Key Topics – Page 90 – Three Minute Bible

February 17, 2020February 17, 2020

Affirmation Monday – Doors

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you

— Luke 11: 9

I was looking for a verse to use as an affirmation for today’s post and I happened across this one. Jesus had just finished praying when one of his disciples asked him to teach them about prayer. Jesus teaches the disciples what we know as the “Lord’s Prayer” and then he tells them a story about persistence. He says, in essence, that we should ask God for what we need boldly. Jesus also tells us to be persistent. Then he gives this assurance:

“Ask and it will be given you…”

He doesn’t say we should hang around and wait to see what God is going to do. He says, “ask.” Then he adds:

February 16, 2020May 24, 2021

Psalm Sunday – Coin Toss

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

— Psalm 1: 6

This sounds like an Affirmation Monday verse, but it also happens to be a verse from Psalms. So today’s verse a twofer! 🙂

The two key points in this verse center around definitions. What does it mean to be “righteous” and what does it mean to be “wicked?”

Righteousness means “doing what is right.” That is all there is to it. Oh… I know … most dictionaries throw in a qualifier about doing what is “morally right,” but honestly who in the secular world is going to decide what is moral? Only God can do that.

February 15, 2020February 16, 2020

James 2: 19 – Phone Call for James

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Who is James arguing with?

Have you ever listened to someone talking on the phone? You can hear one side of the conversation, but not the other. Listening to one side only leaves us guessing at what the person on the other end of the line is saying.

Reading James’ letter is a bit like that.

February 14, 2020February 14, 2020

James 2: 18 – A Puppy Named James

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

If you ever have had a puppy dog for a pet, you know how they like to play tug-o-war. It doesn’t matter if it is a $15.00 toy from Pets-R-Us or an old sock. Given the chance to chomp down on something, growl fiercely, and throw their head back and forth, they will take it every time.

Like a puppy with a sock, James has sunk his teeth into this idea of faith and deeds.

Grrr-rrr-rr—rrrr—rrrrrr—rrr!!

He just won’t let go!

So here we are, talking about faith versus deeds again.

Like a puppy who wants to play, James growls out a challenge: Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds!

Let’s accept his challenge. Let’s show James our faith. And we will do it without deeds. How does that work?

February 13, 2020February 14, 2020

James 2: 17 – Checkup Time

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Where do we start here? What is faith? Is faith alive? How can faith be dead? What is James talking about here?

James uses a word that gets everyone’s attention. “Dead” is a word that everyone understands. Dead is dead. From a worldly point of view, a dead body isn’t going anywhere under its own power. Dead means there is no life in it. Dead means that it is, like Beethoven, decomposing.

As a metaphor for faith, “dead” brings to mind something without life or motion. A dead person or animal ceases to have any worth.

February 12, 2020February 12, 2020

Wisdom Wednesday – Wise Eyes

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.

— Proverbs 3: 7

What does it mean to be wise in your own eyes? I’ve heard of “wise guys” but I don’t remember hearing “wise eyes” before.

When we look at ourselves “in our own eyes” there is always a tendency to see what we want to see. When we look at someone else we have the advantage of seeing them from outside their head. Inside our head, our vision is cluttered by all the wants, needs and hopes we have collected all our life.

February 11, 2020February 12, 2020

The Question – James 2: 15-16

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

In today’s world, we have a homeless crisis. Hopefully, if someone in the future reads this post, they will be surprised by this idea. In the future God has planned for us, homelessness is not a thing. Sadly, today it is a thing. A big thing.

When people come to Christ, we come from all walks of life. Sometimes we come with no worldly possessions. Other times we come with much more than we could ever use. Sometimes, like Job, Christians with possessions and money lose it all. Sometimes events overtake us and we are in need. Great need.

If a brother or sister in Christ is without clothes or food, what do you do?

February 10, 2020February 10, 2020

Affirmation Monday – One Foot In Heaven

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

— Colossians 3:1

What do we do when our heart is breaking? Is there any pain as great?

We live in bodies that are obsessed with our own needs and wants. Our emotional vision is short-sighted. We see what we think is right, what we need, what we want. But our vision is earthbound. Only God knows what is best.

Because of this myopic condition we sometimes take great risks. In our need for an emotional connection we tend to entrust our hearts to people instead of God.

February 9, 2020May 26, 2021

Psalm Sunday – Context

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

— Psalm 5: 11

People who study the Bible often talk about the importance of context. Taking a verse out of context can entirely change its meaning. Except sometimes it doesn’t.

Psalm 5 starts as a lament of King David. He mourns the sinfulness of wicked people. He complains about their arrogance and their lies. They offend God and because they offend God, David is offended, too.

February 8, 2020February 9, 2020

Splash! – James 2: 14

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

In “Hearts and Deeds” we listened to Paul’s statement that we are saved not by works but through faith.* We compared this to James’s emphasis on what we do. Today James restates his case. This time with a directness that borders on being blunt.

In essence, James wants us to think about the connection between what is in our hearts and what we do. Can a person believe and yet act like they don’t believe?