My favorite recipe

A long time ago, my family was given a “4 ingredient” recipe book, and out of everything we tried, one recipe has stuck with our family throughout the years.  You wouldn’t think that just four ingredients and two spices would make such a lasting impression, but it’s an any-time favorite, a fall-time must-have, and something I have confidently brought to many social gatherings.  Here’s the simple recipe:

2 cans great northern beans (drain one of them)
1 Hillshire Farm sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch thick circles
2/3 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp black pepper

Place in a slow cooker for 7 hours on low.  Stir in 1 tsp of marjoram just before serving.

Super simple, right?  And it scales just fine – we often make a double batch.

The key to the entire recipe is the time in the slow cooker.  The original recipe states 6-8 hours, but I can tell you from experience, hitting the 7 hour mark is when the flavor magic happens.  It takes time for the ingredients to fuse and the flavors to mesh into a meal that is both filling and tasty.  It’s not something you can rush, either.  I’ve tried the recipe on high for half the time, but the end result is just not the same as cooking on low for 7 hours. 

In our instant-everything world, a recipe like this can seem a little out of place…but no one will argue with the results.  It takes a little planning ahead of dinnertime, but overall it’s less effort and clean up than most homecooked meals.  Certainly cheaper on the budget and longer-lasting than going out to have someone else make you food!

While we feed our body by what we put in our mouth, we feed our spirit by what we put in our mind.  Often times, the best meals for our mind are the ones that we slow cook, allowing ourselves time to mull over ideas and thoughts.  This is how Biblical meditation works.  God expects us to consider His Scriptures – we need space to think about, reflect on, and wrestle with what God has said.

Meditation and renewing your mind are recurrent themes in both the Old and New Testaments.  Meditating on God’s laws, character, actions, and promises are the focus of many of the Psalms.  In the following examples, look for what God says are the benefits to meditating on His Word:

Joshua 1:8
This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Psalm 119:97-99
How I love your instruction!
It is my meditation all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.

Matthew 4:4
[Jesus] answered, “It is written: ‘Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Prosperity…success…wisdom…insight…life…knowing God’s will in a given situation – those are impressive benefits!

But feeding your spirit with Biblical meditation takes a little planning ahead.  You’ll need to intentionally set aside some time (even just 15 minutes!) to be in God’s Word.  Then, if you’re like me, you’ll need to have reminders throughout the day to bring what you read back to your mind.  A sticky note at your desk, setting a reminder alarm on your phone, or the password to an account can help you remember God’s truth.  What are we thinking about as we wash our hands, ride an elevator, or wait at a red light?  All those small moments are great opportunities to renew our minds and refresh our spirits with God’s words.

In our instant-everything world, taking time for Biblical Meditation can seem a little out of place.  It’s certainly better than running to a commentary or expecting our pastor to have all the answers for us.  Home cooked meals are always the best and when you take the time to mull over God’s Word, you’ll never argue with the results.

I’ll let the Apostle Paul have the last word on this one:

Philippians 4:8-9
Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.  Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

How to apply Scripture, every time

We’ve done all the hard work – we asked reporter-style questions, we asked detective-style questions, we’ve interpreted our observations, and we even compared what we’ve found to other teachers.  Now, we’re ready for the true pay-off of Bible study: the Application.

If you don’t apply what you’ve learned, then all you’ve really done is spent time collecting facts.  And facts are useless things unless they are put into practice.  I have 9 excellent questions for you to ask in order to find the best application from what you’ve learned…but before we get to them, we need to do a quick assessment of what we know:

If you want to apply the Bible, you need to know two things.

First off, you need to know the text.  You have to know the interpretation of the biblical text.  Your application is based on your interpretation, so if your interpretation of a passage is incorrect…then your application will likely be incorrect – even if you feel really good about it.  If your interpretation is correct, you have a good possibility that your application will be correct.

Like we said before, there is only one correct interpretation of a passage of Scripture (hint: it’s what the original author meant to say).  The text doesn’t mean one thing today and something else tomorrow.  Whatever it means, it means for eternity.  But you will never cease the process of applying that truth to your life.  Therefore: Be careful how you interpret.  You will only multiply error if you start with a faulty interpretation.

While there is only one correct interpretation, there are numerous ways to apply the truth that we find.  And how Biblical truth is applied can vary person to person, largely depending on the individual’s circumstances, stage in life, or surrounding culture.  However, to get the best application possible, there is a second thing you need to know:

You must know yourself.  Be honest with where you are in life.  What are your strengths?  What still needs work?  Where do you struggle?  In one of his last letters, Paul cautioned Timothy:

Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:16)

Notice the order listed:
First, pay attention to yourself…then communicate that truth to others.  Why?  Because if you don’t know yourself, if you’re not honest about who you are…it’s difficult to help other people apply the Bible to their lives.  (Side note: this is another one of those times in the NT that the word ‘save’ does not refer to being “saved from hell”.  You’ll have to read the context to find out what Timothy will potentially ‘save’ himself and his hearers from.)

Now that we know the text and ourselves, it’s time to put what we’ve learned into practice, because the ultimate goal of Bible study is to practice the truth.  Scripture was written not to fatten geese but to train athletes and equip soldiers for the realities of life.  “Run to win.”  “Fight to win.”  That’s the message of the Word.

To be fair, you can’t consciously apply every truth you find in your study, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to do so.  You can, however, consistently be applying something.  So you always want to ask yourself, ‘Is there some area of my life for which this truth is needed?’  After you think about this question, ask God for His opinion on the matter.  Pray that He will show you what you need to apply and where you can best utilize the truth you have discovered in His Word.

