Author: Tim Ehrhardt

I'm just a common ordinary pastor, chaplain, father, grandfather, and dog owner who loves the smell of a genuine leather Bible and the aroma of its message. I'm on a quest to track down the best Bibles, how to best read and use them, and to discover the encouragement inside.

2 Kings 22:11-20

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment


             It is hard to fathom that things had spiritually degenerated so much in the kingdom of Judah that the Book of Law, God’s Word to Israel, was completely lost.  The Law was tucked so far back in the temple, and had gathered so much dust, that everyone simply forgot it existed.  Yet, maybe we in the Western world can relate to this more than we think.  When a plethora of Bibles and translations exist, yet they gather dust on the shelf and we have not cracked it open since….?
             We are approaching the end of the Christian Year which always culminates in Christ the King Sunday.  As we journey with Jesus and ascend his holy hill, we anticipate corporately acknowledging Christ’s lordship.  The best and most biblical way to do so is through penitent humility.  King Josiah’s officials had found the Book of the Law and brought it to him.  After they read the words, the king became completely undone with humble repentance.  He realized that the life of the nation had not revolved around the majesty and kingship of God, and it cut him to the core of his being.  
             The first and most appropriate response to the realization of God’s sovereignty and Christ’s lordship is humility.  Without it there is no going forward; there is only the ghastly state of remaining stuck in one place with ancient dust accumulating on our static hearts.  But with humility there is repentance; and with repentance there opens up the grand vistas of hope, new life, and fresh beginnings.
             Try something quite different from your regular experience today.  Put on some old clothes and read carefully the words of Scripture.  Take the time to acknowledge some sin of omission in your life.  Then, tear your clothes; yes, rip your shirt.  Allow yourself to feel, like Josiah, the realization of missing the mark.  But do not remain in this condition.  Drink in the grace of God in Christ and receive the forgiveness that is yours through Jesus.  The trajectory of our Christian lives will be determined by the depth of humility we experience, and filling the hole with mercy.
             Awesome God, although I might not always perceive your majesty and sovereignty, you stand above all creation as the Lord whom I am to submit to in all things.  I come to you in great humility of heart and vow to obey everything I read in your Holy Word through Jesus Christ, my King.  Amen.

Be an Encourager

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
 
 
Attending church is not an end in itself – there is a practical reason why we are to be regular attenders.  We are to pay thoughtful attention to other believers, to take an interest in their welfare, and put some significant thought into how to help, support, give hope, love, spur, assist, stimulate, and uplift them into keeping up with Jesus (Hebrews 10:24-25).  A major opportunity for this is to occur at corporate gatherings.  Worship services, small group Bible studies, and other ministries of the church are all important because they are opportunities for us to encourage other people.  Yes, we are to be fed ourselves, but we are also to have the attitude and practice of attending ministries so that we will have the opportunity to speak words of encouragement to others.
 
This whole church thing is not some sort of optional equipment for the Christian life.  We need each other.  We need the church.  Eugene Peterson has said:  “Love cannot exist in isolation: away from others, love bloats into pride. Grace cannot be received privately: cut off from others, it is perverted into greed. Hope cannot develop in solitude: separated from the community, it goes to seed in the form of fantasies. No gift, no virtue can develop and remain healthy apart from the community of faith. ‘Outside the church there is no salvation’ is not ecclesiastical arrogance but spiritual common sense, confirmed in everyday experience.”
 
The church provides Christians with the nurture, guidance, and encouragement necessary for spiritual development. God gives us the church:  to help form our identity as Christians, and give us a secure sense of belonging; to bring comfort and encouragement in difficult times; to proclaim the Word in preaching and sacrament; to provide godly examples for us to imitate; and, to discipline us when we go astray.  We are to be the church to one another, helping each other to become more like Jesus.
 
            Therefore, we are to put ourselves in a position to be an encouragement to others, to love them with the love of Jesus.  Here are six types of encouragers that I see displayed in the book of Hebrews for us to emulate:
  1. The Cheerleader.  “You can do it.  I believe in you!”  We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on to push through the quitting points.  They did it, and so can we (12:1).
  2. The Affirmer.  “What you are doing is valuable and important!”  The preacher said, “We are confident of better things in your case – things that accompany salvation.  God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (6:9-10).
  3. The Rebuker.  Better is open rebuke than hidden love.  “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.  For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (2:1-3).
  4. The Prayer Warrior.  “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (4:16).
  5. The Partner.  Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs – not by themselves.  “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (3:13).
  6. The Pastor.  Shepherding in the Bible is a practice and function, not just a title.  It is someone who comes alongside and helps make sense of the confusing situations of life, knowing what to do.  “Jesus suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.  Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.  For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (13:12-14).

