Another Take on a Peaceful Life

Scripture: Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. Philippians 1:27-28

Observation: As Paul writes to the church in Philippi while he is in prison, he encourages them not to be frightened by anything. It would be likely for the church, knowing Paul is chained in a prison and possibly to be killed by Rome - and knowing how great Paul has been as an apostle - would become afraid to speak out. Paul reminds them not to be afraid, and in fact that their lack of fear is a sign to non-believers.

Non-believers are afraid of things like ... worldly opinions, the authority of government, and death. Christians are different in that regard. We understand that death is a passage to eternity with Christ, and that the Lord is in ultimate control of the world and everything in it. Sure, there are things that can happen to us in life that hurt, and those pains can be physical and emotional and mental. We don't seek nor desire such pain. However, we trust they are also temporary and will be resolved by the Lord, often in ways we cannot even imagine. It is this attitude of trust in the Lord, which therefore gives us peace in life without fear, which is one of the clearest signs of faith to the non-believers, and thus it is the fear they feel in their hearts and minds that alerts them of their own future destruction.

Application: I took note of this even within the last week, but I continue to see the divide in our nation when I look at social media, and more and more often I am aware of that divide not by the words that are said or the 'politics' of the individuals or the wild concepts some promote, but by the mental and emotional state of people when they express their opinions or respond to issues. The faithful have a calm reasoning, and sometimes even humor and joy, embedded within their conversations. The faithless are angry and afraid.

As I have said before, it is amazing to me that the inspired words of God, written 2,000-4,000 years ago, actually address the same issues we see in modern society, and this is one of them. Then as now, people without hope live desperate lives, filled with strong emotions over the actions and activities and words of relatively meaningless people around them. I guess, in a way, they have to, because whatever is happening within their immediate circle of conscious existence is truly the only life and only world they will ever know.

When (for example) a president's two-sentence soundbite is your world, you care about it. You fight angrily for or against it. You spend your weekends shouting with illogical signs in your hands and thinking that stopping traffic makes people agree with you. You yell and swear at people who have a different opinion than yours. You spend spare time studying illogical and self-contradictory logic so you can spout it out as if you were a philosopher analyzing the deepest concepts of human logic.

And in all this, such people ignore ... the joy of being loved by the Lord, the hope of salvation through Jesus, the peace of just being content, the happiness that comes in quiet calm, and the realization that there is a logic so far beyond our thinking that analyzing and developing arguments on any side of a worldly debate is pointless.

Prayer: Lord, I seek even more of your peace today. In my spare time, may I meditate in you and not be drawn into any element of this world. When others see me, may they see my joy and peace and hope and love and calm. If they call that ignorant disengagement, so be it, for that can only remind them of their own fear and attachment to the world, and hopefully make them question their own future destruction. Amen.

When Habits Betray One's Heart

Scripture:
On that day I will punish
everyone who leaps over the threshold,
and those who fill their master's house
with violence and fraud.
Zephaniah 1:9

Observation: Zephaniah is declaring the curses of the Lord, first upon Judah and then later upon the surrounding nations as well. When it comes to Judah, he tells the reasons for his impending destruction by describing their behaviors, and specifically that they have now bowed to other gods. He calls the future destruction of them God's "sacrifice". And who will be punished? He talks of the leaders who have led the people astray, and then verse 9 describes two types of people, one that seem obvious, and the other that seems less so.

The obvious ones are "those who fill their master's house with violence and fraud." These are the people who come into the temple and deceive others about their faith, lie to the Lord himself about their trust in him, and even bring anger and hatred and aggression toward others into the Lord's very presence. They have so little regard for Yahweh that, even when they show up to give their offerings, nothing about their behavior or attitude is aligned to the Lord. They might go through the ritual, but clearly their lives are pointed in a completely different direction.

The other type of person is more subtle. They "leap over the threshold." They arrive in the temple and their hearts are sincere and their behavior aligned to the Lord's precepts and directives. However ... subtly within them, they have other beliefs in their lives. Those beliefs are so embedded that they embrace little superstitions and practices that are far outside of the Lord's teachings. They have added concepts to God's truth, like (for example) an idea that spirits reside in doorways and you should avoid stepping on them. Suddenly, a little habit betrays their heart and mind.

And yes, these second types of people will be just as punished and destroyed as the first. The message from Yahweh through Zephaniah is not about establishing a sliding scale of punishment. The people of Judah either honor and obey the Lord, or they do not, and their destruction will come no matter the size and degree of their dishonor and lack of alignment to the Lord.

Application: I thank God for Jesus, and this is an example of the greatest reason Jesus' sacrifice is necessary ... I could never comply and align with the Lord's commands perfectly and completely, and thus would absolutely be cursed to death without forgiveness and salvation by faith.

How many little things do I do in life simply because I have 'added' some worldly concept into my daily habits or lifestyle? I can't even think of how to enumerate them! I don't walk around evaluating my spiritual cleanliness moment by moment, so I am not even aware that things I do may have their origins in earthly teachings, or cultural superstitions, or even pagan rituals. This doesn't even count those things I do that I know are sinful.

By my active sin, I am like those who bring violence into the temple, knowing dishonoring the Lord. However, by my little unthinking actions all day, I am like those who skip over the threshold, and by so doing allow a concept that is outside of the Lord's instruction to be part of my life. I am worthy only of destruction by the Lord.

Again, I thank God for Jesus, by whom - and by the Lord's amazing love - I will not receive the punishment I deserve.

Prayer: Lord, I say it a third time, thank you for Jesus. I know I am unworthy of your forgiveness and love, and yet you love me and forgive me anyway. Truely, your ways and your mind and your love are beyond my understanding. May I consider my daily actions, taking control of my thoughts and deeds, and aligning them to you and your word more and more, every day. Amen.

I Call You, Jesus

Emotionally, I'm not doing great. I feel stress for my children, and even more stress for my own job future, and when I do I have a terrible tendency to just allow my mind to wander ... and the enemy takes advantage of that too easily. Then I feel guilty and stressed even more, and the cycle is hard to break.

So Jesus ... I call your name. Please, today and every day, take my hand so I may walk your path, every moment, with every step.

I have a King
With dominion over death
He holds the keys
In his Holy nail-scarred hands
He is the heel
That has crushed the serpent’s head
Our resurrected Great I Am.

Selling the Truth Every Day

Scripture:
Buy truth, and do not sell it;
       buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23

Observation: In the midst of several proverbs about listening to the wisdom of one's father, respecting ones' mother, and causing honor and gladness for both (verses 21,23-25) is this one sentence about "buying" truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Generally, these topics are consistent with other proverbs. Wisdom is known to be honor and respect and 'fear' of the Lord; Instruction is wise counsel and teaching; Understanding is divinely attuned obedience; Truth is all of these, with an even stronger associating with knowing that it is all related to the divinity, authority, and singular status of Yahweh as the only God and creator.

Of course, "buy" is a term to acquire all these things, and while it is not used often (usually the proverbs advise to seek and acquire and value wisdom but rarely invoke the idea of a monetary transaction) it can be understood to be the same. However ... why not sell the truth? Are we not supposed to teach others? If one were wise and able to instruct others so they may understand, and someone with lesser knowledge sought that truth, should we not give it to them?

Meditating on this paradox, the answer seems to reveal itself in two possible ways.

