66 LOVE LETTERS

DR. LARRY CRABB (Used by permission)

These devotionals are based on the book, 66 Love Letters by Dr. Larry Crabb. They
include short excerpts and summaries from his book, as well as some of my
thoughts. Neither the book nor these devotionals should replace the reading of
God’s Word. These devotionals are intended to stir your thinking; to encourage
discussions; and most importantly to entice you to read and study the Bible in its
entirety. Read the Bible to hear God’s story. Every word, every passage is a part of
the story that He wants us to hear.
All of the quotations are from 66 Love Letters unless otherwise noted. Permission
to use the 66 Love Letters references has been granted by the publisher.

GENESIS
"In Genesis, I (God) begin telling the story of how everyone fails and I succeed. I
want you to know how much of a mess you've made out of the beauty I created.
Nothing works as it should anymore. But I have a plan that your failures cannot
destroy. There is a capacity for beauty in your soul that I will restore. That's a
promise. I give you a glimpse into how I will carry out My plan in this first love
letter."
"I don't want you to be afraid of failure, or you will live for success. And I don't
want you to be afraid that things in your life will go wrong--they will--or that you
will feel empty--you will. If you fear problems or emptiness, you will live for
comfort and fulfillment. And that will complicate the mess you’ve already made."
This letter introduces the problem that we face every day, a problem that began
when Adam ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We want a
fulfilling life on our terms. We foolishly think that we know what will make us
happy and content, and then we proceed to create a plan that demands that God
and others join in with our plan. This letter exposes the foolishness of our self-
centered hearts and it begins the presentation of the salvation that God offers to
sinful man.

EXODUS
God says, "I will do whatever it takes to carry out My plan." "Listen carefully: until
you hear My message wrapped up in the stories of real people, you won't trust
that My power could enter your story. And until you imagine what it was like to
begin life in the desert by hearing Me lay down laws nobody could keep, you
won't feel the crushing weight of My holiness. But you must feel that weight to
understand all that's involved in letting unholy people get close to Me. And what's
involved is pictured carefully and powerfully in the tabernacle."
In Exodus 34:6, God describes Himself as compassionate and gracious, abounding
in love. This is the only time in Exodus that He is described with these terms.
However, throughout the book, He is described as a holy God with unimaginable
power. Why? Perhaps it is because we will always misunderstand His love if it is
not seen in the light of His holiness and power.

LEVITICUS
In this letter, God is saying “The toughest part of My plan, the part that’s costliest
to Me, is to make you holy.” Every theme in Leviticus points to Christ. The
offerings in the first seven chapters are pictures of Jesus. Each of them should
cause you to think on Him. For example, the burnt offering is a picture of Christ
giving Himself fully on the cross. The grain offering should remind you that Jesus
was the perfect man. The trespass offering pictures the value of Christ's death
when you and I sin. Chapters 8-10 refer to the priesthood. Jesus is the Great High
Priest.
When you read Leviticus, realize that "All twenty-seven chapters of Leviticus are
written to let you know that relationship with Me (God) is always the issue that
trumps every other concern, and that relating to Me will always, always, be on My
terms. So many people miss this--they identify their needs, then view Me as a
God who wants them satisfied and happy before I deal with their unholiness."

NUMBERS
God says, "You will experience terrible failure and crushing conflict on the road
that leads to where I am taking you, but it is the right road even when it feels like
it's killing you...Spiritual leaders who teach that I am here to solve your problems
and make your lives comfortable and prosperous do what I told you never to do.
They underestimate the energy (and badly misunderstand the nature) of
unholiness in the human heart that I must severely deal with to get you to My
party. And that underestimation leads them to underestimate the severity of My
love."
The events in Numbers are to serve as a warning to us (1 Cor. 10:1-13). We
mistakenly think and hope that God is primarily concerned with our comfort. We
often try to entice others to believe in Christ by telling them that their problems
will be solved. Maybe...maybe not. God is apparently much more concerned
about my holiness (or unholiness) than my temporary comfort. When we refuse
to accept this, we are like the congregation in Numbers 14. We want to "return to
Egypt" (v.4). We want leaders who will lead us in the return (v. 5). This sounds
similar to today (see 2 Tim. 4:3).
In what ways are you and I guilty of trying to "return to Egypt"?

DEUTERONOMY
In this letter God is saying “I’m faithful to faithless people. I always keep My word.
Believe that, and you will know that through whatever happens I am bringing you
nearer to the party. Be faithful to Me, and you’ll learn a few dance steps now,
right where you are. That’s what I want you to hear in My fifth love letter.”
God makes 3 things clear in this book:
 He alone is God. There is no other. Deut. 6:4-5
 He brings us out to bring us in. Just like the Israelites were in bondage in
Egypt, we are in bondage in the prison of self-centeredness. "Your love
becomes trust only when you choose to believe that I (God) brought you
out of something bad to bring you into something good before you
experience something good. Then your love is sustained by confidence in
My character, not by enjoyment of current blessing." Deut. 6:23
 He asks "nothing of us but that kind of love, which includes respecting Me
(God) for who I am, following Me wherever I lead, serving Me with your
whole heart, and obeying every command I give. Deut. 10:12-13 But
because neither the Israelites nor we can do this, He made it clear that He
would change their (and our) hearts. Deut. 30:6
Like the Israelites, we do fail and we will fail. However, every failure, every sinful,
self-centered act/thought, is not only an opportunity for brokenness, confession,
and repentance, but also an opportunity to experience God's invitation for
relationship. We can glimpse the wonder of His holiness and His love.

JOSHUA
In Joshua, God is saying, "Loving Me and being faithful to My plan requires hating
everything in you that is opposed to Me, everything about you that wants
someone or something besides Me to have first place in your life. You'll need help
discerning what that is."
We are prone to two mistaken ideas. One, we try to make this world (our Canaan)
into what it was never meant to be. This world will not and cannot be heaven.
This world will always involve battles, struggles, disappointments, etc. Second, we
think that our biggest enemy and our biggest battles are in the world. God wants
us to understand that our main battle is with the flesh...it's not the outside, it's
the inside.
An interesting passage in this letter is Joshua 5:10-12. The people began eating
the produce of the land and the manna ceased. As they prepared to enter the
battle, God gave them the new substance that they would need. As long as we
choose to avoid the battles and live for comfort, we can survive on the manna
that does not lead to maturity. Only when we choose to engage in the battle
within us, the battle against the flesh, will we begin to see and taste the
provisions that God provides for maturity.
Dr. Crabb points out that entering the promised land did not involve a battle; it
only required trust. However, once they entered the land, real battles ensued;
bloody, fierce battles. How often does the church today present this thought to
people? The message that is too often presented speaks of God answering all of
your problems. This message implies that God's greatest desire is to make us
comfortable and fulfilled, and when He doesn't, we can take care of it without
Him with a spirit of entitlement (see the story of Achan in Joshua 7).
"Invite Christians to live for Jesus and imply that the Christian life is all about
blessings, about entering a land filled with milk and honey with no real battles,
and they'll all come forward. Churches that never deal with the real fight that
following My son requires often grow large but mostly with small Christians."

JUDGES
Judges describes 7 cycles of eroding faith, followed with God's judgment, wrath,
and salvation. These cycles are found in 3:7-11; 3:12-30; 4:1-5:31; 6:1-8:32; 8:33-
9:57; 10:1-12:7; 13:1-16:31. Because there was no king, everyone did what was
right in his own eyes (17:6, 21:25). Deuteronomy describes a generation that
failed to engage in the battle. Joshua describes a generation that believed God
and followed Joshua into the battle. Judges introduces a third generation that
failed to remember God (2:10).
God says, "My people never looked deeply into themselves to identify what they
most deeply feared. They never realized that there's something worse than a
difficult life, than feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, than discomfort and pain.
The worst fear they faced was the loss of blessings that were providing them with
comfort and a sense of personal well-being. That's why they paid no attention to
Me when life was pleasant. They took Me for granted when their lives were going
well. And when life became painful, when their fear of lost blessings was realized,
they returned to Me, but only for the good life they believed was their greatest
good."
Returning to God without brokenness and repentance is also pictured in Hos. 2:7;
Hos. 7:14; Jer. 2:1-37. Seeking God's grace and blessings without an
understanding of His holiness is the essence of "cheap grace." When God's grace
is seen in the light of His holiness, it really is "Amazing Grace". When we begin to
grasp a sense of His holiness, we realize that our only hope is to return to Him in
brokenness, confessing and repenting of the sins of our heart. It is quite unsightly
to demand anything when standing in the presence of a holy God.

RUTH
How often have you read the book of Ruth and concluded that God is a wonderful
God, turning our tragedies into beautiful stories? I am not suggesting that this is
wrong. However, there is a bigger conclusion that we can grasp.
In this letter, God says, "No matter what happens in your life, I can reach into
your heart with the power to form you into someone who values Me above
everyone and everything else. I am determined to reverse your values." In the
book of Ruth, God deals with three obstacles that stand in the way of our
holiness. He dealt with natural disadvantages (problems that seem more
important than battling the flesh) when Ruth valued relationships over
advantages. God dealt with shattered dreams (events that bring a level of pain
that seems to overwhelm our trust) when Naomi refused to disregard her hope.
God dealt with material resources (resources that lead us to narcissism disguised
as generosity) when Boaz chose sacrificial love over self-satisfaction. The bigger
conclusion? "No matter how dark the world around you, no matter how difficult
the world inside you, My (God) plan overcomes all obstacles to holiness." The
theme is not blessings then holiness. It is holiness then blessings.

