Colossians

1 - we give thanks for your faith and fruit in Christ, asking God to give you wisdom and strength to endure, since He has saved you from darkness into the bright kingdom of His Son, who is the image and fullness of God, reconciling all things (which were made through Him in the first place) back to God at the cross. Paul suffers for the church.

2 - The mystery and wisdom of God is Christ. God's fullness is in Him bodily. You are circumcised in baptism, united in his death and resurrection, where He triumphed over all other "powers." So dont submit to manmade regulations.

3 - look up to heaven, where your life is hid in Christ. Put off sin. Put on love, peace and the Word of God. Wife submit to husband. Husband be loving and gentle. Employee, work as if for God, for that is the case.

4 - Pray for an open door for the gospel among us. Speak with seasoned grace to outsiders. Greeting from those with Paul.

Acts 24-28

24 - Paul accused before governor Felix, kept in custody 2 years, but protected

25 - New governor Festus hears Paul, who appeals to Caesar. Festus relates his case to king Agrippa, asking for help in what to say in sending Paul on to Rome.

26 - Paul speaks to Agrippa, that he believes what all Jews believe, seeking to persuade Agrippa. He and Festus agree that Paul is innocent, but must go to Caesar since Paul appealed to him.

27 - a tough voyage to Rome ends In shipwreck on an island.

28 - Paul bitten by a deadly snake but preserved; heals a servant. Arrival in Rome. Preaching to Jews; response is mixed; Paul goes to the Gentiles.

Romans

1 - Paul, an apostle of Christ, wants to preach in Rome the gospel of which he is not ashamed, in which God's righteousness is attained by faith. God's wrath is against Gentile unrighteousness, giving glory to creature instead of Creator, so He lets them do vile things.

2 - The Jew is also guilty for judging Gentiles, but sinning himself. Claiming to follow the law doesn't save you.

3 - All are guilty. Redemption is available to all, not through the law but through Christ.

4 - Abraham was justified by his faith, before he was circumcised (before he had the law); therefore we can be justified by faith apart from the law.

5 - So we have peace and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. Adam's sin brought condemnation to many; Jesus' obedient death brings justification to many.

6 - But you are dead to sin, united with Christ's death, so don't sin anymore. We are no longer slaves of sin, which leads to death, but slaves of righteousness, which yields the fruit of eternal life.

7 - we are not under the law, since we died to it, but serve God in the Spirit. The law teaches what sin is, but the sin comes from me.

8 - Yet we are not condemned, being in Christ and His Spirit, not walking in the flesh. The Spirit tells us we are God's children. We groan, awaiting our redemption. The Spirit helps us pray accordingly. God works it out for the good of those He has called, who will be glorified. He is for us in Christ, and nothing will separate us from His love.

9 - Why doesn't Israel believe? They have God's promise and covenant. Not all ethnic Israel is the true Israel. God shows mercy to whoever He wants. He has rejected many Jews who sought God by works, and favored many Gentiles who found Christ by faith.

10 - Faith is from the heart regardless of being Jew or Greek. Why hasn't Israel believed?

11 - A remnant does believe, just like in Elijah's time. Many have disbelieved, resulting in Gentiles being grafted in; Israel might not continue in unbelief and may be grafted back in at any time. God's ways are mysterious and wonderful.

12 - serve God sacrificially, using your gifts humbly for the body, being peaceable even with persecutors.

13 - be at peace with civil authorities by doing good, showing honor, paying taxes. Love one another; do not lust and covet.

14 - Don't be contentious over secondary things. We live to the Lord; don't live your opinions in unloving ways. Bear with each other.

15 - Receive Gentiles who believe Christ. I plan to come see you on my way to Spain. Pray that God delivers me from unbelievers in Jerusalem.

16 - Greeting specific people; warning away from divisive and obstinate people.

Acts 20-23

20
Paul heads for Jerusalem. First stop, Troas. Preaches all night. Eutyches falls through the window, dies, and raised to life. Farewell to Ephesians elders: shepherd the flock.

21
Voyage to Caesarea. Prophecies of Paul's arrest. Arrival and meeting with James, who asks Paul to sponsor some mens' purification rites, as proof that he is not against Jews keeping the law. He does but a riot starts when he is seen in the temple. He is taken by roman soldiers to the barracks for safety and questioning, but he asks in Greek to speak to the crowd.

