As I was concluding my study of Corinthians, I was honestly struggling with anything that could be applicable. Chapter 11 is difficult. I LOVE chapter 12, and chapter 13 is your normal Pauline closing. Just as I was finishing the last few verses of the final chapter, my son runs over to "give daddy kisses." I chuckled and continued -- notice verse 12 -- "Greet one another with a holy kiss." I smiled and began to think about that simple sentence.
"Greet" -- means to draw to oneself or to receive joyfully. Our children do that to us daily because they love us unconditionally. They want to be with us. They want to know that we are there. Every night, my son and I have a routine. I'll read him a Bible story and pray. Then, he will "read" a Bible story to me and pray. I will lay down with him for 2 songs and then leave. As I am heading out the door, he will beckon me: "Daddy, stay here. Come back, daddy." Oh that we had such a desire for our relationship with our Heavenly Father!! Yet, we so quickly turn away from Him because our love and desire is conditionally based. I have a great deal to learn from my son.
"One another" -- means one another, but there is an interesting connotation here: mutually and respectfully. In other words, we are to reach out to everyone with respect; and if that is granted to us, we should reciprocate. Tonight, the kids were playing on the floor with my wife when the boy waltzed over to his mom and said: "Mommy, read with me." Her response, with a huge smile: "How can anyone say no to that?" Unfortunately, we do. Someone is reaching out to us but we turn them away for a myriad of reasons. My son does not know a stranger, which is good and bad. His friendliness will serve him well, and I need to follow that example by extending cordiality to everyone I encounter.
"With" -- we all know and understand that this is a preposition. Great, but how does that apply here? The term denotes position and use of the parts surrounding. Huh? Okay, what we have is a word that joins reaching out with a kiss (the part that follows); yet, underneath that piece is a relationship. Relationships that are based upon trust and comfort result in times of peace. Children and parents demonstrate that beautifully. When a bad thunderstorm rolled through several weeks ago, my son wanted one thing -- me. Why? He is comfortable with me around. The wind was howling and rain/hail beating on the windows, but he went to sleep in my arms -- a perfect picture of rest. That is how we need to be as the turbulent times arise in our world. Go to God and then go to sleep knowing that He will take care of you through it all.
"A holy" -- yep, this word is an interesting one. It is only found twice in the New Testament and it NEVER refers to individuals -- always things. The reference is to reverence or that should be esteemed. It is based upon "character springing from its relations, nearer or remoter, from God." Again, we see the same implication as the preposition: a mutual relationship with mutual motives and mutual esteem. That, in a sense, is true love between individuals in that they choose one another and take steps to maintain that character.
"Kiss" -- all the teenagers are anxiously awaiting this one so that they can say they have a Scriptural mandate to kiss the opposite sex. Unfortunately, this is not the mandate they seek. The term references a fraternal affection as a sign of welcoming or well-wishes on a departure. Go back to the initial example of my son wanting to give "daddy kisses." Why? Because he just wanted to. He wanted to show that I was welcome in his world. When I leave, his kisses are to say: "come back soon, daddy, so we can play." Do we treat others in a way that shows them they are welcome in our lives??
Whew! Who knew that children had so much to teach us from one little verse???
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Christian Credibility...
I am now wrapping up a leadership class called "Credibility" and it is based upon the book by Kouzes and Posner of the same name. The crux of this book can be summed in 3 key points: (1) constituents want leaders that are trustworthy, (2) credibility can only be earned through hard work, and (3) trustworthiness and credibility are created as words match deeds. This has been a thought-provoking read for me, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the much studying over the 33 pages of notes in preparation for the concluding test (please go back and reread the last sentence attempting to detect the abundant sarcasm).
After putting my son down for bedtime, I read my Bible and Paul, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reiterated that very lesson. In verse 5, we see the central thesis of this section in that Christians are to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." Stop and think about that for a moment -- EVERY mental perception that comes to us during the day must be taken by force, chained, and led away to obey Christ. The strength of that language reveals just how difficult the struggle we face in our daily lives.
This is harsh; however, verse 4 shows us that our weapons to do this are "mighty in God." The Greek word mighty is "dynatos," which, of course, is where we get our modern term dynamite. The deeper implication is a presence of strength in the soul to endure long, difficult battles. Remember, a Christian's strength rests not in himself but in the One to which they turn for saving grace -- Jesus Christ. So, only by Christ can we command that EVERY thought coming into our minds be those that are well pleasing to Him.
This underlying truth is vital to understand the remainder of the chapter, whereby Paul explains the basis of his authority. He implicates others that are gossiping by challenging his authority, but he does so by not denying their truthfulness. He readily admits that his physical presence is not commanding and that his speaking ability lacks polish (verse 10). Paul, then brilliantly, turns their argument against them (and this is my paraphrase): "Yep, I am not much of a speaker, but here my clearly in that what I have said in letters while away from you will be restated again when in person with you." In other words, he was credible because his words and his deeds matched.
Far too often, Christians cannot make that same assertion. Yes, we are human; but we have Divine power that can be accessed. We are guilty of saying one thing in church and living a completely different life on Monday through Saturday. Why are we guilty of this? Because we are choosing NOT to bring EVERY thought into the captivity of Christ. Here that clearly -- WE are making this choice.
Maturity is admitting and accepting personal responsibility for the part I play in an issue. By "growing up" spiritually and living like God intended, we grow our Christian credibility on a daily basis. If we are not teaching others through our words and our lives, then we lack Christian credibility....
After putting my son down for bedtime, I read my Bible and Paul, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reiterated that very lesson. In verse 5, we see the central thesis of this section in that Christians are to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." Stop and think about that for a moment -- EVERY mental perception that comes to us during the day must be taken by force, chained, and led away to obey Christ. The strength of that language reveals just how difficult the struggle we face in our daily lives.
This is harsh; however, verse 4 shows us that our weapons to do this are "mighty in God." The Greek word mighty is "dynatos," which, of course, is where we get our modern term dynamite. The deeper implication is a presence of strength in the soul to endure long, difficult battles. Remember, a Christian's strength rests not in himself but in the One to which they turn for saving grace -- Jesus Christ. So, only by Christ can we command that EVERY thought coming into our minds be those that are well pleasing to Him.
This underlying truth is vital to understand the remainder of the chapter, whereby Paul explains the basis of his authority. He implicates others that are gossiping by challenging his authority, but he does so by not denying their truthfulness. He readily admits that his physical presence is not commanding and that his speaking ability lacks polish (verse 10). Paul, then brilliantly, turns their argument against them (and this is my paraphrase): "Yep, I am not much of a speaker, but here my clearly in that what I have said in letters while away from you will be restated again when in person with you." In other words, he was credible because his words and his deeds matched.
Far too often, Christians cannot make that same assertion. Yes, we are human; but we have Divine power that can be accessed. We are guilty of saying one thing in church and living a completely different life on Monday through Saturday. Why are we guilty of this? Because we are choosing NOT to bring EVERY thought into the captivity of Christ. Here that clearly -- WE are making this choice.
Maturity is admitting and accepting personal responsibility for the part I play in an issue. By "growing up" spiritually and living like God intended, we grow our Christian credibility on a daily basis. If we are not teaching others through our words and our lives, then we lack Christian credibility....
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Thoughts about Thanksgiving....
I have witnessed a rather interesting adjustment in my life-time. As a child, I remember distinct phases from October through January: Halloween (a minor blip on the radar) with Thanksgiving and Christmas (major blips) followed by New Year's (somewhere between minor and major). Now, we have two distinct phases: Halloween, which has grown in significance through advertising, and "the holidays," which really are centered along the 25th of December and 1st of January.
I am not going into a bemoaning of Halloween and whether Christians should or should not participate; however, I will talk about the one holiday that is largely forgotten -- Thanksgiving. When this word is mentioned, do you know what the most popular associations are named? I will rank them in order that I have discovered: turkey, football, black Friday, and family. How in the world is family the last of the top four? That shows just how much we have forgotten about this holiday that will arrive in less than a week.
The original feast was about sharing what you had willingly with someone else. It was a celebration of the harvest and survival that could occur during the approaching winter. It was an opportunity to reflect upon the blessings of the year EVEN THOUGH that year contained many hardships. It was a time of personal journey through the past as you considered how little of the year remained.
Now, Thanksgiving is a time to eat, watch some football, spend time with family, get off of work, and get ready for the Christmas shopping. We have allowed this season to disappear and the root of that allowance is greed 0 it may not be our own greed but that of corporations as they seek to entice us to purchase their goods to give to others.
You may be wondering where this came from? Well, II Corinthians 9:15 is a short verse, only 8 words, but they are packed with power -- "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." As the season of Thanksgiving comes upon us, let us ponder the true meaning of Christmas -- the birth of Jesus Christ. We need to be thankful all throughout the year for this birth, but we should really start those thoughts now.
Without this baby, we have no opportunity for eternity with God. Without this baby, we have to fear death. Without this baby, we have no power to live because temptations are unconquerable. Without this baby, we have no example to follow. Without this baby, we have no hope!
Behind this baby, though, is the gift of the Father. He did not have to provide anything for us, but He chose to do so. God gave out of His "generosity" not out of "obligation" (II Corinthians 9:5). As we enter the season of Thanks, stop and really think through all the blessings you have been given. Further, follow His example and choose to give to others out of your generosity not obligation. After all, God loves a cheerful giver.
Happy Thanksgiving....
I am not going into a bemoaning of Halloween and whether Christians should or should not participate; however, I will talk about the one holiday that is largely forgotten -- Thanksgiving. When this word is mentioned, do you know what the most popular associations are named? I will rank them in order that I have discovered: turkey, football, black Friday, and family. How in the world is family the last of the top four? That shows just how much we have forgotten about this holiday that will arrive in less than a week.
The original feast was about sharing what you had willingly with someone else. It was a celebration of the harvest and survival that could occur during the approaching winter. It was an opportunity to reflect upon the blessings of the year EVEN THOUGH that year contained many hardships. It was a time of personal journey through the past as you considered how little of the year remained.
Now, Thanksgiving is a time to eat, watch some football, spend time with family, get off of work, and get ready for the Christmas shopping. We have allowed this season to disappear and the root of that allowance is greed 0 it may not be our own greed but that of corporations as they seek to entice us to purchase their goods to give to others.
You may be wondering where this came from? Well, II Corinthians 9:15 is a short verse, only 8 words, but they are packed with power -- "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." As the season of Thanksgiving comes upon us, let us ponder the true meaning of Christmas -- the birth of Jesus Christ. We need to be thankful all throughout the year for this birth, but we should really start those thoughts now.
Without this baby, we have no opportunity for eternity with God. Without this baby, we have to fear death. Without this baby, we have no power to live because temptations are unconquerable. Without this baby, we have no example to follow. Without this baby, we have no hope!
Behind this baby, though, is the gift of the Father. He did not have to provide anything for us, but He chose to do so. God gave out of His "generosity" not out of "obligation" (II Corinthians 9:5). As we enter the season of Thanks, stop and really think through all the blessings you have been given. Further, follow His example and choose to give to others out of your generosity not obligation. After all, God loves a cheerful giver.
Happy Thanksgiving....
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Smart Phone and a Stupid Priorities....
I will readily admit that I am very stingy with my money; however, as my wife will tell you, I have my moments of really spending money. Those times do not come very often, but when they do, I tend to get some expensive stuff. Lately, I've been checking out smart phones so that we can switch our provider to get a better deal -- price wise -- with a new company. Well, tonight, I got a call from a friend who is facing some rather odd circumstances.
I've spent a good bit of time on research and pricing the phone I have identified, and, boy, it will be a good phone. Yet, why is that my priority? I've not put up a journal here lately because I've been "too busy." Really? Too busy? Granted, I have pulled some late nights and will have a LONG day tomorrow, but being too busy was not the issue at all. It was stupid priorities that need to be balanced.
As I was pondering that and getting ready to put the kids down, I knocked my Bible over and it opened to an underlined verse -- I Corinthians 5:15 "and He died for all that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him to died for them and rose again." Yeah, Lord, I get the message.
For those that have placed their faith in Christ, we cannot live for ourselves. Our lives are to be devoted to serving Him and fulfilling the purposes that He has for us. In other words, we look for opportunities to minister to others in word or deed. The problem, as I have personally evidenced, is that we do not look for those opportunities under the guise of being "too busy." We have all the time that we need, but we make choices to neglect certain things.
Why should we live for Him instead of ourselves? Isn't it my life after all? No, no it is not. The key to understanding this piece are the last 3 words of the verse -- "and rose again." We have life in Christ because He conquered death. He paid the price for the sin of all mankind on the cross -- He died -- but He provided new life because He conquered death -- He resurrected. For me to live with the right priorities, I need to forsake the old things and put on righteousness (v 21).
Smart phones and "stuff" are cool and lots of fun; however, they cannot be the priority of our lives. If so, we are not living as we should because we are not living for Him. We are challenges to clean up our lives and perfect "holiness in the fear of God" (I Corinthians 7:1). Sometimes the most innocent of calls or personal clumsiness can be used to challenge a personal perspective. He does work in mysterious ways, but are you looking??
I've spent a good bit of time on research and pricing the phone I have identified, and, boy, it will be a good phone. Yet, why is that my priority? I've not put up a journal here lately because I've been "too busy." Really? Too busy? Granted, I have pulled some late nights and will have a LONG day tomorrow, but being too busy was not the issue at all. It was stupid priorities that need to be balanced.
As I was pondering that and getting ready to put the kids down, I knocked my Bible over and it opened to an underlined verse -- I Corinthians 5:15 "and He died for all that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him to died for them and rose again." Yeah, Lord, I get the message.