1) If one does know the truth, you are not to sell it for reward, for it is not yours to sell. Wisdom, truth, and love are the Lord's, and he gives them away for free to all who seek. If you have these, you are to also give them away for free, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and in a spirit of love and hope that others will discover the wisdom of the Lord.

2) If one does know the truth, you must never lose it or give it up for something that is not the truth. In other words, with an understanding of the Lord, and a desire to honor and respect him and be obedient to his precepts, you are to do exactly that - be obedient - and not give up or 'sell' that truth for some worldly sin or possession or success or outcome.

Application: The first of these two ideas is simple for me to understand ... we freely share the good news of Jesus, and don't do so for any kind of profit or reward, but because the gospel is truly about the free gift of salvation that the Lord wants everyone to know and we are only his chosen method of communication. However, the second of these two ideas ... I probably do daily.

How often do I do something, and immediately think "I'm not supposed to do that"? The answer is that I do that several times per day. I can think to myself that I'm better than others who may have once known and understood about God and Jesus and now live their lives for some cause that is contrary to his will, but that's just stupid. My obedience isn't to be evaluated on a bell curve, with the idea that if I score a B- then I must be doing good enough.

Knowing wisdom, I sell the truth every day. Every morning I re-buy it - I take time in the morning to read the Lord's word, acquire new wisdom, and assess how to apply it to my life - and by noon I've sold it for an expressed curse word or a moment to get angry about some social issue.

I want to break this cycle. I want to buy truth, and never sell it. I value the Lord's wisdom too much to treat it as a commodity.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for my sins yesterday and every day. Moreover, please give me your strength and spirit to hold onto you precepts and instruction and keep it all central in my mind, so I may be more obedient to you and your will every moment. Amen.

Always Agitated, Angry, and Active

Scripture:
"Peace, peace, to the far and to the near," says the Lord,
"and I will heal him.
But the wicked are like the tossing sea;
for it cannot be quiet,
and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."
Isaiah 57:19-21

Observation: As Isaiah talks about comforting the faithful, he includes a parting comment about the wicked. Sure, he promises peace for those who seek the Lord, even if they struggle to draw near to him, and this should be incentive enough for a faith-filled life. However, if that is not enough, then consider the alternative. The wicked are always in turmoil, and for them there is no peace in life.

Application: I try not to fall into 'echo chambers' online, but I know that the algorithms do tend to feed me only certain content and have figured out my conservative political bend. Therefore, I may see only either what I want to see, or get shown only a subset of the truth. However, that said, yesterday I was reading about a new controversy involving a celebrity who is effectively being accused of not being woke enough for Hollywood (it doesn't matter the person or the issue), and I saw a pattern. Every individual who was attacking this person, and who also is known to be a promoter of 'woke' issues, was actively angry to the point of physical agitation/reaction, and up-in-arms focused on the 'issue'. Meanwhile, others who are more neutral on all such topics had almost no reaction, to the point of not even understanding that there was an 'issue', and expending almost zero mental energy (and certainly no physical reaction other than some laughter) to the situation.

In other words, those who are on the side of wicked - who are currently seeking to fuel the world with wickedness, and are absolutely nowhere near having any sort of relationship with the Lord - truly never have peace in their lives. They are always agitated, angry, and active regarding some outrage they feel toward others. There is no calm in their minds, only the current fight.

Here's my first thought on this. It doesn't even matter if such individuals are right or wrong on any topic ... that just looks like a brutally difficult way to live. Isn't it exhausting mentally and physically and emotionally to just always be in confrontation-mode every day, all day? Why would anyone want to live that way? Certainly they must know (or hope) there is a better way to live.

Here's my second thought on this. I am starting to realize that one of the best indications of someone's relationship with Jesus is actually ... their ability to live in peace. Even if they have causes and views and opinions, and even if they have true confrontation - even inspired confrontations driven by their faith - they also have true calm surrounding them almost continually.

I was truly thinking about this yesterday - the divide between those who are always angry about such issues and those who just are not even as they address the same issues - and then read this in Isaiah today. The Lord provides peace to the faithful. However ... "there is no peace for the wicked". So says my God.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the peace in my life. I didn't always have such peace, but now I have it most days, and I see that it isn't due to a lack of concern, but rather it is because of your blessing, and they way you simply care for me. I am not always near to you emotionally or mentally every day, yet your provide your peace in my life, and I thank you. Amen.

Foretold Unification with the Jews

Scripture:
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
Isaiah 55:5

Observation: Isaiah chapter 55 has two famous passages. The first is verses 1-2, that call everyone to come, drink of the Lord's water and eat of his bread with no money. The second is verses 8-9, when the Lord explains that his ways and his thoughts are higher than ours and beyond our understanding. Exactly in between those two is this, which might be the most significant of the verses for western Christians. This is a prophesy that declares Israel will call another nation to faith ... yet somehow Israel has does not know of this country, and likewise that country does not know Israel.

One thousand years, and two total destructions of two Jewish countries and the rise of the greatest empire in history later, the first Christians - who are Jewish - will call the entire Roman Empire to faith in the name of Jesus. At that time, there is no such nation as Israel, for the Jews are recognized as a religious sect in the region of Judeah. At no time when Israel/Judah existed did the Roman Republic/Empire exist. Two nations that never, ever knew each other ... and Israel calls Rome to faith.

Application: While we read the prophesy about the calling of the Gentile world to faith, Paul explains the same concept in Ephesians 2 (today's New Testament reading). He actively declares that, by faith in Jesus, Jews and Gentiles are now one people united by that faith, reconciled together, and thus not in conflict. In other words, the prophesy of Isaiah 55:5 is complete, for the Jews have called the Gentiles, and they (especially the faithful in Ephesus receiving this letter, but certainly everyone who believes in Jesus in the last 2,000 years) have come running.

Prayer: Lord, as we continue to see terrible issues about both war in and around Israel and violence toward Jews everywhere in the world, may we please take more seriously your call and you plan, to be one people, united by faith in Jesus, and this is not just a unity of faith but a reconciliation of Gentile faithful and all Jews. May we, the Church, better find our voice and leadership in this matter, individually and collectively. Amen.

All are Predestined to Choose

Scripture: In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:11-14

Observation: Paul begins his letter to the church at Ephesus with a traditional salutation, then immediately goes into a conversation about a difficult topic ... predestination. This is not typical for Paul, who usually introduces his letters with a conversation about some positive characteristic of Jesus and our faith in Jesus, such as love or joy or the ability to overcome hardship. Instead, Paul jumps into a conversation that perplexes and even angers many, that being the idea of individuals being destined or selected for faith (while, therefore, implicitly others are not).

However, a proper reading of this passage absolutely shows that this is NOT what Paul is saying. Paul is not saying that some individuals have been specially selected for salvation at the exclusion of others. He is stating that everyone was predestined for salvation, lost that, but now everyone alive from the time of Jesus and afterward live in an era when they have the choice to reclaim that destiny of salvation by faith in Jesus.

If it weren't for the modern interpretation of the idea of "destiny" this might be obvious to everyone. Paul uses the phrase "predestined," but then discusses how believers have effectively opted into that destiny. We hoped for salvation in the Lord, then we heard the gospel of Jesus, then we believed, and with that belief we were sealed by the promise and (re)acquire salvation. Paul says God "chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless" (v4) then calls that "predestined" (v5) ... but we know that, before the foundation of the world, that was in fact the Lord's intention for all mankind, to be holy and blameless, but mankind rejected it. Jesus is now the path back to the original destiny everyone had.

