He Never Said 'No'

Scripture: Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. John 19:39

Observation: Nicodemus, "who had first come to Jesus at night," of course is a direct reference to the events of John 3. It is Nicodemus alone who heard what is, perhaps, the best-known quote in history, John 3:16. That happened in secrecy, but now Nicodemus steps forward in full public view. As Jesus hangs dead, accused of blasphemy to the point of the other Jewish leaders demanding his death, Nicodemus is now courageous and faithful enough to publicly demonstrate that he is a believer, on the side of Jesus.

Application: I remain fascinated by Nicodemus. He is a religious leader who is much more interested in the facts and truth than he is in his own authority and stature. However, that same demand for facts causes him to hesitate, and to question, and to ponder without commitment, when it comes to the most important matter in human history ... is Jesus the Messiah. He never says "no", but it takes him a long time to get to "yes." In the meantime, he is witness to significant debates on the matter, during which one of the things he learns is that the opponents to Jesus actually aren't concerned with truth and facts.

My takeaway on Nicodemus is that he is an archetype of one kind of seeker, and every day the various types of archetypes remain relevant to how people believe today. There are some for whom the truth is just revealed to their heart, and they joyfully believe (like Andrew and John). There are some who are thrust into a powerful event that changes their life's direction (Paul and Mary likely fit this, as do I). Again, for some that event is a miraculous healing to themselves or a loved one creates their realization and thus their faith (I think Peter and many of the unnamed blind/leppers fall into this category).

Then there are those for whom they need to decide by logical analysis (in addition to Nicodemus, Thomas would be an example, too). This also seems to be the realm of many of the influential thinkers of today who come to a logical determination of faith as well.

I am one of those people who agrees we cannot win people to Jesus JUST by showing them the facts. For most, I would say the emotional realization of faith outweighs the logical, and even for the logical individuals eventually their faith becomes a relationship ... which is an emotional connection to the Lord, and is more significant than the logic.

Okay, but here was the key to all this. At no time, as Nicodemus was "studying" the issue, did he ever get to the point of deciding "no, Jesus cannot be the Messiah." I feel this is key. There are many today who 'intellectually' get to the point of declaring that, but the huge majority of them do so because they believe they logically determine that God doesn't exist (thus, there can't be a son of God).

I admire Nicodemus' determination to find truth. He remained open to facts as they emerged. I look forward to meeting him someday.

Prayer: Lord, I live in an area where so many people believe they are logical, intellectual, and educated. As a result, they reach decisions about Jesus, then close off their minds. I don't know how to engage with them, but you do. May I be open to, and receive, your spirit to serve you and others every day. Amen.

Bigger, Deeper, and More Evil

Scripture: Pilate said, “You won’t talk? Don’t you know that I have the authority to pardon you, and the authority to—crucify you?” John 19:10

Operation: The entire flow of events during Jesus' trial is confusing, and principle among those confusing elements is the fact that Pilate had the authority to crucify an innocent man. That is the nature of Pilate's behavior here. He has heard the charges, questioned Jesus, and publicly declared more than once that Jesus is innocent of any crime. However, he then says he can - and in fact does - sentence Jesus to death.

Jesus is of course correct in stating Pilate only has the "authority" given to him by God. However, the fact that everyone involved here thinks it is a normal thing for the Roman governor to declare a Jew innocent of any crime, and then secondarily decide whether or not the person should be punished by death ... well, there is almost no way to reconcile this logic. Yet even the Jewish leaders concur that the Romans have the authority to kill a person who is found innocent of any crime, pushing the matter over and over until Pilate relents.

Application: I have assessed both the confusion and nuance of Jesus' trial before, which includes issues like ... Jesus truly becoming a replacement in death for another human, the Jews pursuing their laws while ignoring those same laws, and many other aspects. Today, I am struck by a different reality ... a universal acceptance by everyone in the story that it's okay to just decide to kill a Jew for no reason.

This is troubling, but it is also likely consistent with the treatment of the Jews as God's people. Under any sane reading of this passage, anyone should be concerned with the idea that the government could put a person on trial, find them innocent, and then just shrug and say, "but I guess we'll throw him into the electric chair anyway because some of y'all don't like him."

When it comes to Jesus, I have never once heard that reaction from anyone.