For those that have placed their faith in Christ, we cannot live for ourselves. Our lives are to be devoted to serving Him and fulfilling the purposes that He has for us. In other words, we look for opportunities to minister to others in word or deed. The problem, as I have personally evidenced, is that we do not look for those opportunities under the guise of being "too busy." We have all the time that we need, but we make choices to neglect certain things.
Why should we live for Him instead of ourselves? Isn't it my life after all? No, no it is not. The key to understanding this piece are the last 3 words of the verse -- "and rose again." We have life in Christ because He conquered death. He paid the price for the sin of all mankind on the cross -- He died -- but He provided new life because He conquered death -- He resurrected. For me to live with the right priorities, I need to forsake the old things and put on righteousness (v 21).
Smart phones and "stuff" are cool and lots of fun; however, they cannot be the priority of our lives. If so, we are not living as we should because we are not living for Him. We are challenges to clean up our lives and perfect "holiness in the fear of God" (I Corinthians 7:1). Sometimes the most innocent of calls or personal clumsiness can be used to challenge a personal perspective. He does work in mysterious ways, but are you looking??
Sunday, November 7, 2010
30 Minutes and 2 Screaming Children...
Okay, so let me describe to you how EVERY Sunday night goes for our family. We get within 5 feet of our car to come home from church, and the baby girl begins her screaming. I'm not talking about whimpering or pouting, I mean eardrum busting, toenail pulling, absolute yelling at the top of her lungs. That continues for 30 minutes as we navigate country roads and deer to come home. She doesn't pause to take a breath at all, and we can clearly see that she has a powerful set of lungs on her. Then, when arriving at home, we have to fight the battle of getting them changed, bathed, and in bed while trying to unwind ourselves and prepare for the beginning of the work week. Sunday nights are not so restful for us....
Tonight was no different regarding the girl; however, the boy was completely out of the ordinary. He did not have a good nap this afternoon and played hard, which, of course, led him to whine the whole way home. Because he got to see grandma at church, we was calling out to see her because she, obviously, could make things better (if you need to, go back and reread that last statement for the blatant sarcasm contained in it). Not getting his way, he decided to formulate a confederation with his sister and began to cry as well. Again, bear in mind that this ride is 30 minutes with 2 screaming children; so there is no talking among the adults and the radio cannot drown them out either.
In all honesty, I have no earthly idea why this is taking place or how to even eradicate it. The screaming just gets all over me and there is no escaping it within the tight confines of the small SUV. Apparently, the Lord really has a lesson that He wants me to learn because we endure this EVERY Sunday night!!
I, in trying to get ready for bed and following my "no Bible no bed" rule, grabbed my NKVJ and flipped it open to 2 Corinthians 1. I was quickly reading some verses, just to "satisfy" the daily routine instead of truly digging for truth, when I stopped and started reading again. I knew that I was not here to really gain truth; so in restarting, verse 2 caused me to pause: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Grace? I get that. Peace? That word needed some examination. Using Strong's Concordance of the New Testament and Thayer's Lexicon, a light bulb began to flash. Our modern world talks of peace and means and absence of war or a time of harmony with everyone. While that is the foundational element of peace, there is something else that is missing -- harmony between nations comes when they are content with their circumstances. Order exists because each side is prosperous and secure. Others may have more, but a balance between wants and needs has been attained. The balance is created by personal choice either due to significant military strength in the other nation or happiness with the current circumstances.
The concept of peace, when applied to Christianity, invokes a rather unique picture. We have nothing to fear from God because His grace has brought us into the family. Peace, as an acronym, could be: Presenting Evidence About Christ's Excellence. Let me explain -- when the "hell and high-water" of life hits us, we get the opportunity (yes, I did say opportunity) to showcase the excellence of Christ. Instead of fussing and fuming about our circumstances, we can sit calmly and acknowledge the control of Christ. Because He is more glorious than anything on this earth, the loss of a car due to a wreck really does not matter. In fact, it is a chance for us to share the gospel with the persons involved or, at the very least, the law enforcement official investigating.
In the car with those screaming kids, I need to be more like my wife who can "tune out" the screaming. I don't know how she does it, but, then again, I do. She is with the kids all day long and has become "immune" to this screaming. We, as Christians, need to follow that example. We need to be with Christ so much that these bumps in the road can be tuned out because our focus is exclusively on Jesus.
Presenting Evidence About Christ's Excellence! To do so, you must know Him through a dependent relationship. Yeah, looks like the kids are going to keep screaming so that I am reminded of that fact EVERY week....
Tonight was no different regarding the girl; however, the boy was completely out of the ordinary. He did not have a good nap this afternoon and played hard, which, of course, led him to whine the whole way home. Because he got to see grandma at church, we was calling out to see her because she, obviously, could make things better (if you need to, go back and reread that last statement for the blatant sarcasm contained in it). Not getting his way, he decided to formulate a confederation with his sister and began to cry as well. Again, bear in mind that this ride is 30 minutes with 2 screaming children; so there is no talking among the adults and the radio cannot drown them out either.
In all honesty, I have no earthly idea why this is taking place or how to even eradicate it. The screaming just gets all over me and there is no escaping it within the tight confines of the small SUV. Apparently, the Lord really has a lesson that He wants me to learn because we endure this EVERY Sunday night!!
I, in trying to get ready for bed and following my "no Bible no bed" rule, grabbed my NKVJ and flipped it open to 2 Corinthians 1. I was quickly reading some verses, just to "satisfy" the daily routine instead of truly digging for truth, when I stopped and started reading again. I knew that I was not here to really gain truth; so in restarting, verse 2 caused me to pause: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Grace? I get that. Peace? That word needed some examination. Using Strong's Concordance of the New Testament and Thayer's Lexicon, a light bulb began to flash. Our modern world talks of peace and means and absence of war or a time of harmony with everyone. While that is the foundational element of peace, there is something else that is missing -- harmony between nations comes when they are content with their circumstances. Order exists because each side is prosperous and secure. Others may have more, but a balance between wants and needs has been attained. The balance is created by personal choice either due to significant military strength in the other nation or happiness with the current circumstances.
The concept of peace, when applied to Christianity, invokes a rather unique picture. We have nothing to fear from God because His grace has brought us into the family. Peace, as an acronym, could be: Presenting Evidence About Christ's Excellence. Let me explain -- when the "hell and high-water" of life hits us, we get the opportunity (yes, I did say opportunity) to showcase the excellence of Christ. Instead of fussing and fuming about our circumstances, we can sit calmly and acknowledge the control of Christ. Because He is more glorious than anything on this earth, the loss of a car due to a wreck really does not matter. In fact, it is a chance for us to share the gospel with the persons involved or, at the very least, the law enforcement official investigating.
In the car with those screaming kids, I need to be more like my wife who can "tune out" the screaming. I don't know how she does it, but, then again, I do. She is with the kids all day long and has become "immune" to this screaming. We, as Christians, need to follow that example. We need to be with Christ so much that these bumps in the road can be tuned out because our focus is exclusively on Jesus.
Presenting Evidence About Christ's Excellence! To do so, you must know Him through a dependent relationship. Yeah, looks like the kids are going to keep screaming so that I am reminded of that fact EVERY week....
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Is This Love that I'm Feeling?
Growing up in the 80s, I was a child of the big hair bands. I would slip into my brother's room to listen to his records or delight to ride with him in the car to hear this "strange" music. While I cannot remember the name of the group or the name of the song, a hit had a line that matches the title of this blog -- "Is this love that I'm feeling?" As we turn to the last chapter of I Corinthians, this question looms large.
I Corinthians 16:14 says: "let all that you do be done in love." That's a pretty strong statement - ALL that you do. Honestly, I fail with that dictate because I do not do everything out of love. In fact, I do some things just to spite people; and that reaction is not "Christian" because it, in no way, is the example that Jesus established for us.
Love, in this verse, is the Greek word agape. It references good will, benevolence, or affection. The word is based upon a term that can be utilized for people or things. When the intent is for people, the implication is a welcoming or entertaining spirit in that the action undertaken is totally for the benefit of the other person. In referencing things, the underlying assumption is being contented with the "thing."
Think of that in your daily life. Are you contented with the current possessions that you have or the status of your life? If not, then you are not doing things in love. What about others? Do you take steps to be welcoming to others and entertain them at personal cost of your time, efforts, or desires? If not, then you are not doing all things in love.
The initial word of the verse "let" is something you would not expect. It means to come upon the stage of men appearing in public. In other words, we become actors with a specific part to play, and that part is to do everything in love. The key here is to remember that acting is a choice -- you typically have to "try out" for the part. If we are called Christians, then we can say with David in Psalms 34:8 - we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. We have "tried out" and been given the part.
How well do you obey this dictate? Do you love every person and every thing that comes into your life? If not,you, like I, need to change your heart and allow the love of God to permeate every facet of the life....
I Corinthians 16:14 says: "let all that you do be done in love." That's a pretty strong statement - ALL that you do. Honestly, I fail with that dictate because I do not do everything out of love. In fact, I do some things just to spite people; and that reaction is not "Christian" because it, in no way, is the example that Jesus established for us.
Love, in this verse, is the Greek word agape. It references good will, benevolence, or affection. The word is based upon a term that can be utilized for people or things. When the intent is for people, the implication is a welcoming or entertaining spirit in that the action undertaken is totally for the benefit of the other person. In referencing things, the underlying assumption is being contented with the "thing."
Think of that in your daily life. Are you contented with the current possessions that you have or the status of your life? If not, then you are not doing things in love. What about others? Do you take steps to be welcoming to others and entertain them at personal cost of your time, efforts, or desires? If not, then you are not doing all things in love.
The initial word of the verse "let" is something you would not expect. It means to come upon the stage of men appearing in public. In other words, we become actors with a specific part to play, and that part is to do everything in love. The key here is to remember that acting is a choice -- you typically have to "try out" for the part. If we are called Christians, then we can say with David in Psalms 34:8 - we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. We have "tried out" and been given the part.
How well do you obey this dictate? Do you love every person and every thing that comes into your life? If not,you, like I, need to change your heart and allow the love of God to permeate every facet of the life....
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Football and the Bible....
A couple of nights ago, I was out in the dusk playing with my son. He ran around with my football and tried his best to throw it to me. Then, as any little boy would want, he begged me to throw it to him. I tried to lob the ball, skip it to him, or any way that would help him catch it; however, he is just not developmentally ready to catch a football.
Well, the inevitable happened, footballs, as you see every weekend watching the sport on television, take interesting bounces. This one clanged him pretty hard in the ribs. He paused, looked at me, stuck his lip out, and then began to cry. I motioned for him to come to me, which he did running, and gave him a hug. That simple attention was all he needed. In a flash, he quit crying and took off running again. He turned around and wanted that football tossed to him. It really was getting dark and cooling off; so I said no and took him inside. He screamed worse than he did when he took the nose of the football into his ribs.
After his bath, Bible story, and a couple of songs to put him to bed, I sat down with my Bible and opened it to continue 1 Corinthians. Chapter 12 and 13 really went well together; so I read them. It as amazing how the events of the evening with my son paralleled what Goad was teaching me in my devotions.
Chapter 12 deals with spiritual gifts and chapter 13 is the famous "love chapter" of the Bible. Paul argues, in chapter 12, that we all have spiritual gifts bestowed upon us by God and that we are uniquely positioned to accomplish His will with those gifts. Verses 11 and 18 tell us those gifts are "as He wills" and "just as He pleased." He is in control and gives us exactly what we need. That realization is vital for us to remember as we go through life. We have exactly what God wants us to have. What we may view as bad for us, in the eyes of God, is precisely what we need at that moment.
As Paul concludes his argument about gifts, he does so, in verse 31 by saying: "yet I show you a more excellent way." In other words, desiring gifts and using them are great; however, there is something better. Then, we turn to the love chapter. Here is my take on how these two work together -- gifts then love. God gives us gifts out of love but we may not view it that way. Chapter 13 describes love for us, but the only person that could ever reach that standards is Jesus Christ. He alone perfectly exemplified love.
I drew my son close to me when he was in pain from the football for the same reason that I upset him by heading inside -- LOVE. Love will get you through the pain in life because you realize that God has a purpose and a plan for everything. For instance, right now as I type, my daughter is whacking herself in the head with a long wooden spoon. Why? She is developing her motor skills -- that's good for her -- but sometimes pain comes along with maturity.
Step back and learn from children as their simple lives show us the complexity of our own. We protect them out of love but push them, sometimes leading to pain (i.e. falling off a bike), because we know what is best for them. If we are that way to our children, just picture how much that applies to our Heavenly Father. As the song says: "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus."
Well, the inevitable happened, footballs, as you see every weekend watching the sport on television, take interesting bounces. This one clanged him pretty hard in the ribs. He paused, looked at me, stuck his lip out, and then began to cry. I motioned for him to come to me, which he did running, and gave him a hug. That simple attention was all he needed. In a flash, he quit crying and took off running again. He turned around and wanted that football tossed to him. It really was getting dark and cooling off; so I said no and took him inside. He screamed worse than he did when he took the nose of the football into his ribs.
After his bath, Bible story, and a couple of songs to put him to bed, I sat down with my Bible and opened it to continue 1 Corinthians. Chapter 12 and 13 really went well together; so I read them. It as amazing how the events of the evening with my son paralleled what Goad was teaching me in my devotions.
Chapter 12 deals with spiritual gifts and chapter 13 is the famous "love chapter" of the Bible. Paul argues, in chapter 12, that we all have spiritual gifts bestowed upon us by God and that we are uniquely positioned to accomplish His will with those gifts. Verses 11 and 18 tell us those gifts are "as He wills" and "just as He pleased." He is in control and gives us exactly what we need. That realization is vital for us to remember as we go through life. We have exactly what God wants us to have. What we may view as bad for us, in the eyes of God, is precisely what we need at that moment.
