Praise and Thanksgiving

Scripture:
Blessed be the Lord!
    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.
Psalms 28:6-7

Observation: We sing in church in praise of God - we sing of his grace, power, and majesty. Here, the psalmist reminds us of why we sing of these things. We do so to give thanks to God. We sing to thank God for ... hearing our prayers, showing us mercy, providing us strength, being our protection, helping us, and becoming our source of trust in life. For these things we thank God in song.

Application: Which of these things has God done for me recently, for which I shall sing to him? I just went through the list and decided "all of them", but let me focus on one item this morning ...

God is providing me strength right now, every day. I have still been nervous about my new job. It started with being lead here by God into this unknown place. It continues in that I am nervous every day and fearing I am not doing well enough. Now that I know the situation here, and the business conditions are even worse than I feared, I am more nervous that I am not good enough and strong enough to 'fix' the situation.

However, I know God IS strong enough, and he put me here for a reason. My job isn't to "run IT", it is to change the lives of the people and bring glory to God. My job ahead is not to find the best way to run software, or better organized tech support, or decrease total cost of ownership, or create new government capabilities. My job ahead is to ensure people have good lives, where they can feel respected and honored, and to give glory to God ... so they can see the good results and give credit to my father in heaven so that they may come to believe in Jesus Christ. I'm not good enough, kind enough, smart enough, patient enough, good enough, or strong enough to do any of that, but God is! He strengthens me daily.

Prayer: Lord, I will sing of your mercies forever. I will sing of your kindness and goodness, of your love and mercy and faithfulness. I will sing in the morning, and I will sing in the evening. And you know I'll cry while I do it, because it is you who brings about my tears of joy and humility. Thank you for loving me so much that you would create song so that we can express our love for you in return. Amen.

The Heart of Sabbath

Scripture: And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. Mark 3:2-4

Observation: The Pharisees are looking to accuse Jesus based on another part of today's reading - Number 15. In that, a man is gathering sticks on the Sabbath, and the people consult God because the punishment for Sabbathbreaking was not known. God orders Moses to have the man stoned to death.

However, here in Mark, Jesus addresses the Sabbathbreaking issue with a very clear distinction - the question is about whether or not it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. In other words, there is a big difference between doing good, loving others, and engaging with God in his work on the Sabbath, versus ... just doing idle work, gathering firewood, laboring off on your own, without community with man or God.

Application: Jesus tells us that the Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath, and that he himself is Lord of the Sabbath. It is clear by his example and his words that the Sabbath is a special day, but NOT just because it's a day for rest - a day for man to do nothing. It is a special day because it is explicitly intended to be a day we commune with God. This may (and likely should) involve rest, prayer, and meditation. It can involve love and carrying for others, engaging in mutual discussion about Jesus, or participating in group service for others.

The Sabbath is about having our heart unite with God. It is about being near him, through activities that in fact join with him. This often involves rest. Even when it involves work, it often bring peace of mind, joy, and a rest for our souls.

This is an idea I am going to take with me in the coming weeks, and see how I can incorporate some changes into my family activities to engage my heart with God in a more meaningful Sabbath.

Prayer: Abba, you care about us so much that you truly want us to spend time with you. I will seek that time, and seek your face. May you grant your rest upon not just me, but my family, especially my wife. Give her the time, the peace, the rest, the love, and the engagement with you that she needs to restore her heart and soul. Amen.

Make a Trumpet

Scripture: And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. Numbers 10:9

Observation: The very last thing God has the Israelites do in Sinai before heading to the promised land is make trumpets - ceremonial trumpets that will be used in celebration and in war in order to connect with God. After the Israelites refuse to enter the promised land and instead are forced to wander in the wilderness 40 years, when they finally to enter the land, the very first thing they will do is ... use the sound of trumpets to conquer Jericho.

While they are different trumpets (two silver horns compared to seven rams horns), the connection is still there. God thought through what it was that the people would need, and prepared it in advance, so that later his will could be accomplished. The order to this is important:

-- God makes us a promise.
-- God knows what will be needed in the future.
-- God instructs us to prepare, work, and obey.
-- In the future, that which we have prepared is required for God's work.
-- When the work is given to God, God's will is accomplished and we receive his promise.

Application: Do I know what God has promised me, and what work I must be doing to prepare for that? I think I tend to focus on just doing work it seems I have been told to do, and forgetting to focus on his promises.

