Chronological New Testament Bible Reading Plan in 92 Days

OK - so I know many of my friends haven't read 'the entire Bible" - well now's your chance to read at least the New Testament - and in Chronological order - I want to encourage everyone to read the New Testament first, then maybe tackle the Old Testament later. The key is to be in the Word everyday. And don't worry about the 92 Day schedule, and trying to read too much all at once. Go for it if you want, but it is probably more beneficial to take your time.

So instead of thinking in terms of 92 days, just think that the numbers 1-92 represent the order in which you are to read the New Testament. Even a paragraph a day is fine, no matter how long it takes you.

The neat thing about reading the New Testament in Chronological Order is that it groups the books and chapters in historical order. For example, in reading about the life of Jesus, instead of reading Matthew, then Mark, then Luke, then John - a Chronological reading plan will mix up the chapters from all four Gospels and place them in order corresponding to the events in the life of Christ.

Another example would be reading through the books of Acts, which is basically the history book of the early church. Instead of reading all the chapters of Acts in order, a Chronological plan will insert parts of the Epistles (letters to Christians or Christian churches) that correspond with the events in Acts, in between some of the chapters in Acts.

Now understand that this reading plan isn't in perfect chronological order, otherwise it would mix up actual verses from different chapters in the Bible. It's more general - more by chapters than by verses. But it will give you a feel of historical order in which events are taking place.

May you be blessed by reading the Word - I know you will.

The Sparkle Of Christmas

The word sparkle is a fascinating word for me. It brings several images to mind. For instance, I still remember a particular night as a young boy, going outside  after dark one Christmas Eve after a fresh snowfall, and seeing the surface of the snow sparkle in the reflection of our porch light. I remember the sparkle of all the Christmas lights that were on the bushes outside our house, as their reflection glimmered across the surface of the white snow. 

To me, Christmas is all about family. It’s a time when most people want to be together with the ones they love. Many have what they call family traditions on Christmas -- a particular way of doing things that is repeated each year.  My family has a tradition of making homemade gifts. We started in 2005. It’s turned into so much fun, mainly because we usually aren’t very good at it. Before we open our gifts, there is usually a disclaimer - sometimes the gift is unfinished, or didn’t turn out right, and is a flop. Regardless, we laugh and have such a good time opening our gifts. I suppose the sparkle of Christmas can be seen in my family’s eyes as we share such good times together. And if you look really close, even now, you’ll see a sparkle in my eyes, as I reflect on such wonderful, fond memories.

Yes, Christmas is about family, and just as we as parents are fond of our family, God the Father is fond of His family. He sees us as His children. That’s because God chose to adopt us, through Christ, as His very own children. Here’s a great Christmas verse, even though it’s not in the Christmas story, that teaches what God has done......

Galatians 4:4-7
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

According to this verse, when the timing was right, God sent His Son to buy freedom for us (redemption) so that He could adopt us as His “very own children”, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”  This word “Abba” is an Aramaic word, the common language of the day for Jews, and Abba is an intimate, affectionate expression for Father. It’s like saying Daddy. It’s the type of relationship God wants with us - a loving father/child relationship. 

I suppose the real sparkle of Christmas is the sparkle that is in God’s eyes when He looks at His children, just as the sparkle is in a mother’s eyes when she first sees her new born child, or the sparkle is in a couple’s eyes as they are reciting their marriage vows. In His sight, we are to Him, most highly valued, most cherished, most treasured, and most loved.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

Nobody loves his family more than God loves His family. Nobody loves his children more than God loves His children. And He is such a gift-giver! 

“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” (James 1:17). 

He gives us Grace.......“Because of the overflowing grace God has given to you, thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” (2 Cor 9:14-15).

He gives us Peace........“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27).

His gifts for us in this life go on and on, but ultimately, He gives us Eternal Life........“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

So why is God such a gift-giver? The answer: LOVE. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10). 

There's no doubt that God's most precious gift to us is.......His Son. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

There’s a common saying for Christians around this time of year. It’s this:

“Jesus Is The Reason For The Season”

That’s very true, but looking at the big picture, the real "reason for the season" is.... YOU! -- for you are the reason that God sent His son to earth. You are the reason for Christmas! God wants to adopt you as His child, so He can be your Father - your Abba Father, and it took Jesus to come to earth to do it. 

In the world’s eyes, Christmas is about a lot of different things, but in God’s eyes, you are what Christmas is all about. You are the reason Jesus came to earth, therefore, 

“You Are The Reason For The Season”!

And if you are one of His, when God looks at you, there is a sparkle in His eye.

That, my friends, is The Sparkle of Christmas.



The Wise Men -- How It Really Went Down


3 Important Lessons From The Magi

Don’t Tell Me The Star Was Just A Star!

