ResponsiveReiding

Through the Word in 2020 #120 – Sep. 18 / Spiritual Myopia

September 18th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

God saves people individually. Each of us from Adam’s race need personally redeemed from our sins. Modern Evangelicalism has been keen on preaching a Gospel that needs to be individually appropriated. The old saying that God has no grandchildren is true in this regard. We see this individual aspect in today’s reading in Luke 18:9-17 where Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Each had to stand on their own before God – just like you and I will. And by what means we’ll be justified before Him is of cosmic and eternal importance.

Then we encounter passages like Hebrews 9 where ramifications of Christ’s High Priestly work are teased out in larger proportions. Christ has been offered but once to bear the sins of many – and will return to save all those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Proverbs 22 brings us back to individual applications of wisdom. And then Isaiah 12-14 opens up the door to understanding that God deals with nations too – and not just individuals. And it is this global reality I’d like to spend a minute on today on Through the Word in 2020. I’m Reid Ferguson.

From the time of the Reformation until today, there has been a great recovery of understanding how personal faith in the atoning work of Christ is essential. No one else’s faith saves me. Some years ago I heard a young woman state at her mother’s funeral that she knew she would be OK with God, because her Mom walked with the Lord and prayed for her. Another time I conversed with someone who was sure that because she had several immediate family members who were priests and nuns that she too would find special favor with God. Both were bereft of a Biblical understanding of salvation and what it entails. It is a superstitious understanding and sort of the inverse of guilt by association – righteousness by association. We forget that even Jesus’ own brothers were lost until they finally came to believe in Him.

But back to Isaiah. For one of the prominent features of that amazing book is how it addresses any number of nations AS as nations, and depicts God dealing with them for national and collective sins.

Today’s section mentions the Babylonian empire and how God intended to punish it by bringing another empire on the scene to conquer it. And backing up to chapter 9 we see God stirring up Assyria to punish Israel for its sin, and then how God will decimate that empire because it acted against Israel out of its own viciousness.

Now the point I want to get to is simply this: For Christians, as we look at the World today and the nearly 250 countries which exist on our planet, none of them are operating apart from the sovereign oversight and plan of God. Global geo-political activities are not somehow conducted out of God’s sight or void of His superintendence. From the technically smallest nation – Vatican City at 0.2 square miles to the 6.6 million square miles of Russia. The declaration of Rev. 1:5 that Jesus is the ruler of kings on earth is not hyperbole. No nation makes its laws, carries out its policies, governs its people, or interacts with other nations minus God’s awareness and acting hand.

For blessing or for cursing.

This is true for our nation as well.

No more, and no less than any other.

Something to be well considered in the upcoming election. Whether we receive leadership for blessing or for judgment – God is at work.

But make no mistake, our nation is being judged as are all others. And God is at work, as in all others.

How given to prayer then ought we to be, that we might be a nation which serves and does not spurn our God.

Consider that today Christian.

God willing, we’ll be back Monday.
Through the Word in 2020 #119 – Sep. 17 / Exploding Heads

September 17th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

If your head didn’t explode today after reading Proverbs 21, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:121-128, Hebrews 8 and Isaiah 9-11, then I don’t know what to say. In these portions of God’s Word we were met with such high, lofty, holy, transcendent and glorious realities that we could spend a lifetime trying to digest just what’s there.

Jesus’ exhortation to prayer and how the Father is so willing to hear us and answer. David’s example of loving God’s commandments above fine gold. The wonders of the New Covenant in Hebrews 8. The assurance that all of the plans and promises of God will come to pass because there is NO wisdom, understanding or counsel that can avail against the Lord. And then the revelations of the coming Christ in Isaiah 9-11 – with that oh so familiar and amazing announcement: “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Join me for a few thoughts on Isaiah 9:6 today on Through the Word in 2020. I’m Reid Ferguson.

You may never have heard the name Lancelot Andrews before, but more than any other individual, he was responsible for the unparalleled English and its cadence as we have it in the King James version of the Bible.

Andrews not only loved the music of English, he was a master of Latin, Greek, Hebrew and most of the languages of Europe in his day.