The truth is, outside of eternal life promised through Jesus, I do not know God's promises for me. I have never heard him make me a promise, or show me a future. I know he has blessed me beyond measure ... if my current life were his intended promise for me, it would certainly be more than enough and much more than I am worthy to receive. However, I don't really know his plans for me. I don't know what my work is preparing for (not that we should understand the connections ... no one understood that horns would destroy city walls). I don't hold onto a promise from God for my life on earth, only to his promise for my eternal soul.

I believe this is something I should be reflecting on this week ...

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know your love is abundant and your ways are great, and that you have a plan and purpose for my life. I have no idea what that is, but I totally trust it. If you are willing, I would welcome knowledge about the promise and purpose you have for me. If you are not willing, I am completely happy trusting in you, seeing just the path ahead of my next step, and following you. Amen.

I Want to be Guilty

I wasn't going to blog today. However, I did a little internet research into the shipwreck of Paul (Acts 27), and one of the top 10 Google hits on my search was a site claiming that Jesus never existed, and the entire new testament is fiction ... and thus the shipwreck of Paul never occurred.

 

I didn't ready anything more than the intro sentences. It is just too sad to know that there are people who believe that. Instead, I just decided I needed a little Newsboys.

 

 

 

 

God Draws Near

Scripture: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
     The Lord bless you and keep you;
     the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
     the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:23-26

 

Observation: This is a specific blessing, given by God to Moses, to give to Aaron, to speak over Israel. In it, I see two important elements. First, God will care for the people being blessed - he will bless them, be gracious toward them, and give them peace. In these things, grace and peace are the keys - God will grant them a special kind of comfort.

 

Second, God will personally engage and draw near to the people being blessed. He will keep them, turn his face to them, shine upon them, and lift up his countenance upon them. These are actions of direct engagement. God is not far off or disengaged - he is right there, reaching out, holding on, looking directly at us, shining down, and engaged with us.

 

Application: The perception of God's engagement is critical to understand. In fact, it is critical to desire it. Believers in Jesus Christ seek to fully engage with God. This is done in continual prayer, collaboration with the Holy Spirit, and in joining with God in his work. By contrast, those who are struggling with Jesus - non believers, atheists, agnostics, or even believers who are deeply trapped in sin - fear being near to God. If they consider God at all, they fear his judgment, his presence, and his correction.

 

This is a test, then, for me to evaluate when I am 'right' with God. If I am delighted by his presence and seeking his face to shine upon me, then I am in a place that is ready for his grace and peace. However, if in my heart I am worried about him being near or evaluating my actions and my heart, then I have strayed to a place that cannot have his blessing.

 

Prayer: Lord, I so love and long for your every blessing ... your blessings of love, peace, comfort, rest, grace, and joy. May I be reminded of your promise in this blessing, and know that your blessings and your attentions go hand-in-hand, and when I am far from your attentions then I am outside of your blessings. Since I long for your blessings, I will also long for your attention in all things. Amen.

 

 

Substitution

Scripture: And the Lord said to Moses, “List all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names. And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel.” So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded him. And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as listed were 22,273. Numbers 3:40-43

 

Observation: The firstborn males of all the tribes of Israel is within 1 percent of the males of the Levites. It's effectively a statistical margin of error. The Lord is laying claim to Israel, and instead of placing into service all the firstborn, he substitutes the Levites.

 

Application: God substituted Jesus in place of me for my sins. I can only imagine what he could have decided to take from me instead:

 

-- My firstborn son?

-- My own life, as a firstborn son?

-- My wife, as the blessing of my life?

 

In so doing, I would have resented him. I would have wondered how a loving God can take such a great price from me. So instead ... he offered a price of his own choosing and his own sacrifice, which was infinitely greater in value than anything I could ever give. In light of this knowledge, how can I ever refuse God anything in my life? I can't and I won't.

 

Prayer: Lord, I love you all the more when I understand how you first loved me!! Your love for me began in the desert of Sinai, thousands of years ago, as you demonstrated your willingness to not take from your believers, but rather to give to them. Your love is beyond what I deserve even in my best moments. I can't even pray to try to be worthy. Instead I can only pray ... thank you.

