The title of this blog post is not talking about the beginning of physical life at conception or birth or the beginning of our spiritual lives at conversion. It is talking about the first two minutes of our lives as we experience them each and every day: the first two minutes after we wake in the morning.

Because we are often still sleepy and perhaps “coming to,” we tend to not even notice these first minutes after waking.  For many of us the day does not start to come into focus until we are up and dressed, or perhaps have had our morning coffee.  But just because we do not notice or think about the first minutes of wakefulness each day does not mean they are not important. In fact, it can easily be argued that those two first minutes of our day are the most important, spiritually, of our whole day –  of our whole lives.

Let me explain.  It is often said that the beginning of a journey is not as important as its ending, but it is often the beginning of the journey –  the planning, preparation, and mindset –  that determines if we will ever reach the end of our journey and how successful it will be.  The same may be said of a military operation or any important undertaking. Each day of life is no different.  Stumbling into each day we are given is akin to starting on a long journey or going on an important mission with no preparation at all.  Without proper preparation we will likely miss many of the opportunities –  and be oblivious to many of the dangers –  we may meet as we set out on each journey or into each day.

Lack of preparation also lessens our chances for success, as C.S. Lewis so aptly stressed in Mere Christianity, by opening us up to a world of distraction:

“... the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger life come flowing in. And so on, all day.”

In these words, Lewis hit on one of the most important aspects of our spiritual growth – or lack of it: we must intentionally prepare our minds both to avoid distraction and to align ourselves with the way of God. 

Speaking  words of praise and thanks in the first minutes of each day is as much listening as it is speaking – we attune ourselves to hear what God wants us to hear as the day begins. The prophet Isaiah describes this very principle: “He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed” (Isaiah 50:4) –  and the result of this “hearing” is clear: “The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;  I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away” (Isaiah 50:5).

So how do we accomplish this?  To properly prepare for each day and to maximize its opportunities, we must put our minds in spiritual gear from the moment we wake. Some may feel this would be almost impossible for them –  that they are not “morning people” or that they don’t wake up properly until they get in the shower, get to their coffee, or whatever. But the truth is no matter how slow we may be to get started each day, we can still focus our minds in the first minute or two after waking just as we can focus our eyes in that same time. 

This means that if we make our first conscious thoughts each day to be ones of thanksgiving for the gift of life, of praise for the One who has given it, and of dedication to the way of serving, giving, and helping – these thoughts not only set the tone for the whole day, they serve to reset the mind’s spiritual compass and increase the likelihood that as we go into the day it will not be to spiritually stumble and wander.

But it is imperative that this “orienting” of our minds and of our spiritual selves is done immediately when we wake.  We can do this before we open our eyes if we wish, or we can simply focus our minds as our eyes come into focus.  But if we start the practice and stick with it, we will find it not only becomes easier, but it also becomes ingrained and soon becomes second nature: we wake up and focus spiritually without having to think about it.

This may sound like a very small way to approach spiritual growth, but it is not.  One or two minutes of spiritual preparation for the day invariably means that our days go better from that perspective. Our normal morning prayers will be more focused and effective, our first –  and ongoing –  interactions with others in the day will better reflect the attitude God wants us to display, and we will be better primed to use the day to learn and grow, to serve and help, to the full.

Spiritual growth does not happen by itself; preparing for growth is a big part of making growth possible on a daily basis.  Walking with God means focusing and making necessary course corrections throughout the day, but our success in this and in growing in grace can be tremendously enhanced each morning in the first two minutes of daily life.

​“Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;  let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him. May his days be few;  may another take his place of leadership. May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. May his descendants be cut off,  their names blotted out from the next generation” (Psalm 109:6-13).

The so-called imprecatory psalms have a way of getting our attention, but it is not always in a positive manner. How do we reconcile the seemingly brutal and even vengeful attitude that appears to lie behind these psalms and the teachings of forgiveness and love for enemies found in the New Testament?

Our article on this subject looks at these seemingly brutal psalms and gives reasons why they are not what they might seem to be. Read the article here.

It is often said that pride –  in the sense of self-elevation rather than what we call being “proud” of other people, such as our children, team, or school, etc. –  is the worst of sins because self-oriented pride inevitably leads us to set ourselves up in the place of God. As has been wryly said, we become “self-made men or women who worship their creator.”

Pride of this type can manifest itself in many ways, but it invariably involves comparison – the way in which prideful individuals compare themselves to others.  The Gospel of Luke gives a clear example of this problem in the parable of the self-righteous Pharisee and the socially despised tax collector:

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’  But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’  “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:9-14).

There are several not-so-obvious things that we should notice about this parable in relation to pride.  While most Jews only fasted on the yearly Day of Atonement, the Pharisees added to the law of God by fasting before and after every annual festival throughout the year – or even more frequently.  The Pharisee in the parable, however, claims to fast twice each week.  This shows us the level of his pride in that he proclaims that he is even more devout than most of the Pharisees themselves.