1 SAMUEL
In 1 Samuel, God says, "When things go wrong in your life, or when you fear they
might, you'll be tempted to sacrifice ethics for pragmatism. You'll hear your heart
asking, what will work to make things better? You'll not as clearly hear yourself
asking, what is holy in this situation that will please the Lord?"
In Hannah's story, an infertile woman's song of joy came from her dedication of
her son to the Lord, not to his conception and birth.
In Samuel's story, the people fear trouble and reject God, asking for a king other
than God (chapter 8). Following other kings may work for a season. Only by
following God will we begin to taste the joy of a holy relationship.
In Saul's story, we see the results of following a lesser king. Saul looked good and
was initially successful. However he tried to use God instead of worshipping and
following God (chapter 13).
In David's story, we see God giving the people a king who desires God above
everything else. Although David was not perfect, he was a picture of God's coming
Son, the King of kings.
"Following My (God's) ways will lead you through trouble and emptiness to real
laughter, to the laughter that only persons in holy relationship can enjoy." We can
get a taste of happiness in this lifetime. However, it will never be complete
happiness while we are here. And, it will have to be on God's terms, happiness as
He defines it, and happiness when He gives it. Our problem is that we want and
demand it on our terms. Narcissism runs deep.

2 SAMUEL
In this letter God says, "Whether you make those who abuse you eat dirt or you
forgive them, whether you fail miserably or act nobly, live with this confidence: I
(God) will defeat all evil, both the evil in you and the evil in the world. There will
be a party. And you'll be there. So will David. I gave My word to him, and I give My
word to you."
God does not present a sanitized picture of His people. David is a classic example.
We can also see this in men like Noah (Gen. 9:21), Daniel (Dan. 9:5-9), and Job
(Job 42:6). David was a man with a passion for the Lord. However, he also had
passions that were self-centered. And God never stopped calling David to a holy
path. And He has never stopped calling us to holiness.
This letter also gives 4 tastes of the new way to live:
1. David grieved the death of Saul (1:17).
2. He waited in Hebron for seven years, ruling over a single tribe, waiting for
God to direct his move to the other tribes (5:1-5).
3. David invited his enemy's descendant to dine at his table (9:1-13).
4. David wished that he had died instead of Absalom (18:33).
The new way to live is clothed in the virtue of waiting and the power of hope.
One final note: an easily overlooked verse is 7:3. Nathan tells David, "Go, do all
that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you." When we abide in Christ, we can
confidently do all that our heart desires. When we walk with the Spirit, our hopes,
our desires, are consistent with His. David reiterated this in Psalm 37:3-7. The
problem is found in James 4:3. We are profoundly self-centered. And God
continues to call us to holiness.

1 KINGS
In 1 Kings, God is saying, "Your desire to be effective, to depend on biblical
principles for success in your family, church, career, and friendships, is
legitimately strong. But when that desire is stronger than your desire to be holy
and to depend on My power for becoming more like My Son, whether you
succeed or fail in other ways, then you will not advance My plan, no matter how
carefully you follow My principles or how much apparent success you enjoy. And
you'll be especially vulnerable to serious sin."
"Know this: prioritizing managerial efficiency over personal holiness opens the
door to sin spinning out of control." Solomon's desire for power led him to turn
away from God. His marriages opened the door to the worship of false gods
(chapter 11). Rehoboam and Jeroboam followed similar misguided paths
(chapters 11-14). Jeroboam's legacy can be seen in 15:26, 15:34, 16:7, 16:19,
16:26, 16:31, and 22:52. Jeroboam tried to make worship convenient and self-
serving (12:25-28). How often is that the case in today's church. Much of today's
worship is like an ingrown toenail, turned in on itself.
1 Kings describes a dismal decline in what had been a wonderful kingdom. In the
reign of Ahab, the worst of the kings, God raised up Elijah. Elijah sought holiness
over personal comfort. His message was not well-received.
At the end of this letter, Jehoshaphat is the king in Judah. Although he did what
was right in the eyes of the Lord (as did his father, Asa), he still compromised
(22:43 and 22:44). Decisions and agreements based on compromise do not lead
to lasting peace.

2 KINGS
In 2 Kings, God says "My plan is moving ahead in the worst of times. Don't make it
you goal to change bad times to good. Pray for that, of course, and do all you can
to improve the world in which you live. But above all else, seek to know Me better
and to represent Me well in every circumstance, no matter how you feel."
In this letter, we can see that God's sovereign will cannot be stopped. Every king
in Judah was in the line of David. Godly kings and evil kings, both were in the line.
Ultimately this line continued until the birth of Christ. Evil, that which is around us
and that which is in us, always results in misery. But, it cannot stop God's plan.
Several interesting passages in 2 Kings:
 Be careful what you say to those of us who are follicly impaired. 2 Kings
2:23-24.
 We are often unaware of what is happening around us. 2 Kings 6:8-23.
 True worship was restored after the people found and read the Book of the
Law. 2 Kings 22-23. From my Facebook post today: When you begin to
know God for who He is, you cannot but begin to worship. As the Holy Spirit
leads us into truth revealed in scripture, we allow our understanding of God
to determine our world view and we elevate and worship Him. If we allow
our view of evil and the world to determine our understanding of God, then
we reduce Him to a god that can be used or ignored.

1 CHRONICLES
In 1 Chronicles, God is saying, "You cannot now enjoy what you once did. The
satisfaction of earlier days are no longer available. Life feels empty. Not much is
fun. I invite you to delight in your distress. Nothing else provides the same
opportunity to move strongly and joyfully into life on the basis of My promises
alone, the promises of My Presence now and My satisfaction forever. Seizing that
opportunity will free you to passionately engage life for My purposes with no
demands."
Why another 2 books (1 and 2 Chronicles) that seem to be very similar to 1 and 2
Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings? The primary difference is in the focus and the
recipients. 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings are addressed to the exiled nation.
The focus is on their sin. From David's sin with Bathsheba to the evil hearts of the
kings of Israel, their moral failure is pictured. In 1 Chronicles, the book is
addressed to the returned remnant who were rebuilding Jerusalem. The focus is
on their hope in the Lord. In the midst of their struggles and discouragement, God
had them rebuild the temple before they rebuilt their homes. Relationship with
God, seeking Him above all else, always trumps our desires for a comfortable, well
built life.

2 CHRONICLES
In 2 Chronicles God is saying, "No matter how great is your pain or how confusing
and intense your suffering, live in the mystery of My love. Struggle to trust Me. Do
not live with the priority of making your life in this world as good as you can make
it. You will suffer, at times unfairly, but you will be given what you need to enter
strongly and wisely with supernatural love into every circumstance you face.
Doing so will be you joy, your hope, your deepest fulfillment now as you look
forward to a world where every child runs and laughs."
This letter is a continuation of 1 Chronicles, written to the remnant who had
returned from exile. God is calling His people to place their hope in Him. The first
9 chapters focus on the rebuilding of the temple. However, the wonder in this
temple is still just a glimpse of the wonder that we will see when Christ sits in His
glory on David's throne. Solomon and his temple fell. When Christ sits on His
throne, the results will be everlasting.
In this letter, God does not speak about the kings of Israel, the Northern Kingdom.
The attention is given to the kings of Judah, the southern Kingdom. The emphasis
is on their desire for holiness in the temple as seen in the following examples:
 Asa chapter 15
 Jehoshaphat chapter 20
 Joash chapter 24
 Hezekiah chapters 29-31
 Josiah chapters 34-35
2 Chronicles ends with a call to hope in the presence of darkness. Chapter 36 tells
the story of several evil kings and the peoples' rejection of God's prophets. The
result was 70 years of captivity. However, nothing can stop God's plan. He can
even use a pagan king (Cyrus) to restore His people. The call for us today is the
same. Even in the presence of darkness, we are to pursue holiness based on the
hope that we have in the Lord.

EZRA
In the book of Ezra, God is saying "I will do whatever it takes to release your heart
to delight in Me. I will move in the hearts of ungodly people to serve that
purpose. I will arouse your heart to enjoy worship more than any other blessing
on earth. I will permit strong opposition to oppress you as you walk the narrow
path to the party. At times you will fail--you will choose the easier road that leads
to immediate satisfaction, but I will break your heart over your movement away
from Me, and I will stir you to ongoing radical dependence."
Ezra begins in 538 B.C. when Cyrus freed the exiled Jews to return to Judah. The
new focus of the people was to rebuild the temple. Although they endured many
struggles (chapter 4), the temple was completed in 515 B.C. under the leadership
of Zerubbable. By 430 B.C. the people had grown complacent and they had
married foreign women with brought in unholiness (9:2). Ezra was deeply moved
by the unholy path that the people were following. His anguish over their sin
opened the eyes of the people and they were broken and repentant. This led to
their renewed focus on relational holiness.
Ezra was a man who had been trained in the scriptures. He allowed the Law of the
Lord to penetrate his heart. He followed the Law and he taught the Law (7:6-10).
He was a leader who lived in a manner that pulled others to follow. He knew that
true happiness can never be found apart from holiness.

NEHEMIAH
In Nehemiah, God is saying "Whatever anyone does out of a sincere desire to
know Me and draw others to Me is a great work. And as you engage in that work,
sometimes you will be energized as you catch a glimpse of My plan unfolding.
More often you won't. Either way you are doing a great work."
This letter is centered on the same time period as Ezra. After the people had
returned and rebuilt the temple, Nehemiah (he was serving in the Persian court)
received the news that the city's protective walls were destroyed and nothing was
being done to rebuild them. Nehemiah was deeply grieved (1:1-4) and prayed for
the Lord's forgiveness. Interestingly, in his prayer, Nehemiah included himself in
the offenses of the people (1:6). How often do we pray about the sins of others as
if we are completely pure? At the risk of offending the Persian king, Nehemiah
asked for permission to return to Judah (2:1-6). Nehemiah did return and led the
people to amazingly rebuild the walls in 52 days. The city and the temple were
protected. However, in the following years, the people again became complacent
and they allowed the temple and themselves to be defiled. Nehemiah had
returned to Persia during this time. When he went back to Judah, he discovered
the evil and again led the people to return to a holy path and cleanse the temple
(chapter 13).
Nehemiah was offended and grieved by the things that offend and grieve God. His
desire was to serve God's purposes in Judah and in the people, irregardless of the
cost to himself (2:1-6; 6:1-14). Nehemiah's confidence was in the certainty that he
was working to honor the Lord and advance His purposes.
Meditate on this: Which grieves you more...when someone offends you or when
you respond to their offense in a spiritually superior, self-protective manner?