22
Paul recounts his Damascus road exp with the Lord Christ, but they don't get upset until he says God said to go to the Gentiles. They riot and the Roman soldier on command sends him to be flogged for questioning and confession. He gets out of it by saying he's a Roman citizen.



23
The Roman tribune sends him before Sanhedrin to figure it out. Paul gets the Pharisee party on his side. Jews conspire to kill him when he is moved. Paul uncovers the plot and tells the tribune. He sends Paul to Governor Felix in Caesarea with full security.

What are you excited about?

"If the gospel—even when you are orthodox—becomes something which you primarily assume, but what you are excited about is what you are doing in some sort of social reconstruction, you will be teaching the people that you influence that the gospel really isn’t all that important. You won’t be saying that—you won’t even mean that—but that’s what you will be teaching. And then you are only half a generation away from losing the gospel.
Make sure that in your own practice and excitement, what you talk about, what you think about, what you pray over, what you exude confidence over, joy over, what you are enthusiastic about is Jesus, the gospel, the cross. And out of that framework, by all means, let the transformed life flow."

– Don Carson, lecture, “Is the Culture Shaping Us or are We Shaping the Culture?” delivered at the CBMW Different By Design Conference (Feb. 2, 2009, Minneapolis, MN)

2 Corinthians 10-13

10 - We don't minister to you with worldly methods, comparing ourselves to others, speaking powerfully or beautifully. We minister to you in the Spirit, destroying arguments and building you up. We aren't trying to take credit for things we didn't do (though we planted the Gospel among you). We mean to go beyond your land with Gospel, not take credit for what others have done among you.

11 - Paul descends to their level and compares himself with others who are claiming equal authority with him. They are false apostles preaching another gospel, even if they speak better than he does, or charge a higher speaking fee. He is as much a Hebrew and has suffered more than they. But he boasts in his weakness, not his strength.

12 - Paul knows of sensational visions, too, but only boasts in his weaknesses. Some speak against Paul that he exploited them. But how? He has been seeking their good, in Christ, always, spending and being spent for their souls.

13 - I am coming soon, and will use my authority with Christ's resurrection power for your good. Restore, comfort and love each other.

Angels in the Architecture

A great book for recovering the "full-orbed" gospel, as it is often called. This means recovering and treasuring: beauty, the church, feasting, authority, wife and children, and more. Deep gratitude for all the gifts God has given us in this world was at the heart of the Reformation, but quickly lost by many. Medieval life actually assumed many important things that were lost in the Enlightenment. This book calls us back to them.

Get it here!

Covenants

A rare five stars! Biblical depth and balance on what a covenant is, and how God has dealt with His people with them. The first 60 pages looks at what a covenant is: a bond in blood sovereignly administered. The rest of the book looks at God's activity with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and finally in Christ.

Some important points from the book:

A covenant is a structured relationship. Some emphasize the structure, others the relationship, but both are essential.

All covenants with God are gracious. Those after the Fall involve God's grace in spite of our sin. The covenant with Adam at first is also gracious in a different sense, as God's creation and provision for Adam and Eve was unnecessary, an act of sovereign love.

Each new covenant God made did not replace the previous one, but developed and expanded His dealings with us, the previous covenant promises remaining in force until all were fulfilled in Christ.

Chapter 11 offers an excellent analysis of dispensationalism.

This is the perfect book for the interested reader who wants to go deeper in studying the Word.

Grow in Grace

Great book here, by a presbyterian pastor in Lynchburg, Virginia. It covers each of the seven deadly sins from a practical and Reformed perspective. Pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. It is easy reading, but also convicting and piercing. The introduction is especially good on how to grow in the Christian life by grace. There are Scriptures and prayers at the end of each chapter, to lead you to the Lord regarding each of these sins.

Pick it up here.

Wives and mothers working outside the home

Tim Bayly writes...

"The issue is critically important, and yet not to be dealt with in a wooden way. Specifically, some work outside the home is always required of wives and mothers and is good and right--Biblical, even...


