ResponsiveReiding

Through the Word in 2020 – June 12 / A Most Profound Prayer

June 12th, 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 is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food – Amen.”

Raised in a Christian home, I had the privilege of being taught to pray early on. What I just quoted is the first prayer I remember being taught. Nearly 70 years later, it’s still a good prayer to pray. Tho I trust with less rote than when I first learned it. Little did I know then the true depth and theological significance of those 14 little words. That’s our topic today on Through the Word in 2020.

We’ve talked before about the amazing economy of words the Bible often uses. One case in point is part of our reading for today – Psalm 100. It comes to us along with 2 Kings 6:24–8:15; Ephesians 1:1–2; and Mark 15:21–32.

The structure of the Psalm is simple:

Vss. 1-2 are a call to worship the Lord with gladness.

vs. 3 offers 3 reasons for that activity:

a. Because the Lord we serve is God. Supreme. Holy. The Creator.

b. Because He made us! We are not cosmic accidents. You and me, each one of us exists because God determined it was wisest and best and most pleasing to Him for us to be a part of His universe. He personally decided you should personally – be.

c. Because as made by Him and for Him, He takes personal responsibility for us. He sees to it our needs are met like a gentle and loving shepherd. We aren’t just out here in life flapping in the breeze. We are His.

vs. 4 – Contemplating those realities, and we DO need to stop and actually let those things sink in – for once they do – they incite us to worship again.

Which brings us to vs. 5 and the simple prayer I was first taught at the supper table.

In vs. 3 – we contemplated God’s greatness, but in vs. 5 we are brought to see He is not just great – but He is good. A good God whose steadfast love endures forever. And whose faithfulness – His inviolable commitment to see all of His promises come to pass – extends to all generations. Time is no enemy to His bringing every promise to pass. No place is that more perfectly demonstrated than in Christ’s atoning death for our sins, finally coming to pass after its first being promised in Genesis 3.

And here is the great lesson in all of this: No matter what we are facing today, globally, personally, nationally, physically, circumstantially – our God is great. Greater than all. Greater than all of them put together. He is more than sufficient for all we need. Greater than all that threatens us. Our God dear one – is GREAT! Not small. Not ineffective. Not distant. Not disinterested. Not unaware. Our God is great.

But if He were great, and not also good – His greatness might not mean very much. But He is not only great – He is GOOD. James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

There is no defect in Him. No shortcoming. Nothing dark, nefarious or evil in the slightest way. He is good. All good. Infinitely, absolutely, unchangeably holy, and just and righteous and good. And He can do His loved ones no harm in any way.

When you sit for breakfast or lunch or dinner today – take a few moments to bow your head. And seeing the provision in front of you – stop and consider: Your food is there to eat, and you are there to eat it – because your God is great. And your God is good. Thank Him for that food.

In that simple prayer – Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name.

I’m Reid Ferguson. And God willing, we’ll be back next Monday.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 11 / Conspiracies – Human and Divine

June 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.

As we seem (hopefully) to be entering the winding down phase of the current pandemic – there seems to be NO winding down of theories regarding the entire affair being a conspiracy. And at that, one of epic proportions. A Chinese / Globalist / Republican / Democrat / Big Pharma / Anti-Church / One-World-Government / Russian / Bill Gates and George Soros / demonic conspiracy. One so large; so complex; so multinational and all pervasive – that in truth, you and I must be the only ones not in on it. And I’m not all that sure about you!

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

3 passages lie before us today: Mark 15:6–20; 2 Kings 4:18–6:23; Galatians 6. And the 2nd Kings portion finds the King of Syria pretty sure there is a conspiracy afoot to undermine his regime. He was right. And, he was wrong.

He thought he was being betrayed by a good old fashioned coup – and the conspiratorial intrigue that required. He had absolutely no idea he was the target of a Divine conspiracy. And while so many today are occupied with the human conspiracies we theorize about in the entire Covid-19 event, we just might be better served to consider the invisible and Divine conspiracy that is in full swing as Christ and the angelic host hasten us toward the overthrow of every human governmental system on earth. All culminating in the final, cosmic reign of Jesus Christ.

