Trying to Understand 'The Mark'

Scripture: A third Angel followed, shouting, warning, "If anyone worships the Beast and its image and takes the mark on forehead or hand, that person will drink the wine of God’s wrath, prepared unmixed in his chalice of anger, and suffer torment from fire and brimstone in the presence of Holy Angels, in the presence of the Lamb." Revelation 14:9-10

Observation: As angels pronounce glory and woes upon the earth, this angel again brings up the mark of the beast. The most dreadful element of this mark is the punishment for receiving it ... eternity burning in fire, suffering torment, as part of the full and undiluted wrath of God.

Application: Our era has had talk about 'the mark' and about how it is applied. Certainly, knowing that our Lord is loving and merciful and kind, one thing is certain ... the mark cannot be applied without our full knowledge and intent. The Lord would not do that; he would not allow billions to suffer by accidentally doing something. Betrayal of the Lord - betrayal that warrants permanent suffering - can only be intentional.

I have no idea what 'the mark' would ever be. I have no idea how end-times work. I have no idea about almost everything ever said about Revelation, barely even understanding the modern interpretations let alone the original text. However, I trust in the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, as we proceed through difficult times, I do not know how, or even if, they fit into any of the narrative of Revelation. And my understanding of this is not necessary. May I only know you more and more, every hour of every day. Amen.

You Are my Song

I am reminded of my past attitudes about worship, and about every change the Lord has worked in my heart over the last 30 years. He is so loving, so wonderous, so faithful, so great, so mighty.

So who am I to not worship you!

When the Truth Hurts

Scripture: Those people will cheer at the spectacle, shouting ‘Good riddance!’ and calling for a celebration, for these two prophets pricked the conscience of all the people on earth, made it impossible for them to enjoy their sins. Revelation 11:10

Observation: In the vision of the two witnesses, their death is celebrated. In most classic interpretations, the reason for celebration is given as these two "tormented" the world, which is always interesting since they were in only Jerusalem for their entire existence. However, The Message describes this "torment" differently ... the witnesses made it impossible for people to "enjoy their sin".

In other words, the two witnesses were speaking truth over the world, and - unable to deny the supernatural power and authority of the witnesses - the world felt attacked. It was undeniable that the witnesses were both a) condemning certain behaviors and attitudes of the world, and b) in possession of an unexplainable authority to make such condemnations.

Confronted with the fact that the Lord God almighty has empowered two spokespeople to command all the world, how does everyone respond? They grow angry, and joyfully celebrate the violent attack and open murder of these two, all because they spoke truth about the behaviors that bring joy and life versus conflict and pain and death.

Application: While this may or may not be a proper interpretation of the language of Revelation, I am more than willing to agree that ... I totally see this scenario going down this way for exactly this motivation. The greatest "emotion" we see in societal group-think right now revolves around the permission to pursue sin. People celebrate their "freedom" and "rights" to take on activities that actively destroy their own lives, harm their families, and damage their psyche.

Anyone who loves people enough to speak the truth is labeled a 'hater' or even worse, so of course the two witnesses will receive such a backlash even more.

Prayer: Lord, the world is in so much pain. We pray for awakening and revival, but we also know that, in the end, whenever that is, the world will be at least as dark as it is today if not darker. Are we on that final path, or is there a wave of hope for the current souls in the world? For the sake of my children, I hope so. Amen.

Do Not Keep your 'Enemies Closer'

Scripture: Old enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building The Temple of the God of Israel. They came to Zerubbabel and the family heads and said, “We’ll help you build. We worship your God the same as you. We’ve been offering sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon king of Assyria brought us here.” Ezra 4:1-2

Observation: Just as the rebuilding of the temple begins, these people - "old enemies" - arrive and offer help. Zerubabbel will tell them 'no', and in response they will do the opposite of helping. They will harass the people of Jerusalem and conduct a campaign to have the building stopped. In hindsight, it seems their original intent was shallow at best, and perhaps a veiled attempt to undermine the effort all along, or it could have been sincere but being turned away made them hurt and angry.

So ... did Zerubabbel do the right thing? Should he have accepted the offer of help, with a possibility that such help would have either greatly expedited the entire effort OR created a major problems internal within the project that could have destroyed the effort? Or should he have rejected the offer as he did, guaranteeing hardship and delays?

This feels like a common problem. We even have trite expressions that metaphorically address this topic. We say to "keep your friends close and your enemies closer", and "a wolf in sheep's clothing", and a few others like this ... phrases we have heard, but are the right? Is it "biblical" - a teaching of God - to keep our enemies close?

The short answer is ... no. For Israel, in fact, the teaching of God is quite the opposite. In the promised land, they are to purge their lives of foreign influence. They are told over and over to destroy such influence, reject intermarriage, and be very careful of such input. At the individual level, we often see short-term good but long-term harm every time someone allows an individual who is opposed to the Lord (or the plans the Lord has revealed) into their inner circle.

Zerubabbel had people offering to help, but they were enemies and showed their true colors, for no people-group who truly loved the Lord would actively undermine the temple project. At best, they would have imposed their own ideas, independent of the Lord's instructions, resulting in a corrupt version of the temple. It was better to endure their harassment and the roadblocks they created out of hate and jealousy, than to collaborate and realize their 'help' actually derailed God's plan.

Application: We all have enemies, and it is very, very difficult to understand God's instructions about how to interact with them. Jesus teaches us to love everyone, and even very clearly says to "love your enemies". So there is an explicit instruction to interact with enemies with love and kindness. However, that is different than being "close" to them, and it is absolutely different than inviting them into the Lord's work when they have no relationship with the Lord themselves.

Understanding who an "enemy" is can itself be unclear. An enemy isn't just a non-believer, or even someone who, in their ignorance, adopts practices and lifestyles opposed to God's teaching. An enemy is someone who stands in conflict and opposition to God, to anyone obedient to God, and to faithful individuals even outside of their God-obedient practices. And yes, I have enemies that meet this definition. So does every Christian. Maybe we aren't being killed by terrorists right now, but we can discern the difference between a person who questions our acts of faith in Jesus out of ignorance, and a person who denies Jesus and thus criticizes or even attacks our activities and attitudes.

It is important to walk in the world, finding and reaching the lost, without allowing enemies to influence our work. They absolutely will attack our work - that can never be avoided - but we cannot allow them to influence it from the inside.

Prayer: Lord, may we all care for your sheep, while guarding against the wolves. I know that, especially this week, there will be enemies among us. May we have your wisdom in how we all act and speak and respond, listening to your will as we delivery the gospel to so many lost souls. Amen.

Claiming the Promise of Listening

Scripture:
Listen to this prayer of mine, God;
pay attention to what I’m asking.
Answer me—you’re famous for your answers!
Do what’s right for me.
But don’t, please don’t, haul me into court;
not a person alive would be acquitted there.
Psalm 143:1-2

Observation: Throughout a series of psalms in this part of the book, the writer(s) have been appealing to the Lord for help from their dire circumstances and attacks from others. They beg for the Lord to hear their appeals and protect them. However, this appeal is different. Yes, the psalmist appeals to the Lord to hear their prayer, but what they need protection from is ... judgment.

This person isn't being wrongly attacked. He has done wrong. His wrong is so clear-cut that any judge and jury would find him guilty. This includes the Lord, for this person has sinned, and he knows it is Yahweh who is both the judge and jury in such matters, and thus there is no doubt that he will be condemned. However, the writer makes an appeal, not to a judge, but to a merciful father. He asks simply, please listen to me, hear me out, and have mercy.