As Paul concludes his argument about gifts, he does so, in verse 31 by saying: "yet I show you a more excellent way." In other words, desiring gifts and using them are great; however, there is something better. Then, we turn to the love chapter. Here is my take on how these two work together -- gifts then love. God gives us gifts out of love but we may not view it that way. Chapter 13 describes love for us, but the only person that could ever reach that standards is Jesus Christ. He alone perfectly exemplified love.
I drew my son close to me when he was in pain from the football for the same reason that I upset him by heading inside -- LOVE. Love will get you through the pain in life because you realize that God has a purpose and a plan for everything. For instance, right now as I type, my daughter is whacking herself in the head with a long wooden spoon. Why? She is developing her motor skills -- that's good for her -- but sometimes pain comes along with maturity.
Step back and learn from children as their simple lives show us the complexity of our own. We protect them out of love but push them, sometimes leading to pain (i.e. falling off a bike), because we know what is best for them. If we are that way to our children, just picture how much that applies to our Heavenly Father. As the song says: "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus."
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Why??
That word, although short, is implemented frequently in conversations. It is used as a cry of despair as someone does not understand what is taking place in their life (think of when you lost a loved one suddenly or experienced a natural disaster). It is used demonstratively as an obstinate term to question another person's motives or actions (ever been in a meeting when someone disagreed with a decision and demanded to be told why?). It is used to press someone when you do not get your way (think of a toddler that is told "no").
As I face my own uncertainty and odd circumstances, this question seems to emerge. So, let's ask the question and explore the answer. Why? So that God can get the glory! I Corinthians 10:31 says: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Why pain? Why uncertainty? God will get the glory in everything; so, we have to trust in that during those times.
Let's take that word "why" and apply it in different situations. Chely Wright, a country singer, has a song with the following line: "Why do I do what I do when I don't know what I'm doing?" Go back and re-read it because I missed it the first time. Why is it that I react in a particular fashion when I am confused and have no clue what I should be doing? That is the essence of our human behavior. Christians should answer that question by saying -- when all is unclear, I specifically seek ways to glorify God and not myself.
Really answer this question here: why do you try to do your best at work? Is it to make money? Is it for recognition? Is it to gain a promotion? The answer should be no. We should be seeking to glorify God with our actions at work and that will mean doing our best. Our motives reveal what or Who we serve; so the key is to ensure that we live I Corinthians 10:31 everyday.
Focus on glorifying God and the rest will fall into place. He is in control anyway; so rest in Him and glorify Him.
As I face my own uncertainty and odd circumstances, this question seems to emerge. So, let's ask the question and explore the answer. Why? So that God can get the glory! I Corinthians 10:31 says: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Why pain? Why uncertainty? God will get the glory in everything; so, we have to trust in that during those times.
Let's take that word "why" and apply it in different situations. Chely Wright, a country singer, has a song with the following line: "Why do I do what I do when I don't know what I'm doing?" Go back and re-read it because I missed it the first time. Why is it that I react in a particular fashion when I am confused and have no clue what I should be doing? That is the essence of our human behavior. Christians should answer that question by saying -- when all is unclear, I specifically seek ways to glorify God and not myself.
Really answer this question here: why do you try to do your best at work? Is it to make money? Is it for recognition? Is it to gain a promotion? The answer should be no. We should be seeking to glorify God with our actions at work and that will mean doing our best. Our motives reveal what or Who we serve; so the key is to ensure that we live I Corinthians 10:31 everyday.
Focus on glorifying God and the rest will fall into place. He is in control anyway; so rest in Him and glorify Him.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
I "Know" I am Right, but I am Really Wrong....
I Corinthians is peppered with references to Christian liberty and how a Christian should govern their lives. Chapter 8 is entirely devoted to this topic and we will see again what God, through the Apostle Paul, has for us.
To deal with Christian liberty, Paul takes up the issue of eating meat offered to idols. This practice sounds a little odd to us, but we need to consider ancient culture to gain a better understanding. Had I lived in Corinth and did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, I would buy an animal and take it to the temple. The animal would be sacrificed and some of the meat offered to my "god" and the rest available for resale or consumption at the temple. Archaeologists have uncovered temples in Corinth with what seem to be large banquet halls. These would be used for consumption of the remaining meat while some other was sold by the temple to fill its coffers. Paul takes us either practices in this short chapter.
The opening verse contains the underlying theme of this entire discussion: "Knowledge puffs up but love edifies." Huh? Think about it just a bit. When we attain a little bit of knowledge, we believe we know it all and start showing just how much we know. Yet, if you ever find yourself in the presence of a true genius, they do not try to showcase their knowledge. They are some of the most humble people you will ever meet.
Paul specifically takes on those Christians that believe eating meat in the temple or buying meat that was sacrificed is acceptable. They "know" they are right and will disputed that fact with anyone. Verse 11 implies that fact in that Paul questions them: "and because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish?" Instead, Paul says that these individuals need to realize they are not as right as they believe -- verse 13: "if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat it again." In other words, our love for others needs to be so strong that we sacrifice what we believe are our "rights" to make their benefit paramount.
This type of teaching is considered strange by our culture, because we have become so steeped in the pursuit of our own rights and desires. This age is called the "Me Generation" and that is so true. We want what WE WANT and could care less about others and their needs or best interest. That mentality is post-modern existentialism and not Biblical thought. How do I know? God makes it abundantly clear in I Corinthians 10:24 - "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well being." When choices must be made between what will only benefit me and what may bring others closer to Christ because it reveals our love for Him, we must choose others.
The phrase "let your conscience be your guide" is widely promulgated today; however, that phrase needs modification. If the Holy Spirit lives within me, then He will guide as we should go; yet, there are times when issues are less than clear. If two people do not agree on an issue, the compromise toward the more stringent conscience is needed. For instance, my history colleagues at UNC-G would go to a bar after class to fellowship; but I never went. When asked, I explained my position to the folks (what if one of my kids in the youth group saw me going into a bar? what would they assume I was doing?). These classmates understood and changed their location to a coffee house -- they allowed my conscience to guide there conscience. Our choices, if they cause others to stumble, are pride-based and, therefore, wrong; so to counteract this tendency, we need to love others more than our personal desires.
Is this easy? No. God never promised that doing the right thing would be easy; however, He has promised that we can do "all things through Christ" who provides us strength (Philippians 4:13).
Someone is probably reading and saying: "Wait a minute!! This is my life and I get to live it how I want to." Is this really your life? Did you give yourself life? No. Paul's foundational argument in I Corinthians 6 is that we are not our own because we were bought with a price (6:20). If we are not our own, that means someone else owns us, thereby, making us slaves. If we are slaves of God, then our entire life must be focused on bringing Him glory (10:31). So, in sum, if you call yourself a Christian, then you must live like it by following these principals. This last paragraph, and your beliefs about it, determine whether any of the previous information is of value.
I am not my own, so I do not have "rights" that I have to protect. Let go of pride and embrace the humility of God. He offers the best for us but we have to be "wrong" in order to see it.
To deal with Christian liberty, Paul takes up the issue of eating meat offered to idols. This practice sounds a little odd to us, but we need to consider ancient culture to gain a better understanding. Had I lived in Corinth and did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, I would buy an animal and take it to the temple. The animal would be sacrificed and some of the meat offered to my "god" and the rest available for resale or consumption at the temple. Archaeologists have uncovered temples in Corinth with what seem to be large banquet halls. These would be used for consumption of the remaining meat while some other was sold by the temple to fill its coffers. Paul takes us either practices in this short chapter.
The opening verse contains the underlying theme of this entire discussion: "Knowledge puffs up but love edifies." Huh? Think about it just a bit. When we attain a little bit of knowledge, we believe we know it all and start showing just how much we know. Yet, if you ever find yourself in the presence of a true genius, they do not try to showcase their knowledge. They are some of the most humble people you will ever meet.
Paul specifically takes on those Christians that believe eating meat in the temple or buying meat that was sacrificed is acceptable. They "know" they are right and will disputed that fact with anyone. Verse 11 implies that fact in that Paul questions them: "and because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish?" Instead, Paul says that these individuals need to realize they are not as right as they believe -- verse 13: "if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat it again." In other words, our love for others needs to be so strong that we sacrifice what we believe are our "rights" to make their benefit paramount.
This type of teaching is considered strange by our culture, because we have become so steeped in the pursuit of our own rights and desires. This age is called the "Me Generation" and that is so true. We want what WE WANT and could care less about others and their needs or best interest. That mentality is post-modern existentialism and not Biblical thought. How do I know? God makes it abundantly clear in I Corinthians 10:24 - "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well being." When choices must be made between what will only benefit me and what may bring others closer to Christ because it reveals our love for Him, we must choose others.
The phrase "let your conscience be your guide" is widely promulgated today; however, that phrase needs modification. If the Holy Spirit lives within me, then He will guide as we should go; yet, there are times when issues are less than clear. If two people do not agree on an issue, the compromise toward the more stringent conscience is needed. For instance, my history colleagues at UNC-G would go to a bar after class to fellowship; but I never went. When asked, I explained my position to the folks (what if one of my kids in the youth group saw me going into a bar? what would they assume I was doing?). These classmates understood and changed their location to a coffee house -- they allowed my conscience to guide there conscience. Our choices, if they cause others to stumble, are pride-based and, therefore, wrong; so to counteract this tendency, we need to love others more than our personal desires.
Is this easy? No. God never promised that doing the right thing would be easy; however, He has promised that we can do "all things through Christ" who provides us strength (Philippians 4:13).
Someone is probably reading and saying: "Wait a minute!! This is my life and I get to live it how I want to." Is this really your life? Did you give yourself life? No. Paul's foundational argument in I Corinthians 6 is that we are not our own because we were bought with a price (6:20). If we are not our own, that means someone else owns us, thereby, making us slaves. If we are slaves of God, then our entire life must be focused on bringing Him glory (10:31). So, in sum, if you call yourself a Christian, then you must live like it by following these principals. This last paragraph, and your beliefs about it, determine whether any of the previous information is of value.
I am not my own, so I do not have "rights" that I have to protect. Let go of pride and embrace the humility of God. He offers the best for us but we have to be "wrong" in order to see it.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Freedom is NOT a Free for All
So, we turn to the topic of Christian liberty. Before we delve into the paragraph, we need to understand that freedom is not free. Typically, this statement refers to the military in the sacrifices they must make. As Christians, the same could be said of our liberty. While our spiritual freedom is free to us, it cost Christ His life. He died on a cross to shed His blood and atone for our sins. Our freedom came at tremendous cost to someone else.
With that understood, we need to examine Christian liberty. Verse 12 tells us that "all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful." So clearly here, we can do anything that we want; however, our desire needs to be balanced by what is helpful to us. Just because I can do something does not mean that it is the best thing for me. Jim Collins, in his seminal work Good to Great, attacks our culture for its acceptance of good when we could be great. That same principal applies in the Christian life.
Think of it this way: I really want a red Dodge Dakota 4x4 pickup and there is no Scriptural mandate against buying it. It would be good because I would have more space to take my entire family instead of only being able to take my son. Yet, is it best for me? No. The new vehicle means a car payment, higher insurance costs, an increase in fuel costs, and the fact that vehicles immediately depreciate before the ink is dry on the contract. Good and lawful but not best or helpful.
Our lives are filled with difficult and often unclear decisions. We have wants and desires but need to balance them with what is best and right. The latter part of the verse states that Paul "would not be brought under the power of any." In other words, he did not want to yield control of his life to anything other than God. That is an essential consideration in spiritual liberty -- is the "good" choice going to be one that will enslave me, thereby, taking me away from God?
Remember, we are to glorify God in everything we do. He wants what is best for us, but we need to avoid distractions by settling for good when we can have greatness provided by God. Seek Him. Love Him. Trust Him. Serve Him.
With that understood, we need to examine Christian liberty. Verse 12 tells us that "all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful." So clearly here, we can do anything that we want; however, our desire needs to be balanced by what is helpful to us. Just because I can do something does not mean that it is the best thing for me. Jim Collins, in his seminal work Good to Great, attacks our culture for its acceptance of good when we could be great. That same principal applies in the Christian life.
Think of it this way: I really want a red Dodge Dakota 4x4 pickup and there is no Scriptural mandate against buying it. It would be good because I would have more space to take my entire family instead of only being able to take my son. Yet, is it best for me? No. The new vehicle means a car payment, higher insurance costs, an increase in fuel costs, and the fact that vehicles immediately depreciate before the ink is dry on the contract. Good and lawful but not best or helpful.
Our lives are filled with difficult and often unclear decisions. We have wants and desires but need to balance them with what is best and right. The latter part of the verse states that Paul "would not be brought under the power of any." In other words, he did not want to yield control of his life to anything other than God. That is an essential consideration in spiritual liberty -- is the "good" choice going to be one that will enslave me, thereby, taking me away from God?
Remember, we are to glorify God in everything we do. He wants what is best for us, but we need to avoid distractions by settling for good when we can have greatness provided by God. Seek Him. Love Him. Trust Him. Serve Him.
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Court of Providential Opinion....
As we continue to move through I Corinthians, chapter 6 was a rather interesting read. The chapter opens with an explanation that Christians should not sue other Christians. While I am familiar with this passage, I saw something tonight that I had never seen before. Verse 7: "Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?" OUCH!!
