:
"Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Let us, then, determine to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and with all strength regardless of the cost!
Friday, July 27, 2012
How We Know God
Consider that you do not know me. How would you get to know me? You could go into my house when I wasn't home. You would be able to discern that I like to read, that I am a musician, and that I like to cook, but would that mean that you knew me? Or you could talk to my wife and my family. They would tell you things about me, but would you know me? Obviously, to know me requires that you get to know me personally and through direct relationship with me.
To know God is the most important thing in all of life as a human being. It forms the foundational proposition that presupposes every other thought and feeling. Because of the significance of this monumental and bedrock point of knowledge, it is often subsumed to the degree that people assume to know God when they have no real idea of what that proposition entails.
A basic epistemological definition is in order. Because we are referring to the knowledge of God, we are in fact dealing with a person. This should not be overlooked, for much damage has been done when God has been referred to as an it or an entity instead of a person, a He. This is a necessary place to start the discussion.
Because God is a He, knowledge is dependent upon relationship, i.e. knowing God in relationship. The point here is intimacy. Knowledge of God is more than knowledge about Him; it is knowledge of who He is. This is the point made by God Himself when He introduces Himself to Moses in the desert. "I am who I am," is not merely a statement of God's self-existence, it is also a remark on how we are to know Him too.
While the purpose of this brief dialogue has been one of information, the implications of devotional. Because knowing God is based on intimate relationship with Him, in order for us to know Him, we must be in relationship with Him. Therefore, for us to know God more we need to treat our relatioship with Him in a manner befitting relationships that matter to us. For instance, we will talk with Him, think about how we can love Him, and spend time with Him. These are the requisites of knowing God that if left undone will hinder our knowledge of Him. Let us then devote ourselves to God so as to know God.
To know God is the most important thing in all of life as a human being. It forms the foundational proposition that presupposes every other thought and feeling. Because of the significance of this monumental and bedrock point of knowledge, it is often subsumed to the degree that people assume to know God when they have no real idea of what that proposition entails.
A basic epistemological definition is in order. Because we are referring to the knowledge of God, we are in fact dealing with a person. This should not be overlooked, for much damage has been done when God has been referred to as an it or an entity instead of a person, a He. This is a necessary place to start the discussion.
Because God is a He, knowledge is dependent upon relationship, i.e. knowing God in relationship. The point here is intimacy. Knowledge of God is more than knowledge about Him; it is knowledge of who He is. This is the point made by God Himself when He introduces Himself to Moses in the desert. "I am who I am," is not merely a statement of God's self-existence, it is also a remark on how we are to know Him too.
While the purpose of this brief dialogue has been one of information, the implications of devotional. Because knowing God is based on intimate relationship with Him, in order for us to know Him, we must be in relationship with Him. Therefore, for us to know God more we need to treat our relatioship with Him in a manner befitting relationships that matter to us. For instance, we will talk with Him, think about how we can love Him, and spend time with Him. These are the requisites of knowing God that if left undone will hinder our knowledge of Him. Let us then devote ourselves to God so as to know God.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Using Time to the Fullest
Much of Holy Writ is dedicated to the task of understanding wisdom. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the book of Job are all explicitly devoted to the quest for wisdom. The particulars of wisdom are examined by pitting wisdom against folly. The onset of the search for wisdom is the fear of God (Pro. 9:10). Reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom, and should guide every decision in every situation we may face.
Some of the most constant and challenging decisions we face is that of time usage. Time is limited; there is only so much of it to do all of the things that need to be done. Everyday, several times a day, we face decisions in how we will choose to devote our time. As a result, a true test of wisdom is in how well we make use of the time we have been given because our time is so limited. We should, then, strive to prioritize with wisdom so as to not let the time go along in uselessness.
Paul exhorts believers in Ephesians to live wisely by making the most use of the time, for the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-16). Truly, this is the case. For time passes whether we are aware of it or not. And if we are not paying attention, it will be too late before we realize. Paul echoes his exhortation in his letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:5), indicating that this is an important teaching and should not be quickly neglected.
