Scripture: He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, "‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" Matthew 19:18-19
Observation: The "rich young ruler" is told by Jesus to obey God's commands. When he asks, "which ones", he is told ... a partial and edited list. First, he is told only really five of the ten commandments (not murdering, committing adultery, stealing, lying, and obedience to parents). The sixth item, loving your neighbor as yourself, is not one of the ten, but is an edited version of not coveting, which originally lists several of your neighbors items (house, wife, etc.). This leaves four commandments completely unlisted, and interestingly they are the first four regarding the relationship with God ... having no other God, worshiping idols, honoring God's name, and observing the sabbath.
Why did Jesus skip these? I can only logically think of one answer: Without a relationship with God, the very idea of obeying the commandments is moot - it doesn't even really exist within one's heart - and therefore there is no reason to discuss these four commands within the context of this question. To put this another way, it is only by having a relationship with God that anyone can properly consider their relationship with others, therefore teaching about cultural and moral behavior only makes sense to those who already know, love, and seek to honor the Lord.
Application: I spent 15 minutes last week reading about the "tyranny of the woke", and how confused our society has become about social justice. I then went down a little rabbit hole about examples of recent issues where all communication on social issues is breaking down due to a total lack of mutual context, and wondered how we can ever find sensible dialogue again. Jesus knew this would happen, and he knew why.
Worldwide, societies that have systematically rejected God have also systematically embraced injustice. However, those that seek to embrace justice actually have no idea what justice means, what it looks like, or how it operates. We now see our "post-truth" society falling into a spiral of rejecting God, thus adopting policies and norms outside of God's precepts, which then encourage society to further reject God. The very idea of having cultural norms that align to God's moral guidelines is moot - the idea doesn't really exist within most people's hearts - because the relationship with God is leaving our society.
Prayer: Lord, I have prayed for my nation, my town, my neighborhood, my friends, and even for my era. All things are possible through you, so therefore I now simply pray into your will. May I and others find the way to be faithful to your word, telling others you good news. If this creates a revival, so be it, and if this merely saves a handful of souls, so be it. Thy will be done. Amen.
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Monday, January 27, 2020
God at the Center of Marriage
Scripture: The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” Matthew 19:3
Observation: The Pharisees are always asking Jesus trick questions, and here it is about the sensitive matter of divorce. This has always been problematic. God was opposed to divorce, but Moses' law permitted it. There are issues and nuances in the various conversations, but it seems to come down to this one thing ... if two people marry, and both are obedient to the Lord, there will be no divorce, however if one of them is disobedient to the Lord then the other has a way to remove themselves from marriage.
At the heart of this is what it means to be unified, and that unity is in God. A right relationship involves three people - the couple, and God. A person who then leaves God within the context of that relationship has actually left the relationship.
Application: I am not a great husband. I try to be a good husband, but I know there are gaps in how I treat my wife and family. I can be distant, quick to anger, sullen and moody, and inattentive. I know there are times my wife and I don't really "mesh" when it comes to daily activities and interests. I probably can't even say I make up for it by being a great provider anymore, not that that was ever the requirement of being a husband.
Jesus teaches me that, to be a good husband, I must be obedient to the Lord. If I do this, other matters will resolve themselves. I also know that my marriage is a blessing from God - he created our relationship for us - and that can and should always look for the Lord in my wife, and strive to show her the love of God through me.
We have friends struggling with this. I don't know what to say to them. I trust in their love of God, and therefore trust that God will reconcile their hearts and minds.
Prayer: Lord, I pray today for our friends. They are both hurting in their hearts and in their souls. May your love emerge in a way that not only reconciles their arguments, but restores their hearts and minds in a way that strengthens their bonds and love. I pray they find you today, Lord, in the center of their marriage. Amen.
Observation: The Pharisees are always asking Jesus trick questions, and here it is about the sensitive matter of divorce. This has always been problematic. God was opposed to divorce, but Moses' law permitted it. There are issues and nuances in the various conversations, but it seems to come down to this one thing ... if two people marry, and both are obedient to the Lord, there will be no divorce, however if one of them is disobedient to the Lord then the other has a way to remove themselves from marriage.
At the heart of this is what it means to be unified, and that unity is in God. A right relationship involves three people - the couple, and God. A person who then leaves God within the context of that relationship has actually left the relationship.
Application: I am not a great husband. I try to be a good husband, but I know there are gaps in how I treat my wife and family. I can be distant, quick to anger, sullen and moody, and inattentive. I know there are times my wife and I don't really "mesh" when it comes to daily activities and interests. I probably can't even say I make up for it by being a great provider anymore, not that that was ever the requirement of being a husband.
Jesus teaches me that, to be a good husband, I must be obedient to the Lord. If I do this, other matters will resolve themselves. I also know that my marriage is a blessing from God - he created our relationship for us - and that can and should always look for the Lord in my wife, and strive to show her the love of God through me.
