October 7, 2015

OCTOBER 7

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

In reading the entire Bible, you could get the idea that there is a lot of negativity going on. Obviously there is the constant testimony of God's love and His ongoing work to rescue and redeem mankind, but there is still a lot of judgment. We see it in the prophets, in The Psalms and in the warnings of Proverbs. Then too, we see a lot of caution and commands in the NT to stay awake and not live like when we were lost.

The overwhelming sense we have from the Lord is that this planet is under judgment. Judgment will come. As disciples we know the mercy of Christ and follow Him knowing that the time is drawing to an end. Clouds are building on the horizon for every person, and eventually for the world itself. A time for judgment has been set, for each individual and also for all who are on the earth when the Tribulation begins. When Jesus sent out His disciples, their simple gospel was that the kingdom was coming, that men should turn to God (repent) and come to Christ. The kingdom implies both judgment and joy. It depends on knowing God.

The constant sense of judgment in Scripture is to keep the mature focused and alert. It is reality. A disciple hungers now and weeps now for the world. It is a choice, because what is happening now is urgent and it is coming to an end. Yet, it doesn't weigh us down as we work in the harvest because of the love the Holy Spirit has poured into our hearts. Knowing our Lord brings joy. Seeing new life in Christ brings joy. Seeing those new disciples going out and making disciples, who make disciples, brings joy. And then comes the party.

Jeremiah 8:8-9:26

Jeremiah 8:8-22

Vs. 8-12 God takes aim again at the leaders of Judah.

V. 11 This is the second time God has said this about the leaders. You will notice that the image of a wound or incurable sickness will come up again and again.

V. 13 I wonder if Jesus had this in mind when He cursed the fig tree?

Vs. 14-15 The people are running for shelter. Tragically they will call out for help, but it will be too late. God is telling them to turn to Him now.

Vs. 16-17 The coming judgment. Dan was the northernmost tribe, and trouble almost always came from the north.

Vs. 18-22 This seems like the lament of God and of Jeremiah. There is no joy on God's part in punishing the rebellious. We have seen how patient God is. His patience is to give us time to respond to Him.

V. 22 The ironic and tragic truth is that there was a cure but the people didn't choose it.

Jeremiah 9

Vs. 1-2a are Jeremiah's thoughts. This is another example of why he is called the Weeping Prophet. It really must have been tragic seeing the people refusing to follow God and then seeing them punished.

Vs. 2b-6 This is God's charge against the people. Notice that twice it says they refused to know God. Knowing God is not new to the New Testament. It really goes right back to Adam and Eve, and it has always been the basis of saving faith. In the process of not knowing God, they had become corrupt toward each other.

Vs. 7-11 Look at I will. This is God mapping out His plan of action.

Vs. 12-16 This is like God pleading His case why He has to do this. Notice the call for the wise man.

Vs. 17-22 The Lord's punishment of the people. It appears that the women are called on to lead the mourning.

Vs. 23-26 Again, who is the wise man? That would be v. 24. This sounds a little like those first two chapters of 1 Corinthians. Notice how steadfast love, justice, and righteousness are fused together. Notice too that the true measure of a person is understanding and knowing the Lord. It reminds me again that what we are really asking people to do is to know the Lord. It is a personal relationship, not a religious tradition and lifestyle. Knowing Christ is what sets us free.

Colossians 3:1-17

Where Ephesians has six chapters, three that magnify God's grace and three telling us how to live that grace, Colossians has four chapters with the same breakdown. Chapters 1-2 talk about the greatness of salvation in Christ, and now we are entering the application of how to live that truth.

Vs. 1-4 There is an old critical motto that says some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. That isn't what Paul or God is saying here; in fact, the real point here is that if you are too earthly minded you are no earthly good. Based on all of what God has done in Christ alone, our minds, hearts and lives should be captivated and empowered by that truth.

It is interesting that Paul talks about setting our minds on things above. Paul had actually, literally, been there. You can imagine that when things became hard for him, he could close his eyes and remember what he had seen and remember how that was so much more powerful than anything he was facing. That is what is meant for us too. We have the Word and the Spirit, and by faith we can see and live beyond this earth. This is why it is important for us to be in the Word every day, to keep our vision of God fresh and our understanding of His love, grace and justice in balance.

