Day 8/15 – An Illogical Bible

Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man by Walter A Henrichsen (“Walt”)
An Illogical Bible
Day Two Hundred Twenty-seven

“Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.” Luke 17:33

In the Great Commission Jesus said to go and preach the gospel, teaching the people to obey. Revelation demands a response. God expects you to obey what He reveals to you. As you study His revelation you find that some of what He says appears illogical, forming an impediment to your application.

Jesus said that if you wish to preserve your life you must lose it. The Savior told His disciples, “So the last will be first, and the first last.”296 Again He said, “give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”297 He said that if you wish to be a leader, the way to obtain your goal is to serve others.298

From the perspective of most, you would be foolish to commit yourself to such a worldview. Everyone wants to live, but who wants to die? You may wish to lead, but it appears irrational to conclude that the way to obtain your objective is to serve. Walking by faith is risk taking, and unless you are willing to take the risk of obedience, you will be selective in your application. Selective application, however, ensures your never receiving the desire of your heart. If you want to receive you must give. God will have it no other way.

296 Matthew 20:16
297 Luke 6:38
298 Matthew 20:27

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Psalm 91-93 Romans 15:1-13 (New King James Version)

Psalm 91-93
Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God
91
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the [a]fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and [b]buckler.
5
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7
A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
9
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12
In their hands they shall [c]bear you up,
Lest you [d]dash your foot against a stone.
13
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will [e]set him on high, because he has known My name.
15
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16
With [f]long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”
Praise to the Lord for His Love and Faithfulness
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.
92
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
3
On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
4
For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
5
O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6
A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
7
When the wicked [g]spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.
8
But You, Lord, are on high forevermore.
9
For behold, Your enemies, O Lord,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10
But my [h]horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11
My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be [i]fresh and [j]flourishing,
15
To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
The Eternal Reign of the Lord
93
The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord is clothed,
He has girded Himself with strength.
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be [k]moved.
2
Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.
3
The floods have [l]lifted up, O Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice;
The floods lift up their waves.
4
The Lord on high is mightier
Than the noise of many waters,
Than the mighty waves of the sea.
5
Your testimonies are very sure;
Holiness adorns Your house,
O Lord, [m]forever.
Footnotes:
• Psalm 91:3 One who catches birds in a trap or snare
• Psalm 91:4 A small shield
• Psalm 91:12 lift
• Psalm 91:12 strike
• Psalm 91:14 exalt him
• Psalm 91:16 Lit. length of days
• Psalm 92:7 sprout
• Psalm 92:10 Strength
• Psalm 92:14 Full of oil or sap, lit. fat
• Psalm 92:14 green
• Psalm 93:1 shaken
• Psalm 93:3 raised up
• Psalm 93:5 Lit. for length of days

Romans 15:1-13
Bearing Others’ Burdens
15 We then who are strong ought to bear with the [a]scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to [b]edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the [c]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Glorify God Together
7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received [d]us, to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a [e]servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
“For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.”
10 And again he says:
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”
11 And again:
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!”
12 And again, Isaiah says:
“There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes:
• Romans 15:1 weaknesses
• Romans 15:2 building up
• Romans 15:4 perseverance
• Romans 15:7 NU, M you
• Romans 15:8 minister