A verse we taught our boys when they were quite little (and made them repeat often) was Philippians 2:14, which reads Do everything without grumbling and arguing.  The application of the verse may seem inconsequential in and of itself, and the boys certainly became tired of reciting it…but, once the command is put within context – the unnatural (i.e. – SUPERnatural) consequence for a believer is discovered:

Philippians 2:14-16
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life.

We stand at the crossroads of life with others every day.  When we hold on to God’s Word and do not complain our way through our day, we shine like stars and uniquely display God’s beauty in a thoroughly messed up world.  BUT, if we’re grousing about everything…then those who don’t know God won’t see God in us.  Small application, with a HUGE consequence!

That’s just one instance of one application from that one verse.  On the surface, a single command may seem like an inconsequential thing, but there’s nothing inconsequential about the changes that God wants to bring about in your life and mine.  He’s given the Word to transform your experience. 

In the end, you’ll always find two sides to Christian living: you need food, and you need exercise.  Too much food leads to obesity (spiritually obese Christians are quite unattractive – they claim to know Christ well, but look nothing like Him b/c there are no actions to back up their boasts).  Too little food develops anemia (i.e. – weak-willed, ineffective, unfocused, and cloudy-minded).  But food is transformed into energy, and energy enables you to do that which God wants you to do.  But as you do what God wants you to do, you become exhausted and tired.  You lose your perspective.  So you have to come back to the Word of God for refreshment, for nourishment, for fuel. 

So how do you bring out applications from all the data you’ve collected and understanding you’ve gained during your study?  This set of nine questions will help you identify numerous applications of the text.  As before, don’t feel like you have to come up with an answer for every question.  Due to the genre of the biblical text you are studying at the time, some questions will be more pertinent than others. 

1.       Is there an example for me to follow? 
2.      Is there a sin to avoid? 
3.      Is there a promise to claim?  Be aware: Some promises in the Bible are for specific people or groups, not for us in the present age.  If you have observed and interpreted well, then you will know if you can claim a particular promise made in the passage.  If the promise is not specifically made for you, then you may be able to glean general principles from promises that God makes to others – namely His ability to follow through with what He says He will do.
4.      Is there a prayer to repeat? 
5.      Is there a command to obey? 
6.      Is there a condition to meet?  If/then statements are cues that there is a condition to meet before a blessing from God will be given.
7.       Is there a verse to memorize?  Obviously, any verse of Scripture can be memorized, but some will carry more weight than others.  I mean, you could memorize Leviticus 11:30, but I’m not sure how helpful it will be for you.
8.      Is there an error to mark?  What kind of mistake did a character make in his or her particular circumstance?  What doctrines and truths is this passage teaching?  What theological errors is it exposing?  Is there something you thought was true that needs to be corrected, based upon what you have learned from your study?
9.      Is there a challenge to face?  Perhaps after studying a section of Scripture, God is bringing to mind a relationship needs healed, an apology needs to be made, that you need to get out of something that is keeping you from God, or you recognize a good habit that needs to be cultivated.  Whatever it is, the Spirit uses Scripture to promote changes in your life.

A true application comes down to two deep questions: Are you open to real change?  Are you prepared to take on the challenges that will be brought to your attention by the Holy Spirit?  I guarantee that if you approach God’s Word with any degree of honesty and teachability, the Spirit won’t let you go away disappointed.  Now, let’s find some ways to apply what we’ve learned in our Joshua passage:

KNOW:
You must know the text.  Go back and read though your observation and interpretation notes.  Refresh your mind with what you’ve written down.

You must know yourself.  Ask God to help you be honest and open to the applications you find.

ASK QUESTIONS:
Go through the 9 questions listed above.  If there is an answer to the question, write it down.  If not, move on to the next one.  Don’t force an answer.  After you have listed all the application options, choose one…and then put it into action within the next 24 hours. 

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Don't use a commentary like this

One of the rallying cries from the Protestant Reformation was sola scriptura – Scripture alone is our final authority for faith and practice.  That led to a significant development in the history of Christianity: the right to private interpretation.  The combination of the Gutenberg Bible and the Reformation put Scripture into the hands of lay people.  However, with this historical development, we didn’t just gain access to Scripture, we also took on a responsibility.  As R.C. Sproul once pointed out,

“Private interpretation never meant that individuals have the right to distort the Scriptures.  With the right of private interpretation comes the sober responsibility of accurate interpretation.  Private interpretation gives us license to interpret, not to distort.”

Since we are the representatives for the Creator of the Universe, the last thing we want to do is advocate something that God did not say.  So then, how can you avoid distorting God’s message?  By taking the steps we’ve already taken.  First, we observe well – we use our reporter’s hat and our detective’s hat to make observations from the text.  Then we allow context to guide our interpretation and compare Scripture with Scripture to make sure we’re seeing the consistency in God’s message.  Only after taking these steps are we ready to ask for help from someone else.

We never want to become arrogant in our study process to think that the Holy Spirit is only talking to us, that He’s never said anything to anyone else.  If you stop and think about it, thousands of people have traveled this road ahead of us, and some have left behind some valuable helps.  There can be great value in consulting what someone else has already learned, as demonstrated by one of my favorite poems, The Bridge Builder by Will Allen Dromgoole.

When we properly use a secondary resource, we can leverage what we’ve learned thus far against the contributions of others.  However, do remember that they are called “secondary” resources for a reason…they are to be used only after you have observed and interpreted the biblical text for yourself.  Never forget that order.  To run straight to a commentary without even thinking through the text shows a lack of trust in what the Holy Spirit can teach you.  Scripture doesn’t yield its fruit to the lazy.  While it’s certainly easier to google up an interpretation of a passage, this short-cut will end up short-circuiting your growth and development.    

