Glad we ALL get One Denarius

Scripture: "He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius? Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first last." Matthew 20:13-15

Observation: Jesus is reported to say this phrase several times - the last will be first, and the first will be last. This often gets interpreted as something along the lines of the people who are "last" ... the downtrodden, the destitute, the poor ... will get a greater reward in heaven than those who have a good life. That never feels quite right, though. It sounds like there are "better" Christians, and moreover that the way to be "better" involves having a rough life. However, I feel these last few verses of this parable might better reveal what Jesus means by this phrase.

Everyone receives the same reward. Unfortunately, not everyone may appreciate that reward in the same way. To some, it might represent tremendous generosity, grace, and kindness. To another, it might represent the bare minimum, and even disappointing in context. In this way, 'first' and 'last' are not how the Lord treats us, but rather our own earthly attitude even being applied to the grace of God.

Application: I think this idea of "fair reward" is something that almost every Christian thinks about at some level, and I am so delighted Jesus addressed it. I know there are billions of Christians who are "better" than me and deserve more than me. I know there will be billions of Christians who did almost nothing to advance God's kingdom and could logically deserve less than me. And I know it is AWESOME that ... 'deserves' got nothing to do with it!

I very sincerely hope that when the time comes, I look around and see everyone getting the very same denarius that I get, and I celebrate that, because what that really proves is that the Lord's mercy is just, his justice is merciful, and faith in Jesus is the only truth in the world.

Prayer: Lord, right now there is someone on their deathbed somewhere. I pray they receive Jesus. I pray they then receive the most glorious crown possible. Amen.

Asking the Wrong Questions

Scripture: Just then someone came up and asked him, “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?” Matthew 19:16

Observation: The story known as "the rich young ruler" begins with this question. Jesus will go on to list some commandments, then tell the man that he needs to sell all his possessions and follow Jesus. He then explains to the disciples that it is basically impossible for rich people to get into heaven, yet even the impossible is possible with God. It seems like a strange exchange, with many interpretations, however the strangeness and confusion is caused because of this first sentence ... the man asks the wrong question.

The rich man asks a question of personal action. He doesn't want to learn how eternal life is possible, or how God's blessings work, or about the machinations of destiny within the context of God's love. Instead, he asks for a procedure. He wants to know the steps and actions he must 'do' to procure God's rewards. From that perspective, it becomes clear that any number of steps Jesus gives him will ultimately result in a dead-end because it is impossible to follow a procedure to procure God's rewards.

For the rich and greedy, that dead-end may involve giving up wealth and comfort. For the proud, the dead-end may involve humility and demotion. For the righteous, the dead-end may involve service to sinners. Every single person will hit some point where the next action required of them is beyond their ability to do, they will fail, and their entry into heaven is therefore impossible. And thus, the only way into heaven is by the grace of God, the method by which all things are possible.

Application: I know I cannot self-actualize my way into heaven and eternal life. I am more and more failing to just move myself into 'daily good'. And it bothers me. I feel like I should be able to ... do something ... to move myself into a position of at least better. Perhaps that is the point of the commandments, and like the rich man I could at least strive to obey those.

I know I can never do everything it takes to enter heaven. I cannot be perfect for sure. However, I can strive to be more obedient, skip the part I can't do, and jump to the part where I follow Jesus, believing in him as my Lord and savior, with full faith in the mercy and grace of the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, again today I say I will strive to be more obedient toward your commands and precepts. I know there are flaws within me that will forever make me fail in the quest for 'good', and so I do not look for a process to do that. Instead, I follow Jesus. Amen.

Job Answers Job's Prayer

Scripture:
Teach me, and I will be silent.
Help me understand what I did wrong.
How painful honest words can be!
But what does your rebuke prove?
Job 6:24-25

Observation: The three friends have begun to speak with Job, and the first (Eliphaz the Temanite) provides the most basic sentiment. He says that yes, Job has been a good man, but something has happened and he is being punished, so they are here to comfort him. This first statement isn't an aggressive attack, but just an observation of the way the world works ... in Yahweh's logical structure and order, 'good' people are blessed, and 'bad' people are punished.

Job does not respond with anger, but seems to still be processing the despair. His request of the Lord, however, is pretty simple ... could God please tell him what he did wrong and teach him, rather than just this forceful punishment? As it is, without teaching, Job doesn't know what he did wrong and cannot therefore repent and correct.

Application: In one sense Job is right ... if God punishes without teaching, we cannot learn. However, the Lord does not do that, and as a result a major component of this entire book of Job is founded in a flawed assumption, which is that God brings misery into our lives to teach us lessons. The Lord increases and removes blessing, and he knows of the evil in this world and how it can devour and destroy people. However, he is not the one that destroys, even those who have sinned against him.