Ultimately, godly time management and prioritization is a practice that takes effort, diligence, and discipline. Often the trappings of the world have such a hook-like pull that distract us from the tasks we have been called to complete. Think of all the time we've so easily spent online, in front of the television, or just sitting around doing nothing. In the end, this should not be so. Let us then press on in faith and obedience to make the best use of the blessed time that God has given us!
Some of the most constant and challenging decisions we face is that of time usage. Time is limited; there is only so much of it to do all of the things that need to be done. Everyday, several times a day, we face decisions in how we will choose to devote our time. As a result, a true test of wisdom is in how well we make use of the time we have been given because our time is so limited. We should, then, strive to prioritize with wisdom so as to not let the time go along in uselessness.
Paul exhorts believers in Ephesians to live wisely by making the most use of the time, for the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-16). Truly, this is the case. For time passes whether we are aware of it or not. And if we are not paying attention, it will be too late before we realize. Paul echoes his exhortation in his letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:5), indicating that this is an important teaching and should not be quickly neglected.
Ultimately, godly time management and prioritization is a practice that takes effort, diligence, and discipline. Often the trappings of the world have such a hook-like pull that distract us from the tasks we have been called to complete. Think of all the time we've so easily spent online, in front of the television, or just sitting around doing nothing. In the end, this should not be so. Let us then press on in faith and obedience to make the best use of the blessed time that God has given us!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Doing the Will of Christ
The nature of the Christian life is one of devotion, of diligence, and of pursuit. But above all else, the Christian life is a matter of practice. Christians are called to be doers of the Word (James 1:22-23; 2:23-25). If Christians would take to this task seriously, we would see far more fruit-bearing, Word-living, people-loving Christians.
Jesus says, quite directly, that it is not the hearers of the Word who will be blessed, but the doers (Matt. 7:24-27). This should compel us to eschew simple indoctrination and to pursue living out the teachings of Christ.
Peter writes that Jesus has become our example (1 Pet. 2:21). What is an example that isn't emulated. In order for Jesus to actually be our example, we need to be doing what He taught. This is an active ordeal. Quite plainly, if we are not doing what Jesus has emulated, then we are not being obedient. Thus, if we claim to be Christians we need to be doing the Word of Christ, actually fulfilling Christ's commandments within our lives.
This is what planting the Word in our hearts is all about; this is what growing fruit is all about; this is what abiding in Him is all about. If, then, we who claim Christ are to grow in obedience we must be willing and committed to doing the Will of Christ. Let us then commit to becoming doers of the Word who live out the teachings of the Word in word and deed!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Faith like Hannah
The story of Samuel is one of the greatest stories in all of Scripture. His role in shaping the nation of Israel is unmistakable and remarkable. The two books that bear his name tell the story of Israel transitioning from the time of the judges to a kingdom with a king, and he plays a major role in the transition. And though the stories of Saul and David often overshadow the story of Samuel, it is a fertile one worth mining.
Hannah, Samuel's mother, was barren. She had been praying to God for several years to have Him bless her with child by her husband, Elkanah. Every year, Elkanah took Hannah and his other wife, Peninnah, to Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord. Hannah would weep bitterly because of her barrenness that was exacerbated by Peninnah's chiding.
One year, Hannah was in the street one night in Shiloh during her families yearly pilgrimage when the priest, Eli, noticed her. Eli thought Hannah was drunk and told her to leave for her debauchery. But Hannah cried out that she was not drunk but stricken by her barrenness, explaining that she was troubled in spirit from her condition. Eli blesses the woman and tells her that God will grant her petition because of her faith.
In response, the Lord blesses Hannah and she becomes pregnant with Samuel. Hannah is overjoyed by God's faithfulness. She determines to devote her son to the Lord and gives him to the service of Eli and to the work of the Lord. Though she visits him yearly, she gives up her son to the Lord. In doing so, she offers one of the most beautiful songs in all of Scripture, echoed by Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Gospels.
