Looking for the Wrong Things

Scripture: When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. He didn’t evade the question. He told the plain truth: “I am not the Messiah.” They pressed him, “Who, then? Elijah?” “I am not.” “The Prophet?” “No.” Exasperated, they said, “Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself.” “I’m thunder in the desert: ‘Make the road straight for God!’ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached.” John 1:19-23

Observation: As John the Baptist begins his ministry, the Pharisees come out to figure out what is going on. They explicitly ask him if he is one of three people ... the Messiah, Elijah returned, or "the Prophet" (a person promised by Moses). John he clear that he is none of these, but rather he is the fourth person they should REALLY be expecting; he is a prophet predicted by Isaiah, whose function is to explicitly prepare the Jews for the arrival of the Messiah.

What happens next is ... the Pharisees dismiss John almost entirely, and thus ignore Jesus when John fulfills his mission by pointing to Jesus as the Messiah.

The Jews have so misunderstood the word of God that they entirely miss the boat. Moses declared there would be a great, eternal leader to come to Israel, and somehow the Jews did not equate that to the Messiah. Elijah was taken up to heaven, with no promise nor prediction that he would ever return, yet somehow they expect that to happen. And many prophets declare the coming of Messiah with Isaiah being the most clear on the topic, yet when John points out that he is in fact aligned to that prophetic message they reject the concept, even questioning John's authority to baptize.

The law and prophets have declared that Messiah will come to the world, by way of the Jews, to restore the entire world to the Lord, and that he will be introduced through one prophet with a message to "make way for the Lord." While that is happening before their eyes, the Jews are instead looking for other people with different purposes and missions and different messages, confused about who is who and what was and wasn't promised. They are looking for the wrong things, and thus miss everything.

Application: I think humans look for the "wrong things" because we confuse what we want with what we need. We search for what we want. God gives us what we need, plus what he knows we should want. How often do I miss those gifts?

I want comfort. The Lord has given me a good job that creates the provisions I need for comfort, yet I often get lazy with my work and think THAT downtime represents comfort. It doesn't, and it could cost me the provision if I keep it up. I want happiness. The Lord has given me a wonderful wife, and I ignore her while I play games on my phone as a source of happiness (which it isn't). This kind of list could go on and on.

I don't want to be a like Pharisee looking for Elijah's mythical return, and thus missing Jesus. I don't want to look for what I want, and miss the great things the Lord has offered me.

Prayer: Lord, I do know you have blessed me in so many ways, far more than I could want. May I find joy and peace and love only in you and in your blessings, for I truly want no more than that. Amen.

Forgiven Without Even Asking

Scripture: But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.” Luke 23:40-43

Observation: The conversation on the cross with the two criminals is most interesting, perhaps, for what is NOT said. We know one criminal mocks Jesus, but the other quiets the first, then asks Jesus to "remember" him when Jesus enters his kingdom. Jesus confirms the man's faith and salvation, telling him he will be with Jesus in heaven this very day.

At no point does the criminal ask for forgiveness of his many sins.

The second criminal is promised salvation by Jesus for one quality only, which is his profession of faith in Jesus as Messiah. He doesn't apologize for his crimes, and in fact the very thing he says before even professing belief in Jesus is that he is fully deserving of his sentence ... painful death by crucifixion. He knows what he has done in life, and while he may be sorry for it in his heart, there is no request for absolution coming from his lips. Instead, he simply and publicly declares ... he fears the Lord, and believes in Jesus. For this, he is promised salvation in heaven.

Application: Yes, we are all taught this over and over again, but ... salvation is by faith alone. I can argue against my own heart in this matter, reminding myself of the spirit of several New Testament letters, that while salvation comes from faith, evidence of faith is found in actions. However, the fact remains that Jesus grants salvation by one criterion.

And I fully and completely believe that Yahweh is the Lord God almighty, creator of heaven and earth, that Jesus is his manifest son and the Messiah who lived, died on the cross, was resurrected from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of the Lord. By that faith, I trust in my salvation. I do wish I did a better job living into that faith ... that I lived as if my entire life was truly a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. I do ask for forgiveness of my many sins, each individually being worthy of death, yet I believe in Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, again, please do forgive my sins and erase them from your ledger. As you know my heart, you know I believe in Jesus as my Lord and savior, so please see me only in his great and wonderous light. Amen.

We Shout Out Your Praise

There’s joy in the house of the Lord today,

And we won’t be quiet!

God Defines Destruction Differently

Scripture: Jericho was shut up tight as a drum because of the People of Israel: no one going in, no one coming out. God spoke to Joshua, "Look sharp now. I’ve already given Jericho to you, along with its king and its elite forces." Joshua 6:1-2

Observation: God is about to lay out his plan for defeating Jericho - which involves marching around the city for seven days when the walls will then fall - and Joshua will act on that plan in total faith. However, the Lord introduces the conversation with an interesting statement, and that statement is directly tied to a significant fact.

The Lord says he has already given Jericho to Israel ... past tense. Yes, the most likely 'theological' reason for this is that God is over all time and therefore knowing something will happen is the same as it already having happened. That said, the precursor condition to this conversation is significant. The residents and leaders of Jericho are scared to death of Israel. They have locked down the city, creating their own self-imposed siege and prison. In effect, they have already surrendered and become defeated victims by their own decision, caused by their fear. There is still the action of Israel required to complete the task of destroying the city, but as for the people of Jericho, they are already destroyed.

This idea - that people are destroyed or defeated not when they are killed in battle or have their city burned, but when they have realized that their way of life is opposed to Yahweh's will and direction, and thus turned inward and out of fear changed their lives to avoid Yahweh's truth - is prevalent throughout the Old Testament. It applies to individuals who have defied the Lord then attempted to seek sanctuary in safe cities, other countries, or even within regulations and traditions involving things like temple practices. This same idea applies to Israel itself when it attempts to defend itself from the Lord's curses already pronounced on them by Moses, where they lock themselves in Jerusalem to the point of their own starvation despite having active prophets remind them that their actions are fruitless as they committed the sins defined by God's curse.

Yes, the Lord does "destroy" people, but that destruction is rarely about how they die, and actually more reflective of how they live in hardship and misery, imprisoned by their fear of what the Lord may do to them.