We have friends struggling with this. I don't know what to say to them. I trust in their love of God, and therefore trust that God will reconcile their hearts and minds.
Prayer: Lord, I pray today for our friends. They are both hurting in their hearts and in their souls. May your love emerge in a way that not only reconciles their arguments, but restores their hearts and minds in a way that strengthens their bonds and love. I pray they find you today, Lord, in the center of their marriage. Amen.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Speaking in Literal Metaphors
Scripture: And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19
Observation: Simon declares the belief that Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus immediately declares that Simon's name is now Peter, meaning rock, then expounds upon this. However, while it may appear he is talking about Peter, there is also a more likely interpretation that there is wordplay here. Jesus calls the man "rock," but from then on he is talking about a different "rock" and a different person's mission. Instead, the "rock" is the truth Peter has declared. Therefore, Jesus is saying:
-- This truth - Jesus is Messiah - will be the foundational principle of the church.
-- Satan himself cannot stand up against anything built upon that truth.
-- The church will be the gateway to heaven, because faith in Messiah is the gateway to heaven.
-- Whomever declares that truth as witnessed by the church on earth will be bound to heaven.
-- Whomever declares against that truth will be lost to heaven.
In other words, the Church on earth is the group that believes Jesus is Messiah, and it is faith in that truth that provides all hope and all authority and all foundation in life.
Application: Jesus did love wordplay. He can rename Peter "rock" while discussing the foundational truth of the universe. It is also in these wordplays we see the power of God, as he can make all variations of the wordplay come true ... establishing the church based on faith, empowering Peter to be the first teacher of that truth, then building the largest church on top of Peter's grave. God does this throughout the bible - inspiring a prophetic statement that has multiple meanings, then having all the meanings including the literal concept come to pass - so of course Jesus can do this, too.
Where is God doing this in my life? Where is he guiding me, my wife, and my family, where we may believe he is telling us to do something metaphorical, but he will lead us to both a metaphorical and literal result? As I find new promises from God in my life, I should certainly look for these.
Prayer: Lord, I think you for the guidance in my life. May I watch for your direction, and know that you may be telling me many things with just a few words. I will not get locked into one concept, for I see your ways. Amen.
Observation: Simon declares the belief that Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus immediately declares that Simon's name is now Peter, meaning rock, then expounds upon this. However, while it may appear he is talking about Peter, there is also a more likely interpretation that there is wordplay here. Jesus calls the man "rock," but from then on he is talking about a different "rock" and a different person's mission. Instead, the "rock" is the truth Peter has declared. Therefore, Jesus is saying:
-- This truth - Jesus is Messiah - will be the foundational principle of the church.
-- Satan himself cannot stand up against anything built upon that truth.
-- The church will be the gateway to heaven, because faith in Messiah is the gateway to heaven.
-- Whomever declares that truth as witnessed by the church on earth will be bound to heaven.
-- Whomever declares against that truth will be lost to heaven.
In other words, the Church on earth is the group that believes Jesus is Messiah, and it is faith in that truth that provides all hope and all authority and all foundation in life.
Application: Jesus did love wordplay. He can rename Peter "rock" while discussing the foundational truth of the universe. It is also in these wordplays we see the power of God, as he can make all variations of the wordplay come true ... establishing the church based on faith, empowering Peter to be the first teacher of that truth, then building the largest church on top of Peter's grave. God does this throughout the bible - inspiring a prophetic statement that has multiple meanings, then having all the meanings including the literal concept come to pass - so of course Jesus can do this, too.
Where is God doing this in my life? Where is he guiding me, my wife, and my family, where we may believe he is telling us to do something metaphorical, but he will lead us to both a metaphorical and literal result? As I find new promises from God in my life, I should certainly look for these.
Prayer: Lord, I think you for the guidance in my life. May I watch for your direction, and know that you may be telling me many things with just a few words. I will not get locked into one concept, for I see your ways. Amen.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Eternal Timeline for Exaltation
Scripture:
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
Psalm 13:3-4
Observation: The psalmist (David) asks how long will it be that his enemies exalt over him, and then he states his fear of the ultimate timeline ... until his death. His prayer is that he will be acquitted and saved from his enemy soon, but at the very least this will happen before he dies so that his enemy cannot have the final say, both pronouncing the final statement that they have won, and celebrating that victory as final and permanent.
Application: It is only in the context of God's judgment and mercy that we can understand that death is not final. I have enemies. These enemies have not only defeated me, but it is possible they have "permanently" defeated me ... that there will never be a time where they are not exalted over me.
Yet, this isn't true. There will be a time when I die, and am raised in Christ to reside in heaven. And there will be a time when they die, and what happens to them is a matter between them and God, for them to work out for themselves. If they eventually realize the truth about Jesus, place their faith in him, and are raised as me, that would be wonderful. There would be no condemnation either way, and in fact the old hurts won't matter in any way. If they do not choose this path ... again, that is a matter for them to work out with God, and I do not believe it will go well for them.