So what exactly was the “star” that the Magi saw? Was it a star? Was it Jupiter? Was it a particular constellation? Was it a comet? Was it the northern lights? Was it an optical illusion? There has been all kinds of speculation regarding the star because the Bible does not give us much detail. Only 12 verses in the entire Bible are devoted to the story of the Wise Men. (Matthew 2:1-12)

Three separate people in the past week approached me, asking if I’ve heard how it’s been proven that the star which the Magi followed was a natural occurrence. What really drives me crazy is how man always tries to rely on human reasoning in an attempt to explain things that are inexplicable. Man goes through great lengths to give a scientific explanation to a miraculous event. However, scientific explanations are impossible because a miraculous event cannot be explained! According to scientific reasoning, a miracle is impossible. A miracle is an event that alters or defies the laws of nature and the laws of science. Science says that it’s impossible for a bush to burn without burning up. Science says that it’s impossible to walk on water. Science says that it’s impossible to immediately heal someone born blind, or deaf, or deformed. Science says it’s impossible to bring someone back from the dead.

Using human reasoning and scientific theory to explain a miraculous event ultimately results in one thing - removing God from the picture. This can be seen most clearly in the evolution verses creation debate. Similarly, I’ve heard of scientists explaining, with all seriousness, how the Jordan River was parted by Joshua (Joshua 3:13) - that is was not by a miracle, but by a combination of wind and water levels. Once I heard a radio show which focused on the power of prayer. Yes, they admitted there is power in prayer. But do you know why they said prayer worked? It was simply because of the power of the mind and not the power of God at all. Their explanation was that the power of prayer had nothing to do with the spiritual, but the mental instead. You see, they took God out of the picture. Don’t fall for it. Don’t be persuaded by some smooth talking, intelligent sounding, self-proclaimed expert.

So every Christmas, I hear of someone falling for a scientist who claims that after extensive research, he can prove without a doubt that the star of Bethlehem was a naturally occurring celestial event. Don’t believe it! Don’t be deceived by fine sounding arguments. God shall not be mocked. Regardless of the books impressively written, the smoothly produced TV shows, and the extensive internet sites saying otherwise, the Christmas story was totally a God-thing. His hand is all over it. Nine times in the Christmas story, angels are involved. Several Old Testament prophecies come to fulfillment in the Christmas story. Providence is demonstrated throughout the timeline of the birth of Jesus.

For all the scientific explanations saying that the star was some natural phenomena, there are mysteries still not sufficiently answered by science. Could it be that most of those who give scientific explanations don’t seem to know their Bible facts? According to the Bible, the star led the Magi, stopping right over the house Jesus was staying, acting as a beacon for the Wise Men? (Matthew 2:9)

So was the star of Bethlehem just a star? The answer.....NO! The star was a miraculous event - a sign from heaven - a supernatural beacon. Don’t even try to persuade me otherwise! I’m done listening to all these natural explanations. That’s because I believe that there is a spiritual reality, that God is real, that He intervenes, that His providence is real, that His Word is true, and that miracles really happen.  And I’m sticking with it!

The Wise Men -- How It Really Went Down

Celebrating Christmas In The Midst Of Tragedy

I remember years ago, just a week or two before Christmas, a news alert came on my cell phone. Here's what it said, "A gunman opened fire Friday inside a Connecticut elementary school, and multiple people -- including the shooter -- are dead, according to officials. Reports also said children were shot but it remains unclear whether any were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown."

I was just pulling out of Wawa after getting gas. I can't fully describe what I felt. Shock, disbelief, sickening horror. I felt like crying. As a matter of fact, I don't mind admitting that Francie and I shed some tears over this. What is this world, our country, coming to? I thought of my family -- Sarah, who at the time was working in a middle school in Missouri, DeRonte who was working at a Bible College in Missouri,  and Loree who was working at an after-school program in Silver Spring, MD.  All involved in learning institutions. Then I thought about my missionary son Chris who lives in Tanzania, Africa with his wife Emily -- is the society they live in actually more civilized than ours?

Of course, Facebook was immediately lit up. Many asking for prayer, many expressing shock and sadness. I'm sure all those friends of mine that have small children agree that every parent hugged their children a little more tightly that night. But more than that, as fellow human beings, whether we have children or not, compassion for our fellow man is sparked by this tragedy. And even more terrible is that it happened so close to Christmas.

I'm reminded that the Christmas story itself has tragedy linked with it. In Matthew chapter two, we are told that just after the Magi visited Jesus, they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, but to return to their country by another route. When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” (Matthew 2:12-13)

Now this is where the tragedy happens: When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious. Hoping to kill Jesus in the process, he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. (Matthew 2:16)

Jesus entered a nasty world - a world back then that was just as bad as it is now. He came at a time when every kind of evil existed. He came at a time when a wooden cross was used to torture people to death. He knew His ultimate fate, or should I say, ultimate mission. You think the world is bad now? If He didn't come, we would not have an ounce of hope.