Given all context of both the letter structure and the word "predestined" within the surrounding text, it is clear that Paul is NOT in fact trying to take on some controversial topic like free will or selective salvation. He is instead declaring the best part of the good news of Jesus ... we were ALL predestined to salvation through holiness, however we ALL rejected that destiny by accepting sin, and now we ALL have a chance to reclaim the original destiny thanks to Jesus.

Application: I'll be honest, I am one of those people who has struggled with the idea of "predestiny" when it comes to salvation, and have believed for decades that this is one of the most controversial ideas in Christianity ... that there is a predestiny component of who does - and especially who does not - believe in Jesus. Finally reading this today, it 'clicked', and now it seems obvious.

And now I see this truth, that every single person I see every day is predestined to be holy, blameless, and selected for salvation, and all they have to do to reclaim that destiny is believe in Jesus as the Christ, their Lord and savior. This should make me see everyone differently, every day. Every single person, before the foundations of the world were laid, the Lord declared would be saved ... but then by their choices in life all have rejected that salvation, until they choose to reclaim it by simple faith.

I want to help others make that one choice. I want to be worthy to help them by myself making better choices daily.

Prayer: Lord, even in my foggy state of tiredness and jet-lagged pain this morning, you show up and reveal to me a truth I struggled with for 40 years. You, Lord, are so amazing, so loving, so kind, so patient. Thank you, my Lord and my God. Amen.

Fighting in the Correct Battleground

Scripture:
Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for,
and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:
when he makes all the stones of the altars
like chalkstones crushed to pieces,
no Asherim or incense altars will remain standing.
Isaiah 27:9

Observation: In this passage, Isaiah is prophesying about the restoration of Israel from exile, and how the exile will remove their sin and the Lord will not strike them and destroy them the way he will eventually destroy those who have taken them into exile. In this, he confirms that one of the benefits of this exile will be the removal of the false alters of Israel, how the alters to false gods will be destroyed and removed, as will the Ashera poles in the high places.

This is an interesting point, that by removing Israel from their land, they will not only understand and receive correction for their actions, but those mechanisms by which they sinned will also be removed. They won't have to see the error of their ways, then face the temptations to continue sinning. God is wiping it away, so they will return to a clean slate.

Application: I have gone down several small rabbit holes recently about some of the false conversations about God and Jesus prevalent these days. It seems one of the common ways satan is using the internet to attack humans is by having "scholars" openly promote the false lies of antiquity - lies we have well established are and were lies - and write scholarly opinions wondering why modern believers have attempted to hide and bury these things.

Well ... we got rid of them because they were and are lies ... but that isn't what these scholars would have the world now believe. I have seen recent writing about things like the gospels of Thomas and Mary and Judas (again!). I have seen a study of the names of all the 'gods of Caanan' that included Yahweh just side-by-side with a dozen others. I have seen an essay that claims the books of 1//2 Samuel and 1/2 Kings were originally published as just a historical record about the city of Jerusalem, and that was all the Israelites were trying to communicate ... that they worshipped and lamented their capital city. Just this morning, when I searched the word "asherim" to confirm it was the same as an Ashera pole (it is the plural form), I saw several articles wondering why the male-dominated middle ages decided to reject Yahweh's wife from its pantheon of worship. Many of these writings are on Wikipedia, a source that the current generation thinks is valid because it's crowd-sourced ... and therefore is must be true or someone would have corrected it.

It is this false information that we all must address in the name of Jesus. However, we must not address it by fighting over the facts ... we must address it by communicating THE fact, the gospel that God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to die for our sins, so we may have everlasting life through simple faith. All the lies will be addressed within the hearts of individual believers once they first believe. Until someone learns to listen to the still small voice of God, all the lies are loud fights with millions of voices shouting into the ether ... where unbelieving hearts actually listen to them.

The internet and social media is not our battleground. Our battleground is individual hearts.

Prayer: Lord, the world is dark, and seemingly getting darker. Please help us all, all your believers, remember that your light shines from within us, and the dark cannot overcome the light. Therefore, the lies, no matter how loud and prevalent, cannot overcome the truth of Jesus. Amen.

Calling Out the Worldly Wise

Scripture: What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! 2 Corinthians 11:17-19

Observation: As Paul is talking to the church about his qualifications to correct them, he wants to make the point that - in fact - earthly qualifications are pointless. Within the church, we may correct each other only by understanding the word of the Lord and the instructions of Jesus, and aligning correction to those truths. However, since the church at Corinth seems to push back on worldly qualifications, Paul will prove is worthiness.

That said, Paul mocks them a little before doing so, pointing out that his words are foolish, yet ... they like to suffer fools, because they themselves are so wise! If they knew themselves to be fools, then they would want to listen to good and wise instruction and correction. However, since they don't want to listen, then they certainly consider themselves wise, and in being wise they know well enough to 'suffer fools' and let them ramble.

It is all an elegant trap to show the church they are failing to listen and learn and grow. If they were fools, they of course would want wisdom, and that being the wisdom of the very word of God. Since they reject wisdom, then of course they will listen to foolish boasts, and that being the boasts about worldly qualifications of wisdom ... qualifications which exceed any of them.

Application: I have done this before at work, in various forms, used certain "worldly" concepts that some people think are important to learn what drives or motivates or incents them that is not necessarily accurate or true. It is a way of determining if people have the right priorities, and in Paul's case the "right priority" when it comes to wisdom and truth is the word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit, not earthly credentials.

What I like best, though, is the way Paul 'traps' the audience into listening to him. If they are so wise ... then they can easily listen to a fool! This is becoming more and more an issue in modern society, as we see people who engage in public debate on social topics who declare their wisdom and knowledge about certain "truths" but then cannot and will not listen to people they call 'idiots' or 'fools' or worse. We see videos of believers on the front line engaging in debates, and the other side won't debate, they will only yell and spout soundbites out of context then walk away while calling others names.

And once again ... we see that isn't a new thing. Paul faced that kind of behavior 1,900 years ago, and showed a calm way of  calling it out.

Prayer: Lord, again today I find myself to be a total fool. However, I do want to listen to correction. Please forgive my sins and correct my mind, help me readjust my thinking, and give me the tools I need to focus on you every minute of every day. I am failing at this, and I know I am not wise enough to solve it myself. Amen.

Oldest Trick in the Book

Scripture:
Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.
Psalm 106:28-30

Observation: As this psalm recounts the history of the Israelites, this passage is specific to a situation in Numbers 25. It is a time during their wilderness wandering where Israelite men began marrying Moabite women. The Lord had a plague break out in the camp, and Phinehas was able to stop it by killing the man who had led this practice.

It is interesting to understand this "baal". This word itself refers basically means "god", and we see the term throughout the bible, sometimes even pluralized. The most famous "baal" will be the one that eventually King Ahab leads the northern kingdom to worship, and that baal is specifically a nature god who they worship for good weather and harvests. This baal is a sex god, and the worship of this one involves prostitution and open festivals. It appears this is not associated with reproduction, but just with hedonistic pleasure.

