Day Twenty-Six--July 26, 2026--"But God.."

Romans 5:6-11

Hinge verses: 7&8

When Paul is writing this book, he is likely near the end of his third missionary journey.  He was spending the winter in Corinth, which is in modern day Greece, waiting to be able to travel again.  (Most of their travel was by ship.)  While in Corinth, Paul entrusted his scribe, Tertius, to take the dictation of the letter.  Romans 16:22  

Paul had never been to any of the house churches in Rome at the time of writing this letter.  However, you only have to read Romans 16 to see that Paul had many friends in Rome.  These people were united to Paul and each other by shared faith and mission.  Paul is called to tell the Gentiles about Jesus, 

'Through Him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His Name among all the Gentiles, including you who are also called by Jesus Christ." Romans 1:5-6

and so he feels a responsibility to shepherd and disciple these young churches.  

Leading up to our verses in chapter 5, Paul unashamedly teaches the Romans that the righteous will live by faith.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greeks.  For in it the righteousness of God is rewarded faith to faith, just as it is written, 'The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

Paul next teaches them the sin that has set the Gentiles at odds with God.  Although the Old Testament was largely a spotlight on the Jews, it was always meant to be for all people.   And even if they didn't understand that it was for them, God's eternal power and divine nature is clear, and has always been clear, to see in His creation.  

Paul teaches the Romans about the fall, how humanity started with idolatry which led to depravity.  And God is a righteous Judge, only using truth as His standard.   He uses every strategy in His playbook--kindness, restraint, patience--to draw us to repentance.  If there is not repentance, there is wrath.  They are storing it up for themselves by choice.  It's as simple as that.  

There are also Jews in the churches, and Paul address them as well.  In case there are those who are holding the law of circumcision over the churches there, Paul reminds them it's the circumcision of the heart--Jesus Christ renewing your heart and mind--that counts.  

By the time we get to our verses in chapter 5, Paul has written of  the whole world's guilt before God; the righteousness of God through faith; the evils of boasting.  He has covered Abraham and David, heroes of the faith; and how faith triumphs!! Only when we put our faith in Christ can we have peace with God.  

The life of a Christ follower will not be easy, but those trials will produce endurance, proven character, and hope. 

Once we put our faith in Christ, we are reconciled with God.  No longer hostility, but peace.  No longer separation, but harmony.  No longer enemy but friend.  But here's the BUT.  Christ died for us while we were hostile.   Christ died for us while we were separate.  Christ died for us while we were His enemies.  Paul points out that most people might stand up for a good guy.  We might step in between two who are fighting; we might push someone to safety from an out of control car.  We might even attempt to save someone from drowning or step in front of a gun for someone.  Someone that's good.  Someone that's kind.  Someone who deserves it.  Most of us would let an enemy face their just rewards.  BUT GOD...He proves He's infinitely bigger than us because He loved us enough to die for us, His enemy.  And He didn't stay in the grave.  If His death saves us, how much more His life???

 God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us, His enemies.  Although we aren't even bothering to look for Him, He draws us back with kindness, patience, restraint.  

This is the truth I need, it's the truth you need, it's the truth the world needs.  Tell them.  

 

Day Twenty-Five--July 25, 2026--"But God.."

 

Acts 13

Hinge verses: Acts 13:29-31

The church in Antioch--the town where disciples were first called Christians Acts 11:26--had 5 main leaders, prophets, teachers.  They met together to worship and fast, and the Holy Spirit set apart two of them for the mission field.  This a map of Saul's--also known as Paul--first missionary journey.  (Seeing it mapped out is so helpful.)

Paul and Barnabas weren't far into their journey when they met a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.  He was with the government or military leader--Sergius Paulus--who had summoned Paul and Barnabas because he wanted to hear the word of God.  Bar-Jesus is also known by the name Elymas, which is like saying "This is Bar-Jesus, he is a sorcerer".  Elymas is an argumentive pest to Paul and Barnabas, disagreeing with everything they say to Sergius Paulus.  Paul has finally had enough and condemns the arguments of Elymas/Bar-Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the Lord's hand, Elymas is struck blind.  This act, combined with the teaching he'd heard from Paul and Barnabas, persuaded Sergius Paulus and 

he believed.  

Paul and Barnabas came to Pisidian Antioch (not the same as Antioch in the beginning of the chapter) and went to the synagogue on the Sabbath.  They were invited by the synagogue leaders to speak.  Of course, Paul wasn't going to say no, this is an opportunity they had been praying for since embarking on this journey.  Paul outlines the whole metanarrative of Israel's history as told in the Old Testament.  Paul--as a former Pharisee--knew this history well.  Paul names Jesus--a direct descendent of Israel's famous King David--as the promised Messiah, the One who God brought to Israel as Savior.  The Gospel message has been written on the canvas of Israel's history from it's beginning.  The residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus as the fulfilment of every prophecy of the Old Testament, so they asked Pilate to kill Him.  They carried out this death sentence, took Him down from the cross, and put Him in a tomb.  BU GOD.  He raised Him from the dead.  Many people witnessed His aliveness over the next 40 days.  King David, speaking through the Holy Spirit, spoke of Jesus in Psalm 2.  (The heading of this Psalm in my Bible is "Coronation of the Son"!)  King David is dead and gone, but King Jesus is alive!!

Paul's proclamation to the crowd is the Gospel, the good news of God and His promises made, promises kept, all wrapped up in the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.  Paul wrapped up his sermon with a warning from one of Israel's prophets, that they not miss the unbelievable work of Jesus.