We're here reading these verses, but you have read so much more. Think of what you've read in the OT, and in the Gospels, Acts, and Romans up to here. Based on all of that, how should you live? What kind of joy should you have in life? How should you invest as a disciple in the harvest? If it could "grasp" us, it would change us. The reality is that as disciples we need to be constantly reading and allowing God's Word to remake us.

Vs. 5-11 God's judgment is coming. God's truth saved us and changes us. God opens our eyes. Jesus sets us free. Some of this sounds very similar to Ephesians. I would mention again that loving one another as disciples isn't just a command to be nice to mankind generally. We are called to love all people as God loves them. But the bond in Christ is for that group who are sent into the world by their Savior to bear witness to His work on the cross for mankind. As those saved, who are working together in the harvest, behind enemy lines, we are to cherish our relationships and have a special love for one another. Take away the harvest, and we are just being nice to each other for some general reason.

Vs. 12-17 Here it is. We are God's chosen ones, bearing His message to a dying world. Our group is supposed to reflect the oneness that each of us has with Christ Himself. The entire church is supposed to be unified in our Lord and His grace and His mission. Notice the commands to put on, and let. All of this centers on Jesus and allowing His Word to dwell in us richly.

There is a lot to grasp and absorb in these verses. It'll take a lifetime. Beyond what we learn or are taught, there has to be a very innocent sense of wonder and gratefulness in what Jesus means to us. That's why a believer with a Bible, yet without an education, in a poor third world country can have a closer relationship to Jesus than any of us, with all our blogs, books and programs. It is a matter of heart and devotion and wonder.                            

Psalm 78:32-55

V. 32 This is the bridge from the last section (yesterday) into today. Tomorrow will be the same as we get into the next section of Psalm 78. Today will end on a high note, but v. 56 will bring in the sad reality of how they acted.

Vs. 33-36 So God punished them, then they repented and remembered God. This is the cycle seen in the book of Judges. The tragedy was that they remembered God less and less every time they got into trouble.

Vs. 36-37 They only came back to God enough to help themselves and get some relief. Just like us.

Vs. 38-41 It is interesting that they forgot God, but in God's mercy He remembered the depth of their helplessness in sin. In spite of their sin, God still had compassion on them. And He shows us this same grace and forgiveness.

Vs. 42-55 Specifically, Israel did not remember how God rescued them from Egypt. Notice that vs. 42-43 set up the context of the deliverance from Egypt. Then in vs. 44-51, underline He to see all that God did for them. In v. 52 you have the deliverance, and in 53-55 the fulfillment of His promises to them and their fathers.

Remembering God's goodness and blessing to us is a constant theme in The Psalms, and just a good thing to do when times are tough. So after all of this deliverance and blessing, what did the people do? Tune in tomorrow for the rest of the story.

Proverbs 24:27

Good advice.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link ^{http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/.} If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

If you would like a complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find it in my book:  Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to ^{dgkachikis@gmail.com.}

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to ^{https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.} You can download these to use on your computer or to print.

October 6, 2015

OCTOBER 6

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

Jeremiah 6:15-8:7

If you notice the way the verses are laid out in chapters 1-6, most of it appears to have been prophecy given in a declarative fashion. Looking at 6:27-30, you have a sense that God's commissioning of Jeremiah is now complete. In those verses, God is stating for Jeremiah one of His purposes among the people. It seems then that all of chapters 1-6 were during the time of Josiah, probably before Josiah's revival. Chapter 7 will be the first sermon that Jeremiah preaches, and we'll see, without needing anyone to tell us when this happened, it was definitely after Josiah's death. The sermon is reporting, in real time, what the people were actively involved in.

I'm saying this all just to help you understand a little how to look for clues that give you some order of events and where there are changes. Remember to keep underlining phrases that recur or connections between words if they stand out to you. An easy phrase to begin with is thus says the Lord.

Jeremiah 6:15-30

V. 15 The lack of shame isn't just rebellion; it had now become something they were unable to do. Worshiping idols and doing bad stuff was the new normal for them. But God's perspective of reality is the only one that counts. Jesus said that if the light in man became darkness, that darkness would be great. And so it was, and is.

Vs. 16-17 As a result of the lack of shame in v. 15, God tried to reason with them. Do you notice the dialog here?

Vs. 18-20 This is why God was bringing the punishment on them. Notice that even the nations were being called upon to take note of this judgment. I have the sense that when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the temple years later, he fully understood that he was fulfilling God's judgment on these people.