Application: When I consider the "baals" in the Old Testament and other false gods Israel encounters, I realize ... satan has no new tricks when it comes to coercing mankind. And sex and lust are possibly the oldest trick (after tempting Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit, their first recorded act is to realize they are naked).

We see the most prominent false gods - the ones that most caused Israel's stumbling - are the ones that involve the following: Pleasure (Baal of Peor); Nature (Baal); Life (Asherah); Death (Moloch). Here is the interesting element of these ... one can argue that these are the key elements of every life (we are born and we die, and in between we reproduce and consume). However, these are also the most important aspects of our lives upon which we are to trust in the Lord. The Lord is the creator, maker of all of creation and nature, and the giver of our very lives. In life, we trust him with our survival, looking to him for provision and blessing, and we seek both his love and the love of family as a way of receiving his love. Then we die in the hope and trust of eternal salvation in Christ.

I would almost guarantee that everyone is under spiritual attack in one of these areas of their lives every day. I know I am. The real issue is that ALL I am supposed to do in all of these areas is just to pray to the Lord and trust in him. He takes care of every aspect of my life.

Prayer: Lord, may I continue to turn my thoughts and actions over to you today and every day. I fail at this far too often, and I ask your forgiveness for my sins. I desire to return my mind to be completely and totally focused on you, and on the good things of this life that you provide. Amen.

Being Firm in Faith

Scripture: Thus says the Lord God:
“‘It shall not stand,
and it shall not come to pass.
For the head of Syria is Damascus,
and the head of Damascus is Rezin.
And within sixty-five years
Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.
If you are not firm in faith,
you will not be firm at all.’”
Isaiah 7:7-9

Observation: This prophesy is given to Ahaz, king of Judah, related to an upcoming conflict with Syria and Israel, and it couldn't be more straightforward. Ahaz should not worry, because Syria trusts in their king Rezin, and Israel trusts in their king Remaliah (actually his son Pekah is leading them in battle). They trust in men. Judah trusts in the Lord. Not only will the efforts of Syria and Israel fail, but it spells the final straw for Israel and it will soon be completely destroyed.

While this prophesy itself seems clear, it is the very last line that really emphasizes the point. For anyone to be firm - to be strong in any manner - they must be firm and strong in their belief in the Lord. If they fail at that one quality, then they will fail in many other ways. This is both an explanation for why Samaria and Damascus will fail, and a warning for Ahaz and Judah to remain faithful. (Spoiler alert: Ahaz won't remain faithful.)

Application: This is a good reminder today that one's ability to be strong in all aspects of life are tied to one's ability to be strong in faith. I have faith, but I am not always strong in it. I should say, I am very strong in faith, but I am often not faithful in my thoughts and deeds, and this likely betrays a weakness I am not addressing.

Do I want to succeed in my job? Then I should be firm in faith. Do I want to have a great marriage? Then I should be firm in faith. Do I want to quiet my mind and find joy every day? Then I should be firm in faith. It is actually wonderful news to think of the idea that, in order to do and improve so many parts of life, I only need to address one aspect of my thinking.

Prayer: Lord, you know I have faith in you. I believe in your, Yahweh, and in Jesus as my savior, and by the fact it is through this faith I have salvation. I know of your greatness and love. Please forgive my sins, as I am weak in maintaining faithful actions. Please give me your mind and your heart, so I may only seek your will. Amen.

Not Ritual, but Opportunity

Scripture:
When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?
Isaiah 1:12

Observation: Isaiah's prophesies begin with the Lord declaring his frustration with Israel. He even says he has punished them so much that they are beaten up yet haven't corrected themselves, so punishment has become pointless. They aren't listening, and they don't know him. He has even grown tired of the very mechanisms defined to bring them close to him ... festivals, fellowship offerings, sacrifices, prayer ... he doesn't want them anymore. He describes their coming and going from these things a "trampling of his courts" and wonders who even asked them to do all this in the first place.

Well, one might answer ... the Lord himself asked for all this. However, the truth is, he did not. The Lord did not ask for unrepentant people to periodically go through a ritual that involved procedural public bathing followed by milling around a giant barbeque speaking scripted words so they could then return to their homes and pray to other gods. The Lord asked for his faithful people, who have managed their lives in a manner that kept him central, to partake in communion with him, and then to keep him central in their lives until the next time they come.

The Lord is clear that their worship is empty because it is procedural obedience, not a heart-felt alignment and worship. This is especially true when many of them include other parts of their daily routine that are in contradiction to the Lord, such as worship to false gods, making the ritualistic process they give to Yahweh even worse as it isn't even an act of compliance to the one true God at that point, but just some acts they do every day.

Application: I know I go through times when things I do to honor the Lord, I do out of ritual or just process. There are times I attend church on Sunday because ... that's what one does on Sunday morning, and I sing worship songs there because that's the first thing we do during service. And I know when I do that, I am not really being faithful, and I feel that real-time. Even though the Lord has asked for my worship, he doesn't really hear it when I'm only doing it as part of a ritual habit. Even my devotions, there are times I do these simply because this is what I do to start my day.

Yes, I need to avoid this pattern and work through it when it happens. I do know the Holy Spirit helps with this, as there are times I know this is my mindset and then my mindset adjusts as I lean into worship or prayer or the word. That said, the fix is NOT to just tell myself "okay, time to get your mind and heart right and want to be with the Lord". The fix is to actually keep the Lord central in my life, and thus these actions are not just ritual, they are opportunity.

Going to church isn't a ritual for Sunday morning, it is an opportunity to surround myself with believers and learn more about Jesus. Worship isn't a ritual of singing to God, it is an opportunity to use music to express my love and thanks and praise to Yahweh. Devotions aren't a ritual to clear my head for the day, they are an opportunity to connect with the Holy Spirit and bring him into my life through the eternal word of the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, I never, ever want to be accused of trampling on your courts. I don't want my actions to be rituals I just do. May I keep you more and more central in my life and in my heart every day, so my worship and prayer may simply flow as a part of my love for you. Amen.

A Healthy Body, or Beautification

Scripture: Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:6-7

Observation: Paul goes into a discussion here about the human body being the Lord's temple on earth, and yet the body is not to be particularly cherished because we have a better, perfected self awaiting in heaven. He calls our earthly body a 'tent' that we live in, but the version of our body in heaven is our true home. We take care of this earthly body yet we still groan with aches and needs, but the one in heaven will be perfected.

He concludes this with a verse (v7) that is often quoted but clearly done so out of context ... "we live by faith, not by sight." It is clear from what immediately precedes this that Paul is talking about the human body. He is actually stating that, we do not live for the visual appearance of our bodies ... we especially do not live in order to make our bodies beautiful and perfect and appealing and pleasing to look at ... we live for Jesus and by faith we will get a perfected body later.

Application: My wife and I had a conversation three days ago about a friend who has begun a health kick. At first it was about losing weight ... a good and noble quest, and one I actually am in desperate need to pursue myself. However, we are worried that, for our friend, it has become an image obsession. It's gone from working out, to upending his daily routines by altering his personal meal practices at the expense of time with his wife, to losing out on other time as he prioritizes gym attendance with one specific trainer over all other activities, to now spending new money on skin care products and spa treatments. Individually, these are things people do. Collectively, this looks like a man who is now prioritizing and paying special attention to his body in a manner that goes beyond worldly health and drifts toward appearance obsession. It is worrisome in our friend.