"Look at the nations, and observe--be utterly astounded! For I am doing something in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it."  Habakkuk 1:5

This is where our comparison between Bible stories and American stories end.  America and Israel are not parallel universes.  Israel and the Church are.  While America has been a screen on which the goodness of God has been projected over and over and over again, America has not been tasked with spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ; The Church has.  It is believers in the gospel who are led by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of God and His promises made, promises kept.  This calling is not established in America alone.  Far from it.  While America has long been a sender of missionaries, it is now considered by many to be a mission field.  

It may be shocking to consider America as a mission field; mostly because we are not generally poor.  {My opinion incoming:} I believe we often take the word "poor" out of context in the Bible.  There are people in need of course, and I would never discredit the church's--and many many many other organizations--role in working to solve that problem.  But as believers,  we should be at least as concerned with the fact that every single person ever born is poor in spirit.  Lost, in need of a Rescuer. Rich and poor Americans need to know that Jesus loves them and died for them as much as the rich and poor anywhere else.  

Let me prove my point--Ligonier ministries does a survey of evangelicals every two years. I'll attach the full report, but here are some that stood out to me. 

• 64% of "Evangelicals" believe that everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God.
• 53% believe that the Holy Spirit is a force but not a personal being.
• 47% agree that God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
• 61% believe that every Christian has an obligation to join a local church.

Evangelicals are defined by this survey as people who agreed with these 4 statements:

• The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.
• It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Saviour.  
• Jesus Christ's death on the cross is the only sacrifice that will remove the penalty of my sin.
• Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's free gift of eternal salvation.

 The Church has dropped the ball, according to the results of this survey.  In some ways, the American church has bowed to culture and society's norms. While church attendance in America has declined in recent years, with only 44% of protestants attending weekly--the Sabbath after Paul preached this sermon, almost the WHOLE TOWN assembled to hear the word of the Lord. Theology matters.  Gospel matters.   The world is counting on us to know and tell God's story.  

But God...Paul called Him Theos--owner and creator of all things.  The American church may have dropped the ball, America is now a mission field.  We have been distracted by the sorcerers and false prophets of our society.  But God is not done with us.  It's not too late to call our nation to repentance, as the church is commissioned to do.  It's good to pray for the revival of our nation.

Let it begin with His church.  

Church Attendance

The State of Theology

Mission USA

Most Overlooked Mission Field

Knowing Faith "State of Theology" Podcast

Day Twenty-Four--July 24, 2026--"But God.."

 

Acts 10

Hinge Verse: 10:28

Cornelius was a centurion with the Italian Regiment (Although there is a book called "Romans", seeing Italian in the Bible always shocks me a little.)  He had deep religious commitment to and feared God and he led his household to do the same.  He was a giving, serving, praying man.  Around 3pm (we learned on Day 22 that 3pm was set aside as a time of prayer), an angel of God came to him, spoke his name, and said go find Peter.  So being the devoted follower that he was, Cornelius obeyed.  

The next day, Peter went to pray around noon, not knowing he was about to receive visitors.  Peter was thinking of hungry and thinking of lunch (relatable), when something like a sheet dropped down from heaven, held by the four corners, with all kinds of unclean (according to the law, not necessarily dirty) animals.  A voice, which Peter recognized as the Lord, said, "Get up and eat".  Peter, who has a history of being argumentative, says "No! I have never eaten anything unclean!"  (He knew he was arguing with the Lord because he said "No, Lord!" also relatable....) The Lord reminded Peter that he doesn't get to say what is clean and what is not.  This happened three times.  Peter also has a history of needing to be told something three times...Peter denied Jesus three times and Peter tells Jesus he loves Him three times

As he processed his confusion, the men sent by Cornelius came to the door.  The Spirit told Peter to go with the men without hesitation, back to Cornelius's house, where a crowd awaited him.  Peter told Cornelius that it was actually forbidden for a Jewish man to have connections with a foreigner; but Peter starts connecting the dots: The unclean animals were a picture to teach Peter that the same goes for people, if God calls them clean, they are clean.  Cornelius and his crowd were highly anticipating what Peter had to teach them.  Which can be summed up in Peter's first words...

"Now I truly understand that God doesn't show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him."

Peter lays out the gospel, the plan of salvation to the gathering.  While Peter was still explaining, the Holy Spirit came down, and the Jewish believers were amazed because they heard him speaking in a foreign language and declaring the goodness of God.  There was salvation, baptism, and eagerness for fellowship, JOY in the house!

I really wanted to write about William Wilberforce and his relentless fight against slavery.  But he never traveled to America, and this is America's birth month, so I googled: "Who is America's William Wilberforce?"  Theodore Dwight Weld was the answer.  Theodore was born in Connecticut in 1803.  His dad was a minister, and his mom was a relative of two men we've already learned about--Jonathan Edwards and Timothy Dwight.  

In his early school years, Theodore was involved in a situation that would eventually become part of his life's calling.  When an African American child named Jerry came to his school, the teacher sat him apart from the rest of the students.  Theodore asked to sit by Jerry, even as a young child recognizing that Jerry was being unfairly treated. 

Theodore grew up to be one of the main players in the abolition of slavery in early America.  He was tasked in Ohio as an anti-slavery agent, making it his goal for Americans to see that slavery is a national sin.   His work was driven by his deeply-rooted belief in God and His Word.  He wrote a book/pamphlet called "The Bible Against Slavery", which is available on Amazon.  The Bible Against Slavery  

Theodore held to be a belief known as "immediatism", meaning that slaveholding was a grave sin requiring immediate, unconditional repentance and emancipation.  A famous quote by him:

"Everyone knows that slavery is a curse.  Whoever denies this, his lips libel his heart." 