In other words, the writer knows that the Lord God almighty, the powerful sovereign God of the universe, has laws and rules and precepts, and he has violated them. He deserves judgment. However, he also knows that this same God is his father, with whom he may talk, and he would like to have a conversation about what has happened in his life and receive both mercy for the past, and guidance for the future. He believes the Lord will listen to him, because the Lord loves him and desires a relationship. Therefore, he is bold enough to ask for a conversation, not a trial. He knows the loving sovereign God of the universe will listen.

Application: I am full of sin and failure. Over and over and over I ask for deliverance from my sin, because I keep sinning. I can't seem to just do right and get my life and my soul better. I know God is disappointed in me, and I know he sent Jesus because there a billions like me who believe in and love the Lord, but can't live right.

So I claim this promise of listening. I claim the promise that the Lord will not just pass judgment on me, but does listen to my prayers, listens to my reasoning, and like a father extends both correction and guidance. He engages with me and in my life, and I want that. I am trying to be better, though I'll never be good enough. However, I can talk to my father, maintain my relationship with him and with Jesus, and he will listen.

Prayer: Abba, my daddy in heaven, I thank you for Jesus, through whom I can sincerely have a relationship with you. Please do listen to me. I am attacked regularly, and I am too weak to fight back properly. I desire your Holy Spirit to strengthen me, and your word to fill me, and your love to overwhelm me. May I find that I grow stronger in your ways every day. Thank you for listening. Amen.

Beyond what the Earth can Bear

Scripture:
Three things are too much for even the earth to bear,
     yes, four things shake its foundations—
          when the janitor becomes the boss,
          when a fool gets rich,
          when a prostitute is voted “woman of the year,”
          when a “girlfriend” replaces a faithful wife.

Proverbs 30:21-23

Observation: This section of proverbs is very pointed in observing foolish behavior, and specifically calling out greed and arrogance and lust-filled lives. This list of four things is provocative to think about, as these are not just a warning about behaviors, but these have a consequence ... the natural order of the world cannot bear up when these things happen.

1) When people of limited means are placed in control of the lives of others.

2) When foolish persons gain power through wealth.

3) When acts of sin and promiscuity are declared virtuous.

4) When families are torn apart by denying the need for union.

Application: I can't help but acknowledging that these four elements are effectively the 'modus operandi' of society today, and perhaps most specifically spearheaded by the "celebrity" culture of our time.

We have major enterprises run by individuals with effectively no education and qualifications. They are placed in these positions of authority, and thus given control over lives of thousands - and then allowed to influence the thinking of millions - because they have amassed ridiculous fortunes due to their performing 'talent'. They go through "personal setbacks" like divorce and betrayal, even entering into unnatural relationships, and they are described using words like "brave" and "survivor" in these scenarios. Their personal lives are the thing of transcendent culture as they move from relationship to relationship with a freedom celebrated by the masses.

Dear Lord. Our very culture shakes the foundations of the world. It is too much for even the earth to bear. Where are we to go from here?

Prayer: Lord, we use the words 'revival' and 'awakening' to see the times you have moved with strength in society in the past, and to hope for such a movement to come. Well, we're out of options, we need revival and awakening in the U.S. There isn't a model where our society and pull back from this cliffside ledge without you. Please, dear Lord, send your Spirit, and turn our nation. Amen.

Doing Right Without Reward

Scripture: The king asked, “What great honor was given to Mordecai for this?” “Nothing,” replied the king’s servants who were in attendance. “Nothing has been done for him.” Esther 6:3

Observation: Haman's plot to completely destroy Mordecai was oh so close to succeeding. He had an order to have all Jews killed soon, and a plan to have Mordecai hung this very day. However, it is this discovery - that Mordecai foiled a plot against the king and was never rewarded for it - that will save his life and eventually the lives of all the Jews.

There are actually two elements to this turn of fortune for Mordecai and the Jews. The first is that the king is reminded of Mordecai's faithfulness. However, the second is just as important in the coming action ... Mordecai was not rewarded for his faithfulness at the time he performed it.

Mordecai has in fact been faithful to King Xerxes. He has attended his court, been a faithful low-level official, and even arranged his niece to become the favorite queen. And he foiled a plot to kill the king by learning of it, then acting by reporting it promptly and accurately. However, he did all these things in relative secret. He didn't do something like openly accuse or kill those plotting against the king, but simply acted as appropriate and allowed the investigation to prove him right. He didn't parade is niece around for the king to ogle, but he coached her in the process to becoming queen. He hasn't made any major power play in the court to self-promote himself, but simply attends to his own work every day.

If Mordecai had been rewarded for saving the king's life, the king wouldn't have needed reminding of it. He would have known of the incident and hand-waved the retelling of it away that night, if it had even been recorded in the logbook at all. If Mordecai would have had such recognition before, Haman would have altered his plot, and at the very least the massacre of the Jews would likely have gone forward without his own disgrace derailing it. And certainly Mordecai would not have received any extremely special, extremely public honor on this very day if he had already been honored with a private gift in the past.

Mordecai has been faithful all along in matters great and small, and his only reward has been his daily salary. It is both these facts that create the conditions for such great honor to come, and even the salvation of God's people.

Application: I try to be faithful ... I know I'm not really good, but I do try to be faithful. My blessings have been continual and daily, for I receive not just my 'daily bread', but I receive an overflowing abundance in my life ... a good measure, pressed down, and overflowing the basket.

And I do not want any other recognition and reward. I believe my great reward will come in heaven, in the form of eternal life in a realm of pure joy and love, with a home provided by my savior Jesus, within the context of salvation for all the faithful believers. These are rewards in the future, and I do not want empty rewards now instead of them. Yes, someday I hope MY king reads in a book of some faithful act I performed, though my deeds are minor and unworthy of singular recognition. So I continue to try to do right, be faithful, and delight in my daily life.

Prayer: Lord, I do thank you for my daily bread. You provide me with everything I need, every day, and I do not need anything further. Your love and grace is sufficient for my life. Amen.

Jesus' New Name

Scripture: I’ll make each conqueror a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, a permanent position of honor. Then I’ll write names on you, the pillars: the Name of my God, the Name of God’s City—the new Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven—and my new Name. Revelation 3:12

Observation: As Jesus speaks to the church in Philadelphia, he discusses a time of coming testing, and that those who stand strong will become pillars of the church ... they will have this honor on a permanent basis. He then says he will write three names on the pillars - the name of God, the name of the new Jerusalem, and his "new name".

It is interesting to note that the only one of these we might know is the one that was considered unwritable. The name Yahweh is the name of the Lord, as given to Moses, though considered so sacred it could not be written and even its spelling and pronunciation therefore became confused. The name of God's city for so long was known to be Jerusalem, but will the future "new Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven" be the same or have the same name? And Jesus - Yeshua - outright says he will have a new name. Do we have any hint what that name will be?

Application: I know I will never be a "pillar" of the church, with these names written upon me. I only wish I could become the kind of faithful disciple that has the name of Jesus written on my heart. Perhaps then the Holy Spirit would bless me with knowledge of his new name. I fear I have no knowledge even of the language the name would be in.

Prayer: Jesus, please write your name upon my heart. I am yours, please claim me. As you told the other church, I sincerely wish to possess only treasure from heaven, and wear only the clothes that will never wear out in heaven. My mind is susceptible to thoughts about things in this earthly realm, and I fail to focus on your kingdom, be it here or in heaven. I desire so much to simply be of you and for you, in thoughts and deeds. Please forgive me of my sins and carve your name into me. Amen.

