Tuesday, 8/2/16 Ps 46:7b, The
Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. The God of the
sneaky, conniving, trickster is our refuge. Are you suffering from
self-inflicted problems? The God of Jacob is your comfort. (From my upcoming book, Basic Bible Doctrine: For Laymen from a Layman.) Rule #2 for properly
interpreting Scripture: What you think
it says, is probably what it says. Seriously, remember that God gave
us His book. He initiated
conversation. His holiness demands
strict obedience from His children. So,
He made it as clear as He could. Imagine
a PhD talking to his toddler. He could easily confuse the child if he wanted
to, so if Dad initiated the conversation, logic says that he would speak in a
level of language that the kid could understand him. Well, the distance between
our intellect and God’s is 10 million times greater than between that father
and son. If God wanted to confuse us, He
would have no problem doing so. Take
the Bible as it is: the words that are
there are there on purpose and for a purpose.
Things are to be taken literally unless the text indicates
otherwise: ...the kingdom of heaven is like unto... And there appeared a great wonder in
heaven... (Now, that does not mean
that there are not multiple meanings or depths to a passage; it does not mean
that It is simple to decipher: It is
still an eternal, infinitely deep book.
But what you think it is trying to say is probably pretty accurate.) Matt 13:47-48, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net...when it was full...gathered
the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. Each of us is 100% bad. We’re
bad by birth and by nature. The only way that we can become good is through the
new birth: NOT by exterior religious deeds or sincerity. Are you good? (Not in
man’s eyes: in God’s? 100% good?)
Wednesday, 8/3/16 Ps 7:1, O
Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute
me, and deliver me. Trust must be consciously, purposefully, and repeatedly
placed somewhere. Looking at your actions for the last day or two, where is
yours placed? (From my upcoming
book, Basic Bible Doctrine: For Laymen
from a Layman.) Rule #3 for interpreting
Scripture: Compare Scripture with
Scripture. Never,
never, never build a doctrine from a single verse. Never.
UNLESS, God only mentions that topic one time, which is very rare. For example, I only know of only one verse in
the Bible where God gives us His opinion of how men are to wear their
hair. In 1 Corinthians 11:14, God says
that if
a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him. It refers to some men who had long hair (Samson
and Absalom come to mind), but this verse is it, as far as I know, on the
subject of the length of men’s hair.
So...men...the opposite of long is....short. BAM!! ‘Nuff said.
Get it cut. Keep it cut. Or,
consider Leviticus 19:28, Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh
for the dead, nor print any marks upon you:
I am the Lord. As far as
I know, this is the only verse that deals with tattoos. Now, if someone asked me whether I thought
God cared if he or she got a tattoo, I would give them this verse. If pushed to give my honest opinion, I would
say getting a tattoo would be sinful.
But, since God only mentions it one time, I do not think I would preach
a summer long series every Sunday night on “The Sin of Getting Inked
Up.” Start with the Bible
and then think. Don’t think and then find Bible to back up your thoughts. If
you had never used/operated an extremely complex machine or piece of equipment
and HAD to (think of something like a F-18 fighter jet or a submarine or the
Space Shuttle) and you HAD to learn that machine, and there was a manual
available to tell you how to operate it efficiently, tips to avoid breakdowns
or failures; troubleshooting checklists; the number for Customer Service, etc.
you’d read that manual, right? So why are you not reading your Bible with the
same diligence?
Thursday,
8/4/16 Just like heat and pressure
produce diamonds, God often uses horrible circumstances to elicit our trust and
faith. Ps 56:2-3, Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for
they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I
will trust in thee. (From my upcoming book, Basic
Bible Doctrine: For Laymen from a Layman.) Rule #4 for interpreting
Scripture: Realize that the Bible is a
harmonious book. Since
the Bible is the Word of God, and His character never changes, what He used
Paul’s mouth and pen to say has to coincide with what He said through David in
the Psalms. So, if God is against
something in one spot, He will probably be against it in another spot. (Now, He did institute some laws specifically
for the nation of Israel that do not carry over to us now...we will talk about
that later.) But if He hated something
intensely 4000 years ago, He probably hates it intensely today. So, if you are looking at one verse that
seems to contradict another verse, you probably have an erroneous
interpretation, or, at best, you need to look a little farther. (And by the way, this will help you: use clear passages to make sense out of
unclear ones.) Matt 23:26, Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter,
THAT the outside of them may be clean also. First comes salvation and then
sanctification (personal holiness.)
First we are to capture the heart of the young believer and then expect
outward conformity to external standards. I think we fundamentalists have often
missed this second point: we didn’t do it intentionally or maliciously, but
it’s easier to judge outward appearance than inner submission. Perhaps we
simply didn’t try hard enough to evaluate the heart’s condition. Perhaps we had
too high a ratio of students to teachers/pastors. I dunno. For you and me,
let’s work from the inside out.
Friday, 8/5/16 Pro 1:13, We
shall find ALL precious substance, we shall FILL our houses with spoil...