Doesn't it seem like we live in a world dominated by evil and darkness? But thankfully, God rescued us by sending His Son. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." (Colossians 1:13)

So even though this Christmas season is marred with tragedy, it is time to celebrate. Celebrate His birth - that He came. Celebrate because only through the birth of our Savior and His ultimate sacrifice for our sins, can we find peace in a world that is full of chaos. Only through Him can we find joy in a season of sadness. And only through Christ can we attain salvation into a heaven where the dwelling of God is with men - where we will live forever with Him.  And He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. (Revelation 21:3-4)

The Angel Gabriel - Christmas Messenger

"I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God"  

Whoa!!! That is clout. "I stand in the presence of God!" If this particular angel stands in the presence of God, and he has a message to deliver, we listen. And for an angel to have a name? That doesn't happen often. In the entire Bible, we find only 2 angels that have names - one is Gabriel, the other is Michael the Archangel (Jude 1:9). 

We find Gabriel appearing in Luke 1:19, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news." 

His announcement initiates the Christmas story. I imagine that Gabriel, standing in the presence of God, received instructions that the time was right to begin the process of sending God's Son to earth.

Galatians 4:4-5, ^"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."

 So God sent not just an ordinary angel, if there is such a thing, but the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, a Jewish priest, to announce that his wife Elizabeth would bear his son, who would become John the Baptist, forerunner of Christ. 

Six months later, God sends the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 2:26-37)

This interaction between Gabriel and Mary is the last we hear of Gabriel. His mission is accomplished. But this isn't the last we hear of angels being used as messengers in the Christmas story. The next instance we find an  angel involved in the Christmas story is with Joseph. As you can imagine, when Joseph finds out that Mary is pregnant and he knows that he isn't the father, there is some major turmoil going on! God decides to intervene to calm things down. An unnamed angel is sent to Joseph with a message before it's too late and he divorces Mary. So an angel appears to Joseph in a dream and says, 

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:20-25)

The next time God sends angels as messengers comes on the night Jesus is born in Bethlehem. There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:8-12)

As soon as that angel is done speaking with the shepherds, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:13-15)

The next time a messenger angel is sent by God, as far as the Christmas story is concerned, involves the Wise Men. Although it's not specifically mentioned that it's an angel who is involved, when the Wise Men were warned in a dream to leave Bethlehem after they had visited Jesus and worshiped Him, it's logical to assume this warning was delivered by an angel. ( "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." - Matthew 2:11-12)

As soon as the Wise Men are gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”  So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt." (Matthew 2:13-14)

The next time an angel appears comes after quite some time - after Herod died. An angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” (Matthew 2:19-20)

The last time a messenger angel is used in the Christmas story, or at least we can assume it was an angel, was in Joseph's dream. When Joseph left Egypt with Mary and Jesus, and headed back to the land of Israel and heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. (Matthew 2:22-23)

So as you can see, angels were used in the Christmas story nine times! To Zechariah, to Mary, to Joseph, twice with the Shepherds, to the Wise Men, to Joseph three more times.

Angels were certainly active in the Christmas story. Angels are used frequently throughout the entire Bible. If you search the word 'angel' in the NIV, you will find it used in one form or another 294 times. It makes you wonder... are angels active today? Do we forget that angels exist? Does God still use angels? Just because angels are invisible, do we disregard their reality? Consider this verse, a rhetorical question about angels....."Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14)

A rhetorical question is a question that requires no answer, but is done for effect. The answer is obvious. For example, a rhetorical question would be, "Is the Pope Catholic?" So in the case of Hebrews 1:14, what this verse is saying is this:  Angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. Christians, that's us! Maybe you don't realize it, but angels minister to us, sent by God.

It may not be always obvious or evident, but as you look back on your life, maybe you can see it. Do you know what it makes me realize? God is an interactive God who can intervene in our lives, real-time. God is all knowing and all powerful, and He loves those who are His. And when necessary, he may not send a visible angel, but He surely is able to send 'ministering spirits' to serve us somehow, someway. That's our God! Hallelujah for His providence.

The Wise Men - Teach Us About Worship

The role of the Wise Men adds an almost mystical dimension to the Christmas story. Their identity as magicians, astrologers, and astronomers adds mystery. No one knows exactly where they are from. There is certainly not nearly enough Bible detail as we would like regarding their long journey through dangerous desert, or how many were in the caravan, or what motivated them, as non-Jews, to make such pilgrimage.

We do know one thing: if the story of the Wise Men is in the Bible, it is of extreme importance. And even though there is limited information, there is a lot we can learn from them - in this case, worship. That's good because it seems today, many don't even know what worship is. So here are four observations from the story of the Wise Men that can help us to become better worshipers.

OBSERVATION #1 - The Wise Men were Seekers
It doesn't matter if you've been a Christian for decades, or if you are just beginning a quest to find out who this Jesus is, Jesus draws us to Him, and the closer we get, the closer we want to be. Jesus said, "I will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32). There was something powerfully compelling about the Wise Men's decision to find this new King. Obviously there was a supernatural beacon, some call a star, (see my last post), that got their attention. But I'm astonished by their undaunted determination to find Him. They were drawn to Him. They were deliberate in their pursuit. They were relentless in their expedition. Nothing seemed to deter them. The long and treacherous journey, their life circumstances and distractions, their unanswered questions - it didn't matter, they went all-out to find Jesus. Each morning, each day, that was their mission. As worshipers, we must do the same - constantly seek Him on a daily basis. Be deliberate in your pursuit of Him - go all-out in finding out more of who this Jesus is. Desire to have an encounter with Him - a worship encounter.  
LESSON #1: Worship is Intentional. We worship on purpose.