And still today, we see people supporting terror groups who kill Jews because some are confused about who may or may not own land in the middle east. Terrorists attack hundreds of unarmed teens, and our own teens and young adults are not horrified, but think "well maybe they shouldn't have been there." Other nations send the largest missile assault in history at Israel, and around the world people are angry that Israel mostly defended itself from said attack, and then had the audacity to reciprocate.

I just don't know what to say. Why are people not shocked by how the Jews have been treated for thousands of years? And how in the world would anyone not look at those facts and realize that there is something going on here that is bigger, deeper, and more evil than simply a political debate about who should be allowed to live in what desert.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for Israel specifically, and for Jews around the world in general. I know several, and I know they are your chosen people. Our salvation comes through the Jews. Please protect them as individuals, and please broadly protect the nation of Israel. May more and more people become aware and perceive that there is way more at stake here than a few villages in a place they've never been. Amen.

Holy is the Name

Send your Spirit, we are crying out ...
Send your thunder, let it shake this ground.
Heaven on earth
Here and now.

Recognizing False Authority

Scripture: When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, “How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!” ... Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to the Chief Priest Caiaphas. John 18:22,24

Observation: When Jesus is arrested, he is taken to Annas. Annas is called the "Chief Priest" by some, but he is NOT the Chief Priest. His son-in-law Caiaphas is. Looking up the information, Annas had been Chief Priest, but by this time had not held that position for ~15-20 years. While he is respected by many, he is a person with no official authority. In addition, his appointment as Chief Priest was not part of the official temple process set forth for the descendants of Aaron (though presumably he was of Aaron's line), but instead he had been appointed by the Romans when they defined their command structure over Judaea.

Jesus, interestingly, sees through this false authority model. He is slapped because he effectively refuses to answer to Annas. In so doing, he even goes further, telling Annas to go ask others what he has been teaching, implying that Annas is unworthy of a response from him, and Annas should go talk to the common people about what they heard. There is a lot of sub context to this conversation, but the facts of this exchange are simple ... upon his arrest, Jesus is taken first to a person with no official authority or standing, and Jesus refuses to engage with him in any debate, on any subject.

Application: Over and over again - whether it be during his 'trial' or even earlier throughout his ministry - Jesus demonstrates an interesting principle for believers to follow. Jesus refuses to "debate" with people who initiate the debate from a false or flawed position. Most of the time, this false position is grounded in that person's knowledge or authority ... they believe they are an expert and want to debate some legalistic principle.

The more I see people debating the issues we have around us today, the more fearful I become that we have forgotten Jesus' lesson about how to deal with false authority. Even last night, friends discussed "studying" about certain issues so they could better understand what others are going through, learning how to accept such principles, and starting down the path of even believing that such falsehoods (that have been created by the enemy) are valid and true.

I will not accept the false authority of satan to define truth in our society! Following Jesus, I will therefore not debate those issues, either. I will not stand forward and tell those who are deceived that they are deceived, or wrong, or influenced by evil. I will instead respond as Jesus would, disengaging from the false topic, and discussing instead the truth of Jesus ... his love, his mercy, his patient judgment, and his promise of life. I will cling to one truth, which is the Lord God almighty loves everyone, and has expressed that love through the words and actions of Jesus, and all other issues become moot for those who accept that truth and that authority.

Prayer: Lord, again I say today, I will not debate the issues of our day, because those issues exist only on the basis of lies initiated by false authority. Instead, I will declare only one truth, which is the gospel message of Christ crucified. Amen.

Mistakes to Obey vs. Decisions to Disobey

Scripture: As Samuel came close, Saul called out, “God’s blessings on you! I accomplished God’s plan to the letter!” Samuel said, “So what’s this I’m hearing—this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?” “Only some Amalekite loot,” said Saul. “The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to God. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban.” 1 Samuel 15:13-15

Observation: Throughout this series of events, Saul acts of his own accord, of his own mind, and the worst part is that he honestly and sincerely doesn't even see that he is doing it. In this one section, he declares that he has 100 percent carried out God's instructions "to the letter", despite the fact he himself is actively disobeying those instructions while he is saying this. He was told to kill everything and take no loot, yet as he declares success he is creating a monument out of the loot he took, and preparing a feast for the army from the loot.

But ... you know ... except for the ways in which Saul didn't obey the Lord, he obeyed the Lord in "everything else".