After we observe and interpret the text, we are ready to see what someone else has to say about the same passage.  You’ll be surprised at how many others came to the same conclusion you have.  You may find another aspect of text or a cultural influence you weren’t aware of, and that may affect your interpretation.  You may also find that you disagree with a commentator’s interpretation – if you do, put on your reporter’s hat and detective’s hat again and see which of you did a better job observing the text!

There are many types of secondary resources out there that can help you with your study of Scripture, but I want to focus on the main two: concordances and commentaries.

A concordance is a tool that enables you to look up terms – think of it like an index to the Bible.  A concordance lists all of the words of the text alphabetically, with references for where they appear, along with a few of the surrounding words to give some context.  Using a concordance is probably my favorite part during Interpretation.  I love finding out the exact meaning of an author’s choice of words.  However, using a concordance goes beyond studying terms:

Suppose you want to study the life of a particular person, and you choose Moses.  Use a concordance to look him up and you’ll see that the bulk of his life is detailed in the book of Exodus.  However, you will also see that Moses is discussed in both Acts and Hebrews – he’s been dead for 1000’s of years at this point, yet there is important information about him presented in the New Testament.  His life is discussed in Acts 7 and he occupies the largest amount of text in “God’s Hall of Fame” found in Hebrews 11.  If you hadn’t looked it up, you may have missed one or both of these passages on his life – and you would not have gotten God’s full picture of Moses’ life.

Another good use of a concordance is if you want to do a topical study.  If you wanted to look up all Scriptural references to money, you’d instantly have a listing of all verses in the 27 books that mention money.  You’d also see that there are a lot of references to money in the gospels – and that’s because Jesus talked about money A LOT.

The other secondary resource we need to discuss are commentaries. 

Have you ever listened to the teaching of someone who is masterfully explaining the Word and thought, Wow, I’d like to have them sitting beside me next time I come to the Scriptures.  Well, a commentary does essentially that.  A commentary offers you the insights of someone who has perhaps spent his or her whole life studying the text.  While a commentary cannot do your study for you, it certainly is an excellent means of evaluating and expanding your own study.

There are a seemingly infinite number of commentaries out there, with many different (and often conflicting) interpretations – so which one should you choose?  If you purchase a written commentary (as opposed to any available online), you want a good, single-volume, general commentary, one that covers both the Old Testament and the New Testament in one, or at the most, two volumes.

You’re looking for a commentary to add detail and insight into the text, but you don’t want a deep dive into the weeds about an individual topic.  Also…don’t spend a ton of money on a 24-volume set!  Lastly, be careful whom you listen to, because at least at some level, we all bring our theological systems and assumptions when we read the text.  Some commentators force their belief systems into the text…but your early work with your reporter’s hat and detective’s hat will help protect you from running off with misinterpretations.

If you are unfamiliar with the author, you need to find out his or her theological perspective – is he conservative or liberal, does she believe in the essential truths of Christianity?  So how do you discover the answer to those kinds of questions?  Two ways, really:

1.       Google them.  You can’t believe everything on the internet, but you can probably find a synopsis of who this person is and what they believe…especially if you find they have a website with a belief statement.
2.       You can turn to a passage that you have studied on your own and know that you have come to a correct interpretation, then compare the commentator’s answer to your own. 

Why is it important that you know the author’s theological perspective?  If you don’t know, then you could be setting yourself up for bad advice.  We find this warning among Solomon’s proverbs:

The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

If you still are unsure if you should use a particular commentary, then the next step is to consult a mature, studied Christian whose opinion you trust.  Ask your pastor or teacher.  Either would be ecstatic to answer that kind of question for you, because it demonstrates that you are studying your Bible and practicing discernment when you do so. 

In the end, commentaries can be both a blessing and a curse.  The downside is the tendency to start depending on them rather than familiarizing yourself with the biblical text.  There’s nothing wrong with commentaries, but remember that ultimately they are just one person’s opinion, and they are certainly not inspired Scripture.  At the same time, a scholar who has spent a lifetime investigating the biblical text can frequently get you past the barriers to understanding.  His comments can also help you evaluate your own personal study. 

REMEMBER: the use of secondary resources should NEVER be a substitute for personal Bible study, but rather a stimulus for it.  Always remember the order: First the Word of God, then the secondary resources.  Additionally…secondary resources are OPTIONAL, you are not required to look up a certain number of words or consult a minimum number of commentaries to have a successful understanding of the text.

Commentaries I recommend:
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Grace New Testament Commentary
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary
Tony Evans Bible Commentary

Online concordances:
http://www.studylight.org
http://www.blueletterbible.org

Online commentaries:
https://planobiblechapel.org/soniclight/
https://faithalone.org/ebooks/

Using a resource listed above or one of your own, let’s see what we can find for our Joshua passage:

Concordance – look up important nouns and verbs, those are the most impactful parts of the text.  Some words have a clear, 1:1 translation…other words will have a richer meaning in the original language.  Try looking up strong, courageous, success, and meditate.

Commentary – choose a commentary (or two) and compare the author’s observations with your own.  What did you both see?  Do you differ anywhere?  If so, which conclusion best fits the text?

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

There’s only one correct Interpretation

Interpretation can be a very sticky subject within Christianity.  Lots of people have very strong opinions about what various passages mean…and not everyone agrees on what that is.  A common phrase thrown about is, “Well, that’s YOUR interpretation.”  We often bring our own baggage, theological systems, and assumptions when we try to interpret what God has said.  However, the truth is that there is only one correct interpretation for a particular passage…it isn’t mine, and it isn’t yours…no matter what we may feel a passage says or what we may desire a verse to be about, there’s only one true interpretation: what the original author intended for the original recipients of the text. 

So after we do our observation work – after we use our reporter’s hat and our detective’s hat to observe what is going on in the text – our next step is to use what we have found in the text to determine the original author’s meaning. 