But there is another aspect of the Pharisee’s behavior that reflects the nature of comparative pride.  The parable tells us the actual words that the Pharisee prayed – indicating that he “said” these words out loud rather than “thought” them (compare, for example, Luke 12:17).   Public prayers were made twice each day in the temple – at the times of the morning and afternoon sacrifices.  At those times Jewish temple-goers would assemble in the “Court of the Israelites” directly outside the inner temple.  First the priest would perform the sacrificial offering of the day and then he would enter the inner temple area to offer incense. It was at that point that the Israelites outside would pray, out loud, while the priest made the offering on their behalf (Luke 1:8-10). 

When we realize that the Pharisee’s prayer was not thought, but spoken out loud, we see the deprecating nature of pride at its worst.  By saying “God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector…,” the Pharisee publicly shamed the tax collector in order to enhance his own self-exaltation.

The situation described in the parable is a classic example of the way pride, in its worst form, puts down others in order to elevate oneself.  C.S. Lewis described the phenomenon perfectly: “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”   As a result, the Pharisee prayed but did not see or really communicate with God.   That is why, Luke tells us, Jesus taught this parable “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else” (Luke 18:9).

For most of us, pride is not expressed so blatantly or in such an obnoxious manner, but we must always be aware of the human tendency in this direction.   Pride can often be found in even seemingly innocent comparison.  That is why the apostle Paul wrote: “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

There are a number of tactics we can utilize to avoid this trap, but Paul himself gives us two that we can all put into use.  First, as the apostle wrote to the Philippians: “in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3), or, as the NKJV translates this verse: “in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”  This is the most fundamental deterrent to pride of any type, but especially comparative pride.

Paul gives us another basic principle in his letter to the Galatians. “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” (Galatians 6:4).   In writing this, Paul shows us that it is not wrong to be happy and thankful to have accomplished something or to have made progress toward our goals, as long as that is not done by comparing ourselves to others.  

Ultimately, the worst kind of pride is avoided when our self-concept is based not on how we compare to others, but how we compare to what God calls us to.  That is always a humbling thought and one that leaves no room for the growth of pride at all.

​The Sermon on the Mount is a central part of the teachings of Jesus that we all know – it  demonstrates the essential nature of the Christian way of life as much as any part of Scripture. Many of us have memorized parts of the sermon as found in Matthew’s Gospel (chapters 5-7), but how much time have we spent thinking about the setting of the sermon as opposed to the sermon itself?
 
We tend to take for granted that the sermon was given on a mountain because we know that Jesus frequently climbed mountains (Luke 6:12, John 6:15, etc.) – though he usually did this to get away from people, to be alone and to pray.   In this case we are told specifically that he went up on a mountain with his disciples following him.

The New International Version tells us “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them” (Matthew 5:1-2).  This gives the impression that Jesus simply went up on the side of a mountain – the lower slopes.  But “side” is not in the original Greek (or in most translations), and the Greek anebē  eis to oros  “he went up into a mountain” conveys the sense that he ascended  on to the mountain – certainly well up toward, or to, its summit.
 
Now this wording is interesting, because when we compare it with the Old Testament account of how Moses went up onto Mt. Sinai to receive the law from God, we find “When Moses went up on the mountain …” (Exodus 19:3, 24:12).  In fact, the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures which many of the writers of the New Testament used, translates this with exactly the same words as those used of Jesus ascending the mountain: anebē  eis to oros.

Many Jewish readers of the 1st century would have recognized the beginning of this story of the Sermon on the Mount as being identical to the beginning of the story of Moses receiving God’s law.  This would have struck a deep chord for those readers because every devout Jew knew that God had told Moses:   “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18). Every devout Jew expected this prophet like Moses, and the similarities between Jesus and Moses were clear for those ancient readers who knew the Hebrew Scriptures. 

For example, the infant Moses and Jesus both escaped death when a ruler attempted to kill the male Jewish children in the area, both hid in Egypt as a child, both gave up  life in a kingly home to lead a humble life of service,  both fasted forty days and nights, both communicated directly with God, both performed miracles, both provided the people with bread to eat, both sent out 12 individuals, both chose 70 individuals, both taught with authority – and both ascended a mountain for the giving of  key commands and instruction from God. 

With that background in mind, we can see the significance of the fact that throughout the first third of the Sermon on the Mount, the law of Moses is mentioned repeatedly, using the formula “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago …. But I tell you ….”  For example:

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment” ​ (Matthew 5:21-22, and see also Matthew 5:27, 31, 38, 43). 

Within the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made it clear to his followers that he was not doing away with or replacing the principles of the law given through Moses (Matthew 5:17-19). Instead, in this pivotal sermon – the longest connected teaching of Jesus in the New Testament – he gave new insight into those principles, raising our understanding of their intent to the higher level to which we are called.