Application: Everyone, myself included, picks and chooses the way we obey the Lord. I call myself a believer, but then I decide that it's okay to be angry about past hurts, or to take longer looks at attractive women, or to tell a little lie to avoid difficult conversations. But ... you know ... I tithe fully, I worship well, I show up and serve for outreach, I try to help and comfort others who mourn, I place faith for my daily bread in the Lord. So clearly, every day I accomplish God's plan to the letter!

No, I don't.

God lamented making Saul king because he wouldn't fully obey instructions, so it's no wonder I have no significant calling within the Church. I make decisions on my own to act outside of God's instructions, and decide it's okay because doing 'most' things - and the 'important' things - we are instructed to do. I am unworthy of any important call, and knowing that does sadden and convict me.

I want to make better decisions, and to strive toward 100 percent compliance with the Lord's instructions. I know I will make mistakes, but mistakes in obeying are far different than decisions to disobey.

Prayer: Lord, please keep trimming and softening my heart, teaching me to obey you. I have time left to be better, and I so very, very much want to be more worthy of your love. I know you'll love me anyway, but may I make better choices every day. Amen.

If I had been Cozy with Evil

Scripture:
All believers, come here and listen,
let me tell you what God did for me.
I called out to him with my mouth,
my tongue shaped the sounds of music.
If I had been cozy with evil,
the Lord would never have listened.
But he most surely did listen,
he came on the double when he heard my prayer.
Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear,
he stayed with me, loyal in his love.
Psalm 66:16-20

Observation: The psalmist is telling his testimony, how the Lord saved him. He called out to the Lord, and the Lord ... actually listed to him and responded. This would not have happened if the psalmist was evil, for then God would not have been listening to him.

None of us are fully good. We all do bad things, wrong things, sinful things, and even evil things. However, there is a definitive line when someone is on the side of evil, and when someone takes up a position in their lives where they will honor, cherish, embrace, and cling to that which is known evil. From that position, the Lord will not listen. Maybe just turning the Lord in prayer moves a person away from that position enough to be heard, but clearly stated in this scripture is the idea that someone "cozy with evil" is not listened to by the Lord.

Application: I have reviewed my story before, but this element is something I should keep close to my heart. When I was desperate and challenged the Lord, he responded. This is evidence that ... I had not completely turned myself over to evil.

I did think I was in a dark place in my life back then, however the Lord saw that I was not "cozy with evil." If I had been, he would not have heard me ... but he did!! He most surely did listen, and came on the double when he heard my prayer. And he has stayed with me, loyal in his love.

Prayer: Lord, today I again praise your name, and honor you, for you are the God who listens. You have seen me over and over, and come when I needed you. I desire every day to be cozy with you, my father. Amen.

Not Rejected but Choosing Rejection

Scripture: When push came to shove they cared more for human approval than for God’s glory ... "If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn’t take it seriously, I don’t reject him. I didn’t come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I’m saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I am, that Word and no other is the last word." John 12:43,47-48

Observation: As one of Jesus' final public statements, he declares the facts of what it means to align one's self with human opinions instead of the God's truth. Jesus does not immediately reject them, for he continues to try to reach them, and by their faith they can still be redeemed. However, when someone rejects the truth offered by Jesus - the truth about the Lord himself - they are choosing rejection, and there will come a day of judgment when, if they do not alter their choice, they will be rejected. And yes, one of the primary reasons people choose rejection is because they instead choose "human approval", and thus the ways of the world and its popular opinions.

Application: Verse 42 of this section explicitly calls out religious leaders who fall into this trap. The other day I went past the very prominent church right in the center of our town. It is a church that has openly, publicly, and aggressively announced their alignment to earthly opinions about sexuality that are contradictory to the word of the Lord.

That church has embraced one part of this scripture ... they do not reject those who have rejected the word of the Lord. However, they have themselves fallen into the trap ... they themselves have rejected the word of the Lord, because they care more for human approval.

These issues are so very, very difficult. I do not condemn that church, nor do I reject and condemn anyone who has personal beliefs and opinions that align to that church, to human opinions, or to current cultural norms. I am a disciple of Jesus, and Jesus does not reject them, but rather continues to call me and all believers to announce the gospel message to everyone, without rejection. Our mission is to "save the world" ... "but you need to know," Jesus says, that by rejecting God's truth, you are choosing future rejection.