And another quote:

"The Society is based on that great bottom law of human right, that nothing but crime can forfeit liberty. That no condition of birth, no shade of color, no mere misfortune of circumstances, can annul that birthright charter, which God has bequeathed to every being upon whom he has stamped his own image, by making him a free moral agent, and that he who robs his fellow man of this tramples upon right, subverts justice, outrages humanity, unsettles the foundation of human safety, and sacrilegiously assumes the prerogative of God."

Peter told Cornelius that he had been raised to believe that men were not created to equally fellowship, BUT GOD..

Theodore's wife came from a slave-holding family, BUT GOD..

Theos---creator and owner of all things---the name Peter called God.  Deeply held prejudices against our fellow humans can only be truly recreated by the One who created us in the first place.  The Gospel life--for now and forever--is for everyone.  

And because I couldn't leave out William Wilberforce

Amazing Grace

Day Twenty-Three--July 23, 2026--"But God.."

 

Acts 5:21-42

Hinge verses: Acts 5:38-39

In the months and years following Jesus's ascension to Heaven, the apostles find themselves in and out of prison.  The Sadducees were filled with jealousy at the growing popularity of the apostles and their teaching.  The Sadducees were by the book--literally, the Torah--and could not tolerate this New Way.  In verses 17-21, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought out the arrested apostles, told them to stand in the temple, and tell the people "all about this life".  When the Sanhedrin--a council which included Pharisees and Sadducees as the complete council over Israel--gathered, they sent for the apostles to be brought from jail to their meeting.  Of course, the apostles were no longer in the jail, but were out doing the very thing they'd been arrested for.  The high priest asked "You're preaching again?  After I specifically asked you not to?"  ("The Office" reference. 😀)  Peter and the apostles give the right answer--"we obey God over you.  The God we BOTH were taught to know raised up Jesus, whom you, the ruling council, had killed.  (Peter is good at getting that jab in every chance he gets.)  Jesus is now at the right hand of God, ruling and reigning as Savior.  For you, high priest.  For all of you, Israelites.  We saw it with our own eyes, and the Holy Spirit confirms it in our teaching".  {paraphrased}

A respected Pharisee--Gamaliel-- tries to bring down the temperature in the room with some "rational" thought.  These "false messiahs" are popping up everywhere.  Remember the Jewish people are living under the government oppression of Rome.  Nothing brings out revolutionaries like oppression.  Gamaliel likens Jesus and his apostles to a misdirected revolution.  They will lose their focus, disband, and fade into the history books.  His advice is to just let them be, let their movement play itself out.  Gamaliel doesn't rule out the possibility that this movement may actually be a "But God", and His power will not be conquered.  When he added "You may actually be working against God", they were finally persuaded.  But not a "tail between your legs" persuasion...The Sanhedrin brought the apostles back in the room, had them flogged, and once again told them not👏 to👏 speak👏about👏Jesus👏again.  As citizens of God's "upside down kingdom",   their reaction to their beating was joy.  They rejoiced that they were "counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name."  They continued preaching wherever the opportunity presented itself...Every Day.  

James Madison served as the 4th president of the United States from 1809-1817.  As a young 23 year-old man, while traveling in Virginia, Madison came up on a jail housing 6 Baptist preachers.  Their crime?  Publishing their religious views.  James Madison wrote to a friend of the situation he called "the diabolical hell conceived principle of persecution."  

Obadiah Holmes was an early settler in the colony of Rhode Island.  While visiting a church member and preaching and praying with him, Obadiah and 2 fellow pastors were arrested for religious beliefs and activities.  They were jailed in Boston, assumed guilty, and not allowed to defend themselves.   Obadiah was found guilty and fined 30pounds.  His friends raised the money, but he refused to pay the fine as that seemed to be admitting guilt.  He was then sentenced to 30 lashes with a three-cord whip.  As he was being led away, he said "I bless God I am found worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus!"  The punishment failed to bring Obadiah to his knees, (although his grandson later related that he remembered his grandfather being unable to lay on his back because of the pain of his wounds.)  and to further humiliate the punisher, Obadiah turned to him and said, "You have struck me as with roses, although the Lord hath made it easy for me, I pray it not be laid to your charge."  Obadiah Holmes's persecutors were Puritan magistrates and clergy.  

Obadiah Holmes

James Ireland was born in Scotland, but immigrated with his family to Virginia as a young man.  James was called to be a Baptist preacher, and was preaching without a license when he was arrested.  He continued to preach through the bars of the prison windows and doors, which drew large crowds.  He was abused in prison--an attempt was made to suffocate him with brimstone burning in the openings of the building; they tried to blow him up with gunpowder.  These attempts caused permanent damage to his health.  Those who stirred up dissension that led to his arrest were the Episcopalian clergy.  

James Ireland

John Waller was known in his town as "Swearing Jack" for his colorful language.  He didn't have much use for religion.  But he was a juror at the trial of Lewis Craig, a former partier turned pastor.  Hearing his testimony caused John Waller to rethink his life, eventually accepting Christ as Savior and his call to preach the gospel.  Waller held the record for pastor most arrested, usually for preaching without a license.   At one such outdoor meeting, a local magistrate and Episcopal priest kept punching John Waller with the butt end of a horsewhip.  He was dragged from the stage, beat his head on the ground, drug him down the road and gave him 20 lashes.  Waller returned to the stage covered in blood but singing praises, preaching again the word of God.  

John Waller

 The name Gamaliel called God in verse 39 is Theou...which figuratively means 

"magistrate".  Peter, John, and the apostles were most often arrested, abused, and agitated by the Sanhedrin, the governing religious sects.  These 3 men in early America were arrested and abused by governing, sometimes "religious", judges and clergy.  BUT GOD...He is The Righteous Judge--sovereign, loving, just, peaceful, faithful.  We are safe with Him.  