Our society is the swiftest on the draw when it comes to suing others or taking them to court for small matters. Paul here is not addressing criminal issues but civil ones that focus on where someone wronged someone else. These matters could and should be resolved in other fashions, and Paul was urging Christians -- those that love God and are considered His servants -- to ignore those slights. He does not explain why other than that others are watching our actions.
Let's go deeper here. Why do most people go to civil court? Civil court consists of compensatory damages whereby one party must "pay" the other party for a wrong that was enacted. Ultimately, this action is a legal way to prove that "my right" or "my way" was was just and to make the other person pay. In a sense, these types of cases are all about personal pride. Truthfully, that hurts.
I admit that I have a significant ego and lots of personal and professional pride; however, as a Christian, I cannot allow that to rule my personal or professional choices. Proverbs 16:18 says that "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." I may use my pride to prove a point, and win in the short term; however, I will eventually lose the war. Pride is the oldest of all sins and, honestly, is the root of all sins too because it is all about me and my choices.
Paul offers the solution to this when he urges Christians to accepts wrong or to give up what they perceive as "rights" for the cause of Christ. Since our major purpose is to glorify God in everything we do, then our choices must reflect what will bring Him the most glory. Will standing on personal pride to get what we want bring Him glory? Hardly. Will surrendering our wills to His, even when it stings, show others that something is different about us? Yes.
The world needs to see a difference in our lives. We may talk about being different and what Christ has done for us; but until we live our words, they have little meaning. Remember what verse 11 tells us: "but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." My opinion does not matter because He cleaned me up, set me apart for His purpose, and paid the price for my sin. If He paid a price that I cannot pay, then I owe Him my life because He has purchased me. Being owned by Him means that I enact His dictates willingly - even when it means being slighted by others.
See, it has nothing to do with me but has everything to do with Him. OUCH! I've got some changing to do. Do you?
Our society is the swiftest on the draw when it comes to suing others or taking them to court for small matters. Paul here is not addressing criminal issues but civil ones that focus on where someone wronged someone else. These matters could and should be resolved in other fashions, and Paul was urging Christians -- those that love God and are considered His servants -- to ignore those slights. He does not explain why other than that others are watching our actions.
Let's go deeper here. Why do most people go to civil court? Civil court consists of compensatory damages whereby one party must "pay" the other party for a wrong that was enacted. Ultimately, this action is a legal way to prove that "my right" or "my way" was was just and to make the other person pay. In a sense, these types of cases are all about personal pride. Truthfully, that hurts.
I admit that I have a significant ego and lots of personal and professional pride; however, as a Christian, I cannot allow that to rule my personal or professional choices. Proverbs 16:18 says that "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." I may use my pride to prove a point, and win in the short term; however, I will eventually lose the war. Pride is the oldest of all sins and, honestly, is the root of all sins too because it is all about me and my choices.
Paul offers the solution to this when he urges Christians to accepts wrong or to give up what they perceive as "rights" for the cause of Christ. Since our major purpose is to glorify God in everything we do, then our choices must reflect what will bring Him the most glory. Will standing on personal pride to get what we want bring Him glory? Hardly. Will surrendering our wills to His, even when it stings, show others that something is different about us? Yes.
The world needs to see a difference in our lives. We may talk about being different and what Christ has done for us; but until we live our words, they have little meaning. Remember what verse 11 tells us: "but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." My opinion does not matter because He cleaned me up, set me apart for His purpose, and paid the price for my sin. If He paid a price that I cannot pay, then I owe Him my life because He has purchased me. Being owned by Him means that I enact His dictates willingly - even when it means being slighted by others.
See, it has nothing to do with me but has everything to do with Him. OUCH! I've got some changing to do. Do you?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
You are God's Field...
In addition to the nightly reading of a Bible story with my son, I have added a short passage reading from my devotions the night before. Since I have started studying Corinthians, we are plodding through this book. I have my son say short snippets from each section (i.e. I Corinthians 1 -- "God is faithful") to help him retain much of this information. After all, God's Word, according to the Lord, "shall accomplish what I please" (Isaiah 55:11).
When we reached chapter 3, my son's short statement was from I Corinthians 3:9 -- "you are God's field." They metaphor is demonstrated in a different way later in the verse as we are told "you are God's building." Sitting in the deer stand this past weekend, I pondered those statements and the result is this blog. This short phrase opens for us because we see ownership, obligation, and opportunity.
The ownership is rather simple -- we are God's. We like to use language that indicates that life is ours to live; however, that viewpoint is faulty (see I Corinthians 6:20). If God owns the field, which we are, then He has bought us because ownership can only be claimed by a written deed. That deed was purchased as Christ shed His blood on the cross. While people may not believe they are owned by God, the written deed says otherwise. The paper record, due to a paid price, can be rejected; however, the legal standing remains.
Obligation originates because of ownership. God was to see His land blossom; so He will take steps to ensure that takes place. For a field to produce fruit, the land must be tilled, thereby, breaking up the hard soil. At times, the soil needs additional nutrients added to it; but once again, those soil additives can only be added through breaking up of the soil. So, when we are going through difficult times and wonder why, remember, we are God's field; and He, as the owner, is shaping the land to place us in a position to produce fruit. Maybe these difficult times are nothing more than God pulling weeds so that the seed gets all of the nutrients needed to produce what God intends.
Since the owner is obligated to the land and prepare it, He reveals His expectation, or opportunity, for the land. He wants fruit, and it is our responsibility to produce it. The land does not produce fruit of its own because it requires nutrients, sun, water, warmth and work. Yes, the land will grow what is planted; however, it takes a gardener to shape it. For instance, my yard can grow vegetables but that requires me to till the land, plant the seed, provide water, incorporate compost, trim the plants, pull weeds, and keep other "nutrient thieves" like grass from creeping into the garden.
In sum, God is in control. He knows what He is doing. Our role in this process is to accept His ownership, the nutrients provided to us through His obligation, and then take the opportunities, through His strength, to produce fruit. Remember, we are His field. He gets the credit for whatever is produced -- He purchased, He planted, He protected, and He produced. It is all about Him - to God be the glory!
When we reached chapter 3, my son's short statement was from I Corinthians 3:9 -- "you are God's field." They metaphor is demonstrated in a different way later in the verse as we are told "you are God's building." Sitting in the deer stand this past weekend, I pondered those statements and the result is this blog. This short phrase opens for us because we see ownership, obligation, and opportunity.
The ownership is rather simple -- we are God's. We like to use language that indicates that life is ours to live; however, that viewpoint is faulty (see I Corinthians 6:20). If God owns the field, which we are, then He has bought us because ownership can only be claimed by a written deed. That deed was purchased as Christ shed His blood on the cross. While people may not believe they are owned by God, the written deed says otherwise. The paper record, due to a paid price, can be rejected; however, the legal standing remains.
Obligation originates because of ownership. God was to see His land blossom; so He will take steps to ensure that takes place. For a field to produce fruit, the land must be tilled, thereby, breaking up the hard soil. At times, the soil needs additional nutrients added to it; but once again, those soil additives can only be added through breaking up of the soil. So, when we are going through difficult times and wonder why, remember, we are God's field; and He, as the owner, is shaping the land to place us in a position to produce fruit. Maybe these difficult times are nothing more than God pulling weeds so that the seed gets all of the nutrients needed to produce what God intends.
Since the owner is obligated to the land and prepare it, He reveals His expectation, or opportunity, for the land. He wants fruit, and it is our responsibility to produce it. The land does not produce fruit of its own because it requires nutrients, sun, water, warmth and work. Yes, the land will grow what is planted; however, it takes a gardener to shape it. For instance, my yard can grow vegetables but that requires me to till the land, plant the seed, provide water, incorporate compost, trim the plants, pull weeds, and keep other "nutrient thieves" like grass from creeping into the garden.
In sum, God is in control. He knows what He is doing. Our role in this process is to accept His ownership, the nutrients provided to us through His obligation, and then take the opportunities, through His strength, to produce fruit. Remember, we are His field. He gets the credit for whatever is produced -- He purchased, He planted, He protected, and He produced. It is all about Him - to God be the glory!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
When God Uses Children to Teach us a Lesson
Monday night, which was our first night in the new home, was a rather interesting evening in the Medley household. The house was a disaster because we could not unpack. Our children did not take much of a nap, which meant that unpacking was extremely slow. Mom and dad were really tired but chose to stick to the bedtime routine. I read Brandt his Bible story, we prayed, and I put him in bed. After a few songs, I told him that I loved him, got up, and left the room. That's when the "fun" for the evening began.
He got up so many times. Erin and I alternated dealing with him, and I was the "designated hammer" that brought discipline to the situation. I asked him if he thought this was fun (because it was killing me) and he said "No." When asked what he must do to avoid the discipline, his response was right on the money: "Stay in Brandt's bed." He knew what he needed to do but chose otherwise. This "dance" continued for nearly 3 hours and it was breaking my heart (while my wife was in the bed room crying). Finally, he went to sleep; and this issue has not recurred later in the week.
How does this story apply to the title? In the midst of the getting-out-of-bed issue, I read my Bible and started the book of Zechariah. Verse 1 contains a plea from God: "Return to me and I will return to you." The remainder of the opening section details why God was displeased with His children -- He sent prophet after prophet to get His people to change their ways, but they refused to obey. Thus, verse 7 shows us that "according to our ways and according to our deeds, so has He dealt with us."
The words of that short passage became so real through the experience I was having with my son. As I pondered the Scripture and situation, I gained an understanding of how I make God feel. Verse 1 says that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah. Just because God speaks does not mean that we listen. Our ears must be tuned to hear, which implies that we are willing to change based upon the words received. He has provided me the guide with which to live my life, yet I choose not to stand upon Sola Scriptura. Instead, I plot my own way and make a huge mess of things, which means I have to experience the correction of God.
If God can use children to teach us valuable lessons, just think how much more His Word can teach us -- if we read and heed it.
He got up so many times. Erin and I alternated dealing with him, and I was the "designated hammer" that brought discipline to the situation. I asked him if he thought this was fun (because it was killing me) and he said "No." When asked what he must do to avoid the discipline, his response was right on the money: "Stay in Brandt's bed." He knew what he needed to do but chose otherwise. This "dance" continued for nearly 3 hours and it was breaking my heart (while my wife was in the bed room crying). Finally, he went to sleep; and this issue has not recurred later in the week.
How does this story apply to the title? In the midst of the getting-out-of-bed issue, I read my Bible and started the book of Zechariah. Verse 1 contains a plea from God: "Return to me and I will return to you." The remainder of the opening section details why God was displeased with His children -- He sent prophet after prophet to get His people to change their ways, but they refused to obey. Thus, verse 7 shows us that "according to our ways and according to our deeds, so has He dealt with us."
The words of that short passage became so real through the experience I was having with my son. As I pondered the Scripture and situation, I gained an understanding of how I make God feel. Verse 1 says that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah. Just because God speaks does not mean that we listen. Our ears must be tuned to hear, which implies that we are willing to change based upon the words received. He has provided me the guide with which to live my life, yet I choose not to stand upon Sola Scriptura. Instead, I plot my own way and make a huge mess of things, which means I have to experience the correction of God.
If God can use children to teach us valuable lessons, just think how much more His Word can teach us -- if we read and heed it.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
A Nap and the Not so Nice Times....
Have you ever just had enough and wondered, whether silently or aloud, what in the world God is doing? We've all been there, and some of us are right there now (self included). I had the privilege to learn something from my son on how to handle and deal with uncertainty, and I wanted to share that with you. As part of that discussion, take a look at Psalms 23:13-14. Read over these two verses a couple of times and really think them through before following along below.
Verse 13 says "I would have lost heart," but something restrained the Psalmist from doing that. What was it? Simply, faith that the Lord would keep His promises to His children (see Romans 8:28). This verse indicates just how close the Psalmist was to giving in to his frustration. He, just like we all do, whined when not getting his way and was struggling. God knows what is best for us; so instead of "bucking" this opportunity for learning, we should embrace it. Yes, I know, that is easier said than done; but more on that later.
Verse 14 shows us the solution to this time of uncertainty: waiting and taking courage. Waiting references an eager expectation, meaning that we know God is working and that we look for His fingerprints in the situation. Taking courage is an interesting word that means being sore. Huh? Yep, you read that right; so just think exercise. We all know that it is good for us but it produces pain in our muscles that is necessary to build new ones. That strengthening is exactly what God does to us and for us during the times of uncertainty that we all dread. If you doubt me, continue reading the verse and see what it says. Yep, you read it right -- "He will strengthen your heart." Just in case we missed that first part about looking for God's handiwork, the Psalmist reminds us one more time to wait. So, do you think the Psalmist believed it was important??
Let me share you an example of how my son reaffirmed this in my heart. The whole way home from church today, he was fussing. Why? Well, he's gotten up WAY TOO early the last two mornings, and he was tired. After eating lunch and changing his diaper, it was nap time. He wanted nothing to do with it and began his whining thinking that would change the situation. When I finally got him in the bed, he continued to stay awake by playing with his toes or belly button or the wall or anything else; and he was resisting his chance at rest. Then, it happened -- he snuggled up to his daddy and got still. The longer he laid still, the more you could witness that rest coming upon him as his eyes slowly closed and then reopened only to close slowly again. He finally succumbed to sleep because he knew that his dad was right there beside him and felt secure in that knowledge.
What was the end result? See the picture below to understand what we as Christians can experience, and should be experiencing, in times of uncertainty. That picture is one of perfect peacefulness....
Lessons to be learned from my son: (1) whining doesn't change anything other than making your attitude a sour one; (2) resisting the rest provided to you by God does not harm Him but it sure does take a lot out of you; (3) getting close to your Father through the Scripture will calm you, thereby, changing your perspective because He knows best; (4) we are secure only in the Lord's will not our own; and (5) it is when you are rest, even in the most difficult of times, that you are strengthened for the next task God has for you.