H​ow many times, if ever,  have you heard someone say “white and black” for “black and white” or “potatoes and meat” instead of  “meat and potatoes”?   There are unwritten laws of how we speak, and even though we don’t consciously think about them – and no one ever really taught them to us –  we say what we have heard others say and what sounds natural to us. 
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We say “Ladies and gentlemen” and never “gentlemen and ladies,” even though we say “men and women,” not “women and men.”  In the same way, it’s always “bread and butter,” “thunder and lightning,” or “highs and lows” – never the other way around.

In some expressions we can see a certain kind of logic in the way we place one word before another – as with time order (“cause and effect,” “crime and punishment,” etc.); most important first (“bread and butter,” “fish and chips,” etc.); better first (“good and bad,” “pros and cons,” etc.). But often there is no seeming reason  for putting one word before another, yet it’s always “salt and pepper,” “cloak and dagger” – and countless other expressions where we naturally place one before the other.

The clearest example of this  kind of unwritten law of what we say is probably found in pairs of words containing the letter “I” where we always put the “I” first. That’s why we always say “hip hop” and not “hop hip,” or “tittle-tattle” and not “tattle-tittle,” “flip-flop” and not “flop-flip,”  “drip-drop” and not “drop-drip,” etc.  It’s hard to think of an exception to this tendency – we put “I” before other letters in dozens of pairs of words probably for no other reason than it seems natural, easy, and comfortable to us.

The actions in our lives can be a lot like that, too.  Although we may not consciously think about it and were never taught to do so, we tend to place “I” before other people in our interactions and relationships.   We may not mean to do so, but we often just naturally stress our own needs before those of others whether it is in the grocery store, or driving on the roads, in office meetings, or in talking with friends.  In countless ways we all tend to put “I” first. It’s just the natural thing to do. 

But the Bible turns life around in this regard and shows us that it is actually a whole lot better to resist what comes naturally in our attitudes and actions towards others. For example, the apostle Paul reminds us that we should “count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3), and that is definitely an attitude of putting others before ourselves.

It’s one of the most basic principles of Christianity, but especially in difficult times of social upheaval and difficulties –  when we may be particularly tempted to put our own needs ahead of those of others – we have to make a conscious effort not to place the naturally preferred “I” first.

When supplies are short in stores, when people are tempted to hoard more provisions than they actually need at this time, Paul’s continuing advice applies more than ever:  “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

It may be natural to put ourselves first, but Christianity calls us to a much better way in which we do not do things because they are the “natural” thing to do – but the way that ultimately is the best for us and for everyone else.

Patience seems to come naturally for some people – even in very difficult situations – while others are not so fortunate.  But learning patience with people and circumstances is a battle  we must all fight to some degree.  While many people acknowledge that patience is a virtue, it is easy to regard it as only a minor one – a distant cousin of the great spiritual virtues such as faith and love. Why Every Christian Needs More Patience makes it clear that patience is not only biblically commanded, but also of fundamental importance for every believer – far more so than many people would guess.  Our newest e-book shows exactly what the Bible says about the need for this quality and looks at some of the unexpected ways the Scriptures guide and help us to make patience a part of our Christian lives.
 
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“I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)
 
It’s a verse we all know, a verse that quarterback Tim Tebow inscribed in his eye black, one that has been engraved on thousands of items of jewelry and printed on countless items of Christian merchandising.  But does it mean what most people presume it means?  For many people this verse (and its slight variant “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” NKJV, etc.) has become a kind of Christian mantra, a spiritual guarantee that whatever we do will succeed if we act in faith. 

The truth is that Philippians 4:13 does not really say or mean anything of the kind. But what it really does say and mean can be infinitely more encouraging.

As with any biblical verse, “context is king.”  To understand what Paul had in mind with these words, we must look at the context in which he wrote them:
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“for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13 ESV).

The context shows us immediately that Paul was not talking about success in doing things, but about success in dealing with things –  the ability to accept and enjoy or endure (whichever is appropriate) whatever life may throw at us. 

The underlying Greek in which Paul wrote Philippians confirms this meaning. The Greek does not literally say “I can do all things” –  the word “do” does not appear in the verse at all. Rather, the words mean “I have strength for all things” –  in other words, “I can survive, deal with, handle, be content with, all things.”
The apostle tells us that he had fully experienced the positive and negative aspects of life –  “every circumstance” –  and he had learned that through the strength God gave him, he could successfully live through them all.
 
This is important.  Paul tells us he could not only survive the bad things with God’s help, but also the good things of life. Why would we need help in surviving the good things?  Simply put, the scriptures show us that both prosperity and poverty can be snares (Proverbs 30:8-9).  Although poverty can leave us bitter and even lead to stealing, prosperity can encourage complacency,  self-reliance and pride.  But Paul’s words show that with God’s help we can meet whatever circumstances we find ourselves in with a right attitude that does not distance us in some way from God.