The point of the story is submission in thankfulness. Though Hannah had been struggling her whole life in barrenness, waiting for a child, when God finally blessed her with a child, she offered the child up to God as a sacrifice and offering. Hannah is an example of what true devotion looks like. She gave her everything to the Lord with utter joy. We should strive to take the same mind among us in offering our best to God with all thankfulness and faith.
Hannah, Samuel's mother, was barren. She had been praying to God for several years to have Him bless her with child by her husband, Elkanah. Every year, Elkanah took Hannah and his other wife, Peninnah, to Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord. Hannah would weep bitterly because of her barrenness that was exacerbated by Peninnah's chiding.
One year, Hannah was in the street one night in Shiloh during her families yearly pilgrimage when the priest, Eli, noticed her. Eli thought Hannah was drunk and told her to leave for her debauchery. But Hannah cried out that she was not drunk but stricken by her barrenness, explaining that she was troubled in spirit from her condition. Eli blesses the woman and tells her that God will grant her petition because of her faith.
In response, the Lord blesses Hannah and she becomes pregnant with Samuel. Hannah is overjoyed by God's faithfulness. She determines to devote her son to the Lord and gives him to the service of Eli and to the work of the Lord. Though she visits him yearly, she gives up her son to the Lord. In doing so, she offers one of the most beautiful songs in all of Scripture, echoed by Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Gospels.
The point of the story is submission in thankfulness. Though Hannah had been struggling her whole life in barrenness, waiting for a child, when God finally blessed her with a child, she offered the child up to God as a sacrifice and offering. Hannah is an example of what true devotion looks like. She gave her everything to the Lord with utter joy. We should strive to take the same mind among us in offering our best to God with all thankfulness and faith.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Waking Up to God
Sometimes the warm cocoon of bedding is nearly impossible to leave. When the alarm clock rings its obnoxious clatter in a concerted effort to either wake me up or just make me angry. Often times it feels more like the latter, and I would rather just stay in bed, holed up against the world hidden behind a covering of blanketed bliss. Unfortunately, as much as any of us would prefer to remain cuddled in a cocoon of covers, life persistently calls us to crawl out and meet the day.
This seems a most appropriate metaphor for belief. Though we would rather hang around in the coma of comfort behind the veil of sinful slumber, God beckons the unbeliever to leave their state of eternal night and to step into the eternal light of His glory. The fleshly, natural self is asleep (dead) to God because of sin. But God calls for us to awaken.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks to this regard. He paraphrases Isaiah, "Awake, O Sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you (Eph. 5:14)." This is fundamental. God desires to light our lives, to illuminate us with the glory of His majesty. However, unless we, by faith, crawl out of our comatose cocoons of sinful slumber, we will be ever-unable to receive Him.
In a sense, we have an advocating heavenly alarm clock in the Holy Spirit who is ringing in an effort to prompt us to awaken from our sin. And, like being awoken in the morning, we have a choice to make: will we either hit the snooze and pull the covers of unbelief over our heads to sleep for all eternity in hell, or will we heed to the prompting of God and awake to meet His day and His light? These are the two choices, and they have everlasting consequences. We should be compelled to awaken so as to embrace the day that the Lord has made, which is belief in the Son, Christ Jesus.
A brief note is in order for those who have already chosen the latter. For those of who have already made our choice to awake from our sinful slumbers and to leave the ignorant envelop of our walking death, there is a sincere and distinct task to wake up those who are still asleep. It is our obligation to the world to, by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, announce that the day has come in Christ Jesus and that everyone should be made awake in order to leave the darkness of death and to live in the light of the Lord. Let us then take seriously the call to awaken to the Lord and to wake others up too!
This seems a most appropriate metaphor for belief. Though we would rather hang around in the coma of comfort behind the veil of sinful slumber, God beckons the unbeliever to leave their state of eternal night and to step into the eternal light of His glory. The fleshly, natural self is asleep (dead) to God because of sin. But God calls for us to awaken.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks to this regard. He paraphrases Isaiah, "Awake, O Sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you (Eph. 5:14)." This is fundamental. God desires to light our lives, to illuminate us with the glory of His majesty. However, unless we, by faith, crawl out of our comatose cocoons of sinful slumber, we will be ever-unable to receive Him.
