Religion for Good

Teaching About Divorce. Let the Children Come to Me. Put divorce out of your mind Jesus's teaching on the subject of divorce very eloquently informs readers that divorce should be avoided. Period. He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” ( Matthew 19:4-6 ESV ) I think this teaching could be very reassuring for people who are insecure in their marriages but know the other party to be faithful followers of Christ. Why was permanent union a turn-off? When the disciples heard that divorce is not an option for God's followers, they basically retorted that it's better to remain a bachelor than to enter into marriage on God's terms (Mt 19:10). Why was permanent unio...

Consecration of the Firstborn. The Feast of Unleavened Bread. Pillars of Cloud and Fire. Crossing the Red Sea. The Song of Moses. Bitter Water Made Sweet. What is to consecrate? It may seem strange, but I didn't know the definition of the word "consecrate" when I read today's morning devotion. Merriam-Webster defines " consecrate " as to officially make (something, such as a place or building) holy through a special religious ceremony. By a strong hand A Google search revealed many interpretations of "a strong hand" to mean basically sovereign power or overwhelming might. Both make sense to me in the context of Exodus. The month of Abib One commentary  defined "Abib" to mean a green ear (of corn). So, it made sense that the month of green ears of corn would mark the first month in a year for the purposes of keeping a calendar. To redeem with a lamb Merriam-Webster defines the word " redeem " in a couple of wa...

A Final Plague Threatened. The Passover. The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn. The Exodus. Institution of the Passover. The Hebrew calendar I learned something new today: There's a Hebrew calendar that is very different from the Gregorian calendar that I use on a daily basis and from the lunar calendar used by countries in Asia. The discovery came from a seed of curiosity about the dates that God called out in his instruction to Moses. And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. ( Exodus 12:17-18 ESV ) Although I expected the Passover to be held from January 14-21 every year, it turns out that the Passover is actually held on different dates  every year, us...

Who Is the Greatest? Temptations to Sin. The Parable of the Lost Sheep. If Your Brother Sins Against You. To gouge my eyes and amputate my limbs I'm pretty sure that my eyes and limbs are sinning consistently on a daily basis. So, one verse that I've struggled to understand is Jesus's instructions to remove the parts of one's body that causes the person to sin. And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. ( Matthew 18:8-9 ESV ) Could Jesus have actually meant for people to literally dismember themselves as a means of preventing sin? This interpretation seems a bit absurd to me, because if carried out, wouldn't every living person on this p...

The Transfiguration. Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon. Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection. The Temple Tax. How will Elijah restore all things? When asked about Elijah coming first, as the scribes have said, Jesus first reassures his disciples that the scribes were not wrong. He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. ( Matthew 17:11 ESV ) My question is, what did Jesus mean by saying that Elijah "will restore all things?" Especially if Elijah is actually John the Baptist, who was executed by Herod on Herodias' request (Mt 14:10)? But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. ( Matthew 17:12-13 ESV ) Dealing with worldly matters It seems that Jesus was making a point to Peter that sometimes it's necessary to fol...

Moses and Aaron Before Pharaoh. The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood. The Second Plague: Frogs. The Third Plague: Gnats. The Fourth Plague: Flies. Pharaoh's magicians creating plagues, not remedies I think the role of Pharaoh's magicians was to reassure Pharaoh that Moses and Aaron were simply playing tricks on Pharaoh, and that God was not actually standing behind the people of Israel. I just thought that it was slightly absurd or comical that in the second plague of frogs, the magicians conjured frogs of their own instead of trying to do something about the plague at hand. Perhaps the magicians knew that any effort would be futile. To pray for your enemy One observation that struck me as noteworthy is how Moses actually needed to pray for Pharaoh in order to remove the plagues. So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. And the LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not ...

The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs. The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ. Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection. Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus. Bound and loosed on earth and in heaven What does it mean to bind or to loose something on earth? I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” ( Matthew 16:19 ESV ) Wikipedia tells me that in usage, to bind and to loose mean simply to forbid by an indisputable authority , and to permit by an indisputable authority  ("BINDING AND LOOSING." Encyclopedia Biblica . 1903.) The casual interpretation seems to say that Peter, a human susceptible to sin, was being given the power to judge and to determine the way of life in the kingdom of heaven. But this interpretation just doesn't seem right... Death should not be feared There's something s...