Esther the OG 'Strong Female Character'

Scripture: So, if the king agrees, let him pronounce a royal ruling and have it recorded in the laws of the Persians and Medes so that it cannot be revoked, that Vashti is permanently banned from King Xerxes’ presence. And then let the king give her royal position to a woman who knows her place. When the king’s ruling becomes public knowledge throughout the kingdom, extensive as it is, every woman, regardless of her social position, will show proper respect to her husband. Esther 1:19-20

Observation: When Vashti refused to attend King Xerxes' party, the issue his advisors raise is this ... that women throughout the land will now ignore men's authority. This is the initiation of the action of this story, to keep women in their "place". It is therefore interesting to know how this narrative will play out. Esther will use intelligence, seduction, and manipulation, to take authority as the queen, then step into a critical situation - a condemning sentence on all Jews - and completely alter the outcome. In this way, she will overcome and/or control Haman, all other male leaders, and even the king himself.

Application: We live in a time when one of the lies satan is speaking is that there is this need to overhaul gender roles, and especially create the idea of a "strong female" that effectively succeeds by doing everything men do, only better. They lie here isn't that equality is good - it is good - but rather the lie is the mis-definition of what equality is and can be. The lie extends to include the idea that past generations of women are weak by the very fact they performed within their 'traditional gender role'. 

Around 2,500 years ago, Esther proved herself strong and capable, while also operating within the classical relationship structure. From "her place" she saved a nation. There is nothing ever weak about her. Likewise, there is nothing about her that ever assumes a non-traditional role. She will, in fact, pull off her final act by cooking a dinner.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with the growth of individuals in learning new things. I am saying that satan is lying to the world when he convinces everyone that traditional female roles are weak while traditional male roles are strong, and thus equality requires tearing down roles and values that have held families together for millennia.

Prayer: Lord, the enemy's lies are permeating everywhere, and they are hardest to address when they embrace "good" ideals like "equality" and "strength" and "liberation" and "anti-oppression". I know this is also so very, very complex. May we stop looking for what is "right" and "good", and instead simply all try to live in a manner that aligns to your will, oh Lord. If we did this, no one would be oppressed, no one would be unequal, and no one would feel the need to change. Amen.

Not Understanding the Four Kingdoms

Scripture: "These four huge animals," he said, "mean that four kingdoms will appear on earth. But eventually the holy people of the High God will be given the kingdom and have it ever after—yes, forever and ever." But I wanted to know more. I was curious about the fourth animal, the one so different from the others, the hideous monster with the iron teeth and the bronze claws, gulping down what it ripped to pieces and trampling the leftovers into the dirt. Daniel 7:17-19

Observation: The original dream Daniel translated for Nebuchadnezzar was about a statue, interpreted as four kingdoms. Years later, Daniel has this dream about four beasts, also interpreted as four kingdoms. This dream, however, involves two amazing details. The second is it includes a vision of judgement, and specifically verses 11-14 which is (as I have heard it from others) the moment where the crucified Jesus arrives - amid the accusations of satan about the evils of mankind - with the burdens of the sins of the world, and the Lord pronounces judgement in favor of Messiah, thus forgiving all sin for those who believe in Jesus.

The first amazing detail of this section, though, is the nature of the fourth beast, or fourth kingdom. This is a beast that defies allegory. It is not described in terms of an animal, as Daniel describes the other kingdoms (lion, bear, panther, and in a later dream a ram and goat). This beast - this kingdom - is very different. It is mechanical and made of metal. It is just a generic monster. It has horns, but then one of the horns becomes effectively self-aware and itself dominates the actions of the monster, even speaking for the monster and speaking against the Lord and all faithful people. It is this horn, sprouted from this beast, that becomes the accuser of Messiah and mankind alike.

In all this rich and confusing imagery, the concept of "four kingdoms" remains. It may be interesting to wonder if somehow the modern world is that fourth, mechanical kingdom. However, that kingdom appears to be defeated with the victory of Jesus ... the moment Messiah's sacrifice is judged worthy, and Jesus takes his place in heaven as the eternal ruler of mankind.

Historically, we know that the blasphemy against God did not end 2,000 years ago. We also know that evil kingdoms did not cease to exist. We remain in a time when evil continues to influence kings and countries, with both actions and policies reflecting various types of blasphemy against the Lord and attacks against faithful believers. While it may be possible therefore to dismiss the last, fourth beast as "Rome" and the very different empire it ushered into the world and existed at the time of Jesus, it also feels like the fact it was "so different from the others" created a new type of warfare against God's faithful people that ripples today.

Application: I am out of my depth when it comes to any analysis and discussion of end-time prophesy, detailed biblical analysis of history, biblical and historical imagery, or anything of that sort. At the very best, I can only consider Daniel in the context of what the Holy Spirit may reveal to my heart, and at a very lesser degree of quality I can apply my own knowledge.

Using all this wisdom, I understand that ... I have no idea how to fully understand the "fourth beast". Sure, I get the fact that the great horn is satan, the accuser arrogant enough to attack both Yeshua and Yahweh. However, I have no idea what all the beasts represent, and why the last, great one is so different, and the implications of all of this for us thousands of years later.

No, I do not understand the four kingdoms. What I DO understand, though, is that indeed the Lord revealed heavenly mysteries to Daniel, those mysteries included the victory of Messiah and establishment of his kingdom on earth, and that revelation is true and trustworthy. How beasts fit into that ... well, maybe they no longer even matter, as it is the faith in Messiah that trumps all earthly kingdoms anyway.

Prayer: Lord, yes I believe in Jesus as Messiah, my Lord and my savior, and I believe in his kingdom come here on earth. While I lament how we struggle on earth with current issues of sin and blasphemy, may I find comfort in the fact that Jesus rules, you are on your thrown, and the terrible kingdoms and arrogant leaders, including satan himself, have already been overcome by Jesus. Amen.

Differentiating Sin and Darkness

Scripture: If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim ... If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. 1 John 1:6,8

Observation: As John dives deeply into the "light" metaphor of the Lord, and explicitly that God is pure light, and light means loving goodness, he makes statements about the proper way to live within that light. However, based on the language and structure, there are actually two different statements being made.

The first statement is about living a life "in the light" or living a life "stumbling around in the dark". A person cannot claim to be in the light while stumbling around in the dark. This seems to clearly be about faith and belief. As believers, we have faith in the Lord, and live a life in which we depend on his love, provision, blessing, and care. If we claim we have faith, yet do not live as if dependent upon the Lord, we are "lying through our teeth".

The second statement is about sin. It sounds the same, but the 'dynamics' are very different. In this case, if we claim we live without sin, we again are mistaken. However, there is no explicit or implicit expectation that we CAN live without sin. In fact, John is making the opposite statement ... that even as believers we DO sin, and we must not fool ourselves into thinking that somehow our faith makes our deeds sinless and perfect. Our faith gives us access to forgiveness, guidance, and correction, all of which is found in the person and teaching of Jesus.

Committing sin is not the same as "stumbling around in the dark". The dark is the place without the light of Yahweh, and our faith in him - a faith that changes how we consider living our lives - delivers us from darkness. We still sin, and our faith in Jesus gives us the mechanism to obtain forgiveness and continue our lives within the light.

Application: So often have I read this passage and believed John was making one statement ... that if we truly have faith, we will stop sinning. I have struggled with that, and not understood how it is possible. However, I now see these two concepts, and see how fundamentally important it is to understand them within the context of each other.

We have salvation through faith in Jesus, but that is also because it is that faith in Jesus as Messiah that allows us to have a relationship with the Lord. Without that, we cannot approach him ... we cannot be in the light. With the forgiveness found daily in Jesus, we can live in the light, receive his love and joy and bounty and mercy and justice and spirit. Then, if we live a life that actively turns aside from those things - rejects the Lord as our almighty creator and authority of our lives - we clearly are living in the evil darkness.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for Jesus and for the path you have given us, by faith, to live in your light. Your love overwhelms me, and I worship you for your wonders and mercy and kindness and blessings that permeate my life. May I live in your light daily. In the name of Jesus, please forgive my sins this day and every day, so I may remain near you, in that glorious light. Amen.