In the wisdom books - Job, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes especially - the Lord has taken time to teach us that he loves us, but that he also loves everyone so much that he allows free will to be practices, in the hope everyone will select him has their Lord. Those that do not become free to practice evil, and even without others there are issues in this earthly world as a result of even the faithful failing to be good. We will all therefore have problems in life.

Again, the takeaway here isn't whether or not Eliphaz or Job are correct in their assessment of the situation at hand. Rather, it is that the Lord has indeed taken his time to teach us. Job asked the Lord to help him understand what he did wrong, and the Lord has provided billions and billions of people in subsequent generations the information we need to understand. It is almost like Job answered his own prayer, asking for teaching and then becoming the teacher.

Prayer: Lord, your word is so great, so wonderful, so wise, and so complete. It is a blessing to learn new truths about life from you every single day. Thank you for your wisdom, your council, and your love. Amen.

Upon Embracing Earthly Taxes

Scripture: “You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor with our lord and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh. Genesis 47:25-26

Observation: Near the end of the famine, the people of Egypt are desperate for a last year of food, and Josheph doesn't just give them food, he gives them seed to replant. However, the price is high ... they are now all slaves to Pharaoh, their land belongs to Pharaoh, and every year from now on 20 percent of their produce is paid to Pharaoh. Somehow, the people are thrilled with this!

Application: Let's talk about how messed up people's perception of "their" money really is. Last year, I paid almost twice as much in federal taxes than I gave to the church. In both situations, I have complied with the law. I ultimately gave ~11 percent of my income to the church, and 22 percent was paid in federal taxes (and another 5 percent in SS/Medicare taxes) (and another 10 percent in sales taxes) (and another 2.5 percent in property taxes). However, here is the real issue ... there are millions of people out there who would look at my life compared to others who have significant hardships and claim I should be paying more taxes, maybe even WANT to pay more taxes. Simultaneously, if those same millions upon millions saw the amount I gave to the church, they would declare that I am CRAZY for throwing that much money away.

Oh, they are so very, very backwards.

God does not ask much of us. His burden is easy. His blessings are bountiful. I receive so much more from the Lord than I do from any earthly institution. And here's the point ... the Lord is very clear that he really doesn't ask much from us, yet us humans seem to think that he places SO much on us, while meanwhile our earthly structures bury us while we come up with more and more ways to make them even more burdensome.

And this isn't new! While the Lord was showing the patriarchs that, if they freely offer others 10 percent of their blessings they would be blessed even more, Pharaoh was enslaving the population and taking by law 20 percent of their hard work and they were thankful for it!

I am going to continue to give my money into the system that will fill my storehouses, and will return an amount that fills my basket ... a full measure, pressed down, and overflowing.

Prayer: Lord, I desire to be faithful to you and you alone. Thank you for my daily bread, for it is all I need. Amen.

Only Hearing Correction

Scripture: When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Matthew 16:13-14

Observation: Jesus asks the disciples a pretty simple question, to paraphrase, "You hear murmurings from people, so what are they saying about me as far as who I 'really' am?" The honest response is ... odd. People are mostly saying that Jesus is some famous, historic person, resurrected, and the first one listed is a contemporary who was alive when Jesus even began his public ministry. Heck, they were seen together before!

This exchange famously ends with Peter's declaration - the first ever - that Jesus is the promised Messiah. However, at the very least, by now most people who had been around Jesus would have considered him a prophet. The fact that the people believe him to be some specific 'other' prophet probably says something about the Jews at this time, which might be this ...

They believe that all the Lord does is tell people when they are failing. All three of these individuals brought a message of correction and repentance. John declared the need to repent for the coming kingdom of God. Elijah openly opposed Ahab and the sins of Israel. Jeremiah spoke of the destruction and exile of Judah if they did not repent.

Messiah is a promised deliverer who saves, and he is a savior who brings love, and the Jews just cannot understand that. They hear Jesus correct the Pharisees, and lock onto the idea that God's message to the Jews is that they are doing things wrong. The Pharisees here Jesus, know they are 'obedient', and conclude Jesus is heretical. That was never God's point. Yes, God tried to correct Israel, but all he really wanted to do was love Israel, and by extension love the entire world. Now Messiah is among the Jews, delivering a message to love one another, love the Lord, and receive all the blessings of Yahweh through simple faith ... the Jews hear it all, know Jesus is sent by God, and therefore they only hear correction.

Application: How often, when I am reflecting upon the Lord, do I do this ... do I only hear correction? I hear a voice in my head saying, "see, you did that wrong, and that, and that."

All the more, how often do non-believers - when they consider whether or not God exists and if they might want to explore the idea of faith - think that all God has ever done is declare laws then punish people for not obeying them?

It is satan who tells us we are failures, and more importantly, who tells us that God is angry with us because he has judged us to be failures. Sure, we do in fact fail to obey every precept and command, however the Lord loves us so much that he provides the means to make that moot, and to give us his love and blessing anyway, if we will turn our hearts to him and love him back.