"Buying and selling land. Teaching the younger women at the church-house. Making cookies and taking them to the homeschool co-op or school classroom. Teaching in the homeschool co-op or school classroom. Buying groceries. The list is long. Some work outside the home is required by the specifics of a home and marriage. Husbands die or are disabled and mothers must provide for their families. Husbands commit adultery and abandon their wives and children forcing their wives to provide for their children. Again, the list is long.

"There are any number of other reasons a husband and wife might make a decision for the wife to work outside the home and we must be careful not to subvert the freedom of their consciences by declaring or insinuating that decisions they've made based on circumstances we have a limited knowledge of are contrary to the Word of God. At the same time, we must recognize that in Reformed churches today too many of our marriages are contrary to the Word of God precisely at this point. Women are not domestic, but have deserted the home for work and play. Our older women, but also our elders, pastors, and deacons must admonish those women who have abandoned their home."


More here.

2 Corinthians 5-9

5 - If we die we are with the Lord. We have a ministry of reconciling men to God through Christ
6 - You treat us as imposters but we are sincere and sacrificial. Separate yourselves from sin
7 - God comforted us, though I had to grieve you with my letter.
8 - the Macedonians have given generously. Finish what you started in this. Titus and Apollos bring this letter, and to collect your gift for Jerusalem. Your generous gift will result in more thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 1-4

1 - we have been afflicted, so we can comfort you in your trials. My plans to you don't vacillate - I just couldn't come to you right now. Christ is the faithful yes to all God's promises; I didn't want to pain you with a difficult visit just now.

2 - I am not the source of your current pain, but the one you've had to discipline. Forgive him, now, so he isn't crushed. Christ always leads us whatever our plans, and we are a sincere, Christ-like aroma to believers.

3 - we don't deal with letters of commendation to show our capability. We minister a new, more glorious covenant of the Spirit, not of letters. We are bolder than Moses, who served with a veil. We are free, without a veil, and being more and more glorified in the Spirit.

4 - the unveiled gospel shines in us, but Satan blinds minds from seeing it. It shines in jars of clay to show God's power, and fulfill your purpose of thanking God. Our light affliction will give way to great glory.

Verses for the day

2 Corinthians 1:8-11
We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely no on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

1 Corinthians 9-16

9 - Paul has a right to live off the Gospel, but doesn't want to, to win more for Christ. Run to win.

10 - Israel was baptized and communed with Christ, yet fell away in sin. You are baptized and commune with Christ, too, so take heed. Give glory to God and eat what you want, but be sensitive to the weak conscience of others.

11 - maintain proper male/female distinction in worship (a woman's longer hair is her covering, her way of saying she is under authority. Don't be divisive in worship. Commune with regard for each other and for Christ, or He will discipline you.

12 - there are various gifts from one Spirit, as there are many members in one Body. The gifts and members need each other and should not despise each other.

13 - Without love you have nothing; what love is; it will last beyond other gifts, and defines the maturity as opposed to childishness.

14 - tongues are not forbidden, but also not very edifying, which is the point of spiritual gifts. Keep worship orderly: one thing at a time, so all may learn from each. This is authoritative: reject one who rejects it.

15 - most important: Christ died, was raised, and appeared to us. There IS a resurrection of the dead. If not, your faith and all my work is in vain. But our mortal bodies will be raised, transformed into incorruptible glory, defeating death. So our work is NOT in vain.

16 - take regular offerings on Sundays. I need to stay in Ephesus right now, but will come to you soon. Respect Timothy and other forefathers among you. Do all in love. The churches greet you.

1 Corinthians 1-8

1 - Be united; don't follow men divisively; the cross is folly to worldly wisdom
2 - We discern the things of God by the Spirit, not natural wisdom
3 - Don't boast in men, who are just building on Christ's foundation
4 - You boast yourselves to be greater than the apostles. Stop it
5 - remove the unrepentant professes to believe. Stop boasting
6 - judge among yourselves, don't go to unbelievers
6 - immoral won't inherit the kingdom; sexual immorality is a sin vs the Spirit
7 - marriage principles for the present distress
8 - food offered to idols is fine to eat, since idols are nothing.
8 - But some don't get that yet. Don't make them sin against conscience.