Moses Given Powerful Signs. Moses Returns to Egypt. Making Bricks Without Straw. God Promises Deliverance. The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron. Why Abraham (a.k.a. Abram) was chosen One of the most enlightening discoveries for me in today's morning devotion is the reason God chose Abram to be his people. And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’” ( Exodus 4:21-23 ESV ) The selection of Abram was not at random, as I had previously thought. I feel now that Abram was the obvious candidate by virtue of being the firstborn in a line of firstborns, a preference indicated by God's justification for letting the people ...

Israel Increases Greatly in Egypt. Pharaoh Oppresses Israel. The Birth of Moses. Moses Flees to Midian. God Hears Israel's Groaning. The Burning Bush. Avoid the inevitable fall of oppressors The Bible teaches people to not be oppressors, lest they doom themselves and their posterity. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. ( Exodus 1:9-11 ESV ) The new king of Egypt oppressed Israel, and I know from having read this story before that the king and his people suffered many plagues, with some also ending in a violent death. The cautionary tale tells one person not to oppress another, and what does it mean to oppress? Merriam-Webster def...

Jacob Blesses His Sons. Jacob's Death and Burial. God's Good Purposes. The Death of Joseph. Cruel and evil but part of God's plan When cruel and evil things happen in a personal context, the Bible tells readers that those events may be part of God's plan for future good. As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. ( Genesis 50:20 ESV ) Joseph's brothers selling Joseph into slavery actually brought about salvation for the house of Israel. Applied to daily life, the takeaway would be to not let bad happenings cripple you, but to continue living a God-fearing lifestyle and trust that good will come from the bad eventually .

Jesus Walks on the Water. Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret. Walking on water in today's world He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” ( Matthew 14:29-30 ESV ) The Bible seems to indicate that Peter, a human like any other (except for being one of Jesus's chosen disciples), was able to physically walk on water purely through faith in Jesus. As soon as that faith began to waver, Peter began to sink. Conceivably when Jesus was alive, it would be imaginable that someone who had seen the mighty works of Jesus could believe in Jesus unquestioningly. So that when Jesus asks you to walk on water deep enough to drown a man, you would do as requested without a single doubt about your own safety, since we all "know" today that stepping into a deep river means we're going to fall into the water, to swim or to die. Does ...

Today's evening devotion is Matthew 13:1-32 , which documents three parables Jesus taught: the parable of the sower, the parable of the weeds, and the parable of the mustard seed. Can everyone be saved? Whether everyone in today's world can be saved is a question I've asked for a long time, and I've always wanted the answer to be "yes". However, I don't think this is the case. In the time of Jesus, even though Jesus works many miracles and teaches his followers directly, not every one of them will be saved. Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ( Matthew 13:10-12 ESV ) The struggle between those who can hear and those cannot hear the wo...

Today's morning devotion is Genesis 41 , which tells the story of Joseph being freed from jail and promoted to governor of Egypt by correctly interpreting Pharaoh's dreams of cows and wheat. Dreams are messages from God Pharaoh's acceptance of Joseph's interpretation and attribution of the feat to God is consistent with what Joseph said about his interpretations of the cupbearer's dream and the baker's. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. ( Genesis 41:38-39 ESV ) Basically, a dream is a message from God, and only God can give its interpretation to a person. Egyptians fear the same God How come the Egyptians fear the same God of Joseph and Israel? I've always found this to be interesting, because I thought the Egyptians worshiped gods of their own. Significance of being...

Today's evening devotion is Matthew 11 , which captures Jesus's teachings as he went from city to city after sending off his disciples. What may be important to note here is that at this point John the Baptist had already been imprisoned. Violence in the kingdom of heaven What exactly is the "kingdom of heaven"? And how did it suffer violence as Jesus described? From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. ( Matthew 11:12 ESV ) One explanation from the United Church of God is that the "kingdom of heaven" is synonymous with "kingdom of God", and the Good News , a publication by the same church goes on to explain that the kingdom of God is what will come following the events prophesied in the book of Revelation. But the question remains for me: If the kingdom of heaven is a future state, how did it suffer violence at the time when Jesus was preaching? "...