ESTHER
In Esther, God is saying "Even when you value living comfortably in this world
more than worshipping Me in my temple, I still love you. I will accomplish My
ultimate purpose to bring you to the party. I will always protect you (though often
through suffering) from anything that would defeat that purpose, but I will not
always reveal Myself to you. You will always benefit from My providential care,
but you will not always experience the intimate relationship I more often make
available to those who seek Me with all their heart."
As stated in earlier letters, God's plan cannot be stopped. His sovereign will, His
divine plan, will always follow His straight path. While in the midst of struggles,
we may not always see this. But make no mistake, God is in control. Sometimes
He uses miraculous events as recorded in previous letters. Sometimes He
overrules the decisions and choices that people make. This is what is seen in
Esther. This letter tells the story of 5 people: "Xerxes, the unstable Persian King;
Vashti, the beautiful, modest, and therefore, disposed queen; Haman, the
demonically inspired Jew hater; Mordecai, the faithful Jewish leader; and Esther,
the ravishing Jewish orphan girl I (God) raised from obscurity to rescue My
people." All of the events involving these people were used to further God's
purposes.
An interesting note in Esther is that the name of God is never used in this letter.
The people may have celebrated in the results that God brought about; however
we never see where they praised Him and worshipped Him by His name. Even
when the people had heard about Haman's plan to kill all of the Jews, they
mourned, fasted, and wailed, yet there is no mention of them calling to God by
His name. As is the case in many circumstances for us, it may be that the people
were more troubled by their circumstances and struggles than by their need for
intimacy with God. They may have been seeking relief over relational holiness.
When you and I face difficult storms, do we primarily seek comfort or do we sing
the old hymn:
"Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord
To the cross where thou has died
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord
To thine precious bleeding side"

JOB
In the book of Job, God is saying, "When you stand before Me in mystery, you will
eventually rest within Me in trust. When you can't figure Me out, you will give up
the illusion of predictability and control and discover the joy and freedom of
hope."
I grew up hearing that the main message of Job was centered on his patience
through the many trials that he faced. A verse that I often heard was "Though He
slay me, yet will I trust in Him (13:15a)." However, I don't remember hearing the
rest of the verse, "Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him." Apparently
Job's patience ran out. In this book, the main theme is not Job's patience. It is that
God and God alone determines what is good and what is not good. Job's friends
tried to present God as a predictable master. Do good and follow the master's
rules and you will get the good life. If your life is not going well, then you must
have broken the rules. Job knew that this was wrong but he made the mistake of
thinking that he could argue his case before the Lord. Job believed that he knew
what was good and he knew that he definitely was not experiencing it. I wonder if
the beginning of this problem goes back to the Garden of Eden and the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. I don't claim to have a complete understanding of all
that happened when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit; however I do think it involves
man's determination and desire to decide for himself what is good and what is
evil. Only God is in the position to rightly determine the basis of good and evil.
Even in the face of confusion and deep pain, or when blessings and trials seem
random and purposeless, our only hope is to trust that God is good and that all
that He is doing is for our good.
In Chapter 38, God speaks. Through a series of rhetorical questions, God leads Job
to see the foolishness in his thinking. The result is that Job's heart was broken and
he began to walk the path of confession and repentance (42:1-6). God's desire is
that we are the happiest of all people. However, it is happiness on His terms and
that is center of our struggle. We think that we know what it means to be happy
(what is good and what is evil) and we foolishly go about trying to arrange for our
fulfillment. Psalm 37:4 tells a very different message.

PSALMS
In the book of Psalms, God is saying, "Face the hard questions that life requires
you to ask. Gather with other travelers on the narrow road, pilgrims who
acknowledge their confusion and feel their fears. Then, together, live those
questions in My Presence."
This letter gives us a picture of what the inner life looks like in a person who is
seeking relational holiness. The glimpse that we see is not of a person who is
trying to present a facade that looks good on the outside. It is the picture of
someone who is not afraid to face the uncertainties and difficulties in life
(chapters 6, 22, 31, 32, 38, 42, 77, 88, 102, 143, et al.). The person seeking the
nearness of God is open (with himself, with others, and with God) about his hopes
and fears; his praises and his disappointments; and his fullness and emptiness.
True worship, the worship seen in this letter, is never about pretense. True
worship is focused on the heart, not our religious acts (17:3; 51:6, 16-17; 119:11;
139:23-24).
The Psalms can encourage us in the midst of life's storms. You do not feel the
effects of an anchor until a storm comes. It is during a storm that you realize that
your anchor has to be in God. Our hope must be placed in the confidence that it is
God's nearness that will sustain us (27:4-5; 34:18-19; 42:1; 73:28).
So often we want to be able to just laugh and have a good time. There is nothing
wrong with this unless it becomes our priority. When the waters are calm, you
don't see the need for an anchor. You do not feel the effects of an anchor until a
storm comes in. (119:67,143)

PROVERBS
In Proverbs, God is saying, "Truth #1: The wisdom I offer you is the wisdom by
which I made the world, what little of it you can receive. I made life to work only if
lived according to My design. Truth #2: You will hear and live My wisdom only if
first you fear Me, if you fall before Me in desperate terror and draw near to Me in
trusting awe."
A potential problem arises in reading Proverbs: we wrongly conclude that if we
live wisely that we are guaranteed the blessings of a good, comfortable,
rewarding life in this world. As has been stressed in most of the previous books,
we will be blessed when we walk wisely, however, it is the blessings as God
determines, not the blessings that we often think we should receive. Dr. Crabb
stated it this way: "Let the wisdom of Solomon guide you to the narrow road that
will expose your foolishness, crush you arrogance, whet your appetite for
holiness, release your love, and fill you with hope." Proverbs is not a manual on
how we can effectively manage our lives so that that God will bless us with a
comfortable life; it does help us to see our self-centered, self-protective,
entitlement driven styles of relating. The themes entice us to desire holiness over
personal comfort, love over manipulation.

ECCLESIASTES
God's message in Ecclesiastes is: "I lower you into the depths of despair to lift you
into the heights of joy. The way up is the way down. There is no other way. You
will not hear My song of love until you hear no other music."
Ecclesiastes asks the question, "Is there lasting satisfaction in anything in this life,
be it moral or immoral, self-centered or other centered?" When you allow
Ecclesiastes and that question to drive you down deep enough to where you
desperately read the rest of the Bible for answers, you will begin to get a glimpse
of the wonderful story that God is telling, primarily through His Son and by His
Spirit. Most of us defiantly avoid feeling a sense of despair in the depths of our
hearts. We cling to the hope that we can live the good life now. We use others,
seek distractions, and perform spiritual acts, all to keep from feeling the
uncomfortableness that must be experienced if we are to walk the Ecclesiastes
experience. The next letter that we read (Song Of Songs) is a beautiful song of
love that Ecclesiastes prepares us to hear.

SONG OF SOLOMON
In this letter, God is saying, "I love you. I delight in you. I will do whatever it takes
for you to enter into the exquisite, life-defining pleasure of the communion My
Son and I enjoy. I invite you into the feast of love."
As you read the last of the 5 wisdom letters, you first see beauty of romantic love
between a man and a woman. Look deeper. You begin to see a much more
powerful and unexplainable love that we can only begin to experience. It is a
picture of Christ's love for the church. And after you have begun to see this love,
you can begin to hear the soul-stirring music that slowly draws you into relational
holiness.

The 5 wisdom letters had clear messages. In Job we hear a call to repent. In
Psalms we hear a call to worship. In Proverbs we hear a call for discernment and
to follow. In Ecclesiastes we hear a call to surrender because of our emptiness. In
Song of Songs, we hear a call to dance in communion with God.

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHETS

Dr. Crabb states that the prophets speak to our foolishness with the following
message: "Whether you realize it or not, you are spreading death by the self-
centered way you relate. You deserve to die. Don't expect the holy God of love to
numb the pain you feel as you continue to create misery for yourself and others
by your selfish way of relating. Your only hope is to listen to God, to first
recognize then confess your ongoing relational sin, to welcome His scalpel as you
submit to the surgery that will kill your self-centeredness, and to trust God for the
forgiveness you need and the power you lack to love the way He loves. Only then
will you live abundantly as participants in the divine nature, the nature of self-
giving love."
ISAIAH
In Isaiah, God is saying, "No matter what is happening to you, your worst problem
is in you. And that problem is not how badly you feel, it is how poorly you love.
Your failure to love Me above all else and to love others at any cost to yourself
defines your unholiness. When you recognize your unholiness and own up to it
without excuse, your ears will be opened to hear My words of comfort and hope.
And those words will set you on the narrow road to elating with holy love. There
is no other kind."
When you read this letter, focus on three themes: judgment, comfort and hope.
After reading the wonderful story of God's love in Song of Songs, the first 39
chapters of this letter are God's judgment on our unholiness. Chapters 40-55
speak of God's comfort to His judged people. It is the comfort of forgiveness.
Chapters 56-66 point to the hope that we have in God.
Some thoughts/passages to meditate on:
Chapter 6 How rarely do we allow God's holiness to drive us to humility?
Chapters 30-31 Instead, we turn from God and seek relief apart from Him.
Chapter 55 God's call to us.