"The sun comes up, its a new day dawning.

It's time to sing Your song again.

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, 

Let me be singing when the evening comes."

Oh, But God..

Day Twenty-Two--July 22, 2026--"But God.."

 

Acts 3

Hinge verses--Acts 3:13-16

Peter and John, disciples of Jesus, still kept the time of prayer that was likely part of Jewish tradition.  They used this opportunity to preach Jesus to the Jews gathered for the prayer time, too.  As they were approaching the temple, they encountered a man asking for money, but needing healing.  Peter either didn't have money, or he sensed that money would pale in comparison to what he could offer.  Peter says "In the name of Jesus Christ, rise and walk!" The man didn't just rise and walk; he walked, leapt, all while praising God.  The crowd was astonished at his healing.  When Peter noticed that all the crowd was shocked by this, he questioned why this would be so shocking, when Jesus had been performing miracles like this in their midst for three years,  And while they might have been amazed at His miracles, ultimately they turned on Him and had Him crucified.  Jesus literally held life and death in His hands, but they denied the proof right in front of them.  They put to death the source of life, BUT GOD raised Him from the dead.  Although Peter and John are putting their reputation and their very lives on the line, they will not back down on the truth they saw with their own eyes--Jesus is risen.  

Peter shows unexpected kindness by letting the crowd off the hook a little, by echoing the sentiment of Jesus's words--

"They know not what they do."

Everything happened according to God's plan, so they--these people standing here with their mouths open--would have a chance to repent and turn back to God, start over with a clean slate, and have abundant life and joy in His presence.  Although the invitation is to everyone, it was first to the crowd standing right here, Jesus's own people.  

In the late 1800's, a "Divine Healing" or "Faith Cure" movement swept across America.  The pioneers of the movement included physicians, ministers, and evangelists.  I will admit that the image I have in my mind of this movement comes from an episode of "Little House on the Prairie" called The Faith Healer.  In this episode, a traveling evangelist comes to Walnut Grove and preaches and prays and offers healing to its residents.  Reverend Alden, the much-loved pastor of their little church, saw his congregation shrink due to the popularity of Reverend Danforth.  Dr Baker sees a patient who needs emergency surgery, but Rev Danforth convinces the Father that he just needs to have more faith.  The boy dies.  Pa, always to the rescue, sees Reverend Danforth in another town with the same "healed" people, and confronts Reverend Danforth and runs him out of town.

Now, I  know that this fictional episode wasn't exactly right.  But it's not completely wrong either.  I believe some of the pioneers of this movement meant well, they meant to honor God, they believed they had good theological arguments in their favor.  And there are some stories that came out of this movement of healing and miracles.  Not of man, BUT GOD.  Peter called God "Theos", owner and Creator of all things.  He alone holds life and death and ultimate health in His hands.  

Side note--some believe that the gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues and healing, continue to this day.  Some believe the gifts ended with the apostles, eye witnesses of Jesus's ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension.  I mostly believe the latter.  However, I am in no position to put God--Owner and Creator of all things--in a box.  If He wants to heal now, He will.  If someone needs to hear the gospel in a language I do not speak but there's only the two of us, I believe God can do all things.  

I'm including a video by Costi Hinn--nephew of the famous "faith Healer" Benny Hinn.  He was a part of the modern-day Divine Healing movement, and has since left for a traditional Biblical, Christian view.  

Costi Hinn

I am not trying to be argumentative, I have friends who love the Lord and we disagree on this. There are those out there who deceive and abuse in the name of "healing".   And we need to use discernment given by God.  But God alone can heal now AND forever.  The state of the soul's health is in His hands.  And they are pierced for our transgressions.  We are safe with Him.  

Day Twenty-One--July 21, 2026--"But God.."

 

Acts 2:1-47

Hinge verses:Acts 2:22-24

In the Old Testament, what is Pentecost in these verses would've been called the "Feast of Weeks".  The Feast of Weeks was celebrated 50 days after Passover, the celebratory commemoration of when the Israelites were rescued from slavery in Egypt.  (The word Pentecost means 50 in Greek.) 50 days after Passover, which is when Jesus was crucified as the sacrificial lamb once and for all, the disciples were celebrating Pentecost together in one place.  Supernatural gifts were given by the Holy Spirit as a stamp of approval on and to empower their mission and ministry.  The crowd in Jerusalem was confused, astounded, and amazed at Galileans speaking in languages that the crowd spoke and understood.  

Peter, the one who only 50 days ago said he wasn't friends with Jesus and actually didn't even know him, stood up with boldness and proclaimed to them words from the prophets (which they likely knew, as devout Jews {vs 5}).  When he got their attention with these familiar words, he told his fellow Israelites that all of this was God's plan, and was prophesied and fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, whom THEY killed.  😟 They meant it for evil, BUT GOD meant it for good, because 

"God raised Jesus up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death."

Then Peter brought up David, Israel's ancient, beloved king, to confirm that Jesus is the Messiah that was promised.  

God raised Jesus from the dead.  They are all eyewitnesses.  After all, it's only been 10 days since Jesus was taken back up to heaven.  And this moment, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit made evident by the gospel being proclaimed in every language present, confirms that Jesus is exactly who He proclaimed Himself to be.  

This outpouring of the gospel pierced the crowd to the heart, and they wondered out loud how they should respond.  Peter gave the call of the ages, weighty for them then and for us now and for future generations.

  

"Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call."  

3,000 people on that day accepted his message and were baptized.  But their story didn't end there.  They devoted themselves to learning from the apostles, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.  Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.  