Vs. 21-26 There are two separate punishments here, each introduced with thus says the Lord. How would you describe these? The first was internal; the second was external. The nation would rot from within, and a nation from without would destroy some and take others captive.

Vs. 27-30 This is how God will use Jeremiah in the lives of these people in the history of this nation. Sometimes God uses us this same way and we have to accept it as His assignment for us.

Jeremiah 7

You have to get to vs. 16-20 to see what was actually happening in Jerusalem. This has to have happened during the reign of Jehoiakim, meaning it was after Josiah's death. That would be 15-18 years after God's appointment of Jeremiah. Now the fun begins.

Vs. 1-4 Notice the location where Jeremiah gives this sermon. You get the point right? Talk about God sending His man into harm's way.

Vs. 5-7 This is what God really wanted. If they wanted to dwell in Jerusalem and worship in the temple, all they had to do was obey.

Vs. 8-11 Notice that the do not trust in v. 4 is picked up again in v. 8. This is a really strong charge against the people. Christians wouldn't do this, right? Remember what Paul said to the believers in 1 Corinthians 10? They became involved in idolatry too. In Jeremiah and 1 Corinthians, the people didn't get rid of God (they thought), they just brought in other gods that they could worship alongside of God. It might be easier to be idolatrous than we think. A disciple needs to be alert. Paul says in that famous verse in 1 Corinthians 10:13 in the context of idolatry, No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

V. 11 I believe this is part of what Jesus quotes the second time He cleanses the temple in Matthew 21:13. Jesus knew the OT.

Vs. 12-15 God shows them that He's done it before. Ephraim refers to the northern kingdom of Israel, already taken into exile.

Vs. 16-20 This is really interesting. Jeremiah was always weeping for the people. God says not to intercede for them. Later, after Jeremiah gets roughed up, he will be the one to tell God not to listen to the people.

Vs. 21-26 I'll bet when Paul read these words after he had found Christ, v. 23 burned right though his heart. This is all God ever really wanted.

Vs. 27-28 God is preparing Jeremiah for how the people will respond to his first sermon.

Vs. 29-34 This section begins with a call to mourn. Look at what the people had done. They themselves had desecrated the temple. They had begun again to offer their children in sacrifice. Notice back in 7:9 there is a mention of Baal. Where you had Baal worship, you had people sacrificing their babies. You had to do something with those unwanted children that came through Baal worship. That generation was beyond repair.

Jeremiah 8:1-7

Vs. 1-3 This is what God says to Jeremiah as fact. Notice in v. 2, this will only be done to those who had served these things. David's bones wouldn't be out there, but I wonder about Solomon's.

Vs. 4-7 Notice the difference here. This is the prophetic word that God has given Jeremiah to declare.

When I read v. 7, I thought of Paul's charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy to preach the Word. People need to constantly hear what God says. In the harvest, it isn't our job to make people believe, but we need to herald. Those who hear the words of God will step forward.

Colossians 2:8-23

Vs. 8-15 The key to this section is the threat in v. 8, the declaration in v. 9, and the words in Him. Paul didn't need to write a book. Jesus Himself was the answer.

V. 8 Adding religious works or routine to Christ might seem logical, but it is foreign to the living faith in following Christ. Traditions appeal to the past ways and rote formulas for being acceptable to God. The elementary teachings are for babies, not for the mature.

Vs. 9-10 We do not come into the fullness of Christ by doing things. Period. We own the fullness of Christ and experience it as we follow and mature.

Vs. 11-15 Notice how Paul uses the catch words of legalism and shows how those old forms were fulfilled in being made alive in Christ. He shows that the spiritual meaning of circumcision was fulfilled in coming to Christ and putting off the old nature, the flesh.

V. 15 The rulers were disarmed because their authority to "rule" as guardians of mankind was only theirs if mankind was constantly proven to be guilty before God in perpetual sin and unrighteousness. Therefore Satan is a constant accuser. When Jesus lived a sinless life, died for our sins and was raised from the dead, man could be declared righteous; and Jesus Himself, the man, was seated at the right hand of God and declared the righteous ruler of mankind. Satan was served notice and disarmed. The enemy can accuse, but Christ makes righteous all who come to Him. True freedom then is only in Christ, not obedience to laws and rituals.