Robert Murray McCheyne, a 19th century Scottish preacher, once said: “Oh, bretheren, could you and I pass this day through these heavens, and see what is going on in the sanctuary above. Could you see what the child of God now sees who died last night? Could you see the Lamb with the scars of His five deep wounds in the very midst of the throne, surrounded by all the odors? Could you see the many angels round the throne, whose number is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, all singing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain”? And....lo, there He is upon the throne of heaven; consider Him, look long and earnestly upon His wounds – upon His glory - and tell me, do you think it would be safe to trust Him?”
As I conclude, I have paraphrased the Scriptural passage into something that makes abundant sense to me; and I don't believe that it is outside the bounds of Scriptural intent. For me, Psalm 27:13-14 reads: "If I did not believe in the Lord's promise to show us goodness in this life, then I would have given up in frustration. Instead, that faith gave me the ability to wait on the Lord and be encouraged because He will strengthen me just like He has always done. Still, because I'm heard-headed, I need to hear this one more time -- wait on the Lord!"
Verse 13 says "I would have lost heart," but something restrained the Psalmist from doing that. What was it? Simply, faith that the Lord would keep His promises to His children (see Romans 8:28). This verse indicates just how close the Psalmist was to giving in to his frustration. He, just like we all do, whined when not getting his way and was struggling. God knows what is best for us; so instead of "bucking" this opportunity for learning, we should embrace it. Yes, I know, that is easier said than done; but more on that later.
Verse 14 shows us the solution to this time of uncertainty: waiting and taking courage. Waiting references an eager expectation, meaning that we know God is working and that we look for His fingerprints in the situation. Taking courage is an interesting word that means being sore. Huh? Yep, you read that right; so just think exercise. We all know that it is good for us but it produces pain in our muscles that is necessary to build new ones. That strengthening is exactly what God does to us and for us during the times of uncertainty that we all dread. If you doubt me, continue reading the verse and see what it says. Yep, you read it right -- "He will strengthen your heart." Just in case we missed that first part about looking for God's handiwork, the Psalmist reminds us one more time to wait. So, do you think the Psalmist believed it was important??
Let me share you an example of how my son reaffirmed this in my heart. The whole way home from church today, he was fussing. Why? Well, he's gotten up WAY TOO early the last two mornings, and he was tired. After eating lunch and changing his diaper, it was nap time. He wanted nothing to do with it and began his whining thinking that would change the situation. When I finally got him in the bed, he continued to stay awake by playing with his toes or belly button or the wall or anything else; and he was resisting his chance at rest. Then, it happened -- he snuggled up to his daddy and got still. The longer he laid still, the more you could witness that rest coming upon him as his eyes slowly closed and then reopened only to close slowly again. He finally succumbed to sleep because he knew that his dad was right there beside him and felt secure in that knowledge.
What was the end result? See the picture below to understand what we as Christians can experience, and should be experiencing, in times of uncertainty. That picture is one of perfect peacefulness....
Lessons to be learned from my son: (1) whining doesn't change anything other than making your attitude a sour one; (2) resisting the rest provided to you by God does not harm Him but it sure does take a lot out of you; (3) getting close to your Father through the Scripture will calm you, thereby, changing your perspective because He knows best; (4) we are secure only in the Lord's will not our own; and (5) it is when you are rest, even in the most difficult of times, that you are strengthened for the next task God has for you.
Robert Murray McCheyne, a 19th century Scottish preacher, once said: “Oh, bretheren, could you and I pass this day through these heavens, and see what is going on in the sanctuary above. Could you see what the child of God now sees who died last night? Could you see the Lamb with the scars of His five deep wounds in the very midst of the throne, surrounded by all the odors? Could you see the many angels round the throne, whose number is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, all singing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain”? And....lo, there He is upon the throne of heaven; consider Him, look long and earnestly upon His wounds – upon His glory - and tell me, do you think it would be safe to trust Him?”
As I conclude, I have paraphrased the Scriptural passage into something that makes abundant sense to me; and I don't believe that it is outside the bounds of Scriptural intent. For me, Psalm 27:13-14 reads: "If I did not believe in the Lord's promise to show us goodness in this life, then I would have given up in frustration. Instead, that faith gave me the ability to wait on the Lord and be encouraged because He will strengthen me just like He has always done. Still, because I'm heard-headed, I need to hear this one more time -- wait on the Lord!"
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Who Are We?
As I continue my reading through the New Testament, I came upon Romans 1:1 this morning -- "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel." While it is a short verse, it has two power-packed phrases.
"A Servant of Jesus Christ" -- the word servant literally means a slave; so Christians are to be slaves of Jesus. That means that we live our lives in recognition of several key elements: (1) we belong to someone else, (2) we do His bidding as explained clearly in His Word, (3) we are to work long and hard for our Master because we owe a debt that cannot be repaid, and (4) anything that we produce is for the Master's glory and not our own.
The unfortunate part is that most Christians are not living that way. We have become accustomed to the American dream; so instead of denying ourselves, we indulge and deny Jesus. No wonder, as David Kinnaman in the book unchristian found, the world views Christians as hypocritical and judgmental. If you have not read this book, get a copy. He works for the Barna Group and did a three year study on how people outside the church view Christianity. It is a sobering wake up call to those of us who claim to follow Christ.
"Separated unto the Gospel of God" -- in Christian circles, you will hear very quickly that we are to be separated from this world. Those outside the church will pick up that as "secret code" for the existence of a long list of dos and don'ts. The world knows more of what we stand AGAINST (i.e. abortion) than what we stand FOR; and that is a huge problem!!
When Christ was asked about the greatest commandment, He made two statements in Matthew 22:36-40: (1) love God with everything that you have and (2) love neighbors like you love yourself. If we do not love God with ever fiber of our being, then it is impossible for us to love others unselfishly. Getting closer to God everyday through prayer and reading His Word will give us pause as we realize how bad we really are. As His Word permeates our lives, that will produce a love for others so that we give of ourselves for their benefit. It is unconditional love to those that hate us, dislike us, or know nothing about us that will allow them to see Jesus in us. At that point, they will ponder what is different in our lives and then the conversation begins.
My youth pastor, Doug Roberts, used to always say: "People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care." I believe we, in Christianity, have missed the boat in our evangelism. We want to argue with people's heads and completely neglect touching their hearts. If we get others to see the love we have for them (because of the love Christ has for us), then we WILL have the opportunity to share the faith that we cling to. Typically, though, we express verbally the fact that we love others and will help them; however, our actions rarely meet those words.
So, in sum, you are a servant of Jesus and others MUST see Jesus in you. Without that fact, you are not truly His servant and others will continue to see a watered down version of Christianity. Remember what's at stake here -- the reputation of Jesus Christ as exhibited in your life! That, my friends, is very sobering....
"A Servant of Jesus Christ" -- the word servant literally means a slave; so Christians are to be slaves of Jesus. That means that we live our lives in recognition of several key elements: (1) we belong to someone else, (2) we do His bidding as explained clearly in His Word, (3) we are to work long and hard for our Master because we owe a debt that cannot be repaid, and (4) anything that we produce is for the Master's glory and not our own.
The unfortunate part is that most Christians are not living that way. We have become accustomed to the American dream; so instead of denying ourselves, we indulge and deny Jesus. No wonder, as David Kinnaman in the book unchristian found, the world views Christians as hypocritical and judgmental. If you have not read this book, get a copy. He works for the Barna Group and did a three year study on how people outside the church view Christianity. It is a sobering wake up call to those of us who claim to follow Christ.
"Separated unto the Gospel of God" -- in Christian circles, you will hear very quickly that we are to be separated from this world. Those outside the church will pick up that as "secret code" for the existence of a long list of dos and don'ts. The world knows more of what we stand AGAINST (i.e. abortion) than what we stand FOR; and that is a huge problem!!
When Christ was asked about the greatest commandment, He made two statements in Matthew 22:36-40: (1) love God with everything that you have and (2) love neighbors like you love yourself. If we do not love God with ever fiber of our being, then it is impossible for us to love others unselfishly. Getting closer to God everyday through prayer and reading His Word will give us pause as we realize how bad we really are. As His Word permeates our lives, that will produce a love for others so that we give of ourselves for their benefit. It is unconditional love to those that hate us, dislike us, or know nothing about us that will allow them to see Jesus in us. At that point, they will ponder what is different in our lives and then the conversation begins.
My youth pastor, Doug Roberts, used to always say: "People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care." I believe we, in Christianity, have missed the boat in our evangelism. We want to argue with people's heads and completely neglect touching their hearts. If we get others to see the love we have for them (because of the love Christ has for us), then we WILL have the opportunity to share the faith that we cling to. Typically, though, we express verbally the fact that we love others and will help them; however, our actions rarely meet those words.
So, in sum, you are a servant of Jesus and others MUST see Jesus in you. Without that fact, you are not truly His servant and others will continue to see a watered down version of Christianity. Remember what's at stake here -- the reputation of Jesus Christ as exhibited in your life! That, my friends, is very sobering....
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Ramblings about the Resurrection....
1. Why is it called "Good Friday"? Have you ever given that initial question a thought? Really, though, "Good Friday" was a pretty tough day for Jesus. He was betrayed for money by one of His disciples, convicted in a sham called a trial, mocked, spat upon, beaten, scourged, denied on three occasions by one of His closest disciples, forsaken by the rest of His followers, and, eventually, crucified. How can any day like that be called good? The answer is revealed on "the first day of the week," which is what we are celebrating today. Luke 24:5-6 record for us the comments of the angels: "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!" Yes, the awful Friday can be called good because Christ paid the penalty for our sin; and more importantly, 3 days later He conquered the power of death.
2. How much do you believe in the Resurrection? We often say that we believe that Jesus arose from the dead, but does our life evidence our belief? In Luke 24:12, Peter, who had denied Christ 3 times a few days earlier, ran to the tomb. The Scripture says that "he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened." In other words, Peter was not sure what to think; and his actions revealed it -- instead of running to tell others about the empty tomb, he just went back to fishing (where Christ found him the first time). As we celebrate the Resurrection today, let's make sure that we live like we believe it tomorrow and the next day and the next....
3. Why is the Resurrection important? Many people get hung up right here because, when sharing the Gospel, they focus on Christ's death on the cross. Omitting the Resurrection is only telling part of the story; because if Jesus is still in that tomb, then we are without hope. Think about it -- if Christ raised others from the dead but could not save Himself from its power, then what good is our faith in Him? Romans 10:9 tells us that we must believe that God raised Him from the dead for us to be saved -- trusting in the Resurrection requires faith in the unexplainable which makes it part of the Gospel. Further, Luke 24:6-8 shows us another reason for its importance -- it fulfills a prophecy that Christ gave to the disciples. He told others that He would suffer, die, and rise again; and that is exactly what He did. If Jesus words can be trusted and He conquers the power of death, then we have tremendous hope in Him alone.
4. What does the Resurrection mean to you? This question is not one that I can answer for you because you must formulate that opinion on your own. To me, the Resurrection is, as Romans 1:16 says, "the power of God unto salvation" for the Jews and the Gentiles. It is an assurance that the worst things in the world (death on a cross) can be used by an all-powerful God to accomplish His will (saving mankind). It is hope for the future in that death cannot harm me but will only help usher me into the presence of God (2 Corinthians 5:8).
I encourage you to examine your heart and see what the Resurrection of Jesus really means to you. If it has not changed your life, then I can say with certainty that you do not have a depth of knowledge about this Resurrection. I'd love to talk to you about it....
2. How much do you believe in the Resurrection? We often say that we believe that Jesus arose from the dead, but does our life evidence our belief? In Luke 24:12, Peter, who had denied Christ 3 times a few days earlier, ran to the tomb. The Scripture says that "he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened." In other words, Peter was not sure what to think; and his actions revealed it -- instead of running to tell others about the empty tomb, he just went back to fishing (where Christ found him the first time). As we celebrate the Resurrection today, let's make sure that we live like we believe it tomorrow and the next day and the next....
3. Why is the Resurrection important? Many people get hung up right here because, when sharing the Gospel, they focus on Christ's death on the cross. Omitting the Resurrection is only telling part of the story; because if Jesus is still in that tomb, then we are without hope. Think about it -- if Christ raised others from the dead but could not save Himself from its power, then what good is our faith in Him? Romans 10:9 tells us that we must believe that God raised Him from the dead for us to be saved -- trusting in the Resurrection requires faith in the unexplainable which makes it part of the Gospel. Further, Luke 24:6-8 shows us another reason for its importance -- it fulfills a prophecy that Christ gave to the disciples. He told others that He would suffer, die, and rise again; and that is exactly what He did. If Jesus words can be trusted and He conquers the power of death, then we have tremendous hope in Him alone.
4. What does the Resurrection mean to you? This question is not one that I can answer for you because you must formulate that opinion on your own. To me, the Resurrection is, as Romans 1:16 says, "the power of God unto salvation" for the Jews and the Gentiles. It is an assurance that the worst things in the world (death on a cross) can be used by an all-powerful God to accomplish His will (saving mankind). It is hope for the future in that death cannot harm me but will only help usher me into the presence of God (2 Corinthians 5:8).
I encourage you to examine your heart and see what the Resurrection of Jesus really means to you. If it has not changed your life, then I can say with certainty that you do not have a depth of knowledge about this Resurrection. I'd love to talk to you about it....
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Protected by the Master...
