Turning Back Time

As King of Judah, Hezekiah instituted many reforms that strengthened the religious traditions of Israel while working to rebel against the country's Assyrian captors. Late in his rule he became gravely ill and prayed fervently for healing. As he confronts the big questions of life, God's answers and his response are chronicled in both Isaiah 38 and 2 Kings 20.

(Summary of Isaiah 38) Isaiah prophesies that Hezekiah will die -- which prompts his prayer for a longer life. Hezekiah makes a case for all of the good things he has done as king. In reponse, the Lord reveals to Isaiah that Hezekiah will live an additional 15 years and that the Assyrians will not take Jerusalem in that time. God confirms this promise with a miraculous sign of "turning back time" (approx. 20 minutes) on a sundial. After his healing, Hezekiah writes a song to express his thanks to God. He shows great humility and affirms that God is his strength. He proclaims that while he is still alive, he will be devoted to claiming the Lord's faithfulness.

Read and study both accounts of Hezekiah in Isaiah and 2 Kings. The miracle that God performs seems to jump out as the key to the lesson, but I think it is important to focus on Hezekiah's response to his healing. How can his response be a lesson for us today? What should we be doing in our families to show our affirmation to God? Check back soon.

My favorite verse

Paul was the epitome of the hard-working disciple. Yet, he is also a prime example of humility and what matters most in this life. My favorite verse (Galations 6:14) is one that might not rank that high on most people's lists -- but, it is a great reminder of how we should live. I love the fact that, when studied in context, Paul himself says (in verse 11) pay close attention to what I'm saying here -- LOOK AT MY CAPITAL LETTERS!

(summary) may I never boast about anything other than the cross of Jesus Christ. Nothing else in this world matters.

Read the verse in the context of Paul's letter and see what it reminds you of in your life. How can we be more humble and better disciples of Christ? Check back soon.

Old is good!

My wife works in geriatrics and, as long as I've known her, she's had the "upside down" philosophy that old is good. In fact, the older the better. We are always collecting stories about people that have achieved great things late in life. Perhaps the best example of geriatric greatness is found in Joshua 14:6-14 in the account of Caleb.

(Summary) Joshua has just led the Israelites into the promised land where Caleb asks about his people's inheritance. He reminds Joshua about the time when he was sent by Moses along with 11 others to scout the land of Canaan. He came back and gave an honest report with faith that God would deliver them -- while his fellow spies doubted God's plan and spread fear among the people. Moses promised Caleb that he would one day be granted this land because of his great faith. Now, 45 years of wandering later, he is making his plea to Joshua to fulfill that promise.

Read the biblical account in Numbers and reflect on what has kept Caleb strong and faithful. How does he feel at 85? And, what did he take on at that age? For some geriatric wisdom -- check back soon.

A Sweet Perfume

If you are dating, you know the importance of hygiene and smelling good. You want to put your best foot forward and be attractive to your date. Take a look at 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 and you'll see that Paul is talking about another type of perfume that is key to our identity as Christians. This is the sweet perfume that is the knowledge of Christ.

(Summary) Paul thanks God that he has triumphed and leads us in his glorious way. We are to spread His word like a sweet perfume. Our lives must take on this Christ-like fragrance that is not going to appeal to everyone. Sinners are going to be threatened and repulsed by it. But those open to God's message will be cleansed and saved.

Read Paul's words from the Scripture and think about how this perfume applies to our lives. How can we be more perceptive to a good vs. bad fragrance? How can we be sure we're equipped with the kind of fragrance that will be attractive to others? Check back soon.

Be Like Aaron and Hur

I've heard that the most overlooked things are often the ones that come after something really significant. Gem 5 is a story about Moses that comes just after he parted the Red Sea and led his people out of Egypt. The verses are Exodus 17:8-13. In the story, Moses once again works a miracle of God, but this time with a little help from his friends Aaron and Hur.

(Summary) The Amalekite army didn't like the idea of Moses and his people intruding on their land and planned an attack. Moses sent Joshua and an army of his own to meet them. To assure victory, Moses stood on a hill overlooking the battle with the staff of God upraised. As long as his staff was upraised, the Israelites had the advantage. But, whenever Moses dropped his hand, they faltered. Before long, Moses' arms were so tired he could not keep them raised. That's when Aaron and Hur stepped in to help. They stood on each side of Moses and raised his arms for him. They persevered until sunset and Joshua was able to overwhelm his opponents.