In a sermon of his on Isaiah 9:6 he summarized the importance of it this way: “So Christ loved us, that He was given;” “so God loved us, that He gave His Son.”

We are met with this divine conspiracy of love to save the lost. The Son wholly willing to come and die. The Father wholly willing to send Him to that end. What a glorious thing this salvation is. Unfathomable love.

So allow me to set our hearts on this portion in verse today.

For unto us, a child is born

In love, from Heaven’s throne was torn

From angel’s praise to earthly scorn

This child, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

Yes unto us, God’s Son is giv’n

Feet, hands and side be one day riv’n

The piercing nails by hate be driv’nGod’s Son,

‘Tis Christ our Savior

The government shall rest on Him

But first, the weight of human sin

He’ll feel the Father’s gaze grow dim

This King, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

First Wonderful, shall be His name

Eternal God, for e’re the same

And yet as God in flesh He came

See now, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

And Counselor His name is too

He is the way, the life, the truth

God’s highest wisdom, Love’s great proof

Oh look!, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

His name shall be The Mighty God

The Worthy of all praise and laud

He rules with God’s own iron rod

Behold!, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

The Everlasting Father’s name

He’ll wear as His, tho man became

To die, and then His throne reclaim

This Jesus, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

And Prince of Peace His name shall be

In reconciling Adam’s seed

His blood, it pleads for you and me

All praise! ‘Tis Christ our Savior

With divine zeal He’ll finish sin

And bring God’s Kingdom fully in

Redeeming all who trust in Him

This Babe, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

So low the angels’ bent to see

The awe of His nativity

He stooping low where we would be

For us, ‘Tis Christ our Savior

Think on that today Christian.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #118 – Sep. 16 / Conspiracy Theory

September 16th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

The old saying is that an optimist sees the same glass half full, that the pessimist sees half empty. Both in essence are correct. And both are wrong: In that each imagines their particular viewpoint to be the entire story.

So it is the Word of God is forever giving us the whole picture of reality, and not just one side. If we only see a broken, sin-cursed world, but fail to see it the way the seraphim do – in the light of the presence of God, then we cannot comprehend that this very same world is also full of His glory.

Our readings today in Hebrews 7, Luke 17:11-37, Proverbs 20 and especially Isaiah 6-8 are each filled with means to get the fuller picture of reality as God knows it. Not just as we might perceive it from our angle. What Francis Schaeffer used to call “real reality.”

I’m Reid Ferguson, and we’ll talk just a bit about that today on Through the Word in 2020.

Isaiah 6 records one of the most exalted visions of God to be found in the Scripture. A vision which Jesus Himself in John 12:41 says was a vision of His personal glory. And which John, in Revelation 4:8 uses to depict Christ.

It is stunning.

Both Isaiah and John are equally undone by it. It overwhelms them. And it brings much needed perspective to both.

John is in exile in his old age on the island of Patmos. He is the last of the Apostles when it looks like Rome could almost crush Christianity. Isaiah is prophesying to sinful and rebellious Jerusalem as the looming specter of God’s impending judgment grows ever darker and larger. They will fall to Babylon.

Those were real situations. Dire realities. But they weren’t the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Not until God is seen in His place, ruling and reigning over all in holiness, faithfulness and glory can they face the very real disasters they are in the midst of with courage, joy and patience. The light of His glory must shine in our darkness – or we will be overwhelmed.

Now it is in this context that Isaiah receives a most timely word for us in our present context.

In 8:12 we read: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people call conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.” And don’t we live in a time when conspiracy theories literally fill the air waves. Even Christian broadcasters and writers are absolutely preoccupied with them. From the New World Order to 911 to the BLM organization, Covid-19 and everything else in between.

Now it isn’t that conspiracies don’t exist. They do. There were genuine conspiracies of power allied to overthrow Jerusalem in Isaiah’s day. And it isn’t that there might not be conspiracies afoot today to challenge our nation, political system, economy and especially the Church. There no doubt are some.

But in light of the vision at the beginning of Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 – those of us who can see these all in the light of Christ – high and lifted up and whose train fills the very temple – do not fear these conspiracies or what else those around us do.