I don't want to only hear correction. I want to recognize the truth ... that it is the love of Jesus that should overwhelm my experience with God.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your love and your blessings. I know I am unworthy, but for some reason you love me anyway. May I simply be open to experiencing that love today. Amen.

When Procedures Supersede Policy

Scripture: These are the things that defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person. Matthew 15:20

Observation: Jesus has upset the Pharisees in a discussion about ritual hand-washing, and is explaining the issue to his disciples. On first glance, Jesus' words seem both accurate let problematic. He accurately explains that the things that defile people are the attitudes we contain within ourselves, which then drive our words and actions. This is what 'sin' is, our attitudes and resulting behaviors. On the other hand, washing of hands is part of the laws of Moses, and therefore it seems the Pharisees have a point that, if the disciples do not wash their hands before eating, they are being disobedient ... a sinful attitude and behavior.

However, Jesus is actually breaking down the truth of the matter, which is that the laws that the Lord gave us all contain two elements. One is the actual law, and the other is a procedure for reconciling ourselves to God if/when we violate the Law. In this case, washing of hands is not the law. Rather, it is the way to make oneself "clean" if we have done anything or touched anything that creates a ceremonial barrier between us and God.

Pharisees took the law and added their own human logic to it, thus turning the corrective procedure associated with the law into the law itself. As a 'catch-all' for ensuring alignment to Yahweh, that isn't terrible. However, judging others for not performing the procedure is this issue, because the procedure isn't the law. As a result, the meaning and purpose of the law - in this case, drawing close to the Lord during meals for we recognize that our 'daily bread' is a blessing and gift from the Lord - becomes subordinate to a procedure that isn't part of the law, and failing to do the procedure correctly even becomes a point of contention between people (thus violating the spirit of other laws).

However, the real problem is that the procedure now supersedes the policy. The law has been lost behind a visible process. And the law was always about the heart ... drawing close to the Lord, acknowledging him as the source of blessing, and thinking him for even a piece of bread to sustain our lives another day. The law is to work inside us, and then manifest as our behaviors and words that come from our mouths. The law was not about whether or not our hands are unwashed as we handle the food going into our mouths.

Application: There was a time in life when I was an unquestionable expert when it came to the concepts and structures of "policies and procedures". One thing I learned well was that procedures must align to policies, and that procedures that did not have an explicit alignment to policy were subject to scrutiny regarding their value and need. This isn't controversial. And in truth, that is all Jesus is saying ... there are policies that create a specific set of conditions, for which the proper procedure is hand-washing, so if those policies don't apply, the procedure isn't mandatory.

And yes, I have seen over and over again people at work who perform work in accordance with good procedures, without any care as to why they do it, or what the reason may be to do things certain ways, and thus don't provide value because they don't even know what value they might be trying to provide. Again, we've all seen this, and it isn't controversial. And again, that is all Jesus is saying.

So when I say I need to pray more often, I BETTER mean ... I want to be closer to the Lord, to have a better relationship with him, and to listen to his guidance in every aspect of my life more and more every day, and thus I need to pray. I better NOT mean ... there is a process to follow to make myself a 'Christian', and that process includes prayer, so I'll do that more.

Prayer: Lord, you are my father, my savior, and my master. I sincerely desire to know you better, to know your will, and to align my life to your direction. I do not seek you because it is part of a procedure to have a better life. Rather, I seek you because I love you, I truly wish to know you better, and I absolutely know you love me far beyond what I could ever deserve. May I be closer to you today, and continue to move closer to you every day. Amen.

Unforgiveness Over Decades

Scripture: He turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. Genesis 42:24

Observation: Out of all 10 brothers, why did Joseph choose to hold Simeon? Because he is the oldest ... that Jacob would care about rescuing.

Reuben is of course the first born, but his sin against Jacob is so great that the rift between then never heals. Reuben tries over and over to find a way to win back his father's love. In the small interactions we see, Reuben repeatedly declares what deeds he will do and sacrifices he will make to be redeemed to his father. If those show up during just a handful of conversations, imagine how often such exchanges occurred during the 20+ years that were not recorded. Yet even now, after all this time, Joseph still knows of this rift - knows how deep it runs - so he holds Simeon as second-oldest, knowing that if he held Reuben, Jacob wouldn't care enough to wish him freed.

Application: God's love for us is so great that he can forgive and subsequently overlook any and every sin. He forgives sins we knowingly commit even as he tells us not to do them. However, for us humans, in our imperfect state and with our incomplete sense of love, we cannot do the same.

Yes, I should forgive everything done against me, and at some level I have. I have even logically understood the good in my life that the Lord has worked out of the bad that others have done. However, I struggle to forget it all, and I certainly "care" less about those who have committed such wrongs.

Somehow, Jacob is a case study for so many ways that we all struggle with pride and self-centeredness in our lives. Jacob couldn't get over how Reuben had hurt him, no matter how much Reuben tried, and it was so blatant that everyone knew it over decades of time. What hope do I have to truly forgive and forget? It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that I have any hope at all.