This is common, I feel, for many who do not have Jesus in their lives, and thus spend significant time focused on 'beauty' (maybe not causation, but correlation?). They may think they do so for health purposes, but they also do so for everything else that comes with it ... pride in self and worldly attention from others being prominent. They want their earthly bodies to appeal to earthly sensibilities, and dedicate time to it that could have been spent in other ways.

I am not saying beauty is wrong, and I'm not saying I believe that taking care of one's health is wrong in any way. I am saying that turning one's body into a place that we want to beautify almost in the same way one would invest in art and style to beautify their home ... well ... "as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord." We are not designed to turn our earthly body into a beautiful home. We are designed to care for our earthly bodies as a tent we live in for years, and thus it needs TLC and attention and mending and proper management, and we do that because we aren't proud in this body, knowing our perfect body will be given us in heaven.

Prayer: Lord, as I consider this somewhat trivial yet complex topic, I pray for those who make their bodies a focus in their lives. May we all find your balance in how we care for ourselves here on earth. I myself would like to spend more time so I can be healthier in weight and strength and thus spend my older years in good health with my wife. I know I need to take better care of my tent. I feel like the balance is at the line between health and beautification. However, I do not know the truth, and I ask only for your guidance in this matter for all, including me. Amen.

Upon Inciting Conflict

Scripture:
This is what the Lord says:
"As for the prophets
who lead my people astray,
they proclaim ‘peace’
if they have something to eat,
but prepare to wage war against anyone
who refuses to feed them."
Micah 3:5

Observation: Micah is giving the word of the Lord to Israel, calling out their issues beyond just their major sins of idol worship. He is also calling out their entire attitude about Yahweh and their lack of faith. Regarding the prophets that lead Israel astray - and we have seen them at work in the books about the history of Israel - he characterizes their false words in verse 5.

These words he describes are not prophetic words. They carry no hope, no benefit, no truth, and no inspiration. In fact ... they carry no meaning. Effectively, the message such false prophets are accused of saying is, "when you have what you want just relax and be happy, but when you are upset find someone else to blame and hate them."

This is worse than a 'false' message. It effectively says that the purpose of life is to have your personal wants fulfilled, therefore when you are getting those things then you can live in peace because everything is great, but when you are not getting those things then there must be someone else to blame ... and you need to hate them - even destroy them - because somehow they are denying you of your self-defined good life.

Application: Does all that sound familiar?

We all know every part of how this message is flawed. First, life doesn't exist just to fulfill our wants of life. We have a greater purpose, found in the Lord. Second, every life has good times and bad - times when we have plenty and times when we are in want - and those are not the fault of others. Third, if we blame others and seek to fight or hate every time we are in want, we end up in our modern-day situation, with everyone divided and hateful and angry all the time.

However, Micah isn't correcting the people who do that. He is correcting the prophets - the leaders - who deliver that message and teach everyone else that, when you aren't getting what you want, find someone else to blame and fight them to the death.

I'm looking at you, anyone and everyone involved in divisive political leadership that turns government into a win-or-die competition. I'm looking at you, anyone and everyone who leads others with a message of "us vs. them". I'm looking at you, anyone and everyone with authority to control media messaging who decides what others learn based on how effective the emotional response will drive viewership. I'm looking at you, anyone and everyone who has convinced people they belong to a 'classification' and others belong to a different 'classification' they must oppose. I'm looking at you, anyone and everyone who has told their 'followers' to "resist" a government that actually provides for their welfare and freedom. I'm looking at you, anyone and everyone who has implemented and promoted divisive language and terms like 'oppressors' to describe mundane concepts like business processes.

You despise truth and distort all that is right. May your minds go dark. May the sun set on your time. May you all be ashamed and disgraced.

Prayer: Lord, I am aware of what I am saying. I do not judge, but I do apply your word to the world today, and I live in a time and place I can barely stand, and not because of everyone, but because of a few who divide and inspire warfare. May your judgment, not mine and not theirs, be the only true authority, and even then may your judgment always include your mercy and love. Amen.

Giving Proper Credit

Scripture: It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart. 2 Chronicles 32:30-31

Observation: Having read this story many times now, the obvious part of if is easily understood (especially in the longer version given in 2 Kings). Babylon sends an envoy to Jerusalem, Hezekiah shows him all their wealth, and immediately the advisors and prophets know this will actually motivate Babylon to someday come conquer Judah, thus this action is key to the future 70-year exile. However, there is so much more here.

First, what was the "miraculous sign" Babylon heard about? It isn't said here, but in 2 Kings and Isaiah we know it was the reversing of the earth's rotation. Hezekiah was dying, and was told he would be spared and offered a sign, and he asked for the shadow to retreat 10 steps up the stairs. Scholars now believe this was more than a trick in his room, as this phenomenon is recorded in other records as having been observed on sun dials. Babylon didn't just hear of it ... they witnessed it, heard that somehow this was associated with Hezekiah's recover, and sent the envoy to ask about it.

Second, what was Hezekiah's real failing here? Yes, he showed the treasures of Judah. However, his real failure was in boasting of 'his' great kingdom. Hezekiah's answer should have been to tell Babylon all about Yahweh, who controls the world and all within it. He should have boasted of the greatness of the Lord, the one so powerful that he controls the planet itself. Instead ... he showed off 'his' gold. Even Hezekiah - the king that placed his total faith in the Lord - failed to declare the Lord's greatness. It was this act that opened the door for God's future judgment and punishment when Judah ultimately turned away from him.

Third, what was the other prophetic message in the story? This is more interpretive, but it is interesting that this is a story involving Babylon, and the movement of a shadow that both advances and retreats. The accepted prophetic symbolism is that this is a sign that, when Babylon does someday come and take Judah into exile, they will later return. Going further, when Judah (Hezekiah) is taken forward into captivity by Babylon, they will later be returned (turned backward) and restored (healed from disease).

Okay ... so did Hezekiah curse Judah to exile? No, I'd say pretty confidently. The Lord was clear about his judgment and the actions of Judah, and Hezekiah's one mistake is not a deciding act. However, he did become part of the story on the method by which the Lord's judgment would be eventually carried out ... AND about the hope the Lord promised even in the midst of that judgment.

Application: I did dive into some research today about what "the miraculous sign" was that Babylon wanted to know about. I assumed it was the defeat of Assyria, so the fact that the sign given to Hezekiah for his healing was a documented event elsewhere was news to me. And of course, it's just like God to give me the REAL lesson through some academic desire to understand three words.

One of the worst things I and others do is ... fail to give the Lord public credit for 'our success'. I do this privately, thanking God for all I have and truly knowing it is all because of his choices to love and bless me and my family. However, I rarely just say that to others. In fact, I'd bet many of us have some kind of cynical reaction when we see things like athletes give thanks to God for a big win or good play.

Here's the truth: Those individuals are publicly declaring credit to the Lord, and I'm sitting here being Hezekiah ... a man who worships the Lord and rejects all kinds of evil but fails to then just tell one or two strangers about Yahweh and Jesus. Giving proper credit to the Lord isn't about praying to God and thanking him for what he's done. God knows what he's done, and that I'm thankful. Giving proper credit is about telling others, always, openly, and unashamedly.

Prayer: Lord, you do know that I am thankful for your blessings in your life, and I know very well that nothing I have is a result of anything I've ever done or been able to do. I do thank you. May I learn better to give you public credit. Amen.