Application: I think that, if Jericho would have simply opened their city and surrendered to Israel, based on the knowledge they already had that Israel had divine power behind them, they would have simply lived a good life. They would have aligned themselves to the Lord's will, and just been incorporated into that will. Their destruction was ensured when they became afraid God's will, and they had already "lost" when they behaved in alignment to that fear and thus lived their lives with dread and doom.

I know there are bad elements of the world, but I do not live in fear. This was emphasized during the pandemic, when I truly never once felt fear, nor embraced the idea of living in a manner of dread to some illness. Those who did ... have literally had their lives destroyed, mostly mentally. It is so sad to see how their outlook in life is forever altered for the worse.

For the most part, these people are still alive, living in a manner that actively resist God's will, and thus the common motivator for their lives is fear. Make no mistake, they are already destroyed.

Prayer: Lord, I have often prayed for you to give comfort to those who have lived, and are living, in fear and burdened by mental hardships caused by the events of the past five years. However, today I see this situation differently. These people are your enemies who act in resistance to you, which creates fear in their hearts, and you have, in fact, already defeated and destroyed them. Yes, I hope some will change their hearts and minds and join you, like Rahab's family. As for the rest, I don't know what to pray, but that your will, and your victory, has already been done. Amen.

Welcome to the Day He Made

Scripture:
The God of gods—it’s God!—speaks out, shouts, “Earth!”
welcomes the sun in the east,
farewells the disappearing sun in the west.
Psalm 50:1

Observation: This worshipful passage opens with the image of the Lord shouting out to the entire Earth. It is sunrise, and the Lord himself awakens nature.

Application: I was up early, well before sunrise today, and at one time was looking out as the world began to lighten. It was like this. The dark makes everything unseeable, but then the sky begins to lighten, and birds begin to sing, and it seems that God himself has awakened the world. Now we are only about 30 minutes past sunrise, and outside everything is revealed, normal, without any shroud or unseeable place.

What a blessed thought, to consider the Lord himself being part of the awakening of every day! While he controls the motion of the heavens and earth, he also shines his love on us. He gives us a heart to consider each day as a new hope, a new beginning, a new opportunity. The Lord himself welcomes me to the day he has made.

Prayer: Lord, this is the day you made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Halleluiah. Amen.

One Path for a Glorious Welcome

Scripture: When you see soldiers camped all around Jerusalem, then you’ll know that she is about to be devastated ... And then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way! Luke 21:20,27-28

Observation: Again Jesus is asked about the end-times, and again he gives answers about all the 'normal, standard' disasters that will come, and about which so many people will think they represent the end-times, but they don't. He even goes so far as to tell the disciples not to worry about it, because they'll be arrested and killed for their faith long before that.

However, he then does address the subject that began the conversation ... the destruction of Jerusalem. He tells the disciples they will see it, and the language he uses really couldn't be clearer that Rome will in fact destroy Jerusalem and scatter all the Jews away and into the empire. And then - THEN - Jesus will be greatly and gloriously welcomed!!

This is not the second coming of Christ. Rather, this is the moment when the Kingdom of God, and the promise of salvation through faith in Messiah, will well and truly be made known to all people. The disciples themselves are to up on their way, making this pronouncement, because the barriers will have been torn down, as the destruction of Judah means Jews can - in fact, must - travel freely through the empire. Disciples are to be ready for this. What at first sounds terrible - the total destruction of the temple and Rome's fury poured out on Judah - will instead become the very catalyst to proclaim Jesus to the entire world, as it will free the disciples to distribute themselves throughout all of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, effectively giving them the travel authority of Ceasar to move about and declare Jesus as the Messiah.

Yes, it won't be quite that easy, as there will still be a Roman religion and Ceasar-worship laws to overcome, but overcome them "Christians" will. And this will begin because the temple falls.

Application: I sit here wondering if we are seeing the signs of the end-times (while knowing no 'signs' were truly given), praying for the second-coming to happen (while knowing there are still billions of souls to save). In both contexts, my greatest worry is that the society I live in will completely collapse in my lifetime, likely caused by the decay of our entire moral center and the casting aside of Jesus and the Lord's teachings. Yet here is the lesson today ... perhaps the collapse of the "Christian United States" would be the greatest catalyst for the salvation of billions through Jesus Christ that human history has ever seen!

There is a very logical way that occurs, as the ~200 million Christian Americans would be forced to flee to all corners of the world. We saw the power of the gospel when only a couple thousand missionaries were sent to the 'new world' 400 years ago. We saw the power of the gospel when only a few hundred eye-witnesses of Jesus were thrust into the Roman empire 2,000 years ago.

We would all perceive the implosion of America as the greatest socio-political disaster in the history of mankind. There is a great chance that the Lord would view it as the greatest redemptive opportunity in the history of mankind. Which of those do I truly care about?

Prayer: Lord, yes, I pray for thy kingdom come. When I say that, I always mean that I hope Jesus will return. However, the true nature of those words is supposed to be the desire to see your will done here on earth, as the kingdom of heaven comes here. Well, if your kingdom on heaven can be accomplished without the United States, or is even improved and accelerated by the removal of our nation, well then please be with me, my family, and the faithful in our land. Thy kingdom come. Amen.

Love the Lord Your God

Scripture: And I command you today: Love God, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God, your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess. Deuteronomy 30:16

Observation: Just before this, in verse 11, Moses encourages the people that "this commandment" ... singular ... he is giving them isn't difficult. And the one commandment is this, to love Yahweh. All else follows this. If they love the Lord, they will stay in relationship with him, meaning they will obey his precepts and instructions, and in all of that context they will live a great and blessed life, because the Lord will be oh so very close to them. And it all starts with simply and truly loving Yahweh, as he has already loved them.

Application: I pray for nearness to the Lord. I pray for guidance. I pray for assistance. I pray for revelation of the path I should walk, for health and joy for my children and wife, for strength to overcome evil, for words to say to the lost, for peace in the midst of social angst. However, what I fail to pray for - and what I fail to do enough - is simply love the Lord.