As such, Philippians 4:13 has nothing to do with being able to accomplish goals or other things we may want to do in life. God certainly can help us with such things if it is his will, but Paul’s point does not relate to that fact.   Far more importantly,  Paul tells us that God can help us succeed in things that are far more vital than physical accomplishments - the things Paul was talking about. That is why the NIV translates this verse:  “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (emphasis added).
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Remember, too, that the apostle penned these words from a prison cell near the end of his life – hardly a position of success and accomplishment in physical terms. Nevertheless, Paul had learned that whether he  found himself in a palace or a prison cell, he could be content in the knowledge that God would help him to deal with it. For Paul, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” was not about performing well or fulfilling goals at the physical level,  but about achieving the things in life that matter the most. Philippians 4:13 is not about what we can accomplish with God’s help, but what God, through his help, can accomplish in us. 

Two of the Gospel writers –  Matthew and Mark –  record that near his death Jesus called out with a seemingly strange statement:
 
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 ESV).
 
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 ESV).
 
While Matthew records Jesus’ words in Hebrew, Mark records them in Aramaic (the language in which they were probably uttered); but the words are almost identical, and the meaning is the same.  
 
These troubling words have long been interpreted as showing at that point in time Jesus symbolically bore the sins of the whole world and God –  who cannot look at evil (Habakkuk 1:13) –  turned away from his Son who was left in near-despairing isolation.  Because sin cuts off from God, the argument is made, and Jesus at that moment represented all sinners –  so God totally cut himself off from his perfect Son because of our sins.
 
But is that what those terrible words really signify?  Did God really turn away from his only Son who had lived a life of perfect obedience – obedience all the way to death itself (Philippians 2:8)?  Although that may possibly be the case, we do not have a scripture saying that.  And how do we mesh that concept with the fact that it was because God loved sinners so much that he sent his Son to die for them (John 3:16)? Or the fact that God looks on and deals personally with every sinner he calls,  and that we have it on scriptural authority that “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ”? (Romans 8:38-39).

But there is another –  and far more positive – way to understand those troubling words of Jesus.  Jewish rabbis have long utilized the principle of referring to a scriptural passage by means of a few of its words, knowing that their hearers would mentally supply the rest of the passage. This method of teaching and reference (called “remez,” meaning “a hint”) was certainly used in  Jesus’ time and we see him employing it frequently –  for example,  in Matthew 21:15 when the children of Jerusalem shouted praises in his honor and the priests and teachers of the law became indignant.  Jesus responded by quoting only a few words from Psalm 8:2: “From the lips of children and infants, you have ordained praise.” But the religious leaders would have fully realized that the rest of that Psalm states the enemies of God would be silenced by children’s praises.
 
We see Jesus using this technique so often that when we turn to his words spoken on the cross "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” we can see immediately that this is undoubtedly what Jesus was doing.  The words are the opening words of Psalm 22 – the great messianic psalm that foretells even the smallest details of the Messiah’s death.  Every biblically literate Jew present at the crucifixion would have been reminded of the prophecies made in that psalm –  the insults of the mocking crowd (vss. 6-8), his dying thirst (vs. 15), the “dogs”/gentiles (vs. 16) who pierced his hands and feet (vs. 16), the casting of lots for his garments (vs. 18) –  simply by the “hint” of Jesus quoting its opening verse.
 
We should remember, too, that these words were the only ones we are told Jesus spoke “with a loud voice” (the fact is recorded by both Matthew and Luke) on the Cross.  These were the words – few though they were –  that Jesus spoke in his agony to all present – and all present would have likely recognized the intent of that small remez that referenced the whole of the psalm from which it was taken. Seen this way, we realize that Jesus’ words were his last great teaching. They were the final proof he offered that he was, indeed, the One who was prophesied.
 
Understanding those words in this way is not to argue that sin cuts off from God, but to suggest that we should not presume that this is why Jesus uttered the words he did. We should perhaps temper that concept with a fuller understanding of God’s love – that God does indeed always love us as his children despite our sins – which means that God still loved his Son also at that awful time of his shouldering of our sins.  Jesus himself told his disciples shortly before his crucifixion: “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me” (John 16: 32-33). 
 
In fact, the very psalm that Jesus quoted contains, near its end, not words of his rejection as he suffered, but words that Jesus knew he could trust completely: “He has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help” (Psalm 22:24).


* For more on the book of Psalms, download our free e-book Spotlight on the Psalms .  No registration or email is necessary to download here.

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The Continental United States has thousands of walking and hiking trails, but the three most important are the Pacific Crest Trail that follows the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges in the west, the Appalachian Trail in the east, and the Continental Divide Trail that runs through the heart of the continent along the Rocky Mountains between Mexico and Canada.  Together, these three trails –  often little more than a narrow footpath – run almost 8,000 miles and make up the celebrated “Triple Crown of Hiking” –  the great three-in one American long-distance walk. 

There is an interesting spiritual analog to this concept of a great three-part walk. Both the Old and New Testament scriptures refer to “walking” in God’s ways, and  in the New Testament we find Jesus’ words about the “narrow way” leading to eternal life (Matthew 7:14), and Christianity itself is referred to as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; etc.).  We all recognize this concept of the Way and our walk in it, but it can be helpful to think about it a little more deeply –  to break down the walk of Christianity into its component parts.