A few Sundays ago, I made a statement in our Bible Fellowship Time -- "the safest place to be is in the middle of God's will. I'd rather be on the sea in the midst of a tempest than on the shore with Christ in the middle of the sea." One of my class members came and said they used to say that but believe the phrase should be -- "the BEST place to be is in the middle of God's will and that may not be the safest."
So, let me define my terms. "Safest" does not mean without pain or difficulty. Instead, safety, according to my definition, is one where God is totally in control. Difficult things may come our way while in God's will, but nothing that comes our way does not have His blessing for some larger purpose in our life. Here's a perfect example -- look at the disciples and the fates that they suffered. They were clearly in the middle of God's will and were serving Him, yet they went through tremendous pain and turmoil: several were crucified, some were stoned, some were beheaded or killed by the sword, and one died of "old age" but experienced tremendous persecution.
In John 18:14, Jesus says that His followers were "not of the world" and knew that they would be hated by the world because of their belief in Jesus. He goes on in verse 15 to say "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." Note that prayer -- Father, don't take them out of the world where they will suffer but protect them from being taken by the evil one. These disciples, and the ones of today (see verse 20), were specifically being thought of by Jesus. Wow! That's powerful!!
So, if God is leaving us here for a reason and that includes suffering, how can we live a life that is true to Him and not be taken by the evil one? Simply, its faith. In teaching a lesson on faith several months ago, I created this acronym for the word "faith": Forsaking All, I Take Him. That's it in a nutshell -- nothing else in the life matters more than fidelity to Jesus Christ.
How's your faith? Are you truly willing to give up everything for Him and rest in His protection or would you sacrifice trust in Him for some temporary safety? Have faith, my friends!
So, let me define my terms. "Safest" does not mean without pain or difficulty. Instead, safety, according to my definition, is one where God is totally in control. Difficult things may come our way while in God's will, but nothing that comes our way does not have His blessing for some larger purpose in our life. Here's a perfect example -- look at the disciples and the fates that they suffered. They were clearly in the middle of God's will and were serving Him, yet they went through tremendous pain and turmoil: several were crucified, some were stoned, some were beheaded or killed by the sword, and one died of "old age" but experienced tremendous persecution.
In John 18:14, Jesus says that His followers were "not of the world" and knew that they would be hated by the world because of their belief in Jesus. He goes on in verse 15 to say "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." Note that prayer -- Father, don't take them out of the world where they will suffer but protect them from being taken by the evil one. These disciples, and the ones of today (see verse 20), were specifically being thought of by Jesus. Wow! That's powerful!!
So, if God is leaving us here for a reason and that includes suffering, how can we live a life that is true to Him and not be taken by the evil one? Simply, its faith. In teaching a lesson on faith several months ago, I created this acronym for the word "faith": Forsaking All, I Take Him. That's it in a nutshell -- nothing else in the life matters more than fidelity to Jesus Christ.
How's your faith? Are you truly willing to give up everything for Him and rest in His protection or would you sacrifice trust in Him for some temporary safety? Have faith, my friends!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Blindness Becoming Boldness....
John 9 has a wonderful but pitiful story of Christ healing a blind man. This event should have elicited joy from everyone directly or indirectly touched by this miracle of Jesus; however, it turned into a story of spiritual deprivation. Fortunately, the one healed sets a tremendous example for us in boldly proclaiming the truth.
BLINDNESS (v1-3) -- the disciples and Jesus see a man that is identified as blind his entire life. The disciples ask who sinned to cause him to be born blind, and this question exemplifies an underlying assumption also found in the book of Job -- if something bad happens, it has to be because of sin. However, Jesus immediately corrects this by saying this man's blindness was for the glory of God. When difficulties come into your life, remember that it will ultimately bring glory to His name IF we respond correctly.
BLESSING (v4-7) -- Jesus heals this man to further testify that the power of God rested upon Him. Even deeper than that, though, is the fact that these miracles matched his claim of deity; yet so many, including the religious rulers, continued to deny that fact.
BEFUDDLED (v 8-13) -- as the neighbors and others saw that their colleague was no seeing, they really did not know how to act. Instead of celebrating with this man for an incredible event in his life, they doubted whether it was really him. When they asked how this happened and he told them, again, they still did not rejoice. They demanded to know where this person (Jesus) was. Stop and think about that -- this man was blind and did not see who healed him; so how could he even identify him much less tell them where He was? When the formerly blind man could not tell them, note what happens in verse 13 -- they took him before the Pharisees. These actions go to show that they missed the tree for the forest and sacrificed the jubilation for just a few details.
BITTERNESS (v14-17) -- the Pharisees were more concerned with finding whoever healed the formerly blind man because they wanted to confront the individual that dared to heal someone on the Sabbath. As stated above, they were missing the tree for the forest because they were more concerned about the time and method of healing instead of the genuine miracle. Because the blind was healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees jumped to the conclusion that Jesus could not be "from God;" however, others disagreed. The root of bitterness here was selfishness because Jesus was getting a following meaning that these followers were leaving the rituals of the religious rulers.
BICKERING (v18-28) -- the Pharisees brought in the parents of this man and questioned them intently. The parents, obviously, were afraid; so instead of answering the Pharisees, they told them to ask their son. This formerly blind man had left the "court of the Pharisees;" so, they had to go get him again. They wanted him to give God the glory, which he was already doing, and call the One that healed him a sinner. The formerly blind man's answer is beautiful -- "Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." Again, he had to go through the process of what Jesus did to heal him; and this man was getting frustrated. So, he asked them if they wished to become a disciple of His (this statement entails that this man was among those disciples), and the Pharisees said they followed Moses because "God spoke to Moses." Oddly enough, Moses performed signs and wonders to show that God was with him; but when Jesus did the same, they rejected Him. So, would they have really followed Moses?
BOLDNESS (v30-34) -- the formerly blind man had been patient with this inquisition, but he has reached his limit. He boldly questions the fact that these religious rulers do not know where this man (Jesus) is from, but they clearly acknowledge that he has been healed. He is driving to the point of whether they would have followed Moses. His conclusion to them is simple: "If this Man were not from god, He could do nothing." The Pharisees were upset at his conclusion and could not refute it. They chose another route by personally attacking him: (1) you were born in sin (thus implying they were not), (2) you are not educated, and (3) they then kicked him from the Temple. This man who now received his sight was boldly questioning those that were spiritually blind, and they did not like that!! Truth, even when spoken gently, is not guaranteed to be received well.
BELIEF (v 35-38) -- think of this man's consternation right now -- I was blind, somebody that I could not recognize healed me, this guy has to have power from God, I tell the religious rulers that, and they get mad and kick me out of the Temple. Jesus, knowing that these events would happen, goes to find the formerly blind man. Jesus asked if he believed and the man asked to see Him. When Jesus revealed that it was He, note the 3 word response: "Lord, I believe." This man experienced a miracle in his life and that was enough to engender faith in his heart.
BLASTING (v 39-41) -- this chapter concludes by revealing His purpose: "that those who do not see may see and that hose who see may be made blind." Of course, He was speaking figuratively and the situation of this chapter explains it. This man could not see physically but was also spiritually blind, and both were rectified when he met the Savior. On the other hand, the Pharisees were physically fine but were spiritually blind (although they thought they could see). The Pharisees that were there heard this statement and stood up for themselves, but Jesus restates His opinion of them -- you must be blind to the Law to see your sins but you have chosen to see the Law and are missing the grace behind it. As Blackaby says: "The worst mistake that we can make is to overestimate our spiritual condition. False confidence in our walk with God is like thinking we are healthy when we are terminally ill, a dangerous misconception."
Get into and stay in God's Word. That is the only way to truly see!!!
BLINDNESS (v1-3) -- the disciples and Jesus see a man that is identified as blind his entire life. The disciples ask who sinned to cause him to be born blind, and this question exemplifies an underlying assumption also found in the book of Job -- if something bad happens, it has to be because of sin. However, Jesus immediately corrects this by saying this man's blindness was for the glory of God. When difficulties come into your life, remember that it will ultimately bring glory to His name IF we respond correctly.
BLESSING (v4-7) -- Jesus heals this man to further testify that the power of God rested upon Him. Even deeper than that, though, is the fact that these miracles matched his claim of deity; yet so many, including the religious rulers, continued to deny that fact.
BEFUDDLED (v 8-13) -- as the neighbors and others saw that their colleague was no seeing, they really did not know how to act. Instead of celebrating with this man for an incredible event in his life, they doubted whether it was really him. When they asked how this happened and he told them, again, they still did not rejoice. They demanded to know where this person (Jesus) was. Stop and think about that -- this man was blind and did not see who healed him; so how could he even identify him much less tell them where He was? When the formerly blind man could not tell them, note what happens in verse 13 -- they took him before the Pharisees. These actions go to show that they missed the tree for the forest and sacrificed the jubilation for just a few details.
BITTERNESS (v14-17) -- the Pharisees were more concerned with finding whoever healed the formerly blind man because they wanted to confront the individual that dared to heal someone on the Sabbath. As stated above, they were missing the tree for the forest because they were more concerned about the time and method of healing instead of the genuine miracle. Because the blind was healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees jumped to the conclusion that Jesus could not be "from God;" however, others disagreed. The root of bitterness here was selfishness because Jesus was getting a following meaning that these followers were leaving the rituals of the religious rulers.
BICKERING (v18-28) -- the Pharisees brought in the parents of this man and questioned them intently. The parents, obviously, were afraid; so instead of answering the Pharisees, they told them to ask their son. This formerly blind man had left the "court of the Pharisees;" so, they had to go get him again. They wanted him to give God the glory, which he was already doing, and call the One that healed him a sinner. The formerly blind man's answer is beautiful -- "Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." Again, he had to go through the process of what Jesus did to heal him; and this man was getting frustrated. So, he asked them if they wished to become a disciple of His (this statement entails that this man was among those disciples), and the Pharisees said they followed Moses because "God spoke to Moses." Oddly enough, Moses performed signs and wonders to show that God was with him; but when Jesus did the same, they rejected Him. So, would they have really followed Moses?
BOLDNESS (v30-34) -- the formerly blind man had been patient with this inquisition, but he has reached his limit. He boldly questions the fact that these religious rulers do not know where this man (Jesus) is from, but they clearly acknowledge that he has been healed. He is driving to the point of whether they would have followed Moses. His conclusion to them is simple: "If this Man were not from god, He could do nothing." The Pharisees were upset at his conclusion and could not refute it. They chose another route by personally attacking him: (1) you were born in sin (thus implying they were not), (2) you are not educated, and (3) they then kicked him from the Temple. This man who now received his sight was boldly questioning those that were spiritually blind, and they did not like that!! Truth, even when spoken gently, is not guaranteed to be received well.
BELIEF (v 35-38) -- think of this man's consternation right now -- I was blind, somebody that I could not recognize healed me, this guy has to have power from God, I tell the religious rulers that, and they get mad and kick me out of the Temple. Jesus, knowing that these events would happen, goes to find the formerly blind man. Jesus asked if he believed and the man asked to see Him. When Jesus revealed that it was He, note the 3 word response: "Lord, I believe." This man experienced a miracle in his life and that was enough to engender faith in his heart.
BLASTING (v 39-41) -- this chapter concludes by revealing His purpose: "that those who do not see may see and that hose who see may be made blind." Of course, He was speaking figuratively and the situation of this chapter explains it. This man could not see physically but was also spiritually blind, and both were rectified when he met the Savior. On the other hand, the Pharisees were physically fine but were spiritually blind (although they thought they could see). The Pharisees that were there heard this statement and stood up for themselves, but Jesus restates His opinion of them -- you must be blind to the Law to see your sins but you have chosen to see the Law and are missing the grace behind it. As Blackaby says: "The worst mistake that we can make is to overestimate our spiritual condition. False confidence in our walk with God is like thinking we are healthy when we are terminally ill, a dangerous misconception."
Get into and stay in God's Word. That is the only way to truly see!!!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Work, Worry, and...is she sitting down??
For my devotions, I have taken a short break from intensively studying a single book in the Bible. Instead, I am reading several chapters a day from the New Testament with the goal of reading it through twice this calendar year. Today's reading took me through chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12 of Luke. It is amazing how you can read something, not for the first time, and a new principle leaps off the pages at you.
Luke 10:38-42 contains the story of Jesus in the home of Lazarus. We all know that Martha was running around serving and complained about Mary just sitting at Jesus feet. We also know that Christ said Mary has chosen the better thing. We could also describe several sermons that we have heard from this passage.
However, notice the way Jesus begins His statement to Martha: "you are worried and troubled about many things." How often have you run around and worried or were anxious and struggled with the difficulties of life? If you are honest, these worries arise more frequently than we would like to admit. Jesus recognized that Martha had these anxious times, but He goes on to say that Mary "has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." WOW!! Get that - one is anxious and running around, by choice, while one is sitting calm at the feet of Jesus, BY CHOICE!!!
I had never seen that principle before. We either choose to sit at Jesus' feet knowing that He can, and will, take care of us, or we jump up and run around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. I can choose to try and solve my piece of this problem my way or I can choose the peace of Jesus leaving it all for Him to handle. There is a wonderful song on my wife's iPod, and it has the following line: "Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child." How true! Remember, though, your response to the difficulty is what makes the difference. If we turn to Him and sit at His feet, thereby totally giving Him the problem, then He will grant us peace.
You are probably thinking: "Wait, that's just too easy." No, it's not easy or simple. Currently, we are awaiting the birth of our second child AND my job is in jeopardy. Have I worried about it? Yes. Is worrying going to do anything about it? No. God is in control and will take care of us either way. If I had missed the principle in Luke 10, then I would have gotten the message in Luke 12:22-31. See, it was Providential that I read these 4 chapters in the same day because I needed this reminder! Luke 12:28 closes with a great statement by Jesus: "O, you of little faith." That's the issue -- having enough faith to give up the problem and just sitting down to watch Jesus work.