Prayer: Please, come, Holy Spirit. Amen.

A Lesser, Restricted, Controlled Existence

Scripture: Hamor said to Jacob’s sons, "My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. Live with us. The land is before you. Settle here, move about, and acquire property in it." Genesis 34:8-10

Observation: Shechem has raped Dinah and now desires her for his wife. Hamor, Shechem's father and local chief, is negotiating for this to happen. However, what does he actually offer Jacob?

-- The opportunity for Jacob's sons to marry local women.

-- Permission to be in the area or to wander, as he wishes.

-- The chance to buy land.

In other words, Hamor offers Jacob ... absolutely nothing. Jacob's sons will marry local women over the next few years no matter what happens. They will move about throughout the land the Lord has promised them really without issues or challenges. Jacob is rich with livestock and could easily buy land if he wanted from any willing landowner. There is literally nothing Hamor offers Jacob that he doesn't already have.

Therefore, what Hamor is REALLY trying to do is trick Jacob into feeling indebted, and in turn being locked into the local economy. He says as much later, pointing out to other city elders that, if Jacob agrees, Jacob's riches will be incorporated into inventory and effectively just become part of the common good for all. He makes no mention of giving Jacob anything in return, because he knows he actually hasn't offered anything tangible.

Everything Hamor was offering was what Jacob already had, given him freely by the Lord. The Lord had promised to prosper his descendants (thus his sons would obviously marry), to protect him as he moved about (staying or wandering wherever), and to give him all of Canaan (his descendants would have it all so he didn't need to buy pieces).

In fact, what Hamor was "giving" would have been a worse and limited version of all Jacob already had. The offer wasn't just "nothing", it was a downgrade ... it was an "offer" of a lesser, restricted, and controlled existence.

Application: I have thought many times on this ... that one of the signs of wicked leadership is when such leaders "give" people rights and permissions that they already have, expecting loyalty and respect and even tangible income in return. Seeing through this is important, whether it be in government elections, business dealings, or daily interactions.

Especially now days, the offer of the wicked falls into this 'downgrade' category, offering the chance for people to voluntarily move into a lesser, restricted, and controlled existence.

One of the things the wicked 'give' others is both permission and explanation for how they feel. Instead of people pursuing and claiming the healthy mental state that the Lord offers, they are told that confusion, anxiety, and depression are not only okay but maybe even a 'strength', and that they can receive a 'gift' of learning how to embrace and live with those states of mind. Another thing the wicked 'give' is assistance to remain in painful states of life. For those with drug addictions and thus lives ruined by such addiction, the wicked offer opportunities to pursue a daily life that incorporates those addictions, maybe even making the drugs available/accessible, without need for escape or improvement. In such cases, victims of addiction are caught in cycles and become controlled by the systems that perpetuate those cycles.

I look to the Lord for all my blessings and worth and goodness and joy in the world, and to the extent I "receive" anything from worldly systems, it is because it is the worldly method by which the Lord provides his blessing. I hope I have not accepted any lesser, restricted, controlled version of existence.

Prayer: Lord, you are my portion and my strength. You have given me everything, and I thank you every day and all time for all blessings and love and joy. May I live within your abundant, unlimited, love. Amen.

Nobody Loves Me like Jesus

"I was a blind man wandering, until I saw the light."

This is such a true statement, and I know my story - too good to hide - is so similar to the story of lost young people today. Many have just decided that social norms are normal, logical arguments are logical, earthly love is love, and cultural righteousness is right. That was my story, until Jesus showed up and opened my eyes.

I hope I can tell more people more often about my story. I'm a living, breathing miracle, and I do want to testify.

Relax and Enjoy the Guitar Solo

Scripture:
The Lord has made himself known;
he has executed justice,
snaring the wicked
by the work of their hands. Higgaion. Selah
Psalm 9:16

Observation: The psalmist makes this declaration - past tense! - that the Lord has already made himself known to the entire world, that as a result of such knowledge the wicked have already identified themselves by their actions, and thus the Lord's justice has already been executed against the wicked. And with that ... it's time to relax and enjoy this truth!

"Selah" is known to be a direction in the psalms to 'pause and reflect', likely an interlude where the singer/reader is to consider the deeper meaning of what was just said. "Higgaion" is a lesser-used word that apparently means to have a musical interlude. Together, after the psalmist makes the declarations of verse 16, the reader is to sit back and enjoy a musical interlude, when they can deeply think upon how the Lord has done these things.

Application: Personally, I would like to think of "Higgaion Selah" as ... a time to celebrate with a jammin' guitar solo!

