Defining Ignorance as Unbelief

Scripture: I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:12-13

Observation: As an example of mercy through Jesus, Paul uses his own example by giving Timothy a quick comment about his own life and ministry, information that Timothy very likely knows. He points out he received mercy and was deemed worthy of service once he had become faithful, even though previously he had been a terrible sinner. Then he says something that may be challenging for a couple reasons. Paul says he received this mercy explicitly because he "acted ignorantly in unbelief." This raises two issues that should not be considered lightly.

First, and perhaps very challenging to all, Paul is actively connecting the idea of "mercy" to "ignorance". This means mercy is available to those who sin when they are acting ignorantly in their unbelief. However, that could imply the inverse, that mercy is problematic for those who sin while living a life of belief, and thus with access to knowledge and wisdom. This is, of course, a major theological debate, at the core of faith vs. works, and already has terms, teachings, and two millennia of debate swirling around.

Second, and much more simplistic, this verse also shows that Paul is actively connecting the idea of "ignorance" and the idea of "belief". When it comes to life, and especially a life of belief in Yahweh as a Jew, Paul was absolutely never "ignorant". He was very likely one of the most well-educated of the Pharisees, the most educated class. He was the opposite of ignorant ... he was probably recognized as the gifted expert. However, Paul now ignores all his knowledge and uses only one measure to define wisdom versus ignorance, and that is belief in Jesus. When Paul was rejecting belief in Jesus, he was ignorant. There is no separation of these two conditions now in his mind.

Application: I am never going to know enough about the debate on faith, Christian behavior, and salvation to have any good opinion on this other than this very obvious statement: I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, and every day I knowingly and sometimes willfully sin. For this, I pray for mercy and forgiveness, recognizing that - despite not being ignorant - I act ignorantly and do that which I hate. Therefore, I trust my faith is not conditional on my acts, else no one could be actually saved.

What I am more interested in, and able to wrap my head around, is the connection of ignorance and unbelief. I see wildly ignorant people all around me every day ... the ones who believe, promote, and champion such wild nonsense that reasonable discussions collapse before them because there is no logical foundation upon which they even stand. I see unbelievers around me every day ... the ones who either believe in strange ideas about how the universe operates, and/or actively reject any concept at all about a creator or even master architect that could be involved in life. And I know that, while there should be no real relationship between these two philosophical positions I just described, the Ven diagram between these two groups of people has a LOT of overlap.

Paul knew this. Paul knew that ignorance was unbelief (and vice versa). Belief doesn't just 'fix' ignorance, but unbelief is the garden where ignorance grows, and ignorance is the fertilizer that makes unbelief bloom.

Prayer: Lord, I am not ignorant. I know I behave ignorantly every day, and I do indeed pray for your love and forgiveness and mercy. Please forgive my sins, Lord. Also, please, let us find ways to introduce belief into more of this dark corner of the world, so many may be awakened from their ignorance. Amen.

Enjoying a Good Story

Scripture: These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied. Proverbs 25:1

Observation: What follows this introductory sentence to chapter 25 are ... proverbs, of course. They are wise statements, and some are very, very similar to other sayings documented in Proverbs. From the pure perspective of study and analysis, and keeping in mind Hezekiah was king of Judah almost 400 years after Solomon, this makes the introductory sentence interesting. There are three possible readings of these proverbs due to this introduction.

First, these are simply more proverbs of Solomon that Hezekiah and his men found and decided to re-transcribe and add to the overall collection of proverbs. This understanding is best supported by the life and deeds of Hezekiah himself, who made it is his mission to clean up and restore the Temple. It is stated that, in so doing, he found old documents, which prompted him to take actions and make orders, even including the reinstatement of Passover. The idea he would have found a scroll attributed as Solomon's wise sayings, and thus had it transcribed and included in the collection, is simple and easy to believe.

