Category: Bible

Posts from The Bible Blog, by Peter DeHaan

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Bible

The Writings of Doctor Luke

Paul is the most prolific writer in the New Testament. Who is second? That would be Dr. Luke.

Luke wrote an account of Jesus’ life (called “The Gospel According to Luke,” or simply “Luke”) and also chronicled the activities of the early church (called “The Acts of the Apostles” or just “Acts”).

These two accounts encompass over 25% of the New Testament and give us valuable historical information about Jesus and his followers, providing a powerful and compelling two-book combination.

Luke was a doctor and the only non-Jewish writer in the New Testament. As such, his words are that of an outsider and may more readily connect with those on the “outside.” Luke wrote with simple, yet compelling language.

As a trained professional, Luke was a keen observer and provides many details and facts that are not included in the other three historical accounts of Jesus.

The book of Acts looks at Jesus’ followers’ and their efforts to continue on without him. They wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, who Jesus promised to send to them for guidance, direction, and counsel.

Many people look to Acts for a model for how the church should function. Noteworthy in Acts is the frequent mention Holy Spirit. With about 100 references, Acts provides a close and personal insight into the function and mystery of the Holy Spirit.

Both our monthly Bible reading plan and the New Testament reading plan kick off the year with the books of Luke and Acts. Regardless of your Bible reading intentions for the year, I hope you are off to a good start—and if not, why not start today?

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Physical or Spiritual?

We live in a physical world. We can interact with it though our senses; it is tangible; it is real.

While this is true, there is more —much more. There is a spiritual reality that is even more real then the physical realm that we call home. Consider that God exists in the spiritual realm; it existed first and always has.

It is from this spiritual reality that he created our physical world in which we live. (Don’t get distracted on how this creation occurred.)

In his letter to the people who lived in Thessalonica, Paul talks about our spirit, soul, and body. How do these three aspects of who we are interact and co-exist?

It’s been said that we are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. Furthermore, our soul is comprised of our mind, will, and emotions. That puts things in the proper order, giving us a good perspective on our existence and what is most important. 

Although our body is temporal and will die, our spirit will live on, existing in the spiritual realm. Though it is good and right to take care of our body, it is wiser and better to care for our spirit, because we are a spirit, we just live in a body.

[See 1 Thessalonians 5:23.]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Who is Barsabbas?

Barsabbas is by no means a familiar character in the Bible. In fact, he is only mentioned twice—both times in the book of Acts. What makes him an intriguing fellow is his character and integrity.

You see, Barsabbas, along with Matthias, were both considered to become Judas’s replacement. Instead of conducting interviews (as would be done nowadays) or even taking a vote, the decision was made by a game of chance. That seems a cavalier and unspiritual thing to do.

To do this, the people prayed for God’s guidance in this process, trusting him in the outcome—and then they drew lots. Matthias, not Barsabbas, was selected (Acts 1:23-26). Barsabbas could have pouted, felt rejected, left the group, or been mad at the leaders.

He could have even been angry with God. After all, if God’s hand was really in this selection, as they had prayed, then it was God who decided to not pick Barsabbas. It’s one thing for a person to tell you “no,” but for God to say “no” carries much more weight.

Yet we don’t hear of Barsabbas having any of these negative responses. Apparently, he stuck around and continued to make God his priority and focus, for we next hear of him in Acts 15:22 where he was chosen to be part of an important delegation sent to Antioch.

He proved his character in how he reacted to not being chosen—that’s integrity.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Merry Christmas!

What is Christmas to you?

Does Christmas mean parties, Santa Claus, reindeer, mistletoe, eggnog, buying gifts, holiday sales and discounts, pine trees and decorations, a holiday bonus, TV specials and movie releases, a few days off from work, candy and treats, sending cards, mouthwatering desserts, passing on well wishes to others, bells ringing, year-end giving, snowmen and snow flakes, eating and drinking too much, time with family and friends, carol singing, and happy childhood memories?

Those things are all part of what Christmas has become, but have little to do with what it means.

Two-thousand years ago, Jesus pointed a new way to God; he came out of love and he came to give. So when we give gifts to each other on Christmas, it is really a reminder of Jesus loving us and giving himself to us.

In this way, we can keep the true spirit of Christmas alive by following Jesus’ example of loving and giving—and not just at Christmastime, but every day, throughout the year.