I pray so often for the Lord to "deal with" the evil people of this world, and here is the word of the Lord declaring that, in fact, he has already delt with them. The Lord has made his instructions known, he has made the punishments known, and he has made the path to redemption and salvation known. Those that reject all of this clearly self-identify themselves by their words and actions of rejection, and are therefore already judged and sentenced. Yes, they can choose a new path, accept Jesus as their Lord and savior, embrace the love the Yahweh, and therefore receive the ultimate pardon. However, if they don't, justice already awaits them.

And this is a cause for joy for those of us who live this life pursued and put down by such enemies. I pray for God's judgment, and he tells me it is already done. I pray for God's condemnation on the wicked, and he declares that yes, he has already condemned them. I even pray that they might know the Lord, and he reminds me that they actually do know him but have chosen their paths of wickedness.

Higgaion Selah ... relax and enjoy the music while you pause and reflect on THAT!

Prayer: Lord, your love and mercy go hand-in-hand with your judgment and justice, and I love them both. You have judged my own wickedness in the past, but I thank you that now I live by faith in Jesus. May I remain blameless in your eyes, but also may I seek your path every day, avoiding any form of wickedness done by the work of my own hands. As for those who pursue such wickedness, I do pray that they would change their direction. However, I also know you have made yourself known to them in so many ways already. Yes, their actions make the lives of your faithful believers, including myself, more difficult here in this life, but may we all also dance knowing you are in control, your justice prevails, and it is finished, past tense. Amen.

The Mission to End the Cycle

Scripture: When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened. Laban said to him, "Yes, you are my own flesh and blood." Genesis 29:13-14

Observation: Jacob has arrived in his ancestral homeland, been welcomed by his uncle Laban, and tells him "all that had happened". Immediately, Laban declares that Jacob is his "own flesh and blood," and concocts a plan to trick Jacob into working for him by promising him a wife, then giving the wrong daughter in marriage, and thus locking down Jacob's free labor for at least 14 years.

Thinking about this first meeting between them, if Jacob really told Laban ALL that had happened, it would have included how he tricked and cheated his own brother out of his birthright and family blessing. With such a revelation, Laban absolutely acknowledges that he and his nephew share the same nature for deception and manipulation. However, this revelation also frees up his own conscious. Seeing that Jacob is a man willing to cheat and lie and manipulate others creates an "all's fair" scenario, allowing Laban to cheat and lie and manipulate Jacob. In so doing, Jacob then will cheat and lie and manipulate to make himself rich at Laban's expense ... and it all goes round and round.

Application: Any reading of the relationship between Jacob and Laban leads to the same conclusion, that they were cruel to each other. However, both could claim a higher ground, effectively stating their cruelty was as a response to the others' behavior, even beginning with the idea that Laban knew of Jacob's past transgressions against Esau.

All of us are treated poorly by others, and all of us know people who are just downright cruel to others. And all of us get to decide how to respond to such people. I admit I have responded with cruelty to such people before, and I have done so knowing they are just a bad person therefore if I treat them badly 'they had it coming'. Yes, I know this creates a cycle, and yes, I know that just being part of such a cycle is bad for my life, or I should say ... now I know that.

This is a big part of the mission Jesus has given all of his disciples ... to be the people who are different from others because we will step out of that cycle, simply absorb the cruelty of others, and not repay it. Jacob's life got better when he did that (but he had to wrestle with God and receive a permanent physical injury to make it sink in). My life is better when I refuse to engage in this cycle of behavior, and I know it.

Prayer: Lord, your lessons are so good. Thank you for your wisdom, even when they are so simple to understand, like turning the other cheek, yet difficult to do. The difficulty is caused by our earthly pride, so I release such pride and accept the wise council to stay out of cycles of cruelty. Amen.

Never Quite Getting It

Scripture: Esau realized that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women, so Esau went to Ishmael and married, in addition to his other wives, Mahalath daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son. She was the sister of Nebaioth. Genesis 28:8-9

Observation: Jacob has cheated Esau out of his blessing, and is now being sent to his ancestral homeland to find a wife. Jacob has been told specifically to find a daughter of Laban, Rebekah's brother, and one of the reasons for sending Jacob there is because the local Canaanite women are not appropriate. Esau has, in fact, married two of them, and they exhaust Rebekah and are just bad daughters-in-law.

Esau takes this all in. He sees Jacob is now blessed, he sees that his past decisions have been disapproved of, and he sees an example of what would be acceptable. So Esau ... once again does something different. He doesn't get rid of his Canaanite wives. He doesn't go to the family in Ur for a wife. He instead goes to the family of his half-uncle Ishmael and marries his daughter, who is therefore likely half Egyptian.

Esau is an example who keeps "hearing" the lesson that what he is doing is wrong, but doesn't "learn" the lesson that he should therefore seek wise council for his next actions. He decides what to do, it doesn't work, so he decides on something else, and that 'something else' is really just a small variation from the first failed action.

He never quite gets the fact that his family is special in the eyes of the Lord, and thus he should align his behaviors to that mission and purpose. Whether it is how he chooses a wife, or how he interacts with his mother, or how he throws away inheritance, or how he responds to having been wronged, or how he chooses what land to settle ... Esau decides for himself what to do, sees that was wrong, but and never quite gets the point.