JEREMIAH
In Jeremiah, God is saying "I make no promise to protect you from suffering in this
world. I do promise the power to believe in My goodness when bad things
happen, the power to hope with confidence that a good plan is unfolding when
nothing visible supports that hope, and the power to reveal the goodness of My
love not matter how distraught or empty you feel, even to those who contribute
to your distress and emptiness. That is the abundance I promise until you arrive at
My party."
In a time of rebellion and disobedience, Jeremiah's constant message was the call
for the people to acknowledge their sin (2:11-13) and to repent. This letter has
numerous references to the people's stubborn hearts and stiff necks. Instead of
confessing their sins, they attempt to present an outward appearance that looks
good (2:22; 4:30). There was penance but no repentance. In a manner that seems
very similar to the church today, instead of desiring convicting truth, they
preferred to hear soft, comforting messages from the prophets and priests (5:30;
6:14; chapter 28). There was no shame in their actions (6:15) and their religious
acts were rejected by God (6:20). God's continual theme is to expose the
unholiness in the people's hearts (11:20; 17:9-10; 20:12). His continual call is for
people to turn to Him. His promise is to give them a new heart (24:6-7) and a new
covenant (31:31-34; 32:37-41) that is fulfilled in His Son.

LAMENTATIONS
In Lamentations, God is saying "Every moment of suffering represents a strident
but merciful call to repent. And every moment of suffering presents a painful
opportunity to hope."
This letter encourages us to take a hard look at our concept of God. The church
today is often guilty of presenting a concept that looks more like Santa Claus than
the God of the Bible who is holy, holy, holy. Work hard to be "nice" and not
"naughty" and you will get whatever you ask for. This is completely foreign to the
true nature of God. Almighty God is not Santa Claus nor is he an indulgent
grandfather. He is holy with fierce anger against sin (1:12; 2:3; 2:6; 4:11). His
allowance of our suffering is one way that He uses to call us to brokenness and
repentance. In Dr. Crabb's words, God often uses our suffering to "...crush our
pride, to fillet us like fish and lay us bare, and then to season us with His holiness
and grace so that we can live like Jesus in the midst of a suffering and sinful
world."
Chapter 3 calls us to examine our ways and to remember who God really is.
Remembering God opens the door to our hope, the hope that we can have
intimacy with Him now which will completely fulfilled in heaven.
3:19-24 remember/hope
3:40 examine your ways

EZEKIEL
In Ezekiel, God is saying “Only when you are so grieved by the raw evil of your
ongoing self-obsession that My glory overwhelms you with the desire to love like
My Son will you deeply change. Only then will the incomparable beauty of His
character become visible in the way you relate."
In chapters 1-24, the prophet spoke of God's divine judgment against Jerusalem.
He spoke of their destiny to remain in a difficult land for a not so brief time. In
chapter 24, Ezekiel is told that Jerusalem will be destroyed and that his wife will
die the following day. For the next 15 years, Ezekiel delivers God's message. The
new message was that God would destroy the enemies of Jerusalem (chapters 25-
32) and that the city would be rebuilt (chapters 35-48). The pattern of this
message is the same as in Isaiah and Jeremiah. Purifying suffering for God's
people, followed by punishing suffering for everyone else, then finally the
restoration of God's people.
When God sees our sin/unholiness, He will either deliver or destroy (36:16-38).
He never overlooks or accepts sin. In chapter 8, God allows Ezekiel to see how the
people were moving away from God, committing abominations that were a
reflection of the spiritual decay in their hearts. At least 70 times in this letter, God
states that He has a purpose in all that He was doing and all that He was allowing.
His purpose is not for us to be comfortable in this life. It is so "that My people will
know that I AM the Lord."

DANIEL
In Daniel, God is saying "When every expectation of how your life should turn out
is shattered; when I seem to you like an indifferent, cold sovereign, a promise-
breaker, a useless God, and abandoning parent, rejoice! You are ready for the
unveiling, to meet Me as I AM."
This letter focuses on a time when Jerusalem had been destroyed, Israel had no
king, and the Holy Of Holies had been profaned. It is written to people who are
probably having difficulty seeing how God is working. The message is hard to
understand; it was hard for Daniel (4:19; 7:15-16,28; 8:15-17; 8:27; 10:8-17; 12:8).
We want simple, easy to follow answers. We want hope without uncertainty. We
want hope with a clear understanding of what God is doing. God does not
promise answers to all of our questions. He does promise a future deliverance for
those who trust in Him, for those who wait on Him (12:12-13).

HOSEA
In Hosea, God is saying "You will be irresistibly drawn to My love and able to give
it to others when you discover in your own experience that the love I have
planted in your heart can never be destroyed by rejection, betrayal, criticism, or
any other form of unlove you receive. True love reveals itself as the strongest of
all passions when your impulse to hate those who hurt you is fully felt."
In this letter, God allows his servant to marry an unfaithful spouse. Hosea
experiences, in a small way, what God feels about our spiritual adultery. Spiritual
adultery is pictured in chapters 4-10, 12, and 13. Chapters 11 and 14 describe
what is at the center of God's heart and what must happen for us to have
reconciliation with Him.
Hosea vividly describes our spiritual adultery. It shines a light on our attempts to
reconcile without heart level brokenness, confession, and repentance (2:7; 5:13;
6:1-4; 7:1-3, 11-16). True repentance is seen in chapter 14.
When we read this letter we often see ourselves as Hosea, a righteous person
who has been unjustly offended by someone close to our heart. There are
definitely lessons to learn as we do this. However, it is much harder to see
ourselves as Gomer (no Mayberry analogy this time), the self-centered, self-
protective, manipulator who wants reconciliation without brokenness and
repentance. God takes us to the desert to expose us to the folly of relational
unholiness (2:12-16).

JOEL
In Joel, God is saying "Let every difficulty, big or little, reveal whether you are My
faithful or My adulterous wife. Repent as necessary and surrender more fully to
My plan. My plan is to make you fully alive with joy, meaning, and love."
In verses 1:5-8, the Lord spoke to the drunkard, telling him to wake up and
acknowledge that life is not working as he hoped. In 1:11-12, God spoke to the
farmer, telling him that he had been trusting in his own works, not the Lord. In
1:13-15, the Lord spoke to the priests telling them to pray in humility, surrender,
and trust "for the day of the Lord is at hand."
God is calling us to repent of trying to make life work according to our plan. It is
not a repentance that seeks blessings over restoration. It is repentance prefaced
by brokenness. God is gracious and merciful to the broken and repentant heart.
He is slow to anger and of great kindness (2:12-13).
When you are facing trials and difficulties, pray for comfort and relief. But pray
even more fervently for the Spirit to help you see any evidence of a demanding,
entitlement driven spirit.

AMOS
In Amos, God is saying "Worship that leaves unchanged the way you relate to Me
and to others is false worship. I will not cooperate with any pursuit of spiritual
maturity that leaves unchanged and undisturbed you hidden energy of self-
protection and self-enhancement."
Amos begins by telling the Israelites about the sins of the neighboring people (1:1-
2:5). The Israelites probably responded with a sense of smugness until Amos
turned (beginning with 2:6) and pointed his finger at the Israelites and spoke of
the Lord's indictment against their sins. Repeatedly the Lord spoke of their refusal
to turn to Him. Similar to the people today, the Israelites commanded their
spiritual leaders to refrain from convicting truth (2:12). Apparently they wanted
the popular message of many of today's pastors. Their worship was false (5:21-
23). Amos predicted a famine in the land; a famine of hearing God's word (8:11).
How vivid is that picture of the church today? When the Israelites or the people of
today refuse to confess and repent of the sin in their hearts, it inevitably leads to
superficial religious acts that have nothing to do with true worship.
I wonder what Amos would say if he had walked into any of our church services
on Sunday? Would Amos see that hearts were being changed? Would he see
people who were being conformed to the image of Christ? Or would the Lord use
him to tell us to be quiet and go home?

OBADIAH
In this letter, God is saying "Never exact vengeance on another. Only one who is
not worthy of judgment himself can administer just retribution without sinning
himself. Vengeance is My prerogative, not yours. My vengeance is always rooted
in redemptive desire. I kill to resurrect."
Hear God saying three messages in this short letter.
1. Relational sin is pictured in how Edom treated Israel. When Israel was
hurting, the Edomites refused to help and placed their self-interest over the
love for others. The Edomites even found pleasure in the sufferings of
Israel.
2. That same energy is in each of us. It is found in our struggle between the
flesh and the spirit.
3. God will eventually kill every trace of relational sin in His people.

JONAH
In Jonah, God is saying "You reduce Me to a God who is supposed to submit to
your understanding of what matters most. You do not discern the lethal self-
interest behind the purposes for which you seek divine approval. You are wrong
to demand My cooperation with your understanding of life. Because I love you
and because My plans for you are good, I demand your cooperation with Mine.
There is no other way to enjoy My Presence."
We are all very familiar with this story. God gives Jonah a command that resulted
in Jonah fleeing and being swallowed by the big fish. Why did Jonah flee? In 2
Kings 14:23-25, Jonah had experienced the joy of following God's command. In
that situation, God used Jonah to prophesy that prosperity would come to Israel.
However, the resulting arrogance and pride of Israel led God to raise up Amos and
Hosea to proclaim His holiness and their sinful hearts. God then called Jonah to go
to Israel's enemy, Ninevah, to warn them of the judgement to come. Jonah
rejected the message and fled. The message did not fit his plan in a manner
similar to the situation in 2 Kings 14. Jonah probably would have been ok if God
was giving him the same message as that of Amos or Hosea. However, the
opportunity for our enemies to repent is often foreign to the desires of our
hearts. And when God's message conflicts with our desires, we often flee or hide.
Or, we pray in a manner that essentially is telling God to repent and change His
ways. Yet, God is calling us to repent. He is calling us to change our hearts, to
change our desires and plans. God's messages are rarely comfortable, as we
define comfort. They are convicting; they are truth.