Focused on Petty Feelings

Scripture: First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their petty feelings, they’ll mock, "So what’s happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed." 2 Peter 3:3-4

Observation: As an encouragement to the faithful, Peter reminds them of the behavior of non-believers. They will mock the faithful, pointing out that the promises of Jesus - specifically, his second coming - hasn't happened. Most notably, though, is the source of the inspiration for the mockers ... their "petty feelings".

Mockers turn internal to their own emotions and desires and understanding of the meaning of their lives, and from that insular, internal place they find confidence to question the creator of the entire universe. And yes, this message is on that scope, as Peter continues to discuss how Lord God, creator of the entire universe, will bring it all down, with galaxies burning up, the skies collapsing, and judgment arriving with a thunderous bang. Again, in all of this, those who mock faith are relying not on a different understanding of the Lord, but on their own emotions and thoughts and desires and hopes and feelings.

Application: I am sure generations have thought this for centuries, but I cannot read the end-time predictions of the New Testament without thinking ... yup, that's today. How many people reject any conversations about faith simply because they "feel" differently in their own minds about how the world operates? This is so prevalent it is simply part of everyday conversation, as people talk about 'living their truth' or other phrases that make it clear that individual feelings are far more relevant that God's plans and purposes for their lives. They prefer their petty feelings.

I know that Peter follows up this idea by stating that the Lord is withholding his hand because he is patiently waiting for everyone to believe. So yes, maybe that means that reading about end-time attitudes and immediately wishing for Jesus to return is fruitless. However ...

Prayer: Please, come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

How Much Less a Servant am I

Scripture: I, Simon Peter, am a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:1a

Observation: This is the opening of Peter's second letter, giving his name and his title. That title is not that he is the supreme leader of the entire global church ... a title he actually has the right to claim and that is historically bestowed upon him by Christians as the 'first pope'. Rather Peter gives his title is ... servant first, random apostle second, and both in service to Jesus.

Even within this first chapter, Peter brings up one of the most amazing events in the history of Jesus' ministry - the transfiguration - and points out that he was personally there, and that he saw Jesus in his glory and heard the voice of Yahweh first-hand. Every event surrounding Peter, from Jesus giving him the name 'Peter', to what he witnessed, to his own sermon at Pentecost, to everything he has done in the intervening years, make it clear Peter is preeminent among the leaders of the Church. Yet he defines himself as a servant of Jesus.

Application: Have I ever had the humility to introduce myself this way ... as a simple servant of Jesus? I may think it in my heart, but I lack proper humility and understanding. And I'm not even a 'head servant' of anything. In the context of servants of Jesus, I am so far below Peter that it's laughable I could ever think highly of myself at all.

This is the truth of being a believer, that we must be true servants of Jesus, obeying his direction, ever listening to the Holy Spirit and doing what we are told. That sounds like slavery, but it isn't. Instead, it results in living a wonderful life, full of joy and happiness, while seeing great things occur around us every day. When I do not behave like a servant, I miss those opportunities, and the fact I would ever not view myself as a servant is delusional.

Prayer: Jesus, I am your servant, and not just your servant but one of your lowest servants. May I do your work today and every day. Amen.

Shut Up and Wait with Hope

Scripture:
God, I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven’t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.
I’ve kept my feet on the ground,
I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.
Like a baby content in its mother’s arms,
my soul is a baby content.
Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope.
Hope now; hope always!
Psalm 131:1-3

Observation: This is a short and straightforward psalm, with a clear statement by its faithful author. In patiently and hopefully waiting for the Lord, the faithful do not ... try to self-govern, make themselves a leader, meddle in other's business, or dream grand and ungrounded dreams. Instead, they simply wait ... patiently, quietly, with a still contentment.

Application: Everything about this psalm is ... the opposite of my heart. I have tried to rule, both my own life and the lives of others, thinking and even telling others what they should do. I daydream daily about great things I could do or could have done, and much of the time these ideas are completely removed from reality. I worry about what I should be doing next and into the future, actively considering how I should not be doing what I am doing now. I have no patience, and with such discontentment my hope faulters.

I am doing everything wrong.

My heart needs to shut up and wait with hope.

Prayer: Lord, I sincerely want to hear this over and over again, to shut up and wait with hope. I have so many stupid thoughts always stirring in my heart and my soul and my mind, and they are all foolish. I can't even distinguish good ideas from bad, and the reason is likely that all my ideas and thoughts and dreams are bad because I won't shut up and wait for you, waiting with hope. I can't hear your still small voice amidst my own nonsensical screaming. I desire a quiet heart. I wish to be a content baby in your arms. May I wait with hope.

Thoughts About Winemaking

Scripture: Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. James 5:7-8

Observation: In encouraging believers to be patient as they wait upon the Lord ... wait for his blessings, for his plan to unfold, and ultimately for Messiah to return ... James uses the basic metaphor of a farmer. The farmer plants seed, then waits for months for the crop. Even when the crop emerges, the farmer waits for the right time to harvest. The farmer has absolutely no ability to change any of this - he cannot expedite any of the timing - but simply waits.

Application: This metaphor is perfect for me, as I have thought many, many times about the job of a vintner ... of a master winemaker. I know several. We all have this idea that this is a glamorous career, equal parts art and science. We envision the ability to taste wine at various stages, pulling out nuanced flavor notes, imagining different blendings for various barrels. We see the winemaker masterfully creating a product greater than the sum of its parts. Then we interact with the winemaker in a winery tasting room, where they receive accolades from strangers, cheerful greetings from friends, and admiration from all. This is the "job" of a winemaker.

And the truth is that everything I just said is ... probably 4 percent of the job. The 96 percent is farm labor. It is sludging through acres of mud in late-winter rains to trim and dress vines. It is stressing over bud break and knowing when and how to intervene in the pollination process. It is responding to plant diseases both general and specific. It is assessing clusters of fruit with an expert eye on the right actions to take to optimize both growth and yield. It is using both heavy equipment and laborious handwork to harvest tons of produce in the midst of late-summer heat. It is exercising a lifetime of chemistry education to evaluate the composition of liquid while it is changed by microscopic organisms. It is operating a warehouse of super-heavy and very-valuable inventory while it sits around and does nothing for up to three years. It is hands-on working an assembly line, and likely personally repairing the associated equipment.

In other words, a winemaker's job is to work very, very hard, in dirty environments, with little guarantee of success, only to emerge publicly every once in a while to receive praise for the results. Yet I know many winemakers who keep doing the job well into their retirement age, because the results and the praise must be worth it.

This is my takeaway from James. There is hard, hard work within the earthly kingdom of God, and it involves a long, long time of patience ... but the results and the praise will be oh so worth it!! When we meet Jesus - be it when his kingdom comes or we return to him - it will be glorious beyond any measure, causing us to forget all hardship.

I wait patiently for Jesus, and while I wait I strive to do the work of the Lord as he has prescribed. I want to simply labor in the field. Someday, maybe still decades away, I will rejoice when I hear six words ... 'well done, good and faithful servant.'

Prayer: Lord, I know I have a long time still to see you, for I know that I am not yet in the place to hear your praise. I truly want nothing more than that. May I work your fields, getting my hands dirty, and being patient like a good farmer. Thy will be done. Amen.