Merry Christmas!

[See Luke 2:1-14 for the Christmas story.]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Don’t Worry or Be Anxious

The news has been bad lately— and there is seemingly little hope in sight.

The global economy is bad, there is a credit crisis, the US automotive industry is in trouble, unemployment is increasing, many of those with jobs are concerned, and a turnaround seems a long ways off.

But in the big picture, this has happened before and will happen again.

Jesus puts it into a proper perspective for us:

“I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or

about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”

[See Luke 12:22, 23, 31.]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

At the End of Your Rope

Imagine you are going down the side of a 200-foot cliff — with a 100-foot rope.  At 99 feet down, you find yourself literally dangling “at the end of your rope.”

What an apt metaphor for a hopeless situation.  At this juncture, there are but three options — none of them good:

  1. Try to climb back up (which is physically impossible for most people),
  2. hang on as long as you can in hopes of an eventual rescue, or
  3. give up and let go.

Eugene Peterson uses this powerful “end of the rope” image in his paraphrase of the Bible, which puts ancient thoughts into contemporary terms.  Consider the following “end of the rope” references from The Message:

  • “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.”  [Matthew 5:3]
  • “The owner was at the end of his rope. He decided to send his son. ‘Surely,’ he thought, ‘They will respect my son.’”  [Matthew 21:35]
  • “When someone gets to the end of his rope, I [Paul] feel the desperation in my bones.”  [2 Corinthians 11:28]
  • “Hurry up and help us; we’re at the end of our rope. You’re famous for helping; God, give us a break.”  [Psalm 79:8]
  • “Your anger [God] is far and away too much for us; we’re at the end of our rope. You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books.”  [Psalm 90:3]
  • “Oh, God, my Lord, step in; work a miracle for me—you can do it! Get me out of here—your love is so great!— I’m at the end of my rope, my life in ruins.”  [Psalm 109:21]
  • “God takes the side of the helpless; when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me.”  [Psalm 116:1]
  • “Hurry with your answer, God! I’m nearly at the end of my rope. Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me! That would be certain death.”  [Psalm 143:7]

When we are at the end of our rope — and it happens to all of us sooner or later — God is there to rescue us (option 2); so don’t give up.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

What’s Next?

When we die, what’s next?

Paul, who diligently and ardently followed Jesus, was quite sure of the answer. He wrote, “The time of my spirit’s release from the body is at hand and I will soon go free.” [2 Timothy 2:4, The Amplified version]

We need to realize that we are more than a body—and that life is more than existing in the physical realm.  It has been astutely saying, “We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body.”  [See 1 Thessalonians 5:23]

So, once our body dies, our spirit and soul continues on; for Paul that meant freedom.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

God as Your Copilot

A friend asked for prayer, that she would allow God to be her copilot.  This is a good step for her, but it misses the point of what God truly desires.

You see, a copilot is there to help the pilot should unforeseen circumstances occur or the pilot become incapacitated. The pilot is still in charge and is the one flying the plane; the copilot is there in a secondary support role.

God doesn’t want to be our copilot; he wants to be in charge and for us to depend on him to take us where he wants us to go. That is hard to do, especially in a world that tells us that we need to always be in control and remain independent.

Relegating God to copilot status maintains our control, doing things our own way, yet keeps God close enough to rescue us if we get in a jam.

Having God be our copilot is certainly better than us flying solo, but what he really wants is to pilot our plane, taking us where he wants us to go.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Five Trustworthy Sayings

The phrase “trustworthy saying” occurs five times in the Bible. It likely refers to phrases that were commonly used and accepted by the early church. Paul’s inclusion of these phrases in his letters affirms them as reliable truth.  Here are the five “trustworthy sayings” that Paul recorded:

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position.

Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.

If we die with him, we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.
If we deny him, he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

[See1 Timothy 1:15, 1 Timothy 3:1, 1 Timothy 4:9, 2 Timothy 2:11, and Titus 3:8.]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Investments That You Can Bank On

In these times of economic concern and faltering financial markets, it is easy to worry about the future. Interestingly, the Bible has much to say on this topic:

“Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow.

Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19, The Message).

So, we are to trust God, not money. God will give us what we need. We are to use what money we do have for good, thereby putting our “savings” into lasting things.

With the stock market going down, this is certainly something to think about.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.