True judgment doesn't occur before death, with a hope of 'victory' in this life. Victory is about eternal life in Christ alone. This is the only personal victory and outcome I care about.
Prayer: Lord, into your hands I commend my soul, this day and every day. I do not pray as David did for a timeline to be exalted above my enemies, for that does not matter within the timeline of earth. I will someday simply be with you, and that is so much more than any earthly status. Amen.
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
Psalm 13:3-4
Observation: The psalmist (David) asks how long will it be that his enemies exalt over him, and then he states his fear of the ultimate timeline ... until his death. His prayer is that he will be acquitted and saved from his enemy soon, but at the very least this will happen before he dies so that his enemy cannot have the final say, both pronouncing the final statement that they have won, and celebrating that victory as final and permanent.
Application: It is only in the context of God's judgment and mercy that we can understand that death is not final. I have enemies. These enemies have not only defeated me, but it is possible they have "permanently" defeated me ... that there will never be a time where they are not exalted over me.
Yet, this isn't true. There will be a time when I die, and am raised in Christ to reside in heaven. And there will be a time when they die, and what happens to them is a matter between them and God, for them to work out for themselves. If they eventually realize the truth about Jesus, place their faith in him, and are raised as me, that would be wonderful. There would be no condemnation either way, and in fact the old hurts won't matter in any way. If they do not choose this path ... again, that is a matter for them to work out with God, and I do not believe it will go well for them.
True judgment doesn't occur before death, with a hope of 'victory' in this life. Victory is about eternal life in Christ alone. This is the only personal victory and outcome I care about.
Prayer: Lord, into your hands I commend my soul, this day and every day. I do not pray as David did for a timeline to be exalted above my enemies, for that does not matter within the timeline of earth. I will someday simply be with you, and that is so much more than any earthly status. Amen.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Released from a Life of Shame
Scripture: Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” Genesis 42:37
Observation: Chapter 41 says Joseph was 30 when he stood before Pharaoh. The 7 years of plenty have then passed, and they are likely into year 3 of famine since other nations are having to seek aid, so Joseph is now 40. He was 17 when his brothers sold him into slavery, and at that time Reuben was going to save Joseph so that he could gain atonement from his father for the sin he had committed in sleeping with Bilhah.
It is 23 years later, and Reuben is STILL trying to find a way to make atonement with his father.
Reuben committed one (albeit, bad) sin, and he has spent the majority of his adult life trying to reconcile it. And he can't. How many times has a similar situation arose? Something goes wrong in the house of Jacob ... a herd of sheep is lost, or a stranger causes strife, or another local family threatens their property, or a storm destroys a barn ... and Reuben declares, "I will take care of it for you, father, a swear this on everything I own!" And Jacob says ... no, Reuben, there is no way for me to trust this to you.
It is in this model we understand that, when a person commits a terrible act against someone, there really isn't anything one can 'do' to undo it. Instead, there is only the possibility of forgiveness. If the victim won't forgive, then the perpetrator is without recourse for restoring the relationship.
Application: As the family and history of Israel is our revelation of God's love, Reuben is the example of the reason God's love is so critical. Reuben is the first born and should be the pride of the father, but he is instead untrusted and despised even after years and years and years of trying to make the situation right, and living with the shame that entire time. If this was the way God treated us, we would all languish in grief forever, or else give up and resent God.
Instead, God freely forgives through our faith and simple request. Knowing no action of ours can erase sin, God instead just erases it anyway.
I was reminded last week that God promises not only to forgive me for my past, but to remove my shame about that past. I can forget it! This is God's promise, not only that he forgets the sin, but that I can no longer dwell in it mentally or have remorse for it. God has completely erased it. He doesn't just forgive, he erases it from my life's story.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the promise of removing my shame of my past. I will try to live in a manner that moves forward in your love. Reuben couldn't do that, but you created the way for me to do so. Thank you for your amazing, perfect love. Amen.
Observation: Chapter 41 says Joseph was 30 when he stood before Pharaoh. The 7 years of plenty have then passed, and they are likely into year 3 of famine since other nations are having to seek aid, so Joseph is now 40. He was 17 when his brothers sold him into slavery, and at that time Reuben was going to save Joseph so that he could gain atonement from his father for the sin he had committed in sleeping with Bilhah.
It is 23 years later, and Reuben is STILL trying to find a way to make atonement with his father.
Reuben committed one (albeit, bad) sin, and he has spent the majority of his adult life trying to reconcile it. And he can't. How many times has a similar situation arose? Something goes wrong in the house of Jacob ... a herd of sheep is lost, or a stranger causes strife, or another local family threatens their property, or a storm destroys a barn ... and Reuben declares, "I will take care of it for you, father, a swear this on everything I own!" And Jacob says ... no, Reuben, there is no way for me to trust this to you.
It is in this model we understand that, when a person commits a terrible act against someone, there really isn't anything one can 'do' to undo it. Instead, there is only the possibility of forgiveness. If the victim won't forgive, then the perpetrator is without recourse for restoring the relationship.