In 1794, 3 ministers met to discuss something that was weighing heavy on their hearts.  As their new country moved westward, they were concerned about the spiritual health of the ones taking their beliefs to new frontiers.  50 years had passed since the first Great Awakening, and it's effect on churches had become weak.  As colleges sprang up in New England, church had less and less influence over the next generations of Americans.  So the three ministers sent out a letter, calling for revival.  The letter stated this goal:

"Let there be public prayer and praise, accompanied with such instruction from God's Word, as might be judged proper, on every first Tuesday, of the four quarters of the year, beginning with the first Tuesday of January, 1795, at two o'clock in the afternoon.  Continuing from quarter to quarter, and from year to year, until the good Providence of God prospering our endeavors, we shall obtain the blessing for which we pray." 

There was much response among the population, hungrier for the gospel than the ministers imagined. People entered covenants together to spend a whole day in prayer once a month.  "Aaron and Hur Ministries" (Exodus 17) where church members vowed to lift their ministers in prayer and hold their hands up for the battles.  

Pastor Edward O. Griffin prayed for revival and it changed his heart, knowing it was not something he could force, but it had to be settled in heaven.  He warned his congregation of the terrible outcome should they not turn to the Lord soon.  THE NEXT DAY, it was apparent revival had come. Entire families fell under conviction and over 100 people were "hopefully added to the Lord."  

Even young people found themselves drawn to the Lord for the first time, discussing the Bible with friends and fellow soldiers and coworkers.  It turned the lives of college students upside down.  At Yale, a natural leader was Timothy Dwight, grandson of Jonathan Edwards.  (Remember we learned about another grandson of Edwards, Aaron Burr, on Day 9 ) Hostility toward religion was the norm at this college, until Dwight debated "Is the Bible the Word of God?" with a group of students.  After this debate and a subsequent sermon against lack of religious beliefs, the tides turned among young people.  

There is so much more about this series of revivals that lead to the second great awakening in America.  It changed and reformed the America and our churches in so many ways.  In a time when it seemed like the next generations were going to choose disbelief, leaving religion behind....BUT GOD...

Anti-Slavery was born from these revivals.  

The first Sunday School program was born from these revivals.

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was born from these revivals.

The American Bible Society was born from these revivals.

As we see our country fall back into infidelity and disbelief, I pray we will unite under the call given by Peter, empowered by the Holy Spirit.  And that we will have the courage of our fellow American ancestors to live it out.  Oh But God...

(Full Disclosure--If you read the full extent of the links I have attached concerning these revivals, just know that I am very skeptical of some of the actions and "results" of those who claim certain actions as tied to the Holy Spirit.  While I would never put God in a box, I believe that gifts are laid out in the Bible as orderly, not chaotic.  God knows the truth, so these are just the stories, as told through the years.)

Revival

Revival

Revival

My blog on Pentecost

Day Twenty--July 20, 2026--"But God.."

 

John 1:1-18

Hinge Verse: John 1:18

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 

John 1:1

This verse is so fundamental in understanding exactly who Jesus is.  Word is capitalized throughout this chapter because the Word is a person--Jesus.  The Greek word translated Word is logos, which broadly means an account of or something said.  But specifically in this account concerning Jesus, it means "The Divine Expression."  Jesus was with God in the beginning, creating all things, being and giving life, being and giving light.  The darkness of sin had us all under it's rule, yet Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness and overcomes it.  

The Hebrew word for Word is Dabar and is found in Isaiah 55:10-11

"For just as the rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprouted, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do." 

The Word is an action--Jesus sent out by the Father with a purpose--to accomplish what He pleases.  And what pleased God was that those who received His Word--Jesus--would become His children.  So the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  He brought all of the grace of God and all of the truth of God, and by Him, we could observe all of the glory of God.  The phrase "Grace upon Grace" ties these two words--Hebrew and Greek--grace given in the New Testament life of Jesus is piling on the grace already given since the beginning.  No one has ever seen God, But The Son (BUT GOD..) the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father's side.  Jesus has revealed Him.  He accomplished what the Father sent Him to do and prospered with His victory over sin and death.  

The Geneva Bible was carried to America by pilgrims and settlers in the early 1600s.  Christopher and James Avery, father and son, brought the 1581 version to America.  According to Avery family tradition, they were on board the Arabella with John Winthrop who we met on Day 16  The Avery Bible is now on display at the Dunham Bible Museum.  

The first Bible printed in America was not in English.  It was John Eliot's translation into Algonquin, the language of the Masschusett, a native American tribe.  The first seal of Massachusetts was a picture of Native Americans saying "Come and help us" (Acts 16:9) It took 3 years to print, printing 1,000 copies of one page a week.  (My printer always gives me fits, but after reading this, I may go out and kiss it 😁)

At a time when Britain did not allow Bibles to be printed (all Bibles were imported), and no Bibles were printed in colonial America, local printer Robert Aitken took on the expensive project of translating and printing an English Bible from the "original tongues".  He was concerned that the Revolutionary War would prohibit Bibles from being imported.  In 1782, a Congressional committee was considering funding the importation of Bibles from Holland or Scotland.  However, they were presented with Aitken's Bible, and decided to endorse it instead.  It is the only edition of the Bible that was authorized by Congress.  (Congress also voted to fund the importation of the Bibles from Holland and Scotland, but due to the high cost of everything during wartime, this plan was not carried out.)

I could go on and on about the history of having access to a printed Bible in the United States.  It's so interesting, and we owe a great debt to people like Robert Aitken and his work to that end.  This line from his petition to Congress explains why this work was important to him:

"That in every well regulated Government in Christendom The Sacred Books of the Old and New Testament, commonly called the Holy Bible, are printed and published under the Authority of the Sovereign Powers, in order to prevent the fatal confusion that would arise, and the alarming Injuries the Christian Faith might suffer from the Spurious and erroneous Editions of Divine Revelation."