Like Father, Like Father, Like Son, Like Son

Scripture:
The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
Psalm 103:15-16

Observation: Psalm 103 is a song of praise, attributed to David. It is introduced as being "of David" and the general theological consensus is that David wrote the song during his later years. It is a wonderful song, full of praise ... one that could be imagined to be sung by the Levites when Hezekiah rededicated the temple (another reading today).

Interestingly, here in the middle of it are lines about mortal life. These are explicitly about the temporal nature of humans, comparing us to grass and flowers, that are here today, then dead tomorrow, even their remnants blown away by the wind, and the flowers themselves unremembered. Well ... this is an insight straight out of Ecclesiastes. The teacher of Ecclesiastes says the same thing multiple times in discussing both the brevity and pointlessness of human life, and even uses the metaphor of both grass and flowers.

And we know who wrote Ecclesiastes ... Solomon. So where did Solomon get this lessons? His father, David. And where did David get this lesson? His father ... the Lord. However, in this fun little analysis of sons learning from their fathers, there will be another son who will someday come along and also use this same metaphor, but with a very new addition to the interpretation. Yes, Jesus will tell us to consider the flowers that decorate a field even more beautifully than Solomon's robes, which are here today and gone tomorrow ... and consider the grass that grows today then is cut and thrown into the fire tomorrow ... and Jesus will tell us that, in fact, we are far more valuable to the father than any field or flowers, and that we are actually seen, actually loved, and actually eternal.

Application: This is, indeed, the difference Jesus makes in the world. While this was always the Lord's intent for reconciling mankind, even the men closest to him, like David, or the men with God's own wisdom, like Solomon, didn't yet understand salvation the way Jesus brings it into the world.

Even as I am, flawed and troubled, I am more valuable than the most beautiful field of wildflowers, free of the destiny of simply dying and being forgotten like a flower that withers and is blown away by wind. I am instead saved by grace, through faith in Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your love and your salvation offered through Jesus. You are my Lord, and I do and will follow you. Amen.

Providing Comfort for Others

Scripture: If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 2 Corinthians 1:6

Observation: Paul opens his letter to the church in Corinth with first a blessing of compassion and comfort, then a note about recent hardships he went through in Asia Minor when he almost died (perhaps Lystra?). However, in between he makes this comment about the nature of distress, suffering, and comfort. Paul's logic is interesting and yet simple. Our job as Christians - part of the "love one another" command of Jesus, if you will - is to comfort each other. It is a topic upon which Jesus speaks often, actually, that of mourning with each other comforting those who are sad and distressed. However, in just a few words, Paul discusses an interesting dynamic of how comforting works.

Paul first creates context. We all find ourselves in distress, and the Lord comforts us. Our faith in Jesus and belief in salvation is a comfort, and so we receive comfort and therefore know what it feels like. It is this comfort we should pay forward to others, reminding them of the same comfort they have in Christ and giving them our empathy. However, how does comfort ... help? Well, comfort helps in two ways.

First, when we are in distress, the comforting support of another person gives us ... comfort. It sooths our troubles, and helps our mind in the immediate circumstance, perhaps removing the suffering.

Second, when we are distressed, that same comfort gives us ... endurance. It allows us to suffer with hope of a future and better circumstance, even while the suffering remains.

Application: I am not very good at offering comfort to others. I try ... but I don't do it well. Perhaps part of that is my own mindset about suffering and hardships, which is more along the lines that I just need to 'suck it up' and work through it, and thus I'm not a very good recipient of comfort so don't know how to pay it forward.

However, another reason I may struggle giving comfort is that I have never understood this duality of its purpose. It shows kindness in the immediate near-term, and hope for the future long-term. It doesn't do one or the other, but both at the same time. Or maybe ... it does one or the other, and it is important to understand which the individual needs. If they need long-term hope, it is not effective to give them short-term compassion, but if they need short-term emotional uplifting, it is not effective to talk about long-term outcomes.

I think the point is, comforting others is something I am supposed to be doing. My own experiences can help others, as it provides wisdom that may comfort others about how to endure hardships. This is something about which I likely need to become more transparent and caring for others.

Prayer: Lord, I ask for your guidance today. May my words and actions today not be for myself, but for others, and if that involves providing comfort and compassion, I am here to do it. Amen.

Saying Three Common Prayers

Scripture: If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord! 1 Corinthians 16:22

Observation: Paul writes by his own hand the last few sentences of this letter. The first sentence he writes (v21) is simply to show that the handwriting has changed and now he, not his scribe, writes the rest. This then is his first true writing by his own hand, and it is the plea "come, Lord". As the footnote states, in Aramaic this was "marana tha", a common phrase of the early church, and a phrase we still say in some prayers today.

Application: I often pray this ... come, Lord Jesus. Surely this is one of the three most common Christian prayers, along with 'come, Holy Spirit' and 'please forgive me'. The truth is ... I'm starting to believe these may be the only three prayers I need in my life.

Please forgive me ... for I am a terrible sinner, who sins daily and even sins when I know for certain that what I'm doing or thinking or saying is something I should not. I need the Lord's forgiveness every day, several times a day, and do wish I would do a better job of full repentance and turning away from my sin.

Holy Spirit, come ... for I need your power and strength. I sin because I am weak and need your wisdom and power and direction in my life. I live is a fallen world with hardships and sadness and need your comfort and love, and I need your power to flow through me to show that love also to others.

Come, Lord Jesus ... for I love you and believe in you as my savior, and desire to be with you. I long for my true home in heaven, away from this fallen and bitter and painful world, where I can simply enjoy your light and your love, worshipping you forever and ever, without sin or pain or hardship.

Yes, I have many other prayers to say, for I also desire a relationship with the Lord. I want to honor and remember the greatness of God in all things, and I want to consult with him and seek his direction in my daily life. I also just want to proclaim the Lord's greatness and praise his name for all he has done. I will pray more, because I want to say all these things. However, one of the most important things I want to say is ... marana tha.

Prayer: Lord, please do forgive my sins, for I am a sinner and desire to repent to be a better man every day. Please, Holy Spirit, be present in my life and in my heart with power so I can resist evil and do your will. And yes, come, Lord Jesus, may you return soon. Amen.

Snowball Effects and Hidden Plans

Scripture: When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 21:4-6

Observation: Jehoram arrives as the first "evil" king of Judah who initiates baal worship. He is king for 8 years and takes Judah into its first true period of idol worship, following the pattern of Israel for the first time. The Lord does not forsake Jehoram entirely, because the Davidic covenant is in place, that an heir of David will reign forever. However, when Jehoram dies his son Ahaziah reigns only 1 year, and Ahaziah is "succeeded" by Jehoram's wife Athalia, who is NOT of David (in fact is part of the Israel royalty). It takes another 6 years until a person who had been the very last identified descendent of David - Joash - emerges from hiding.

So what happened to David's line? Well, there were three waves of killings of the line. The third was Athalia who killed the "royal family" so she could reign as queen. The second was attacks by the Philistines and Arabs during the reign of Jehoram, who carried off all his sons (except Ahaziah). But the first was when Jehoram himself became king and killed all his brothers.