MICAH
In Micah, God is saying "Like My unbroken and, therefore, unrepentant people in
Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Micah, you will remain brain-dead, so
caught up in proud thinking that you will not permit truth to humble you. And you
will stay soul-dead, so calloused by your demand for satisfaction that you will fail
to accept emptiness as the path to knowing Me. You are without hope. Unless I
AM a God who pardons sin, who in mercy and compassion hurls your self-
centeredness into the depths of the sea, you are doomed."
The hope of Christmas morning is hinted at in this letter. In a time when God's
people were complacent in their worship, God mentions that "The One to be
Ruler in Israel" will come from Bethlehem. Just like today, the people wanted
comforting messages from their spiritual leaders. God, however, gave a message
of destruction followed by hope. Without the destruction, without brokenness
and repentance, we will only hear false hope. We begin to hear true hope when
we have been broken and look to the One who came from Bethlehem.

NAHUM
In Nahum (his name means "comfort", "consolation", or "relief"), God is saying "I
swear by My holy love: I will defeat every enemy who gets in the way of the
satisfaction you desire, the rest you crave, the enjoyment you long to experience
in relationships."
The message in this letter was given to the people of Judah at a time when they
were fearing that Assyria would attack and destroy them as Assyria had done to
Israel, the Northern Kingdom. About a century after Jonah had delivered his
message to Ninevah and the nation repented, Assyria again became a threat.
Nahum's message of comfort was that Assyria would not attack Judah. Instead,
God utterly destroyed Ninevah. The same passions that were in the people of
Ninevah are still evidenced today. God's continued message of comfort is that He
will utterly destroy any trace of evil in our hearts. In Nahum, God's comfort for
Judah was found in the death of Ninevah. In 6 more letters we clearly see that
God's comfort for us is found in the death and resurrection of His Son.

HABAKKUK
In this letter, God is saying "Never ignore your struggle with how I do things. Ask
every question that rises in your heart as you live in this world. But prepare
yourself to struggle even more with My response. You must stumble in confusion
before you dance with joy."
Habakkuk voiced the words that often reflect the condition of our hearts. We are
confused and troubled by the realization that we don't seem to be getting the
preferential treatment that God's people should be experiencing. We struggle
with the fact that God does not always make sense to us. Listen to the words of
Eugene Peterson, "Habakkuk started out exactly where we start out with our
puzzled complaints and God-accusations, but he didn't stay there. He ended up in
a world, along with us, where every detail in our lives of love for God is worked
into something good." Whatever your struggle may be at this moment, take hope
in God. Meditate on 3:17-19. No matter the circumstance, place your hope in
Him.

ZEPHANIAH
In Zephaniah, God is saying "Surface change is often mistaken for deep change.
When the medication of exciting worship and inspiring preaching relieves the
symptoms of sin, the need for the surgery of brokenness is no longer recognized."
This letter begins with a call to brokenness and repentance (1:1-3:7). The people
are warned about the Day of the Lord, which will not be about receiving blessings
but about God's judgment against all that is evil. God will destroy everything that
is opposed to Him, including much of what appears to be spiritual. For those who
wait on the Lord, the result is deep revival and reconciliation. Hearts will be
changed and true worship will be experienced (3:8-20).
HAGGAI
In Haggai, God is saying "No matter how discouraged you feel, no matter how
little evidence you see of My power, no matter how off course My plan appears
to be or how unlikely fulfillment of My promise seems to be, no matter how dark
your night or empty your soul, build My temple. I, the Lord of hosts, am
speaking."
Haggai delivered 4 messages:
1. Indictment. Do not let difficulties move you away from the narrow path.
(1:1-15)
2. Encouragement. What may seem to be unimportant today will later be
revealed as significant? (2:1-10)
3. Reminder. Evil is often more contagious than holiness. (2:10-19)
4. Encouragement. God will fulfill His plan through the Man of His choosing,
ultimately through Christ. (2:20-23)

ZECHARIAH
In Zechariah, God is saying "If you could see right now what is happening in the
unseen world, you would be filled with hope. You must trust Me for whatever
tastes of glory I choose to provide in this life as you continue to build the temple.
You have become a prisoner of hope."
Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai and he, too, delivered a message that
called the people to rebuild the temple. This letter begins with a call for
brokenness and repentance (1:1-6). Zechariah then received 8 visions:
1. God's army waits. (1:7-17)
2. God's army prepares. (1:18-21)
3. God's protected city. (2:1-12)
4. God's cleansed servants. (3:1-10)
5. God's resources provided. (4:1-14)
6. God's holiness prevails. (5:1-4)
7. God's people purified. (5:5-11)
8. God's Spirit rests. (6:1-15).

These visions gave hope to the people of God. This group of people who had felt
defeated, were allowed to see the purposes of God. The last 6 chapters give a
glimpse of the hope that is to come. God's Son, our Savior, is coming.
MALACHI
In this final letter to the Old Testament, God is saying "I have loved you in a way
that people who live for no higher purpose than to enjoy this life do not realize. I
love them, too, but they do not see it. I have chosen you to be a part of My plan
to restore this earth to its full beauty and My people to their full beauty. I have
chosen you to invite folks who merely ride bikes to soar like eagles into My
Presence, to invite hikers who are hungry for adventure and excitement to feast
their eyes on My glory. Your calling is to reveal My love."
God gave Malachi a message that included 7 indictments and 7 responses:
1. God's indictment: I have loved you. The response: In what way have you
loved us? (1:2)
2. God's indictment: You have despised My name. The response: In what way
have we done this? (1:6)
3. God's indictment: Your worship is detestable. The response: In what way
have we defiled You? (1:7) see also 1:8-14
4. God's indictment: You weary Me with your words. The response: You
should be pleased with us. (2:17)
5. God's indictment: You have not returned to Me. The response: We have
not left nor do we need to return. (3:6-7)
6. God's indictment: You have robbed Me. The response: We are not thieves.
How have we robbed You? (3:8)
7. God's indictment: Your words have been harsh against Me. The response:
All that we have said is true. (3:13-14)
Malachi awakens God's people to the crisis that is in their hearts. The final 3
verses give the picture of Moses and Elijah. Moses, to remind the people of all
that God has done. Elijah, to let them know that He will turn the people's hearts
back to Him.

In the next letter, The King arrives.

MATTHEW
In Matthew, God is saying "My Son's mission is to change your life, to bring you
into My kingdom of love by forgiving your self-worshiping rebellion that keeps
you falling short of My way of relating and by empowering you to bring My
kingdom near to others by the radically changed way you can now relate. He
never intended to keep you visibly good and pleasantly happy until heaven. He
came to reveal My nature for your sake and to change your nature for Mine."
Also, "The center of the good news is that you can know My Son and by My Spirit
enter into the relationship My Son and I enjoy. That news has the power to
transform you from grasping for life for your sake to losing your life for My sake.
Any time with prioritized energy you do anything designed to fill your emptiness
or to protect yourself from more rejection you are serving the wrong kingdom.
But you are now empowered to serve My kingdom, to relate as We relate within
the Trinity. That's the dance, the dance you can enjoy in measure now and will
fully enjoy forever when My Son returns and heaven's kingdom fills the earth.
That's the good news."
Can you imagine what the average Jew was looking for in the Messiah? Probably
the same thing that we are often looking for today. They wanted a leader who
would introduce God's salvation and make everything right. The message in
Matthew began with John's call for the people to repent. The Messiah's priority
was not to bless the people but to change the people. That is the good news that
we often fail to look for. And when we do see it, we, like the Jews, turn away
because it is not what we want.

MARK
In this letter, God is saying "Because of My Son, no failure of yours can block My
plan for your life. But you must see My Son so clearly, so up close and personal,
that you must realize that He is worthy of your losing everything you value in life
in order to know Him, to serve Him. The more clearly you see Christ, the more
willing you will be to suffer any loss for His sake. Kingdom living consists of radical
servanthood (the end of entitlement to personal comfort) and self-denying
suffering with the hope of joy forever."
Read Mark 8:27-38. After performing several miracles, Jesus asked His disciples
about what people were saying about Him. When the disciples were asked who
they believed Jesus was, Peter replied that He was the Christ. Oddly, Jesus told
them to tell this to no one. Jesus then began to tell them that He would suffer and
die. In an amazing flash of foolishness, Peter rebuked Jesus. Christ responded by
rebuking Peter and telling Satan to be quiet. Why did Jesus tell the disciples to
keep His identity a secret and then proceed to tell them of His sufferings? The
probable answer is that He knew that the people were looking for a savior that
would restore them to a place of honor and comfort. Christ came to introduce a
Kingdom that was radically different than what the people were anticipating.
They were not looking for a savior that would suffer and die for them. They were
also not looking for a savior who would ask them to suffer and die with Him. Like
the church today, they had a false concept of holiness. They did not understand
that holiness requires suffering and death.

LUKE
In Luke, God is saying "My son is the perfect Person I had in mind for all people to
be. He is the perfect Person whose image you will become. The more clearly you
see perfect maturity in Him, the more you'll be drawn to that goal, the less
divided you'll be, and the more willing you'll become to persevere through
anything in order to be formed like My Son."
I just finished reading an email from a dear friend who is experiencing some very
painful, difficult, and confusing relational dynamics. What can we see in Luke that
helps us in times of crisis? Does God promise that we will experience the joy and
peace (as we define joy and peace) that we desperately long for and try to create
without relying on the Lord? That's not what I see. What I do see is the perfect
Christ, the God-Man who portrays an image that can give me a vision of how I can
change my way of relating so that I am a reflection of Him. Life hurts. Life is
difficult. When I face this reality, I can work diligently to develop a false, perceived
maturity that is not based on a changed heart. Or, I can look at the perfect
maturity of Christ, allowing that vision to draw me to a new way of relating to
God and others.