It sounds simple, but can be difficult to do.  Interpreting honestly and clearly will take practice.  However, the best way to approach these next steps is to come in with the mindset that we are students of the Bible and disciples of Jesus…not students of Calvinism and disciples of John MacArthur…not students of Arminianism and disciples of John Wesley…not students of Catholicism and disciples of the Pope.  We want to know God through the pages of the Bible, and Jesus is our best and most-relatable example of who God is and what He is like.

That said, I want to offer you three steps that will help you unlock the biblical text, the three basic principles of Interpretation.  The best part is, you’ve already taken the first step:

Interpretation Step #1: Content

The content of a passage is the raw material you will use to interpret the text.  And because of the work you’ve already put in using your reporter’s hat and your detective’s hat, you have a good amount of observations to work with. 

The first step we take when we begin interpreting the Biblical text is to go back and read over all the observations we’ve written down.  Look at the “first impression” questions you had when you initially reviewed the text…did you find your answer in your reporter/detective work?  If not, that’s ok.  We still have ways to address them – and the next step can definitely help:

Interpretation Step #2: Context

Simply stated, context refers to that which goes before and that which follows after.  Anyone who has had to face the press can appreciate the importance of context.  We’ve all been in situations where part of what we’ve said to one person was overheard and taken out of context by someone else.  When something is taken out of context, an accurate understanding of the comment or situation often goes right out the window.

We can definitely do the same thing with the Word of God.  In fact, every major cult is built on a violation of the principle of context.  A great deal of doctrinal error could be corrected by simply asking, “Would you please read the previous verses or the ones that follow?”.  So whenever you study a verse, a paragraph, a section, even an entire book – always consult the neighbors of that verse, that paragraph, that section, or that book. 

Additionally, we need to recognize that the meaning of a word is also derived from how it is used.  I can use the word run in several different ways: I run marathons.  I run for political office.  My allergies are bad, they make my nose run.  The meaning of run varies on usage.  Same thing happens in the Bible…we cannot assume that every use of “saved”, “lost”, or “hell” is always equal to “saved from eternal damnation”, “unbeliever”, or “the bad place”.  If we are going to interpret honestly, then we can’t read by default or assumption – we must look at how a word is used in the passage by the author.  Different Biblical authors can use the same word to mean different things…we just have to be aware of it.

Keeping our interpretations within the context of the Biblical passage will safeguard against us reading our own assumptions or misunderstandings into a verse. 

Another great tool to help us determine the original author’s meaning is found in the next step:

Interpretation Step #3: Comparison

The Bible is comprised of 66 separate books; however, since God is the ultimate author of them all, we can expect that they all work together to tell who God is, what He is like, and how we can partner with Him now.  As such, we can expect that – when interpreted correctly – the Biblical passages will not contradict one anothr.

Some passages are very easy to understand, others are more challenging.  That’s ok…because a great help is knowing we can use Scripture to interpret Scripture.  This is a great safety net, and the more you compare Scripture with Scripture, the more you begin to see and understand God’s larger picture.  The parts that are difficult become easier to understand as we work with Scripture as a whole.  And when comparing, we always interpret the difficult passages with what we understand from the clear passages – not the other way around.  Don’t take a difficult passage and try to force an unnatural meaning on something that is clear in and of itself.

A good illustration of this is John 3:16-17
For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so the everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Jesus is being explicitly clear here with Nicodemus.  Eternal life is a free gift to everyone who believes.  Whatever other use of the word “saved” or “salvation” you find in other passages, if they are discussing eternal life, then that gift is free.  No strings attached.  No behavior change required.  No promise to do better.  The only condition Jesus puts on anyone receiving eternal life from Him is to believe in Him for it. 

So what does this mean if you find a passage that seems to say we must work for our “salvation” or that we must persevere in order to be “saved”?  Based on John 3:16-17, we know those understandings would not be accurate.  I suggest going back to the context of your verse in question…and then determine if the author has really used “saved” to discuss obtaining eternal life, or is he talking about being “saved” from something else?  Whenever you read the word “saved”, stop and ask yourself “Saved from what?”…because about 70% of the time when “saved” is used in the New Testament, it’s not referring us to obtaining eternal life.  Shocker, I know!  But this is where context and comparison are huge steps in our interpretation process.

Now we’ll take our three Interpretation Steps with our passage from Joshua:

Content: Go back and read over your notes.  Remind yourself of everything you’ve learned up to this point.  Do you have any unanswered questions?

Context: Read all 18 verses of Joshua 1.  How does our passage fit in the larger context?  Notice who else is encouraging Joshua to be strong and courageous.  For additional context, you could also read chapters 2-11.  If you do, look specifically for Joshua’s leadership – was he always strong and courageous, did he observe carefully the whole instruction God had given the Israelites?  If he did, then was he successful, like God promised?

Comparison: Beyond reading Joshua 1-11, think about how this passage relates to what we learned in Psalm 1.  List out the similarities you find.  Can you think of any other similar passages?  How well do they match up? (and it’s ok if no others come to mind)

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your detective's hat, part 3

So far, we’ve used our detective’s hat to look for the first four clues: things that are emphasized, things that are repeated, things that are alike, and things that are unlike.  Now we move on to our last two clues, the ones I really like the most, for two specific reasons: one…because they are great at uncovering observations that I wouldn’t normally get by just reading a passage, and two…well…because I think they’re fun. 

Feeling skeptical about this being “fun”?  Well, try these out and then let me know if I’m wrong…

Text Clue #5: Look for things that are related.

By related I mean things that have some connection, some interaction with each other.  The two most helpful relations to look for are Questions/Answers and Cause/Effect.