 

There is enough criticism already out there; one needs not look any further than Facebook to get their fill of it.  Instead, decide to be an encourager.  Everyone needs encouragement, which means every single Christian needs to be an encourager to others.  What kind of encourager are you?  In what ways do you need to develop to become a better encourager?  How can you influence your church through encouragement?  

1 Kings 8:22-30

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            I grew up in rural Iowa, a place with a lot of gravel roads.  In the seasons of Spring and Fall, the thawing and re-freezing lead to some impressive ruts in those roads.  It is difficult to avoid them since they nearly dominate the driving space.  When it comes to prayer, there are seasons of life where we can slip into ruts – times where focused wrestling in prayer is set aside by just going along with the rut of prayer that has always been done.  There are Christians who can pray wonderful prayers… over and over again with almost no thought to it, continually saying the same things anytime they pray.
 
            In today’s Old Testament lesson we have a prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the Lord’s temple.  The two aspects of this prayer that jump out to me are:  Solomon reminded God of his promises to the covenant people; and, Solomon reminded God of who God is.  Solomon, as the wisest person to ever live, did not believe that somehow God forgot about his promises or had some sort of divine dementia about his basic nature.  But Solomon prayed with a kind of prayer that God delights to hear.  God likes it when we pray according to the promises he has given us; and, God enjoys it when we pray with a focused understanding of whom we are praying.
 
            So, then, in our prayers it would be a good thing to emulate the example of King Solomon.  Know the promises of God contained in the Scriptures, and pray that they will be confirmed in our lives, families, churches, and world.  Next, also pray with the intention of declaring what kind of God we acknowledge and expect to hear.  We serve a big God whose hugeness is continually above all things, and whose work is always continuing according to his decrees and words. 
 
            One way of moving our prayers out of the ruts of familiar language and thoughts is to journal them.  Writing our prayers can become for us an act of worship as we slow down enough to craft a response to God that is thoughtful and connects us with him beyond the rote and routine.
 

 

            All-consuming God, the highest heavens cannot contain you, for you above all creation.  Yet, you have stooped to notice us, small as we are with our wants and needs.  Thank you that in Jesus Christ all your promises are found and fulfilled.  May I know Christ more intimately, and serve him more passionately with the spiritual power of prayer you provide.  Amen.

Hebrews 10:32-39

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            The Bible gives us the straight scoop on life.  Throughout Holy Scripture we get the highs and lows, the sufferings and the glories, the grace and the judgment.  The Christian life is not some nice neat upward trajectory that we enjoy until we reach heaven.  Rather, it is more like a zig-zag, herky-jerky, up and down experience of times of strength and encouragement, and seasons of weakness and despondency.
 
            In this life we will have trouble.  Since we follow a Lord who himself was ridiculed, suffered, and killed, we cannot expect a peachy existence filled with lovely unicorns and puppies that don’t poop.  It is one thing to face hardship; it is quite another thing to face it day after day, month after month, maybe even year after year without any reprieve.  What then?  Few people sign up for constant adversity.
 
            The Hebrew Christians had started their Christian lives well, coming at it with gusto and strength, and a willingness to experience solidarity with their Lord Jesus.  But, as time wore on, they became tired and defeated.  So, the author of the book of Hebrews lets them know that the two indispensable elements of the Christian life are faith and perseverance.  Without trust and endurance the Christian life cannot be sustained.  Don’t throw in the towel because there will eventually be a great reward.
 
            Sometimes when facing trouble Christians shrink back and withdraw from others, not letting fellow brothers and sisters into what is really going on.  The ministry that used to happen fades away.  But being vulnerable and allowing others to help; focusing on service to those who need it; and, letting go of the stuff we think is so important; these are all ways that keep us on a steadfast path of love and good deeds without losing our confidence in Christ.
 

 

            Ever-present God, you are Lord of both the bad days and the good.  Build in me the spiritual stamina I need to keep going so that faith in Christ might be expressed through love at all times and in every way through the power of the Spirit.  Amen.