In a sense, we have an advocating heavenly alarm clock in the Holy Spirit who is ringing in an effort to prompt us to awaken from our sin. And, like being awoken in the morning, we have a choice to make: will we either hit the snooze and pull the covers of unbelief over our heads to sleep for all eternity in hell, or will we heed to the prompting of God and awake to meet His day and His light? These are the two choices, and they have everlasting consequences. We should be compelled to awaken so as to embrace the day that the Lord has made, which is belief in the Son, Christ Jesus.
A brief note is in order for those who have already chosen the latter. For those of who have already made our choice to awake from our sinful slumbers and to leave the ignorant envelop of our walking death, there is a sincere and distinct task to wake up those who are still asleep. It is our obligation to the world to, by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, announce that the day has come in Christ Jesus and that everyone should be made awake in order to leave the darkness of death and to live in the light of the Lord. Let us then take seriously the call to awaken to the Lord and to wake others up too!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
No Groupthink for God
Groupthink is a dangerous phenomenon. It occurs most profoundly in teenagers who, because their ability to think critically and rationally remains still undeveloped, are susceptible to behaving in odd if not outright hazardous ways. The pressure of the peer is overwhelming to the individual and they will succumb to the whims of the group, despite the inherent danger, legal ramifications, or sheer stupidity of the specific act espoused.
Say in the case of a gang of boys: the group may head to a river bridge and after some aimless loitering they will collectively decide that between the herd of thought, the best idea available would be to jump off said bridge. Perhaps some gentle prodding may be required to garner all of the groups' allegiance to the ploy, but before long each boy jumps from the bridge into the river below only to discover that the river is far-too shallow for such a leap and two of the boys become seriously injured in the foray.
While this may be a common example of the kind of groupthink that dominates many teenagers and young adults, it seems even more dangerous when portrayed in adulthood. This concept of groupthink can be seen at any age and can be caused by a number of factors. Perhaps the most prevalent in our society are voyeurism, immorality, covetousness, greed, rampant secularism, and numerous other forms of idolatry. And, unlike the aforementioned bridge-jumping example, these swaths of groupthink can have disastrously eternal consequences.
The apostle Paul speaks of this danger in 1 Cor. 15:33, "Bad company corrupts good morals." Paul is speaking of the possibility of cancerous activity or deceit that can spread infectious sin in a community and destroy even believers; a little bad leaven ruining the whole lump of good dough (1 Cor. 5:6). In a real sense, those around us who we choose to invest in and to be apart of our lives can either be sources of growth and encouragement or weights that hold us back from our potential in Him.
This is why we should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-18). Believers should take this seriously. It is not as though we completely sever relationships with unbelievers, rather, we should be discerning and guarded about who we allow to influence us. If they are evil or sinful influences, then we need to remove ourselves from their radius of influence so as to be the most effective in preaching to them the Gospel. However, if it is clear that no area is outside of a person's blast area, then severing ties may be the correct solution.
Paul is clear, "do not be partners with them (Eph. 5:1:14)." We are, first, accountable to be godly and obedient to the Holy Lord and, second, responsible to relate to other humans. If at any point other humans are hindering our devotion or drawing us away from God, we are already committing idolatry and must repent so as to turn utterly towards God. Then we will be in a far better state to help or to encourage the other person(s). Let us then take heed the Word of God and not fall pray to the dangerous whims of groupthink towards the Lord!
Say in the case of a gang of boys: the group may head to a river bridge and after some aimless loitering they will collectively decide that between the herd of thought, the best idea available would be to jump off said bridge. Perhaps some gentle prodding may be required to garner all of the groups' allegiance to the ploy, but before long each boy jumps from the bridge into the river below only to discover that the river is far-too shallow for such a leap and two of the boys become seriously injured in the foray.