Questions/Answers are a super powerful form of communication.  What’s also great about them is that they are easy to find!  When you’re reading the Bible, notice the question marks…and then look at who is asking AND who is answering.  Maybe the question is rhetorical, or maybe no one wants to answer.  Looking at questions make for some significant observations.  While Paul uses questions a lot in his letters (especially in Romans), take a look at some of the penetrating questions that Jesus asked His disciples:

Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying? (Matthew 6:27)
Why are you afraid?  Do you still have no faith? (Mark 4:40)
So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour? (Matthew 26:40)

Recognizing Cause/Effect can be just as powerful.  We saw this in the last series on Psalm 1:

Psalm 1:2-3
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

In these verses, we have a promise to claim: That God’s Word will sustain/grow me and there is happiness, delight, and prosperity as it does.  However, there is also a condition to meet in order to have this God-defined prosperity: Intentionally spend time in God’s Word, purposely meditating on it, and delighting to do so…knowing that God can/will develop me in the way I was created to grow and mature.  And…then…I will find happiness and prosperity.  

This tells us there is a direct Cause/Effect link between Scripture and God’s blessing.  Are you experiencing that effect?  The real question is, are you activating the cause by delighting and meditating in what God has said, as Psalm 1 points out?

Text Clue #6: Look for things that are true to life.

This one is my favorite.  The issue here is authenticity: What does this passage tell you about reality?  What aspects of the text resonate with your experience?  This is where you need to use your sanctified imagination.  You need to look for principles.  We obviously live in a culture that is dramatically different from the cultures of the biblical era.  Yet the same things that the biblical characters experienced, we also experience.  Just take away our technology, and you’ll find we’re not that different.  The human condition hasn’t changed much in the last 5,000 years.  We feel the same emotions they felt.  We have the same questions they had about life and raising kids and growing older.  They were real, live people who faced the same struggles, the same problems, and the same temptations that you and I face.

So as I read about them in Scripture, I need to ask:  What were this person’s ambitions?  What were his goals?  What problems was he facing?  How did she feel?  What was her response?  What would be my response?  What can I see in the text that helps me answer these questions?

Scripture is often studied and taught as if it were some academic lesson, rather than real life.  No wonder so many of us are bored with our Bibles.  We’re missing out on the best lessons of God’s Word by failing to pick up on the experience of the people in it.  ***Spoiler Alert*** The people you read about in the Bible didn’t know what the next verse was going to say.  When we read the Bible with that in mind, we recognize an authenticity to the text we had previously missed.

Let’s look at a couple of examples that will help us see truth in realistic terms.  Other than Jesus, no one in the Bible is perfect.  Every one of them had flaws and difficulties – and we can all relate to flaws and difficult situations.

In Genesis 22, God says to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him as a burnt offering.”  It takes a couple of days to get there by donkey…what must going through Abraham’s mind during this trip?  And then, when Abraham starts walking up Mount Moriah with his son, who is about 22 years old, Isaac says to him, “Hey, Dad, we’ve got the wood.  We’ve got the fire.  But where’s the sacrifice?”  Abraham knows that his son is the sacrifice…he’s even carrying the wood on his back.  How do you think Abraham felt?  How would you feel? 

Noah was the only one who got it right in his generation.  The only one!  He raised his family accordingly and followed God’s instructions despite the rest of the world being mired in an evil mess.  Because he obeyed God, he saved his family from the Flood.  But the only story in Scripture out of the 350 years Noah lived after the Flood is when after resettling his family, he planted a vineyard, drank a bunch of wine…and passed out naked in his own tent (Genesis 9).  As if that’s not bad enough, his sons had to take care of him so he wouldn’t disgrace himself.  And…I’m thinking…is this even the same guy???  Well, Scripture shows that Noah is not perfect, but a real, normal person…one who could, at times, do great things for God, and at other times, make some really embarrassing choices.  So, what implication does that have for us?

Elijah wanted to quit his God-given ministry (your pastor has felt this, too), John Mark abandoned his friends and family in the middle of a mission trip (we’ve all left the people we love in the lurch), Peter whacked off a guy’s ear in a clumsy attempt to defend Jesus (this could also be a description of a lot of modern attempts at “sharing the gospel”). 

When you read Scripture, put on your detective’s hat and look for things that ring true to life.  Remember, our lives are just like theirs were – without all the technology.  Look for situations where someone failed and paid the price – how did they respond to the consequences?  How would have you responded?  Did God use them despite their mistakes?  Or what about the one who stayed the course?  What did God do in their life?  Look for common, shared experiences and learn from the example of their lives.

Now, let’s try these last two Text Clues out on our verses from Joshua:

What things are related?  When you find the question, why do you think was God asking it?  Looking back through the text, do you find any cause/effect relationships?

What things are true to life?  Why does God need to remind Joshua, multiple times, to be strong and courageous?  What must Joshua be feeling for him to need to hear that?  Think back to a time when you have felt the same way.  Also…everyone wants success, but we know it’s not instant, there’s always work involved.  What steps must Joshua take to be successful in the mission God gave him?  Do you need to take the same steps to accomplish what God has given you to do?

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your detective's hat, part 2

Last time, we put on our detective’s hat and looked for our first two clues: things that are emphasized and things that are repeated.  Now we move on to our next two clues, which rely on something we humans do, almost without thinking about it – compare and contrast.  Typically the first thing we notice in any given situation are things are that are alike or things that are unlike, and those are great skills to use when we’re studying Scripture.

Text Clue #3: Look for things that are alike.

There are two major categories for things that are alike, and they are as simple as remembering your grade-school grammar. 