OBSERVATION #2 - The Wise Men desired to be in His Presence
I love that the Wise Men approached King Herod, who was arrogant, powerful, and terrible, with boldness, asking him, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?" To even mention that there was another "king" in the area no doubt infuriated Herod deeply, even though he didn't show it. How dare they ask such a question? Herod knew right on the spot what he would do - use the Wise Men to lead him to Jesus so he could kill Him. But the Wise Men were so focused and so convinced of a new King, they weren't hiding the fact they were trying to find Him so they could worship Him. Some scholars believe the Wise Men were actually kings themselves. If that's true, it adds even more amazement to the fact that they left their respective kingdoms behind, risked their lives and the lives of those traveling with them, in order to be in the presence of Jesus. They were determined, against all odds, to personally meet and worship the King. After all, they could have sent representatives. They could have sent ambassadors. But instead, they sought to find Jesus themselves. 
LESSON #2: Worship is Spiritual. In John 4:24, Jesus said that "God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." When we worship, it is a spiritual encounter. It's when we come into God's presence. Worship is spiritual, and our worship is based on the truth of who God is, and who Christ is, based on scripture.


OBSERVATION #3 - The Wise Men had the right Attitude
Just think of the moment when they first encountered Jesus - their admiration and their awe. Filled with wonder, they must have marveled at the Christ child. The Bible gives us very little detail about this initial encounter. It doesn't tell us what they said. It does, however, tell us what the Wise Men did - they "bowed down and worshiped." (Matthew 2:11). Unlike Herod, the Wise Men were sincere in their desire to worship Jesus. They had an attitude of reverence and humility. They were men of high regard themselves, highly respected, yet the Bible says they bowed down. In a sense, they laid down their crowns in that moment of worship.
LESSON #3: Worship is Emotional. It's emotional in a sense that it's about the heart. Real worship is from the heart, and our heart needs to be right.  Our worship moments must be similar to theirs - full of wonder and awe - full of admiration and reverence. God is full of glory and splendor. We should approach Him in that fashion. Our worship should include an expression of sincere praise, awe, wonder, humility, and thanksgiving. Certainly we can't be in sin and expect our worship to be acceptable. After all, if we are just going through the motions and our heart is not right, our worship is worthless. When He spoke about people whose hearts weren't sincere, Jesus said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me," (Matthew 15:8).

OBSERVATION #4 - The Wise Men gave Gifts.
"On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." (Matthew 2:11-12). Look at the order of their actions. They didn't present Him gifts first, and then worship Him second. The scripture says they worshiped Him first, "then" they presented Him with gifts. This is a good model for us to follow because true worshipers will naturally become givers, not only of their treasures, but of their services. Serving God, living for Him, is a natural by-product of worshiping Him. Jesus said, "Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only." (Luke 4:8). 
LESSON #4: Worshipers Give. They give of their treasures. They give of their lives to God. True worshipers live for God and are motivated to be servants -- to serve others. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:15, "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

CONCLUSIONS

The Wise Men demonstrate several critical components of worship. They teach us that worship is intentional, spiritual, and emotional. When all three of those components are engaged, we are truly worshiping God. Another way to describe those three components of worship are 1. the mind (worship is intentional), 2. the heart (worship is emotional), and 3. the soul (worship is spiritual). In other words, when we engage the heart, the mind, and the soul in worship, we are, what I call, "worshiping in the zone." All three of these components must be engaged to be "worshiping in the zone" - the heart, the mind, and the soul. This is the true form of worship. It can happen anywhere, at anytime. It can happen in a brief moment or an extended time period. It can be prompted by a song, or a sunset, or a sermon, or anything that reminds us of God. When we are worshiping, we are demonstrating or expressing something to the Lord: like praise, thanksgiving, or adoration. This expression can be done through words, through prayer, or through action, as long as our heart is right, we are intentional about it, and we are spiritually connecting with God.

ONE SENTENCE DEFINITION OF WORSHIP
Here is my simplified one sentence definition of worship: "Worship is a deliberate moment when we spiritually bow down before the Lord and express our sincere praise, thanksgiving and adoration."

In this one-sentence definition, the heart ("sincere praise....."), the mind ("deliberate moment...."), and the soul ("spiritually bow down....") are engaged. One more thing: worship leads to serving God. Worshipers give - of themselves and of their treasures. These are the types of worshipers God seeks.

John 4:23-24: ^"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The Wise Men - How It Really Went Down

What I'm about to propose does not contradict anything found in scripture. However, what you are about to hear may be much different from what you’ve learned about the journey of the Wise Men. After many years of contemplating and reconciling the scriptures regarding the Christmas story, I’ve settled on what I consider to be the most logical and reasonable explanation of how their journey unfolded. 