Second, another interpretation is that these are wise sayings of Hezekiah, which he declared to others. He made and taught these statements to his men, and they are in a form and style identical to similar wisdom from Solomon, and therefore "proverbs of Solomon" is a description of both their structure and quality, not origin. This understanding is supported by the idea this chapter is designated separate from the rest of the proverbs, and by the time involved. Again, there are centuries between Solomon and Hezekiah, and Hezekiah was a good king who also aligned himself to Yahweh. It makes sense that God would reveal similar wisdom to him, and as his royal court had a lot to learn (it had forgotten so much about God) he needed to pronounce this wisdom. Again, this is a very supportable idea.

Third, there is a reading of this that actually makes Hezekiah a passive participant in this collection of wisdom, and (interestingly) this may be the reading best supported by the actual sentence. This sentence really says ... these are proverbs of Solomon, and the men of Hezekiah (his advisors) chose to write these select few down. By this reading, the advisors reviewed Proverbs, selected the key wisdom that could best serve the current situation of Judah and of Hezekiah as king, and organized them as a core document to direct them. It is almost an internal policy document for Hezekiah's cabinet. Besides being the simplest interpretation of the language, this understanding is supported by the content, as the proverbs focus on the behavior of advisors and those who stand before the king. In other words, the advisors were reminding themselves that they are to be good, worthy, upright, honest, and humble.

Application: Yes, I decided to get my old "English Lit" geek on today, and I love that I can do that with the bible. Even as I pray to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding in what I read, I realize that sometimes the response is ... "maybe this simple thing means a LOT of things, tell me what you see!".

If I were writing the three-page essay for class, I could dive into all three, but personally I like the third. Not because I think it's right, but because I like the storytelling. Hezekiah is a good king; His court is trying to understand how to serve a good king properly; They turn to Solomon's wisdom for advice and find key entries that apply to them; They extract them, write them down, and begin to define their work and advice and behavior around them; In so doing, they strengthen Hezekiah because now they are giving good advice, bringing only proper cases before him, and keeping evil influence away.

I like that story far better than, "we found an old scroll and rewrote it," or "hey, Hezekiah said some wise stuff, too." I know, in my heart, the first thing about the old scroll is probably the truth ... but I like the story of the third option.

In the end, the bible isn't telling us a story for entertainment ... but it is telling us the story of the Lord, all about the God we honor and worship, and about his plan for eternal unity with us and his love for us, and as with most things we remember and relate best when we learn through an emotional connection to a story. A good story makes us connect and relate, and that's what our relationship with the Lord and with Jesus is about, relation and connection that in turn drives love and obedience and joy and wonder and repentance and honor and worship.

Prayer: Lord, you are so much more than a story to me. That said, I love the way you teach, the way you communicate in ways that evoke stories, emotions, and even ambiguity and metaphor in need of exploration. Thank you for a good story today. Amen.

Talk About Modern Applicability

Scripture: Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

Observation: In one of the more interesting sections of any of Paul's letters, he dives into what many consider to be end-times prophesy. The passage on the man of lawlessness has become interpreted as the 'antichrist' by many, and he reviews some items to come before Jesus' second coming. However, he introduces this with a word of comfort to the church, assuring them that they have not missed Jesus' second coming already, as some in the church were claiming. This comfort comes with a very interesting instruction. They are not to believe this lie if someone says it to them, nor are they to believe it if ... they receive a letter from Paul himself declaring it.

That's right, Paul was the victim of identity theft ... and then information was sent in his name to incite worry and fear. It seems rather clear from this statement that Paul is aware that there is someone out there sending letters to churches, with the claim the letters are from him, and those letters are designed to cause anxiety. It's doubtful he knows who, because Paul is never one to pull punches and name names in such matters. However, as Paul always used a scribe, he is a logical victim of such a sham as there wouldn't be a way to compare most of his handwriting.

And yes, what we are seeing here is that, 2,000 years ago when the church had just started, certain Christians are making false claims and spreading false teaching, attributing the messages to more famous and established church leaders, and garnering attention through emotional manipulating.

Application: As I learn from other sources ... online pastors, YouTube vlogs, online bible studies ... I am always suspect of the individuals. I will often hear a very, very good and compelling teaching, and before I embrace it as truth I will go and look at that teacher's other content and information to analyze how much of it seems reliable. I try to be a Barean ... the church that was careful of believing Paul until they validated what he said against the scriptures.