Vs. 13 brings the rest of the picture into view: “But the Lord of hosts, HIM you shall honor as holy. Let HIM be your fear and your dread.”

All of this focus on human, global, political and economic conspiracies miss the great conspiracy – that of the Enemy of our souls. For all of them are doing one thing – making men fear conspiracies, more than or other than – God.

As Jesus told us in Matt. 10 – DON’T fear those – Fear Him!

And if we rightly fear Him, we need fear nothing else.

Think on that today Christian.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #117 – Sep. 15 / What does God want from me?

September 15th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

What does God want from me? Have you ever asked that question yourself? Or heard someone else ask it? It’s a most important question. A right question. And the answer holds the difference between Heaven and Hell. Between mere religion and true salvation. And the answer not only demonstrates the amazing condescension of God to fallen human-kind, but holds the key to the very reversal of the Fall itself.

I’m Reid Ferguson – and faith is our topic today out of Hebrews 6:13–20; Psalm 119:113–120; Isaiah 2:6–5:30; Luke 17:5–10 and Proverbs 19. Thanks for joining us on Through the Word in 2020.

The word faith in our day, has become something of a wax nose. People use it in a variety of ways: to refer to some sort of amorphous spirituality, as referring merely to a positive outlook, for belonging to some religion or religious group – as being part of a faith community and even just as a vague belief in God or the Bible.

Interestingly and most importantly, the Bible never once uses faith in such ill-defined ways.

Faith in the Bible always, without exception refers to acknowledging that God has spoken, that what He has said is true, and ordering one’s life in concert with what He has said. This is why Scripture can tell us that apart from faith, it is impossible to please God. Or if I could put it in a nutshell, what does God want from you and me? To be believed. And not believed vaguely – but so as to trust His promises, listen to His warnings, grasp His character, fear His judgments, and seek His blessing and rewards. To understand who and what He is and why He does all He does by virtue of what He has said and revealed about Himself in His Word. To be – believed. And to act as though what we’ve heard must be acted upon appropriately.

Why is this kind of faith so essential? Because failure in it is what led to the Fall in the Garden.

Adam and Eve disbelieved God and His warnings, and believed the Enemy and their own reasoning above what He had said. And from that day to this – that inherent distrust of God, and disregard for His revelation is at the core of all human sin. And all that sin brings with it. Had our first parents believed Him, and ordered their lives in accordance with what He said – the Fall would never have happened.

So it is in salvation, we’re brought back to this most crucial place. Will we believe what He has said about our guilt, our sin, our impending judgment and the Gospel of the cross – of believing the revelation of Jesus’ substitutionary atonement and be reconciled to God by believing and obeying it? Or not?

This, is saving faith.

But note this from our Hebrews portion today. How God’s promissory covenants are for our sake, not His.

He, who cannot lie, who is infinitely holy, in order to cement His promises in our minds – makes overt covenants or promises. He swears to us. He doesn’t do this as a necessary part of His nature. His intention is sufficient. But because we are fallen, unbelieving and faithless, He confirms such promises with signs and seals, and makes covenants for us to bolster our faith. They are a concession, not a necessary mode of acting on His part.

He does more than just wait for us to believe as we ought – He steps forward, makes His promises and then swears an oath before us so that we might know that His promises are sure, and cannot be broken.

What does God want from you? To be believed. Nothing delights Him more.

This is why faith obtains all that God promises.

How amazing.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #116 – Sep. 14 / Answering too quickly

September 14th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

Have you ever had someone call you out on a trait of yours that really needs correcting? It happened to me at my ordination council. One of the wise men there to examine me said his biggest concern about me was that I was formulating answers before questions had even been fully asked. He was right. And his wise rebuke has stuck with me the nearly 40 years since. Positively I trust.

Based on that one would think our key passage today would be Prov. 27:6 – “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”. Instead it comes out of our reading in Proverbs 18 and specifically vs. 13: “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” And while that verse fits the scenario above, it also has another very important application.

I’m Reid Ferguson and we’ll think on that a bit more in a moment on Through the Word in 2020.