Vs. 16-19 Notice the phrase let no one. This represents the teaching of these Jewish teachers. Verse 19 is what the Colossians needed to focus on.

Vs. 20-23 This self-inflicted suffering seemed religious and good. Paul had real suffering that came from working in the harvest. Paul's scars came from working alongside Jesus, not trying to suffer for Jesus. Working in the harvest, we work in the freedom of Christ. If He wants us to suffer or experience hard times, He'll provide them, not us.

V. 21 This verse was used in the prohibition of the early 1900's in the States, quoted out of context, saying these words were God's opinion about drinking. Ironically, that misuse of these verses is exactly what Paul and the Spirit were warning against. If you take away the choice to obey, grow and mature in Christ by building fences and traditions, you produce rebellion and immaturity. Only by freely following Christ can we fully mature in Him. That is a good thought as we make disciples in the harvest who make disciples.

Psalm 78:1-31

Like before, we will be in Psalm 78 for three days. This will be a good review of some events we read about at the beginning of the year.

Vs. 1-4 I mentioned before that Matthew and the Spirit quote v. 1 of this introduction as the reason why Jesus told parables, thus fulfilling this verse. Go figure. What that means for us is that in the rest of Psalm 78, there is a parable for us to understand. What fun! What stands out to you and what do you think the real point of this recounting of history is?

Vs. 5-8 Look at what God gave and why. What an honor to receive this information and the personal words of the Lord. That was grace, but God showed us in Israel that the sin within us is stronger than the perceived privilege of receiving the words of rescue and life.

Vs. 9-11 It may be that Ephraim is mentioned here because of the northern kingdom going into exile during the time of Hezekiah. Judah represented the godly line which produced David and eventually the Messiah. Look again at Jeremiah 7:15 in today's reading.

Vs. 12-16 This is what God did. Underline He.

Vs. 17-20 This is what they did. Notice that v. 20 is a part of their words against God.

Vs. 21-31 This is a retelling of Numbers 11. If you look at Numbers 11:20 you'll see the miracle of God making quail come out of noses. Why do I find this funny?

In Jeremiah today we read how God allowed Shiloh to be destroyed, the place where the tabernacle had been. If we were reading this entire psalm today, we'd read Psalm 78:60. Kind of interesting, huh?

As I was highlighting the high points of this reading, what stood out to me were vs. 7, 11, 19 and 21-22. I don't think God wants a lot from us. I don't want to fall into acting like they did. God wants us to review and remember His grace and love. That is what helps us through the hard times on earth, in the harvest. We walk in the daily reminder of the love of Christ as we follow Him in the harvest.

Proverbs 24:26

This is an interesting analogy. I think He means a kiss that brings satisfaction, peace and delight, not some politically motivated or correct little peck.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link ^{http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/.} If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

If you would like a complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find it in my book:  Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to ^{dgkachikis@gmail.com.}

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to ^{https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.} You can download these to use on your computer or to print.

October 5, 2015

OCTOBER 5

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

Jeremiah 4:19-6:14

One of the challenges with Jeremiah, and you might want to take this up with God when you get to heaven J, is that Jeremiah's prophecies are arranged topically and chronologically, but not primarily chronologically until we get to the end of the book. That's not completely comfortable to a western (consecutive numbers, parallel lines and right angles) way of thinking. In Isaiah we had to be alert to when God was referring to the near events or the final events and the coming of the Messiah. In Jeremiah, besides the prophetic aspect of what he is writing, we are left to wonder if some things were written at a different time and are being put here by Jeremiah because it fits into the topic he is addressing. Mentioning times and kings, then, will always be important.

Jeremiah 4:19-31

Assuming that this was said in the early days of Josiah and Jeremiah, God was not only giving Jeremiah a vision, but He was also giving him all the emotions that come with fear.

Vs. 19-21 This is the kind of stuff that gives Jeremiah the nickname of "The Weeping Prophet." Early on, Jeremiah was distressed for his people and didn't seem to completely understand God. Later, after years of trying to help them, Jeremiah's attitude toward the people became more like God's.

Vs. 22-26 Look at what Jeremiah looked for. He was looking to see if the people would respond to God.