As the narrative unfolds, we find Elisha’s servant, probably Gehazi, overwhelmed when he sees the “great army” the King of Syria had sent to take he and Elisha captive for their subversion. It’s then that Elisha tells him not to be afraid of this army, because “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then he prays that the servant’s eyes would be opened to see how the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around them. A vast, angelic host.

Now Christian, no matter what current conspiracies may or may not be afoot, no matter how vast, how complex, how ruthless and vicious they may be: Listen to the words of old John Newton in a letter to a friend on this very passage: “We are often cast down to think how few there are who worship God in spirit and in truth; and are ready to complain, with Elijah, that we are almost left to serve him alone. But Jesus is not slighted and despised in yonder world as he is in this. If, like the servant of Elisha, our eyes were supernaturally opened, to take a glance within the veil, what a glorious and astonishing prospect would the innumerable host of angels afford us! Then we should be convinced, that, far from being alone, there are unspeakably more for us than against us. Faith supplies the want of sight; is the evidence of things not seen; and, upon the authority of the word of God, is as well satisfied of their existence and employment, as if they were actually in our view.”

The Works of the John Newton, vol. 1 420–421.

And so it is. Even now.

Heavenly Father, give me, give all of your servants the eyes of faith. Make us to see the truth of your loving care and provision in the most dire circumstances. Remind us that Jesus’ words that He would never leave us nor forsake us were not hyperbole, but a divine promise. Make us to know it, to trust you, and to live in the reality of your great grace.

Let that sink into your soul today Believer.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 10 / Warning! Adult language!

June 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.

Adult language. It’s a warning often flashed on the screen before certain television shows and movies. It usually refers to either foul or sexual language. But a Biblical view of adult language is an entirely different story. We’ll talk about that today on Through the Word in 2020. I’m Reid Ferguson.

2 Kings 2:1-4:17, Psalm 99, Galatians 5 and Mark 14:66 -15:5 round out our reading plan for today. And the scene set before us where Peter denied Jesus 3 times is as powerful and tragic as it is familiar. He denied his relationship to Jesus by feigned obfuscation: “I neither know nor understand what you mean”; straight up denial of knowing Jesus at all; and then by taking an oath or swearing that he didn’t know Him. His swearing wasn’t necessarily what we might mean by using foul language, and yet it was language directly crafted to make him stand apart from being a follower of The Christ. It was language which identified him with the bystanders, rather than with Jesus. So while this passage is not meant as a polemic against foul language per se, yet it is instructive in that regard.

How is it, what is the mechanism by which Peter wishes to demonstrate to those accusing him of belonging to Jesus that he is not? Cursing and swearing.

This mode of language is one of the most identifiable traits of those in the world – of those who are not Christ’s. At least it was so in Jesus’ day and culture. But I wonder if it is not also true today? And I wonder if we take note of how easily we pick up the distinguishing marks of those outside of Christ in the adoption of words and phrases that link us more readily with the world, than with Him.

The language of Jesus is blessing, not cursing. It is speaking the truth, not lying. It is in affirming Gospel realities, not seeking to dodge discovery of Christ. It is ennobling. It is not crude.

Perhaps the common tag line of today: “what say you?” ought to be – “how say you?” Does your speech betray the reality of one bought by the blood of the Lamb and redeemed from the trench of lostness? Or does it share more in common with the culture? Are we full of cursing, invective, vitriol and denial? Of gutter language? Or that from the streets of Heaven? Full of blessing, honoring, love and affirmation of Christ?

What tell-tale signs have crept into our daily vocabulary – that prove we are identifying more with the world than Christ? What words and phrases might we use in ordinary conversation that would never pass our lips in the Church? And are we not duplicitous in this regard?

