Category: Journal Reflection

These are my journal entries after reflecting and meditating on my Bible reading.

Uncertainty of Riches

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As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

1 Timothy 6:17 (ESV)

Haughty has always been a word that I think I know what it means, but I never truly take the time to confirm my thoughts. The Greek word used here is ὑψηλοφρονεῖν (hypsēlophronein), which literally means “to think high things of oneself” or “to be high‑minded.” This haughtiness Paul is speaking of is a pride rooted in the financial wealth and riches that seemingly provide a person with security and self-sufficiency. It is the haughty attitude of thinking too highly of oneself and looking down upon others with less material wealth or opportunity. This haughtiness not only affects the outward relationships of a person, but it infects their spiritual relationship with God. It is a short trip from a haughty attitude to an attitude of self-righteousness and self-sufficiency that leads to setting ones hope on the false security of riches and wealth. Meaning, we place our hope in the gifts we have received instead of the gift-giver “who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

I must admit that initially I tend dismiss this section of 1 Timothy as I mistakenly assume that those “rich in this present age” does not apply to me. This false assumption is a continuing problem for me in my life as I typically think of wealth in comparison to others in my circle of influence or even in comparison to my own country and other wealthy countries. You see, I am already starting from a point of haughtiness in my heart.

As I look again at this verse, I am struck by the last phrase, “who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” You see, there is a material wealth and richness that truly is a cause for haughtiness. Yet, there is also the fact that God has richly blessed each and every one of us with everything to enjoy. As I look out the window in my study I am gazing at the beauty of nature and the world around me. There are an abundance of trees and a small creek, all teeming with a multitude of birds and wildlife. This is part of the rich provision that the Lord has provided for my (and our) enjoyment.

As with all of life, the problem in my heart centers on my own pride and selfishness. I want to define, and I allow the world to define for me, what the meaning of riches actually means. There is a reason that companies spend billions of dollars every year to advertise and market their products. Our modern culture is hyper focused on the pursuit of haughtiness. I saw a social media post the other day that was truly amazed by the fact that the daughter of a rich athlete was seen using an iPhone that was two models behind. The commenter was amazed by her humility to be seen without the latest and greatest model phone. I say that to not shame this person, but to remember that this same thought is in my heart each and every moment of every day. I want these things as well. Whether it is living well beyond my means financially or just complaining about those who do. My heart yearns to bring down those who seemingly have more than me and look down upon those who have less.

The way of Christ is to live a life that is simply content with the riches of God’s kindness toward me. Whether it be in poverty or luxury, the abundant love of Jesus for me is the far superior riches that are available to me. It is in the riches of God that I will find enjoyment and contentment. There is breath in my lungs because he richly loves me and cares for me. There is no room for haughtiness for each person in this world is special and unique to our great and amazing God. He loves each of us and desires to have an intimate caring relationship. So, we set our hope on the perfect Savior and not on the fleeting wealth of this world. My hope rests secure in the security of knowing that the eternal Son of God has paid the full price for my sin and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for me every moment of every day. It is there that my heart can find rest and peace and comfort and fulfillment and joy!

Put Away and Incline

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He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.” (ESV)

Joshua 24:23

At the end of Joshua’s life and ministry he is recounting to the people of Israel all the goodness and kindness that the Lord God bestowed upon them by fulfilling each and every promise that he had made to them through the years. This recounting of the faithfulness of their loving God was given with a call to serve the Lord. The people with one voice committed to serving the Lord alone, but Joshua was hesitant to allow them to make this commitment. He even tells them that they are unable to serve the Lord! Yet, the people are adamant that they will serve the Lord. So Joshua gives them this command in verse 23, “Then put away the foreign Gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” Our God is a holy God and his call upon our lives is to live a life of holiness. And Joshua is absolutely correct. In our own strength, we are unable to serve the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. But there is One in whose strength we can serve the Lord. It is only in our Holy Savior that we can ever hope to serve our Lord in holiness.

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Weak and Fearful

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January 03, 2026 Saturday

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

I have been spending a lot of time this past week reading, studying, and meditating on Joshua 1 as I prepare to teach a lesson about the key themes found in that chapter. As I have been thinking throughout the week, I keep coming back to verse 9. It puzzled me for a while as to why this verse kept pricking me at various times throughout the day. I don’t feel particularly fearful or frightened. In the normal course of my day, I feel as though everything is going fairly well without many worries. Of course there are troubles as there always will be, but my mind was really coasting along without any apparent worries. Unlike Joshua, I am not embarking on a critical mission, leading millions of people into battle for their long-promised land of inheritance. I am not facing the loss of my leader, mentor, and friend. I am just a normal guy, leading a normal life. Yet, this verse spoken as an encouragement to Joshua in his time of trial is here today calling me to examine myself. To look past the surface level of complacency and deal with the fears and doubts that darken the corners of my heart. A call to understand that just as the Lord was with Joshua wherever he went, so too is Jesus with me at every moment and every step. So I too need to be strong and courageous and confront the areas of disobedience and apathy present in my heart.