Just Ask the Lord

Scripture: They [conflicts] come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way. James 4:2-3

Observation: James addresses earthly quarrels and conflicts with a simple cause-and-effect explanation. Human conflicts are caused by desires for earthly wealth and comforts. From those desires, we initiate all kinds of efforts to obtain our desires. However, if we just asked the Lord for these things, there would be no conflict, because one of two things would happen:

1) We would just receive what we asked for.

2) We would realize that what we want is wrong, contrary to the Lord's teachings and his will, and in our shameful recognition of how our hearts contradict God's teachings we would no longer desire it.

Of course, this applies only to the faith-filled believers. There is a third option that pertains to non-believers ... with neither belief in the Lord's provision, nor agreement on the Lord's word and teaching, they would initiate conflict without intervention.

Application: Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could 'mark' the faithful in this manner ... they are the ones who have all they need in life without ever being in conflict with anyone, because the Lord simply provides.

I know this as definitive fact in my life: Everything I have struggled and fought for in my life - everything I have pursued through a competitive structure - has been useless, and if obtained has lasted only a very brief time; Everything I have simply prayed for has been wonderful when received, and brought immense joy into my earthly life.

Many days, I think about how exhausted I am at the struggle to pursue 'stuff' in my life. It is a blessing again today to be reminded that ... I need to stop pursuing anything and everything. I can just ask the Lord, and he provides. And if I adopt that model, then I'll also understand what to ask for, as items outside of the Lord's will become obvious by his word, and my heart will release the desire for such things.

Prayer: Abba, my daddy in heaven, you have and do provide for me, and I am so very grateful. Please forgive me when my actions and thoughts do not reflect that gratitude, and when I fail to obey your instructions and precepts. I wish I would honor you more and more, for you have given me nothing but great things and a wonderful life. You truly loved me first and best. May I stop worrying about what I need to do in life, and care far more about simply leaning into my relationship with you. Amen.

Israel is Blowing the Trumpet

Scripture: Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, "If I bring war on this land and the people take one of their citizens and make him their watchman, and if the watchman sees war coming and blows the trumpet, warning the people, then if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet and ignores it and war comes and takes him off, it’s his own fault. He heard the alarm, he ignored it—it’s his own fault. If he had listened, he would have saved his life." Ezekiel 33:2-5

Observation: The Lord gave Ezekiel a mission as 'the watchman'. His mission was to speak what the Lord said. If the people listened and obeyed, great! If the listened and disobeyed, that was on them. However, if Ezekiel failed to deliver the message, their resulting disobedience was on him. In this manner, over and over again Ezekiel was also the metaphorical example of all of Israel ... he was the one example of what an obedient Israel was supposed to be like, and then an example of the punishment to come on the disobedient people.

In this same manner, Israel is, in fact, the watchman. They are the people-group on the spiritual wall, looking out for war - the spiritual attacks of evil in the world - to come. When they see it, they sound the alarm, and if we ignore it, the fault is ours and the resulting punishment is upon us.

Application: Today ... and I mean literally today, this very day, this very hour and day and week and month ... Israel is sounding the alarm. Are we listening??

I was on a business call with a colleague in Israel this morning - again this very day - and I started the call the asking how she is, and encouraging her by letting her know that our hearts and prayers are with Israel. She cried and told me of her son who is on the frontlines, stationed on the Gaza border, and she hasn't heard from him for three weeks. But she also said how discouraging it is to know that Israel is being attacked by something that is clearly a spiritual evil, and the world is responding with ... increased antisemitism.

The people of Israel are asking, does the rest of the world not understand what is going on? Doesn't every see this? How can you not perceive that this is not a war about political borders, but an evil attack on the decency of mankind?

Israel was and is assigned by the Lord to be the watchman. Israel is blowing the trumpet to declare war is coming, warning the people of the world. ANYONE who hears the sound of the trumpet and ignores it ... they will be carried off by evil, and it will be their own fault.

Prayer: Lord, I hear the trumpet, and I am prepared to fight the spiritual war against evil. This is a spiritual war, the evil influence of satan striking at you, Lord, and at the goodness of your love, and at your promises found in Jesus. I stand on the side of you, Lord, and therefore on the side of Israel, and on the side of your promises, and on the side of your commands and instructions for our lives. Amen.

Buying Products Named After Christ

Scripture: Don’t be lured away from him by the latest speculations about him. The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life. Products named after Christ don’t seem to do much for those who buy them. Hebrews 13:9

Observation: Even in the plain language of The Message, the author of Hebrews is making a point that has a lot of layers to it. The gist is clear enough ... there are charlatans and even believers who speculate and make conjectures about the nature of Jesus and the will of God, who promote concepts and even products in the name of Jesus, and we are to be wary of all such things.

Application: In a world where social media is the communications venue for legitimate news and preposterous lies - and every form of message in between - this concept is applicable today in alarming and disturbing ways. I have reached the point where there are certain believers I know, and whom I am certain love Jesus, who I cannot listen to on even the simplest matter due to their poisoned understanding of Jesus ... poisoned by sources full of speculation and conjecture and inaccuracy and false assumptions and logical fallacies ... that then mis-define the nature of salvation, the will of God, the mission of the Church, the message of the gospel, and the love of Jesus.

Yes, these people have bought the "products named after Christ". They have bought into the misunderstandings, and sometimes even financially support the messengers. And here is the amazing, prophetic truth of this passage in Hebrews ... those "products" don't do them any good, and in fact hurt them. They buy into the speculation, and when it is proven false, they lose faith, they get confused, they damage relationships, and they hurt others. This is bad when it happens in the context of believers. This is devastating when it happens in the context of a family, or when it drives an unbeliever even further away from Jesus.

And the real sadness is ... the earthly momentum of such activities is so great, it is difficult to understand what can even be done.

Prayer: Lord, in my heart right now, I bring a couple people to mind. Please guide them out of this habit of buying into the speculative products about Christ, and lead them back into your simple grace. Amen.

Humans Need Some Soul-Shaking

Scripture: Unlike your ancestors, you didn’t come to Mount Sinai—all that volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble—to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop. Hebrews 12:18-19

Observation: There has been a major difference in the manner in which the Lord has revealed himself to the Christian believers compared to the original Jews of the exodus. In those days, the Lord revealed himself with fearful power. He literally shook a mountain, showed flashes of fire and lightening, and bellowed forth with a huge, rumbling voice. His great might was terrifying to everyone. After all this, those original Jews ... immediately violated the commandments, and created a gold calf to worship as if it represented God.

For the new covenant, the Lord has not shaken the earth, but instead has shaken heaven. He poured out himself from heaven, and brings his love and his spirit among us. He did not bellow, but simply spoke as a human. And he doesn't do this at an isolated mountain, but he does it right among everyone, in Jerusalem and every street in every town and city and location.

Application: This is the most curious thing about faith ... if God absolutely shows up with so much supernatural power that it shakes a mountain to its very core, those who see it will believe in it and be terrified with fear, but they will not believe in the Lord. Sure, they'll believe he exists, but they will not receive his word and obey his commands.

Humans don't like "proof" of things that don't align to their own logic. We create our own understanding of the world - what is right, good, normal - and reject evidence of anything contrary, or at the very least, resist changing our views and actions in light of such evidence.

This is why the message of Jesus is different. Yes, there is "proof" of everything about Jesus - his life, death, resurrection, miracles - but that proof will never influence most people to change their lives. What will influence them is life-events that require them to rethink their own logic. Contextualizing this Hebrews explanation, these life-events are not earth-shaking, they are heaven-shaking ... soul-shaking.

In the thinking about our annual outreach at Christmas, there will be people there who are going through some soul-shaking. It's time they heard from God.