I do love Yahweh. I know this in my heart. However, just like my wife complains about when she is feeling distant from me, I don't show that love enough, nor in the proper ways. I love the Lord, but ignore his precepts. I love the Lord, but don't just talk to him about my worries and my joys. I love the Lord, but don't immediately thank him for good tidings in life. I love the Lord, but spend time mentally transfixed on mindless and terrible distractions instead of focused on him. I love the Lord, but I don't think of how I can show that love daily.

If I were to simply spend time pondering and expressing my love toward the Lord, surely all else will follow.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for the many ways I sin and wander away, and seemingly express by thought and deed that I must not love you. I do love you, my Lord and my God, my savior and redeemer. You are my Lord, and my heart is yours. However, my heart is flawed and hard, and a little scarred. I say today, and will say more often, but more importantly show more often, that I love you, Lord. Amen.

Current Curse of Confusion and Contrariness

Scripture: God will send The Curse, The Confusion, The Contrariness down on everything you try to do until you’ve been destroyed and there’s nothing left of you—all because of your evil pursuits that led you to abandon me. Deuteronomy 28:20

Observation: Moses lists out the curses that will befall Israel if they turn away from the Lord, and those curses begin with this ... confusion and contrariness on everything. This section goes into much more detail, including total erosion of civilization with Israel and a return to slavery of the survivors ... it gets ugly, and Israel in fact realizes all those curses as they turn further away from the Lord. However, at their heart, all the problems begin with two mental states of the people:

-- Confusion: This is a lack of understanding of all aspects of life. It includes those practices intended to honor the Lord (like worship, legal compliance, and ceremonial activities), but also general daily living such as how to offer hospitality to strangers, government administration of cities, sanctity of marriage, and farming practices.

-- Contrariness: This is a division and conflict regarding any and every topic. It is most obvious in Israel when it divides into two different countries, but in truth it exists in almost all activities and topics. These conflicts manifest regarding land ownership, treaty enforcement, community rights ... a variety of issues, which repeatedly devolve into disagreement.

Application: Confusion and contrariness are the order of the day in the United States, to the point that it isn't even worth pointing out the many, many natural truths about which we are confused, nor the extreme manner in which almost every topic one can imagine becomes are philosophical / intellectual / political / cultural public battle to the death.

But what about me, personally?

From the perspective of contrariness, I used to be very competitive in my opinions. I have definitely softened. I still have a solid and unmoving stance on biblically-based truth, but I would prefer not to fight about such issues. I would rather "preach Christ crucified" than debate the law and prophets. I am privately critical of those who have strayed from the Lord in word and practice, but I don't engage in public debate, and I actively avoid hearing about such fights to the point that some may think I'm uninformed (or at least under-informed).

As for confusion, I have a good understanding of the Lord, though of course my actions are sometimes misaligned to that understanding. I would say there are times I am confused about the confusion of others ... times when I know the logic of the situation in inconsistent and can't believe others don't know that, too.

However, to be clear, I live in a society that is under these curses - a society that is actively turning away from the Lord, and thus very, very obviously exhibits both contrariness and confusion - and that means that I am under this curse. This is why Jesus is even more important right now. Jesus is not just the savior who can offer me forgiveness from when I fall into confusion and contrariness, and thus protect my soul for eternal salvation. He is also the perfector of the age, who will return and deliver us out of this state of curse. Jesus is the way, and it is only by him that anyone can be delivered from these curses, and not by our own actions and thoughts.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you so very much for Jesus, and his promised salvation. Yes, we are a cursed people, just as Moses said we all would be, and that was a prophetic word to show us the need for Messiah. May our nation turn to Jesus in preparation for his return. Amen.

Looking Back is the Worst Waste

Scripture: Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you’ll lose it, but if you let that life go, you’ll get life on God’s terms. Luke 17:32-33

Observation: Jesus' teaching about the coming of the Son of Man is confusing. There is an interpretation that this is about the second coming and the rapture. There is also an interpretation that this is about is impending death and resurrection, and how everyone is to respond the call to discipleship that follows. I this second context, the response of people is provocative. People are to immediately follow, leaving behind even their possessions in their house. Some will respond to the call, and some won't, even when they are next to each other and hear the same call.

Most interesting is the reference to Lot's wife, a very minor character in Genesis who did nothing but "look back" upon the destruction of Sodom, and was immediately transformed into a pillar of salt. Did she look back with longing on the life she was leaving behind? Did she look back with sadness thinking of friends who were being destroyed? The fact is, it doesn't matter ... she looked back because that old life - the life angels had commanded her to leave behind - remained in her thoughts.

Application: I have understood now for several months that one of my major problems is that I keep looking back at my life.

I look at certain elements of pain and hardship and relive them over and over again, renewing the pain in my heart. I look at certain events with joy and fond memories, and grow sad that those times cannot ever be relived. I look at old friendships and feel guilt over lost connections. In all of this, I invent scenarios of how things could be changed or altered in a manner that would improve my current life in some way.

But here is the truth ... my life is amazing and wonderful! Dwelling on these thoughts of the past, even the good memories, are ONLY causing me pain and sadness. They lead me into melancholy moods, wicked thoughts, and disconnected discontentment. Looking back at life is terrible.

And here's the real issue ... every moment I spend doing this is time I am not thinking about the Lord. It is time I am not meditating on his word, considering and thanking him for the blessings of my life, developing a closer relationship with him through the Holy Spirit, listing for his guidance and instruction of how I should walk his path for my life, enjoying the wonder of his hands all around me, serving him by serving others. I not only make myself sad when I think back on my life, and deny myself the love, joy, and blessing the Lord is bestowing upon me in the present, and turning my face away from Jesus and the prize of future eternal salvation.

I could 'fix' so much in my life if I spent my mental time meditating on the Lord, his word, and his work in my current life, and not looking back on the old, broken, and flawed life of the past.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding me again today of Lot's wife, and of your plans and intentions for me. Those intentions are in the future, not the past, and the blessings you have given me are right here for me to enjoy now. May I be present, in the present, with you. Amen.

