Blogging Through the Bible - Final Entry Part #1

The B-90 is finally done. I made it. I was successful in reading the entire Bible in just 90 days. I needed every last day to do it. But, I did it! What I was less successful in doing was to be consistent in blogging about my journey through the Word. I mean, I suppose I could have just spewed out a few thoughts here and there. But, I usually have to give it a little more thought than that. So, since I missed almost the entire New Testament, here are some of my highlights from these amazing books:

The Book of Acts:
It really is amazing to see the difference that the Holy Spirit makes in the lives of the apostles. They were running from opposition at the end of the Gospels and now are risking life and limb to spread the message. Jesus isn't present. And yet, they are filled with an incredible boldness. Where did this boldness come from? Where did the influence they wielded come from? Acts 2 gives us the answer. The Holy Spirit came on these men and changed them from the inside out. The amazing thing is this: WE HAVE THE SAME SPIRIT INSIDE OF US!!! The challenge to each of us is to live like it!

The Epistle to the Romans:
Rom. 8:31-39, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised-who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Wow - need I say more?

The First Epistle to the Corinthians:
1 Cor. 1:10-15, "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name."

I hear so often of who people like or don't like in the realm of Christian books and videos. "I like John MacArthur," or "I like John Piper" or "I like Timothy Keller," or "I like Francis Chan," or "I like Andy Stanley," or "I like Mark Driscoll," etc. What is funny is there are an equal amount of people who say the exact opposite. I don't like...you get the picture. Are we in our own way falling into the trap of the Corinthian church? Are we just listening to the person we agree with or like? Look, we all need to be looking out for heresy. But, just because you don't like a guy, or just because he doesn't hold to as many points of Calvinism as you do, doesn't mean he is a heretic. Neither does it mean that you can't learn from him. I have even heard preferences within our own church about our own pastors. Can we have preferences? Absolutely! However, let us not divide ourselves over it or cut ourselves off from sound Bible teaching just because they are not our preference. Maybe, God wants to use something or someone who is out of our comfort zone or preferences to speak into our lives. As long as they are sound Biblically on the main things, we should be positive about their ministry and see what we can learn from them. I guarantee, whether you like them or not, they probably know a heck of a lot more about the Bible than we give them credit for when we are critical.