 

p.s. Tonight, one of my best friends contacted me, just to say he missed me and hoped I was alright. This is a man who has had a similar journey as me, though he was always better and stronger than I was. He did not stray as far as I did (physically or emotionally or spiritually), and he returned before me. In my mind, he is simply a man I would aspire to be like. He is one of only two or three men I truly trust ... probably one of only two men in the world whom I would truly say I trust with my life. I am again so blessed to have someone in my life who - even when we go months without speaking and live a thousand miles apart - would still do anything I needed, as I would do anything for him. I look forward to playing golf with him in heaven, where MAYBE I'll be able to outdrive him ... but probably not.

 

 

Evaluating the Truth

Scripture: But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets. Acts 24:14

Observation: As Paul defends himself before the Roman governor, the core of his defense is this ... he believes EVERYTHING in the old testament.

He doesn't just believe in ceremonial practices, or selected commands, or rules about food. Paul believes in everything. He believes in the Messiah of Isaiah. He believes in the behavior of that Messiah as told by Malachi. He believes in the raising of the dead as seen by Ezekiel. The list goes on. Paul believes in the prophets, and that the predictions of those prophets are now coming to pass. It is this fact, having nothing to do with Roman law, that Paul confesses.

Application: This is the only test that anyone can use to evaluate truth - the alignment of what is being said and done against the word of God found in the Bible. This was true of Paul, but it is also true in our church today. It is the way to evaluate a pastor, to evaluate a sermon or lesson, to evaluate doctrine or policy of a denomination or single church, or even to evaluate advice from a friend. If the concept claims to be truth, how does it align to the Bible?

I was again sad today when I drove by a church of the PCUSA, my former denomination. However, this verse reminds me why I left. It was simple, really: They have made formal declarations that are contrary to scripture. That being the only way to evaluate the truth - a fact that was fact even with Paul standing before the Romans - leaving the denomination remains the only correct choice. I may look back with sadness, but I am so excited about the great work my church is now doing to advance the name of Jesus that I will never look back with second guesses. I am confident of the path God has laid out for me and my family.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your love and your guidance. I do look back and see the signposts in my life that show your movement in me, and I do look ahead with anticipation of further serving you. You are great and greatly to be praised. Amen.

Seeking God's Instruction

Scripture:
Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 25: 4-5

Observation: The psalmist (David) is asking God to teach him. In this request, he defines the type of person who can be taught by God, and what we might be taught. These include: Someone who sins in their youth, so by being forgiven they reflect God's love; The humble, who will learn to the right way to live; Those who keep God's covenant, so they can follow God's path and plan for their lives; Those who fear the Lord, so they can be taught how to make wise decisions; The ones who look to God for salvation will indeed be saved from traps in their lives; The lonely, afflicted, and afraid will be taught how to trust God when he brings them out of their distress; Someone who seeks God's protection from persecution will further learn integrity and how to lead an upright life.

Application: I often ask God for guidance in my life - I state that I am open to his lessons and teaching and ask him to lead my life. David would advise me that there is an order to this request, and that therefore I must have a certain quality of heart in my request to God. I need to mentally set aside the sins of my youth, be humble before God and man, learn and keep the covenant by believing in Jesus, fear God's authority and thereby obey his commands, look to him only for salvation through surrendering my problems to him and trusting in him, and extending that trust to all worldly issues and attacks with faith that he controls all things.

Do I do those things? I fear I do each of them in limited measure only ... not whole-heartedly and completely. I try but fail to repent from old sins, and fail to obey God's commands, and I often pray for his assistance by struggle to completely turn problems over to him without myself stressing over them. Of course, as a human I will always fail to get "all the way there" in all these areas. However, if I truly am clay in the hands of the potter - if I truly want to be molded by God to be his servant in whatever he would choose for me to do - then I must make person progress in these areas.

In other words: When I truly surrender my life - fully - to God, then he can teach, guide, and lead me as I so fervently wish he would.

Prayer: Lord, in my heart I surrender to you. I believe in Jesus, in your laws, in your authority, in your sovereignty, and in your majesty. I know that what holds me back is my humility. I seek your face, but I need to learn to seek your feet, which is where my eyes should be because my head should be bowed before you. May I continue to seek humility, so that I may someday learn your ways more and more. Amen, and amen.

Room for Change

Scripture: When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. Acts 19:17-19

Observation: Phil talked about this exact issue several weeks ago in the Sunday prayer circle. When it comes to individuals believing in Jesus, they do not 1) change their behavior, then 2) believe. It is instead exactly the opposite ... someone believes, and then (very slowly) begins to evaluate their own behavior based on the moving of the Holy Spirit within them.