Luke 17:1–4; Song of Solomon 8:8–Isaiah 2:5; Hebrews 5:11–6:12 and Proverbs 18 are before us today. And I had a tough time deciding which passage to go to. But seeing it is all God’s Word and provision for us, I guess we can’t go too far wrong no matter which we choose. He is so good!

Now as I already mentioned, I have often been guilty of giving answers before I hear other parties out fully. It is a tendency in me – and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. We can want to be heard and understood, rather than to hear others and fully understand them.

Thinking about it even now makes me want to pray: “Father – Help me to Listen, listen, LISTEN! And forgive me for the way I do this.”

But we can err even here too. There is a flip side we dare not ignore. It comes home to us in our evangelism. And in this case, we need to guard those who hear us from giving an answer before THEY fully hear.

No doubt, this is the cause behind many a spurious conversion.

In other words, we need be sure those we speak to on behalf of Christ, understand as clearly as we can make it – just what exactly is being discussed.

Let us tell them and press home the essentials.

The reality of their condition in light of creation and the Fall. That their greatest need is not spiritual therapy, but forgiveness of sin – for their rebellion against God’s right to rule and reign over them as His creation.

That the world is in the state it is in because of God’s just judgment upon mankind. That all stand condemned apart from Christ.

The nature of grace and mercy being extended in this call to pardon; and what is meant by words like reconciliation, regeneration, sanctification and glorification.

The necessity and accomplishment of Jesus’ substitutionary atonement. Of justification by faith. Our guilt placed on Him so that His righteousness might be accounted to us by faith.

The implications of following Christ Jesus. That there is a cost to be counted. It might well cost them friends and family, and that they will be entering a perpetual battle against indwelling sin.

And the reality of balancing off our great hope in the coming Kingdom of Jesus against both the offers and the trials of this present world.

If they “believe” too quickly – without knowing the facts, it will end in shame.

We need to be clear on what this salvation we are telling them about really is. That we are calling them to turn from their idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

God willing friends, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #115 – Sep. 11 / Sin’s Inertia

September 11th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

It is the Author’s observation in Hebrews 3:7-5:10, that sin is so deceitful, and hardens the heart against the sweet motions of the Spirit so quickly, that we need daily exhortations to guard against it.

One doesn’t need to put butter in a blast chiller to get it to harden; they only need to remove it from any heat source. Just leave it alone.

This is how our souls are.

And that’s our topic today on Through the Word in 2020.

The other passages before us today are Psalm 119:105–112; Song of Solomon 5:2–8:7; Luke 16:18–31 and Proverbs 17. But it is the Hebrews portion that grabs my attention most this morning.

There is an inertia to our remaining sinfulness. Even nature teaches us that a “body at rest tends to stay at rest”. If it is not moved – it will not move. Simply left to themselves, not brought near to the flame, our hearts congeal and harden without any further influence. Time in the Word, time in prayer, exposing ourselves to spiritual matters from reliable sources which bring us before the throne of grace again to warm our hearts is a constant need; not some mere, perfunctory religious duty.

Beloved, find some time today, some place, to bring your heart near the flame of Christ’s loving grace and mercy so as to melt you afresh. It takes only the shortest amount of time for the hardness to begin settling in – for sin to deceive us that something else is more important, more necessary.

Sin deceives me into thinking I don’t need to intentionally engage my soul for Christ each day. The example of how the lampstand in the Tabernacle needed trimmed by the priests twice a day is a graphic lesson. Left alone, the flame would go out.

Sin deceives me into thinking some sins can be left alone and go unchallenged. They aren’t big enough to worry about.

Sin deceives me into thinking I can thrive as a Christian neglecting the Word, prayer, worship intentional obedience to Christ and blessing others.

Sin deceives me into excusing attitudes and actions that are contrary to the character of Christ as OK. That harshness, unkind words, slander, name-calling and constant complaining are just fine and dandy.

The text says to exhort one another every day while we are here in this regard.Consider this my attempt to exhort you. And if you can, encourage and challenge someone else to beware the deceitful and hardening tendency of indwelling sin. And if no one else – exhort yourself.