Prayer: Lord, may we have the strength to communicate your love and truth to those in the midst of soul-shaking this Christmas season. Amen,

Faithful Rejection of Human Logic

Scripture: By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God’s people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. Hebrews 11:24-25

Observation: In the lineage of Jewish heroes who acted by faith is this explanation of Moses. His first act of faith was this ... rejecting his life of position, status, wealth, and comfort.

Moses had been raised as the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter. As Pharaoh's adopted grandson, he therefore could have had and done so much. He could first have lived a life of comfort. Secondly, knowing he was a Jew, he could have used his position as a means of bringing reform and liberation for the Jews. He would have had the status to communicate and negotiate, at first for better conditions, and eventually for full relief from bondage. Moses fled the palace over a murder, but even that was likely more of an inconvenience for a princely relative.

Moses turned his back on a comfortable life, and eventually embraced a total faith in how the Lord would order his life. He became a spokesperson against Pharaoh, a prophet declaring death and destruction on the most powerful nation, a wise leader who knew how to protect people from supernatural forces, and a symbol who a million people would follow into the desert. However, as the author of Hebrews says, Moses had to take a first step of faith ... turning his back on human logic.

This is, in fact, the one theme of all the examples given in Hebrews. Abraham about to sacrifice his son by whom the entire family line is promised. Isaac blessing his two sons despite their active deception against each other. Jacob likewise blessing sons who messed up all the time. Joseph providing the burial instructions for his body back in Canaan while his family was in Egypt. Joshua leading Israel to destroy Jericho by walking around it. The writer says there are so many others, and in mentally ticking them off, the theme remains. The first act of faith is setting aside human logic and the ways of society, and thus trusting God.

Application: God began working on my heart yesterday about my attitude toward our church finances. His message to me is simple ... I need to reject my logic of how planning, budget, finance, and spending - even the idea of proper stewardship of the Lord's resources by a senior pastor - actually work, and simply have faith that he will handle the situation. That message is for both my wife and I.

This will not be easy. Neither of us work that way. Yes, we have faith, but we are also the logical ones. We both know that, when the Lord works, he often does so by leveraging real-life situations, and we are often the ones in the middle of those situations, working "issues" in a way that only the Lord can organize. Explicitly not organizing the situation, or even becoming passive and allowing total chaos to proceed, is not in our nature. However, I believe we are being told to do just that, because the Lord is going to take care of this in a manner that requires our faithful rejection of human logic.

Prayer: Lord, I anticipate your great work at Evergreen this season. The financial issue is now officially larger than anyone can fix, which means it is perfect for you to fix it. May we become excited about the amazing work you are about to do. Amen.

For the Sake of God's Name

Scripture: Then I thought better of it. I acted out of who I was, not by how I felt. And I acted in a way that would evoke honor, not blasphemy, from the nations around them, nations who had seen me reveal myself by promising to lead my people out of Egypt. Ezekiel 20:9

Observation: The Israelite leaders have come to Ezekiel with questions for Yahweh (presumably about why they are being punished in exile), and the Lord is saying he will not answer or explain himself. He does this by first walking through their rebellious history, and in this he reiterates several times that he did not destroy them for their rebellion. He thought better of it. He "acted out of who I was, not by how I felt," and that part of the reason for doing so was to "evoke honor, not blasphemy, from the nations around them."

Through Israel, God was showing the world that he is both powerful and patient, mighty and loving. He corrects through laws, while also providing through promise. If he then destroyed, it would counteract all the positive elements perceived of the Lord, and leave those nations that were not Israel, and thus removed from knowing God, believing he is just a powerful entity to be feared and avoided, not loved and pursued.

Application: I have often wondered why God does not act and punish the people who are destroying the very fabric of the world right now. I wonder why he doesn't decimate Hamas, or bring terrible curses on individuals who promote gender confusion. I know he can, and I wish he would.

But the Lord has told us why he doesn't. It's because ... by whom he is, and for the sake of his great name ... he loves everyone, and his first goal is to keep open the door for everyone to discover his love, learn of Jesus, and by faith seek a relationship with him.

Destroying the lives of others would only create a roadblock that prevents non-believers from ever believing. They somehow wouldn't even take as proof of his existence. At best, if they did, they would attribute dangerous or even evil intent to the Lord's actions, but most likely they would declare such attacks as evidence that they themselves occupy some moral high-ground and thus rally their causes even more. And the Lord knows this.

For the sake of his name, the Lord offers love, peace, and joy, while exercising immense patience, even to those who violently reject everything about him. Even when he doesn't feel like it ... that is who he is.

Prayer: Lord, you do know that I desire your action and intervention in the world, but I am also so very grateful for who you are, and for your great love and mercy. You have a bigger plan. While our sensibilities, our feelings, are hurt on your behalf, may we learn of who you are and your mercy all the more. Thy will be done. Amen.

On the Precipice of Accountability

Scripture: God’s Message to me: "What do you people mean by going around the country repeating the saying,
          The parents ate green apples,
          The children got the stomachache?"
Ezekiel 18:1-2

Observation: In this message from God, Ezekiel teaches a major lesson. He uses several techniques in this message, including metaphor, hypothetical examples, and direct instruction, and the message is simple. God punishes those who sin, and does not punish those who do not sin. The idea the Jews have that clean-living descendants are punished for the sins of their parents is ridiculous, just as much as saying that sinful descendants are rewarded for the clean-living of their parents ... or that a child can get sick if their parents eat bad food.

While this message is addressing a near-term claim of the people of Judah - that they are innocent but being punished due to the decades of sinful living by their ancestors (and Ezekiel is making it clear that isn't true ... they too still sin, and if they would repent then God would relent his punishments) - it applies to the world today and the opportunity everyone has to make a decision for Christ. I am not saved because my parents were Christian. My children are not saved because I am a Christian. Everyone makes their own decision, and their salvation will absolutely be tied to that personal choice.

Application: I am a Christian, and while I do not live a perfect life and will be answerable for that, my salvation is secured by faith. Furthermore, my Christianity is defined by my choice as an adult to completely believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, the son of the Lord God almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and to believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I have confidence that others in my family - past generations, my generation, and my children - believe that same and have confirmed that belief with God and for themselves.

This makes my grief over other friends painful. I don't know how child-based and youth-based declarations, confirmations, and baptisms work. I don't know how future choices may affect those activities. However, I am afraid that, when I say I don't know ... I actually do know, and the knowledge is that it is adult intentionality that matter. Maybe that intentionality can happen only once, and once done is irrevocable, but it needs to occur. Likewise, until it does occur, adult decisions to reject the actions of one's youth ... actions taken because parents made decisions and required those actions ... are canceled by adult rejection.

I don't pray to be right or wrong about this, because I am either right or wrong. But I feel Ezekiel is pretty darn clear today. In the matter of our relationship with the Lord, everyone makes an adult decision for themselves, and is held accountable accordingly. So instead, I pray for the young adults - those I know, and those I don't - who stand on the precipice of spiritual accountability, and hope for their good decisions to come soon.

Prayer: Lord, I will not name just the few in my heart, for you know them. In addition, I pray this for the millions I do not know. Our young are under attack, and we are losing them. Many have heard the good news of Jesus, spending their childhood learning the stories and singing the songs and engaging in rituals, and now consciously reject it all. Remember, Lord, I did this once, too. You pursued me and millions like me. Please do it again. May revival begin with our young adults that have been so greatly and systematically deceived. Their fate is not tied to their parents, and it is not tied permanently to their current decision. May they find a way, by your love and your Spirit, to make a new choice. Amen.

Never Once did He Fail

Remember those walls?

Remember those giants?

Remember that fear?

Who pulled me out of that pit?

Who rescued me from that grave?