It is something to consider. Especially when it comes to disagreements and public discourse. When conversing with family, friends, on Facebook – and even when discussing – dare I say it? – politics. Col. 4:6 – “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Maybe before you hit “send” to post that next comment, or reply to that email – stop and pray with David: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in YOUR sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

I wonder just how much raucous rhetoric Jesus delights in? Don’t get me wrong – we are to be those who speak the truth about matters. All matters. Civil. Political. Social. Personal and spiritual. But we are also commanded to do so – in love. Eph 4:15 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”

That beloved, is – adult language. Language that betrays our growth in grace and the image of Christ.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 9 / Wanting to know too much?

June 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.

There’s a curious phenomenon which occurs among those who seriously desire to know God and His will. It is seeking out secret knowledge about what to do in life. The impulse to know and do what is right and pleasing in God’s sight, can only be right. And yet, in our zeal, we can actually find ourselves robbed of the very thing we seek. More on that today as we continue Through the Word in 2020.

Mark 14:53-65; Galatians 4:21-31 and 1 Kings 22:13-2 Kings 1:18 round out our reading for today. And I would point your attention to something repeated twice in 2 Kings 1 in vss. 3 & 16: “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?” A rhetorical question put to Ahaziah, King of Israel by the prophet Elijah.

Now the King was an idol worshiper. He was not following the God of Israel at all. And yet, even though he had abandoned it, serving the True God and not the false gods of the pagans was his heritage. A heritage he had set aside. He WAS religious mind you. He was no atheist. And finding himself seriously ill, he wanted some kind of supernatural guidance for what to do next. But instead of seeking God – The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of his forefathers – he sought out the false god of a pagan nation – Baal-zebub: Literally, the Lord of the Flies.

Here’s the point: When we either neglect or reject the revelation God has already made in His Word, we will find ourselves running to additional sources, to any source, to try and get the answers we seek. Which is in fact a two-fold problem: 1st It neglects or rejects God. It finds us failing to really do the hard work to understand what God HAS revealed already. 2nd, it fails to take into account that God in His perfect wisdom, has answered the questions which REALLY need answered, and not necessarily the ones we want answered. It calls us to examine whether or not we’re asking the right questions.

So we might pose this passage to ourselves another way: Is it because there is no God that we seek the counsel of Psychics, Astrologers, Spiritualists, political prognosticators, motivational speakers, Prophets, and gurus both religious and secular?

Is it possible that we are so preoccupied with what God hasn’t revealed, that we are actually ignoring what He already has? As Deuteronomy 29:29 says:

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Even sincere Christians can overlook the fact that as you read the Bible narrative, the more God revealed and had codified in in its pages, the less He revealed supernaturally to individuals. It is not a sign of spirituality that one seeks “a word from the Lord” – but a sign that we’ve stepped aside from what He has revealed, to try and dig into what He hasn’t. And that ought to indicate to us that we’re a bit off course. Perhaps placing importance on things that aren’t nearly as important as what He has considered important by putting it in His Word. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV) — 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

If living the life of Christ’s righteousness is my goal – He’s given me what I need in His Word. If my goal is something else that Scripture doesn’t address, either directly or in principle – maybe I need a different goal.

I’m Reid Ferguson – and God willing, we’ll be back again tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 8 / Grace for The Humble

June 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.

King Ahab was the worst of the worst. Part of our reading today, 1 Kings 20:26-22:12 contains this description: (25-26) “There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.”

And yet, just 4 verses later God shows remarkable compassion on this man. What are we to make of it? We’ll consider that in today’s installment of Through the Word in 2020. I’m your host Reid Ferguson.

Along with our reading in 1 Kings today, we also have Psalm 98, Mark 14:43-52 and Galatians 4:1-20. But it is God’s dealing with Ahab that draws my attention today. As already mentioned, The Bible makes it abundantly clear that few within its pages lived as dissolute and a sinful life in conscious rebellion against God as did this man Ahab. Petty, petulant, egotistical, immature, greedy, foolish and spineless.

I find it all the more amazing then that God deals so patiently with him when he humbles himself before God in the aftermath of having been told how God will judge him.