Application: Esau's actions are pretty common, and I have behaved like him. I have made decisions, had them not work out, so just made new decisions as if I 'learned from my mistake'. That isn't a process that is faithful to God's will ... a process whereby I should consult with the Lord for my decisions and actions, and follow his guidance. That is a process where I don't make decisions, I trust in the Lord's decisions and wisdom and knowledge and plan, and simply obey it.

This is what it means to "get it". It means to learn that my decisions will always be flawed - successful only by random chance - and the Lord's direction is always perfect. I desire to be less like Esau in this regard, and to find the Lord's advice more often, relying less on my plans and decisions.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your advice and wisdom. You are so very wise! I also know that the best things in my life have occurred when I have just surrendered to your plan. May I remember that in every decision, big and small, every day. Amen.

Giving Room for Self-Alignment

Scripture: He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26

Observation: When Jesus is awakened by the disciples, he calls out their lack of faith ... if they believed in Jesus as the Messiah, then certainly they know he isn't going to die in a boating accident. However, to calm them down, Jesus then calms the storm, and they are all amazed.

However, Jesus doesn't "command" the storm to stop. He doesn't give some all-empowering order that imposes his control over the storm. He "rebukes" the storm. He ... expresses his critical disapproval of the behavior of the wind and sea.

At first, this may seem odd, thinking that Jesus would not just issue a command. As God, it seems he would just yell "stop" and nature would obey. However, there is something so very, very much greater at work here. Yes, as God incarnate, Jesus has the authority of God and can control all of creation. However, also as God incarnate, he doesn't need to go around issuing orders and pummeling nature into submission. Instead, he simply tells nature that he disapproves of their current action, and - fully knowing his authority - nature corrects itself and behaves better.

This is how God interacts with everything. He has the full authority to just force everything and anything to do whatever he orders. Therefore, he doesn't do that. Instead, out of kindness and love, he corrects behavior, letting everything know when they are behaving in a manner with which he does not approve, and giving room for self-alignment back to God's plan.

Application: This is why God doesn't just tell me what to do. This is why God doesn't just smite or otherwise punish evil doers. This is why the Lord sometimes appears overly patient. In his love and grace, the Lord doesn't force us into submission. Instead, he lets us know when we are doing things wrong, and gives us room for self-alignment back to his plan.

Am I taking advantage of that opportunity? Maybe I ask too much for "direction" when the truth of the matter is ... I know the better way of behaving in life, and the Lord is allowing me the opportunity to just demonstrate to him my love and appreciation for him by aligning my daily behavior to his will. By his word and his Spirit, the Lord has shown me what is right and good, and now allows me to just choose to do that.

I need to quit being a storm, just because it makes me feel powerful. I need to be a calm sea, a gentle breeze, that therefore serves as a means for others to see Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, your patience is so amazing. I sometimes simultaneously thank you for your patience with me, while wishing you would quit being patient with others. Please forgive my self-centeredness. I will find ways to correct my ways today, and self-align to your will. Amen.

'Authority' from the Holy Spirit

Scripture: When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes. Matthew 7:28-29

Observation: This is the end of the 'sermon on the mount', and the people are astonished because Jesus teaches "like one who had authority," which is somehow different than the way their own teachers teach. This would beg the question, how was this different, and how was that authority exhibited?

We have few biblical examples of others "teaching". It is understood that, in the synagogues, there would be readings from the scriptures, and there may then be some summary statement of understanding about what was read. However, it is also well understood that the Holy Spirit was not active with the Jewish scribes and pharisees, and thus revelation about the scriptures did not exist. This is what Jesus is doing. Throughout this sermon, Jesus provides a short piece of scripture, then goes on to define how that truth can influence daily activity, alter one's life, clarify proper behavior, and improve relationships.

This is what "authority" looks like ... the Holy Spirit, giving meaning to scriptures, in a manner that reveals the Lord's purposes and love so that we can live a good life.

Application: I see something interesting in the above understanding of 'authority', which is this: It requires the Holy Spirit.

This seems like the true greatness and miracle of the Holy Spirit. It isn't just about 'spiritual gifts' or speaking in tongues or having unique insights. Rather, it is the ability for all of us to actually understand what God is saying to us. It is about the revelation of God!

Without the Holy Spirit, anyone could have some level of understanding of the existence of God. However, truly understanding how God's precepts and commands and instructions can give us a good, peaceful life, and how we can apply those principles to our daily actions and thoughts, involve a wisdom we can't have on our own. The Holy Spirit doesn't just give us that wisdom, but gives it to us with "authority" ... with an understanding we can rely upon as true and accurate as the Lord's instructions, and not just as our interpretation or opinion.