Our first comparison tool is finding similes.  These are super easy to find, because all you’re looking for are the terms like and as.  When you find them, you’re going to have a word picture that draws a comparison between two things.  A couple examples:

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation

With this like comparison, we immediately get what Peter is trying to convey to his readers – our desire for God’s word should be just like that of a newborn’s desire for milk…because we recognize Scripture as that important and life-giving for us.

John 3:14-15
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

Jesus is drawing the parallel between those who looked at the bronze snake and believed for their temporal healing with those who will look at Him and believe for their eternal salvation.  His use of an as comparison removes any doubt that belief is the only requirement for us to be restored because of His death on the cross.

Related to the simile is the metaphor, but this time we don’t have a clue word to look for.  Instead you’ll see some figure of speech that describes something in a way that isn’t necessarily true but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.  Even without the words like or as, if you’re looking for them, trust me, you’ll see them.  Any of Jesus’ “I am” statements are good examples:

I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (John 15:1)
I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)

Jesus is obviously talking figuratively, not literally.  He’s using a metaphor to illustrate His point in a way that we can identify with.

Similarities have a ways of drawing attention to themselves, so get in the habit of looking for them.  Whenever you find one, write it in your notebook.  The biblical author is trying to communicate with you through the effective tool of comparison.

Text Clue #4: Look for things that are unlike.

The flip side of comparison is contrast – so we’re now looking for things that are unlike.  While there are several ways the biblical writers signify contrast, the main one to look for is the use of the term but.  The word but is a solid clue that a change in direction is coming. 

Many Proverbs use contrast to teach their wisdom:

Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses. (Proverbs 10:12)
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1)

Another example of contrast is found in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus repeatedly says, “You have heard that it was said…but I tell you” (Matthew 5).

Similar terms include however, yet, and now.  These are variations of the term but – so it depends on the translation you are using.  Although it is a small word, but is one of the most important words you’ll ever come across in your study of Scripture.  Whenever you see it, always stop and ask, “What is the contrast being made?”

Things that are alike and unlike make use of the strong human tendency to compare and contrast.  They are huge clues to help us understand what the author is trying to communicate in the text.  Let’s stop here and try looking for these two Text Clues in our text from Joshua. 

What things are alike?  As with any step, if there’s nothing obvious, don’t force anything.  Move on to looking for your next clue.

What things are unlike?  Scan the text for the word but.  Even if you don’t find that exact word, there are some contrasts made here.

Remember, if you find things that are alike or unlike, be sure to write it down.

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your detective's hat, part 1

Last time, we put on our reporter’s hat and asked the questions: Who?, What?, Where?, When?, and Why?  Now, we’re going move to thinking like a detective so we can dig a little deeper into the text.  Today, we’ll cover the first two text clues:

Text Clue #1: Look for things that are emphasized.

There are 3 primary ways Biblical authors clue us in with emphasis: what they talk about the most, when they give a purpose statement, and the order in which they present their topics.

First off, the amount of space an author uses, or what subject they talk about the most, is a huge clue.  A couple of examples:

·       When we think of the book of Genesis, what typically comes to mind?  Creation, the fall, and the flood, right?  However, all those topics take up only 20% of the book.  The rest of Genesis is about Abraham, his family, and the birth of the nation of Israel.  It is in these stories that we find the early steps of God’s rescue plan for humanity, and that is what God is emphasizing in the book of Genesis.
·       There are 21 chapters in John’s gospel, but by the middle of chapter 12, we are already at Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  Of all the things in Jesus’ life that John could have written about, his focus is most definitely on the last week of Jesus’ life.

A second way an author shows emphasis comes when the author just straight-out tells us what his reason is for writing.  While we don’t find purpose statements in every book of the Bible, it is very clarifying when you find one.  The classic example is found in John’s gospel:

John 20:30-31
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book.  But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

John admits he could have written on many other stories from Jesus’ life – but he specifically chose seven signs to match his purpose: to show his readers that Jesus is the promised Messiah, and that you can believe in Him for His free gift of eternal life.

The last way an author shows emphasis is by the order things (lists, events, stories, etc.) in the material.  Here’s one example:

God places Adam and Eve in a garden to “work it and watch over it” the text says (Genesis 2:15).  Then the couple sin, and God drives them out of the Garden and curses the earth (Genesis 3:17-24).  That order becomes important when we talk about work, because some people believe that work is a part of the curse.  However, the order of events in Genesis prevents that interpretation.

As you can see, the first clue you look for when you come to the Scriptures is that which is emphasized.  The writers have left clues that say, “Hey, this is important.  Pay attention!”  When you look for the kinds of emphasis we’ve discussed, you’ll quickly catch on to what matters most.

Text Clue #2: Look for things that are repeated.

When our boys were young, we had to repeat directions and rules several times a day, for many days in a row (and then again at a later date) to make sure that a particular behavior would be shaped in them.  I’m sure you can relate.  Similarly, we need to look for words and phrases that are repeated when we read the Bible.

Have you ever noticed how often Jesus repeats things to His disciples?  The gospels record at least nine times that He said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”  And when John was recording the Revelation, what do you suppose the Lord told him to write to the seven churches?  That’s right: “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

That’s a lot of emphasis.  You get the impression that Jesus wanted His disciples (and us) to PAY ATTENTION to what He had to say.  By constantly using that phrase to flag His words, He gave His listeners a clue about the significance of His teaching. 

A special type of repetition is when we read the New Testament and find quotes from or references to the Old Testament.  Jesus refers to Jonah, as well as Adam and Eve.  Both Hebrews and Revelation are full of Old Testament quotes and references.  The authors are assuming you understand their references back to OT people, places, and events – so make sure you take the time to look up what they’re talking about.  It will help you understand what the NT author is saying…and if you don’t understand their references, you’ll likely misinterpret their intended point.