The apostle Paul does exactly this for us in his letter to the Ephesians. In the fifth chapter of his epistle Paul refers to our walk three times – giving us three parts, as it were, to the Christian Way.

1) Love:  “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us …” (Ephesians 5:1-2, emphasis added here and in the following scriptures).   When Paul stresses love as the first part of our Christian walk, he is, of course, following the teachings of Jesus directly (Matthew 22:36-40). It is a teaching reflected by every writer of the New Testament and perhaps summarized most famously in the words of the apostle John:  “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love” (2 John 1:6).  After expounding on the walk of love with both positive and negative examples of what it is and is not, Paul moves on to the second part of our great walk.

2) Light:  “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)” (Ephesians 5:8-9).  Throughout the New Testament we find that light is synonymous with truth, and walking in the light and in the truth are the same thing. But in these verses Paul expands the analogy of light in equating light with those things that are “good and right and true” (vs. 9).  Once again, Paul follows up his point in the following verses with positive and negative examples of what this means for our everyday lives, but his point is clear: light-truth-righteousness must be a major part of our walk with God and others.  As John tells us: “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another …”  (1 John 1:6-7).

3) Wisdom: The final part of the three part walk that Paul describes may be somewhat surprising at first, but it is one that teaches an important lesson. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,” (Ephesians 5:15-16).  In this final part of his explanation of what walking with God means – the final part of the three-in-one Way –  Paul stresses that we must avoid foolishness and walk wisely. Yet again he gives positive and negative examples of what this means in the following verses, but the principle is summed up in verse 17 where he tells us “Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”  For Paul, if we understand God’s true intent for us, we will be walking wisely and applying wisdom to the way we walk in love and in truth. 
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Paul understood that we can walk the walk of love yet still be without truth –  or vice versa. But he also understood that without wisdom our overall walk in love or truth can be seriously affected.  The responsibility lies on us individually to complete this part of our walk just as much as the other parts – to examine how we express love and truth in our lives and to ensure that wisdom is there, also. 

​Naturally, we can ask God’s help for all parts of our walk with him –  for love (1 John 4:7), for truth (Psalm 119:18), and for wisdom (James 1:5).  But Paul shows us that it is only when all three parts are in place that our walk is a complete one –  the “Triple Crown” of our walk with God.

If you have read the Bible’s account of King David’s life, you will remember the story of Abigail – the woman who became one of David’s wives (1 Samuel 25). Her story is a short but memorable one that tells us much about the woman and contains an unusual lesson in leadership.

When David was forced to flee from the jealous King Saul and to live precariously in remote areas of Israel, his band of warrior-supporters provided needed protection and help for the servants of the wealthy rancher Nabal over an extended period of time. When David’s men eventually asked Nabal for food in return for the protection they had given his men and flocks, Nabal rebuffed them in such a way that David threatened to kill the surly and ungrateful man.

The foolishness of Nabal (whose name in Hebrew means “fool”) that put his own life, and probably those of others, in danger was mitigated only by his beautiful wife Abigail who quickly gathered a supply of food and secretly took it to David, imploring him to accept the gift and not to act in anger that would lead to bloodshed (1 Samuel 25:31). We are told that David relented, but that when the drunken Nabal learned what had happened he suffered a heart attack in his intense anger and died (1 Samuel 25:37-38). Soon after, David married Abigail, whom Jewish tradition records as one of the four most beautiful women (along with Sarah, Rahab, and Esther) mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

Much has been written regarding Abigail’s role in this situation. She is often praised for her wisdom, kindness, generosity, and tact – all of which were clearly qualities that she exhibited. However, we should see this story in perspective. Although we might think of David as a king and Abigail as simply the wife of a rancher in the remote countryside, the opposite is true. David was a penniless fugitive at this time and Abigail the wife of a very rich man, which gave her a far higher socioeconomic status than David. Yet Abigail not only personally took the requested food to David and his men, she humbly addressed him as “lord” and acted as a servant in his presence (1 Samuel 25:28-30).

Although the Bible does not tell us much more about Abigail beyond what we read in 1 Samuel 25, her story stands in contrast to the later story of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11, 12; 1 Kings 1, 2), who was also a very beautiful woman married to another man – whom David did kill – and who also became David’s wife. But in contrast to the story of Bathsheba, Abigail’s story is one of a woman who prevented the murder of her husband through her wise actions – as David himself acknowledged (1 Samuel 25:33-34).

As a result of her actions, we remember Abigail as a wise as well as beautiful woman whose wisdom saved the day. Yet to simply ascribe “wisdom” to Abigail is to miss the leadership lesson that is so clear in her story of evasive action.