And here is a very great lesson: No matter how wicked the man, God honors the humbling of oneself.

Other issues aside, this is why things like AA work even though sobriety itself is not salvation. The Creator responds to the Sons of Adam humbling themselves – period. As I said, it isn’t salvation, but it is a demonstration of His exceeding goodness toward us.

Christians often forget that every human being still has a Creator/creature relationship with God even if they have not been reconciled to Him in the blood of Christ and been made His children. They are still responsible to Him. And He, in untold grace and mercy deals graciously with all men when they respond by acting in ways that are more in line with His overall framework for life in this world.

Pride, arrogance and hubris are things God hates in a special manner. And humility, something He honors in a special manner. Even among the lost. How much more then within the Church? And it is why the Church especially must be on guard against braggarts, self-promoters, status seekers and blowhards. They are met with special resistance by God. As James 4:6 says “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” And this is true both within the Church and outside of it – in the public realm.

But look once again at how God responds to someone – even like Ahab, when they humble themselves. It’s a miracle to behold. And wouldn’t it behoove us then to pray for such humbling in our leadership today? Both inside and outside the Church?

America needs revival. A renewal of God’s Spirit drawing men and women to Himself for salvation. Which always requires the humbling of oneself in owning their sin, helplessness and need of a Savior. Revival which stirs professing Christians again to humbly seek God with all their might. Rejecting material prosperity or political power as either means or goals. And what we might even call a secular revival. A wave of humility which drives even those outside of Christ to see that we are helpless to change the human condition by all of our plans, schemes and machinations.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So how will you respond to the challenges of this present age? Socially, spiritually, or even personally in wrestling with your own sin? With mere rage, grit and reaction? Or humbly crying out to God to do what only He can do?

If you would have more grace, humble yourself. And watch.

Meditate on that today Christian.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 5 / Asking the Right Question

June 5th, 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.

When I was being ordained into the Ministry – I had to sit before an ordination council. One of those on that council, a seasoned pastor, warned me about a tendency I displayed. He said that I tended to formulate some of my answers even before the questions had been fully asked. He was right. It has stuck with me in the nearly 40 years since. But as I read today’s account of Peter in
Mark 14:26-42, I find I’m in pretty good company. We both share a similar trait: Thinking more about ourselves, than what is really going on. And so jumping to answers before we fully understand the questions.

More about that in a minute on Through the Word in 2020. I’m Reid Ferguson.

Galatians 3:15-29; 1 Kings 19:1-20:25 and Mark 14:26-42 form our reading list for today. Once again I wish I had the time to note something out of all 3, but will have to content myself with an observation in Mark.

Have you ever been in a discussion on the Scriptures or a Bible study where the first question asked is: “What does this passage mean to you?” I have. And it feeds into the tendency in myself that I mentioned in my opening. It’s getting things out of order. Answering before we really know the question – or all the facts. Putting the proverbial cart in front of the horse that’s supposed to be pulling it. In truth, we can’t really answer what any given passage OUGHT to mean to us, until we know what it means – period.

How does this fit with Peter in Mark? Well, Jesus tells His disciples that all of them are going to fall away when He, the Shepherd – will be struck down, cited from Zechariah 13:7. He goes on to add that after He is raised up – He will go into Galilee before they think to go there, and He will meet them there.

But what does Peter respond to? Not that Jesus will be struck down in fulfillment of Scripture. And not what Jesus could possibly mean by His being “raised up.” These massive truths with all of their eternal implications get totally swept aside, because Peter fixed on what this all meant to HIM! And he wanted to answer the question about his falling away from Jesus, before he even knew the implications of the 2 revelations Jesus had just made. How like me. And maybe, how like you.

In this moment, Peter needed to stop, take a breath, and before trying to arrive at what this all meant to him – inquire as to what all that Jesus just said – meant. Period. His understanding of Jesus’ prediction of the Disciple’s being scattered, and his foolish bravado claiming that even if everyone else did, HE wouldn’t – displayed that he had no concept at all of what was really about to take place. How then, could he possibly assert – with any truth or clarity, what Jesus’ words meant to him? He couldn’t. More, he couldn’t know what this meant FOR him – which is a far different question than what it meant TO him. He jumped the gun. He got it all out of order. Because he was the center, and not Christ.