Faith is Not a Continuum

Scripture: The apostles came up and said to the Master, "Give us more faith." But the Master said, "You don’t need more faith. There is no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it." Luke 17:5-6

Observation: In response to a lesson about how disciples are to freely forgive those who sin against them, this is the response of the disciples ... they ask Jesus for "more faith". This is clearly because the teaching from Jesus is difficult. It can be very angering and frustrating when a person sins repeatedly - or severely - against us, and compliance with Jesus' teaching to always and repeatedly forgive is a hard thing to do.

However, Jesus' response to this is equally hard on the disciples. The response is that there is no such thing as "more" faith. You just HAVE faith or you don't. If you have faith, then anything you try to do can be granted by God. He uses the example of a tree jumping in a lake, but the actual lesson is, if you have faith, then when you try to forgive someone you will because the Lord will give you the strength and mind to do so. However, if you try to forgive someone and cannot, that is a lack of faith, not less faith.

Application: I am faithful, but maybe not as faithful as I think I am for I continue to struggle with forgiveness. I say I forgive, but I still wish ill on others, and I'm not sure how these two mindsets interplay with each other. I know David has many examples whereby he actively asked the Lord to punish - even kill - those who wronged him, yet he was a man after God's own heart.

Clearly faith is not a continuum. I can't have 'some' faith. I either have faith in the Lord in this matter, or I don't.

Prayer: Lord, again I say today, I have faith in you, and so I put all matters of wrongdoing behind me. If it is wrong to also desire punishment for those I have forgiven, I ask, in faith, for your Holy Spirit to guide me to a different mindset. I trust in your Spirit to change my heart in reflection of my forgiveness of others. As I have been forgiven for so very, very much, I freely forgive others of the little they have done to me. Amen.

Stop the Foolish Noise

Scripture: You may be wondering among yourselves, “How can we tell the difference, whether it was God who spoke or not?” Here’s how: If what the prophet spoke in God’s name doesn’t happen, then obviously God wasn’t behind it; the prophet made it up. Forget about him. Deuteronomy 18:21-22

Observation: Here is the statement, straight from the greatest prophet, Moses, on how to identify a false or fake prophet ... what they say doesn't happen. The faithful people are to reject and forget about such people.

Application: I hate that I dwell on this so much, but ... we have so many, many people in our church who hang listen diligently to false prophets. These prophets declare and predict outcomes on a number of topics, from political elections, to global finance, to medical outcomes. They post on YouTube and publish online, amassing thousands - sometimes millions - of 'followers' who listen and believe what they say. And they are almost always wrong. The rate at which they are right is less than would be expected by even random chance. And still faithful believers of Jesus whom I know listen to them, defend them, and live elements of their lives based on these false words.

I just don't understand. I guess this type of action isn't the in the same category of the law as idol worship. Idol worship is an abomination and capital offense, whereas listening to false prophets is kinda just ... stupid, distracting everyone from listening to the real prophets the Lord assigns to speak his words. And again, I hate that I waste my time even thinking about this and allowing it to bother me, but it strikes too close to home when such fools are share their foolish understanding with us with such urgency and emotion that it demands mindshare. I wish the foolish noise would stop, so we could better hear the still, small voice.

Prayer: Lord, as I just said, I wish the foolish noise would stop. However, more importantly, may I just find the stillness of my own heart, and the prayerful time and attitude, to listen for and hear your still, small voice. Amen.

Actively Pursue Humility

Scripture: When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front.’ That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! Luke 14:10

Observation: Jesus uses the example of this dinner to make a key point about humility in the kingdom of God. Those who try to 'take' a place of honor may find themselves humiliated by being forced to vacate their place. However, those who simply take a humble seat at the table may be publicly honored by being promoted to a better spot. The point is, being humble is always better, at it leaves room for honor, while self-promotion can lead to humiliation.

Application: I am in a position of humility now, and the reminder in my life today is this ... in need to be mentally content in that position. I must not attempt to promote myself, or find some outlet of self-promotion, or seek a way to elevate myself.

If that is to come - if I am to be promoted or in some way honored - that will come from the Lord, without my effort.

And in this place of humble position, I need to do a better job of simply living within that role. I need to do the humble work that aligns to this position, and just do it to the best of my ability. In this way, I can honor the Lord himself. And if that also means I simply remain in this humble position for the rest of my earthly work career, that's great too. I would rather simply attend the wonder banquet of blessing the Lord has prepared, than to be dishonored before others because I attempted to obtain more for myself.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for all you freely give to me and my family. May I simply and quietly do the work before me, with humility. I do not want or need any earthly acknowledgement. May I instead keep my eye focused on only one future honor, that being your statement of 'well done, good and faithful servant.' With my eye on that prize alone, I am your servant. Amen.

No More Getting Kicked in the Shins

Scripture:
If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face;
confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.
So don’t waste your time on a scoffer;
all you’ll get for your pains is abuse.
But if you correct those who care about life,
that’s different—they’ll love you for it!
Save your breath for the wise—they’ll be wiser for it;
tell good people what you know—they’ll profit from it.
Proverbs 9:7-9

Observation: Lady Wisdom is speaking, and her lesson is black-and-white. Those who totally reject wisdom cannot be reasoned with, and any attempt to do so will actually get a wise person both physically and emotionally abused. However, if wisdom is taught to those who actually want to learn about what it means to live a good life, the wisdom will be lovingly received. Therefore, wise people are to ... "save your breath" for those good people who desire wisdom.

Application: I spend far too much mental energy worried about how to redeem and restore our society that has embraced terrible and illogical concepts. I have even looked to 'learn' how I could communicate with people who have ideals that are completely removed from God's wisdom. And I know very well that I have been abused by such individuals in the past.

As the Church, we cannot give up on society. It is our mission - our great commission - to make disciples. However, it is not our assignment as individuals to correct other individuals who have so radically rejected God's wisdom that their lives have corrupted the very nature of God's creation. If I were to embrace this proverb, God himself is stating that any attempt to enlighten such individuals will result in personal pain, and is a waste of time.

That is a hard pill to swallow. However, what I know is that, while it may not be MY task to correct others, the Lord can do anything he wishes. He has other tools and other methods that go far beyond human communications about heavenly wisdom.