Beloved, don’t let the day go without some time spent drawing near to the throne of grace. Warm your own heart with a fresh visit to the Cross.

I am reminded of the strains of Fanny Crosby’s sweet hymn:

1 Jesus, keep me near the cross,

There a precious fountain;

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

Refrain:In the cross, in the cross

Be my glory ever,

Till my ransomed soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

2 Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the Bright and Morning Star

Shed His beams around me. [Refrain]

3 Near the cross! O lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o’er me. [Refrain]

4 Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever;

Till I reach the golden strand,

Just beyond the river. [Refrain]

Go get near the cross today.

I’m Reid Ferguson, and God willing, we’ll be back Monday.
Through the Word in 2020 #114 – Sep. 10 / All Things Considered

September 10th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

Anytime I leave on a trip, even a short one, there are always a few things I stop to consider. My precise destination – do I have the address? What route am I going to take? How much gas I’ll need. How much travel time I expect. How long I’ll stay at my destination. Accommodations. The usual stuff.

But what if your destination is Heaven? What things do you need to consider then?

Today’s text in Hebrews 3:1–6 addresses that very point. And so will we today on Through the Word in 2020.

I’m your host, Reid Ferguson.

Along with Hebrews we are also reading Song of Solomon 2:8–5:1; Proverbs 16 and Luke 16:1–17. And once again there is just so much to look at. Restricting ourselves to those 6 verses in Hebrews is hard – but are they ever rich.

The “therefore” in 3:1 is referring back to the previous 2 chapters, and amplifying some statements in 2:8 & 10. God doesn’t save us from our sins just to save us. He has an end in mind. One day, those redeemed by the blood of Christ will share in ruling over all creation with Him. He is in the process of “bringing many sons to glory.” The end of what 3:1 calls our “heavenly calling.” Our salvation isn’t just something which originates in Heaven, it is something which ends there. And not a Heaven like some imagine as a weird disembodied state floating around on clouds. Heaven as in the unveiling of God’s own presence and throne somehow also joined to a new earth – where we live with Him in a glorified and yet very real and material world.

Now if that’s where we are headed – and every Believer IS headed there- what are the things we should be considering for that journey?

Our text gives us 4, all centering around the person and work of Jesus.

“Consider” the verse says: Think about, mull over, meditate on, let your mind explore – Jesus. This is our great preparation.

1. Think about how He is the apostle of our faith. How He is the Word made flesh. The sum of God’s wisdom revealed. The truth of all things wrapped up in Him – who came to announce the great reconciliation. To declare to us with the very voice of God the forgiveness of sins and how we could be made right with God for eternity.

2. Consider Him as our Great High Priest. Keep mindful of His intercession for us. Of His sacrifice for us on the Cross. How His blood paid the price for our guilt and shame. How He has gone before us into the Heavens to prepare this place for us, and continues to pray for us, watch over us and bring us to Himself.

3. Consider how He was faithful in everything. How He carried out the Father’s will on our behalf to the tiniest degree, so that nothing is left over for us to do. How in His faithfulness to all of God’s commands, we have a full and free salvation.

4. Consider Him as having done all this not just as some servant or prophet – but as the very Son of God Himself. That the One who died for our sins is none other than God in human flesh. How more secure could our salvation be than to have been accomplished by God the Son Himself?

Keep considering Him.

The truth in Him so that you are not taken off course. Consider Him as seeing your salvation through to the end.

Consider Him as faithful, lest you think at any time this salvation wrought in His blood might fail to be sufficient for all your sins.

Consider how it is the 2nd member of the eternal, triune Godhead is the one who has purchased your salvation.

What great, eternal, divine love it is you are loved with.

Therefore holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling – consider Jesus.

And worship in joy.

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #113 – Sep. 9 / A Tempted Savior

September 9th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

Theologians like to argue things down to a fine point. If you’ve never heard of it, there is a debate over Christ’s impeccability. The question over whether or not Jesus could have sinned when He was incarnate.

One side argues that if He couldn’t have sinned, then His temptations meant nothing, and aren’t a source of comfort for us in our temptations.