Application: As the family and history of Israel is our revelation of God's love, Reuben is the example of the reason God's love is so critical. Reuben is the first born and should be the pride of the father, but he is instead untrusted and despised even after years and years and years of trying to make the situation right, and living with the shame that entire time. If this was the way God treated us, we would all languish in grief forever, or else give up and resent God.
Instead, God freely forgives through our faith and simple request. Knowing no action of ours can erase sin, God instead just erases it anyway.
I was reminded last week that God promises not only to forgive me for my past, but to remove my shame about that past. I can forget it! This is God's promise, not only that he forgets the sin, but that I can no longer dwell in it mentally or have remorse for it. God has completely erased it. He doesn't just forgive, he erases it from my life's story.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the promise of removing my shame of my past. I will try to live in a manner that moves forward in your love. Reuben couldn't do that, but you created the way for me to do so. Thank you for your amazing, perfect love. Amen.
Friday, January 17, 2020
When God Repeats Himself
Scripture: Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Genesis 35:9-10
Observation: Jacob and his family return to Bethel, the place where Jacob departed from when he was initially afraid of Esau. This time, he is again afraid of retribution from the Shechemites, but he obeys God and goes to Bethel. He further obeys the Lord the builds an alter there, to commemorate the time that the Lord appeared to him when he was fleeing from Esau.
What happens next is ... God appears to him again ... God blesses him again ... God repeats the act of renaming him Israel ... God repeats his promise to give Israel the land promised to Abraham and Isaac ... Israel builds a second alter, sacrifices on it again, and names it Bethel same as the first.
God made a promise to Jacob, and then gave him instructions. Jacob (eventually) learned to trust those promises, and became a man willing to obey the word of the Lord. Therefore, God repeated his promise to Jacob. Jacob celebrated and honored God again.
Application: As I spend time seeking the promises of God in my life, I see this model. It is very likely God has made promises to me, and he will repeat them and remind me of them as I grown in my faith, obedience, and love for God. The challenge I have is not that God has not given me good promises in my life, but likely that I wasn't listening or understanding at the time.
I look forward to God repeating himself.
Prayer: Lord, I see how you work with imperfect people, and I am certainly one of those, an imperfect person. Please forgive my sins and help me to repent further every day, so that I may be better prepared to hear your voice and your promises in my life. Amen.
Observation: Jacob and his family return to Bethel, the place where Jacob departed from when he was initially afraid of Esau. This time, he is again afraid of retribution from the Shechemites, but he obeys God and goes to Bethel. He further obeys the Lord the builds an alter there, to commemorate the time that the Lord appeared to him when he was fleeing from Esau.
What happens next is ... God appears to him again ... God blesses him again ... God repeats the act of renaming him Israel ... God repeats his promise to give Israel the land promised to Abraham and Isaac ... Israel builds a second alter, sacrifices on it again, and names it Bethel same as the first.
God made a promise to Jacob, and then gave him instructions. Jacob (eventually) learned to trust those promises, and became a man willing to obey the word of the Lord. Therefore, God repeated his promise to Jacob. Jacob celebrated and honored God again.
Application: As I spend time seeking the promises of God in my life, I see this model. It is very likely God has made promises to me, and he will repeat them and remind me of them as I grown in my faith, obedience, and love for God. The challenge I have is not that God has not given me good promises in my life, but likely that I wasn't listening or understanding at the time.
I look forward to God repeating himself.
Prayer: Lord, I see how you work with imperfect people, and I am certainly one of those, an imperfect person. Please forgive my sins and help me to repent further every day, so that I may be better prepared to hear your voice and your promises in my life. Amen.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Hope from the Very Worst
Scripture: Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:32
Observation: Jesus is in the midst of a head-to-head fight with the Pharisees, and it begins when they claim he casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub. Jesus corrects this clearly. However it is in this verse that he pivots the fight into a much stronger offensive. He will go on to condemn the very hearts and motives of the Pharisees, denying their motives, words, and thoughts. He places them as less faithful than the sinners of ancient Nineveh, or of the foreign Queen of Sheba. His logic is straightforward, and his warning clear:
-- Any and every act can and will be forgiven, even such a great act as hating Jesus himself.
-- However, if one curses the Holy Spirit, this is the act of knowing God exists yet in that knowledge actively rejecting his authority, and that is the unforgivable sin.
-- Those who do this may even still profess to believe in God - they may say good words, or give others good teaching - but their hearts are now revealed.
This isn't a sin of ignorance. This isn't a sin of anger or passion or deception or temptation or weakness. And this isn't even a willful sin that rebels against the laws, commands, and precepts of God. This is a sin outside of the body or soul. This is the sin of a personal spirit that has - with full knowledge, in sound judgment, and with total consciousness - chosen to reject God. It is the worst thing one can do.