In short, whenever you study the Bible and notice that something is repeated – if it’s said more than once – mark it down.  It’s not because the authors couldn’t think of anything else to say.  It’s their way of pointing out something important.

Let’s stop here and try looking for these two Text Clues in our text from Joshua. 

What things are emphasized?  What is God’s purpose in giving Joshua these instructions?  Is there an order to what God is saying?

What things are repeated?  There’s an obvious phrase to notice here.  Why would God need to repeat this to Joshua?

If you look, you may find other things that are either emphasized or repeated.  Whatever you find, be sure to write it down.

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.
This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your reporter's hat

Have you ever been trying to study your Bible, only to slam it shut out of frustration, wondering why you haven’t been able to remember, let alone understand, what you have spent the last 15 minutes reading?  Did you ask yourself the question, ‘Why can’t I get more out of studying the Scriptures?’ 

I’ve been there.  I made an honest effort.  Went to bed early so I could get up early, made coffee, and sat down while everyone else was still asleep so I would have no distractions.  Didn’t know where to start, so I just picked something – like a chapter out of one of Paul’s letters – and started to read. 

There seemed to be a few interesting or useful things, but I had completely read it in less than 5 minutes…and I’m wondering: How am I supposed to ‘study’ this?  Reluctantly, I read it again.  And again.  And again.  But nothing new appeared, and I didn’t hear God’s voice instructing me…so I just sat there, frustratedly thinking:  I’ve often heard others talk about mining the Word for God’s riches and wisdom…all I want is a few nuggets for myself, I don’t need to hit the mother lode.  But all I’ve got so far is a few flakes, and I’ve been staring at the chapter for almost 30 minutes.  Maybe others are finding this profitable, but not me…

If this sounds even remotely familiar, take heart, you’re not alone!  Think about how the exchange of information has changed over the last 100 years.  We have made a radical shift from a word-based society of readers to an image-based society of viewers.  Billboards, video games, movies, and TV.  The primary medium of our time is TV and videos, not books.  As a result, we don’t know how to read…to a large extent, it is a lost art.

Yet the Bible is a book, which means it must be read to be understood and appreciated.  We need to reacquire the skills of reading if we want to become effective Bible students.  One of the best ways to read well is to think like a reporter.

Reporters are famous for asking five basic questions: Who?, What?, Where?, When?, and Why?  Asking these types of questions of the Biblical text will help us make observations that we wouldn’t see on a normal read-though.

1.       First up is the question Who?  Pretty simple question to answer, right?  Just read the text.  But once you’ve identified who is in the passage, I suggest you write down two types of things: 1) what info do you have about this person from your passage, and 2) what does the person say in your passage.

2.       Next is the question What?  We ask questions like: What is happening in the text?  What are the events, and in what order?  What happens to the characters?  Or if the passage argues a point, what’s the argument?  What point is the author trying to make?

Another good What? question to ask is ‘What’s wrong with this picture?’  Remember, we are given many good examples in the Bible, but there also are many people that serve as examples of what not to do. 

3.       Third is the question Where?  This gives you location – Where is the narrative taking place?  Where are the people in the story?  Where are they coming from?  Where are they going?  Where is the writer?  Where were the original readers of this text?  What does the text tell you about any location mentioned?

4.       Fourth is the question When?  This is a question of time.  When did the events take place?  When did they occur in relation to other events in Scripture?  Is this before or after Jesus’ death and resurrection?  When was the writer writing?  Are the events of the passage happening on a certain day or month?

5.       Lastly, we ask the question Why?  There are an infinite number of why questions to ask (and anyone who has had a 3 year old knows this as fact!).  Why is this included?  Why is it placed here?  Why is this book included in the Bible?  Why does a person say that, or why did he say nothing?  Why? is a question that digs for meaning.

A good reporter knows that not every question is applicable to all situations.  You might ask one of these questions and not find an answer in the text...for example, you could ask, When is this taking place? and the psalm, proverb, or passage doesn’t have any reference to time.  So, we just move on to the next question.  Don’t pressure yourself to find something that’s not there.  We need to let the text speak for itself.

As you find observations using your reporter questions, be sure to write them down in your notebook.  We’ll come back to them later, and – let’s be honest – we won’t remember everything we observe, so we need to write it down.

Now, let’s put our reporter questions to use on our passage.  You can use any question from the list above or come up with a few questions of your own. 

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Whatever you find, whether you write down a lot or just a few observations…don’t despise it.  If Jesus can feed 5,000+ people with 5 loaves and 2 fish, we can trust Him to feed us with what we work to find in the Scriptures.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Puzzle pieces

During the past year, my wife and I have started doing an activity together that I would not have expected – we do puzzles.  Occasionally, we’ll buy them brand new from a big box store, but mostly our go-to is a thrift store.  Although we’re risking that there are only 998 pieces instead of the 1000 advertised on the box, it’s worth spending just a dollar or two for the hours of non-screen time entertainment that we can then re-donate back when we’re finished with it.

While we’ve put together landscapes, collages, mystery pictures, and other various scenes, what I’ve noticed is that no matter what the end result is supposed to look like, we have a distinct pattern of attack when it comes to putting the puzzle together.

I suspect you follow the same steps that we do when completing a puzzle – first sort through the pieces, largely ignoring the design, looking for any pieces with a flat edge.  Then, once you believe you’ve found all flat-edge pieces (or at least a good number of them), you start building the outer frame of the puzzle.  After getting the top, bottom, and side boarders in place, the next step is to sort through the remaining pieces, looking for similar patterns of design.  The big, easily identifiable portions of the picture are the best place to start.  You do your best to figure out where in the puzzle these large sections belong, and in a little while, you have the major sections of the puzzle picture laid out.