It would be a fatal confusion to the Christian Faith if we would not have had access to God's Word.  Period.  I love the Bible, obviously.  I have multiple Bibles, and we all have access to any version at any time on our phones and computers.  What a wonderful time to be alive.  I am so thankful.  But access to God's Word is through the Word Himself.  Jesus warned the Pharisees that although they had access to the scripture, they were missing the point.  He is expounding our verses from today. 

"And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me.  You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one He sent.  You study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.  These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."  John 5:37-40

BUT GOD--THEOS--owner and creator of all things.  BUT JESUS--LOGOS--Alive and active.  

Light. Life.  From Forever to Forever.  

History of Bibles in America

History of Bibles in America

Day Nineteen--July 19, 2026--"But God.."

 

Luke 16:10-16

Hinge Verse: Luke 16:15

Jesus starts Luke 16 telling the disciples the parable of the Dishonest Manager.  It's a confusing, conversation-starter parable that causes you to think deeply on the meaning.  There was a rich man who was told his manager was blowing all of the rich man's money and possessions.  He asked the manager to give account for his work.  The manager is like "oh shoot, what am I going to do now?  I'm too pretty to work, and too proud to beg!!"  So he starts contacting the ones who owe him money and cuts them each a deal of sorts--kinda like cooking the books and covering his tracks.  In a most shocking turn of events, the master PRAISED the unrighteous manager for his shrewdness.  The lesson, as Jesus explains it, is the dishonest manager's actions were an outcome of his time--his culture, history, and society shaped his thoughts, values, and behaviors.  Instead of making the wrong right, he made it wronger.  Even though he was going the wrong direction, it took him great effort.  So to his disciples He says harness this shrewdness for good!  The unrighteous should not be outpacing the righteous when it comes to intelligence.  The world is counting on the ones who value right living; the unrighteous will be the world's downfall.  

Of course, the Pharisees, who LOVED money, are eavesdropping on Jesus's conversation with his disciples and mocking him.  So Jesus turned to them (we need dramatic music playing in the background) and said:

"You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, BUT GOD knows your hearts.  For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God's sight. "

Besides money, the Pharisees also love and are experts in the law and the prophets.  Jesus advises them that they can't pick and choose which ones to follow, because the law and the prophets all point to the invitation into the kingdom that is freely and urgently extended.  

Robert Matthews was born in 1788 in Cambridge, New York.  His parents, who died when he was young. were members of a division of the Presbyterian church called "Anti-Burgher", which simply put means they would not pledge allegiance to the established state church of Scotland.  

By the age of 19, Robert was learning a trade, yet was also leaning toward a life of crime.  He  started spouting some strange religious beliefs.  He dabbled in Methodism and Judaism for a while, but then left Christianity altogether.  He was a self-proclaimed "prophesying Hebrew".  Simultaneously, he was becoming more violent towards his wife and others.  He claimed to have prophetic visions, and when his wife wouldn't comply with his demands, he kidnapped three of their children to protect them from the coming "flood".  He was declared insane; his wife was unable to divorce him or have him arrested.  

Robert was developing his "new theology" and began to refer to himself as "The Prophet Matthias".  

After a while of fruitless street preaching, The Prophet Matthias was able to convince a well-known religious leader that he was legitimate.  He convinced others that Christianity was evil, and they should start following him.  Although he preached against women, clergymen, and "all men who wear spectacles", The Prophet Matthias still managed to generate a cult-like following.  He established "The Kingdom", married his best friend's wife, who he claimed would bear a child who would be the messiah.  

In 1835, The Prophet Matthias met Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church.  He introduced himself to Joseph Smith as "Joshua the Jewish Minister",  and claimed to be a direct descendant of Matthias, the apostle who took Judas's place after he betrayed Jesus.  After their meeting, the two "prophets" labeled each other satanists.  

Robert Matthews was born with proper religious teaching right at his fingertips.  If he had used the energy it took to be unrighteously shrewd and turned it for good to the Kingdom of God, what a difference that would have made.  Instead he spent his whole life, all of his possessions, all of his friendships, and cooked the books in what he thought was his own favor.  He won people over to the kingdom of this world and darkness, when with the same effort (or maybe less because when God is for you who can be against you...) The Prophet Matthias could have won people over to the Kingdom of God and light.  He was admired by some, BUT GOD found his heart revolting.  

The Name Jesus called God--Theos--the owner and creator of everything.  

Oh, BUT GOD....

The Prophet Matthias along with his housekeeper, Isabella Van Wagener, were accused and acquitted of murder.  Isabella would later become a devout Christian and change her name to Sojourner Truth.

Robert Matthews

Sojourner Truth

Day Eighteen--July 18, 2026--"But God.."

 

Luke 12:13-34

Hinge Verses--Luke 12:19-21

In our scripture reading today, Jesus has just left the company of a Pharisee who had invited Jesus to eat with him.   A crowd of MANY THOUSANDS assembled and were trampling over each other.  Yet, Jesus managed to keep his focus on teaching His disciples the danger of those around them.  With that many people aware of their location and mission, there must have been threats to them, and Jesus taught them their value, what to fear, who to trust.  

A man from this crowd of thousands calls out, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  (He DID NOT understand the assignment.)  Jesus is not there to settle disputes, yet in His kindness, He does address the root of this man's problem--Greed.  Then as is His way, Jesus doubles down on the lesson by telling a story meant to illustrate the truth He's conveying.  

A rich man has land that was producing more than he could use.  So he said he would just tear down his barns and build bigger ones, giving him plenty of room to store all he has accumulated.  Then he will pat himself on the back, have a seat with his food and drink, and relish all he's accomplished. 