Yes, Jehoram's actions are evil and terrible. However, when he was done he still lived, and had several sons, thus the line of David was strong and powerful and in-tact. It would take only 8 years - actually only 1 year after his own death actually - for that fact to completely flip and require the quick action of a lying aunt to save one small boy. Otherwise, the line of David would have been snuffed out.

Application: As I read this, I saw a lesson. Yes, this is about mass murder, but from the perspective of Jehoram it is about how one sin can almost ruin a family when other dominos fall. Jehoram did not see that killing his brothers might lead to the near-loss of the entire line of David, and on its own it didn't. However ... kill all your brothers ... then an enemy steals and kills your own sons (which honestly would only be a handful at most) ... then your mom kills your extended family (at this point, very few are left) ... and disaster is at the doorstep.

This is the way sin works. One action might seem like it can't destroy your life, but then other events transpire and soon your life is spiraling into seeming destruction. There are, of course, two lessons to this thought:

-- Don't trivialize the first action, and try to avoid even small sins as they may compound later.

-- Even if the destruction is at hand, trust in the Lord, for he has a hidden plan.

Prayer: Lord, as I begin this week, I know my family is in distress. I don't know what to do about it, and it feels like things are spiraling. It would be wonderful to see your hidden plans emerge this week. Amen.

Perhaps the Most Dangerous Sin

Scripture: King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 2 Chronicles 15:16

Observation: Asa, great great grandson of David, is a good king who cleans up some of the improper practices of Judah. One of the last things it is said he does is depose his grandmother Maakah because she worships Asherah.

Maakah is interesting. First, Maakah is descended from Absolom, the son of David who rebelled against him, and is in fact named after Absolom's mother. That woman was a princess of Geshur, a place that was supposed to be part of the trans-Jordan Manasseh territory of Israel but a people-group that was never successfully expelled by Manasseh. So ... we have a foreign people who marry David, bear a son that attempts to overthrow David, then produces a (daughter or granddaughter) Maakah that marries King Rehoboam, and she remains in a position of authority until her grandson deposes her perhaps as long as 50-60 years after she became queen.

It is a curiosity as to why Israel began worshipping Asherah. It is obvious in the text that it is because of the influence of foreigners in Israel, as this is something the Lord warns about over and over. Throughout their history, several of these foreign gods become part of Israel's downfall. However, Asherah is an interesting one as a "fertility goddess" that gets adopted as the female counterpart of Yahweh. It has always seemed confusing as to where this idea came from. Is it possible that the source is, in fact ... Maakah?

Application: I know I could go down a very deep rabbit hole about Asherah and discover what scholars have figured out over thousands of years of analysis as to why Israel stumbled on this particular goddess. However, I find this more basic idea likely more enlightening, and this is how I personally think about it.

David - a man after God's own heart - had a weakness ... women. One of them, the princess of Geshur (a people group that was supposed to be driven away several hundred years earlier), bore him Absolom, a son that would attempt to completely destroy his kingship. From that very rebellion comes a woman who, by her position of authority and public visibility, would lead Judah into the worship of a goddess idol that represents sexual immorality.

I can sit here in judgment of all this, or I can recognize that sexual sin and lust is prevalent in the downfall of many modern Christians, and lust exists in my own heart. It is clearly one of the most difficult of the sins to defeat in our lives ... in my life. This is likely the lesson being taught to us in scripture, with the Jews as the case study (as their history truly is for us). The issues of sexual sin destroy people, families, and nations. In recent years, this one issue has been the downfall of prominent Christians including megachurch pastors and popular band leaders, and those are just the major cases.

I clearly need to take the sin of lust more seriously in my own life. The occasional look ... the lustful thought ... the lingering on the popular social media photo ... this is a sin that is thrust into my life from every angle, and I am too accepting of it just being part of the world. Scripture teaches me that, if I don't turn from this, it can destroy my life. Sexual immorality is likely the most dangerous sin, and it begins with allowing and accepting lust.

Prayer: Lord, your word and your teaching is always good, always true, and always timely. I know that everything about my life begins with my heart, and that my heart is supposed to be yours and yours alone. Please, Lord, give to me that new heart, the one that pursues and loves you only. Amen.

Edifying the Church Today

Scripture: Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy ... Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 1 Corinthians 14:1,4

Observation: Paul continues his long conversation about gifts and abilities by comparing tongues and prophesy. He explicitly says that believers should desire the gift of prophecy, and explicitly compares it to tongues (perhaps because the church in Corinth had explicitly asked questions about speaking in tongues, probably even about members who do it and/or how they should pursue this gift). Paul himself speaks in tongues, but says it doesn't do the church any good because no one knows what is being said. The church would be better off if individuals could prophesy. 

Application: I have seen and heard many pastors - and many MANY more church members - who claim to have the gift of prophecy. When it is true, it is ... interesting. Our former pastor had the gift of prophecy. Interestingly, he never publicly claimed that. Instead, he just made statements about what the church needed to do to prepare for an upcoming season, or about a vision for something that would happen and that the church needed to act upon first, and it turned out true.

Probably the most interesting of these was when, in November 2019, he declared our church needed to invest six figures in new media capabilities. At the time we had a very good live stream capability, and probably less than 5 people watched it every week. He convinced everyone, raised and spent a ton of money, and implemented the new equipment in early 2020 ... two weeks before the pandemic shut down every church and we went to a 100 percent online format, and peaked with ~8,000 weekly viewers.

On the flip side, I have seen dozens of people 'claim' they have the gift of prophecy. Such individuals follow a specific pattern. First, they 'join' the church. Second, very soon after joining, they meet with pastors to explain why they should have some type of status, which includes them declaring (aka testifying on their own behalf) that they have the gift of prophecy. Third, they also make such claims to other church attendees. Fourth, they declare a prophecy that ... condemns church leaders and denounce their actions or decisions, maybe even delving into accusations about their personal lives or motives (which every time proves false). Fifth, they leave the church, and some members get angry at leadership over the turmoil (perhaps they believe the accusations, perhaps they think the individual was forced to leave). This won't happen over years ... it will happen over a period of weeks. I have literally watched this pattern happen a dozen times in the last 15 years.

Here is what I have seen with prophecy ... as Paul says, it edifies the church. I don't believe in the idea that prophecy is a way of knowing secrets. It is a way of understanding the Lord's instructions for the future, and since the Lord's plan for us is good, those instructions will be helpful and produce fruit. That seems consistent with every true prophet in scripture.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that your Spirit is alive in the world today, and we get to share in how your work within our churches today. Amen.

Gifting for Service and Work

Scripture: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Observation: Paul is about to discuss the idea of the unified church, the body of Christ, and how every individual is different yet makes up one body. He contextualizes this around spiritual gifts, stating that everyone has different gifting from the Holy Spirit. For this reason, verse 4 is well known, stating there are different gifts. So many people hold that thought and carry it to the next conversation. However, the next two verses discuss ... service and work.

This is the true subject, which is that the church has work and service to perform. People have different strengths and different purposes - different rolls within the body of Christ - but it all is for the work and service of the church.

Application: I know my spiritual gifting. It varies a little from time to time, but administration has always been strong. Leadership, faith, and exhortation (shockingly) have been in the mix.

Completely and totally for the last two years, but really for the last six or seven years, I have used exactly ... none of these to serve the Lord's people and do his work in the church.