I do not know how that 'works' for believers who speak and behave contrary to the Lord's teaching. I know there are things I get and do and say wrong too. All I can do is retain in my heart this fact, which is that I care far mor about the Lord's word and his glory than I care about any human approval. That means I care about humans, and both wish and work for their salvation, rejecting none, but in the end I desire to do so within the context of the Lord's truth.

Prayer: Lord, the world is dark and therefore so very, very hard to live in. I know I fail every day to perfectly keep your perfect word. Please forgive me. And please provide your light to us all so that we can find our way through these times, leaning into your glory, and all of us caring less and less about human approval. Amen.

When Personal Nature Opposes God

Scripture: God struck some of the men of Beth Shemesh who, out of curiosity, irreverently peeked into the Chest of God. Seventy died. The whole town was in mourning, reeling under the hard blow from God, and questioning, "Who can stand before God, this holy God? And who can we get to take this Chest off our hands?" 1 Samuel 6:19-20

Observation: After the Philistines were struck with plagues for having taken the ark, and returned it to Israel, 70 Israelites die for disrespecting the Lord by opening the ark. The Lord had certain rules about the ark, and certainly no one was to look into it, and only Levites were to handle it.

However, the response of the residents of Beth Shemesh isn't "Oops, we messed up." It's "We can't handle being around God, so let's get rid of the ark." The Philistines had a similar experience. In all cases, the people don't want to understand the Lord, obey his instructions, worship and honor him, and then be obedient to his word. Instead, they want to live their normal lives without God's involvement, and even disobeying the Lord's instructions when it fits their natural inclination to do so, and thus when the consequences come they would rather get rid of God than alter their own lives.

Application: I would much rather have the Lord be closer to me, than to stubbornly cling to my own 'nature' and push God away. Of course, I often do the latter. I have three ways that I need to alter my life and my nature, to better align to the ways of the Lord.

1) Speaking harshly when others disrespect me. This has come up in the last few days. There are going to be people in the world who just don't care about me and my expectations, even when I'm paying them to care. I don't have to like that, but I don't need to be harsh. I can instead show the grace of kindness of Jesus.

2) Spending time in meaningless thought. I spend a great deal of 'down time' mindlessly engaged in mindless 'content', much of which is poison to my mind and soul. I would be so much better off to spend time in meditation on the Lord and his word, as taught by Jesus, Jeremiah, and the psalms.

3) Paying attention to others instead of myself. There are so many people around me who are hurting badly, and who really just need someone who demonstrates caring. I have a way of turning conversations into being about me, and not listening deeply to others in the first place. It would be so much better if I embraced the heart of Jesus, and loved others more than I love myself.

Prayer: Lord, I have been praying along these lines for some time now. I don't want to be a resident of Beth Shemesh, who would rather throw you out of my life instead of addressing my wrong nature. I want more of you in my life, oh Lord, and I want your Holy Spirit dwelling within me in more and more authority. May I therefore bend, or break, my nature to your will. Soften my heart toward others, and help me set my mind on things above every day. Amen.

Better to be Ordinary

Scripture:
Better to be ordinary and work for a living
than act important and starve in the process.
Proverbs 12:9

Observation: Several of the proverbs in this section address the topic of simply doing good work. On the positive side of the proverb is this ... it is good to simply do good, ordinary, honorable work. On the negative side of the proverb is this ... it is bad to pursue fanciful ideas or to seek over-promotion, and thus fail to earn a living.

Application: Yesterday, I had my performance appraisal at work. I am often aware of the fact that the work I now do is different than the work I had been doing during the prior decade. Before, I was a leader, overseeing dozens (sometimes hundreds) of employees, and millions of dollars. Now, I am near the bottom of any 'org chart', and I am the one random people may simply call and assign work to. And once again my boss brought up the idea that her, her manager, and their vice president have discussed the idea I should move into management. You know, if I want to. This is the third time during my last three performance reviews she has brought up this subject, and she has brought it up another half-dozen times in other conversations.

It is flattering. And that's a problem. I need to be content with being ordinary, and just doing work. In this, I make a very good living, one that the Lord has blessed and that he uses to bless others. I have no need to act - or feel - important in any way. I don't need to witlessly chase any other fancy idea. I want my well-done work to be its own reward. On that last note, I sincerely want to do good work, knowing it can honor the Lord far more than anything else I can do.

Today's proverbs are a timely reminder that I will never, ever seek promotion again without a very explicit word of God. I am fine with ordinary.