I don't want to be slapped in the face or kicked in the shins anymore. And I don't want to continue to spend energy ... worry, meditation, or time ... trying to figure out the best methods to communicate with scoffers and arrogant cynics. I would prefer to allow God to do God's work, and I'll do the work he has planned for me.

Prayer: Lord, I do know you have work planned for me, and yes I know some of that includes evangelism. However, I also know there are many out there willing to receive your wisdom, even hungering for that wisdom and love and joy. May I find where you are moving in those areas, and join you there. Amen.

Everyone is Brought to the Crossroads

Scripture: I’ve brought you today to the crossroads of Blessing and Curse. The Blessing: if you listen obediently to the commandments of God, your God, which I command you today. The Curse: if you don’t pay attention to the commandments of God, your God, but leave the road that I command you today, following other gods of which you know nothing. Deuteronomy 11:26-28

Observation: As Moses gives instructions to Israel, he explicitly addresses the choice of blessing vs. curse. He really couldn't make it clearer. If Israel obeys the Lord, they will be blessed, living a comfortable life. If Israel disobeys the Lord, and especially if they pursue other gods and follow pagan rituals, they will be cursed.

Application: Everyone - literally everyone - stands at this "crossroads" at some point in time in their lives. This crossroads is NOT about just making mistakes, committing sins, or being disobedient and failing to follow every command. This crossroads is about one choice ... the question of believing in the Lord God almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and receiving the blessing of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as the son of God ... or rejecting that, and in place of it pursuing some other 'truth', be it in the form of a different religion, or personal fulfillment of life, or quest for pleasure and wealth.

Everyone gets brought to that crossroads, and everyone makes a conscious decision. Some will return to the crossroads and change their decision. In the end, I wish they understood that his a blessing-versus-curse decision ... and which one contains the blessings.

Prayer: Lord, I once chose 'curse'. I am so thankful you found me, led me back to the crossroads, and allowed me to choose blessing. You are my Lord and my God, my savior and redeemer, my way and truth and life. Amen.

Relax into God's Provision

Scripture: What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Luke 12:29-30

Observation: While these verses in this translation are very different than accurate translations, they carry a similar sentiment. Jesus is teaching the people to not worry about their daily lives. Not to worry about where and how they "get" things in life, and instead to pay attention to the wonder and love of the Lord so they can experience how he "gives" to them freely. In this way - by recognizing the generous love of God - we truly experience life with God. This relaxed open-handed living is simply a better way to live.

Application: I fully recognize how the Lord blesses me daily. I know, in fact, that I am incapable of achieving anything in life, and that I truly could not have the life I have if it were not for the Lord's generous gifts and blessings daily. However, the word in all of this that jumps out to me is "relax."

Relaxation remains difficult. Most of us, myself included, still find ways to be stressed about our daily work, and to get anxious over what we are doing. Even when I am doing a poor job at work, I then take on other stresses ... looking for ways to fill my mind with the difficulties and conflicts of the world, hearing ideas about what must be done to address earthly issues.

Jesus is calling all of us - including me - into a wonderful concept. Go ahead to do your daily work, but never stress about it. The Lord provides!! You can do your best, and he will take care of you, for he loves you so very, very much.

I still should do my best, but I will seek relaxation of mind within that context of good work.

Prayer: Lord, I know you provide, and you are my provider. You have given me such a wonderful life. I thank you for your great love. May I not only walk daily holding your hand, but relax in your loving hands every day as well. Amen.

Greeting Others with Peace

Scripture: When you enter a home, greet the family, ‘Peace.’ If your greeting is received, then it’s a good place to stay. But if it’s not received, take it back and get out. Don’t impose yourself. Luke 10:5-6

Observation: Jesus gives instructions to 70 of his disciples about how to spread word about the Kingdom of Heaven, and it begins with this greeting ... 'Shalom'. They are to greet others with a heart of peace.

The good news of Jesus as Messiah, and of the Lord's redemption of mankind, and of how we all desire to bring heaven here to earth, begins with a kind introduction of peace and wellbeing. It isn't a message of guilt, or accusations, or fear, or threats, or conflict, or correction. Instead, the message of Jesus is entirely the opposite. It is a message of hope, comfort, kindness, gentleness, guidance, security, salvation, and joy.

Application: This all is something I know, and it has been at the very heart of how we have practiced reaching others for Christ at our church. We show kind hospitality, without judgment and conflict. We invite others to simply enjoy their lives, but perhaps adding in a conversation about the love of God and the joy found in our hope in Jesus. These conversations are presented in peace, and hopefully with the spirit of Shalom that Jesus prescribes.

I would hope others who are faithful in Jesus would embrace this approach. In my heart, I hope I retain this approach, for of course sometimes in my heart I don't always feel this way toward those living by the world's model these days. I do desire to be kind. I would desire to bring peace to others.

Prayer: Lord, again I say, I desire to bring peace to others. May I not be a bringer of conflict or any negative emotion, but rather present others with the opportunity to simply relax, awash with the peace of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

A Dream I'm Trying to Remember

This is a post that is not about my devotional reading today. Instead, I am thinking of Lahaina. As I have said before, this is one of my favorite places on earth, and it is effectively ... gone. And yes, it will be rebuilt, but it will never, never, ever come back like it was. The Lahaina I love is truly lost forever. However, the people remain.

May that serve as a reminder to me that all of my earthly life is of no worth, except for the people and souls I encounter. The entire world will fade away, but the eternal love the Lord will always exist, and those with faith in Jesus will endure with him in the real paradise. May I make Lahaina my reminder that the only thing of value is people, and the only thing important is the decision everyone makes about Jesus.

Amen.

Learning How to Not Want Stuff

Scripture: After they left the mountains of Abarim they camped on the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho. On the Plains of Moab their camp stretched along the banks of the Jordan from Beth Jeshimoth to Abel Shittim (Acacia Meadow). Numbers 33:48-49

Observation: This is the last campsite for Israel, as they prepare to enter the promised land after 40 years of wandering. While they went a lot of places, seemingly randomly, they were not actually wandering day-by-day. There were 40 campsites, and some of these occurred in two times of rapid succession ... during the first few days and months after leaving Egypt, and again during the final year when they marched around Edom and through Moab. In most cases, they would stop for a year or two at a time.