What problem are you struggling with today? Have you really been able to solve it? Give it to Him, sit down, wait, and watch Him work. The Lord has never let me down in the past, and He will not in the future. He will do the same for you, but remember, there is a caveat in Romans 8:28 -- "all things work together for God to them that love God." To exhibit faith in Him, you must first love Him.
Luke 10:38-42 contains the story of Jesus in the home of Lazarus. We all know that Martha was running around serving and complained about Mary just sitting at Jesus feet. We also know that Christ said Mary has chosen the better thing. We could also describe several sermons that we have heard from this passage.
However, notice the way Jesus begins His statement to Martha: "you are worried and troubled about many things." How often have you run around and worried or were anxious and struggled with the difficulties of life? If you are honest, these worries arise more frequently than we would like to admit. Jesus recognized that Martha had these anxious times, but He goes on to say that Mary "has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." WOW!! Get that - one is anxious and running around, by choice, while one is sitting calm at the feet of Jesus, BY CHOICE!!!
I had never seen that principle before. We either choose to sit at Jesus' feet knowing that He can, and will, take care of us, or we jump up and run around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. I can choose to try and solve my piece of this problem my way or I can choose the peace of Jesus leaving it all for Him to handle. There is a wonderful song on my wife's iPod, and it has the following line: "Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child." How true! Remember, though, your response to the difficulty is what makes the difference. If we turn to Him and sit at His feet, thereby totally giving Him the problem, then He will grant us peace.
You are probably thinking: "Wait, that's just too easy." No, it's not easy or simple. Currently, we are awaiting the birth of our second child AND my job is in jeopardy. Have I worried about it? Yes. Is worrying going to do anything about it? No. God is in control and will take care of us either way. If I had missed the principle in Luke 10, then I would have gotten the message in Luke 12:22-31. See, it was Providential that I read these 4 chapters in the same day because I needed this reminder! Luke 12:28 closes with a great statement by Jesus: "O, you of little faith." That's the issue -- having enough faith to give up the problem and just sitting down to watch Jesus work.
What problem are you struggling with today? Have you really been able to solve it? Give it to Him, sit down, wait, and watch Him work. The Lord has never let me down in the past, and He will not in the future. He will do the same for you, but remember, there is a caveat in Romans 8:28 -- "all things work together for God to them that love God." To exhibit faith in Him, you must first love Him.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
He's God not 9-1-1
Ezekiel 28 presents us a rather interesting proclamation against the King of Tyre. If we believe what Georges Santayana, the Harvard philosophy professor, said - "Those who do not know the past will repeat it" - then this passage is highly instructive for us.
Verse 2 reveals the issue that God has against them -- "your heart is lifted up" and they said that they "were a god." The Bible is rather specific about such pride issues -- God hates pride. Proverbs 16:18 reveals that "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." I can share a personal example that proves that to be the case. My senior season, were were playing our final tune-up game before departing to a mid-year tournament. The team we were playing was over-matched by us, and one of their players, whom I was guarding, did a turn-a-round jump shot. Well, I threw this thing about 6 rows up in the stands and had a few words for that person. On the in-bounds play (which was my fault because we were taught not to sling the ball put tap it to another player to begin the fast break), I went up to steal it away and landed on that guy's foot. I broke my ankle and missed most of the season. My pride led to my downfall.
The particularly instructive part of this passage, though, is verse 5 because it reveals the source of their pride -- "your heart is lifted up because of your riches." Think of that!! Prosperity led them to forget who they were (nothing) and who God is (everything). It has been said that no civilized nation has beaten the worst foe known to man, and that foe is prosperity. When we have everything we can imagine, think about it. We really do, as my dad used to say, "get too big for our britches." We think we own the world and them start acting like it.
That was the problem with Tyre - they forgot who they were compared to an Almighty, Sovereign God. You know what? That's the problem with America too. We've become too cozy with our "American dream" of having everything we want, and then demanding more. Even worse, we are raising our children with a sense of entitlement -- "if I don't have a ______, then you don't love me!" You can fill that blank in with any techno-gizmo, a car, or whatever else. We are to blame for that occurrence.
The only time that we invoke the name of God is when we need something of Him -- an accident, sudden health issues, etc. The problem is that God is not a 9-1-1 service, but He must become the object of our worship. Verse 22 shows us what God says about this in that He says that He "will be glorified in your midst." We can either glorify Him willingly with our lives or He will take that glory forcefully (please see my previous blog entry).
In the shadow of the tremendous suffering in Haiti, we have been abundantly blessed. It would do us a great deal of good to live with less and give the rest to those who need it. For an interesting read on this topic, get a copy of Francis Chan's Crazy Love at your local bookstore or purchase it online. He will provoke your thinking and show you that you do not love God as much as you should.
Give your heart to God, and the money will follow to Him as well. He will not let you down because He promises in Matthew 6:33 that keeping Him first will result in Him caring for your needs. Note the key word there -- "needs" not our "wants."
Verse 2 reveals the issue that God has against them -- "your heart is lifted up" and they said that they "were a god." The Bible is rather specific about such pride issues -- God hates pride. Proverbs 16:18 reveals that "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." I can share a personal example that proves that to be the case. My senior season, were were playing our final tune-up game before departing to a mid-year tournament. The team we were playing was over-matched by us, and one of their players, whom I was guarding, did a turn-a-round jump shot. Well, I threw this thing about 6 rows up in the stands and had a few words for that person. On the in-bounds play (which was my fault because we were taught not to sling the ball put tap it to another player to begin the fast break), I went up to steal it away and landed on that guy's foot. I broke my ankle and missed most of the season. My pride led to my downfall.
The particularly instructive part of this passage, though, is verse 5 because it reveals the source of their pride -- "your heart is lifted up because of your riches." Think of that!! Prosperity led them to forget who they were (nothing) and who God is (everything). It has been said that no civilized nation has beaten the worst foe known to man, and that foe is prosperity. When we have everything we can imagine, think about it. We really do, as my dad used to say, "get too big for our britches." We think we own the world and them start acting like it.
That was the problem with Tyre - they forgot who they were compared to an Almighty, Sovereign God. You know what? That's the problem with America too. We've become too cozy with our "American dream" of having everything we want, and then demanding more. Even worse, we are raising our children with a sense of entitlement -- "if I don't have a ______, then you don't love me!" You can fill that blank in with any techno-gizmo, a car, or whatever else. We are to blame for that occurrence.
The only time that we invoke the name of God is when we need something of Him -- an accident, sudden health issues, etc. The problem is that God is not a 9-1-1 service, but He must become the object of our worship. Verse 22 shows us what God says about this in that He says that He "will be glorified in your midst." We can either glorify Him willingly with our lives or He will take that glory forcefully (please see my previous blog entry).
In the shadow of the tremendous suffering in Haiti, we have been abundantly blessed. It would do us a great deal of good to live with less and give the rest to those who need it. For an interesting read on this topic, get a copy of Francis Chan's Crazy Love at your local bookstore or purchase it online. He will provoke your thinking and show you that you do not love God as much as you should.
Give your heart to God, and the money will follow to Him as well. He will not let you down because He promises in Matthew 6:33 that keeping Him first will result in Him caring for your needs. Note the key word there -- "needs" not our "wants."
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Hey, that's not fair!!
So often in sharing the Gospel with others, the objection in this blog's title is raised. Typically, a person will highlight the love of God at the expense of His holiness and will say: "A true God of love would never condemn someone to an eternity of damnation." As a sound-byte, it is effective; however, if examined philosophically and Scripturally, it falters. The real issue of such a statement is this -- the person using that excuse does not believe that the Bible is truth. Let's examine this idea a little further and see what the Scripture has to say.
Ezekiel 18:19-32 is a wonderful passage to consider with the fairness argument. God, speaking through a prophet, takes on the children of Israel who accuse Him of being unjust. In verse 25, He challenges their thoughts by questioning "is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?" Instead of asking the question and leaving it open to interpretation, He explains exactly what He means -- if a righteous man forsakes his righteous ways for iniquity, then he deserves punishment. Likewise, an unrighteous man that forsakes his iniquity for truth, he deserves mercy. That is God's way and it is more than fair because as verse 20 says "the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."
Israel, and by comparison man's way, is completely opposite. The example in the first half of this chapter is where Israel objects: (1) a just man lives and has a son (v 4-9); (2) that son is an unjust man, therefore suffering punishment, also has a son (v 10-13); (3) this son reviews the sin of his father, chooses to live a just life, and is not punished (v 14-17). Israel claims this son should bear the guilt of the father (v 19), which makes no sense at all.
Clearly, God is fair and man is not. The rationale of saying that God's judgment is unfair resides in the heart of man because we want to do as we please without any repercussions. It is our outrageous claims of selfishness and pride that lead to rebellion against God and then our philosophical assertion that God is being unfair. Verse 30 lends beautifully here in that God says "I will judge you...everyone according to his ways." He has given us warning through His word and offered us the chance to repent (meaning to turn-around and head the other way); however, when we choose to stay on the same path, our ability to question His fairness is completely lost.
God loves us more than we can possibly love. He gave His all (Jesus Christ) for us, but we give so little in return to Him. God is love, but He is also holy. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, God's holiness is recorded first in Scripture and then His love. It is the sacrifice that He made on our behalf that demonstrates His love to us and, simultaneously, satisfies the requirement of holiness. Verse 32 tells us that God has "no pleasure in the death of one who dies" so He tells us "therefore turn and live!" He has given us chance after chance after chance, but we still choose to remain in our unfaithful and rebellious condition.
Quickly, skip a few pages to Ezekiel 20:9, 14, and 22. God tells us exactly why He brings punishment to those that refuse Him -- "I acted for My name's sake." God has told us repeatedly to alter our course and turn to Him else we will suffer punishment. If we refuse to change course and He does not punish, as He said, then His words are not true. God is the only source of Truth, so He must protect "His name" by upholding His statements of warning. If He did not judge as He promised, then we, in essence, telling a lie. If He lies, then He would no longer be qualified to be the only "Righteous Judge" (2 Timothy 4:8). Who would you rather have making a ruling about you -- the One who has never done wrong or the one who does whatever they please? The obvious answer is the righteous One!!
Consider our own legal system. We know the laws; and should we choose to disregard them, we get punished. That is fair. If we are caught speeding numerous times and continue to do so, all the while not paying our tickets, what happens? We eventually lose our car insurance and our license. If we persist in disregarding the law by driving without a license, we go to jail. That is fair!! We were given multiple warnings but made the choice to refuse to listen; therefore, we deserve those consequences.
God, the Righteous Judge, has given us a way to escape punishment. The decision, on whether we get punished or not, depends upon us and our actions. Don't accuse Him of being unfair. Instead, we need to shoulder the blame ourselves because we decided not to listen to Him.
Ezekiel 18:19-32 is a wonderful passage to consider with the fairness argument. God, speaking through a prophet, takes on the children of Israel who accuse Him of being unjust. In verse 25, He challenges their thoughts by questioning "is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?" Instead of asking the question and leaving it open to interpretation, He explains exactly what He means -- if a righteous man forsakes his righteous ways for iniquity, then he deserves punishment. Likewise, an unrighteous man that forsakes his iniquity for truth, he deserves mercy. That is God's way and it is more than fair because as verse 20 says "the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."
Israel, and by comparison man's way, is completely opposite. The example in the first half of this chapter is where Israel objects: (1) a just man lives and has a son (v 4-9); (2) that son is an unjust man, therefore suffering punishment, also has a son (v 10-13); (3) this son reviews the sin of his father, chooses to live a just life, and is not punished (v 14-17). Israel claims this son should bear the guilt of the father (v 19), which makes no sense at all.
Clearly, God is fair and man is not. The rationale of saying that God's judgment is unfair resides in the heart of man because we want to do as we please without any repercussions. It is our outrageous claims of selfishness and pride that lead to rebellion against God and then our philosophical assertion that God is being unfair. Verse 30 lends beautifully here in that God says "I will judge you...everyone according to his ways." He has given us warning through His word and offered us the chance to repent (meaning to turn-around and head the other way); however, when we choose to stay on the same path, our ability to question His fairness is completely lost.
God loves us more than we can possibly love. He gave His all (Jesus Christ) for us, but we give so little in return to Him. God is love, but He is also holy. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, God's holiness is recorded first in Scripture and then His love. It is the sacrifice that He made on our behalf that demonstrates His love to us and, simultaneously, satisfies the requirement of holiness. Verse 32 tells us that God has "no pleasure in the death of one who dies" so He tells us "therefore turn and live!" He has given us chance after chance after chance, but we still choose to remain in our unfaithful and rebellious condition.
Quickly, skip a few pages to Ezekiel 20:9, 14, and 22. God tells us exactly why He brings punishment to those that refuse Him -- "I acted for My name's sake." God has told us repeatedly to alter our course and turn to Him else we will suffer punishment. If we refuse to change course and He does not punish, as He said, then His words are not true. God is the only source of Truth, so He must protect "His name" by upholding His statements of warning. If He did not judge as He promised, then we, in essence, telling a lie. If He lies, then He would no longer be qualified to be the only "Righteous Judge" (2 Timothy 4:8). Who would you rather have making a ruling about you -- the One who has never done wrong or the one who does whatever they please? The obvious answer is the righteous One!!