I do know there have been times, during my devotions over the last 10 years, that what I come to understand has this authority; That it is true and accurate and real, and not just my thoughts. I am comforted so greatly by this, because I know that understanding can come only from the Holy Spirit. I wish I had the Holy Spirit more and more powerfully in my life, and I know that I don't because of my failings. I don't wish it because I want 'authority' ... I wish it because I want the Lord's instructions for my life.

Prayer: Lord, I do mean this, I wish I had more and more of your moment-by-moment instruction in my life. Please forgive my sins and my sinful heart. May there be less of me within my own heart and my mind, so there can be more of your and your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Claiming the Promise of the Multitude

Scripture: "As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. ... I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as a permanent possession, and I will be their God." Genesis 17:4-5,7-8

Observation: When the Lord repeats the covenant to Abraham - in fact, when he renames him Abraham (v5) - the Lord uses some specific words in regards to people in the future. The Lord refers to Abraham's "offspring" as the people who are part of the covenant, and whom will receive the land of Canaan. However, he refers to the future people Abraham will "father" as "many nations" ... plural. It seems important to note that he does NOT make an explicit connection between the "nations" and the "offspring". It therefore seems clear that the Lord is defining two different outcomes:

-- Abraham's offspring will become a people-group, and that people-group will be compliant to this Abrahamic Covenant and in return will reside in the promised land.

-- Many nations, beyond this one people-group, will become the children of Abraham, and thus will be blessed as an outcome of the Lord's covenant promise.

Application: Part of the Lord's covenant promise is this ... that I am actually a child of Abraham. I am not Jewish, but by faith in Jesus I am from one nation that is now part of the "many nations" that come from this promise, and that promise was that Abraham, though soon to be 100 years old, would begin a family line that eventually creates the environment for Messiah to redeem and bless the entire world.

Today, I claim the promise that Abraham is my father. He is the father of the multitude, and I am one of that multitude of billions. The opportunity for, and conditions of, my salvation were promised to Abraham at that moment thousands of years ago. I am not part of his offspring, but he is my father.

Prayer: Abba, you are my heavenly father, and I am so delighted to be your son. May I remember every day that I am just that, a son adopted into a promise through the love and sacrifice of Jesus. Amen.

Not Having Normal Human Behavior

Scripture: For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Matthew 5:46-47

Observation: As Jesus teaches about love and kindness, he makes this differentiation ... we are to love everyone and be kind to everyone - and not just 'love our neighbor' and 'hate our enemies' - as a sign that we are believers in Jesus. He contrasts this to sinners and non-believers. They "love those who love them" and hate those who do not, and that is therefore just normal human behavior. People who are opposed to Yahweh are loving and kind toward people who act and think and behave and live the same as themselves.

Application: This concept is probably even more important today, when there are large factions of people who a) actively declare that God doesn't exist, Jesus is a fraud, and Christians are delusional, b) profess that their causes are explicitly all about love, and c) will fight and hate anyone who opposes their ideologies. Jesus has been very, very clear ... this is the very normal human behavior pattern for those who have rejected the Lord.

We - all believers, but beginning with me - must not have 'normal human behavior patterns'. To the extent we do declare that God is love, and we love others as ourselves, that must extend to all others. At the very least, there can be no room for hate based on ideologies. There are differences, and we know there are people out there who would even destroy the truth about the Lord, but the hate in their hearts is no reason to foster hate in our hearts.

Where can I do better? I can do better by actively being kinder to everyone. I can just be patient and gentle. I am better than I used to be, but this is an area where continued improvement is possible.

Prayer: Lord, I do know there are times when I am in a situation and I feel your influence on my heart, calming me, giving me peace and kindness and gentleness. And I know there are times when my natural tendencies come through instead and I get frustrated toward others. My kindness come from me more and more. May I not be 'normal' in this regard. Amen.

Pay Attention to Timing

Scripture: "Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you." So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord. Genesis 13:17-18

Observation: After Abraham returns to Canaan from Egypt, the Lord repeats his promise to him ... that he will be the father of a great people, and they will inherit the entire land. The Lord then tells Abraham to do something, and Abraham does something ... different.

The instruction = Go and travel around the entire land.

The response = Created a place to live with semi-permanent structures in one place.

We know that Abraham did wander. He had done so when he first entered Canaan, and he would later. He would soon move around to rescue his nephew, and in response to concerns about how his flocks and the flocks of certain Canaan were requiring the same land. However, based on the wording of Genesis 13, there is something to the idea that the Lord wanted Abraham to see the entire promised land, and Abraham wanted to have a place of his own. Yes, the dominant feature of that place would be an alter to the Lord, with the purpose of worshiping Yahweh, but that still isn't the same as wandering.

Application: I have seen a video of the archeology of Mamre. It is so exciting to know Abraham was there! However, I feel like there may be a lesson here about God's plans, and our plans.