In our modern times, this is critical. We have way too much easy access to way too much false (or at lease "loose" or "lazy") doctrine. There are way too many Christians who would create click-bait lies for followers, and way too many Christians who would believe them. And this has been going on since the dawn of the Church.

Prayer: Lord, I continue to seek your will for my life every day. As I seek, may I have your wisdom and your discernment about what that will is. Your word, as taught and reinforced by the Holy Spirit, must be my only guide for true discernment and understanding. Amen.

When my Soul was in the Dust

Scripture:
My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to your word!
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
teach me your statutes!
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
Psalm 119:25-27

Observation: This section (verses 25-32), the fourth entry for Psalm 119 (Daleth), focuses on the writer's desire to lean into the word of God, and to learn his statutes and precepts. However, it opens with a little insight into the writer himself. He talks about his past self. He was dying, and wished for the new life that comes from the word of the Lord. He confessed his ways, and the Lord responded to him. It is in response to this that he now wishes to learn more about the statutes and precepts, and he will commit to meditating on the Lord, his ways, his will, and his teachings.

Application: Honestly ... I need this to be my life verse, or my life-psalm at least.

As I have struggled recently to remain in a mindset with my head focused on the Lord - as I have had all kinds of opportunities to spend downtime meditating on the word of God and have failed to do so every day - this is the reminder I need about why I should be committed to this. It is because ... there was a time when my soul was lying in the dust, and the Lord gave me life. There was I time when I simply told the Lord, "this is where I'm at; it is not good, and it stands opposed to you unless you act", and the Lord answered!

Prayer: Lord, please, make me understand the way of your precepts. I desire to have your laws and statutes brought to my mind on a regular basis, and to be corrected in my mind and my heart so I can abide in you. I would like to think on your precepts and consider my cleanliness at all times, instead of wandering into any of the earthly thoughts I may have. I love to see you in the world around me, and to know you are the creator, the father, and the Lord of it all. Today and every day, may I meditate on your wonderous works. Amen, and amen.

Blessed by Just the Reading

Scripture: You shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not listened, then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.' Jeremiah 26:4-6

Observation: This is the prophesy Jeremiah is to pronounce in the Temple, which then gets him in trouble with King Jehoiakim and his officials. They almost put him to death, until enough of them still respect the Lord enough - and remember similar prophesies from Micah - to spare him. That said, the only way anyone could understand why this prophesy is bad is if they actually understand what is being said ... that the Jerusalem will be made to be like Shiloh.

Shiloh was the place where the Tabernacle was first erected within the promised land, and it remained for centuries. It was still the central place of worship when Samuel was raised there. However, eventually the Philistines came, destroyed the place, and took the ark away. When this happened, Shiloh was burned and completely abandoned, and at the time of Jeremiah was a desolate, abandoned hill that no one cared about at all. Those hearing this prophesy understand this. Making Jerusalem like Shiloh means to effectively erase it, making it not just a ruin but a place no one will ever go, destroying the vestiges of the worship of Yahweh, and removing the ark through violent seizure.

Yes, that's a threat these listeners would have understood and taken seriously. However, to a modern reader, it only makes any sense at all if one knows what and where Shiloh was.

Application: When I started reading the bible daily 12 years ago, I did so because I knew I really needed more time with the Lord. However, I thought to myself that I had read the bible ... after all, what were all those verses we memorized in Sunday School? Well, I now know that memorizing a dozen verses out of context, or following along with a chapter that the pastor preaches about, is NOT reading the bible.

I now know about Shiloh. I know they saved the tent of meeting. I know what happened to the Philistines when they took the ark, and how they ended up voluntarily sending it back, and it ended up in somebody's house for decades. And I know of the archeological analysis of Shiloh today, of how it was laid out as both a hill and amphitheater. I know how this tiny place accommodated thousands as they sacrificed and ate. I know these things because I have read about them many times, and then meditated and learned as the Lord brought me to consider his word and teaching by these things.