There are many theories about the star and the journey of the Wise Men. Many, if not most of them, are not based on scripture. And there are many questions that are not answered in the limited Bible passages that we have in Matthew Chapter 2. For example, was the star that first appeared a guiding beacon or a natural astronomical event? Did the Wise Men actually follow a star continuously on their journey to find Jesus? If so, why did they end up in Jerusalem and not Bethlehem? Why did the so-called star reappear? How long did the Wise Men travel? How old was Jesus when they found Him? Why did they come in the first place? I hope to answer all those questions. Let’s start at the beginning. Here’s the timeline that I’ll split into 7 scenes.

SCENE 1 (The Birth of Jesus)

   We know that near Bethlehem, the night that Jesus was born, shepherds tending to their sheep in the fields were startled when "suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified!" (Luke 2:9). 

   It's important to note the term "the radiance of the Lord's glory". This should not be down-played or overlooked. It was an extreme, miraculous illumination and must have been very powerful. If it was 'of the Lord's glory', it must have been incredibly bright and overpowering.

  The angel announced to the shepherds that a Savior was born in a manger in Bethlehem. What happens next is key....."Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God.." (Luke 2:13). 

  I doubt that this great company of the heavenly host appeared in the dark. On the contrary, they must have appeared in a magnificent, giant spotlight called the 'radiance of the Lord's glory'. Some translations call the great company of the heavenly host a multitude, or a vast, heavenly army. To totally illuminate this vast, heavenly army, the radiance of brilliant light must have extended up into the heavens, with an enormous diameter - sort of a giant pillar of light. 

   Such a miraculous array of brilliance in the dark, night time sky would have been visible for hundreds of miles. No one knows how long it lasted, but at some point, the angels vanished, went back to heaven, and the darkness quickly returned. The scene in the field reverted back to what it was before: the shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem on a quiet, still, dark night. After such an amazing experience, the shepherds did what they never do -- they left their sheep in the fields and quickly ran off -- to find Jesus.

SCENE 2 (The Wise Men See The Light) 

   The Wise Men (also referred to as Magi), located in far away Persia or Babylon, were sky-watchers. Could it be, that from hundreds of miles away, they were witnessing that same miraculous illumination that the shepherds experienced? I say yes! You see, I propose that what they saw wasn't a star at all, but that brilliant radiance of God's glory on the very night Jesus was born, seen from a distance. 

    The Wise Men later would tell Herod that they saw the star "rise" when they were back home in the East. Obviously, since the radiance of God's glory shone upon the angel and shepherds standing on the ground, to the Wise Men it would appear low in the horizon, rising upward.

   Perhaps hundreds of people from many different countries saw it in the night time sky before it went out. However, the Wise Men reacted to it. They knew it was something that must have been supernatural -- that this was a sign of something of huge importance. It's possible that they were familiar with ancient prophecies, such as recorded in the books of Isaiah and Numbers, that dealt with a miraculous coming star or bright light.

   The Wise Men, who were experts regarding the stars, concluded that this supernatural beam of light, or "star" as they referred to it, was in the direction of distant holy city of Jerusalem, and that it must have been an omen that signified the birth of some powerful and important new king of the Jews. They were convinced that it was a once in a lifetime event, and that they must make a journey to make homage to this newly born king. 

   The journey would take a lot of preparation. They would need to get a caravan together, which included supplies, food, animals, and people. Just getting ready could take weeks. Their journey could take months. There would be no guiding star at this point in their journey -- they didn't need one since they would be headed to Jerusalem. By the way, the Bible never mentions exactly how many Wise Men there were!

SCENE 3 (Jesus Brought To Jerusalem) 

   In the meantime, while remaining in Bethlehem after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary waited for Mary's days of purification to be over so they could bring baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. Because Mary delivered a baby boy, by Jewish law she was ceremonial unclean for 40 days as defined by the Law (Leviticus 12:1-8). In other words, Jesus was at least 40 days old before they brought Him from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, about 6 miles, to dedicate Him to the Lord. They went in front of a priest, to offer their sacrifice. And because the sacrifice was one that was representative of those who were poor (Luke 2:24), a pair of doves or two young pigeons, it confirms that Wise Men had not arrived yet with their valuable riches to give them, which included gold. The Wise Men were still on their way.

   After their visit to the temple in Jerusalem, where they also encountered the prophets Simeon and Anna, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned back to a house in Bethlehem, possibly owned by a relative since "everyone went to their own town" to register for the census (Luke 2:3) to begin with, meaning that Joseph had relatives there. Who knows, perhaps they were considering settling down in Bethlehem. They obviously decided to stay in Bethlehem for sometime. As it turns out, months would pass before the Wise Men would finally arrive at the house where they were staying in Bethlehem.

SCENE 4 (The Wise Men Reach Jerusalem) 

  When the Wise Men finally arrived in Jerusalem, they didn't know exactly where to find this newborn king, since there was no guiding star, at least yet. If there was a guiding star, they would have been led to Bethlehem, not Jerusalem. The only star or beacon they saw was the one in the very beginning - the "radiance of the Lord's glory" which they saw from afar the time the angels visited the shepherds on the night Jesus was born. And that beacon was temporary -- short lived. So they did the most logical thing in trying to locate the new king -- go to Jerusalem and ask King Herod for details on where the newborn king's location.