V. 22 The last part of this verse was used by Paul a couple of times, but in the opposite way, where he says, for example in 1 Corinthians 14:20, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

V. 23 This is like Genesis, but instead of order, the people have created their own chaos.

Vs. 27-28 This is God's desire for judgment and it has a certain "end times" ring to it.

Vs. 29-31 Surrounded by her enemies and not seeking the Lord, Judah tried to seek help from Egypt, but all Egypt's promises failed and Jerusalem fell.

V. 30 It's interesting that Jezebel painted her eyes before she went out to meet her judges and died.

Jeremiah 5

Vs. 1-2 I've noticed that often the first couple of verses make a statement, and the rest of the chapter works off of that statement.

V. 1 This reminds me of Abraham talking with Jesus (the angel of the Lord) about Sodom, before the angels destroyed it in Genesis 18:17.

Vs. 3-5 Like Abraham, Jeremiah was hoping that someone would be found who really followed God.

V. 6 Because these people were themselves treacherous, God will send three hunters to watch them, stalk them, and nibble away at their numbers.

Vs. 7-9 In spite of all the lessons and all the help, what they had become as a people was unredeemable unless God punished and purged them. It is interesting that when God blessed and fed them, they turned away from Him.

Vs. 10-11 The picture of Israel as a vineyard is common, but here God is bringing ruin to it. He will leave a remnant.

Vs. 12-13 We'll see this a lot. The prophets spoke peace to the people, but that is what the people wanted. Verse 13 is part of what the false prophets said about the true prophets like Jeremiah. Notice that the ESV has this as one saying inside of quotes.

Vs. 14-17 This is God declaring judgment for the words of the prophets that no danger would come. Then God describes the army that is to come against them and how devastating it will be.

Vs. 18-19 Mercy and judgment together. God will save a remnant, but He will give them what they want, making them sick of their own sin.

Vs. 20-24 This sounds a lot like Isaiah. Notice the contrast in vs. 22-23. The wild sea submits to God, but wild Israel does not.

Vs. 25-29 Again, although the Lord would gladly show them mercy, He can’t. Think back to 5:6 where the Lord calls out three predators to pick away at the people. The people were predators too.

Vs. 30-31 The leaders were religious and ungodly, but the people liked it like that.

Jeremiah 6:1-14

Vs. 1-8 This is a prophetic warning for those in Jerusalem regarding the punishment coming against them. Benjamin was the only tribe that stayed with Judah when the nation divided. Jerusalem is the object of God’s love in the future when the people will return to Him, but at this point Jerusalem was becoming the center of everything unholy. When we read Ezekiel, God will take him undercover and show what the leaders were really worshiping. It was creepy.

Vs. 9-14 This is a prophetic description of that coming punishment. Notice again who is mentioned in vs. 13 & 14. As we’ll see in the reading tomorrow, this culture of ungodliness had gone so long and so deep that it was a part of the average family. God would have to cleanse everyone, but a special note would be made to single out the leaders who led the people away from God.

As disciples in the harvest, we need tact and wisdom as we talk to people. Yet, we need to tell people the whole truth. Jesus mentioned the coming judgment often. The disciples were sent out telling people to repent. Inviting people to Jesus to get a better life sounds good in their ears. But the whole truth speaks of God's coming kingdom, our sin, our need to turn to Jesus for forgiveness, and our need to be saved in Christ. This is the most important part and it is the most offensive. In many places in the world, salvation means that a person might have personal assurance and peace in Christ, but as a result of their decision, it means having their "worst life now" in their immediate context. People need the truth, not just what we think they want to hear that fits their needs and lifestyle. It's God's Word, not ours.

Colossians 1:21-2:7

Since Paul had not yet visited this church, much of what he says has the same tone of introduction as in Ephesians. Even the letter to the Ephesians was a letter sent to many churches, some of which Paul had never visited. Paul had never visited any of those churches in the area around Colossae.

Colossians 1:21-29

Vs. 21-23 This sounds just like portions of Ephesians, except v. 23 where Paul reminds them that this is the same gospel that is being preached everywhere. Paul had to remind the Corinthians of this too, because of preachers who were adding to the teaching which Paul had brought.

V. 23 In light of all we've read, knowing you can't lose being a "new creation" (salvation), how do you interpret Paul's warning?

Vs. 24-29 This is Paul describing the importance of the ministry in the harvest God had given him, and has given us.