While we can summarize Abigail’s chief characteristics as being ones of “wisdom” and related qualities, those are the underlying attributes of her nature that caused her to act as she did; but the principle that she followed was very specifically that of “evasive action.” By taking the initiative when her husband was clearly endangering himself and others, Abigail’s efforts exemplified the principle of acting swiftly to counter a problem that has come into being. This is different from Abraham’s looking ahead and preparing, when possible, for problems before they occur – it is a rapid response to problems and dangers when they unexpectedly occur.
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Evasive action may be associated in our minds with things such as military operations or defensive driving, but it is a principle that can be applied in every aspect of our lives. We can exercise the principle by smoothing down an argument or dispute in the making, by changing our young children’s friends when we get indications they are not good influences, and in countless other ways. Abigail’s story is a classic example of a basic leadership principle that can be remembered and utilized whenever situations arise in which evasive action might be wise. As leadership experts often stress, evasive action can help us overcome problems before the problems overcome us.

* Extracted from our new free e-book, Lessons From Old Testament Leaders. You can download a copy without registration, email, or charge, here.

​MannaBooks –  the free mobile phone app that offers the ability to both read and publish Christian books and devotionals.

A couple of months ago we ran an article on MannaBooks, the relatively new Christian e-book app for smartphones. Although it was a preliminary version of the program, we highly recommended the app for a great many reasons (read our full report here).

Now, Mannabooks has released an anticipated new version that corrects earlier issues, streamlines the user interface, and improves the app in many ways.  The app now has a pleasing welcome screen and quickly loads its home page with clear categories and fast access to the e-books offered. A search bar also makes searching by specific title or author possible.

New books are frequently being added to the MannaBooks catalog so if you already have downloaded this great app., be sure to update to the new build. And if you haven’t tried it yet, you should.  This is a great Christian e-reader and publishing app that belongs on your phone –  read our earlier review to see why. The current app is available for Android phones only, but an iOS version for iPhones is almost ready for release.
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You can download the free MannaBooks e-book app directly to your phone from the Google Play Store, here, and from the Apple App store soon.

 
LESSONS FROM OLD TESTAMENT LEADERS:                          
PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP FOR EVERYDAY LIVING  
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By R. Herbert             
 
The Bible is a book about leaders. More than 95 percent of its stories are about individuals who were leaders or who took the initiative when leadership was needed. This is especially true of the Hebrew Scriptures, and our new e-book looks at case studies drawn from the lives of numerous men and women of the Old Testament who displayed great leadership abilities and from whom we can learn much today.

Like all our titles, Lessons from Old Testament Leaders is available in three formats so you can read it on any computer, smart phone or e-book reader. And, of course, like all our e-books, this one is free and free from advertising. There is no need to register or give an email address to get a copy – simply download it here and you are ready to start reading!

There is a language you can learn in order to better understand many verses in the Bible. That language is not Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic  –  it is simply the “language” of gestures and actions we call “body language.”  We are all familiar with body language in our own cultures and absorb it subconsciously as we grow up.  We learn from a very early age that if a parent stands with fists on hips as he or she is about to speak to us that we are probably in trouble! As we go through life we routinely “read” the gestures and postures of others without thinking about it, but those same clues are a very real part of our understanding of what is happening in the world around us.   

In some cases, the body language mentioned in the Bible is similar or identical to that found in many modern cultures.  For example, the act of bowing before important individuals or before God mentioned so often in the Bible is perfectly understandable to us today, and even more subtle gesture expressions make sense to us, as when the book of Proverbs tells us that “Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity; whoever purses their lips is bent on evil” (Proverbs 16:30).  

The Bible draws attention to many of these non-verbal forms of expression –  especially those involving the hands or feet. For example, the book of Ezekiel records God commanding the prophet Ezekiel to gesture by clapping his hands and stomping his feet regarding sinful Israel (Ezekiel 6:11).  Such gestures were commonly used in both ancient Israel and the nations surrounding it. The book of Job mentions pagan worshipers of the sun and moon gesturing by kissing their hands to bless their gods (Job 31:26-28), and in both the Old and New Testaments we see that in blessing a group of people it was common to lift the hands toward them as the blessing was spoken (Leviticus 9:22; Luke 24:50). 
  
But there are some things we should remember in understanding the body language mentioned in the Bible.  First, we sometimes find different body gestures being used with the same meaning. The book of Genesis gives several examples of oaths being sworn by a person placing his hand under another’s thigh or hip –  as Abraham’s steward is said to have done in promising that he would get a wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives (Genesis 24:2, 9), and as Joseph did in swearing not to bury his father Jacob in Egypt (Genesis 47:29-31).  But later in the Old Testament references to taking an oath usually show individuals doing so by raising a hand toward heaven (Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 12:7; etc.), and in the book of Ezekiel God himself is said to take an oath by raising his hand in this way (Ezekiel 20:5, 15, 23).

Another factor to keep in mind is that many societies assign unique meanings to gestures and postures, and we cannot always assume that a body language “signal” meant the same thing to those in other places or times that it does to us.  The gesture of clapping is a good example of this.  We usually understand clapping the hands together positively - to signify applause. But in biblical times we see not only that same meaning of this gesture as applause (2 Kings 11:12) and praise (Psalm 47:1), but also clapping was used to signify negative reactions such as anger (Numbers 24:10), revulsion (Ezekiel 22:13), and even contempt or derision (Job 27:23).  So when we read of people clapping in a Bible verse (compare for example, Ezekiel 6:11 and 25:6),  we should realize that we need to look at the different possible meanings of this gesture to see which best fits the context.

