Baptized for the Dead

David's words are so filled with spiritual meaning that they seem to spill into the open mind. Yet how often do we misinterpret the meaning of those often perused words? In the 23 Psalm David reminds us of the dependency we all have on God. He says "the Lord is my shepherd. This is fitting metaphor enough but David continues to expand upon this theme stating that God leads him by quiet waters, green pastures and stays with him through the valley of the shadow of death. When we get to the words "my cup runneth over" we should be able to see the constant theme of provision that comes from the Lord. This is not a material provision. It is true that God wants us to taste and see that he is good and enjoy the creative fruits of his labor on this earth. In this case however David is speaking to a more basic need. He is pronouncing the blessing of God's presence in our lives. Aptly he uses the metaphor of having your cup filled up beyond it's capacity to the point t...

In contemplating the Garden of Gethsemane I am struck by the inherent contradictions that set the setting of our savior's greatest struggle. As Jesus made his way onto the Mount of Olives he must have walked past the Olive trees that give the mountain it's name. I can only think that as Jesus walked he saw flowering plants as he made his way with heavy steps to his resting place. This solemn place was removed if only a short distance from the walls of Jerusalem with all of the man-made problems that persisted there and yet God had provided a solution to those problems in this Garden of Gethsemane. Here nature, while marred by the decay of sin, still testified to God's creative power. There was life in that hill that night: there was possibility. But the night had enveloped more than just the countryside. Jesus' own heart was shadowed and beyond the reach of that light that had been his constant companion. Perhaps he felt the darkness amplified his disconnection from his...

Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Jesus states "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3 Obviously we need to know things. More importantly we need to know the Lord. However this knowledge of God is a tricky thing because it cannot be given to us in just any way. In fact without a relationship their is no transmission of truth. At the very least we need a relationship with God. Perhaps this is why Solomon said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."Proverbs 1:7 In relationship with God we can receive divine truths that could not be given to humans in any other way. Therefore it is wise for us to realize that not only can we not receive truth without a relationship with God we cannot impart truths to others without a relationship with God. As we seek to give what is been given to us we need to also remember that we cannot transmit tr...

God says quiet succinctly in His word, "Come now, let us reason together."Isaiah 1:18 These words have always appealed to me. However I am starting to believe that I misunderstood their intent. We often try to use the word of God as a tool to prove our belief system to others. In doing so we pull texts from here and there or if we have a little more academic acumen we might stay within the biblical pericope or passage to drive home our point. While arguments should certainly be constructed to defend our beliefs: the bible say "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 1 Timothy 2:15 We need to be careful not to miss the import of these words in Isaiah to reason. God wants us to do well with whatever we find to do with our hands and heart but we should focus the priority of our reasoning powers on understanding the truths of salvation as they work out in our own lives. God wants us ...