Prayer: Lord, one of the things I wish I did better, was to spend more time meditating on you and your word, in prayer with you, than to think about how great I could be, or remember past titles and promotions, or daydream about fictional success. I desire to be a success at being a disciple of Christ, and to do so within the context of the blessings you have so generously given me. I am content in your hands, dear Lord. Amen.

Doing the Things of My Father

Scripture: They were indignant. "Our father is Abraham!" Jesus said, "If you were Abraham’s children, you would have been doing the things Abraham did." John 8:39

Observation: Jesus is really having it out with the Pharisees and other leaders, eventually leading to his declaration "I am who I am", directly invoking the name of Yahweh. Before that, however, he is pointing out to them their own confusion and lack of integrity in a very simple manner ... by indicating to them that they are not in fact being obedient to the ways and teaching they declare, and watching them jump about in those declarations.

This began when several of them first said that they would follow Jesus. Jesus actually challenged their understanding of that statement, calling out how they would be released from their state of slavery if they did in fact follow him. At this, they declare they aren't slaves because their father is Abraham, and this is where it gets heated. Jesus effectively says ... you can't claim your father is Abraham, because you don't behave following his example. So they immediately say that is because their REAL father is Yahweh, to which Jesus says ... well that can't be true either because you don't behave following his example, either. And with this accusation, Jesus further declares that their father is satan, because it is his lies they most closely observe in their lives.

Application: I'll be honest, this section is confusing. Maybe something has been lost in translation, but for the most part this feels like it devolves into a name-calling level of "debate" or maybe a "yo daddy" (instead of "yo mamma") fight. That said, there is a takeaway about proper behavior. If a person believes they are aligned to another honorable person, they should be doing as that person did.

And there it is ... am I behaving like Christ? Of course I'm not. God is my father, Jesus is my savior, and I don't act like either of them, let alone complying with their teaching.

I need to be doing the things my father did. I need to serve others, care for the downtrodden, avoid sin, and show love. And I need to be doing those things all the time.

Prayer: Lord, I pray this every day but don't always follow through, so I say it again today. In your name, may I serve others today. Amen.

Upon Rejecting all the Evidence

Scripture: Jesus said, "You’re tied down to the mundane; I’m in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I’m living on other terms. I told you that you were missing God in all this. You’re at a dead end. If you won’t believe I am who I say I am, you’re at the dead end of sins. You’re missing God in your lives." John 8:23-24

Observation: In three different ways, as the Pharisees are questioning him, Jesus explains that the reason they don't understand that he is the Messiah is because ... they don't really know the Lord. The Pharisees ask for deep explanations and for miracles. They say they need more than Jesus' word. And Jesus responds that yes, they do need more, but they should already have that 'more' in the form of the word of the Lord. In this he says they have the word of 'two or more'. In the works of the Lord, Jesus shows that they already have great miracles and wonders around them, but they are tied to only understanding mundane things and therefore are asking for mundane logic.

This is not a one-time event for Jesus. Over and over, Jesus explains the nature of the Kingdom of God, and then shows how he himself is the fulfillment of that kingdom. Meanwhile, most don't make the connection. They are impressed by the teach, marveled by the miracles, but then want an explanation for how and why all these wonderous things are occurring, while the explanation is spelled out by the Lord himself already. Even John asked the question, but at least he understood the response when Jesus told John's followers to simply report the actions they were observing.

In other words, we need to believe in the Lord as our context to understand Jesus as Messiah, and we need to have Jesus as our Messiah to fully know the Lord. If someone completely rejects the existence of God, they cannot make a leap that says Jesus is the son of that same God.

Application: I saw a quick thumbnail in social media yesterday that was a challenge, claiming there was no evidence that God exists. I thought to myself ... well, yes, if you absolutely throw out all the evidence, then it's true that there is no evidence. In my mind, I even thought how it was like the OJ Simpson trial. Once the court and the jury rejected all the evidence that proved OJ was at the murder scene, with a knife, wearing clothes soaked in the victims' blood, then fled from police while admitting to what he had done ... once you throw all that out, then there's no evidence he did it.

And once you throw out all the evidence that the Lord is a powerful, loving God, who created the universe, defined a direction and purpose for mankind, shows us abundant love, and offers us a chance to reconcile and receive salvation through faith, then yes, there is no evidence of God. If a human rejects all the evidence, then logically they will reject the Lord, and thus reject Jesus.