In a similar way, removing one’s shoes was often a gesture of reverence or respect, just as  Moses was commanded to do this at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5) and Joshua in the presence of the angel of the Lord (Joshua 5:15).  But removing shoes could also be a sign of grief (2 Samuel 15:30), of disrespect (Deuteronomy 25:6-10), or even of sealing an agreement (Ruth 4:7-8).
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In fact, most gestures mentioned in the Bible have multiple meanings and need to be understood in context.  The gesture of throwing dust in the air onto oneself or others was used by those who were grieving (Joshua 7:6, etc.), but also as a gesture indicating scorn or anger – as when the man Shimei did this against David along with cursing him (2 Samuel 16:13).  The same gesture is seen in the New Testament when an angry mob responded to Paul’s defense by crying out and tossing dust into the air (Acts 22:22-23).

In the New Testament, bodily gestures and expressions are frequently noted in the Gospels and this is especially true –  as we might perhaps expect –  in the Gospel of Luke the physician.  But body language appears in some form or other in most books of the Bible, and looking out for it and learning to “read” it correctly can often help us to better understand what is happening in the narrative or to notice points that the biblical writers especially wanted to stress.

Are you afraid of change? I’ll admit it right up front: I often am. In fact, at some level we all are. Psychological studies have found that people are often afraid of change in their lives because of experiences they have had where changes led to less desirable situations.  Those experiences can often give us an almost hard-wired resistance to changing the status quo.   If you don’t believe that, think about the last time you switched checkout lanes in a grocery store because your lane was moving so slowly –  only to find the lane you changed into then slowed down even more –  and the resultant feeling of frustration with the change you made. 

More rigorous psychological tests have proven the  deep-seated nature of our frequent frustration with change.  For example, a University of Illinois study examined the multiple-choice tests of students and interviewed those who had changed their minds on questions, and thus changed their answers during a test.  The significant finding was that when they were questioned afterwards, the students who had changed answers indicated that switching a correct answer to an incorrect answer was much more frustrating and memorable than failing to switch to a correct answer from an incorrect one! 

And so it is, from tests in school to lines in stores and in countless other ways we experience small but memorable frustrations with change and may often resist it as a result.  These are hardly  catastrophic experiences, but the human brain remembers little things like that so when we are tempted to change something in our lives, the suspicion that it may make things worse kicks in almost immediately.

But we need to remember “the other side of the coin” of change: that change is necessary in order to enjoy all of the most satisfying aspects of life. We change in order to move from childhood to adult life, from school to career, from single status to marriage, and in many other ways as we grow and mature.  As Paul told the Corinthians “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways” (1 Corinthians 13:11, ESV). Like Paul, most of us are happy to give up childish pleasures and satisfactions for mature ones.   

Spiritually, we might expect the principle of giving up old wrong ways for better ones to be appealing, too, but human nature and the fear of change we so often develop can slow us down in this area.  In addition, limited understanding of the guidance the Bible gives us for change can affect us, too.   We may know that the New Testament counsels us all to “repent” or to change our ways (Acts 2:38, etc.), but that command is not a one-time thing –  it is an ongoing way of life.

The apostle Paul  had something to say about the fact that we need to continually focus on distinct areas in which we should change: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers … Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

Think about these words for a minute.  The idea of being transformed by renewal is an ongoing one in what Paul wrote. Being “transformed” simply means to be “changed,” of course, and the ongoing “testing” Paul then talks about in these verses refers to accepting the need to change and testing or trying new, better ways in various aspects of our lives.  That is not a natural process and it is not always a comfortable one – if it were, Paul would not have had to “appeal” to us to do it.  But the good news is that this kind of change is always positive and for the best when it is accomplished – and that is what Paul meant in saying it is “good and acceptable and perfect.”
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So how do we put the need to change into practice?  Primarily, we do so in the way we study the word of God.  We do so by reminding ourselves every time we read a section of Scripture not just to read for inspiration, but also to focus on commands or challenges to do or be something different from the way we are.   It means asking ourselves: “Is this me?”  “Should this be me?” and “How do I need to change to make it me?”   Because, spiritually, the only change we really ever need to fear is the change not made. 

During the course of the past year we published over a hundred blog posts here and on our sister site. The list below gives the 12 posts that were the favorites on this site, so check out the list to see how it compares with your own favorites and to see if you missed any...

What the Good Samaritan Gave

Learning to Do Right

Getting Strength Right

“And Peter”

Moving beyond Acceptance

A Balanced Prescription for Self-Worth

 Three Tests of Our Religion 

The Whole Truth?

“The Length of Two Noses” – Understanding Idioms in the Bible

Which Biblical Laws Still Apply Today?

