Spring and summer are nearly here, although where I live, the last few days have felt like winter is gone for good. With the change of seasons, it reminds me of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
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Today, I want to focus on just one which is Solitude. Last year I did a 9-month program where we learned and got to practice some of the disciplines. We had a solitude retreat. We took time to spend time with God rather than be in the word praying and for a prayer walk. The Bible tells us Jesus even took time to go spend time with God.
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One of my personal favorite things in theology is the study of apologetics. At Tirzah, we previously did an article that explains all things apologetics, which you can check out here. A brief definition for you in this moment is writings or words to justify one’s beliefs. The reason I just explained that to you is because Dr. James Kennedy’s documentary and book “What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?” is an apologetics book.
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Now, we all know or have heard about Ruth’s past – was married into a household that worshiped God, lost her husband and father-in-law, and had the option to go back to her family but instead she decided to remain loyal to her mother-in-law, Naomi. We also know what happens afterwards – Naomi’s family member, Boaz, marries Ruth and they live happily ever after. This is a love story far better than any made-up Disney romance.
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Imagine yourself in a courtroom where you are being judged – perhaps by God (yes, I am aware that no one has seen God at any time; just imagine the context of the scene). You know that you are guilty of disobeying the law – again. You know there is no hope for you, and shame and fear fill your insides as you contemplate the just punishment that awaits. Maybe this is something you know is wrong, but keep doing despite your desire to do the right thing (Romans 7:15-17).
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Do you trust God? He is the ultimate definition of trust. We can count on Him, even when we cannot rely on others. But like anything else, even trusting in God in certain situations is much easier said than done.
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You may ask, “How did I get here?” And let me tell you, I’ve been there. The book of Hebrews offers helpful insight and hope for those who seek to restore closeness in their walk with God.
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As we pray, God will meet us where we are at and show us His grace and goodness. He will give us a heart for others, show us His heart for us, and heal us of the emotional consequences of doubting his goodness.
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A few years ago, I jumped on a plane, settled in, got comfortable, enjoyed the inflight snack and savoured the time to read whatever good book was in my hands at the time. Then came the announcement from the flight-crew, “We’re approaching Destination X and will soon begin our descent. Please return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts…’
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I attend Malone University, a private Christian school in Canton, OH. The community comprises of students and faculty of various backgrounds. I’ve met students from different religious backgrounds and some who are non-religious, of different ethnic backgrounds, and so on. As a Christian school, Malone is affiliated with Evangelical Friends Church. Their community guidelines adhere to the church’s guidelines. Faculty members are expected to follow the guidelines more than students. One of the guidelines is that sex must be intimate between a man and a woman– same-sex relationships aren’t allowed. As you can imagine many people would be irked by this, and this is exactly what happened six months ago on October 11th. Malone’s president announced in an email that one of the female science professors is having a relationship with another woman and intends to get married this summer. When she approached the leadership she hoped for a compromise. Instead, she was asked to resign. Many students and alumni shared their grievances on Facebook and Instagram showing their support for the professor; most of whom were members of the LBGTQ+ community and supporters.
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My story is a little different. When I woke up the other day, it was stormy, full-on thundering, lightning, pouring down rain, and the house was shaking from the thunder. When I went to make my coffee, the whole house was dark. It was not the kind of day where I woke up ready to start the day; granted, I rarely wake up in that manner anyway.
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Song of Solomon is correctly read as a book about the romantic love a husband and a wife have toward each other in marriage. However, being that the Bible is the book about Jesus (Luke 24:44-45), I want to read this verse in a Christocentric way. When we do so, we find that it is a beautifully redemptive one.
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Up until now, Paul has focused on God’s sovereignty, but now we shift to the responsibilities we as humans have in response to God’s mercy and sovereignty. This week, read Romans 9:30-10:4 and journal through the following questions.
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If you’ve ever doubted your salvation or if God still loves you after you’ve sinned again or fallen away yet again, this week’s study is for you. But it is also a good reminder for all Christians that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
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We’ve all experienced that sinking feeling when you’ve messed up yet again and did the thing you told God you wouldn’t do anymore. You know you shouldn’t have, and for a while, you did so good, but then a hard day or something triggers you and the flesh wins out. And in that moment, the enemy will tell you that you’re the only one like that; like everyone else has it figured out but you’re the only one constantly struggling. Yet, here we have Apostle Paul saying, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” So, if a man like that struggled with this too, where do we find the hope? Let’s study that this week.
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Up to now, Paul has repeatedly talked about how we don’t live by the law anymore. Such teaching had the same reaction back then that many Christians do today: religious rules are bad, so we don’t need the law anymore. Such thinking then leads to wanting to live however we please. So, where does the law fit into a Christian’s life? Let’s study that this week.
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This week, Paul brings in another analogy to explain our relationship to God and sin: marriage. Let’s study how Paul connects these things.
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Paul makes a big statement in this week’s passage: you’re either slave God or sin. In today’s world of a watered down Gospel, some people may try to tell you that there’s a middle ground: that you can live as you please without being a slave to God or to sin. Let’s study what the Bible has to say about this.
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In law school, one of the first things you learn is that it is just as important to know opposing counsel’s arguments and case law as it is your own. You need to anticipate their every possible defense and know every piece of law that could support the other side’s argument.
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Paul knew his audience - we see that as he regularly references the Jewish law and, this week, he brings in Abraham and David, both of whom would have been acclaimed as founding fathers for Paul’s intended audience. Like a lawyer presenting his case before a jury, Paul builds on his earlier points by bringing in influential witnesses to prove his points. So, let’s see if we can follow Paul’s case here.
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