Our point in all of this? In our reading and study of God’s Word, we must be careful students. We must apply ourselves to knowing what is being said, by whom, to whom, under what circumstances and in context if we are going to read, understand and rightly apply it. Before we can ever truly say: “This is what this passage means FOR me”, rather than just what it means TO me. We must get Christ in the center of it all before we can know the truth, and not just some isolated facts.

Think about that today Christian as you read God’s Word. It will transform your study.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back Monday.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 4 / Grasping the New Covenant

June 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.

Sometimes the Word of God packs a whole lot of theology into a very few words. That is certainly the case in Galatians 3:10-14. We can only scratch the surface here – but these 5 verses deserve a lot of our attention. As do 1 Kings 17:8-18:46; Mark 14:22-25 and Psalm 97.

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

A perennial problem for Believers today, is the failure to really grasp how different our situation is this side of the Cross, from those who lived before Christ’s incarnation and the inauguration of the New Covenant.

The Christian MUST see themselves as under an entirely New Covenant or agreement with God, other than that of the OT Jewish believer. And while these covenants share certain common features, they are truly different from one another. The key change is a shift from an external code to govern life, to the restoration of life itself. A new birth to bring us to love righteousness and hate sin the way God does – naturally (i.e. according to His nature). The creation in us of a new man – empowered by the Holy Spirit. This is something the Law cannot, could not, ever do.

So it is, in vs. 12, we are reminded that the Law is a simple statement of fact. Faith however, believes the promise of Christ in the Gospel. The Law says “do this and you will die” – and it is effective whether one believes the law or not. The wages of sin IS death – to all. But the Gospel is NOT merely a simple statement of fact in the same way. One must believe the Gospel, must embrace it by faith in order for its power to be theirs in salvation. We can’t explore here how faith is wrought in the heart, that’s revealed in Romans 10:17 – but this consideration is simply that living by faith (or under grace) is contrasted to living under the Law. The law also said “do this and you will live” – which the physical life and material prosperity obedience to the Low promised were but shadows of the spiritual life and prosperity that belongs to those who come into the “obedience of faith” as it is called in Romans 1:5 & 16:26.

Vs. 13 says that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law. Not that the Law itself was a curse – but that Jesus has delivered us from the penalty or the curse violating the Law brings upon us. He has delivered us from certain and eternal death – to be reconciled to the Father through faith.

Then lastly, in vs. 14, he brings us back to our first observation: The very purpose of our being grafted into the blessings of Abraham, is so that we can receive the promise of the indwelling Spirit of Christ Jesus.

The presence, the power, the influence and the privilege of the fullness of the indwelling Spirit of Christ – THIS, is what He has saved us for. This is the promise of the New Covenant which was only hinted at in the Old. The Spirit was there in those days, but not in His fullness as He has been since Pentecost. Just as Christ made appearances in Old Testament times, but was not here in fullness until the incarnation.

God has given us His Spirit that we might walk with Him, know Him, enjoy and experience Him far beyond what we might have imagined. This is the glory and the wonder of what belongs to us under this New Covenant. And how we need to walk in the reality of it more and more until Christ comes. He, the Spirit, is our foretaste of Heaven, if we will look to Him as such.

Think on that today Christian.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 3 / What God hasn’t said.

June 3rd, 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.

There is no question that some of the things Jesus said or did, are difficult to completely understand. One such case is to be found in our readings to day in the Gospel of Mark. But even then, there are still valuable lessons we can come away with. We’ll look at two of those today as we keeping reading Through the Word in 2020.

I’m Reid Ferguson, and our 3 sections for reading today come from Galatians 2:15-3:9; 1 Kings 15:33-17:7 and Mark 14:10-21. .