I see the proof of the Lord everywhere. I have experienced him in my life. I have heard his voice. I see his fingerprints all over creation. I hear of the order and motion of bodies throughout the known cosmos, the symbiose between huge plants and microscopic organisms, the interconnected functional complexity of the organs in a living body, the wonder of organic memory, the scientific principles that govern energy ... and I can't place any other context around these things that doesn't involve an all-knowing and loving creator.

My heart breaks for those who reject all the evidence. Yes, they are missing out on eternal salvation because they'll struggle to ever make a leap to believe in Jesus. But right now, today, they're missing out on existence itself, and the wonder of the Lord's love manifest in our amazing world. This isn't a happy accident. It is a gift of love.

Prayer: Lord, I see your hand in everything, everywhere, all as evidence of you and your greatness and your love. Again today I praise you and worship you. May your evidence be ever before my eyes, and your spirit ever within my heart. Amen.

But there IS a King

Scripture: In those days there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing. Judges 17:6

Observation: To be clear, we have no proper leadership in our world today. Explicitly, there is not one leader who will take actions that are explicitly aligned to the Lord.

Application: As I say this, I realized ... there is a leader, a king, who is aligned to the Lord. His name is Jesus, alive and powerful, filling all of us with the Holy Spirit of the Lord. The Lord himself is our king, our leader, and he always and forever both does and teaches what is right and correct. The fact that the secondary leaders of this world do not obey is a different matter, and while this fact corrupts our earthly society into terrible acts, it must not cause us to forget the truth.

Jesus reigns. The Lord is on his throne, and he rules the heavens and earth. In every day, we have a king, and it is his commands and precepts we are to obey, for it is also by his mercy and grace and love that we receive all good things.

Prayer: Lord, God almighty, creator of heaven and earth, may your name be praised from the deepest river valleys to the highest mountaintops, and may the whole earth tremble with your justice and authority. I pray for that authority to reign over all the earth now. Let that begin with the protection and deliverance of Israel and the Jews, both those standing in the face of war, and those living in the rest of the world where hatred against them manifests from the heart of satan himself. Then let your deliverance wash over all of us, especially those who believe in Jesus, and those who will come to believe in Jesus. Let us continue to see and feel and hear and know your love and mercy and kindness and salvation, protecting us from the backlash of evil that permeates our society.  Lord, you are my king. Jesus, you are my savior. Holy Spirit, you are my strength. Amen.

Needing Shalom in my Heart

Scripture:
Wake up and see for yourself! You’re God,
God-of-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God!
Get on the job and take care of these pagans,
don’t be soft on these hard cases.
Psalm 59:4-5

Observation: There are so many psalms that seek the Lord for protection, redemption, and vengeance. They call out to the Lord, point out that wicked people to making life so very difficult for the faithful believer(s), and directly ask God to fight back. This fighting can take a vague form, like "fight back", but sometimes it is even more aggressive, asking the Lord to destroy the evil people.

Application: I have prayed these kinds of prayers, and if I'm being very honest ... I am unsure of the response I received from the Lord. Yes, I have been protected, even uplifted. Honestly, I should want for nothing more than that. I should celebrate the way the Lord has protected my life, and resolved the hardships brought on by the evil actions and words of others. So maybe it is a sign of evil, weakness, or faithlessness, that I still wonder ... what happened to the part where those people - those pagans, worshiping other gods and defying the Lord to his face, laughing about how they have succeeded against a person who trust in Jesus - get taken care of.

Just because I have forgiven them, doesn't mean I don't understand the nature of these psalms. If we are allowed to pray for retribution and punishment on the evil pagans who harm God's people, why didn't it happen? And yes, I know there is a retribution yet to come that is far, far worse than anything here on earth. Maybe I expected something else.

I need to let go of this feeling, and simply live my life, delighted in the Lord, loving others in the name of Jesus, and demonstrating my faith. If I trust in the Lord, then I have to also trust his mercy ... or at least his timing.

Prayer: Lord, I need your Shalom in my heart. May I be at peace over everything that has been done to me in the past, now and forever more. Amen.

Seeing the Effect of Disobedience

Scripture: Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered at the Oak by the Standing Stone at Shechem and crowned Abimelech king. Judges 9:6

Observation: Let's walk through the story of Gideon. It starts with a segment of Israel being oppressed by the Midianites due to their worship of other gods, Gideon is raised up by the Lord to be a Judge of Israel, and here are the next events ...