And honestly, I cannot thank the Lord enough for the understanding he has given me by his word. Yea ... I'm still a screw-up who, even though I know the word, struggles to obey or apply it. However, I know his will so much better. I marvel at the facts and truth and how they are proven through the consistency of his word over millennia. I understand more deeply because I have rich context. Mostly, I feel the Holy Spirit from time to time because he truly says to me, "did you catch that?" or "that's what we're telling you today" or "that's meaningful so think about it".

I am blessed by reading the bible. I'm not saying I'm blessed because I read the bible, I'm saying the reading is the blessing. The availability of the Lord's own word and teaching is the blessing. And I am glad that, as I have done this year after year, the blessing becomes richer and deeper and more meaningful.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your word. The fact I can read a passage and understand context in new ways is amazing. The fact you care enough to even communicate with us through your word is amazing. May I keep your word in my heart every day, and may I do a MUCH better job of meditating on it day and night. Please plant me by that stream. Amen.

What Gets Done in Hiding

Scripture: Then Jeremiah came from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy, and he stood in the court of the Lord's house and said to all the people: "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, behold, I am bringing upon this city and upon all its towns all the disaster that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their neck, refusing to hear my words." Jeremiah 19:14-15

Observation: This part of Jeremiah's overall prophesy is pivotal. Before the key events, Jeremiah is taught a lesson through a metaphor of pottery ... that just as a potter may shape then reshape clay, so the Lord will reshape a nation however he decides when he sees the first form isn't good. From this, Jeremiah takes two key actions:

1) Jeremiah takes a piece of pottery, has city elders and priests follow him to Topheth (the Valley of Hinnom), breaks the pottery and declare that God's plans for the good of Jerusalem and Judah are being voided and the nation will fall.

2) Then, in these verses, Jeremiah marches straight into the Temple and restates what was just declared in Topheth.

The result of this is that the chief priest punishes Jeremiah, and he in turn declares that the priest himself will be part of those taken into exile by Babylon.

All this said, the location of this action is interesting. It all takes place in Jerusalem, and even in the Temple, except for the full declaration of the prophesy, which takes place in Topheth, the valley to the southwest of the city. This location is important for a few obvious reasons; it was the place where the terrible child sacrifices to Molech took place, and it is the place where Adonijah attempted his coup to become king after David. However, there is a feature that makes this place intriguing for all of this ... it is south/southwest of Zion, and thus ... even though the Temple sits on a high hill ... it is a place that cannot be seen from the Temple. It is a place where someone might even say they are able to hide from the Lord.

Jeremiah wasn't hiding from the Lord. In fact, after prophesying there (likely because of the Molech connection), he immediately goes to the Temple and reiterates the prophesy. And that's the point. Those who are against the Lord attempt to make their declarations and action in hiding. Those on the side of the Lord will do so in full visibility, and will even reiterate their words and actions if they feel others might have interpreted their original acts as having been done in secret.

Application: I know the Lord is everywhere, yet, when I sin, how often do I think to myself that I'm glad no one is around to see it? Just one example ... How often do I swear in my office, and am glad my door is closed?

We all do this. Adonijah and the believers in Molech did it. Jeremiah did not, and in fact made a point of making sure everyone knew he wasn't doing so.

I have often thought that one of the best ways for me to fight sin would be if I just decided I wasn't ever going to do anything 'in secret'. Of course, that ignores the fact that the Lord can see me everywhere, always, so nothing I do is secret from him, and that really should be enough to keep me in check. Accountability seems important in the Christian walk, and I could use more of it.

Prayer: Lord, your word is so good for instruction in life, even subtle concepts like the physical locations where historical conversations occurred. May I be teachable today. Amen.

Bring on some Old Fashion Ruin

Scripture:
My son, fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
Proverbs 24:21-22

Observation: This wise instruction seems pretty straightforward. To paraphrase for modern thinking and activities ... do not protest against either God, Jesus, or the government, for in response they will attack back and any kind of harm could come upon those haters.

Application: I do believe this proverb is, in fact, that simple and obvious. Even though protesters have some protections in our country, it is still very obvious that participating in protests is often met with some response, and now days so few seem to be completely peaceful. I personally have no desire to ever be part of any protest.