With Despair for this Place

Scripture:
I’m doomed to live in Meshech,
cursed with a home in Kedar,
My whole life lived camping
among quarreling neighbors.
I’m all for peace, but the minute
I tell them so, they go to war!
Psalm 120:5-7

Observation: The psalmist cries out to the Lord for help because he is surrounded by liars. These are people who simply look to destroy others with their lies ... this is their entire goal in life, harming others. These people are everywhere. They aren't just people out to get him specifically, but rather this attitude of being harmful toward everyone is the culture of absolutely everyone. This is the people ... the people that populate everywhere he lives.

Application: I have said it recently, and I say it again, this is Seattle. How my heart breaks that I am doomed to live in Meshech. I am cursed to have my home in Kedar. I am camped in a place where everyone is a liar, speaking untruth that violates both moral and natural laws, with the outcome that it harms everyone. And whoa be to the faithful who desire peace and joy, for the liars are ready to go to war against us.

I don't want to live here anymore. However, I will live wherever the Lord wants me and my wife, and I know he wants us here for now. There is no doubt about that. Therefore, I do not ask to leave, but I do know that I live in a dark place, where all those around me are infested with corrupt hearts. They are bareface liars and couldn't care less how they harm others with their societal warfare.

Prayer: Lord, yes, please protect my family and I from the attacks of the society around us. Save us from harm from such liars. Yet in all of this, please also give us the strength to do your work, speak of love and peace and joy and truth, and declare it all in your name. Amen.

In Need of Invigoration

Scripture:
Invigorate my soul so I can praise you well,
use your decrees to put iron in my soul.
And should I wander off like a lost sheep—seek me!
I’ll recognize the sound of your voice.
Psalm 119:175-176

Observation: The tone of the writer changes from that of asking the Lord for protection from external forces, to internal guidance for his soul and his faith. He asks that his soul be invigorated, motivated to even higher levels of praising Yahweh. He desires that his soul be strengthened like iron. And, if in any of this his soul - his attention, devotion, praises, prayer-life - should wander away from its central focus on the Lord, may the Lord come get him. Like the shepherd, may the Lord seek him as a sheep, and he will respond to the shepherd's voice.

Application: While this psalm often addresses issues I've had in my life about attacks and struggles in life, this section mirrors my current situation. I am lost. My soul wanders, uninvigorated and unmotivated, without strength and resolve, missing the point about the Lord's decrees and guidance. I am not praising him well, connecting with him daily, praying to him regularly.

My soul needs my shepherd.

Prayer: Lord, I am only your lost and hurting sheep. I am wandering aimlessly, and as I do I only wish to hear your voice. Yes, I will listen for your voice, and I will go where you tell me. I may not be where I should be, and I may not even know where I am let alone where I am going, but I cannot be lost if you are with me. Please call me. Please take my hand and lead me, or just hug me here and give me comfort while we are standing still. However, in all of this, whether moving or waiting, please Lord invigorate my soul. May I praise you well. May my soul be strong in your teachings. Amen, and amen.

No Responsibility but ... Yes Concern

Scripture: Your job is to speak to them. Whether they listen is not your concern. They’re hardened rebels. Ezekiel 2:7

Observation: The call upon Ezekiel includes instructions about how to prophesy to the exiled Jews. He is to declare what he is told to declare, but it is not his responsibility to make them listen. They are rebellious and probably won't listen. The Lord will later clarify that if Ezekiel fails to declare what he is told, he is at fault, but if he faithful declares it then he is not at fault in any way for how (or if) the other Jews receive and act upon the word.

Application: As I am reading currently from The Message I sometimes have to look at other translations to just figure out where verses start and end. However, today I noted this ... the Lord apparently never said anything about whether or not Ezekiel should be "concerned" about the reaction of the exiles. It seems the instructions are more plain that this, stating he is simply to deliver the word of the Lord regardless of any kind of response or action by others. Sure, he isn't to be afraid of their response against him, nor is he responsible for their acceptance and response to warnings and instructions. But "concern" is something completely different.

Concern is to ... care. Concern is to feel emotions like sorrow or worry when others are in trouble. I understand that, when we tell others about Jesus, it isn't our responsibility to "make" them believe it. They have to do that themselves, and that involves their engagement with the Holy Spirit and resulting decisions they make for themselves. But certainly I should be concerned. It is concern - loving others enough to care about their eternal future - that motivates to action.

I bet Ezekiel was concerned about his fellow exiles. He probably wasn't concerned about how they responded toward him ... he had direct encouragement from Yahweh himself to carry him through ... but I'd bet he was sad when they ignored him, worried about their lives and impending punishments. It wasn't his responsibility to make them listen ... but I feel it was his concern.

Prayer: Lord, you have given me a mind for analytics, and so may I find your truth in this fact: I should be more concerned for people, which must motivate me to action. Salvation is not my responsibility, but declaring the gospel is. May I be enough concerned about my friends, neighbors, family, coworkers, and strangers to do so. Amen.

There's That River Again

Scripture:
What a day!
Wine streaming off the mountains,
Milk rivering out of the hills,
water flowing everywhere in Judah,
A fountain pouring out of God’s Sanctuary,
watering all the parks and gardens!
Joel 3:18

Observation: Joel prophesizes about the future restoration of Judah and Jerusalem with the language of a land fully restored. Yes, people will be returned from exile. Yes, enemies will be judged and punished. Yet some of the most joy-filled language is used to describe the promised land itself, restored with fruit-filled trees, perfect weather, lush fields, and flowing waters.

And just like other prophesies, the hill of Zion - God's sanctuary, the temple - produces flowing water. This water goes out and leaves the sanctuary, flowing into all other parts of the city and the nearby land and on out toward wherever, providing life-giving water to parks and gardens, fields and trees, animals and communities.

Application: I am struck again by the image of a flow of water produced out of the temple. Certainly it was clearly understood that there was no aquafer, or any meaningful water source, on the hill of Zion, in the center of Jerusalem, within the rock-hard temple mount. Therefore, it can never be mistaken that when a prophet sees this image, that prophet is reporting out a clear and consistent message ... that life manifests within, and flows out to the entire world from, the Lord himself.

I so want to see that flowing river for myself! I have the images in my mind of what that might look like. It is an earthly image, but somewhere in my heart I understand it to be a heavenly image, too. It involves relaxation at the water's edge, children at play splashing about, and wild animals drinking peacefully. And just a ways away are the headwaters, seemingly coming from a city on a hill, and a great building in that city, and a mighty throne within the courtyard of that building, and a man of blinding light on that throne. And it all radiates a feeling of ... warm peacefulness.

A fountain pours out of God's sanctuary, and waters all the peaceful places of the world. Be that sanctuary heaven, a figurative or literal new temple, or something else I don't understand, I do know the water itself is the Lord's love, poured out for us all, to give us life in the full.

Prayer: Lord, I desire to enjoy the warm peace of your love for all eternity. May I worship you today and every day, finding how to serve you and do your will. Amen.

Seeking to Avoid a Bitter Uprising

Scripture: That’s why the Holy Spirit says,
Today, please listen;
don’t turn a deaf ear as in “the bitter uprising,”
that time of wilderness testing!
Even though they watched me at work for forty years,
your ancestors refused to let me do it my way;
over and over they tried my patience.
Hebrews 3:7-9

Observation: Writing to Jews, the author draws a relationship between how everyone needs to believe in - and rely upon - Jesus, and how the Exodus generation rebelled against Moses. Despite watching the Lord act for years, that generation rebelled and rejected the direction they were receiving, and as a result they were left wandering in the wilderness, never receiving the promise of entering the new land. Likewise, for those who now live with the promise of salvation found through faith in Jesus Christ, with a clear understanding of what Jesus has done and taught, those who turn a deaf ear and reject that teaching will be left wandering outside of that promised salvation.