Are your plans/dreams filled with unrealistic goals? Be sure to think logically
and realistically (Step #1, #2, #3...), including the chance of negative
events. (From
my upcoming book, Basic Bible
Doctrine: For Laymen from a Layman.)
Rule
#5 for interpreting Scripture: Remember
that God wants us to be holy to Him and less like the world. If one possible
interpretation allows you a little more “freedom in life” then it probably is
wrong. If one interpretation makes us
seem a little less strange to a world that rejected our King, then it is
probably incorrect. If one way inches
you a little closer to a modern, more accepted interpretation or lifestyle,
mark it down, that is not what God intends. Rom
12:8d, ...he that showeth mercy, [do it]
with cheerfulness. How can we be cheerful when we sorta feel like we’ve
come out on the short end of the deal? 1Because the offense has
been sent away...so why be mad? There was “no deal.” 2Because
your hurt feelings have been subdued... so why be mad? The hurt has been
forgiven. 3You’re being like Christ, and God’s a happy God. 4The
feelings of being taken advantage of are gone because the scales are balanced.
Forgiveness has balanced the offense, so no one is “getting the better” of the
other.
Saturday,
8/6/16 Ps 56:11, In God have I put my trust:
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. We can fear God’s disapproval
or fear man’s...they’re pretty much mutually exclusive. (From my upcoming book, Basic Bible Doctrine: For Laymen from a
Layman.) Rule #6 for interpreting
Scripture: Be very cautious about
interpreting verses that contradict “the old time religion." If the spiritual giants who won thousands of souls a few
generations back and who were used to build great soul winning, separated, sin
fighting, Christ exalting churches preached a certain doctrine, I would be very
careful to say that they were wrong in light of how you see it
today. I think that this is just a good
common-sense precaution. (In other
words, Jeremiah 5:5, I will get me unto
the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the
Lord, and the judgments of their God; but these have altogether broken the
yoke, and burst the bonds. Or,
Solomon, in Proverbs 11:14, 15:22, and 24:6 advises his son to avail himself of
a multitude of counsellors.) 1 Peter 2:7-8, Unto you therefore which believe [Jesus] is precious: but unto them
which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made
the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even
to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also
they were appointed. Jesus is a rock
that the disobedient trip over. Perhaps,
if Jesus and church and Christianity in general are boring to you, you need to
go back and see what you have stopped doing.
Sunday, 8/7/16 Exo 10:3, And
Moses...came into Pharaoh, and said...Thus saith the Lord, How long wilt thou
refuse to humble thyself before me? Despite overwhelming evidence of God’s
abilities, Pharaoh would not submit to God. Yet, how often are you and I like
him? (From my upcoming book, Basic Bible Doctrine: For Laymen from a Layman.) Rule #7 for interpreting
Scripture: Realize that there are
different types of writing in the Bible. There is poetry in
the Bible. There is historical
narrative. There are illustrations used
in the Bible. Some parts are said to be
figurative or symbolic. Many different
types of emotion are revealed in the writing.
There are exaggerations (hyperboles) in the Bible. Jesus said that it was wrong to try to help
your neighbor remove a sliver from his eye when there was a large beam protruding
out of your own. Had He seen someone who
had been impaled by a 2x4 trying to help someone with some dust in their
eye? No, I do not think so. Perhaps when He referred to a camel going
through the eye of a needle, He was doing the same thing. Ps 55:12, For it
was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have born it: neither was it
he that hated me that did magnify himself agaisnt me; then I would have hid
myself from him; Most of can handle negative opinions/actions from
strangers and enemies. V13, But it was
thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance... However, we
often fail to be good Christians to those at home. (I’m very guilty...anyone
need to join me at the altar?)
Monday,
8/8/16 Are you alone? Physically and
emotionally needy? Spiritually oppressed and tempted? So was Christ: Mark 1:12,
And immediately the Spirit driveth him
into the wilderness. And he was there...40 days, tempted of Satan; and was with
the wild beasts... Ps
22:4-5, Our fathers trusted in thee: they
trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were
not confounded. A caution regarding looking at others’ “successful” walk
with God. They’re human, and thus, they had to learn the same lessons you do,
so they too felt the same negaives, doubts, and fears that you do. Their
answers were not automatic and quick. Don’t simply look at their
answers...remember their process...you’re not as wicked, forsaken, or hopeless
as your flesh and Satan are telling you that you are. (From my upcoming book, Basic
Bible Doctrine: For Laymen from a Layman.) Rule #8 for interpreting
Scripture: Know some English. I
hate to tell you this, but again, learn the definitions of words. Here you go:
the word for “the study of meaning” is “semantics.” Look up the meaning of phrases...use a Bible
dictionary, Google it, or something.
Learn what punctuation does to a sentence. For example, “Let us eat, Mommy” does not
mean the same thing as “Let us eat Mommy.”
Nor are these two equivalent:
“Giant moving sale Friday” or “Giant, moving, sale Friday.” Or, consider this sentence: “A woman without her man is nothing.” This has one meaning, but if you added just
two punctuation marks, it would mean something much different. “A woman:
without her, man is nothing.”
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