"BUT GOD said to him, 'You fool!  This very night your life is demanded of you'll.  And the things you have prepared--whose will they be?" 

Jesus turns back to His disciples to teach them the meaning of what He just said.  Don't worry about what you have; look around and trust God; seek HIS kingdom, and everything else will work out.  Your heart is a check engine light for what is important to you.  Only work that is for the kingdom can last forever.  

William Borden was born in 1887 in Illinois to a family who had made their millions mining silver.  William's mother converted to Christianity in 1894 and took William and his siblings to church at Chicago Avenue Church.  Under the pastor's preaching, William accepted Christ and from then on his life was changed.  When William graduated from high school at 16, his parents graduation gift was a trip around the world.  (Millionaires, am I right?) It was during this trip that William felt called to be a foreign missionary.  He found himself in London during his travels, where his pastor was holding meetings, and it was there William surrendered his life to ministry.  

William graduated from Yale, and then Princeton Theological Seminary.  William intended to be a missionary to the muslims in China, so he moved to Cairo, Egypt and in with a Syrian family, so he could learn as much about Islam as he could, and hear Arabic as often as he could.  Shortly after he arrived in Egypt, he contracted cerebral meningitis and died three weeks later.  He was buried in Cairo and this is his tombstone--

William never made it to the mission field.  Much like the man in our scripture reading, William's life was demanded of him in a seemingly untimely manner.  Unlike the man in our scripture reading, William was prepared to live and die according to the plans God had for him.  Instead of "You fool",--according to Scripture--William would have heard "Well done, good and faithful servant."  Matthew 25:21

Two men, different treasures.  Jesus said "BUT GOD", calling Him Theos, Creator and Owner of all things.  The rich fool thought he owned all things, and created his own destiny.  But William gladly gave up all he had to pursue Christ and his calling.  A phrase that William is reputed to have written in his Bible (The Bible was reportedly given to his mother, but was never found) regarding his life's decisions as a young millionaire who died pursuing God's Will---

No Reserves.

No Retreats.

No Regrets.  

Oh, But God..

William Border

Day Seventeen--July 17, 2026--"But God.."

 

Matthew 19:16-30

Hinge verses: Matthew 19:25-26

{We finally made it to the New Testament!!}

Jesus is making His final rounds as He's making His way to Jerusalem.  In just two chapters, He will make His triumphal entry before His crucifixion.  Chapter 19 starts with Jesus being followed by large crowds, and He healed many there.  Of course, the Pharisees have been persistently following Jesus His whole ministry, asking questions, trying to trip Him up.  

In the crowd on this day is someone known to us as "the rich young ruler".  He runs up to Jesus and asks "Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?"  Jesus's answer "Why do you ask Me about what is good?" may seem confusing to us, because we know Jesus is good.  We are reading this all in hindsight, but the man is living it.  I believe Jesus is prompting the man to think about why he is asking Jesus about good.   Surely the man knows that it is God who is good, so why would he ask Jesus unless he is <so> close to understanding that Jesus is in fact God in the flesh? 

So Jesus answers him--If you want eternal life, keep the commandments.  The man is thrilled because he HAS kept the commandments since he was a boy.  (The commandments Jesus listed are the ones that address how we interact horizontally, with each other.  He did not mention the commandments that are vertical, our interaction with God. Jesus does all things well.)  The rich young ruler says "What do I still lack?"  Jesus tells him to go sell all he has, give it to the poor, and that will be proof that his treasure is in heaven.  Then follow Him.   Seems easy enough.  But the man is grieved, because he had many possessions.  

I have written in the margin of my Bible: "The man is grieved because he thinks the riches could come, too.  I picture him with a bag full of his stuff, like Santa Claus, trying to get through a needle's eye."  The disciples were astonished and asked (and I can kinda hear the snark in their voices.) "Then who can be saved?"

Jesus looks at them and said:

"With man this is impossible, BUT with GOD all things are possible."  (emphasis mine.)

Robert Gilmour LeTourneau was born in 1888 in Richford, Vermont.  He dropped out of high school at 14 to be an apprentice to an ironworker.  He learned many skills during his time as an apprentice, and took some basic mechanical engineering correspondence courses.  Over the course of his early working career, he learned welding, auto mechanics, farming, wood cutting, mining, and carpentry.  At the age of 32, he started his own earth moving business.  His business barely survived the great depression, but quickly gained after.  During World War II, LeTourneau's factories supplied approximately 70% of the earthmoving equipment used by Allied forced.  He developed the first portable offshore drilling platform in the mid-1950s.  

RG LeTourneau, the man known throughout the construction world as the "The Dean of Earthmoving" was also a very devout Christian.  A man with over 300 patents gladly told anyone who asked what guided him--one principle "God runs my business."  He struggled to decide whether to be a preacher or a businessman, until his pastor counseled him--"God needs businessmen, too."  LeTourneau set aside 90% of his salary and company profits for religious donations, living on the other 10%.  He once said "I shovel out the money, and God shovels it back.  But God has a bigger shovel."  When LeTourneau was featured on a radio show hosted by Robert Ripley, Ripley told him "You have made the word of God a glorious, practical reality."  Then turning to the audience, Ripley said "And of such is the work of faith...believe it or not." 

RG LeTourneau wrote an autobiography called "Mover of Men and Mountains".  A line from the book:

"For 25 years or more, I've been traveling this land of ours and a few foreign countries trying to teach and preach by word of mouth and example, that a Christian businessman owes as much to God as a preacher does."  