Good: In faith, Gideon follows the Lord's instructions to the letter, and defeats Midian with only a few hundred men.

Bad: Gideon creates a golden ephod and sets it up to worship it; Gideon initiates the worship of another god named the god-of-the-promise; Gideon takes on many wives and fathers 70 sons; Gideon takes on a mistress and fathers another son whom he gives a name meaning "son of the king" (Abimelech); Upon Gideon's death, Abimelech has all his half-brothers murdered; Israelites name Abimelech king of Israel; Abimelech attacks and kills many Israelites who challenge his authority.

Okay ... so seriously ... the Lord redeems these people from their oppressors, and these people a) IMMEDIATELY return to their practices of worshipping idols and false gods, and b) the people then do worse by creating a monarchy led by an evil murderer who oppresses them more violently than the Midianites.

At the same time, the people are being told exactly why bad things are happening to them. They were told they were being oppressed because of idol worship and their failure to be obedient to Yahweh. They ask for forgiveness and are redeemed. Then they immediately repeat the cycle, even doing worse. And this will bring upon them more punishment.

Application: I know people with self-inflicted struggles in their lives. I'm not referring to the kind of superficial struggles like "I can't afford the European vacation I wanted to take", and I'm not talking about struggles inflicted on them by evil forces, like "my home has been destroyed by war and my family killed". I'm talking about the kind of struggles like "I am depressed and have a miserable life and BTW I believe my life's purpose is to debate politics" and "I am in an unfulfilling relationship with a person I chose to comingle my finances with even though I barely knew them and I feel trapped". I don't want to blame victims, but ... how many of them got into these situations because they rebelled against the Lord's instructions, intents, precepts, and purposes for living?

Don't get me wrong, bad things happen to everyone. That's how satan works. However, with the Lord as context, we can find comfort, strength, and even glory through such hardships. I will claim, though, that people do bad things to themselves when they remove themselves from the Lord. These hardships are different. They impact body and mind, and have as one of their components an active decision to be disobedient to the Lord. And again, by disobedient I don't mean "sin", but rather a repeated behavioral pattern that rejects the Lord's existence and influence in our lives.

Am I being harsh and insensitive toward people with unfortunate problems that they cannot control? Or am I trying to say that, if a person would just obey the Lord, the conditions of their life would be improved.

Israel, and everyone in it, received punishment when they actively turned away from the Lord. Why would we expect any different.

Prayer: Lord, our nation has become disobedient. As a result, we are losing a nation and a culture due to issues that didn't exist and we couldn't have imagined one generation ago. Please, Lord, send us leaders to move us out of these patterns. Help us to return to you in mind and spirit. May we return to your ways, worshipping only you, our Lord and our God. Amen.

Jesus' Singular Mission

Scripture: But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved. John 5:34

Observation: Jesus is in the midst of a very direct lecture to the scribes and Pharisees. He is very clearly telling them that he is the Messiah, and son of God, whom Moses and the prophets proclaimed, whom John the Baptist introduced, and whom the Holy Spirit itself testifies to in the hearts of others ... and the Pharisees are missing it because they are too busy enforcing the laws of God without understanding the heart of God.

However, all that said, Jesus' mission is not to correct the Pharisees, and by their leadership correct the Jews in their understanding of the law. Jesus' mission is to bring salvation to the world. Full stop.

This salvation comes from seeing Jesus for who he is - the son of God - and believing it that fact. With that faith, the Lord engages with a believer in a unique way, by the Holy Spirit, and thus guides the believers in how they should be and what they should do. This is the work of Jesus ... not the miracles, not the preaching, not the parables ... the loving of the world so much that he will show himself to be Messiah, so by faith anyone can be saved.

Application: We have so many 'things' we try to do to "reach" others for Jesus. At our church alone, these include major efforts like our Christmas lights event, running Alpha classes, and serving our city on July 4th. It is VERY important that we keep in our hearts the reason we do these things. We do not do them in order to ... do them. Our purpose is not to be well thought-of by our city or people attending a light show. Rather, we do this work so that others can discover the love of Jesus, believe in him as the son of God, and be saved.

I need to think very clearly about what I am doing to join Jesus in his mission.

Prayer: Lord, as you know I have been doing less at church lately. I would like to find the activity you have for me that serves you and your mission, Jesus. Amen.