First Responders vs. First Responses

How Do We Please God?

*For more favorites, check out the 12 favorites on our sister site at LivingWithFaith.org ​– and look out for the new year's offerings coming soon!

The Bible has much to say about encouragement – and shows that it is something even the strongest individuals of faith need  at times (Moses, David, and Elijah, to name only three). The Scriptures also show that there is a difference between being encouraged in physical things (Proverbs 13:12, etc.)  and the kind of spiritual encouragement we all need from time to time in the Christian walk (1 Thessalonians 5:11, etc.). 

When problems and difficulties fill our lives, spiritual encouragement can sometimes seem distant, but our new article shows five ways to find it.  You can read the article in our Tactics section, here.

A few weeks ago we announced our new website, FreeChristianEBooks.org, dedicated to making quality Christian e-books (our own and selected others) freely available for reading on any computer, e-reader or smartphone.  

The new site has received a lot of visitors and positive comments already and we are excited that it has had such a great reception.  There is an obvious and growing need for Christian e-books that can be read on any electronic device, but although there are numerous websites offering free Christian literature, their books all too often offer a narrow denominational perspective, are only “occasionally” or “partially” free, and often require registration with an email address that leads to advertising or other “follow ups.” Perhaps that is why our new site has been an immediate success with its non-denominational approach and completely free downloads without any strings, conditions or registrations.   
And there is more good news.  Free Christian E-Books is not intended to be a static library – we plan to add new titles to the site on a regular basis. We have already added a number of new e-books and more are on the way. 
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The new additions include a small selection of Bible translations as well as Bible study and Christian living helps by established Christian authors.  There is  already a wide selection of titles to choose from, but the new additions make the site even more attractive.  So if you haven’t visited yet – or to see the new titles –  you can visit FreeChristianEBooks.org here.

Scripture in Focus: Ecclesiastes 7:28
 
“while I was still searching but not finding – I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all” (Ecclesiastes 7:28).
 
On the surface of it, the author of the biblical book of wisdom called Ecclesiastes seems to give women a pretty bad rap. While this writer – probably the wise King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1:12) –  admits there are few good men to be found (“I found one upright man in a thousand”), he seems to have been unable to find a good woman at all!

But is that what this verse is really saying?  There are actually a number of possibilities that the verse is not putting women down at all, and we will look at three of these individually.

First, we should notice that the writer is referring to himself in the first person in saying “While I was searching … I found …” This is important as the book is giving the writer’s personal experience from its  introduction almost to its conclusion. He continually stresses his own personal reactions and feelings – as when he writes: “I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me” (Ecclesiastes 9:13).  As a result, it is perfectly possible that the writer is simply talking about his own experience rather than making a statement about all women everywhere.  The fact that he was a king might make this more likely, as we will see next.

Second, the Hebrew word translated “woman” (ishah) can mean wife as well as woman and the phrase “to find a woman” can mean to look for and find a wife. If that is the meaning in this verse, the king evidently could find an occasional man who made a good friend, but was unable to find a good wife. 1 Kings 11:3 tells us that Solomon had one thousand wives and concubines, but it is entirely possible that most of these women were striving to win position or favor for themselves or their families.  As someone who admittedly was primarily seeking pleasure in life (Ecclesiastes 2:1, etc.), he may have cut himself off from women who he would have respected more. From this perspective Ecclesiastes 7:28 is simply applying the fact that money  (even kingly riches) cannot buy happiness in the realm of marriage.

Yet another possibility can be seen in the fact that the Hebrew word translated man in this verse (adam) can often mean “human.” If that was the intended meaning, the writer could simply have been stressing that his experience was that only one in a thousand people were good individuals – though admitting that his “sample” consisted entirely of men and no women.

There are even other possibilities for the original meaning of this verse, but we can see from the three mentioned here that whatever the writer of Ecclesiastes meant specifically, he need not have been putting down all women.  It is more likely that he was complaining of his own sad experience based on his own particular circumstances.  Additionally, if the author of Ecclesiastes was indeed Solomon, we should also compare this verse with the many proverbs of Solomon that do show a high regard for women (Proverbs 12:4; 18:22; 19:14; 31:10; etc.). 

We are very happy to announce the launch of our latest website:   Free Christian E-Books! Our new site brings you more food for the soul – in the form of  Christian e-books that you can read on any computer, e-reader or smartphone.  

Naturally the new site carries all of our own e-books (including the latest 2nd editions and new titles) and also carefully selected books ranging from classics like The Pilgrim's Progress to recent titles by some of the leading Christian writers of today.   Books have been chosen to reflect our non-denominational perspective, and while some authors are affiliated with specific denominations, the works we have selected do not focus on denominational topics.

Also in keeping with the philosophy behind our website ministry, all the books we offer on the new website are completely free and do not require any registration or email address to download.  The site is newly launched, but there is  already a wide selection of titles to choose from, and new books will be added regularly. Why not come on over to visit and pick up a couple of free books while you are there!  You can visit FreeChristianEBooks.org here.