That said, I see two added concepts here. The first is that the protests in question are against the Lord and the government, and ruin will come from both. I would agree that many protests against the government are rooted in a mindset that rejects God and Jesus, and thus many government protests are actually against both the government and God. Second, it says disaster will arise suddenly from them (God and the government), and ruin will come from both, and I wonder what that ruin will look like. Of course, as protests turn ugly, it can look like tear gas and arrests. Sometimes it looks like some deranged other person who commits violence against the gathered crowd.

However, I'm interested in this disaster ... this ruin. I wonder what that will someday look like, when the Lord "shows up" and responds to a protest in such a way that it cannot be explained by any other means than it is the Lord's response to their rejection of him. I don't wish harm on others, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Lord arise suddenly with some old-fashioned 'ruin'.

Prayer: Lord, may my mind be focused on you this day, and the limited energy I have focused on serving you. Amen.

Ignore Principles of the World

Scripture: See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8

Observation: As Paul continues some of his basic instruction to the church in Colossae, he gives this instruction, which is quite common to his teachings. Believers are to ground their personal philosophy in Christ, and not in the ideas and traditions and philosophies of the world. In other words, it is the word and teaching of the Lord that should determine our beliefs and behaviors, and not mere intellectual logic, or political rhetoric, or even generational traditions. Unless one of these items is absolutely rooted in Jesus, it is not to become a guiding factor in our lives.

Application: Two days ago, a woman at our church told my wife and I she was no longer 'really' on Facebook. This is a woman who, I believe, has very strong faith, but for years has fallen into multiple teachings from false prophets on social media. She has vocally declared ideas that she came to believe, taught by 'preachers' and 'prophets' on the internet, and which were so far removed from any biblical truth that they were immediately and obviously known to be false by the rest of us. The result has been devastating for her and her family in ways I will not say here.

To hear she is existing social media is good ... I didn't say anything to her as I didn't want to embarrass her, but this was good news for her. That said, I know others who claim to be strong Christians and spend their time not only believing but also propagating "philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elementary principles of the world." That is an apt way to describe political rhetoric, and there remain far too many people who declare themselves to be Christians and simultaneously base much of their daily activity on political topics.

This is a problem, and it must stop. It really doesn't matter that much if political topics are clearly aligned to biblical commands ... 95 percent are not, and even moral agreement does not mean that participation in the political arena - engaging in human traditions like partisan politics, or espousing logical philosophy on such issues - is proper.

I am happy some people are realizing this. I wish more would do so.

Prayer: Lord, I do know my own social media feeds have a political bias to them. I ask that you help me ignore that, and even more importantly, that you help me guard my heart when it comes to engaging in or allowing my mind to be taken captive by such philosophies and traditions and principles. May my worldview be centered on Christ alone, and on your precepts. Amen.

Listening to God's Whisper

Scripture:
Praise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 117

Observation: This, Psalm 117, is the shortest chapter in the Bible. It is 28 English words; 17 Hebrew words. However, in just that limited space, the truth and importance of what it says is immense. Here is what this smallest chapter actually declares.

First, we are instructed to praise Yahweh. And who is the 'we' instructed to praise him? Everyone, all nations, and all peoples.

Next, there is an instruction about that praise. How are we to praise him? Enthusiastically! While 'praise' (halleluiah) can be interpreted as just to sing, 'extol' is a verb that raises the energy, stating that such praise is to be energetic and obvious, loud and public.

Third, we are told that the reason we praise the Lord is because of his greatest quality. And what is that quality? It is his unwavering and personal love. This isn't about praising some god because we want a good harvest, or we wish our worldly ideals to become mainstream. And this is not about praising an all-powerful dictator-type entity who wields power or just declares what we must do. We praise the Lord because he loves us, and that love isn't just some general "yea, I love y'all so I won't hurt you" kind of passive love, it is a great and steadfast love, directed toward us individually. It is personal, mighty, ever-present, and binding.

