Author: Brian

Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor

Reflections on Judges 1-2

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Judges begins promisingly as Judah continues the conquest of the land.  But Israel’s failure to take the land and serve the Lord soon follows.

  • Incomplete obedience – Israel took much of the land, but failed to take all of it. Even when they grew stronger than their enemies, Israel allowed the Canaanites to continue in the land.  Israel started well, but they didn’t finish what they started.  What has God called you to do?  Are you working to finish the task?  Are you seeking to fully obey God’s Word, or are you cutting corners along the way?
  • Next generation – What a great tragedy is found in 2:10! Joshua’s generation failed to teach their children the way of the Lord.  In the span of one generation, Israel goes from following the Lord to abandoning the Lord.  What are you doing to teach the next generation about God?  How are you supporting your church is this process?
  • Need for leadership – Before Moses died at the end of Deuteronomy, he passed the leadership of the people on to Joshua. When Joshua dies, no one takes his place.  There is a great vacuum of godly leadership.  What is your church doing to pass on the torch of leadership to the next generation?  How can you help?

Judges 1-5: Unfaithfulness

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(1-2) Though Israel started well, they quickly became unfaithful to God.  What phrase is repeated in 1:27-33 that shows their first step of unfaithfulness?

What second step of unfaithfulness do you see in 2:11-13?

How is the second step related to the first?  What can we learn from this?

In what ways can the people around us lead us astray today?  What steps can we take to minimize our culture’s pagan influence in our lives and families?

(2) What tragedy do we find in v10 that further leads to Israel’s unfaithfulness?

What application is there in this verse for parents?  The church?  Youth?

(2-4) Judges 2:11-19 describe a continuous four-part cycle found throughout the book of Judges.  Describe each part of the cycle.

Summarize how this cycle plays out in the following passages:

3:7-11 –

3:12-30 –

4:1-24 –

(4-5) Despite their unfaithfulness, God did not desert them, but continued to deliver them from their enemies.  What assurance did Deborah give Barak (4:14)?  How does this assurance encourage you today?

How did Deborah and Barak respond after God delivered them (chapter 5)?  Are we quick to do the same?

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

The Attraction of Idolatry – Kevin DeYoung
It is easy to see how we can make idols out of everything from health insurance to retirement accounts to political candidates to academic approval to sports to entertainment to Facebook to food and sex.

3 Godly Ambitions for the Christian – Tim Challies
Some of my favorite biblical commands are the ones that most counter our culture, and even our little Christian subculture. We find just such a series of commands….

4 Ways to Win the Battle Against Busyness – J. D. Greear (TGC)
The draw of busyness is that it gives us a sense of importance. When my schedule is full, I feel like I’m in demand. Without me, we think, all of this would fall apart. As Christians, we all too often baptize this idolatry by assuming that busyness equals faithfulness. And all the while we’re “burning ourselves out for Jesus,” we’re running on the fumes of our own self-importance. Meanwhile, Jesus is unimpressed.

If We Are So Burdened Then Why Aren’t the Prayer Meetings Full? – Erik Raymond
If we believe that God is good, sovereign, and holy, and that he has told us to cast our burdens on him in prayer then, where are the public prayer meetings by God’s people? If we are so exercised by injustice and depravity, why don’t Christians flood to church prayer meetings to gather with their brothers and sisters and plead with God in prayer? Why aren’t prayer meetings overflowing with burdened and broken people who want God to intervene and act?

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Declaring the Glory

On By BrianIn Declaring the Glory

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Tahquamenon River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20

Sermon Songs: Ephesians 5:22-24

On By BrianIn Ephesians Hymns

MusicNotes

The church is Jesus Christ’s body
Of which He is the Head
We do submit to Him freely
Now risen from the dead
His love for us – it is secure
In His love we abide
Each marriage now is a picture
Of Jesus and His bride

Each wife should respect her husband
And submit joyfully
As the church follows Christ’s command
Commits to Him gladly
Each husband should love his own wife
And lead her for her best
As Jesus gave up His own life
To give us hope and rest

(To the tune of “We Sing the Greatness of Our God”)

 

Reflections on Joshua 22-24

On By BrianIn OT Reflections2 Comments

As the eastern tribes return to their land, and again as Joshua nears death, Joshua charges the people to follow the Lord alone:

  • Follow the Lord – Joshua uses many words to help Israel and us to understand what it means to follow the Lord. First, we are to obey his commandments (22:5).  We must walk in his way. We are to do everything God’s Word says to do.  Second, we are to love him (22:5, 23:11).  He must be our first love above all else.  Third, we are to cling to him (22:5, 23:8).  We must stay near to him and let nothing come between us.  Fourth, we are to serve God with all of our heart and soul (22:5).  We must be faithful and sincere in our service (24:14).  We owe him our entire allegiance.  Finally, we are to fear the Lord (24:14).  We must have a reverent awe of God, treating him with proper reverence and respect.  Review these words.  Does your life look like this?
  • No other gods – Israel must choose between God and the gods of the nations. We too must choose who we will serve.  While we claim to serve God, it is possible that idols have propped themselves up in our lives.  What are you living for?  What is first in your life?  What is your life centered around?  Is it God?  Someone else?  The American dream?  Popularity?  Power?  Pleasure?  Are there idols you need to topple?  Choose this day who you will serve.

Cultivating Your Prayer Life

On By BrianIn Habit of Prayer

In How Can I Cultivate Private Prayer, Joel Beeke’s second way to take hold of yourself is to maintain the priority of prayer.  He notes Jesus’ commitment to prayer, and then asks:

If the incarnate Son of God needed to pray often to His heavenly Father, then how much more do we need to make prayer a priority in our lives?

So then how much of a priority is prayer in my life?  Do I make time for it?  Even when I’m busy?  Is it the first thing to go in a crunch, or the last?

Do I prioritize time daily for prayer?  Do I prioritize praying together with my church?  For my church?  For my family?  For myself?

CultivatePrayerWhat is it that distracts me from prayer?  What is it that keeps me from prayer?  Are there distractions in my life I need to seriously address to maintain (or even begin to have) the priority of prayer?  Does media eat up too much of my time and crowd out prayer?  What have I prioritized, even without thinking, above communing with God?

I need to rethink my priorities this week, and then make application to my life.  What about you?