The other side argues that if He could have sinned, you have one member of the Trinity sinning, and how could that be?

We won’t wade into that debate today. What we will observe are 2 things: 1 – He didn’t sin. That is far more important. And 2 – Scripture tells us in Hebrews 2:5-18 to look to Christ for help in our hour of temptation because He’s been there.

That’s enough for me.

I’ll let the egg-heads sort out the “what ifs?”

So we’ll take an oh so brief look today at Jesus’ help in our temptations on Through the Word in 2020. I’m Reid Ferguson.

Our whole slate of readings today include Luke 15:11-32, Ecclesiastes 12–Song of Solomon 2:7; Psalm 119:97–104; Hebrews 2:5–18 and Proverbs 15. If you can, on your own, linger long over the Hebrews portion sometime today. It is over the top with powerful realities in Christ.

But as I said, I want to focus on this one aspect of what’s revealed there. It’s put masterfully for us in vs. 18: “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

No matter how you resolve the impeccability debate, the reality is, Jesus WAS tempted. His temptations are something the text says He suffered. That His temptations were real and vexing. And that because He has been there, He is able to help you and me as we face our temptations.

And when I read that I am drawn to cry out – Praise God, praise God, praise God! What a wonderful Savior!And this – for 3 chief things:

1. Where is Christ when I am being tempted?

The text says – Standing ready and able to help.

2. Where is Christ when I have been tempted and failed to resist?

Standing ready and able to help.

3. Where is Christ when I am contemplating how to resist the next temptation?

Standing ready and able to help.Compassionate.

Understanding. Sympathetic. Equipping. Leading. Sustaining.

If we would only turn to Him at all times.

Where did Adam fail? He didn’t run TO God in his hour of temptation. Where I fail so often too.

And what did Adam do when he did fall? He ran FROM God. What I still am so prone to do when I fail.

What did Adam need to do going forward? Look to God as the One who would supply the sacrifice for his sin, clothe him in righteousness not his own, and promise the indwelling Spirit to illumine and strengthen in the days to come. Just what you and I need to do today.

If you are stinging from your latest failure, and fearing the next test – then repeat this verse over and over to yourself until it becomes a part of your uninterrupted thought process: Because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

He never forsakes His own.

What a Savior!

God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #112 – Sep. 8 / It’s Axiomatic

September 8th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

Yesterday being a holiday, there was no podcast. And so our reading list covers 2 days worth: Philemon 23–Hebrews 2:4; Psalm 119:89–96; Ecclesiastes 5–11:10; Luke 14:25–15:10; Proverbs 13–14.

Axioms.

One dictionary defines axioms as statements or propositions which are regarded as established, accepted or self-evidently true. Saying something like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west is – axiomatic. It doesn’t need proving. It is self-evident.

The framers of the Declaration of Independence wrote axiomatically when they began the 2nd paragraph with: “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” That all men are created equal and have certain rights. They believed that statement didn’t need proving, it was as plain as day to everyone.

The Bible is full of such axioms. It begins with one – perhaps the fountainhead of all axioms: “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.” It is so self-evident, the Bible never wastes a single letter on trying to prove it. And in Ecclesiastes 8:8, we encounter 3 axioms. 3 we do well to grasp and take to heart. For they help us understand and live in reality, as God knows it. Especially for the Christian.

I’m Reid Ferguson; you’re listening to Through the Word in 2020.

Axiom #1 from from Ecclesiastes 8:8 reads: “No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death.”

Man’s quest for immortality is a fool’s errand. Looking for serums, treatments and technologies to try and cheat death is a multi-billion dollar pipe dream. As Hebrews 9:27 reminds us “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”

We cannot escape it. Death will come to every one of us until Christ returns. There are no exceptions. Cryogenics, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cloning and all other such methods will not take away the very unavoidable reality that each of us dies because of the sin we share with Adam; and each and every one of us will have to stand before the judgment bar of God to give an account of ourselves on the last day.

Only for those in Christ are the terrors of death and judgment removed. For when by faith His righteousness is put on our account, even as our sin was placed upon Him on the Cross – death for the Believer becomes the an entrance to our everlasting reward, and His righteousness the basis upon our acceptance in the presence of the Living God.