However, in this same message is the greatest of all hope ... EVERYTHING ELSE is forgiven! Even cursing God himself, even rejecting Jesus ... these are forgivable with the act of repentance and faith.
Application: I have cursed God. I have rejected Jesus. I have declared independence from all belief. And I have repented of that, having discovered the love of God and salvation of Jesus in my life. And from this verse I know I am forgiven.
This is the takeaway for me here. It is not that there is some unforgivable act, but rather that I am forgiven of even the time in my life I actively declared that I rejected all concepts of salvation, God, and Jesus. I am now a believer. I publicly declared my faith, and was baptized into that faith, born again as a new creation. Jesus declaring the very worst sin possible against the Pharisees actually shows that billions and billions and billions of other wrongs are washed away, because God loves us so much that he gave his son.
Prayer: Lord, my Lord and my God, may I live every day without any thoughts or concerns about my former life, for it is all washed away. Thank you for your forgiveness, which I could never have earned. Amen.
Observation: Jesus is in the midst of a head-to-head fight with the Pharisees, and it begins when they claim he casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub. Jesus corrects this clearly. However it is in this verse that he pivots the fight into a much stronger offensive. He will go on to condemn the very hearts and motives of the Pharisees, denying their motives, words, and thoughts. He places them as less faithful than the sinners of ancient Nineveh, or of the foreign Queen of Sheba. His logic is straightforward, and his warning clear:
-- Any and every act can and will be forgiven, even such a great act as hating Jesus himself.
-- However, if one curses the Holy Spirit, this is the act of knowing God exists yet in that knowledge actively rejecting his authority, and that is the unforgivable sin.
-- Those who do this may even still profess to believe in God - they may say good words, or give others good teaching - but their hearts are now revealed.
This isn't a sin of ignorance. This isn't a sin of anger or passion or deception or temptation or weakness. And this isn't even a willful sin that rebels against the laws, commands, and precepts of God. This is a sin outside of the body or soul. This is the sin of a personal spirit that has - with full knowledge, in sound judgment, and with total consciousness - chosen to reject God. It is the worst thing one can do.
However, in this same message is the greatest of all hope ... EVERYTHING ELSE is forgiven! Even cursing God himself, even rejecting Jesus ... these are forgivable with the act of repentance and faith.
Application: I have cursed God. I have rejected Jesus. I have declared independence from all belief. And I have repented of that, having discovered the love of God and salvation of Jesus in my life. And from this verse I know I am forgiven.
This is the takeaway for me here. It is not that there is some unforgivable act, but rather that I am forgiven of even the time in my life I actively declared that I rejected all concepts of salvation, God, and Jesus. I am now a believer. I publicly declared my faith, and was baptized into that faith, born again as a new creation. Jesus declaring the very worst sin possible against the Pharisees actually shows that billions and billions and billions of other wrongs are washed away, because God loves us so much that he gave his son.
Prayer: Lord, my Lord and my God, may I live every day without any thoughts or concerns about my former life, for it is all washed away. Thank you for your forgiveness, which I could never have earned. Amen.
Monday, January 13, 2020
Restating the Truth
Scripture: Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ Matthew 10:34-36
Observation: Jesus is teaching his disciples, and here clarifies his mission and purpose. He is not here to bring peace. Instead, his existence will divide people. There will be those who believe, and those who do not, and Jesus does not intend for people with these different believes to be peaceable. Those who don't believe will be against those who do. More interestingly, those who do believe should be against those that don't.
This opposition is not hate or anger, but it is resolute. It is a firmness of belief that is stronger than even family ties. If someone believes in Jesus, and their own family doesn't, then they are opposed to each other in this matter.
Furthermore, this was not a new idea. Jesus didn't make this up! He is merely quoting Micah. This should have been the understanding of what faith in Messiah was always going to be about ... that faith represents the truth about God, and those opposed to faith are therefore opposed to God's will and purposes.
Application: It is always surprising how often Jesus had to restate the truth about matters because everyone wanted him to be something else. He quotes several prophets who already spoke about him, just today showing that faith in him will be a divisive matter, and that he is in fact the Messiah as proven by his specific miracles.
Believers today want Jesus to fit their opinions about what a savior should be, and not the facts about who Jesus was. Do I do this? Do I prefer his mercy more than his justice, or his love more than his instruction, or his resurrection more than his sacrifice?
I do want certain "good" things in life as provided by Jesus. However, it is important to receive Jesus as he is, and not as we wish. Obedience, learning, discipleship, and sacrifice are all part of the truth about Jesus, just as much as forgiveness, love, mercy, and salvation.
Prayer: Lord, this day, may I know that I follow a savior who also expects me to serve obediently. I am to do as you told me to do, and not just believe what you said to believe. Give me this day not just my daily bread, but also the chance to do my daily work, to pick up my cross. Amen.