I am failing to actually be part of the "doing" element of the body of Christ. Perhaps I feel like I am no longer qualified, or maybe I grew weary of what I had been doing, or maybe the fact we were so embedded in the center of our church for so long left me wanting to move to the sidelines. Or maybe ... I'm just not doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

There are a lot of areas in my life where I am going despondent and lethargic and disconnected, not even doing the things I like let alone the things I should. Serving as part of the body of Christ must not be one of those areas.

Prayer: Lord, you know my mind and my heart, and you know that often they are not aligned well to your purposes and your will for my daily walk. Please forgive my random wandering. I wish to be on your path, holding your hand, walking humbly with you, my God. May I find new ways to serve you and your people. Amen.

Understanding All of God's Greatness

Scripture: She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard." 2 Chronicles 9:5-6

Observation: The Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon is a unique moment, and is recorded in both Chronicles and Kings. She is a foreign African leader who seeks Solomon's wisdom and not only finds it, but finds that everything she has heard about all his greatness is even beyond the stories. She even says here that she heard the stories, didn't believe them because they were too grand to be real, and now sees that his great wisdom is twice as grand, and that overall Solomon "far exceeds" the rumors.

Interestingly, one of the major elements of historical archeology that still fascinates modern culture is Solomon and his treasure. From stories, to studies, to archeological digs, to historical analysis, to movie references, there remains interest in Solomon and his treasure. The stories are so grand that everyone assumes they must be able to find some remnant of it, and the fact that they cannot even calls into question whether Solomon - and sometimes by extension David and even much of the facts of ancient Israel - even existed at all.

The explanation is, of course, in the record of the bible, as wave after wave of punishment against Israel brough foreign invaders, and it seems all of them "took all" the treasure. Of course they didn't all take all ... but they each took a lot, and Solomon's treasure was thus lost in portions over hundreds of years. However, there is a sentiment from the Queen of Sheba that is interesting, which is that everything of Solomon's was so great that the stories barely told half of the greatness.

Application: As I have watched many versions of the analysis of Solomon's treasure and history - from sources ranging from true archeological studies to the movie "National Treasure" - I am struck by this idea ... whatever we think Solomon had, he likely had so much more. I then I think ... that is true for the Lord's power, authority, and love as well.

We read information in the bible and can do math, coming up with how much "stuff" was in Jerusalem, and in the same way we can read about how the Lord provided for Israel. We think our human logic plus math can quantify or rationalize or understand it all. I don't think we can. In the case of Solomon, we see an accounting of gold shields and think it's a lot, then gloss over a quick note about how he had to build new storage cities ... to put all the gold that didn't into the shields. We read a story about God doing one miracle for a small family in Israel, and forget Israel had two million people and he was doing those sorts of things for all of them.

I think this is the point ... we see and hear what God does, and think it's great and amazing ... and forget that we're actually seeing a small sliver of it. When he provides money to a widow we think it's a great story, forgetting (or unable to fathom) that he's doing the same thing millions of times every day.

I think God is amazing, and yet I don't think I am capable of understanding all of God's greatness. If I ever could, his greatness would far exceed even the greatest stories every told.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your greatness, and worship you as the Lord God of all creation. It is impossible to fathom you and your splendor and your greatness. May I honor you today and every day. Amen.

Thinking About Retirement

Scripture:
Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”.
Ecclesiastes 12:1

Observation: As the writer heads into their conclusion, they begin with this interesting statement about being aligned to the Lord in one's youth. Youth is defined as the time "before the days of trouble" and before "the years approach when you will 'I find no pleasure in them'". So when are these days of trouble, and these years that lack pleasure. Actually, the writer tells us next.

Those years are retirement. They are the years when strong men stoop and tremble (hunched with age and weakening muscles), when grinders cease (they don't work at their job), when the windows grow dim (fading eyesight), when they still are awakened by birds (still alive) but the birds grow faint (failing hearing), when people become afraid to walk in the streets (easier targets for crime), and when desire no longer stirs (they lose all motivation).

This is what the writer has led up to ... the idea that work is meaningless, and yet we are to seek the Lord when we are doing our work because still the worst days in life are when we no longer have work to do.

Application: I met a visitor to our church on Sunday named Odel. He lives in Atlanta and was in the area visiting friends, and attended our church two Sundays in a row. He is retired and travels freely. He told me retirement was something you had to retire "to" ... that you needed to move into a new type of work ... and I told him that one of the reasons I didn't yet feel ready to retire was because I didn't know what I would move into next.

I feel like Solomon is reinforcing this truth. No one should just retire and do nothing. However, I don't want to just do some 'side hustle' type job, either ... that's just getting paid less to still work. I would like to find a calling that the Lord endorses. I would like my wife to find the same now, as I can tell that her retirement (that started six months ago) is creating a hole in her that she hasn't figure out yet.

Prayer: Lord, I know full well that my professional path has been ordered by you. It will end in the next few years. However, I never want your path for me to end. I seek guidance for the next thing, whether it comes five months or five years from now. Amen.

Pondering the Non-Existent Nothingness

Scripture: So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 1 Corinthians 8:4

Observation: Paul is about to discuss a rather complex topic, which is about Christians who understand certain teachings differently from each other and thus make each other uncomfortable with their behavior. His example - likely one the church in Corinth actually had issues about - is the eating of food offered to other gods. There are some who think that food is tainted, and that eating implies participation in the worship of the false god. There is another logic Paul points out here, which is that false gods don't even exist, so the fact this was 'offered' to an idol is meaningless ... it's like saying the food was walked through a certain room on its way to the table ... and thus eating it is perfectly okay.

Paul's overall point is just that, in these matters of interpretation, or in matters where an immature Christian may not understand the full issue and thus has a different current understanding, just be kind to each other and don't criticize or pressure each other.

However, this explicit example of the food is interesting, as it introduces a certain topic, which is the actual definition of an idol or false god. Idol worship is forbidden by God in the commandments, and warned about by Jesus. It is core to most conversations about obedience and having a right relationship with the Lord. Paul is placing that entire conversation into an interesting context. Since other gods don't even exist, idol worship is the act of ... giving honor and authority to a completely non-existent nothingness.

Application: This is a philosophical concept that I want to consider more deeply. We get all kinds of warnings from our pastors in the "modern church" about what constitutes idol worship, and it is often defined as those things in our life that demand our time and attention. I have never heard a conversation about an idol being something that we honor with our time and attention despite the fact that the concept it represents quite literally doesn't even exist.

There is an interesting correlation that seems to reinforce this concept. A false god doesn't exist therefore humans create something (an idol) that absolutely exists in the world to represent them. God does exist and therefore humans are commanded NOT to create some image or item to represent him.

As I ponder this, I wonder what things do I consider as part of my life despite the fact that ... their underlying concept or principle absolutely and unequivocally doesn't exist. Should I be concerned that this might relate to the "value" I "create" in my job and the thoughts I had earlier this week about how meaningless (and thus maybe non-existent) that actually is?

Paul is talking about something much deeper than just whether or not the church in Corinth should argue over food. He is actually giving a powerful word to me and our age about the very nature of false gods, and that message needs deeper thinking and teaching.

Prayer: Lord, every day I ask that I be able to do your work today, regardless of where I am. May I also, Lord, be protected from doing the work or advancing any concept that is a 'false god'. If there are concepts that do not exist, may I not be part of the machine that advances them. Amen.