There are many things we can do to obey the Lord. He is worthy of our prayer and worship and devotion, so doing those things is right and pleasing to him. He is worthy of our gifts and sacrifices, so working and then returning his blessings to him is honoring and obedient. He also gives us things to do, so doing them obediently is proper and good. Is it possible for these things to ever be in conflict? And if so, how would one resolve such conflict?

The responses are probably "no" and "timing". I say 'no' to conflict because certainly the Lord can organize his instructions to us, and thus when we have several things to do for the Lord they likely need to be ordered. It is likely this was what Abraham was doing. He wasn't actually 'failing' to travel the land. He was first preparing himself and his entourage and family, maybe even defining a home base for God-provided safety, and then ensuring that safety by establishing praise and worship as the priority on that hilltop camp. There is no doubt he would travel the promised land, but he would also worship Yahweh, giving sacrifices in response to the promises of the Lord.

One of my biggest issues in life is that I am unsure what the Lord is telling me to do. Sometimes I have heard him well, but not always ... and not recently. I don't know if I should 'stay' or when I should 'go'. I am not even sure what either would/should involve. However, here is my takeaway today ... I also need to pay attention to timing. If the Lord says "go", it may mean now, or it may mean to prepare now for going in several years. If the Lord says "worship me", it may mean "drop everything now" or it may mean "later today". In big and small ways, the Lord's instructions have a timing element.

Of course, I can't hear the instructions right now, so timing is moot. I hope that changes.

Prayer: Lord, I know I can't hear your instructions because I don't talk to you enough in the first place. This is the fix I need in my life, and you know it. May I draw closer to you, my Lord and my God and my Father. Amen.

The Power of Simple Obedience

Scripture: After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who intended to kill the child are dead." Matthew 2:19-20

Observation: From the time the Lord declared Mary would have the Messiah, this is the THIRD time Joseph has heard from an angel of the Lord. The first was when he was deciding what to do about the pregnancy and was told to marry Mary and believe what she said about the conception. The second was when he was told to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to evade Herod. Now he is told it is safe to return to Israel. Each time, Joseph obeys.

Joseph is not given a set of complex instructions. He isn't told, for example, to move to a specific city in Egypt and begin a business. He is effectively just given "step 1" every time, and while long-term success in that step may require years of activity, all that complexity is left up to him. God just gives him the basic instruction, and Joseph does it.

Application: I wish I were worthy of some simple instructions. I spend so much time on my own earthly thoughts, driving the Holy Spirit away with my thought life, working mindlessly on earthly tasks that have no eternal purpose, that of course I cannot hear instructions from the Lord.

And the questions I fear to ask myself is ... if I did hear instructions, would I simply obey? I would like to think I would. I like to think I have in the past. However, as I become an older man, less able to act in every way, but perhaps more able to serve in other ways, I would really love some 'step 1' instructions.

Prayer: Lord, here I sit today, declaring I would like to hear from you, when I spend my days with my mind focused everywhere but you. Of course I can't hear you when I don't even try to listen for you. Please forgive me, and please help me to overcome my wayward mind. If I could accomplish one thing this year, it is to grow closer to you in true relationship. And yes, you know the second thing I'd like to accomplish is to get better at golf. However, may the first one of these be sufficient, for it is certainly the only one that endures. Amen.

Anger Toward Kings of the Earth

Scripture:
The kings of the earth take their stand,
and the rulers conspire together
against the Lord and his Anointed One:
“Let’s tear off their chains
and throw their ropes off of us.”
The one enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord ridicules them.
Then he speaks to them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath:
“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
Psalm 2:2-6

Observation: The first psalm is about the difference between good and wicked people, and their one behavior at their core ... the good learn and obey God's word, and the evil do not. This second psalm expands on the actions of those who reject God's word. It begins calling the people of earth "kings", and this is consistent with the Lord's plan for humans. Humans were created to rule creation, thus every human is a type of king of the earth. These rulers conspire against both the Lord and his Messiah, therefore they not only reject the word of God, but they reject his entire plan for right living and salvation. They don't just ignore the teaching, they seek to throw that teaching away. They describe the good instructions of the Lord as prison materials that restrict them ... chains and ropes to be thrown off.

And how does the Lord respond? He laughs at their folly, displays anger toward them, and makes one simple and clarifying statement ... he has installed his king on the earth. That kingship begins on Zion, and anyone who is wise will receive that king (v10), but those who do not will perish in their rebellion (v12).

Application: Will 2025 be the year that the Lord's wrath toward these rebellious kings of the earth finally plays out? Is this the year that Messiah's anger will ignite, and those who have thrown off the Lord's wisdom and guidance and instruction and love will perish?

Already we see those who reject Jesus go on killing sprees. Already we see those who reject the Lord's truth declare lies that mislead millions into despair. Oh, how I hope this all ends. May the true king, who was crowned on Zion, be revealed to those who have rejected him, in power and wonder and awe, this year.

Prayer: Please, come Lord Jesus. Amen.