3:16 Thursdays is a series of blog posts focusing on the 3:16 passages throughout the Bible that have really stuck out to me in my studies from Genesis to Revelation. Joel 3:16(niv)
"The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel."
Is God mercy? Yes. Is God love? Yes. God is also our judge. He is just and righteous and He has promised to judge His people. He makes that announcement again and again in the Old Testament, warning His people through His prophets. The God of justice is also a God of mercy and hope. In the midst of His judgments, He also lets His people know that He is their refuge, and that is a promise that we can hold onto, today, in our present trouble. God loves us.
Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.
Here's the scripture that stuck this week:
Romans 11:33-36 The Message
13You know the old saying, "First you eat to live, and then you live to eat"? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that's no excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor him with your body!
14-15God honored the Master's body by raising it from the grave. He'll treat yours with the same resurrection power. Until that time, remember that your bodies are created with the same dignity as the Master's body. You wouldn't take the Master's body off to a whorehouse, would you? I should hope not.
16-20There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, "The two become one." Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never "become one." There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for "becoming one" with another. Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.
"...honor him with your body!" That's it in a nutshell, isn't it? We should constantly ask ourselves the question, "Is God pleased with how I'm using and treating my body?" That's very convicting for me. Notice it says, "God owns the whole works." It's not just the spiritual, but the physical that we should devote to God and vice versa. Its easy to preach against sexual immorality, but you don't hear too many sermons on what we eat and drink or physical health. Our bodies are God's. How are we treating them?
3:16 Thursdays is a series of blog posts focusing on the 3:16 passages throughout the Bible that have really stuck out to me in my studies from Genesis to Revelation. Daniel 3:16(niv)
"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.'"
These guys were experiencing TRUE FREEDOM. They were getting their feet put to the fire, literally, to bow down to another god and they would not. They understood the consequences, but they faced it with confidence, because they had faith in the one true God. The freedom they had in God caused them to face the king without being defensive. When we have true faith, we have true freedom. This equals peace and rest in God. Not anger and defensiveness. Unfortunately, peace, rest and faith is not what Christianity is known for today. We need to look at this story and be inspired by this great example of faith in Daniel.
Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.
Here's the scripture that stuck this week:
Romans 11:33-36 The Message
33 Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out. 34 Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? 35 Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? 36 Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes.
This is all said in the context that at one time we were outsiders to God, but through His grace, we are His child. There's nothing quite like God's extravagant generosity.
David Platt quotes James Truslow Adams, who said in 1931, speaking of the American dream, "a dream...in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are." I'll never forget the first time I heard someone talk negatively about the "American Dream." It was a little over ten years ago. It was a guy named John Piper ranting and rebuking the idea of living a life that only benefits myself. He scolded us for getting sucked into the "American Dream." I've never been the same, since I heard that message. In his book, Radical, David Platt carries the torch and responsibility of reminding us that the "American Dream" isn't all it's cracked up to be...oh, and by the way, it's not God's plan for our life. Near the beginning of the book he says, "While Christians choose to spend their lives fulfilling the American dream instead of giving their lives to proclaiming the kingdom of God, literally billions in need of the gospel remain in the dark." What I love about this book is the lack of arrogance from the author. It's not condemning. It's questioning our motives and challenging us to live out the great commission and ultimately experience the full Kingdom life in Christ. With that being said, he definitely doesn't shy away from what some would think would be bold statements. For instance he says, "Regardless of what we say or sing or study on Sunday morning, rich people who neglect the poor are not the people of God." He later goes on to ask the all too important perspective question of "What is rich?" He says, "If we make only ten thousand dollars a year, we are wealthier than 84 percent of the world, and if we make fifty thousand dollars a year, we are wealthier than 99 percent of the world." It's important to extend our scope beyond our own surroundings and look at how the rest of the world lives. This gives us true perspective, instead of living in subjective ignorance our entire lives. He goes on to say, "The purpose of our lives transcends the country and culture in which we live. Meaning is found in community, not individualism; joy is found in generosity, not materialism; and truth is found in Christ, not universalism." He ends the book very responsibly. It's one thing to criticize, but criticism is only helpful if there is a solution. After he spends most of the book challenging our process, he ends by giving us some simple and practical ways to change our course and ultimately change lives for sake of the gospel. I would highly recommend this book to any Christian. Not everyone will love this book or enjoy this book, but I think that's the point. We need to be shaken and broken for the Kingdom of God and stop living for things that are not eternal.
3:16 Thursdays is a series of blog posts focusing on the 3:16 passages throughout the Bible that have really stuck out to me in my studies from Genesis to Revelation. Proverbs 3:16(niv)
"Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor."