The last step has to do with filling in the details.  I particularly don’t like the puzzle pieces of sky or water that look like every other piece of sky or water (or that could pass for either one).  But after looking at these pieces for some time, in relation to the borders and picture sections we’ve already completed, these seemingly monotonous pieces start to look different from one another.  Nuances that were not previously seen slowly become visible.  Eventually, the last piece goes in – and in honor of our triumph, we typically leave the completed puzzle on the table for a full 24 hours for everyone (mainly us) to enjoy.

But other than offering you a suggestion for a non-technology-focused family activity, why would I bring this up?  In our last series, we looked at Psalm 1 and learned about the type of life that God honors and blesses.  The psalmist listed multiple benefits, in this life and the next, for those who walk through life taking the path of the righteous instead of the way of the wicked – and all the blessings happened for those who intentionally pursued God through His Word. 

If you missed any of that series, I highly recommend going back and reading through them.  You can find the start of the series here.  However, if you tracked with me through the entire series, you may be thinking:

That’s great, Ken.  I would like to pursue God more, but I don’t know how.  I can only read and re-read a verse so many times.  What if I don’t understand what I’m reading?

If you are thinking anything along those lines, I wouldn’t want to leave you hanging like that.  So our next series will help equip you to actively engage God in His Word.  In short, I’m not going to tell you what a passage means – instead, I’m going to turn the pen over to you, literally.

But don’t panic…you can do this.  Just like there is a systematic approach to completing a puzzle, there’s a good systematic approach to studying Scripture.  I’ll walk you through it, and if you have any questions, I’ll walk with you through it.  As always, you can reply to the email or reach out to me via the Contact page at www.trustingson.com.

So, let’s start easy.  Grab a pen and a notebook/notepad – preferably new, but at least with some pages to write on.  Together, we’re going to look at a small group of verses.  Just four verses total.  And all I want you to do to get started is take two small baby steps:

1.       Write down the verses in your notebook.
2.       Write down any general observations that jump out at you.  We’re not going deep here, just looking at anything obvious to you as you read through the verses a couple of times.

That’s it for this week.  Seriously.  We’ll do some more steps together in the coming weeks (they’re not all that difficult, either), but these first two items might cost you 10 minutes.  So, ready for the verses?  Here you go:

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from you mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

What two or three things do you notice?  Is there anything here that you have a question about? 

Jot those things down.  Your initial impressions and questions are much more important than you realize at this point.  I’m sure we’ll find answers to them in the coming weeks.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Prosper

Much like the word happy, the word prosper can be surprisingly divisive in Christian circles.  Some believers go so far as to say that if you’re not wealthy, you’re not doing “God’s Will” for your life.  Other believers, at the opposite end of the spectrum seem to begrudge those who are “too successful”.  Typically, we define success in monetary terms…but maybe God has a different definition.

For context:

Psalm 1:1-2
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

Notice when the psalmist inserts prosperity into the picture:

Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Whatever he does prospers…that is a huge promise!  But is that what it really means?  Whatever he does prospers…literally anything?

In context, this would be as he follows the way of the righteous…remember, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, so his endeavors and goals will be in accordance with that.  This doesn’t mean there is just one linear path for us to follow (i.e. – God wants me to have this specific job and marry this specific person and attend this specific school, and if I don’t…then I’m not in “God’s will”).  Instead, God’s instructions are principles for us to apply as we travel through life.  As we continue to apply His teachings, we are walking the path of the righteous and are rewarded with prosperity.

The Hebrew word for prospers (tsaleach) shows up 65 times in the Old Testament, so this is something God brought up regularly to the Israelites.  The word means to succeed, generally expressing the idea of a successful venture, as contrasted with failure.  The source of such success is God.

The same word is rendered as success in 2 Chronicles 26:5, when describing the best part of King Uzziah’s reign:

2 Chronicles 26:5
He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear of God.  During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

The same word also appeared as prosper in God’s direction to Joshua, as he was receiving instructions from God just prior to leading the Israelites into the Promised Land:

Joshua 1:8
This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Do you see the pattern showing up in each of the texts?

meditate on God’s word then do the work given then be prosperous

A godly, prosperous person isn’t a sinless person, they are not someone who does everything right.  Instead, it’s someone who is walking in the counsel of God…and that involves a variety of appropriate actions at appropriate times: confessing sins, serving, learning under sound teaching, putting into action the lessons we learn from God, loving others as we have been loved, and looking at life through God’s perspective.

So far in Psalm 1, we’re finding that the difference between a godly man and a wicked man is the constant input from the Word of God.  Time in God’s Word is their delight and focus – I’m not talking about a 5 minute devotional here – but a primary focus…soaking in the Word, allowing it to permeate his mind and change his actions (take a look at Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18 for more examples)

So what is prosperity and success, then?  While the world defines those terms mainly in finances, in contrast, God is telling us that prosperity is something much greater.

The psalmist’s tree analogy defines success as well-timed fruitfulness: your life is producing good things for the people around you, you are achieving your true potential.  A fruit tree was made to produce fruit, because that is what it is designed to do – and if it’s not producing fruit, then it is missing out on what it was made to do.  And it’s the same with us, but as we have seen, fruitfulness only happens when the Word transforms us. (This is similar to the abiding theme we find in John 15 and the apostle’s discussion throughout 1 John)

In Psalm 1:3, we have a promise to claim: That God’s Word will sustain/grow me and there is happiness, delight, and prosperity in doing so.  However, our look at other Scriptures confirmed what we’ve seen in Psalm 1, that there is also a condition to meet in order to have this God-defined prosperity: Intentionally spend time in God’s Word, purposely meditate on it, and delight to do so…knowing that God can/will develop me in the way I was created to grow and mature.  And then I will find happiness and prosperity.

Keep Pressing,
Ken