   What an insult! What boldness! Ask King Herod? Herod pretended to go along with the Wise Men, but inwardly, he was furious. After all, he, and he alone, was king of the Jews. Remember, King Herod was the jealous tyrant who even killed two of his sons and a wife in fear they were a threat to take his power. So he had to destroy this new rival. He summoned the chief priests and the scribes for answers regarding the location of a new king of the Jews that threatened to take his place.

  The chief priests and scribes knew the Old Testament scriptures well, and based on Micah 5:2, they knew that the king they were waiting for would be the Messiah and was to be born in Bethlehem. So Herod sent the Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem, but not before asking them the exact date that they had seen that bright “star” or light to begin with months before. It was so he could estimate how old Jesus was and develop a plan to kill him. He asked the Wise Men to return after they found Jesus so he could know precisely where Jesus was, pretended that he also wanted to worship this newborn king.

Matthew 2:8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

SCENE 5 (Wise Men Head Toward Bethlehem) 

   As the Wise Men headed toward Bethlehem, something fantastic happened. A supernatural beacon of light suddenly appeared that was similar in design to what the Wise Men first saw back in the east. They recognized it immediately and were overjoyed. I picture this beacon resembling a helicopter's searchlight peering down out of the night time sky, only much more intense. The Bible says that the miraculous beacon moved ahead of them and not only guided them to Bethlehem, but it stopped right over the exact house where Jesus was staying, pinpointing His location! It was a supernatural, miraculous guiding light. It's obvious that God wanted the Wise Men to find Jesus quickly.

Matthew 2:9-10  "When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy."

SCENE 6 (Wise Men Arrive in Bethlehem) 

   The Wise Men entered the house, bowed down before Jesus, and worshiped Him. Then they presented Him with gifts - gifts that were fitting for a king. Their mission was accomplished. Their quest to find the newly born king, honor him, and worship Him was over. 

Matthew 2:11 "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

SCENE 7: (The Escape)

   Divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, the Wise Men departed for their own country another way, saving their lives. Likewise, during that very night, Joseph was also warned in a dream to take Jesus and Mary, flee to Egypt for safety, and stay there until further notice. So they quickly took off during the night before Herod could execute a plan.

   When Herod found out that the Wise Men outwitted him, he was furious. In an attempt to kill the newborn king, Herod decided to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem and vicinity, figuring that Jesus had to be one of them. Since he calculated that the new king was probably several months to a year old, he added a safety factor just to make sure, extending the age to two years old and under. 

Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

    A terrible slaughter occurred, but Joseph, Mary and Jesus safely made it to Egypt, where they lived until Herod died (approximately a year later). Through God's providence, the valuable gifts from the Magi were God's provision to provide travel to Egypt (approximately 100 miles) as well as living expenses while there. Perhaps using the valuable gifts for provision was the real reason the Wise Men came, unbeknownst to them!

    As you can see, God orchestrated this entire event from beginning to end using people, angels, dreams, and miracles. Nothing would be able to stop God's plan to send His Son to redeem us. Jesus had arrived and His mission to ultimately die on the cross for our sins had begun. Praise God!

3 Important Lessons From The Wise Men

"The Chronological Christmas Story: 7 Day Bible Reading Plan 

How God Perfectly Orchestrated The First Christmas

Is Worship Becoming Watered Down? - Part 4

As shown in the last post, it’s plain to see that some translators have been much more broad minded than others in equating original root words (Hebrew or Greek) with the English word ‘worship’. It's dangerous because when the word worship is used too liberally, it clouds any distinction between worship and service, and leads to a philosophy of watered down worship. It takes away from worship.

I believe one of the characteristics of real worship is that it is intentional. Real worship must be deliberate. When you worship God, you are aware of it. It's a moment when you are spiritually engaged. If worship is simply living for God, that means that you could be worshiping God and not even realize it! Common sense tells us that can't be right. Yet it's a common philosophy today.

Worship and Service Are Different
Worship leads to service but is not service in itself. If we truly are worshipers, then we will be motivated to serve God. Service is a byproduct of worship. In this sense, they go together but they are not the same. Sure, it is possible to worship and serve at the same time, but it is also possible to serve God without being in the spirit of worship.  Our act of worship must be much more focused and intentional than simply living a Christian lifestyle.
 
Actually, there are many scriptures that clearly distinguish between worship and service. One is found in the book of Matthew where Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him. Matthew 4:10 (NIV),  “Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."'"

The word ‘worship’ in this verse is derived from the original Greek word ‘proskuneo’ which means to bow down. The word ‘serve’ in this verse is derived from the original Greek word ‘latreuo’ which means to serve or to do God’s work. It is to be in God’s service. In this verse, there is a clear distinction that we should worship God and that we should serve God. We should devote time to bow to him, and we should devote time to serve him.

