No Returns, No Exchanges

One of the major activities the week between Christmas and New Year's is returning and exchanging gifts. Stores often promote their quick, easy and painless return policy to ease your mind before you spend your hard-earned cash.

Maybe you received something that was the wrong size, the wrong color, or just plain… wrong.

I'm guessing there are a few other gifts, that were exactly what you asked for, but in the coming months, you'll find they don't quite live up to expectations. Maybe they aren't as durable, don't launder well, use up batteries too quickly, or are hard to store.

But there are a few presents – and you know the ones – that delight you with how unexpectedly wonderful they are. They are the things that blow us away. We use the thing every single day. We don't know how we ever got along without it, and we whisper a blessing on the person who chose it for us every time we use it.

You know, years ago, Jesus Christ paid for me (and you too). And while He will never wrap me back in the filthy rags of my own righteousness and try to return me – NEVER (Amen!) – because of His payment, I want to do all I can to become that useful present, rather than the disappointing one.

Thankfully, He doesn't leave that responsibility on me. He keeps tinkering, honing and strengthening me, testing and stretching me, making me ever more suited to the jobs He has for me.

No returns. No exchanges. Just working with what He has. Wow.

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: Christmas, gift, Jesus Christ

STT: Resolving Contradiction

By Paula

The main rule for interpreting Scripture is a simple one.

Scripture never contradicts Scripture.

Period. If you run into an apparent contradiction, then examine your context clues to resolve it. Let's look at an example.

Paul says in Romans 4:5 "But to him who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness." But then James 2:14 says, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" It looks like Paul says if you have works, you can't be saved, while James implies you can't be saved without them.

I won't take the time to go through all the verses here, but I encourage you to read Romans and James to what I say. However if you take a step back and read the verses in the bigger context, you'll see that Paul and James are talking about two different things even though they use the same word.

(We do this too. I could say, "He even rode his bike to work." Did I mean a bicycle or a motorcycle? Without context, there's no way to tell. However, if you'd heard the sentences before, it would be easy to tell. "He's really proud of that Harley." Vs. "He's trying to save money.")

Back to Paul and James- reading the verses in context, you find out that Paul is talking about what folks to merit salvation rather than relying on Gods grace alone. If you aren't trying to work your way to heaven, but trust solely on God, then that faith saves.

James is talking about the things we do after we're saved that give evidence of that change. (Jesus uses the idea of "fruit" for the same concept.) James' point is that faith that doesn't produce anything may not be genuine faith after all.

Have you run into seeming contradictions? What was the resolution?

Filed Under: Study Tip Tuesday Tagged With: Bible study, context, interpretation, James, Paul, Romans

Merry Christmas!

By Paula

Merry Christmas!

I'm taking a break from blogging for a few days. I'll see you on December 28th with a new study tip. Until then- have a blessed Christmas that's filled with family, love, wonder and hope.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christmas

STT: Types of Context

By Paula

Last week we introduced the idea of examining the context to interpret Scripture, specifically the words around the passage you're studying. There are a few other factors to consider.

Geographical context – Where do the events take place? Remember, the events in Scripture don't take place in modern day North America. Many times the surroundings prompt psalms or teachings. For instance, in Matthew 24, Jesus and His disciples leave the temple in Jerusalem, and the sight of that building in all its grandeur leads Jesus to remark that not one of the stones from that magnificent building will be left on top of another. He then explains the framework for the destruction of the city and His own second coming. All that teaching occurs in the geographical context of Herod's temple.

Historical context – When do the events take place? The Bible spans hundreds of years of history. Things were different for Abraham than they were for Paul. Both are very different from our own perspective. Keep in mind the numerous scientific discoveries that hadn't been made yet, and still, the Biblical writers understood things like the water cycle (Job 36:27) and weather (Matthew 16), genetics (Genesis 30), prenatal development (Psalm 139). Things like representative democracy, quick travel and communication didn't exist.

Cultural context – How did the events fit into the larger scheme? In Biblical societies, slavery was commonplace. There was no opportunity to work hard and make a better life for yourself. If you were born poor, you'd die that way. Marriages happened under vastly different circumstances. Sickness likely meant death. The threat of invasion was an ever-present reality.

While God's word is relevant and applicable to us today, keep in mind the unique time and place in which it was written.

Filed Under: Study Tip Tuesday Tagged With: Abraham, Bible study, Genesis, Job, Matthew, Paul, Psalms

Who to Ask?

By Paula

"…So she went to inquire of the Lord…" Genesis 25:22

Rebekah was pregnant but this was no ordinary pregnancy. She figured since God was the one who had blessed her with the baby (babies, she would soon discover), He should be able to explain what was going on.

I admit, God is not always the first One I turn to when things don't make sense. Usually I call on my husband or my friends. They are good, Godly people who give good counsel, but they don't have the inside knowledge God does.

Some reasons I don't go to God first-

He's invisible.
He doesn't always answer immediately.
I'm afraid my questions are silly.

Some reasons I should get over that-

"I have called you by name; you are Mine." Isaiah 43:1
"No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11
"The secret things belong to the Lord." Deuteronomy 29:29
"I have loved you with an everlasting love." Jeremiah 31:3
"The prayer [even the dumb questions] of the upright is His delight." Proverbs 15:8

I'll work on this one.

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: Genesis, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Proverbs, Psalms, Questions