Observation: Jesus is teaching his disciples, and here clarifies his mission and purpose. He is not here to bring peace. Instead, his existence will divide people. There will be those who believe, and those who do not, and Jesus does not intend for people with these different believes to be peaceable. Those who don't believe will be against those who do. More interestingly, those who do believe should be against those that don't.
This opposition is not hate or anger, but it is resolute. It is a firmness of belief that is stronger than even family ties. If someone believes in Jesus, and their own family doesn't, then they are opposed to each other in this matter.
Furthermore, this was not a new idea. Jesus didn't make this up! He is merely quoting Micah. This should have been the understanding of what faith in Messiah was always going to be about ... that faith represents the truth about God, and those opposed to faith are therefore opposed to God's will and purposes.
Application: It is always surprising how often Jesus had to restate the truth about matters because everyone wanted him to be something else. He quotes several prophets who already spoke about him, just today showing that faith in him will be a divisive matter, and that he is in fact the Messiah as proven by his specific miracles.
Believers today want Jesus to fit their opinions about what a savior should be, and not the facts about who Jesus was. Do I do this? Do I prefer his mercy more than his justice, or his love more than his instruction, or his resurrection more than his sacrifice?
I do want certain "good" things in life as provided by Jesus. However, it is important to receive Jesus as he is, and not as we wish. Obedience, learning, discipleship, and sacrifice are all part of the truth about Jesus, just as much as forgiveness, love, mercy, and salvation.
Prayer: Lord, this day, may I know that I follow a savior who also expects me to serve obediently. I am to do as you told me to do, and not just believe what you said to believe. Give me this day not just my daily bread, but also the chance to do my daily work, to pick up my cross. Amen.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
On my Knees Again
WOW this song WAILS!
Your forgiveness is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips ...
Like holy water on my skin ...
Your forgiveness is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips ...
Like holy water on my skin ...
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
El Roi
Scripture: Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" Genesis 16:13
Observation: Hagar is in distress. She is pregnant - not by her own will - and is now outcast. She is humiliated, bullied, beaten, rejected, and alone. In this state, God shows up though he had no real interaction with her before, and both comforts and instructs her to proceed on the path of bearing and raising her son, while going through this hard time. Hagar responds with this ... that she acknowledges that God has seen her and her trial, and she has heard from him.
Application: In my time of distress, this was the one absolutely clear word I received ... "I see you."
God saw me in my depressed, downtrodden, fearful, humiliated, lonely condition. He saw me, and he saw my circumstance, and he saw the causes, and he saw the injustice, and he saw the lies, and he saw the pain ... and he saw my future. And he told me so.
That day I wept with every emotion. I wept with sadness, joy, hope, despair, love, anger. I did not want to walk through that circumstance, but I knew the Lord saw me, and cared so much about me and my family.
I will never forget the word the Lord gave me that day. Being seen by God - having my situation seen by God - is something I can never repay, and can only now serve the Lord to the best of my ability for his love and mercy.
Prayer: Lord, you are Abba, my father. You are Yahweh Yireh, the Lord who provides. And you are El Roi, the God who sees me. Thank you, my Lord and my God, my redeemer and my protector. May my life serve you as a living sacrifice, and may my words and actions be a holy aroma, pleasing to you. Amen.
Observation: Hagar is in distress. She is pregnant - not by her own will - and is now outcast. She is humiliated, bullied, beaten, rejected, and alone. In this state, God shows up though he had no real interaction with her before, and both comforts and instructs her to proceed on the path of bearing and raising her son, while going through this hard time. Hagar responds with this ... that she acknowledges that God has seen her and her trial, and she has heard from him.
Application: In my time of distress, this was the one absolutely clear word I received ... "I see you."
God saw me in my depressed, downtrodden, fearful, humiliated, lonely condition. He saw me, and he saw my circumstance, and he saw the causes, and he saw the injustice, and he saw the lies, and he saw the pain ... and he saw my future. And he told me so.
That day I wept with every emotion. I wept with sadness, joy, hope, despair, love, anger. I did not want to walk through that circumstance, but I knew the Lord saw me, and cared so much about me and my family.
I will never forget the word the Lord gave me that day. Being seen by God - having my situation seen by God - is something I can never repay, and can only now serve the Lord to the best of my ability for his love and mercy.
Prayer: Lord, you are Abba, my father. You are Yahweh Yireh, the Lord who provides. And you are El Roi, the God who sees me. Thank you, my Lord and my God, my redeemer and my protector. May my life serve you as a living sacrifice, and may my words and actions be a holy aroma, pleasing to you. Amen.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Gray Area Around Clear Commands
Scripture: But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. Matthew 5:34-36
Observation: Jesus is teaching a basic lesson that many of us now know, and that lesson is a simplification of the commandment not to lie. If we do not lie, then there is no reason to "swear" that our word is true. The only reason to swear is because ... sometime we lie, yet in some cases we want to prove we aren't lying by binding our word to something we value. Jesus goes through a hierarchy of things people might swear by - heaven, the earth, Jerusalem and the temple, or our own lives - and shows these are all bad.