That said, they were camping. When the cloud of Yahweh lifted from the holy of holies, they needed to be ready to move. They were living in tents, and taking with them only what they could carry and perhaps what a bull could pull on a relatively small cart. Any farm fields they had cultivated were left behind, and livestock must be in manageable herds.

In other words, Israel cannot collect stuff. Even when they have been in the same place for many months, they cannot acquire keepsakes or any person items that are not useful in their daily living. Even the useful items must be in manageable quantities, without redundancy. They can't have the "everyday" and "nice" version of anything, and they cannot hold onto older items because they are sentimental or might need the item in the future. In this way, they are more and more dependent on the Lord every day, for every provision, and not just for manna from heaven to eat or water from rocks to drink, but for even utensils and supplies they may need on a daily basis, but cannot just keep on hand for themselves.

Application: We have so much ... stuff. I have a three-car garage that is about 50 percent shelf space for decorations, tools, and old supplies I may need someday. I have a closet behind me stacked floor to ceiling with boxes I don't even know what they hold. Combined, my wife and I have a walk-closet with hanging space around it all, floor space below that, and three dressers/chest-of-drawers, all full of our clothes and shoes. We have put keepsakes in our attic space that we haven't even then looked at for a decade. In just one example of 'practical' items ... we have FIVE full sets of dishes ... an everyday set, a nice set, a winter set, a special Christmas set, and an antique glass set that was first owned by my wife's grandmother.

And we can have all this because we haven't moved in 23 years now. We have lived in this house that entire time, and thus when we have things we don't need today we can simply find a place to put the items. There will come a time in likely 5-10 years when we will move, and at that time we will make a lot of decisions and get rid of much of it, however that day has not come yet.

As a result, perhaps I am missing out on a connection to the Lord. I am missing out on the chance to have greater dependency upon him. I know I AM dependent upon him ... I have many of these things because he has blessed us so well, and allowed us joy and pleasure in life. However, when I need something, I just go get it.

Imagine how real the Lord's blessing would be if, when I wanted something, I had to pray and wait to see if it somehow just showed up in the desert. Or more likely ... imagine how real the Lord would be if ... I just couldn't 'want' stuff, and instead lived a life where all I wanted was to live with him.

Prayer: Lord, again today I thank you for your blessings. I have nothing that isn't from your hand, and from your heart, and I thank you with all that I am for the joys of my life. May I not allow those blessings to diminish my daily need for you, my Lord and my God. Heal my mind from its recent issues so I may be closer to you moment by moment. Amen.

The Ultimate Lazy Response

Scripture: Herod, the ruler, heard of these goings on and didn’t know what to think. There were people saying John had come back from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, still others that some prophet of long ago had shown up. Herod said, “But I killed John—took off his head. So who is this that I keep hearing about?” Curious, he looked for a chance to see him in action. Luke 9:7-9

Observation: Herod hears all that Jesus and the disciples are doing. These reports include miraculous works and major teaching events, with the possibility that Jesus himself is a great prophet. Herod knows Jesus is not John reincarnate, but other than that this entire issue raises his curiosity. As a response, Herod ... looks for a chance to see Jesus in action.

Jesus is everywhere, and people have total unrestricted access to him. In the previous passage, Jesus was in the midst of large crowds and doing his deeds so publicly that a woman was healed by him practically on accident. Herod could likely take a 1-2 day trip in a royal caravan and see Jesus, no problem at all, but while normal citizens will walk that distance just for a chance to touch Jesus, Herod won't make even that minimal effort. Yes, Herod is curious about Jesus, and as king he should be given the fact that some would believe that Jesus' teachings are radical or at the very least miraculous and historically meaningful. Instead, he "looks for a chance to see him in action" without taking any action at all to try to see Jesus.

Application: Herod exhibits the ultimate lazy response to Jesus ... being curious, but not taking even the most minimal of actions to learn anything more or satisfy that curiosity. I have known people who are curious about faith, and who take no action at all to learn more about Jesus, God, or any related element.

Most people will do something when they are seeking answers to life. Even when they seek it in the wrong place - spiritualism, false religions, or some earthly pleasurable practice - they will act and even study to explore the topic. And yes, discovering faith in Jesus involves action, either by learning and/or declaring such faith. However, every once in a while I have seen someone who says they are 'curious' and does literally nothing to satisfy that curiosity.

This may be one of the most unfaithful responses to Jesus ... and understanding that he represents something crucially important and meaningful, and not lifting a finger to explore what that might mean for one's life.

Prayer: Lord, I pray today in celebration for the baptisms we saw yesterday at church. Eleven people took action, discovered their faith in Jesus, and responded. I hope the celebration in heaven is still ringing this morning. May your hand be upon their lives, as they acted in response to hearing about Jesus. Amen.

As Long as I'm Breathing

After a good prayer and worship gathering last night - preceded by my personal time with the Lord - I know that I have a reason to praise the Lord, oh my soul!! I'll praise in the valley, on the mountain, when I'm sure or when I'm doubting, when I'm feeling thankful, and when I'm not.

There is nobody greater than you!!

Unworthy and Loved Anyway

Scripture: Jesus went with them. When he was still quite far from the house, the captain sent friends to tell him, "Master, you don’t have to go to all this trouble. I’m not that good a person, you know. I’d be embarrassed for you to come to my house, even embarrassed to come to you in person. Just give the order and my servant will get well." Luke 7:6-7

Observation: A Roman Centurian is hoping Jesus can heal his servant and asks Jesus for this healing. However, before Jesus arrives, he sends a second message that Jesus should not come to his house because ... he is not a good person, and thus unworthy for Jesus to come to him.

The Jews in Capernaum have actually given a different report about the Roman officer, stating he is a good man who has even aided their village. However, the Centurian thinks differently of himself. He knows the issues of his heart. He knows his actions in the past and present. And he has true faith that Jesus is someone special sent from the Lord. In this context, the Roman believes himself to be unworthy to have Jesus enter his house and meet him face to face.