I personally feel the word 'proskuneo' is the most accurate portrayal of worship. This word essentially means to bow down. The physical orientation of one bowing down signifies that nothing is more important, more cherished, and more honored than the one being worshiped. Bowing is a personal admission of personal submission. It is a physical demonstration that the one falling down is inferior and the one being worshiped is superior. It is in a sense an official recognition of who is King and who is the obedient, loyal and loving servant. 

This is the reason Satan wanted Jesus to fall down at his feet. "All this I will give you," Satan said, "if you will bow down and worship me." (Matthew 4:9). If Jesus would have done that, he would have exalted Satan and put himself in an inferior position. It would have been a proclamation of who was the superior one. It would have showed that Satan was above all things, including Jesus.
 
 Regardless of whether our worship is planned or is spontaneous, it is done with a conscious effort. There is an awareness in worship; an awareness first of all that we are worshiping God, an awareness of God’s presence, and awareness of our expression to God. It is a spiritual experience, just as prayer is a spiritual experience (I will talk about this more in an upcoming post on John 4:24). Worship occurs in a specific, focused, purposeful moment.  It happens for a reason, and for a particular time period.


A Major Source Of Confusion - Romans 12:1
The fact that the different translations of the Bible apply the word 'worship' with varying frequency (see the table in the previous post), leads us to confusion when trying to define worship. Perhaps some versions of the Bible simply do not make the best use of English words when translating from the original Hebrew or Greek languages. One such example is found in Romans 12:1. I suspect that this one verse has contributed the most to today's erroneous philosophy that worship is simply our life style, instead of an intentional, spiritual encounter. Several bible translations of this particular verse, including the NIV, imply that worship is our whole life.

Romans 12:1 NIV:  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.”


If you are reading the NIV and take this verse at its face value, then you would conclude that this verse defines worship, that worship is living a righteous life is worship, that living for God = worship. It says it in the "Bible", right? However, is this really what Paul, the writer, intended this verse to mean?

The problem with the NIV version in this verse is that it implies that our service is a ‘spiritual act’. (I'm not against the NIV version - I use it all the time - it's just that I believe the translators did a poor job on this particular verse). This implication that service = spiritual act of worship is not based on the original language. In this verse the Greek words for the phrase 'spiritual act of worship' are ‘logikos’ (reason or logic) and ‘latreia’ (service or ministry that involves God’s work). Literally, this verse is talking about 'reasonable service' not 'spiritual worship'. It's interesting that the Greek word, pneuma, which means spirit, is not used at all in Romans 12:1. The phrase used by several Bible translations, “spiritual act”, is not founded on the original language. Remember the verse above "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only" from Matthew 4:10? In that verse, it distinguishes between worshiping and serving (‘latreuo’).

Based on the Greek, the phrase "reasonable service" is a more accurate translation of Romans 12:1 than “spiritual act of worship”. It more clearly conveys the idea that it is reasonable for worshipers to serve or minister to others because of what he has done for us. It is reasonable to simply be available for whatever God needs us to do to advance his Kingdom. In other words, it is logical for worshipers who profess to live Godly lives to be the ones who do good deeds for him – who are devoted workers for him.

There are several Bible translations this give a more accurate wording of Romans 12:1. In this case, the New King James Version:

Romans 12:1 NKJV:  "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.



In conclusion, Romans 12:1 is about service or how we should give our lives to God, and is not a definition of spiritual worship. Worship and service are different. Let me repeat what I said in an earlier post:

True worshipers will be compelled to serve the Lord and be driven to live their lives for God. One who worships God will naturally serve Him. We need to serve, but it is not the same as true, intimate worship. We need to worship, but it is not the same as serving. We can’t simply be worshipers alone, and likewise, we can’t simply be servants alone. We must be worshipers. We must be servants. There is a time for worship and there is a time for service.


In the next post, I will start to focus more specifically on defining worship, and begin looking at the three conditions which must be in place for worship to be 'worship'. I'll reveal those three conditions next time.

Is Worship Becoming Watered Down? - Part 3

In the last post, I talked about how the common philosophy of worship today is to define worship as a lifestyle - that we worship God by living for Him. Many authors and teachers today muddle worship and service (serving God), and mix them together. This dilutes true worship. Although living for Him is absolutely crucial, is that really what true worship is? In a quest to try to be better at worshiping God, I've come to a different conclusion over the years. In the next several posts, I will lay the foundation for my own philosophy and definition of real worship.

First, I think we need to understand some probable reasons why today's common philosophy of worship is so prevalent. I'm going to list one reason below.

In my desire to be a better worshiper, I found myself asking questions like, “What does the bible really say about worship?”, “Where can I find specific examples of people worshiping God in the scriptures?”, “Where is the word ‘worship’ used in the bible?” Questions like these made me put aside all the books on worship and go back to the bible for answers. I had read plenty of scriptures concerning the topic of worship but this time I wanted to go back and look at scriptures with the intention of coming up with my own definition of worship.

Unfortunately the bible doesn’t give a clear one sentence definition of worship. It doesn’t say, “Worship is .................... .” We can, however, find all the places in the bible where the word is used and then get an overall concept of what worship is through all the teachings and examples we find. So my first step was to do a word study on ‘worship‘.  I looked up everywhere in the bible where the word ‘worship’ was found.