The message is to keep is simple. Rules don't matter because they complicate and deceive. If the command is "don't lie" then ... don't lie. Rules about swearing to things introduces legalistic complexity that actually exists only because the command is being broken. If the lie is "don't commit adultery" then rules about lust and divorce only introduce complexity about what to do if someone commits adultery. If the command is "love one another" then guidelines about seeking revenge during conflict only exist to govern situations where that love is absent.
Of course, this simplicity of the commands is what makes them hardest for flawed humans to comply with. We are sinful, and thus the black-and-white nature of the commands means we will fail. We will get angry. We will lust. We will lie. Therefore, the real lesson of Jesus is likely found in how to deal with such failures ... address them in your life, rather than creating rules that define gray areas where the sin can therefore exist unaddressed.
Application: Where have I created gray area and thus allowed myself to sin without addressing it? Certainly I have done this. I think nothing of anger toward others - thinking people stupid or complaining about them in my mind - as long as I treat them well enough. This is explicitly unloving. I have other areas as well.
So what would my daily walk with the Lord look like if I truly complied with the commands? If there was no gray area, I would have to love everyone, always. I would never lust, never swear, never covet an object or position or honor or success. In all these, my life would likely become ... better. I would find contentment and joy. I would build relationships. Sure, some may decide I was passive, or false, or unambitious, and certainly there would be some negatively directed toward me. But I would likely be happier, and God would be also.
Prayer: Lord, your commands are good for me. I know that obeying your laws and precepts would actually bless me and my family. May I do a better job at this. I will not be perfect, and I will fail daily, but may I start with loving others more and more, by at least having fewer bad thoughts and assumptions about others. Please soften my heart toward strangers, acquaintances, coworkers, family, and friends. Amen.
Observation: Jesus is teaching a basic lesson that many of us now know, and that lesson is a simplification of the commandment not to lie. If we do not lie, then there is no reason to "swear" that our word is true. The only reason to swear is because ... sometime we lie, yet in some cases we want to prove we aren't lying by binding our word to something we value. Jesus goes through a hierarchy of things people might swear by - heaven, the earth, Jerusalem and the temple, or our own lives - and shows these are all bad.
The message is to keep is simple. Rules don't matter because they complicate and deceive. If the command is "don't lie" then ... don't lie. Rules about swearing to things introduces legalistic complexity that actually exists only because the command is being broken. If the lie is "don't commit adultery" then rules about lust and divorce only introduce complexity about what to do if someone commits adultery. If the command is "love one another" then guidelines about seeking revenge during conflict only exist to govern situations where that love is absent.
Of course, this simplicity of the commands is what makes them hardest for flawed humans to comply with. We are sinful, and thus the black-and-white nature of the commands means we will fail. We will get angry. We will lust. We will lie. Therefore, the real lesson of Jesus is likely found in how to deal with such failures ... address them in your life, rather than creating rules that define gray areas where the sin can therefore exist unaddressed.
Application: Where have I created gray area and thus allowed myself to sin without addressing it? Certainly I have done this. I think nothing of anger toward others - thinking people stupid or complaining about them in my mind - as long as I treat them well enough. This is explicitly unloving. I have other areas as well.
So what would my daily walk with the Lord look like if I truly complied with the commands? If there was no gray area, I would have to love everyone, always. I would never lust, never swear, never covet an object or position or honor or success. In all these, my life would likely become ... better. I would find contentment and joy. I would build relationships. Sure, some may decide I was passive, or false, or unambitious, and certainly there would be some negatively directed toward me. But I would likely be happier, and God would be also.
Prayer: Lord, your commands are good for me. I know that obeying your laws and precepts would actually bless me and my family. May I do a better job at this. I will not be perfect, and I will fail daily, but may I start with loving others more and more, by at least having fewer bad thoughts and assumptions about others. Please soften my heart toward strangers, acquaintances, coworkers, family, and friends. Amen.
Friday, January 3, 2020
God in the Hands of Man
Scripture: Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. Matthew 3:13-15
Observation: Jesus is God on earth - he is manifested of the Holy Spirit, and an eternal entity of Yahweh - yet he declares that being baptized by a human is part of ... fulfilling all righteousness.
Only God is fully righteous, and certainly humans are not. John was a good man and a prophet, but he was not fully righteous. However, God himself places himself into John's hands, stating that doing so is part of fulfilling righteousness. This is likely true for a couple reasons, one of which is the fulfillment of earlier prophesy. It was clearly state that John would come declaring repentance in the wilderness, and that Messiah would come having had this preparation. As a result, John is able to transition his followers - which included James, John, and Andrew at least - to become Jesus' disciples.
Application: God does not need humans or mankind, but again uses us to advance his purposes. In this one example, by telling John "go ahead an baptize me", Jesus fulfills at least three prophesies, and commandeers the foundation of his ministry team.