V. 24 Nothing was "lacking" in Jesus' suffering with regard to salvation. Yet now, guiding the church, Jesus was using Paul's suffering (He uses ours, too) to provide crucial insights and leadership to others. Jesus was using Paul to fill out what He was not physically present to teach.

V. 27 We've seen this in Ephesians. The mystery is not that the Gentiles would be saved, but that God would make a mysterious "nation" of Jews and Gentiles during this time. That's us, the church.

Colossians 2:1-7

Vs. 1-2 Paul saw all of his ministry struggles as challenges to strengthen churches. That would be an interesting mindset for us, as disciples, to develop. Notice that in v. 2 Paul tells what he understood to be God's goal in allowing him to struggle as he did. The point of making Paul struggle was to produce mature disciples and a unified church.

Vs. 3-7 are entering into one of the problems at Colossae. Teachers were apparently saying there was hidden knowledge beyond what Paul had shared with them, and that if they wanted the fullness of God, they had to go deeper into this knowledge and philosophy, and, wouldn't you know it, deeper into Jewish custom.

Paul is, and will be, saying that Jesus is as deep as you need to go. And as we saw in Galatians, Paul will tell them that if you begin with Jesus in faith, you should stick with Jesus in faith. All the fullness is in Him. He's enough.

Psalm 77

I wonder what this son of Asaph was living through when he wrote this. These guys usually led worship under godly kings. This could have been written during the Assyrian advance on Jerusalem under Hezekiah, or it could have been written after the return of the people from Babylon. Both times were times of distress.

Vs. 1-2 Whatever was happening, Asaph was very distressed. In v. 2 it says he was coming to God in the day of my trouble. We might think, "better late than never," and God may hear if we only go to Him as a last resort. However, the godly are always going to God and always receiving peace. This is the secret behind the peace promised in Philippians 4:6-7. Asaph was a regular at God's door and God was his only hope.

Vs. 3-9 Here we see that the distress had something to do with the nation. The times were continually bad and the good times were now only memories. God's grace and favor on Israel seemed like history. But Asaph himself is forcing himself to wrestle spiritually with the situation. You see a progression in these verses and he comes upon God's promise that He will be gracious to Israel.

Vs. 10-15 Underline I will. Now look at what Asaph declares about God in the last three verses. Underline you and your. This is great stuff.

Vs. 16-20 In the fulfillment of His promises and love for Israel, God shook all of creation. Though Asaph couldn't understand the current distress, this was the same faithful, fearsome, and almighty God who promised to fulfill His love to Israel. That day is still coming.

Funny, this morning I was reading in Luke 8 about a weary Jesus waking up in a sinking, storm-tossed boat filled with screaming fishermen, Master, master, we are perishing! Jesus gets up and turns off the wind and the waves and says to them, Where is your faith? They didn't know that they had God in the boat.

So what is the comfort of these psalms? I'm reading this one and identifying deeply with it. In a way, who'd want to identify with such a distressing psalm? But there's a sense of saying you know what the psalmist is going through and realizing that God says it's OK to feel like this. It is, oddly enough, God saying that He knows how we feel. It leads me to believe He wants me to be able to understand that this psalm is true. And then He wants me to find and use the hope in this psalm.

So, what do we have? Crying out? Check. Remembering? Check. Verses 7-9, wondering? Check. Appealing, remembering, pondering, and meditating? Check. Verses 16-20 are from the Bible itself, viewing the way God redeemed His people. For us too, we know about our salvation, our Lord's rescue and the future we have in Him. Now as we wait on Him, we have the privilege of knowing Him and following Him in the harvest. He's not just in the boat with us, He's in us in the Holy Spirit. Right? Check.

Proverbs 24:23-25

I'm sure this is harder than it sounds, especially if the wicked are in power or pay the salaries. I'm sure King Manasseh didn't rule for 55 years by making friends with the people who rebuked him. It says that he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and I'll bet gallons of that blood came from those people who stood up to him. But who is the real king? Oh, yeah, that's right. God is the real King and His is the real kingdom.

In the case of those who rebuked King Manasseh, the delight and blessing was in the form of standing in the presence of God and relaxing in the glory and wonder of heaven. That's not bad at all.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link ^{http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/.} If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

If you would like a complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find it in my book:  Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to ^{dgkachikis@gmail.com.}

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to ^{https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.} You can download these to use on your computer or to print.