JOHN
In John, God is saying "In the world you now inhabit, communion with Me is not
defined by experience of Me. Nor does it depend on blessings from Me. To really
live is to release My Son's life though yours, in any circumstance, no matter what
you feel, to relate as He related, giving when no one gives back, loving when no
one returns love, forgiving when no one deserves forgiveness, suffering in the
place of those who should suffer."
The book of John is one of the few books that specifically gives the reason for the
book. John 20:31 says "...but these are written so that you believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." The
phrase, "in His name" is not a way to end a prayer that somehow obligates God to
listen. "In His name" implies that you are representing Christ. It implies that you
are reflecting His life, His love, His forgiveness. When we believe in Christ, we are
given eternal salvation. We are also given the ability to change the way that we
relate because God is now living in us (John14-16).
There are many amazing verses in the book of John that you have probably
memorized long ago. One of my favorite passages is:
 John 6:66-69. After many disciples had walked away, Christ asked if the 12
would leave also. Peter responded by asking Jesus where else could they go
because they believed that He is the Christ. There is no other option or
"plan B.

ACTS
In this letter, God is saying "What My Son began through His birth, life, death,
resurrection, and ascension---the center of history---He now continues through
what my Spirit birthed at Pentecost: the church. From then until My Son returns
to take over the earth, every member of the church is empowered to tell the full
message of their new life in Christ."
Look at the early church leaders. Look at Peter, Stephen, and Paul. They had a
new message that is based on the hope that we have for life now and even more
so in eternity. It is a life that breaks the bondage of self-centeredness and lives for
the purpose of reflecting Christ and growing in Him. It is a life that reflects a new
perspective on suffering and a new agenda in praying.

ROMANS
In Romans, God is saying "I have found a way to supply the power you lack, the
power you need, to become the person you most long to be, the person you most
truly are, the person I alone can make you: a worshiper of Me in any
circumstance; a lover like My Son who desired forgiveness for His murderers; a
dancer who hears heaven's music on earth and moves freely in rhythm with My
Spirit in a worshiping, loving, dancing community of friends who feel indebted to
reveal My Son to the world by the way they relate and through the creative
expression of whatever gifts they possess and opportunities they find."
On our own, we are completely without hope (1:18-3:20). It is only through the
righteousness of Christ that we can love and be loved in the way that reflects the
love of God (3:21-8:39). Read closely 7:4-6. We are dead to the law; we are
aroused by the law; we are delivered from the law; so that we can serve in the
newness of the Spirit. To learn how to relate as God relates, we must face the
battle that rages within us and accept the victory that is only found in Christ (8-
11). Know that God has given you everything you need to walk the narrow path
(12-15). The final chapter (16) gives a picture of how relationships can be if they
are focused on Christ. Notice the phrases "in the Lord", "in Christ Jesus", "in
Christ", etc. However, we also see a picture of divisive and offensive relationships
(16:17-18); yet God gives us the confidence that Satan and his world will be
crushed (16:20).

1 CORINTHIANS
In this letter, God is saying "The change I bring about comes slowly. The more you
attempt to hold on to your confidence in the goodness of the story I am telling
while at the same time acknowledging all that is bewildering and maddening and
shatteringly disappointing in this life, the more you will be confronted with the
ongoing moment of decision, to trust or not to trust. Only in dark nights will hope
burn bright enough to sustain your faith and release your love."
In the book 66 Love Letters Dr. Crabb gives an overview of what the letter to the
church at Corinth was saying:
 In chapters 1-4, the people are encouraged to turn away from the spirit of
divisiveness and entitlement and the wisdom of this world.
 Chapters 5-8 deal with immorality, dealing with problems within the
church, marriage, and exercising your freedom for the good of the church,
not yourself.
 Chapter 9 talks about sacrificial leadership.
 Chapter 10 is a warning about idolatry.
 Chapters 11-14 discuss worship, spiritual gifts, and loving as God loves.
 Chapter 15 presents the gospel and tells of the hope that we have in Christ.
 Chapter 16 is the closing notes.
There were problems in the church at Corinth. There are problems in the church
today. However, God has not given up on us or the church. He wants us to love as
He loves. He wants us to worship with a pure heart.
If you haven't already done so, go back and slowly read chapter 13. Allow the
words to serve as an examination of how you love.

2 CORINTHIANS
In the 2nd letter to the church at Corinth, God is saying "Live for your relational
comfort, and your joy will be shallow and temporary. It will not free you to love.
Live to know the truth of My story of forgiving love, and you will be deeply
unsettled by how profoundly you need forgiveness. You will then suffer the slow
death of your entitled demand that you be treated well. But you will discover,
slowly but surely, the power of My ongoing forgiveness and Presence to change
you into a person who loves."
The first 9 chapters of this letter are addressed to the repentant followers in the
church. One of the clear messages is the call to be holy and to love in the
presence of suffering and trials. The last four chapters are directed more to the
non-repentant folks within the church. Paul's authority was being questioned and
he reluctantly presents his defense. In the process, he urges the people to
examine themselves and to be on the alert for false gospels and false apostles.
Likewise, we need to be alert. There are many false gospels and many "eminent"
preachers who are giving a false message about God. Read God's message that He
has given. Don't be deceived by nice sounding messages that lead you to live for
comfort more than holiness.

GALATIANS
In this letter, God is saying "Gospel freedom means to neither indulge your whims
nor keep My rules. Whim-indulgers and rule-keepers are slaves to the corruption
within them that demands a kind of satisfaction My Son will not provide for you in
this life. My Son has set you free to love, to believe I am good and that the good
story I am telling is unfolding under His control. Faith in Me and hope for
tomorrow frees you to love today. And loving with divine power releases a kind of
joy into your soul that nothing else can bring."
It is so easy for us to stray from the gospel. The path to maturity is narrow,
bordered by legalism and license. We move to either side in an attempt to
manage life without submission to God. God calls for us to be conformed to the
image of Christ. The book of Galatians is about our freedom...our freedom to love
God and love others. If we walk with the Spirit, we will begin to love as Christ
loves (though not perfectly in this life). We will begin to relate as He relates.
Because of the cross, we really are free.

EPHESIANS
In the book of Ephesians, God is saying:
 "You are now, with countless others, My Son's body. Live to complete Him.
 You are now, with countless others, My Son's building. Live to reveal Him.
 You are now, with countless others, My Son's bride. Live to delight Him."
The first three chapters speak of the blessings that believers have in Christ. The
second half focuses on how blessed believers should live in this world. Satan and
this world stand against every effort to live for Christ in this life. But we are not
called to fight either enemy (or the third one, the flesh) as unarmed soldiers. We
have been given everything needed to have victory with Christ (1:3; 3:20; 6:11-
18). Paul focuses on our walk, our daily call for communion and intimacy with God
(2:10; 4:1; 5:2,8,15). Our walk should be governed by who we are "in Christ" (a
phrase used numerous times in this letter). We are His body, His building, His
bride. Live for Him.

PHILIPPIANS
In the letter to the church at Philippi, God is saying "The joy I offer grows in the
soil of emptiness and brokenness. In My Spirit's hands, your felt emptiness will
become a consuming thirst to know My Son. Your agonizing brokenness over the
ongoing corruption in your soul will transform into overwhelming gratitude for
My Son's forgiveness. It is empty and broken people who at the same time are
thirsty and grateful who discover the power to live in ways they never thought
possible."
The path to contentment is presented in four steps (keep in mind that Paul wrote
about contentment while he was in prison):
1. To live is Christ. 1:21
2. The mindset of Christ can rule in our hearts. 2:5-11
3. Knowing Christ can be desired over every other desire. 3:7-10
4. We can relate in a way that reflects the way that Christ relates. It is a
"grace-released, humility-empowered, self-giving style of relating." 4:12-13
Read 1:3-11. These verses express my prayer for each of you. Verse 9
encapsulates the fact that love (relational holiness) should always be intertwined
with truth (knowledge and discernment). Many within the church today lean
heavily towards one without the other. This should never be our position.
Relational holiness is never present without truth. Godly knowledge and
discernment will always change the way in which we relate.

COLOSSIANS
In the letter to the Colossians, God is saying "Place no hope in the experience of
satisfaction now. If you do, you are shifting away from the hope held out in the
gospel of My Son. You will then disfigure the Christian life into a search for a
fullness of felt spiritual reality and complete freedom from evil's power that
together promise to provide the life you've always wanted in this world."
Just as it was in the early church, it is so easy for us to stray from the gospel (look
also at Jer. 2:13). Heresy had crept into the church at Colossae. Legalism, license,
pluralism; the list was vast then...it is no less vast today. Colossians addresses this
by claiming that our faith and our hope are in Christ alone. He is preeminent. He
alone is the head of the church. This truth should compel us to walk with Him,
avoiding any teaching that entices us to step off of the narrow path. And as we
walk with Him, we will begin to relate as He relates. Not fully while in this world,
but walking with Him will affect how we relate with other believers and in our
homes and in our careers. Place your hope in the gospel of Christ Jesus. You will
not experience a full, trouble-free life this side of heaven. However you will get
tastes and scents of what is to come...the eternal party is coming.

1 THESSALONIANS
In this letter, God is saying "Your frustration with everything else, including
yourself, makes it possible to turn in deeper dependence to Me. Your weariness
requires the strength of supernatural love to continue serving Me. Your haunting
sense of futility shuts you up to a kind of endurance that can be sustained only
with hope in My Son's return."
Paul commended the believers in Thessalonica for their "work of faith, labor of
love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:2) and their "brotherly
love" (4:9-10). He encouraged them to walk worthy of their calling (2:12; 4:12).
However, his emphasis seems is on the Second Coming of Christ. Paul wants them
to be certain of Christ's return. While our faith, hope, and love are crucial to our
walk now, they will be complete when Christ returns. The Second Coming is not
simply a doctrine to be studied. It is a truth that should encourage and empower
us to live for Christ today. It should compel us to share the gospel with others.
Listen to these words from Larry Crabb's notes: "Truth matters, not in order to
erect barriers between club members and outsiders, but because it resurrects
dead people and guides them along the path to life. The truth of Christ's return
was not revealed to divide us into quarreling factions but to anchor us in life's
storms."