I used the New International Version (1984) and discovered that there are 250 places in the bible where ‘worship’ is used (175 times in the Old Testament and 75 times in the New Testament). I began to look up each one. When combined, all the talk about worship would surely give a well rounded concept of worship. Then one day, I picked up another translation - the old King James. What I found was an eye-opener - instead of listing 250 places in the bible where ‘worship’ was used, like the NIV, the King James used the word worship only 188 times. So I checked the New Living Translation. Worship is found 495 times! The Message: 544 times!

Then something really hit me - I realized that anyone's concept and understanding of worship is directly dependent on which translation of the Bible they use! Yes, someone’s theology of worship can be contingent upon the translators of a particular Bible version. After all, the translators decide when and where to use the particular English word ‘worship’ to express a particular original language Hebrew or Greek word.

What this means is that someone who uses the Message or the New Living Translation will have a much more generalized view of worship compared to someone using the King James or New King James versions. These translations using the word 'worship' liberally have contributed to today's diluted philosophy of worship.

Below is a listing of how many times the word ‘worship’ is used (including any derivative such as worshiping, worshiped, worshiper, worships) in a sampling of different translations (reference: www.biblegateway.com);

The question becomes: who is right? Which translation more accurately defines what worship is? Is the Message translation too liberal in its use of the word 'worship'? Is the King James too restrictive? I wanted to be sure of one thing - my philosophy of worship was not based on a particular group of men who decided when and where to use the word worship. I needed to look at the original Greek and Hebrew words. Not only that, I needed to look at Biblical examples of worship as well, combined with the principles of worship, found in the Old and New Testaments.

A lesson to be learned here:  When doing a Bible word search - for any word, not just worship - be aware that the number of search results depends on what translation you use. For example, you can't simply say that the word worship is found 250 times in the Bible. You can only say, "The word worship is found 250 times in the NIV."

Next post: a look at some Greek and Hebrew words for worship. Then, in a later post, I will share what I believe is the one major contributing verse that has, in my opinion, erroneously led to today's common philosophy of watered-down worship: Romans 12:1.

Is Worship Becoming Watered Down? - Part 2

  I'm working on a book project tentatively called "Worshiping In The Zone." A lot of what I'm writing in this blog is coming from that project. This post is part 2 of what will be a several part series. That's because I want to lay a foundation explaining how I came to establish my personal one-sentence definition of worship - which I will reveal in time.
  In the last entry I talked about how the philosophy of worship today seems to be watered down in the sense that most books on the subject are of the opinion that worship is a life style. I don't agree. Such a broad generalization of worship reduces worship to simply living righteously and serving God. Nothing wrong with that, but that's not worship.
The danger develops when the word worship is used so liberally that it clouds any distinction between worship and service - and there is a difference. When the concepts of worshiping God and serving God become the same then there is a problem. Worship and service are linked but not the same.
  Worship leads to service but is not service in itself. Of course, if we truly are worshipers, then we will be motivated to serve God. Service is a byproduct of worship. In this sense, they go together but they are not the same. Sure, it is possible to worship and serve at the same time, but it is also possible to serve God without worshiping Him.  Our act of worship must be more focused and intentional.
  If there is a distinction between worship and service, then what is service? Let’s define it by looking at who a servant is. One who serves is one who is living as a servant, always humbly and willfully available at the master’s every call. A servant is an obedient slave living under the master’s care. As a bond servant, one who serves God is ever obligated to live righteously and always ready and willing to do God’s work. That doesn’t mean they are constantly worshiping the master.
  In the last post, I talked about a seminar I went to where the instructor offered a definition of worship that was incredibly diluted. He said, “Worship is everything we do in life that is pleasing to God”. He even used the illustration of a husband serving his wife by doing the dishes, and called that an act of worshiping God. I couldn't believe my ears. 
  Certainly, a husband doing the dishes for his wife illustrates service. However, if the husband’s only devotion to his wife was to do the dishes and never give her focused attention, such as saying, “I love you” or show affection, the marriage wouldn’t last long would it? On the other hand, if the husband never did anything to serve or help his wife, the marriage would likewise be in trouble. Both are important but different.In the same way, we need to worship God and serve him also. They are both important, but both different.
  A true worshiper has a submissive attitude, and wants to live for Christ and love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. True Christians will surely become living sacrifices for Him, being available for whatever work advances the Kingdom, ministering to others and glorifying Him. Worshipers are servants!
  True worshipers will be compelled to serve the Lord and be driven to live their lives for God. The force that compels is love. God’s love drives worshipers to serve and minister – to take action. One who worships God will naturally serve Him.
  We need to serve, but it is not the same as true, intimate worship. We need to worship, but it is not the same as serving. We can’t simply be worshipers alone, and likewise, we can’t simply be servants alone. We must be worshipers. We must be servants. There is a time for worship and there is a time for service. Thus the very important verse: Matthew 4:10 (NIV),  “…….Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. "
  In the next post I will talk about how my Bible word search for "worship" gave me a revealing result that I wasn't expecting!