While this may be a common example of the kind of groupthink that dominates many teenagers and young adults, it seems even more dangerous when portrayed in adulthood. This concept of groupthink can be seen at any age and can be caused by a number of factors. Perhaps the most prevalent in our society are voyeurism, immorality, covetousness, greed, rampant secularism, and numerous other forms of idolatry. And, unlike the aforementioned bridge-jumping example, these swaths of groupthink can have disastrously eternal consequences.
The apostle Paul speaks of this danger in 1 Cor. 15:33, "Bad company corrupts good morals." Paul is speaking of the possibility of cancerous activity or deceit that can spread infectious sin in a community and destroy even believers; a little bad leaven ruining the whole lump of good dough (1 Cor. 5:6). In a real sense, those around us who we choose to invest in and to be apart of our lives can either be sources of growth and encouragement or weights that hold us back from our potential in Him.
This is why we should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-18). Believers should take this seriously. It is not as though we completely sever relationships with unbelievers, rather, we should be discerning and guarded about who we allow to influence us. If they are evil or sinful influences, then we need to remove ourselves from their radius of influence so as to be the most effective in preaching to them the Gospel. However, if it is clear that no area is outside of a person's blast area, then severing ties may be the correct solution.
Paul is clear, "do not be partners with them (Eph. 5:1:14)." We are, first, accountable to be godly and obedient to the Holy Lord and, second, responsible to relate to other humans. If at any point other humans are hindering our devotion or drawing us away from God, we are already committing idolatry and must repent so as to turn utterly towards God. Then we will be in a far better state to help or to encourage the other person(s). Let us then take heed the Word of God and not fall pray to the dangerous whims of groupthink towards the Lord!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Dead to Sin like a Tree in Winter
Towards the end of summer into fall, trees take on an interesting character. Green chlorophyll production ceases and the process of photosynthesis closes down, as the leaves change color in preparations for the dead of winter. As a result, by the time the snow hits the bark, the tree is void of any photosynthetic leaves and the tree goes through seemingly no energy production or cellular respiration throughout the winter months, only to begin the process of growing green, photosynthetic leaves in the spring. In a sense, the tree is dead for the winter, unable to feel or to utilize the sun because it does not have the necessary receptors in place to do so.
Humans are much like a tree in the winter of this world, dead to the warmth of God and unable to feel His presence or receive His grace because our leaves have long blown away, leaving us cold, calloused, and dorment to the Lord. As Paul says clearly, that before we have accessed God's grace in Christ through faith, we are "dead in our sin and trespass (Eph. 2:1-3).
This death, like a supreme dullness to God, is pervasively holistic in that it has permeated to the very depths of our beings, preventing us from receiving God or the things of God due to the fact that we have become dorment in our minds, in our hearts, and in our souls (Eph. 4:18). And because the things of God are spiritually discerned, the fleshly, darkened, hibernating-to-death man is unable to access God (1 Cor. 2:14).
Fortunately, God has made a way for us to shed the dullness of our winter hibernations in order that we may experience the warmth of the Holy Lord. It is by His grace that, though we were dead to Him in our sin and trespasses, He died for us in order that we may be made alive to Him (Eph. 2:4-7). It is as if God has taken our barren limbs and caused them to grow new leaves so that we may be alive in and to Him.
In truth, we all are snow-laden trees, hibernating in the winter of this world, unable to feel the warmth of God's grace and love because our photosynthetic cells are not working. Only through the work of the Holy Spirit, who causes us to receive God's grace, will we be able to bask in the light of the Lord and take part in the work of His Son. Our part in this is repentance. We recognize our state and we seek out the warmth to change it from death to life, from wintered inaction to summer blooming. Let us then take part in the awesomeness of God in repentance and faith and, like a spring tree, shed ourselves of the snow in order to bud in Him!
Humans are much like a tree in the winter of this world, dead to the warmth of God and unable to feel His presence or receive His grace because our leaves have long blown away, leaving us cold, calloused, and dorment to the Lord. As Paul says clearly, that before we have accessed God's grace in Christ through faith, we are "dead in our sin and trespass (Eph. 2:1-3).