2 THESSALONIANS
In this letter God is saying "You will never think clearly about what's happening
now and how I want you to live today until you're thinking clearly about what will
happen when My Son returns."
Everything that we experience today should be evaluated based on the cross and
on Christ's return. They are the foundation of our faith and our hope. Some of the
Thessalonians were living as if the return had already occurred. This was having
disastrous effects on how they were relating and living. Paul wrote to them to
correct the false teaching. He encouraged them to continue waiting; to continue
hoping; and to continue working. Many Christians live today without a
foundational focus on the future. They live as if they are trying to create heaven in
this world, ignoring the reality that Satan's final defeat will not happen until Christ
does return. They live for relational comfort, free from suffering and difficulties.
They believe that it is available if they just ask with enough faith, if they just get it
right. The Christian who lives with the hope of eternity, lives in a different manner
that places a higher priority on holiness than comfort. They view the struggles and
persecutions through the lens of eternity. They work to reflect the image of Christ
in a world that continues to be affected by Satan and sin. They can endure
hardships because they live with the hope of the beauty that awaits them in
eternity.

1 TIMOTHY
In this letter, God is saying "You are called to guard My truth. If in this uncertain
world you risk everything on what you know to be true, you will finish well. You
will impact others. You will strengthen My church. You will fight the good fight. All
this will happen but only if you risk everything on My Son's return."
The pastor of a large, rapidly growing church in Charlotte has made the inference
that his church is not here to teach doctrine. Paul's letter to Timothy delivers a
different message (1:3-4; 4:1-6; 4:15-16; 5:17; 6:2-3; 6:20). Doctrine does matter.
God's truth matters. Every word of every one of His letters matters. This is not to
imply that it is doctrine alone and that relationships or love are not part of the
story. It is not truth or love, doctrine or relationship. It has always been and
always will be both. I like the term "transformational knowledge". It is knowledge
(or doctrine) that changes the heart or mind and is evidenced in our love of God
and others. Paul encouraged Timothy to remain steadfast in the doctrine that he
had learned. He wanted Timothy to continuously grow in his knowledge of the
Lord and for this knowledge to transform Timothy's inner world (1:5; 4:15-16). He
wanted Timothy to teach clear doctrine, knowing that many in their day (and
multitudes in our day) preferred a message that does not require us to confront
the pervasiveness of the sin that remains in our flesh. It is a false teaching that
presents the love of God without the holiness of God. Clear doctrine never
separates the two.

2 TIMOTHY
In the second letter to Timothy, God is saying "Fight the good fight now. Enjoy the
good life forever."
As Paul approaches the final days of his life, he sends a message to Timothy. It is a
message that is far different than many messages delivered in churches today.
The letter addresses the reality of the sufferings and hardships that believers face
in this world (1:8,12; 2:3, 9-10; 3:11-12; 4:5). It talks about how evil people will
grow worse (ch. 3-4). In the face of the struggles in this world, Paul encourages
Timothy to endure. He is told to remember (1:5; 2:7-8; 3:14-15). He is told to
teach clear doctrine. Paul's letter is grounded in the hope that we have in Christ.
The life that we live, the story that we tell, and the way that we relate should all
be a reflection of our faith and hope in Christ.
This letter is not the sad musings of a defeated man who is approaching death. It
is the joyful message of a saint who is in the final steps of his race. He desperately
wants Timothy to stay focused in the race. He doesn't paint a false picture that
ignores the realities of this world. But he tells Timothy to stay in the race, to stay
on the narrow or straight path. The costs of staying in the race are insignificant
when compared to the rewards at the finish line. In the recent marathon race for
the U.S. Olympic trials, the top three finishers were seen throughout the race with
the obvious physical pain of running that far and that fast. However, each one, as
he approached the finish line, was seen with the look of total joy on his face. The
joy of finishing the race and making the Olympic team was so great that the
struggle of getting there faded away. This is a picture of Paul. As he sat in prison,
approaching death, his message to Timothy is that because of Christ and the
rewards at the finish line, all of the struggles can be endured with hope and joy.

TITUS
In the letter to Titus, God is saying "You are living between two epiphanies. You
have no higher calling in this life than to relate for one supreme purpose--to
reveal the beauty of My grace until the beauty of My glory fills you with joy
forever."
Paul had left Titus on the island of Crete so that Titus could make certain that the
church was grounded in sound doctrine. The Cretans were known for being a
dysfunctional lot (1:12 is not a flattering description of the Cretans). Paul was
concerned that the young church would follow pagan or traditional practices, not
sound doctrine. Paul encouraged Titus with the gospel message of God's grace.
The gospel has the power to change people's lives. It has the power to change
how we think, to change what we passionately desire and pursue, and to change
how we relate (2:11-3:14). The gospel does this by first changing who we are (3:3-
7). A believer is no longer a "liar, evil beast, lazy glutton." He may struggle with
these problems but he is not identified by them. He is identified by his salvation
through belief in Christ. His identity is based on the righteousness of Christ. He is
a new man. As the new man grows in grace and in the knowledge and
understanding of God (the essence of sound doctrine), it transforms his thoughts,
his conduct, his desires. As he does this, the beauty of God's grace is displayed to
the world for God's glory. Just as Paul told Timothy, sound doctrine does matter.

PHILEMON
In this letter, God is saying "Wronged people tell My story to those who wrong
them only when they are overwhelmed by the story I tell to those who wrong Me
and count themselves among the offenders."
In the devotional on Titus, I wrote that the gospel has the power to change how
we relate. This is evidenced in the letter to Philemon. Onesimus was a slave who
had run away from his master, Philemon. Paul had probably been involved in
evangelizing both men and he now was concerned about the reconciliation of
their relationship. Believers are called to forgive one another based on the truth
that God has completely forgiven them. In Matthew 18:21-35, Christ told the
parable about the unforgiving servant. The clear point is that God has forgiven us
for a debt that we could never repay. Our forgiven offenses will always be
monumental when compared to the offenses that others commit against us. Since
God has freely forgiven us, we have no basis for not forgiving others. We forgive
others because we have been broken by the ugliness of our sin and we accept the
unmerited forgiveness of God. This is the basis of Paul's request of Philemon. He
wanted Philemon to have a heart that was willingly forgiving (v.8,9,14). Only the
gospel has the power to change people to have a heart that forgives. This letter is
about changed men and changed relationships. Onesismus changed from an
unprofitable, runaway slave to a profitable, repentant, faithful believer (v. 11, 16,
Col. 4:9). Philemon changed from an offended man to a forgiving man. The
relationship changed from master/slave to brothers in Christ.
Here is a question to think on:
Which appalls us more...when others offend us or when we offend God and
others?

HEBREWS
In this letter, God is saying "In this moment My Son is serving you as your priest.
The more you understand what I mean when I tell you that My Son your priest 'in
the order of Melchizedek,' the less inclined you will be to defiantly shrink back
from the story I am telling."
The unknown writer of Hebrews refers to this letter as a "word of exhortation."
The recipients were believers who were tempted to return to their previous
beliefs and their earlier walk. The writer warns them of the dangers of stepping
away from hearing and following sound doctrine (2:1; 3:12-13; 5:11-6:12). They
were encouraged to endure (10:36; 12:1). The writer does not encourage them
with false hope and promised comfort. Chapter 11, the Hall of Faith, talks about
the magnificent works of God through many of His servants (11:1-35a). However,
verse 35b presents the sufferings that holy people may face. How often do we
feel that we are entitled to participate in the feats of 11:1-35a and that God
should protect us from the trials in 11:35b-37? The writer encourages the readers
to "look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." This letter presents the
case that the readers are being tempted to return to a lesser faith. The writer
counters this problem by describing Jesus Christ in His preeminence. He is shown
to be superior to the prophets (1:1), to the angels (1:4), and to the Levitical
priesthood (ch. 7-10). Christ, and Christ alone, is the source of our hope. It is "a
better hope, through which we can draw near to God" and as the psalmist said,
the nearness of God is our good (Ps.73:28). We can endure as we keep our eyes
on Jesus and the world to come.

JAMES
In this letter, God is saying "When grasped, the prospect of living as a coheir with
My Son, in both the already and the not-yet eternal kingdom, will energize you to
press on, to reveal My character and My plan by the way you live and relate, and
to love Me and others at any cost to you, whether you are joyfully encouraged or
desperately discouraged."
John Piper wrote a book titled Don't Waste Your Life. That title is the theme of
this letter. It is written to people who James addresses as "my brethren", people
who have received the gift of eternal salvation and who are being encouraged to
live a fruitful life. All believers are heirs of God's kingdom. However, those who
endure trials and temptations will be co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:11-
13). In the often debated verses of 2:14-25, James is calling the readers to live a
fruitful life; to put action with their faith. Their faith in Christ saved them from
eternal damnation. Their works save them from a wasted life. This is not a
doctrine that is found only in this letter. Paul said the same thing (Titus 3:14) as
did Peter (2 Peter 1:5-11). A good analogy is that of an apple tree. If the tree is
healthy and producing apples, everyone passing by will identify it by its fruit and
the tree will be useful. If it is not healthy and producing no apples, it will be
difficult for people to identify (however the owner will know because he planted
it) and it will be useless. A truth that is found in the Old Testament and New
Testament is that God knows that we are His because of what has happened in
our hearts. Others cannot see our hearts. They can only judge us based on what
we say and do.
Difficult days and relational struggles will tempt us to live for ourselves. This letter
is encouraging us to live, to think, to speak, and to relate in a manner that reflects
the change that has occurred in our hearts. In doing so, we will be fruitful and we
will one day enjoy the beauty and magnificence of being a co-heir with Christ.