What did RG LeTourneau understand that the rich young ruler did not?  Based on a quote original to John Wesley, but one that RG LeTourneau adopted and popularized--RG understood this:

"It's not how much of my money I give to God, it's how much of God's money I keep for myself."

He knew he could give everything to God, and God was faithful to bless him with what he needed.   RG didn't give because he wanted to get, he gave because he knew the word of God was a glorious, practical reality.  The rich young ruler thought what he had outweighed what he would get as a follower of Christ.  BUT GOD--THEOS--the name Jesus called Him in verse 26 means God, the Creator and owner of all things.  With man, to give everything away is impossible.  But with God, all things are possible.  

RG LeTourneau

Mover of Men and Mountains

RG LeTourneau Wikipedia

Day Sixteen--July 16, 2026--"But God.."

Jonah 3-4

Hinge Verses--Jonah 4:6-7

We are returning to finish out the story of Jonah, started in Day 15 "But God.." post.  Jonah finally makes it to Nineveh after traveling about 3,000 miles in the wrong direction.  After the fish vomited Jonah on to the shore, Jonah was told again "Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach the message that I tell you."   Jonah gets up and does as he's commanded, walks into the city Day One, and warns the city what will happen if they don't repent "In 40 days, Nineveh will be demolished."  So everyone--from the king to the least--believed in God, proclaimed a fast, and dressed in sackcloth.  The king additionally removed his royal robe and sat in ashes--a sign of humility and repentance --and decreed:

"By order of the king and his nobles; no person or animal, herd or flock is to taste anything at all.  They must not eat or drink water.  Furthermore, both people and animals must be covered with sackcloth, and everyone must call out earnestly to God.  Each must turn from his evil ways and from his wrongdoing.  Who knows?  God may turn and relent; he may turn from his burning anger so we will not perish."

And that is exactly what happened.  God saw that they had turned from their evil ways, He changed His mind, and He did not demolish Nineveh.  

This would be a great ending, except Jonah.  He was livid that the Ninevites had turned from their wicked ways.  This is what he expected to happen--Jonah would put his reputation on the line by warning Nineveh that they were going to be destroyed; God would come through at their repentance because He is gracious, compassionate, patient, faithful, loving; and then Jonah would look like a fool.  That's literally the reason he went in the wrong direction in the first place.  Now Jonah would rather die than live.  The LORD asks Jonah "Are you right to be angry?" 👀

So Jonah marches off to pout.  He works on a  handmade shelter and sits in the shade of it to watch what would happen to Nineveh.  God goes the extra mile and makes a plant grow to provide shade, to "rescue him from his trouble".  Jonah was thrilled.  BUT then GOD sent a worm to destroy the plant.  Then He sent a scorching east wind.  Jonah returns to his thoughts of his own death, and God confronts him again: "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?"  Jonah explodes, "Yes it is right!!! I could DIE of anger."  Then God comes in with the knockout punch--Jonah cares about the plant but does not care about Nineveh or its people, nor does he want God to care about Nineveh and it's 20,000 souls.  BUT GOD...

John Winthrop was a Puritan born in 1588 in Suffolk, England.  He was a devoted religious teenager and, as an adult, he longed for a world where wickedness was replaced by goodness.  He was given a chance in 1629 to sail to America with a new company, and plant a colony there.  As he sailed to America on the Arabella, he wrote a sermon called "A Model of Christian Charity".  He dreamed of a colony in covenant with God and each other, and that they would build a "City on a Hill" in New England, and that all the eyes of the new land would be on them.  

"If we deal with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world; we shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God and all believers in God;  we shall shame the faces of many of God's worthy servants and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us, til we are forced out of the new land where we are going."  John Winthrop  BUT GOD...

Nineveh was built on two prominent mounds.  They are potentially a City on a Hill.  The whole city-- everyone-- has repented.  However, within 150 years, we find them again in the book of Nahum 1  Because of their wickedness, because someone has risen up who plots evil against the LORD, the LORD prophesies their destruction.  We find ancient Nineveh in Mosul, Iraq today.  So what happened?  Jonah missed an opportunity to disciple these new believers and potential followers of the LORD.  He was focused on himself, his comfort, his reputation, instead of on the next step that would've helped depend their faith.  So the city returned to its original state, their faith like the second seed in Matthew 13:20-21--on rocky ground with little soil, and because it had no root, it quickly fell away as soon as trials came. 

What happened to the city on a Hill that John Winthrop dreamed of?  Many well-known Americans have quoted this phrase and this sermon.  John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, Ted Cruz, Mario Cuomo.  But they are referencing it more in the bent of the Great American Experiment, and whether America has led the charge in a new government model.  And while our country was founded on Christian principles, I'm sad to say that I'm not convinced we are a City on a Hill to the eyes watching us.  I think we are more on thorny ground from Matthew 13:22 our love for the LORD choked out by the cares and riches of this world.  

We will end with the closing of John Winthrop's sermon--"A Model of Christian Charity"

"And to shut this discourse with that exhortation of Moses, that faithful servant of the Lord, in his last farewell to Israel, 

'Beloved, there is now set before us life and death, good and evil,' in that we are commanded this day to love the Lord our God, and to love one another, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and his ordinance and his laws, and the articles of our covenant with Him, that we may live and be multiplied, and that the Lord our God may bless us in the land whither we go to possess it.  But if our hearts shall turn away, so that we will not obey, but shall be seduced, and worship other God's, our pleasure and profits and serve them;  it is propounded unto us this day, we shall surely perish out of the good land whither we pass over this vast sea to possess it.

Therefore let us choose life,

that we and our seed may live, 

by obeying His voice and cleaving to Him,

for His is our life and our prosperity."

Oh, BUT GOD.  

City Upon a Hill

A Model of Christian Charity

Ancient Nineveh