This is a common conflict when it comes to understanding the Lord and Jesus as Messiah. The conflict is that, when we understand the holiness of Jesus and of Yahweh, we also recognize our own unholiness, and how much everything about ourselves - from our past actions, to our daily thoughts - fall short of the mark of 'holy'. In that context, we are ashamed, and likely want to keep God at a distance, lest he become fully convinced of our unworthiness and decide to turn away and reject us.

Application: Of course, I am using the wrong pronoun here ... this isn't a 'we/our' matter, but an 'I/my' matter. I desire nearness to the Lord, and actively seek more and more influence of the Holy Spirit in my daily life, knowing I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ. Then I recognize that I am a total failure as a person, with sinful thoughts, wicked and angry ideas, and a past that no good being could ever accept. And I hope that perhaps the Lord can love me anyway, if he stays far enough away to not look too closely at who I really am and at all my failures.

This is the real good news. Jesus brought me - everyone - salvation, not because we are good or even can be good, but because the Lord simply loves us so much that, in the full knowledge of our once and future evil and failures, he wants to give us good blessings and eternal love anyway.

Am I faithful because I understands both side of this narrative ... that Jesus is Messiah and by that faith and the Lord's love I am saved, yet I am so helplessly evil that I am totally unworthy of that salvation and love, which makes the giving of it by the Lord all the more amazing? I don't know. I am unworthy and loved anyway. This I do know.

Prayer: Lord, yes I know all of this, including the fact that I am so ashamed of who I am that I am embarrassed for you to ever come close to me. But I need you, and I need the Holy Spirit's strength, to have any hope of ever straightening out my many flaws. Please heal my wicked soul. Amen.

The Most Difficult Lesson

Scripture: To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more payback. Live generously. Luke 6:27-30

Observation: Jesus gives very clear instructions in this version of the sermon on the mount ... Love your enemies. This is the "turn the other cheek" lesson. When people mistreat us, as believers, we are not to respond with anger. We are not to repay hostility with hostility. We are not even to simply turn and walk away. We are supposed to love these people who hate and attack us, giving to them what they would try to take and even more.

Application: Even after five and a half years, I struggle with this lesson. I tried to live it out at the time, and I still try today, but ... wow, is this hard. In my heart, I find it nearly impossible to 'love' those that have mistreated me. I can avoid taking action (no payback), but it is hard to imagine how I should give to them in the midst of their hatred and attacks against me.

I see so much general angst in the world, and much is directed at people "like" me. I want to give love in return, but I struggle to passively absorb such vitriol, even when it isn't specific to me personally. My only hope is really to trust Jesus, and further trust in every promise of joy, hope, love, peace, and blessing.

Yes, I have received all those things, and I don't deserve any of them. I have also received hate, abuse, deceit, accusations, and lies when I didn't deserve them. That is certainly Jesus' point ... absorb the evil that humans dish out, because you will receive the love the Lord dishes out. This remains my comfort.

Prayer: Lord, I struggle with many things in life, and this is one of them. Please, dear Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and through Jesus Christ as my redeemer and master, may my heart truly soften, truly be at peace, and truly live as you would teach. I want to love my enemies, and simply be generous even when they hate. In your great name, I desire to do your will on earth, and bring your kingdom near. Amen.

For Want of Simple Kindness

Scripture: “Will you give us permission to cut across your land? We won’t trespass through your fields or orchards and we won’t drink out of your wells; we’ll keep to the main road, the King’s Road, straying neither right nor left until we’ve crossed your border.” The king of Edom answered, “Not on your life. If you so much as set a foot on my land, I’ll kill you.” Numbers 20:17-18

Observation: Israel and Edom are kin, the two people descended from twin brothers Jacob and Esau. After all this time wandering, Israel makes a simple request ... to take a shorter route northward to their destination but cutting through Edom along the defined trade highway, a route used by many strangers daily. Not only does the King of Edom deny them passage, but he threatens them with war if they try.

Jacob and Esau - though they had major differences growing up - had departed from each other on good terms. In fact, when they last met in Genesis, Esau was heading toward this land southeast of the Dead Sea along with thousands of people to found their people-group, and asked Jacob to join him. Now, his descendants refuse to even just allow Jacob's people to cross the land. It is this rejection and refusal to simply be kind to Israel, that will set the two nations at odds for centuries to come. Edom will always be the lesser of the nations and will eventually be removed from existence, because they would rather make effort to create a hardship for Israel than do nothing in a manner that would seem kind.

Application: I do this. I will sometimes make an effort to be rude to someone because I believe I have some right that is being imposed upon, when the truth of the matter is that if I simply smiled and ignore the situation, it would be consider kind by that person, and much easier for me.

Why I do this, I don't know. I want to be kinder to others ... can I learn that sometimes kindness is as simple as not making the extra effort to be unkind?

Prayer: Lord, I do in fact wish to be kinder and gentler toward others, and to love others more and more. I see this can begin as simply as not being mean, rude, or angry toward others, and taking the time and energy to act on those negative feelings. May I not be Edom anymore. Amen.

Content with the Lord's Provision

Scripture: The crowd asked him, “Then what are we supposed to do?” “If you have two coats, give one away,” he said. “Do the same with your food.” Tax men also came to be baptized and said, “Teacher, what should we do?” He told them, “No more extortion—collect only what is required by law.” Soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He told them, “No harassment, no blackmail—and be content with your rations.” Luke 3:10-14

Observation: John is baptizing many, and he is very direct with his words. He rebukes those who are getting baptized simply because it is 'trendy' to do so, clarifying they need to be pursuing a new, cleansed life. When they ask what that life looks like, he answers, and his instructions sound like ... simply living a good and humble life ... a life content with the Lord's provision. Share your excess blessings with others, don't cheat and swindle others in order to get more, and don't be mean to others simply because you can be due to your position in life.

This is the cleansed, changed life ... receiving your 'daily bread' from the Lord, and being humble about it.

Application: I have so very, very much in life, more than I need for sure. And yes, I enjoy it, but I do try to give much of it away as well. I should consider doing more of that.

At the same time, I still try to "get away" with things in life. I sin when I know I shouldn't and I am lazy in my work instead of giving my full effort. These are not humble acts, but rather the acts of a person who simply thinks I can get away with certain things. As I do these things, I suffer, and I fail to live the full life the Lord would have for me.