1 PETER
In this letter written by Peter, God is saying "I will never deceive you with false
hope."
So many of today's teachers/preachers convey a message that gives people the
hope that they can have a comfortable, blessing filled life now. While that
message does draw in people in large numbers, it is a message of false hope. A
growing relationship with Christ is not based on the blessings that we will receive,
but it is based on the giver of the blessings. Hopefully as you have read through
these devotionals you have sensed the repeated truth that this world is not our
home. We are "sojourners and pilgrims" (2:11), called to endure the trials and
sufferings of this world with an enduring faith. Because our hope is in Christ and
the eternal hope of heaven, we can continually tell the story of God's amazing
love in the midst of our trials. We hear and obey His call to holiness over our
desire for comfort. When we make God's glory our highest desire, then we can
make an impact in this world that is focused more on His glory than our self-
centered desires. We can honor Him in all of our relationships (ch. 2-5).
This letter does not offer the false hope that we can create heaven now or that
we can rebuild Eden. It offers the hope that we can be a part of God's plan when
we seek relational holiness. Can we experience blessings now? Most definitely!
However, the blessings that we receive now are just a taste or a scent of what we
will receive in eternity. Enjoy the blessings that you receive, but don't base your
hope on expected blessings. You can faithfully endure the trials and sufferings of
this world when you seek Him first.
2 PETER
In Peter's second letter, God is saying "You now share in My nature. You have
within you the power necessary to resist every natural impulse that stands in the
way of loving others as I love you. Neither fear, failure, nor temptation is stronger
than the divine power available to you that can keep you walking the narrow road
to life."
False doctrines and false teachers. The Lord warns us that in the latter days, false
doctrines will invade the church. Many believers will be susceptible to smooth
sounding heresies because they are not grounded in sound doctrine. Sound
doctrine helps us to see the truth of God's nature and His plan. It helps us to grow
in our understanding of Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and return. True
doctrine assures us that we lack nothing that we need for life and godliness. This
letter stresses the necessity of our knowledge of God (1:3,5; 3:1-2,18). It is a
knowledge that draws us to Him and gives us the confidence to face our fears,
failures, and temptations. As suggested in the devotional on 1 Timothy, our
knowledge of God is a transformational knowledge. It affects how we think, how
we act, and how we relate.

1 JOHN
In this letter, God is saying "You are Mine. The life that defines My Son now
defines you. You are alive in Me. You are alive to Me. You are alive with Me.
Inexpressible joy is yours for the asking...on My Spirit's timetable."
We share the gospel in the hope that the lost will be saved. However, God's
salvation is not just about our condition in eternity. It also gives us hope for today.
In this lifetime we will face many struggles that are strong enough to shake our
faith. It is during these times that our faith can grow as we draw nearer to God
and depend less on our circumstances.
This letter was written to encourage believers as they faced problems in the world
and within the church. They are not comforted with the hope that circumstances
will get better in this world. Instead, they are reminded of who they are in Christ.
They are told about abiding in Christ and walking in the light. The letter is written
so that the believers could be assured of their salvation and so that their faith
could affect how they relate. Believers have been given everything that they need
to love as Christ loves. When they look at their failure to love, they are broken
and they confess their sins to God (agreeing with Him about the sins), thankfully
accepting His cleansing. In every situation, they look to see how they can love the
Father and others as did the Son, made possible because of God's love for us.
Read this quote from Dr. Crabb's study on 1 John:
"When professing Christian friends seem to turn away from the atonement-won
forgiveness and lightly regard God's call to relational holiness, focusing instead on
His call to social justice or His provision of experienced presence, the exposure of
their false faith creates the opportunity of grace-stunned worshippers of the
grace-giving Lord to more single-mindedly live the new way of holy love that
emerges in brokenness over one's lack of love for God and others."

2 JOHN
In John's second letter, God is saying "Watch out that you do not lose what you
have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully."
Two concepts stand out in this brief letter: truth (doctrine) and love. 2 John
teaches that truth and sound doctrine are alive in us. They enable us to walk with
God during trials and tribulations, providing an anchor amidst the storms of life.
Through John, God is again telling us to stand fast and certain in the doctrine that
we have been taught, just as he said through Paul (2 Timothy). When we do so,
we will be rewarded not only in heaven, but also now. As we walk in truth, we will
love as Christ loves. We will love the Father as does the Son. We will love others
as Christ sacrificially loves us. When loving others is a higher priority than self-
protection, then we will rejoice when we see others maturing in Christ. Again,
Paul said the same thing (Gal. 4:19) and John will repeat it in the next letter. I can
say the same about my three adult children. Although I will admit to being too
focused on their worldly successes as they were growing up (and the resulting
brokenness on my part), I have no greater joy today than to see them walking in
truth and love. This is also my hope and prayer for you.

3 JOHN
In John's third letter, God is saying "When you see something in another person
worthy of criticism, before you think further about that person's faults, resolve
that your life will become an increasingly visible and humble demonstration of
love."
This letter is another call for the need for truth and relationship. John states that
he has no greater joy than to hear about other believers who are walking in truth.
He prays that Gaius may prosper in all things, including his health, but his greatest
desire is that Gaius prospers in his spiritual maturity. The scriptures are clear that
we should pray for the health of others. I have appreciated the prayers for Jane
and me as we endured the norovirus this week. However, my concern is that we
make health and personal prosperity our primary concern for others. If you listen
to the prayer requests on most Sunday mornings or at most of the prayer
breakfasts for the FCF, I think that we have to admit that most (if not all) of the
requests are for God to improve our health or circumstances. We rarely hear the
plea that the Lord will guide us into His truth and that we will walk in His truth.
Walking in truth affects how we relate, both to God and others. It will be
evidenced in how we demonstrate love for one another (Demetrius). It will affect
how we deal with a sinning, self-centered, glory seeking brother (Diotrephes). The
call for truth in our relationships is crucial. We should constantly examine
ourselves to see if there is anything evil and we should pray that the Lord
continuously leads us into truth. This was John's plea to Gaius. It is my plea for us.

JUDE
In the 65 letter, God is saying "My power is sufficient to keep you from falling off
the narrow road, but on that road you will feel, more acutely sometimes than
others, the unbearable ache of repeated failure to love, of always falling short of
My glory. That ache either will be transformed by My Spirit into a consuming
awareness of grace and into the joys of passionate hope, or it will seduce you into
accepting a revised version of My story that promises to provide now the relief I
promise later."
The letter of Jude is a plea to contend earnestly for the faith in the presence of
apostasy. Apostates had crept into the church, just as they have today. They are
false teachers who pervert the grace of God, deny sound doctrine, and seek to
satisfy their own desires. Defending the truth is vital to the life of the church. In
his plea, Jude reminds the readers that they are called, sanctified, and preserved
in Christ. He encourages them to remember what they have been taught, to grow
in their faith, to pray, to abide in God's love, and to focus on Christ's mercy. In
doing so, they will defend the faith in a manner that honors the Lord and
hopefully convicts the apostate. Because we can so easily turn "defending the
faith" into "proving that I am right", we must be certain that we are submitting to
the Holy Spirit in our thoughts and desires. Examine your heart to expose any
failures to love and failures to worship the Lord. Pray for Him to transform your
heart and mind and to keep you on His narrow path. When you are on the narrow
path, abiding in God, you will be a strong, effective faith defender because of
God's glory, majesty, dominion, and power.
REVELATION
In the final letter, God is saying "Things are not as they seem. Evil, though
widespread, is not winning. Faithfulness, though costly, is not futile. Affliction,
though continuing, will end. The Lion's roar will soon be heard. Until then, reign
with the Lamb. Live to love, not control."
Imagine sitting with John on the Isle of Patmos. The conditions are horrible. He
has been sent there because he refused to worship Domitian, Caesar of Rome.
Imagine asking John if it had all been worth the effort. From the time of his close
fellowship with Jesus to his experiences with the early church and resulting
persecutions, was it worth it? I think that his response would be that every
moment was worth the cost because it was not about him...it has always been
about Jesus Christ. This is the message of this letter. Beginning in the first chapter,
John proclaims that Jesus is Lord over all. He is Lord over the church (ch. 2-3). He
is Lord over all that is evil (ch. 4-20). Although sin may often seem to be
prevailing, be confident in the hope and knowledge that sin will suffer its final
death blow when Christ returns in His glory. And then the unimaginable banquet
will begin. No longer will our thoughts and desires be infected by the flesh. Pure
and unadulterated worship of the Triune God will prevail.
Is the effort to walk the narrow path, to relate as Jesus relates, worth the
difficulties, struggles, rejections, and failures? If you are looking for a better life
now, then the answer is probably no. If you are looking for the hope of heaven,
with the fulfillment of holy relationships, then the answer is a resounding yes. At
the end of this letter, John is not praying for better circumstances (although there
would be nothing wrong in praying that). He is praying for the second coming of
Jesus Christ. This letter begins and ends with the same message...it is not about
us, it has always been about Jesus Christ.

FINAL THOUGHTS
The series is finally complete. I hope that the devotionals have done the
following:
 Encouraged you to study the scriptures.
 Helped you to look for the messages that God is speaking to us in each of
His 66 letters.
 Enabled you to see the need to study all of the letters to grasp the idea that
His story is woven like a thread through each letter, from Genesis to
Revelation.
As you continue in your studies, always study with a purpose. Listen to His story.
See what it is saying about who He (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in perfect
community) is. Listen to the passages that display our nature as fallen image
bearers. Look at how sin has infected this world and how God has provided a
remedy. Seek to understand what it means for us to abide in Him, to reflect the
image of Christ, and to walk with the Spirit. All of this begins in Genesis and is
continued in the next 65 letters.
I pray that your studies will transform how you relate to God and others. I pray
that you will endure the sufferings of this world and that you will hate your self-
centeredness more than you hate the offenses of others. I pray that truth and
love will keep you on the narrow path. I pray that others will see Christ in you. I
pray all of this in Christ's name. I fully believe that He desires this for you.