Read the account in Exodus for yourself and think about the application for us today. How can we know when God is with us? Do we have friends like Aaron and Hur? How can we be more like them? Check back soon.

The World's Temperance Lesson

Temperance is a word that has gone out of style -- but it's something that could use a comeback. It means moderation or self-control and it is usually associated with alcohol. One group that led the movement toward Prohibition in the 1920s was the WCTU (the Womens Christian Temperance Union) -- and it is still active today. Gem #4 is about God's lesson of temperance on the Israelites in Isaiah 28:1-13.

(Summary) The capital of Israel's Northern Kingdom is in for a fall. The people are drunk with wine and their own pride. Consequently, the Lord is going to send a mighty army to bring destruction upon it like a surging flood. Its glorious beauty will fade like a flower. Its leaders, priests and prophets are consumed with alcohol and are totally lacking in wisdom. They've ignored God's warnings and commandments, so He will send an oppressor to teach them a lesson and take them into captivity.

Read the full account of God's judgment in Isaiah 28:1-13 and reflect on its meaning. What can we learn from the mistakes of the Israelites in this passage? What can be said about the evil of alcohol? Why is there such a tolerance of alcohol in today's world? Check back soon.

Pray like Epaphras

Prayer may be the most talked about subject in churches today. You could build a library of books written on the subject. But, perhaps the most illustrious gem written about prayer is in three sentences in Paul's letter to the Colossians (4:12-13). There Paul introduces us to Epaphras -- a man who has it all figured out.

(Summary) Epaphras is a devoted Christian and a fellow Colossian with deep concern for his people. He prays with fervor for the Colossian church -- asking God to make its people strong and perfect, fully committed to God's will. Paul vouches that Epaphras is praying diligently for them and for other believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Take some time to reflect on the character of Epaphras presented in these few verses. Also, think about what makes his prayers so effective. Who else can you think of that stands out as a prayer warrior? Check back soon.

A postcard to a lady and her kids

My second “Gem” is the book of 2 John. The entire book is only 13 verses long which, in the words of Charles Swindoll, makes this book more of a postcard. He calls it “A postcard to a lady and her kids.”

(Summary) John writes to an unnamed lady who is living a Godly life and teaching her children to do the same. He encourages her to remain strong in her faith and continue to live out Christ’s love. At the same time, she needs to be wary of false teachers – people who speak highly of Christ but do believe he is God’s son. At some point, she must have taken a false teacher into her home and been hospitable to him. He tells her that it’s important to discern who is not teaching the truth about Christ -- and that it’s okay to turn them away. In fact, he says they are the embodiment of evil and they could lead her down a dangerous path.

Read the 13 verses of 2 John and think about how they apply to us today. I will blog-in again in a couple of days with my interpretation (with a little help from Mr. Swindoll). I hope we will both be inspired by the Word. Check back soon.

Elisha and the woman from Shunam

Well, here goes. I am starting a new blog based on stories and passages from the Bible that may sometimes be overlooked. The format is very simple. First, I give the reference. Then, I'll summarize the narrative. The third part is the tricky part. That's where I will give a brief summary of what I think is a good application based on some of my reading and commentaries. My first choice of Scripture is from 2 Kings 4:8-37 -- the story of Elisha and the woman from Shunam.

(Summary) The story is about a wealthy woman who shows hospitality to Elisha whenever he comes to town -- even building a room upstairs to accomodate him. One day, Elisha asks whether he can put in a good word about her to the king or army commander. She declines. Later, Elisha tells her she can expect a son even though her husband is old. She can hardly believe her ears. When her son is older, he is working in the fields with his father when he dies unexpectantly. The father brings the boy to the mother and she lays him on the bed in Elisha's room. Then, she immediately sets out to see "the man of God". Elisha's servant meets her and asks if everything is allright. She says everything is fine -- but continues to seek Elisha. She grieves for her son and Elisha tells his servant to go with her and place his staff on the child's face. But the woman will not return without Elisha. The servant arrives there first and is unsuccessful in reviving the child. When Elisha gets there he lays on top of the child and he comes back to life. The woman is overwhelmed with gratitude.

Read the passage for yourself and think about its meaning and application. I will blog-in again in a couple of days with my interpretation. Check back soon.