As the preaching and teaching ministry of Jesus is coming to a close, it is also nearing the time of the 3rd Passover to be celebrated during His ministry. In preparation for that celebration, and keeping with Jewish law and custom, Jesus charges 2 of His disciples to secure a location for the Passover meal. But He does it in an unusual manner.

Jesus tells the 2 to go into Jerusalem, where they will be met by a man carrying a jar of water. They were to follow this fellow and whatever house he entered, that’s where they should approach the master or owner of that house, and tell him that “The Teacher” – wants to know where the guest room is where He can eat the Passover with His disciples. And that the owner will show them a large room all ready to go.

So they went, and everything unfolded as Jesus said it would.

Now the question that strikes me is this: Why did Jesus use this method? Why make them look for the man carrying the jar of water? Why follow him? Why not just give them the address or the name of the master of the house? Why all the seemingly unnecessary details and mechanics?

And here is the first lesson which it is good for us to glean. Certainly it would have been good for the Disciples. But it is for you and me as well.

Doesn’t this demonstrate – and isn’t it good for us to know that all of God’s purposes are carried out by MEANS and not though independent miracles? We can be so wrapped up in looking for signs and wonders and miracles, that we can forget to recognize Him as Lord over the mundane. That He is Lord over all things as much as when He acts miraculously. He is Lord over the ordinary, and not just “the Church”.

The everyday circumstances of your life and mine are as much under His notice and part of His plan as if He made vocal and public pronouncements about each detail. And we, like the man with the pitcher of water, and the house owner, are usually oblivious to it all. And yet He is working His will through us, and all around us.

Second, there is the much needed lesson we need to learn that some things – like this account – may not be answerable at all. We must be humble enough to stop where the revelation of God does, and not NEED to pry past our need to obey.

In other words, Jesus did it this way because it was wisest and best in His sight. That should be enough for us. Faith is trust in His character, so that even when we cannot attach a direct understanding of why He precisely does what He does – we can be fully at rest.

We have an almost insatiable need to have God explain Himself to us. There is no sin in desiring to know more. But there is also a time to stop inquiring – and it is where He has stopped revealing. To rest in HIM, more than in what we think we need to know. To avoid guesses and speculations – and instead live in the truth He HAS given, rather than worrying about what He hasn’t.

Thank on that today Christian. And trust Him.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 2 / A Message for The World

June 2nd, 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.

We’re not in Acts 17 today, but rather in 1 Kings 14:19-15:32; Galatians 2:11-14; Mark 14:1-9 and Psalm 96. And yet, Psalm 96 and Paul’s address on Mars Hill have so much in common – one might think the same author was behind them both. That is the wonder of the unity of the Bible, having been inspired by the same Holy Spirit throughout. And we’ll look at that today on Through the Word in 2020. I’m your host, Reid Ferguson.

God’s people have a commission in Psalm 96:10. A message for all men. It is part and parcel with the Gospel. We have a command to proclaim it to the nations. To publish 3 things. 3 things Paul also majored on in his address in Acts 17.

1st. The Lord reigns. God is indeed sovereign. Man is not. Man is morally responsible for his self-determined actions, and yet there is a God who rules over all. Chaos does not reign. Evil doesn’t reign. Nor do randomness, politicians, tyrants, movements, pandemics or anything else. The Church needs to proclaim to itself – and to the World at large – as our text says: “Say among the nations, The Lord reigns.” They need to know the source of the Christian’s hope and confidence in troubled and uncertain times.

2nd. The earth shall never be moved. Man’s notion that he can destroy this world is nothing but fallen hubris. Another attempt at man declaring himself to be God. He is not. This is God’s world and it will remain until He is done with it. Yes, we will be responsible for failed stewardship of it. Yes, we need to pay attention to disasters we may bring upon ourselves through the misuse and abuse of this present earthly home. But do not imagine we can do so to the utter thwarting of God’s plans, nor the negation of His promises. Because God established the earth for His purposes, it shall never be moved until His purposes for it are finished.