That too is axiomatic. Or at least it should be.

Axiom #2: “There is no discharge from war.”

The Christian life is a battle, from the moment we are born again until the day we see Him face to face. We must be engaged in resisting the Devil’s lies, the World’s allurements to make power, possessions and pleasure the end-all, and dying to the desires of indwelling sin. There is no peace treaty to be made with any of these. There is no discharge, no being excused from this relentless battle.

Do not be thrown by that reality, nor overwhelmed by it. He has provided all we need to keep engaged up until the final victorious moment. And engaged we WILL be no matter what. Don’t imagine that war will end in this life or you will begin to grow weary in an unreal expectation.

Axiom #3: “Nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.”

No sin, no matter how pleasurable, how seemingly beneficial at the moment, no matter how seemingly valuable is worth it or actually provides freedom. Only slavery. No sin lived in, excused, tolerated or caved into is freeing. It will only find us damned.

We cannot cheat death or judgment. We cannot stop fighting sin. No sin will ever pay off the way it lies to us it will.

This is why we need a Redeemer.

This is why we need the saving work of Jesus Christ.

God willing Beloved, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 #111 – Sep. 4 / How Dare You Buy My Coffee!

September 4th, 2020

For the audio Podcast of this and every episode, find us on Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify or HERE

If you’d like to join us in our journey reading all the way through the Bible this year, drop me a line at reid.ferguson@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to email back a copy of the reading plan we are using.

Just the other morning I went through MacDonald’s drive through for a cup of coffee at the start of my day. As is more common now, there were 2 drive up lanes. I placed my order and started to move up. The car in the other lane finished well after me and then started to move forward too. I waved the other driver ahead, and fell into line behind them. To be honest, I was a little proud of myself at my magnanimous and truly selfless gesture of a whole 6 or 8 seconds given up to this stranger.

When I got to the window to pay, the cashier told me the car in front of you bought your coffee, enjoy your day. My well undeserved pride was instantly and justly crushed. I wanted to be the giver, not the receiver. Even if it was only a few paltry seconds. I wanted to think well of myself, not of them. Every sip of my delicious coffee was a bitter reminder of my pettiness. And a much needed reminder of the nature of saving grace. For we don’t even contribute a second’s worth toward our new life in Christ.

We’ll catch an oh so brief reminder of that for all of us today on Through the Word in 2020.

I’m Reid Ferguson. Thanks for joining us.

Luke 14:12–24; Ecclesiastes 2:18–4:16; Proverbs 12 and Philemon 8-22 comprise today’s reading block. And if you haven’t visited it in a while, the 25 verses of Paul’s letter to Philemon contain one of the most blessed expositions of saving grace to be found in the whole of the Word.

Weighing in at a whopping 335 words in the original, this tiny missive was probably the 1st century equivalent of a postcard. But it was big enough to do its job. It is a call, to a slave-owner, to take back his runaway slave who has become a Christian. And not just to take him back – but to do so without the slightest recriminations – even if he had stolen things when he ran away. More – it asks the man whose name the letter bears – to receive this errant servant back more like a family member.

So it portrays how it is God receives every sinner who believes, repents, and comes home. He does not ask us to make restitution to Him – He is content with Jesus’ satisfaction for all at Calvary. He does not receive us back as the wicked, run-away slaves we are, but as beloved sons and daughters. He does not hold us at arm’s length until we prove ourselves – He enfolds us in His loving arms and says “welcome home child.” This, is our salvation.

And it all hinges on vs. 18: “If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.” For that is in essence the same letter Jesus signed in His own blood to the Father – on our behalf. This is the glory of the Cross. For all that we have wronged the Father; for how we have robbed Him of the glory due to His name – Jesus had charged to His account at Calvary – that those who believe might be received by the Father even as Jesus Himself would be. To be received as much more than bondservants, and instead as beloved brothers to Christ Himself.

This, is the glory of the Gospel.

Let that cheer your weary soul today.

God willing, we’ll be back Monday.