I was reading Jon Courson’s Application Commentary last night and came across something that had to be shared. First, this book is excellent for anyone wanting to get into the Word. It has the full scripture of the New Testament, set up like a regular bible, but then Pastor Jon adds commentary after most of the verses. You read along and he explains the verse with either the culture of the time it was written, modern adaptation, or personal stories that bring light and understanding to the scripture you just read. He also has included 179 topical studies/sermons that are throughout the book. The flap describes it as an easy to read verse by verse, devotional commentary. Okay, enough said about that, just suffice it to say it is fabulous, makes you hunger to read more!
The following is a short example:
Luke 1:79b
…to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Our third mandate is to share direction. The question I am asked most frequently is, “How can I receive God’s guidance?” The answer is to walk the way of peace. The greek word translated “rule” literally means “umpire,” so Paul told the Colossian believers to let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (Colossians 3:15). How are we to know what to do? We are simply to walk with the Lord, enjoy our relationship with Him, and follow the peace in our heart, which will tell us if any given direction is “Safe!” or “Out!”
For those of you who already have this book, Jon goes much deeper after the verse in Colossians, on page 1318. He includes discussion on Jeremiah 17:9 about how “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Jon states, “This is where the Word comes in.” I really like the picture of deciding if something is safe or out though, and thought it could be a barometer to help guide, once the Word has been consulted and the decision is left up to free will. Now instead of an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other, an umpire can set up residence, calling those everyday “plays.”