Today's morning devotion is Genesis 33-35, which starts with Jacob's emotional reunion with Esau. Genesis 34 tells a rather tragic tale of love and death. Genesis 35 documents Jacob becoming Israel and taking his people to Bethel. A blessing is a gift I just wanted to remember an observation that, at least in the case of worldly interactions, the word "blessing" can simply be used to refer to a gift from one to another. Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it. ( Ge...

Today's evening devotion is Matthew 10:24-42 , which concludes Jesus's instructions to his twelve disciples as he sent them out. Reminder that death is not the end Jesus reminds his disciples that death is not the end, using that as encouragement for the disciples to persevere in the face of prosecution. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ( Matthew 10:28 ESV ) Christianity makes it very easy to face death, I think, as long as one maintains faith and strives for righteousness. Faith is public I think Citylife's sermon  titled, "A Public Faith" this past Sunday expands on Jesus's instructions to the disciples. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. ( Matthew 10:27 ESV ) More importantly, Jesus the teacher must be acknowledged during such proclamations. So everyone who acknowledges me bef...

Today's morning devotion is Genesis 31-32, which tells the tale of Jacob leaving Laban to return home. Along the way Jacob gets the attention of Esau in Edom, and Genesis 32 concludes with Jacob wrestling with God. Laban's household gods Just a question of curiosity: What exactly were Laban's household gods that Rachel stole? Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's household gods. ( Genesis 31:19 ESV ) A search on Google yielded an essay interpreting Genesis 31 and the household gods (i.e., "teraphim" in Hebrew) along with a page from JewishEncyclopedia . Both suggest that the household gods were used in some form of pagan or idol worship. Jacob's demeanor changed after 20 years I remember yesterday reading Jacob's vow to declare God to be his (Jacob's) God, only if God provided for Jacob. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give ...

Today's evening devotion is Matthew 10:1-23, which captures Jesus's instruction to his disciples that they should spread the gospel to "the lost sheep of Israel". The laborer deserves his food Jesus basically tells his followers to travel long and near, preaching the gospel in every town they encounter. But more importantly, Jesus asks that they trust in God to provide what is needed for them to complete the journey. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. ( Matthew 10:9-10 ESV ) I wanted to understand more precisely what Jesus meant by "the laborer deserves his food." A Google search for the phrase didn't yield anything definitive, although I did find one page that goes into a fairly deep exploration of the phrase. I think my personal takeaway from Jesus's words is that "deserves" means provided by God, and the labor...

Today's morning devotion is Genesis 29-30 , which tells the story of Jacob's marriages to Leah and Rachel in Genesis 29. Genesis 30 begins the story of Jacob's departure from Laban in Haran. What goes around comes around Jacob gets a taste of his own medicine when Laban deceives Jacob. Laban succeeds in marrying off both of his daughters to Jacob in exchange for 14 years of service, instead of honoring the original agreement which was 7 years for just Rachel. While this feels satisfying as a reader, I think it's important to remember that Jesus tells us that " an eye for an eye " does not mean that evil should repaid with evil. I guess the satisfaction is a guilty one, and one that I should avoid seeking as I'm reading through the Bible. To complete the week What did it mean for Jacob to complete Leah's week? Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob ...

Today's evening devotion is Matthew 9:18-38 , which basically documents Jesus performing many signs or miracles, including one instance of raising the dead. The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few Does it make sense to say that I'm at once impressed and unimpressed by the miracles Jesus performed? Impressed because no one but Jesus could have accomplished them; and unimpressed because with Jesus miracles are the norm and the expectation. So, for me the passage that stood out the most in today's evening devotion was Jesus's comment that there are not enough "laborers" for the "harvest". When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” ( Matthew 9:36-38 ESV ) Since the context is that ...