God doesn't need me, but is there anything I am doing that God can use? Can he use my blog? Can he use my time at work? Can he use my ongoing desire to better connect in Bothell? Can he use my knowledge, personality, hobbies?
Prayer: Lord, I would love to be used in any way you like. You don't need me, but I know you enjoy working with mankind in fulfilling your purposes. Here I am. Use me. Amen.
Observation: Jesus is God on earth - he is manifested of the Holy Spirit, and an eternal entity of Yahweh - yet he declares that being baptized by a human is part of ... fulfilling all righteousness.
Only God is fully righteous, and certainly humans are not. John was a good man and a prophet, but he was not fully righteous. However, God himself places himself into John's hands, stating that doing so is part of fulfilling righteousness. This is likely true for a couple reasons, one of which is the fulfillment of earlier prophesy. It was clearly state that John would come declaring repentance in the wilderness, and that Messiah would come having had this preparation. As a result, John is able to transition his followers - which included James, John, and Andrew at least - to become Jesus' disciples.
Application: God does not need humans or mankind, but again uses us to advance his purposes. In this one example, by telling John "go ahead an baptize me", Jesus fulfills at least three prophesies, and commandeers the foundation of his ministry team.
God doesn't need me, but is there anything I am doing that God can use? Can he use my blog? Can he use my time at work? Can he use my ongoing desire to better connect in Bothell? Can he use my knowledge, personality, hobbies?
Prayer: Lord, I would love to be used in any way you like. You don't need me, but I know you enjoy working with mankind in fulfilling your purposes. Here I am. Use me. Amen.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
First Promise of Restoration
Scripture: So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Genesis 4:6-7
Observation: Cain and Abel presented their offerings to the Lord, and the Lord accepted Abel's but rejected Cain's. It is understood this is because Cain's offering was simply part of his excess harvest, and not an offering made from the best of his crop, while Abel offered his firstborn lamb. As Cain laments this, God speaks to him and offers corrective advice ... don't be sad, just do better! Next time, offer a proper sacrifice, and you will be accepted.
That's all Cain has to do. Cain does not have to fix his past, just do it right next time. He doesn't have to re-do the original offering, or pay some penance or penalty for the first failure. Instead, God simply says, do it well next time and I will absolutely accept your offering. However, if you continue to do poorly, this is the entry for sin into your life.
Application: This is the same solution God gives us all every day. God knows I screw up every day ... I sin, I get angry, I deceive. God just says 'hey, do better next time, but if you don't then know that sin piles up.'
I try to do better. Of course none of us can be perfect, and Jesus provides relief for the piled-up sin. However, when I do succeed in setting aside the badness in my life - and getting something right the next time - God certainly notices and accepts it. Thanks to his love manifested by the forgiveness of Jesus' sacrifice, God doesn't keep score and weigh the bad against the good. He sees the good effort, and accepts it - and me - by that act.
May I therefore be better today and in this new year. I don't want to be better in order to counteract my actions of the past, but rather to simply be acceptable to God today. The past is forgiven. The future can be acceptable, and thus I can walk closer with God every day.
Prayer: Lord, I desire to simply get things right this day, not to make up for the past, but to be acceptable to you this day. And then to repeat that every day as much as I can. Thank you for your forgiveness of my past failures, and for providing good information and teaching so I can know how to present myself to you now. Amen.
Observation: Cain and Abel presented their offerings to the Lord, and the Lord accepted Abel's but rejected Cain's. It is understood this is because Cain's offering was simply part of his excess harvest, and not an offering made from the best of his crop, while Abel offered his firstborn lamb. As Cain laments this, God speaks to him and offers corrective advice ... don't be sad, just do better! Next time, offer a proper sacrifice, and you will be accepted.
That's all Cain has to do. Cain does not have to fix his past, just do it right next time. He doesn't have to re-do the original offering, or pay some penance or penalty for the first failure. Instead, God simply says, do it well next time and I will absolutely accept your offering. However, if you continue to do poorly, this is the entry for sin into your life.
Application: This is the same solution God gives us all every day. God knows I screw up every day ... I sin, I get angry, I deceive. God just says 'hey, do better next time, but if you don't then know that sin piles up.'
I try to do better. Of course none of us can be perfect, and Jesus provides relief for the piled-up sin. However, when I do succeed in setting aside the badness in my life - and getting something right the next time - God certainly notices and accepts it. Thanks to his love manifested by the forgiveness of Jesus' sacrifice, God doesn't keep score and weigh the bad against the good. He sees the good effort, and accepts it - and me - by that act.
May I therefore be better today and in this new year. I don't want to be better in order to counteract my actions of the past, but rather to simply be acceptable to God today. The past is forgiven. The future can be acceptable, and thus I can walk closer with God every day.
Prayer: Lord, I desire to simply get things right this day, not to make up for the past, but to be acceptable to you this day. And then to repeat that every day as much as I can. Thank you for your forgiveness of my past failures, and for providing good information and teaching so I can know how to present myself to you now. Amen.
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