Application: While I know this fact, it remains way too easy for me to judge the behavior my fellow church members. Sometimes I go so far as to question in my heart if someone truly believes based on their behavior. That is - of course - hypocritical and flat-out wrong.

So I am reminded today that I continue to struggle with judgement in my life. I do it far too often, to no useful ends. In fact, all it does is hurt the other person's feelings (if they know I do it), and destroy my reputation in the eyes of God as he will return that judgement upon my own head (whether or not anyone knows I'm doing it).

Prayer: Lord, please do continue to do good work in me - in my heart and in my mind and I seek to love others and be a peacemaker. May I quit wounding others, and may I fear your judgement. Amen.

The Scapegoat

Scripture: Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat. ... When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. Leviticus 16:7-10,20-22


Observation: This must surely be the source of the definition of the term "scapegoat". On the annual day of atonement, God designates a goat that will not be sacrificed. Instead, Aaron will confess all the sins of Israel and "put them on the goat's head", then have the goat walked away from the people and released into the wilderness.


There is an interesting juxtaposition in this order. This goat has its life spared, yet is cast away ... God provides for a sacrifice to atone for sin, yet lays the sins also on a living animal to be carried into the world ... the curse of sin is placed on the animal's head, then an individual is designated to care for the animal.


Today, we use the term "scapegoat" to mean the person being blamed for failure. In a way, the definition still holds - the "sins" of the situation (a failed project, a mistake, a team loss, poor service) are assigned to one person, and that person sometimes sent away. Cast into the wilderness. However, there are two elements to the atonement ritual we forget now days. First, that the other goat is actually sacrificed. And second, that the reason for a scapegoat is because of the sins of others.


Application: As a leader, I have and will see employees who are "scapegoated" when things go wrong. The biblical source of this concept would advise me to consider several other issues when I see this happen:


-- What is the real problem (the 'sin') that is being placed on the head of the scapegoat, and how should that be addressed?


-- Who else is about to be (metaphorically) sacrificed for this issue?


-- How can I provide for the care of the scapegoat?


Prayer: Dear Lord, I find Leviticus challenging because, while there seems to be both strange and practice instructions about basic issues like hygiene and human interactions, what I keep finding are metaphors that guide modern life. From cleaning leather, to caring for goats, to preventing the spread of disease, there must be a reason you - the creator of the universe - chose to discuss such minutia. Please help me to find your wisdom, truth, teaching, and love every day. Amen.

He Has Set a Day

Scripture: Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:29-31

Observation: Paul begins his speech in Athens by observing that the people are "very religious." However, he ends it by making a very clear differentiation between religion and faith. In these verses, Paul clarifies that "the rules have changed" - so to speak - with the resurrection of Jesus. That act was proof of God's divine being, of his authority, of his love for mankind, and ... that judgment will come upon those who do not believe.

Application: Everywhere Paul went - in this chapter alone, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens - he preached the "good news". He told them about redemption and eternal life through faith in God and belief in Jesus as the promised Messiah and savior of the world. However, it is at the very end of his speech here where Paul provides the clarification of why Jesus is "good news", and it is this: God will no longer overlook ignorance and lack of faith ... he has now provided his proof, and set the day for when judgment will come.

This means Jesus is in fact GREAT news - he is the only news that could save us from God's judgment. However, for anyone who refuses to believe, this final message of Paul is terrifying ... they live under God's impending judgment. You would think this would make everyone flock to Jesus, but of course it doesn't. It didn't then, and it doesn't now. Why?

Today, that answer is clear: They don't believe in God in the first place. They look at life, the universe, everything, and they see ... a series of one-in-a-billion accidents, which resulted in them being born with no purpose but to live for a random amount of time before ceasing to exist. Or more confusingly, they DON'T believe that, but believe is some random religion (just like the people of Athens) that somehow rejects both the concept of accidental existence and the concept of God the creator.

I personally understand the people at the (albeit wildly impossible) extreme more than I understand those in the irreconcilable middle ground. However, that's the ground we must seek. Those people "believe" something - just like Paul identified the Athenians were "very religious" - and thus provide a source for conversations.

Prayer: Lord, in this place you have put me, help me to find those who are in the middle ground. Help me speak to those who have a belief in something they cannot reconcile, and then please give me the wisdom and knowledge to present to them the clear, simple, and loving Good News of Jesus. I know you have set the day of your judgment, and the clock is ticking. There are times when I wish it would be now, but until it comes may I act with urgency to do your will. Amen.