Consider our own legal system. We know the laws; and should we choose to disregard them, we get punished. That is fair. If we are caught speeding numerous times and continue to do so, all the while not paying our tickets, what happens? We eventually lose our car insurance and our license. If we persist in disregarding the law by driving without a license, we go to jail. That is fair!! We were given multiple warnings but made the choice to refuse to listen; therefore, we deserve those consequences.
God, the Righteous Judge, has given us a way to escape punishment. The decision, on whether we get punished or not, depends upon us and our actions. Don't accuse Him of being unfair. Instead, we need to shoulder the blame ourselves because we decided not to listen to Him.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Are You for Real?
Have you ever listened to a conversation where something amazing was said and the listener asked "are you for REAL?" Well, I want to take that statement and use it as the title of this blog, which perfectly fits what is taking place in Ezekiel 14.
The chapter opens with the elders, or those having great authority, came and "sat before" the prophet Ezekiel. The word "sat" is referencing a longer meeting as if they are awaiting something and not just a brief visit. Ezekiel garnered the reputation as having the words of the Lord, so these folks wanted to see what God would tell them through him.
We should ask these elders -- "are you for REAL" -- because they certainly were not. Verse 3 says that "these men have set up their idols in their hearts." So, these elders came before the prophet of God awaiting some word from the Lord; however, they were not serious. Instead of loving God with all of their hearts, they had created idols that suited their fancies. Their presence with the prophet was a farce, and God knew that as indicated by the close of verse 3 when God asks "Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?"
Psalm 66:18 says: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." By having idols in their heart, these elders violated the first two of the Ten Commandments as stated in Exodus 20:3-4 -- "You shall have no others gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image." Once again, verse 3 reveals the fact that God knew their sin when He said that these idols "cause them to stumble into iniquity." While we may believe that we can hide our sin from friends, family, or others, never forget that God knows the heart!
So, why pick these 3 verses to examine? Simply put, this exact situation repeats itself in Christianity today. People are not "for real" in that they are hiding sin in their lives but still expect God to hear them. We, myself included, rationalize that a small sin, like a little white lie, is really of no consequence; so we approach God boldly and not humbly. The issue with this rationalization is found in Psalm 66:18 -- it says "iniquity" not big iniquity. The fact that we try to rationalize the presence of sin in our heart as we approach the Almighty reveals a serious flaw in our knowledge of God. We must view Him as a holy God first that abhors sin of any kind and He does not discriminate whether it is big or small.
As a question for you -- are you "for real" when it comes to God? Do you try to rationalize your standing before Him or fall in humility at His majesty? God must be the most important part of your life.
The chapter opens with the elders, or those having great authority, came and "sat before" the prophet Ezekiel. The word "sat" is referencing a longer meeting as if they are awaiting something and not just a brief visit. Ezekiel garnered the reputation as having the words of the Lord, so these folks wanted to see what God would tell them through him.
We should ask these elders -- "are you for REAL" -- because they certainly were not. Verse 3 says that "these men have set up their idols in their hearts." So, these elders came before the prophet of God awaiting some word from the Lord; however, they were not serious. Instead of loving God with all of their hearts, they had created idols that suited their fancies. Their presence with the prophet was a farce, and God knew that as indicated by the close of verse 3 when God asks "Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?"
Psalm 66:18 says: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." By having idols in their heart, these elders violated the first two of the Ten Commandments as stated in Exodus 20:3-4 -- "You shall have no others gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image." Once again, verse 3 reveals the fact that God knew their sin when He said that these idols "cause them to stumble into iniquity." While we may believe that we can hide our sin from friends, family, or others, never forget that God knows the heart!
So, why pick these 3 verses to examine? Simply put, this exact situation repeats itself in Christianity today. People are not "for real" in that they are hiding sin in their lives but still expect God to hear them. We, myself included, rationalize that a small sin, like a little white lie, is really of no consequence; so we approach God boldly and not humbly. The issue with this rationalization is found in Psalm 66:18 -- it says "iniquity" not big iniquity. The fact that we try to rationalize the presence of sin in our heart as we approach the Almighty reveals a serious flaw in our knowledge of God. We must view Him as a holy God first that abhors sin of any kind and He does not discriminate whether it is big or small.
As a question for you -- are you "for real" when it comes to God? Do you try to rationalize your standing before Him or fall in humility at His majesty? God must be the most important part of your life.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Gradual Explosion....
Ezekiel 12 begins by God telling His prophet that he [Ezekiel] lives in the "midst of a rebellious house." The heartbreaking part of the opening is where God says they have "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" but they use neither. This group of individuals have decided to enjoy their time of doing as they wish and really have not given any thought about future implications.
That lack of seriousness is exposed, specifically, in verse 22. The people of Judah had created a proverb within which to couch their complacency -- "The days are prolonged and every vision fails." This short quip would have been a slang one-liner that would have produced laughter for those that heard it because it was an inside joke. In essence, they are saying something like this -- "Okay, God. We've heard all about this judgment that's coming because you've given visions to some people. It's not happened as they said and it's not going to happen as they've said."
God responds to this in verse 23 by changing their proverb into something a bit more ominous -- "The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision." He is telling those whom He chose as His own people that His time-table is not like theirs, but the day of reckoning has come. When Judah was finally over-run by the Chaldeans, they came to realize, as it says in verse 20, "that I am the LORD."
You are probably wondering what nugget of truth is buried in this dark talk of destruction for rebellion. Well, there are several; and I will highlight a few below:
(1) Rebellion does not happen suddenly but is a myriad of "graduallys" that are ignored until they rise up as a great suddenly. Susan Scott in her books Fierce Conversations and Fierce Leadership hammer this theme, and she is right. Think about it -- did scientists know that Mt. St. Helens was going to erupt? Yes, small indications were noticed and warning was given; however, some folks heard these for years and had become calloused to them. So, when the eruption actually happened, the survivors that did not listen stated they had no clue the eruption was coming. It was a string of gradual signs that were ignored which led to a "sudden" eruption. Rebellion is the same way -- one step at a time until the slide is so large that you cannot believe it has happened.
(2) Our view of God is not a proper one. We have a view that God is powerful and not the Almighty, Sovereign of the universe. We want Him to bow and bend to our every whim instead of realizing that He is the Creator. Do you disagree? Okay, answer this question -- "when do you pray?" If we are honest, we pray when we want something; and that is not the Biblical view of prayer. I will paraphrase something I read the other day -- "when you create your own universe, you get to call the shots. Until that happens, you don't." How true! We, will say that we do not believe this, but every person, as their actions and attitudes demonstrate, believe the world revolves around them. My two-year old boy certainly believes that and he is in for a shock when his sister is born in 7 weeks. We need to exhibit the love of Christ into this world instead of existing to love ourselves.
(3) Living life God's way is not as hard as we make it out to be. While the Christian life is a constant struggle of giving up our way to live as He prescribes, it is filled with joy and peace that nobody can understand. Matthew 11:28-30 tell us that through Christ we can "find rest for your souls," and that "His burden is light." We are the ones that complicate things by trying to rationalize our wants and desires instead of yielding to His wants and desires for our life.
In summary, rebellion is a heart issue because either your heart is set on you or it is set on Him. Your choice makes all the difference. Be looking for all the "graduallys" that appear in your life to prevent them from becoming a "suddenly." Pray and ask God to show you what aspects of your life need modification so that you can be a beneficial representative of Him in this world today.
That lack of seriousness is exposed, specifically, in verse 22. The people of Judah had created a proverb within which to couch their complacency -- "The days are prolonged and every vision fails." This short quip would have been a slang one-liner that would have produced laughter for those that heard it because it was an inside joke. In essence, they are saying something like this -- "Okay, God. We've heard all about this judgment that's coming because you've given visions to some people. It's not happened as they said and it's not going to happen as they've said."
God responds to this in verse 23 by changing their proverb into something a bit more ominous -- "The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision." He is telling those whom He chose as His own people that His time-table is not like theirs, but the day of reckoning has come. When Judah was finally over-run by the Chaldeans, they came to realize, as it says in verse 20, "that I am the LORD."
You are probably wondering what nugget of truth is buried in this dark talk of destruction for rebellion. Well, there are several; and I will highlight a few below:
(1) Rebellion does not happen suddenly but is a myriad of "graduallys" that are ignored until they rise up as a great suddenly. Susan Scott in her books Fierce Conversations and Fierce Leadership hammer this theme, and she is right. Think about it -- did scientists know that Mt. St. Helens was going to erupt? Yes, small indications were noticed and warning was given; however, some folks heard these for years and had become calloused to them. So, when the eruption actually happened, the survivors that did not listen stated they had no clue the eruption was coming. It was a string of gradual signs that were ignored which led to a "sudden" eruption. Rebellion is the same way -- one step at a time until the slide is so large that you cannot believe it has happened.
(2) Our view of God is not a proper one. We have a view that God is powerful and not the Almighty, Sovereign of the universe. We want Him to bow and bend to our every whim instead of realizing that He is the Creator. Do you disagree? Okay, answer this question -- "when do you pray?" If we are honest, we pray when we want something; and that is not the Biblical view of prayer. I will paraphrase something I read the other day -- "when you create your own universe, you get to call the shots. Until that happens, you don't." How true! We, will say that we do not believe this, but every person, as their actions and attitudes demonstrate, believe the world revolves around them. My two-year old boy certainly believes that and he is in for a shock when his sister is born in 7 weeks. We need to exhibit the love of Christ into this world instead of existing to love ourselves.
(3) Living life God's way is not as hard as we make it out to be. While the Christian life is a constant struggle of giving up our way to live as He prescribes, it is filled with joy and peace that nobody can understand. Matthew 11:28-30 tell us that through Christ we can "find rest for your souls," and that "His burden is light." We are the ones that complicate things by trying to rationalize our wants and desires instead of yielding to His wants and desires for our life.
In summary, rebellion is a heart issue because either your heart is set on you or it is set on Him. Your choice makes all the difference. Be looking for all the "graduallys" that appear in your life to prevent them from becoming a "suddenly." Pray and ask God to show you what aspects of your life need modification so that you can be a beneficial representative of Him in this world today.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Who I Am...
Ezekiel 6 details judgment on Israel, and more importantly, verse 6 names the reason for that judgment -- that "you idols may be broken and made to cease." No less than 4 times in this passage, the prophet says "and you shall know that I am the Lord" (see verses 7, 10, 13, and 14). Let's dig a little deeper.
Shortly following the Israelite exodus from Egypt, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. The first two commandments say that there is to be no other gods before Him. In other words, we are to love Him more than anything else in this world (see Luke 10:27 where the religious rulers of Jesus' day correctly identified this truth). Israel, instead of following the commands of God, chose to love other things more than the One that delivered them time after time. They had short memories of God's blessings and selfishly chose to do was they desired, when they desired, and how they desired.
The reason for the judgment of God can be found in Exodus 24:7 because the people said "all that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient." They promised to follow God and nothing else. When they went back on that promise, the Lord had to act to protect His name. God told Israel in Exodus 20:5 that He was a "jealous God." The Hebrew word for jealous here does not bear the same meaning as our modern version. It poignantly refers to "not bearing any rival" and that He would "avenge any departure from Him." With that fact known, Ezekiel 6:9 makes perfect sense for us in that God had to crush their "adulterous heart which had departed from Me."
Passages like these are difficult to handle by those that claim atheistic beliefs. If you do not acknowledge God as the One, True God, then you are exalting yourself, pridefully, as god in His place. By saying they do not believe in a god, they are defeating their own atheistic philosophy. We either love God our self more, because it is impossible to love both (Matthew 6:24). Think about your eyes - you cannot focus on two objects simultaneously. If you focus on the object in the foreground, then the background will become slightly blurry; and vice-versa. Our hearts are tuned to have a singular focus as well -- beat or not. In deciding what to do with God, we either love Him or self supremely.
So, you must stand before God right now and answer His inquiry: "Tell me who I am." Is He God or nothing. Your answer makes all the difference for the remainder of your life. If a professing Christian, your answer to that question is revealed by daily actions. Examine your life and honestly tell God who you believe He is.
Shortly following the Israelite exodus from Egypt, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. The first two commandments say that there is to be no other gods before Him. In other words, we are to love Him more than anything else in this world (see Luke 10:27 where the religious rulers of Jesus' day correctly identified this truth). Israel, instead of following the commands of God, chose to love other things more than the One that delivered them time after time. They had short memories of God's blessings and selfishly chose to do was they desired, when they desired, and how they desired.
The reason for the judgment of God can be found in Exodus 24:7 because the people said "all that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient." They promised to follow God and nothing else. When they went back on that promise, the Lord had to act to protect His name. God told Israel in Exodus 20:5 that He was a "jealous God." The Hebrew word for jealous here does not bear the same meaning as our modern version. It poignantly refers to "not bearing any rival" and that He would "avenge any departure from Him." With that fact known, Ezekiel 6:9 makes perfect sense for us in that God had to crush their "adulterous heart which had departed from Me."
Passages like these are difficult to handle by those that claim atheistic beliefs. If you do not acknowledge God as the One, True God, then you are exalting yourself, pridefully, as god in His place. By saying they do not believe in a god, they are defeating their own atheistic philosophy. We either love God our self more, because it is impossible to love both (Matthew 6:24). Think about your eyes - you cannot focus on two objects simultaneously. If you focus on the object in the foreground, then the background will become slightly blurry; and vice-versa. Our hearts are tuned to have a singular focus as well -- beat or not. In deciding what to do with God, we either love Him or self supremely.
So, you must stand before God right now and answer His inquiry: "Tell me who I am." Is He God or nothing. Your answer makes all the difference for the remainder of your life. If a professing Christian, your answer to that question is revealed by daily actions. Examine your life and honestly tell God who you believe He is.
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