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Creator and Heir

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December 04, 2025 Thursday

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV)

The incarnation of Jesus is the signifying moment of history being ushered into “these last days.” This is the final epoch of revelation from God being displayed and culminated in the life and death of Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. Whereas he previously spoke and revealed himself through a cloud of mystery, prophecy, signs, and wonders, he has now sent his Son to walk among us. In so doing, the Son of God has truly shown us the Father. For if you have seen and know the Son, then you have seen and know the Father. The incarnation brought the spoken word of God to life. Life in our reality and understanding. This same Jesus, who has come into our life and world to show us the Father, is the same one through whom the world itself was created and to whom the world and all creation are his inheritance. The eternal word of God came into our world and has both manifested and spoken the final Word of God.

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Grace of Affliction

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We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

2 Corinthians 8:1–2 (ESV)

Paul wants the Corinthian believers to know about the grace of God in a tangible way, so he gives testimony to the pouring out of God’s grace among the churches of Macedonia. He wants the church of Corinth to know about this grace of God by giving a tangible, real life example that they can readily identify and connect with on a personal level. There are a few shocking details in this example that caused me to stop and reflect about the work of God’s grace in my own life. First, there was a severe test of affliction. Second, there was both an abundance of joy and extreme poverty. This all led to the point that Paul wants the Corinthians church to grasp. In this test of affliction, their joy and poverty overflowed into a wealth of generosity. What I want to reflect on is the seeming inconsistency of this equation (God’s grace > Severe affliction > Abundance of joy in Extreme poverty > Wealth of generosity). It defies the logic of my 21st century mind.

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Effective Confirmation

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for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

1 Corinthians 16:9 (ESV)

What I find fascinating about the Apostle Paul is that his view of this life and the world around us is oftentimes counterintuitive to how I view life as I journey through my time in this world. In this verse from 1 Corinthians 16:9, Paul changes his established plans and commitments because the Lord had opened a door for effective ministry, and he was seeing the visible fruits increasing and multiplying. This time of ministry was so effective that he understood that he needed to drop all other plans to focus on where the Spirit was moving at the moment. This I understand. What is challenging to me is that the proof of the Spirit’s work and the effectiveness of the ministry were confirmed by the presence of adversaries. Paul was excited about the adversaries. The presence of those speaking out and working against this ministry work confirmed to Paul that the work of the Holy Spirit was truly being poured out, and he could not leave during this critical moment.

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Scum and Refuse

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We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

1 Corinthians 4:13 (ESV)

The heavenly mindset of Paul is always a helpful barometer to examine my heart and soul. Paul encourages me to not just focus on the surface level appearance of presentation but to dig deeper and examine the cracks and crevices that are open within my heart. This passage from 1 Corinthians 4 is a good example of this. Paul is challenging the thinking and mindset of the Corinthian believers to move away from their pride, arrogance, and sense of entitlement in which they had grown accustomed. Their hearts were puffed up and filled with boasting over the blessings from God that they had been freely given. Paul is calling them back to a mindset of weakness and humility. He is calling them to be counter-cultural in their thinking. They are wanting to be seen as rich and wise in the eyes of the world, when they should be as “the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.”

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Faith Proceeding

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But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Romans 14:23 (ESV)

Honestly, I have mixed feelings about the book of Romans. On the one hand, I find it so incredibly helpful in understanding the truths of the gospel and how to integrate faith into life. Yet, there are some statements and ideas that trouble me. These statements trouble me because they are like a double-edged sword, piercing my very heart and soul. Romans 14:23 is one of these statements. In this long passage concerning his admonition that we should care for the faith of others by being mindful of our freedom in Christ being lived out before others. It is a section on humbling ourselves before others and using our freedom in Christ to encourage and lift others up and not lead them into temptation and sin. It is the last sentence in this section that troubles my heart. “For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

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Vain Satisfaction

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He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (ESV)

Satisfaction and contentment are the cornerstone of our natural desires. We have an innate drivenness to seek out satisfaction and contentment. We all desire to satiate this inner drive and determination. Where we look for that satisfaction and the level of determination in that pursuit is different in each person, but make no mistake… we all seek satisfaction and contentment. The Preacher in Ecclesiastes is pointing to one object that we all struggle with in our pursuit. All of us will at some point struggle with the pursuit of wealth and a desire to find contentment by pursuing money. Money is not in itself a bad thing or something to be abhorred. What the Preacher is pointing out is that our love for money can lead to a craving that is never satisfied. If we are in love with money, the pursuit of money, or the prestige of money, we will never be content with the level of wealth that we attain. When our love of money is driving us, we will always want more and more. Satisfaction, true satisfaction, will never be found in money and wealth.

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Patient Beauty

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He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV)

There are moments in life where everything seems to working against you. Moments where chaos, agony, suffering, hardship, and trials seem to be so overwhelming that it is difficult to see an end to the pain. These times of walking through the deep darkness of the valley where confusion, fear, and doubt are continually pressing in on you. It is in these moments of depression and fatigue that this passage speaks to me in a special way. I need to continually be reminded that this world around me, this life “under the sun” that the Preacher is talking about is not all there is or ever will be. That yearning in my heart is for eternity. A yearning for this life under the sun to give way to the future where all things are made beautiful in the light and glory of Jesus Christ. I yearn to leave this mortal world behind and find my rest in the Beautiful One of heaven who is preparing a room for me in his kingdom.

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