3rd. He WILL judge the nations with equity. There is a judgment coming. Everyone will give an account for themselves, by the standard of God’s own righteousness. Russia and everyone in it will be judged. China and everyone in it will be judged. North Korea and everyone in it will be judged. Sweden and everyone in it will be judged. The United States and everyone in it will be judged. No nation, no person will escape.

Are you ready? For in that day, the question will not be – as we hear so often today “were you on the right side of history?” as we imagine it and as moral (or immoral) movements ask. It will be, “have you been reconciled to the God of all the universe through the substitutionary atonement His Son made for sin on Calvary?” Have you “you turned to God from 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?” 1 Th 1:9–10.

If not, your eternity will be the issue, not the 70 or so years you thought were the end-all here. Not your profession of what you believe, or think or imagine – but where you stand in relation to the Living God – either in Christ, or in your sin.

Turn to Him today.

Psalm 96:11–13 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

That’s something to consider.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Through the Word in 2020 – June 1 / You do not know

June 1st, 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.

Are you confused when it comes to Bible prophecy and the return of Jesus? Join the crowd. Go into any Christian bookstore, or YouTube, and you will find more teachers, theories, “revelations”, dreams and prognostications than you can count. Go to Amazon and search on the term “Bible Prophecy” and you’ll get over 7,000 returns – never mind using other terms like “End times,” “The Anti-Christ”, and others.

Rather than wasting your time wading though the ocean of opinions – digesting Jesus’ words in the 5 verses we’re reading today in Mark 13:32-37 will set you in much better stead.

I’m Reid Ferguson, and we’ll have more about that in a moment on today’s edition of Through the Word in 2020.

Besides our Mark passage today, we also have Galatians 2:1-10 and 1 Kings 12:16-14:18. And a curious connection between Mark and 1 Kings.

Bible prophecy is one of those topics that not only stimulates our curiosity, for some, the need to try and tease out every detail of Jesus’ return and the events which may (or may not) surround it, have spawned more books, sermons and sadly – speculations – than can fully be digested. There is no question the Bible speaks clearly and emphatically that Jesus WILL return. That doctrine is central to Christianity itself. But prying beyond what is plainly revealed and is even warned against by Jesus Himself has led to movements, outlooks, failed guesses and even harm to many throughout the centuries.

Let’s be very clear here – in Mark 13:32-35 Jesus cannot make it any more plain than He does: “But concerning that day or that hour, NO ONE KNOWS.” (vs. 32) “You DO NOT KNOW” (vs. 33). “You DO NOT KNOW” (vs. 35). And one wonders, what part of “You DO NOT KNOW” do we have have trouble understanding? And why then do we spend outrageous time and effort trying to prove Jesus wrong?

Now the problem here is much like the one of the man of God in 1 Kings. He knew full well what God had told him about not eating and drinking after his mission. But someone came along and said they had had an angelic visitation – had new revelation that modified what he knew full well God had already said. And the end of that was tragic.

So, what about end times? “You DO NOT KNOW.” Neither do I. Neither does anyone else. And no one will have any new revelation or insight that will go beyond Jesus’ words. No matter how scholarly, how logical, how intriguing, how Biblical or spiritual sounding. We will not know beyond He has said.

And what He DID say was this: “STAY AWAKE”. Watch. Pursue His Kingdom and His righteousness. Watch, expect, and order your life toward His return. And when He comes – you won’t be able to miss it. Jesus told us that “as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in His day.” You won’t be able to miss it if you never read a single book on End Times Prophecy.

I am always amused by those who’s study of end times convinces them of certain things like the rise of a one-world government. And rail against as though they can stop it. If it has been prophesied as they believe – then what it the point?

You can’t make it happen sooner, and you can’t prevent it. None of the things He has said must come to pass can be averted. And no secret code, no revelation or dream can alter it in the least. We can’t know.

But we CAN stay awake.

Muse on that today Christian. And look for Him.

God bless. And God willing, we’ll be back tomorrow.