Called to What Action

Scripture: Gideon replied, “With me, my master? If God is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents told us about, telling us, ‘Didn’t God deliver us from Egypt?’ The fact is, God has nothing to do with us—he has turned us over to Midian.” But God faced him directly: “Go in this strength that is yours. Save Israel from Midian. Haven’t I just sent you?” Judges 6:13-14

Observation: The angel of God appears to Gideon - a man hiding from the enemy while he secretly farms wheat - and says that the Lord is with him, a mighty warrior. When Gideon questions the greetings, explicitly wondering if God is with Israel at all, this is the Lord's response ... that of course the Lord is with Israel, because he just now called Gideon to action.

In other words, the Lord doesn't just sit there in heaven and hurl lightening bolts down on "bad" people, while the "good" people cower faithlessly hoping for it to happen. In fact, that is likely the situation that creates the problem ... the good people doing nothing, or worse yet, worshipping other gods and thus being faithless and bad in their relationship with the Lord. Instead, the Lord looks for those who will be faithful and who do and will worship only him, and calls them to action.

For Gideon, the action to which he would be called was clear ... a military response against the Midianites. It would begin when Gideon first addressed the worship issues of his people, as his first action isn't even to gather an army, let alone fight, but to destroy the Baal and Ashira monuments. With that battle engaged, Gideon is ready to follow the Lord's call to action.

Application: As I continue to lament issues within our country, here is an interesting way of considering the proper actions of the Church. First, we need to understand that the Lord has, in fact, called us to act. He could just change the world, but more likely he wants us to step out in the call he has given us to change the world. Second, we need to address the first and real issue, which is the coldness of love and abandoning of faith by society, and we need to do all we can to show others the love of Jesus. With that, we can then address the policies and issues that seem most obvious in the world (in fact, by then, we may not even need to, as that is when the Lord would likely engage).

Prayer: Lord, may I find what you would like me to do today to aid in this battle. I know you have called me and your entire church. While so many of us, myself included, wonder what you are doing, you respond that what you are doing is sending us. May I 'go' today and every day with the love of Jesus. Amen.

God's Plans and Blessings

Scripture: This is the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. The inheritance of Simeon came out of the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion turned out to be more than they needed. That’s how the people of Simeon came to get their lot from within Judah’s portion. Joshua 19:8-9

Observation: How it is that the tribe of Simeon received their portion as an island within Judah has always seemed confusing, but this provides clarity. In fact, the entire allocation of lands - and how they map to later conversations about which tribes are part of which countries when Israel divides, and how those divided countries are even named - has seemed confusing. As this now appears, here are the allocations after Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh asked for land east of the Jordon (and Levi does not receive an allocation):

-- The large amount of 'claimed' land is divided in two ...

     - Judah (the son who received the birthright of Jacob) receives half.

     - Joseph (Jacob's favorite son) receives half, which was then divided to

       his sons Ephraim and the rest of Manasseh.

-- The remaining seven tribes will now get what is left.

Benjamin (Joseph's full brother from Rebecca, and the son Judah swore to protect) gets the first lot, and it is the land sitting firmly and safely between Judah and Joseph. The next lot goes to Simeon, the second oldest son of Jacob, after Reuben ... like Levi, he too was passed over for Jacob's birthright due to their actions at Shechem, but didn't later redeem himself as Levi did. So in effect he gets part of Judah's birthright ... the overflow of that portion, because Judah has received "more than they needed".

Application: As I consider the lessons of this - the structure of how the land was allocated - I see two elements. The first is that, what at first glance seems like a random drawing, instead is completely and totally managed by the Lord, aligned to actions and decisions made hundreds of years in advance. There is order that cannot be denied. The second element is the overflow of the blessings of the Lord. If Judah is 'blessed' as the son who received the birthright from Jacob, it is obvious that blessing is so great and abundant that another full tribe can receive enough too.

While both of these are enough to study for a lifetime, it is fascinating to see them manifest in a part of scriptures that seems procedural and meaningless to current life. I mean ... why would I or anyone else care about how land was divided up by the tribes approximately 3,300 years ago? Well, the answer is that I can take away two amazing and comforting truths about the Lord when I pay attention to this.

The Lord has a plan, and that plan includes an abundant blessing so that we may bless others from the overflow.

Prayer: Lord, you have and do provide for me and my family daily, and I know you have guided my life in all of this. May I truly figure out how to bless others, as you have so richly blessed me, daily. Amen.