Fourth, we are told how the Lord's love actually interacts within our lives. How do we perceive the Lord's love? His love manifests as faithfulness. The Lord has given us promises about how he will care for us, provide for us, and save us, and he is faithful to the point that those promises will never fail. And they are not one-time events, they are forever. Even beyond our lifetimes, the promises of the Lord hold fast for us.

Finally, and in conclusion, we are told one more time ... how do we respond to God's amazing, faithful, and unfailing love? We praise the Lord!

Application: If this were all we every did every day ... if all I did was praise the Lord as a response to his amazing love and resulting promises in my life ... my life would be immensely better. The world would be immensely better.

By structure alone, we can tell how important this idea is - worship the Lord in response to his love for you - because the Lord chose to include such a small instruction as a stand-alone element of the Bible. It stands out for its unique quality and positioning.

It's like ... when you want to be heard, you raise your voice, but when you want someone to REALLY listen ... you whisper. This chapter is the Lord, with his still, small voice, whispering one clear truth: I love you so much and have promised to do everything for you, and all I want in response is your heartfelt praise.

I have said over and over that I wish I heard the Lord's still, small voice more often. However, here I am, hearing his whisper, and I'm not listening to it. I'm not doing it. But I can. I can decide that I will praise the Lord enthusiastically every day, because by his love Jesus died on the cross for the eternal forgiveness of my sins, so I may receive the promise to be restored to the Lord and saved forever. Praise the Lord!!

Prayer: Lord, I will praise you all the more, every day. In the times when my mind wanders, may I have the discipline to turn it not back to the work of this world, but to praise of you. Amen.

Honoring False gods of Creation

Scripture: She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. Jeremiah 3:8-9

Observation: As the Lord introduces his reason for destroying Judah, he recalls Israel. The northern kingdom went down their path of idol worship, which involved three key components; the honoring of golden calves as a manmade symbol of Yahweh, the worship of Ashera as carved poll, and the worship of Baal as the god of nature. With the destruction of Israel, all three were ended there. However, as the Lord now looks at Judah, while he does see them coming to worship him in the temple in Jerusalem (though he will address that as a false act focused on the 'thing' of the ark in just eight more verses), he also sees they have jumped on board with the false gods. He declares they are "committing adultery with stone and tree," a clear accusation that they are worshiping nature and a wooden image.

Of course, when the Lord sent the Jews into exile, destroying Judah and Jerusalem in the process, mankind learned its lesson ... right? We learned that the Lord is the creator of heaven and earth, which includes all life, from the natural elements of earth itself, to individual life of born creatures including our own children. Of course ... we all learned that ...

Application: I do not believe I have commented on this before, but I saw a video the other day explaining who baal was. The god introduced to Israel by Queen Jezebel was a god of nature, and thus baal worship was just that, the worship of nature. Meanwhile, we can easily understand without much study that Ashera is a fertility goddess (her wood-pole images were phallic in several ways), and thus the worship of her is a worship of life.

Obviously, this means that worshipping baal and Ashera represents removing two of the most important attributes of Yahweh from him and giving honor to some other entity for them. However, it seems just as obvious that these two attributes are major stumbling stones for mankind, always and still. We have entire social movements focused on nothing but sexual relationships, with "identity" now tied to exactly how an individual has sex, and people who would state that the entire concept of their sexual activity is the central-most concept in their lives to the point it redefines their biology. Speaking of biology, another major movement is about how the world functions, with major conversations taking place worldwide about nature. This includes millions of people who, as the central-most concept in their lives, place 'saving the planet' or otherwise honoring nature as the mission and purpose of their own existence.

The Lord is clear, we are to worship him, for he is the creator of heaven and earth. It is the Lord that gave us life, and the entire world in which to live. The Lord handed over Israel to Assyria for honoring gods that falsely represent the cornerstones of creation. The Lord handed over Judah to Babylon for honoring gods that falsely represent the cornerstones of creation. To whom or what will the Lord hand us over for honoring gods that falsely represent the cornerstones of creation?

Prayer: Lord, you are God, the creator of heaven and earth. All that exists is from you and you alone, spoken into being, and that includes myself whom you had in your mind and your heart from the very beginning. I honor you alone. Amen.

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.