This death, like a supreme dullness to God, is pervasively holistic in that it has permeated to the very depths of our beings, preventing us from receiving God or the things of God due to the fact that we have become dorment in our minds, in our hearts, and in our souls (Eph. 4:18). And because the things of God are spiritually discerned, the fleshly, darkened, hibernating-to-death man is unable to access God (1 Cor. 2:14).
Fortunately, God has made a way for us to shed the dullness of our winter hibernations in order that we may experience the warmth of the Holy Lord. It is by His grace that, though we were dead to Him in our sin and trespasses, He died for us in order that we may be made alive to Him (Eph. 2:4-7). It is as if God has taken our barren limbs and caused them to grow new leaves so that we may be alive in and to Him.
In truth, we all are snow-laden trees, hibernating in the winter of this world, unable to feel the warmth of God's grace and love because our photosynthetic cells are not working. Only through the work of the Holy Spirit, who causes us to receive God's grace, will we be able to bask in the light of the Lord and take part in the work of His Son. Our part in this is repentance. We recognize our state and we seek out the warmth to change it from death to life, from wintered inaction to summer blooming. Let us then take part in the awesomeness of God in repentance and faith and, like a spring tree, shed ourselves of the snow in order to bud in Him!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Improving Our Devotion
Occasionally, far more often than I'd care to admit, I would rather watch television than read the Word of God. And from time to time, sadly all-too frequently, I prefer to check my emails instead of spending time in prayer. And sometimes, perhaps more than some, I feel more like staying home and relaxing than going out and serving. And sporadically, maybe more regularly than that, prayer is something that I can do later until later never comes.
Truly, humans are far-more apt to neglect God in favor of ourselves. We are expert excusers that can reason themselves in and out of anything. So, while my musings of indifference towards God may be slightly caricatured, perhaps we are all guilty of preferring things other than the Lord. Many times we may be afraid of sounding "too spiritual" or "obsessed with God." When, instead, we should be far more afraid of being indifferent or lukewarm in our devotion.
To be sure, God and the things of God are worth more than anything this world could offer. No gold or silver or trinket or gadget or relationship is more valuable than knowing the Lord and being in His presence. Simply a taste of the goodness of the Holy Lord is of such satiation that we would nare seek any other satisfying source but Him.
But there are at least three distinct enemies to our devotion, which lurk around to distract and to pull us away from the presence of the Lord Almighty. The first is our own selfishness, our pride. It is pride that hinders our humility. Pride prevents us from service because it is constantly self-seeking instead of self-denying. In this case, the remedy to such a malady as pride is a sincere and constant reverence in fear of the Lord. For if we recognize our minuteness before His awesomeness, we cannot but help to be humble in response.
The second and oft-overemphasized adversary to our devotion is Satan. Satan is but a fisher with a tackle box of lures to entice humans to sin. And when they fall prey to his seductions, he plays the accuser who prosecutes and persecutes those who have sinned. The power that Satan possesses is neither omnipotent or infinite. His power is both finite and contingent. He only has the power to entice us if we give him that power. Let us then not fall prey to his adulterous and idolatrous seductions by recognizing that he has no power that is not given to him by God and by ourselves.
The third opponent to our devotion is perchance the most dangerous of the three: our own penchant for indifference. It is our comfortability with lukewarm devotion that is the greatest devastating enemy of all. In truth, it is our own allowances and excuses that keep us away from the ardent devotion that God asks of us. This is a challenging hurdle for us to overcome. However, if we are to become the Christians that God asks of us, we need to take more seriously the call towards wholehearted devotion. Far be it for us to ever grow weary of seeking the presence of God! Let us then seek to cast aside every weight of pride, of Satan's enticements, and our indifference so as to draw closer to the Holy Lord in faith!
Truly, humans are far-more apt to neglect God in favor of ourselves. We are expert excusers that can reason themselves in and out of anything. So, while my musings of indifference towards God may be slightly caricatured, perhaps we are all guilty of preferring things other than the Lord. Many times we may be afraid of sounding "too spiritual" or "obsessed with God." When, instead, we should be far more afraid of being indifferent or lukewarm in our devotion.