This passage is referring to wisdom. It's been said that with knowledge you can break something apart, but only with wisdom can you bring it together. God asked Solomon to make any request of Him and He would give it to him. Solomon asked for wisdom, because he knew the value of it. When we value wisdom above earthly stuff, and even knowledge, we will experience true riches from God.
Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.
Here's the scripture that stuck this week:
Romans 3:2-4 The Message 2-4First, there's the matter of being put in charge of writing down and caring for God's revelation, these Holy Scriptures. So, what if, in the course of doing that, some of those Jews abandoned their post? God didn't abandon them. Do you think their faithlessness cancels out his faithfulness? Not on your life! Depend on it: God keeps his word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth. Scripture says the same:
Your words stand fast and true; Rejection doesn't faze you. "God keeps his word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth." The next time someone lies to you, instead of getting angry, thank God for always being truth.
Description from Integrity Music "Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, New Life Church has seen its share of trouble and triumph. Through it all the church family continues to thrive and create worship music that resounds in churches around the world. Featuring Jared Anderson, Glenn Packiam and Jon Egan, You Hold it All does what New Life is known for: deliver new songs of praise and worship to the Body of Christ."
New Life Worship has brought us some great songs for the church including, "Rescue," "Amazed," "My Savior Lives," and one of our church's favorite songs, "I Am Free."
On their new project, You Hold it All, they continue to bring us songs for the church. All through out the album you hear scripture, which is the most powerful thing we can sing as a church.
The opening track, "This I Know," is no exception. It's a great upbeat anthem about the greatness of God. "Life the Name" is definitely a song that will be pumping churches as well. I absolutely love the live version of "Our Messiah Reigns" by Glenn Packiam. I absolutely love this song and the live version really brings us into the potential and power it can have in corporate worship. It's definitely on my radar of songs to do.
"Great I Am" and "Dry Bones" are simply products of really sound, biblical and good writing. My only critique is "Be Thou Exalted," just because of the "Thou." I think that can tweaked to a more current term. It could be a little out of reach for the unchurched or those who aren't familiar with the KJV days.
My absolute favorite is "God Be Praised/Our God Reigns". This song "holds it all." It's singable for the church. It has a simple, yet completely fresh and infectious hook in the chorus. It also has that very valuable connection to the old classic "Our God Reigns." I love that as a worship leader, because its an opportunity to bridge the young and old in my congregation.
Thank you New Life, for bringing us some new songs we can sing as a Church!
3:16 Thursdays is a series of blog posts focusing on the 3:16 passages throughout the Bible that have really stuck out to me in my studies from Genesis to Revelation. I Samuel 3:16(niv)
but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son." Samuel answered, "Here I am."
This is a really interesting moment in the relationship between Samuel and Eli. Samuel had received horrible news about Eli from God the night before, and it appears that Eli knew it was bad. If Eli knew it was bad, then he is willingly ready to accept his fate, which you can see in the following verses. I can't imagine the pressure Samuel felt as God's prophet in this situation.
Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.
Here's the scripture that stuck this week:
Acts 19:17 The Message It was soon news all over Ephesus among both Jews and Greeks. The realization spread that God was in and behind this. Curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master Jesus. "Curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master Jesus." What an amazing translation. That is a challenge we could all take and own.
I met Glenn a couple years ago at a conference. I was really excited to talk with him, because I was just finishing up his book at the time. The vibe I got from him was refreshing. This guy isn't just a songwriter/recording artist or mega church rock star. He exudes a pastor's heart, and I have a feeling that's what he desires people to see. Thanks to Integrity, I now have the privilege to review his new EP called The Kingdom Comes. In a broad sense, what I love about this album is the tangibility of the songs for the Church. In short, these are songs for churches to sing, and that reaches me immediately. The opening tracks, "Our Messiah Reigns" and "All Things" are infectious and has me wanting to work them up for our church. "Forgiven Forever" and "At the Cross (Hallelujah)" are beautiful, deep ballads as well. "At the Cross" (Hallelujah)" will be a great song for Easter time. My only critique is "Everlasting God". This has nothing to do with worship in the church. From a songwriter's perspective, I try to come up with new ways to say the same things, and "Everlasting God" is definitely a title I would stay away from. I love the song, but I probably would have tried something like "Never-ending God" or something else. It's easy for me to critique it, not being involved in the process, because "everlasting" is definitely a fitting term for the message of the song. My goal in writing songs for the church is to write something that's simple, yet fresh, which is no easy task. Glenn's definitely done that on The Kingdom Comes. Great job, Glenn!
James 3:9-10 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be." (WARNING: there are some offensive words in the video)
3:16 Thursdays is a series of blog posts focusing on the 3:16 passages throughout the Bible that have really stuck out to me in my studies from Genesis to Revelation.