Application: As I ponder this teaching, I am struck by the fact that this is not intended for the ignorant masses. This message about rejecting God's visible work, manifested through Jesus, is not spoken to instruct people who do not believe in God and lack even the most basic knowledge of faith. This message is given instead to those who have heard the truth, even adopted that truth as their identity, but then rebel against the Lord's ongoing instruction about how to live.

When I fail to live as the Lord instructs - made clear through the teaching of the entire bible, and re-enforced by Jesus himself - I am in rebellion. I fail the test. I am deserving of being left in the wilderness, poisoned by snakes, falling into pits, consumed by fire. I have seen the Lord's great work firsthand, and have belief in all he says, so my bad behavior can only be a bitter uprising against the Lord himself, the creator of the universe.

I am a miserable wretch, and am so thankful for the forgiveness found in Jesus. I know my life is not completely right, and that I behave too often - in word and deed - in ways the Lord would not have me do. Without Jesus, I would have tried his patience to the point of anger and punishment at best. I so want to be better, to live properly.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive my sins. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, whom I fully accept and believe in as my Lord and savior. I fail daily to do your will, and I desire nothing more than to improve in this area. I know I am unworthy of a higher call in doing your kingdom's work, but may I be better at just living a life of faith. Amen.

Expunged for Not Supporting Israel

Scripture:
“Listen to this, Edom:
I’m turning you to a no-account,
the runt of the godless nations, despised.
You thought you were so great,
perched high among the rocks, king of the mountain,
Thinking to yourself,
‘Nobody can get to me! Nobody can touch me!’
Think again. Even if, like an eagle,
you hang out on a high cliff-face,
Even if you build your nest in the stars,
I’ll bring you down to earth.”
God’s sure Word.
Obadiah 1:2-4

Observation: Obadiah has one message, God's sure word, and it is not for Israel and Judah. Rather, it is a message for Edom, and it is simple and fearful. Because Edom treated Israel poorly all the time, and then gloated and celebrated Israel's and Judah's destruction by God, they will be even more thoroughly destroyed. They won't just fall. They won't just permanently fall, never to return as a nation. They will even be forgotten by history, effectively removed from the general knowledge of mankind in the future.

Edom is the nation founded by Esau, Jacob's brother. When they parted, he took the land to the east of the Dead Sea and created a people living in the protective hills and caves. Today, their cities are well-known and popular tourist attractions ... places like Petra. However, almost no one knows of these places as the cities of Edom. Some associate them with ancient Israel, even included on tours of the "holy land". Others just know they are in modern-day Jordan.

Israel and Edom should have been kindred nations. Edom should have been following the example of Israel in worshipping Yahweh ... as Esau and Jacob were both raised to know the Lord, Esau should have accepted the fact Jacob was the one through whom the covenant passed, but he himself should have had faith in the Lord. Instead, Edom despised Israel, and at best ignored them in their times of need. For this, Obadiah is clear - with God's sure word - that Edom will be thoroughly forgotten in the realm of human history. Outside of the context of the bible itself, this word is, in fact, sure.

Application: As Israel is again in a terrible conflict with the terror group of Hamas, that uses Gaza as its base, I am in regular thought on three topics.

First, yes I'm a little miffed at my pastor going to Israel. I get his heart, but I'm frustrated that he has no desire to care for his actual church. I need to get over that and move on for sure, for I am reminded today that his actions are in line with Obadiah's warning. Christians are now the siblings of Israel. We are the ones who also worship Yahweh, exactly as taught through the line of Jacob, and we must stand with Israel. If we do not, we are - and should be - condemned to the same fate as Edom. For this reason, it is good Philip has gone to demonstrate active support of Israel, and I absolutely need to get over every negative thought I have on that matter.

Second, I am haunted by my friend's words about the conflict. Her understanding of the Lord is so incomplete that she can only see a human conflict and the complexity of choosing "sides". There is no acknowledgment that ... this is Israel, in the promised land, under evil attacks designed to explicitly kill Jews. It isn't a human conflict, but an attack by satan against the Lord's nation of priests, motivated by spiritual hatred. To actively declare one cannot choose sides in a battle between Yahweh and satan is a problem worthy of an Edom-esque response by God. How are there people who claim to have an understanding of Christian faith and do not understand spiritual warfare? Of course ... that is the real challenge, as her entire family is already struggling in matters of faith, and we need to love them through that.

Thirdly, I am struck by how obvious it SHOULD be to the entire world that this sort of repeated treatment toward one specific, very small, people-group - the Jews - is not normal. How can one "family" be repeatedly, horrifically attacked by other nations, for 3,900 years, and people don't actively ponder, "I wonder why this is happening?" There is OBVIOUSLY something at work here beyond just normal human conflict, and BILLIONS of people ignore that fact. How many of them will go the way of Edom?

Prayer: Lord, my heart is with Israel, and my mind is with Israel. May I have less angst about what my brothers and sisters in Christ do in response to the current situation, while also finding a way to express the truth about our relationship with Israel to other brothers and sisters. You are so evidently in every situation involving this situation, so may it become a vehicle to somehow serve your good purposes. Amen.

Give Them their Just Desserts

Scripture:
Make them pay for what they’ve done, God.
Give them their just desserts.
Break their miserable hearts!
Damn their eyes!
Get good and angry. Hunt them down.
Make a total demolition here under your heaven!
Lamentations 3:64-66

Observation: The sadness of this entire book is about the destruction of Judah, Jerusalem, and the last of God's people taken into exile. In this, the enemies didn't just destroy the cities and nation, but destroyed the people and even their reputation. Israel and Judah went from being a nation of priests for the Lord, to a broken people who are badmouthed and gossiped about. And the writer wants these other people-groups to pay for this ... to be held accountable before the Lord himself ... for in so doing this to God's people, they have done it to God himself. By declaring themselves victory over the people faithful to Yahweh, they also - either implicitly or explicitly - declare a level of victory over Yahweh.

Application: I know that there is nothing more painful than when someone tells lies about you that are believed and that then bring you down in reputation or position. I have experienced this first-hand, as has my wife. And this is the preferred weapon of most in society today ... the willingness to attack others through lies and manipulated statements in a manner that unjustly attacks one's moral position.

And I join with the author of Lamentations today: Lord, make them pay for what they've done.

Oh, I know they will pay long-term, and in a manner I can scarcely imagine, a punishment so terrible I cannot even understand it in my earthly mind. I also know that the Lord's love is so great, so pure, and so wonderful, that his goal is not to punish even those who attack him and his people, but rather to correct and guide them into redemption and a new understanding of him, so that they will not be punished but with rather opt into the same great reward that I will receive. God is wonderful that way. As a result, I don't expect to see any terrible wrath and punishment brought down on the heads of those who have deceived millions of people to fall into hopeless, lost lives, let alone any kind of retribution levied upon those who have lied about me.

Yet I still join with the author of Lamentations today: Lord, get good and angry. Hunt them down.

Prayer: Lord, despite all I have written, I know that the greatest thing about your is your loving nature, and your mercy. May you have mercy upon me for my sins, forgiving me for the wrong I do in the name of Jesus Christ, upon whom I place all my hope. And since you can forgive me for my sins, I know you can forgive others. I do forgive wrongs done to me, and while there are times I desire vengeance, it is not something I will seek for myself.  To the degree such people wrong you and your name, may you act accordingly by your wisdom and by your love alone, not for my sake but for your purposes and your kingdom and your goodness and name. Amen.