To be sure, God and the things of God are worth more than anything this world could offer. No gold or silver or trinket or gadget or relationship is more valuable than knowing the Lord and being in His presence. Simply a taste of the goodness of the Holy Lord is of such satiation that we would nare seek any other satisfying source but Him.
But there are at least three distinct enemies to our devotion, which lurk around to distract and to pull us away from the presence of the Lord Almighty. The first is our own selfishness, our pride. It is pride that hinders our humility. Pride prevents us from service because it is constantly self-seeking instead of self-denying. In this case, the remedy to such a malady as pride is a sincere and constant reverence in fear of the Lord. For if we recognize our minuteness before His awesomeness, we cannot but help to be humble in response.
The second and oft-overemphasized adversary to our devotion is Satan. Satan is but a fisher with a tackle box of lures to entice humans to sin. And when they fall prey to his seductions, he plays the accuser who prosecutes and persecutes those who have sinned. The power that Satan possesses is neither omnipotent or infinite. His power is both finite and contingent. He only has the power to entice us if we give him that power. Let us then not fall prey to his adulterous and idolatrous seductions by recognizing that he has no power that is not given to him by God and by ourselves.
The third opponent to our devotion is perchance the most dangerous of the three: our own penchant for indifference. It is our comfortability with lukewarm devotion that is the greatest devastating enemy of all. In truth, it is our own allowances and excuses that keep us away from the ardent devotion that God asks of us. This is a challenging hurdle for us to overcome. However, if we are to become the Christians that God asks of us, we need to take more seriously the call towards wholehearted devotion. Far be it for us to ever grow weary of seeking the presence of God! Let us then seek to cast aside every weight of pride, of Satan's enticements, and our indifference so as to draw closer to the Holy Lord in faith!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
History Study for Bible Study
In the 4th Century B.C. the world was a disconnected collection of disparate city-state nations, separated by geography, language, culture, and history. In reality, apart from limited long-distance trading, the far eastern part of the world in India barely knew of their western counterparts situated around the Mediterranean and vice versa. At this time of disjointed humanity, a certain Macedonian prince rose to power in Greece.
The young prince seized his father's impressive military force at the age of twenty and began his lifelong campaign to conquer the world from one end to the other and to hold it under a single Greek banner. He had a deep conviction to unite all peoples under Greek culture and spent the whole of his life for this task. The prince was a remarkable general and tactician. At numerous skirmishes, the prince's forces were dramatically outnumbered yet, by his decisively genius tactics, his army was victorious. Moreover, he always rode his horse at the front of the battle, ensuring each of his dedicated soldiers that the prince would never put them into any danger that he himself would not be willing to accept.
As a result of his consistent willingness to set an intrepid example coupled with his constantly expert military strategies, his troops followed him with a worshipful fervor, believing their prince to be a descendant of the gods and heroes of old. The prince succeeded in conquering land from the Mediterranean beyond the Hindu Kush mountain range. Although the prince died mysteriously at the young age of 32, he was successful at making the Greek culture and language the standard in the world. A feat that was nothing short of revolutionary that set the world on its path for the next several hundred years. Because of his utter success, history has canonized him as great, Alexander the Great.
Understanding the significance of Alexander in reference to the Bible is a rich field manifold with grain relevant to biblical understanding. For the brevity of this conversation, reducing the mixture to two main points of importance is in order: the historical account following Alexander's death, and the cultural significance of Hellenization in the spread of the Gospel. The goal here is by no means exhaustive, just to offer a small sample of the usefulness of historical study to understanding the Bible better.
The history after Alexander's death is necessary information for properly understanding of the last part of the book of Daniel (Ch. 9-12). Following Alexander's mysterious death, the massive geographical area of his empire was divided into four satrap kingdoms by the general, Perdiccas: the Ptolemaic, the Seleucid, the Pergamum, and the Macedonian. Unless we recognize these four kingdoms, particularly the Ptolemaic, understanding Daniel's apocalyptic visions that close the book is made nearly impossible.
Secondly, the impact of Hellenization cannot be overstated. Simply understood, Hellenization is the spread and standardization of Greek culture and language because of the work of Alexander. This made Greek the language of commerce and trade, particularly across the Mediterranean world. As a result, the Gospel was able to be presented to many diverse cultures, from Spain to India. In fact, libraries of books have been written about the Gospel's dependance upon Hellenization for its spread.
While this dialogue has been information-laden but too-brief, the point has been to show the need of historical investigation for the purpose of shedding light on the Bible. Forming a solid historical basis is a necessary endeavor in interpretation, for if we do not understand the context of the Scripture we are examining, our interpretations will be equally uninformed and ungrounded in reality.
Luckily, we are not without help in this as there are a vast number of resources available to the modern interpreter to help us overcome the time and distance between ourselves and the Bible. L.P Hartley's saying is still appropriate today, "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." In essence, we should strive to come to the Bible as the anthology of ancient documents it is. Let us then press on in discipline and diligence so as to better interpret the Word of God!
The young prince seized his father's impressive military force at the age of twenty and began his lifelong campaign to conquer the world from one end to the other and to hold it under a single Greek banner. He had a deep conviction to unite all peoples under Greek culture and spent the whole of his life for this task. The prince was a remarkable general and tactician. At numerous skirmishes, the prince's forces were dramatically outnumbered yet, by his decisively genius tactics, his army was victorious. Moreover, he always rode his horse at the front of the battle, ensuring each of his dedicated soldiers that the prince would never put them into any danger that he himself would not be willing to accept.
As a result of his consistent willingness to set an intrepid example coupled with his constantly expert military strategies, his troops followed him with a worshipful fervor, believing their prince to be a descendant of the gods and heroes of old. The prince succeeded in conquering land from the Mediterranean beyond the Hindu Kush mountain range. Although the prince died mysteriously at the young age of 32, he was successful at making the Greek culture and language the standard in the world. A feat that was nothing short of revolutionary that set the world on its path for the next several hundred years. Because of his utter success, history has canonized him as great, Alexander the Great.
Understanding the significance of Alexander in reference to the Bible is a rich field manifold with grain relevant to biblical understanding. For the brevity of this conversation, reducing the mixture to two main points of importance is in order: the historical account following Alexander's death, and the cultural significance of Hellenization in the spread of the Gospel. The goal here is by no means exhaustive, just to offer a small sample of the usefulness of historical study to understanding the Bible better.
The history after Alexander's death is necessary information for properly understanding of the last part of the book of Daniel (Ch. 9-12). Following Alexander's mysterious death, the massive geographical area of his empire was divided into four satrap kingdoms by the general, Perdiccas: the Ptolemaic, the Seleucid, the Pergamum, and the Macedonian. Unless we recognize these four kingdoms, particularly the Ptolemaic, understanding Daniel's apocalyptic visions that close the book is made nearly impossible.
Secondly, the impact of Hellenization cannot be overstated. Simply understood, Hellenization is the spread and standardization of Greek culture and language because of the work of Alexander. This made Greek the language of commerce and trade, particularly across the Mediterranean world. As a result, the Gospel was able to be presented to many diverse cultures, from Spain to India. In fact, libraries of books have been written about the Gospel's dependance upon Hellenization for its spread.
While this dialogue has been information-laden but too-brief, the point has been to show the need of historical investigation for the purpose of shedding light on the Bible. Forming a solid historical basis is a necessary endeavor in interpretation, for if we do not understand the context of the Scripture we are examining, our interpretations will be equally uninformed and ungrounded in reality.
Luckily, we are not without help in this as there are a vast number of resources available to the modern interpreter to help us overcome the time and distance between ourselves and the Bible. L.P Hartley's saying is still appropriate today, "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." In essence, we should strive to come to the Bible as the anthology of ancient documents it is. Let us then press on in discipline and diligence so as to better interpret the Word of God!
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