May I be content with the Lord's provision, and also live in a humble manner, seeking and doing his will.

Prayer: Lord, again I say this morning, please forgive me for my sins. In my mind and actions, I fail to behave and think as you would have me do. May I repent of these things, and turn toward these better instructions, to live a life of generosity, giving away from the abundance you have given me, and being honest and kind in all dealings. Amen.

In the Age of Wisdom

Scripture: God spoke to Moses: “These are your instructions regarding the Levites: At the age of twenty-five they will join the workforce in the Tent of Meeting; at the age of fifty they must retire from the work. They can assist their brothers in the tasks in the Tent of Meeting, but they are not permitted to do the actual work themselves. These are the ground rules for the work of the Levites.” Numbers 8:23-26

Observation: As part of the structure the Lord gives Moses for the service of the Levites, he defines the age of work and retirements. Those Levites 25-50 are to actively do the work. Those younger are still learning. Those older are retired. They may advise and assist, but they are not to do the work.

Application: I know I have reached an age where I should be more valuable in an advisory role than in actual labor. The question I need to ask myself, however, is whether or not I am actually giving the advise and wisdom as I should. As I do less work, I seem to engage less with others, and that serves the opposite outcome.

Prayer: Lord, I desire to stand beside the younger generation. I have talked about how I am moving beyond hard labor within the church, but may I find the proper avenues to assist others. Amen.

I am For Israel

Scripture:
God, you can now release your servant;
release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
and of glory for your people Israel.
Luke 2:29-32

Observation: Simeon, the old man who has been promised that he will live to see Messiah, beholds a two-month-old Jesus, and makes this joyful declaration. Messiah is the promised coming of salvation from the Lord. Jesus will bring these two elements to the people of the earth; To gentiles he will be a light that reveals God to everyone, and to Jews he will bring glory upon them as a nation.

The good news of salvation through belief in Jesus has certainly been a light to the world. It is by the gospel message that most of the world now believes in Yahweh, and even those who do not believe often have some context about the God of Israel we know to be the creator of the universe.

That said, it is interesting to declare the Jesus is the "glory" to Israel, knowing that many in Israel would reject him. Even still this is a point of contention for the Jews, many stating that belief in Jesus actually makes someone non-Jewish. However, the point is likely the fact that the Jewish people are forever now tied to the fate of all mankind. Yes, Jews have always had a level of importance beyond their size, in good and bad ways. In ancient times, their existence on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea was contested by many. More currently, they are at the heart of news and conflicts, despite the fact their nation didn't even exist for 1,900 years.

It is by the gospel that the world understands the importance of Israel, even for those who don't believe the gospel, and this should seem like another indicator of Jesus' truth.

Application: I will and do continue to pray for Israel. And I pray our nation will both as a formal body, and as individuals, declare ourselves firmly aligned to Israel. It may be difficult to comprehend and understand God's plan for mankind, but it is easy to understand the fact he works through Israel for much of it. I am for God, and I am for Jesus, so I am for Israel.

Prayer: Lord, may you be with Israel and the Jewish people today and every day. Turn away the hate that comes at them from others with both your forceful might and your amazing love. May your Shalom prevail. Amen.

Serving in the Large Community

Scripture: Kohath was ancestor to the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites. These were known as the Kohathite clans. All the males who were one month and older numbered 8,600. The Kohathites were in charge of the Sanctuary. Numbers 3:27-28

Observation: The Levites are organized by three clans - by the three sons of Levi - and each clan is given responsibilities for the care of the Tabernacle and all the items of worship. In each case, this results in a large number of men assigned to care for a limited number of things ... literally tens of thousands of men who might need to take care of a few dozen pieces of fabric, or a handful of gold utensils, or a few valuable pieces of ornamental furniture, or a couple large chests.

Application: In truth, God doesn't give us hard work to do. When he asks us to serve him, the work itself is often light and easy, and includes a community to participate in it together.

For a few months now, I have been resistant from doing too much. I am attributing this to age. For several years, I have been jumping into work that involves labor - mowing lawns, lifting large elements of the light show, climbing ladders to hang heavy decor - but I am feeling this in my body now. However, I haven't found the 'fallback' role for myself yet. Instead, I'm withdrawing from some activities, without the next area of service to enter.

God certainly isn't asking a lot of me. I'm just part of a large clan, and so even the big-ish and important tasks have many hands to help. I need to be aware that I should be a couple of those hands and not withdraw from service entirely. At the same time, I can trust that God is not asking me to do some undoable tasks.

Prayer: Lord, as I consider my role within the body of Christ, please provide me with your wisdom. May I serve you as you have positioned and gifted me, but also in ways that advance your kingdom and contribute to your people. Amen.

Doing the Assigned Tasks

Scripture: From Judah: Nahshon son of Amminadab. Numbers 1:7

Observation: The Lord tells Moses which individuals will help with the census of the fighting men of Israel, and thus become their tribe's military leader. For Judah, it is Nahshon. This is a name of note, as Nahshon is actually in the lineage of David, and thus also Jesus. He was also the first person to present an offering during the dedication of the Tabernacle. Some 'traditions' about him not in the bible are that he was Moses' brother in-law (thus maybe married to Mariam), he was the first person to enter the Red Sea at its parting, and that later he would be the father in-law of Rahab the prostitute who aided in the defeat of Jerico.

That's a lot to attribute to one pretty obscure individual.

Application: I am again reminded today about how one person's basic work can play a part in God's plan. Ignoring even the non-biblical accounts of Nahshon, the fact he served in the original organization of Judah, and that he stepped forward with the first sacrifice for the Tabernacle, are significant in how the narrative of the wilderness transpires. This period was key for how the Lord would work through Israel for centuries to come, and Nahshon simply ... showed up and did the tasks he was asked to do.

How am I just showing up and doing my tasks? I work, but what other tasks should I be engaging with? It doesn't have to be work ... it could be just stepping forward for worship, or being humble when asked to do something.

I should have my eye open for something soon, some request of my time and effort to be made. And I should simply show up and humbly do it.

Prayer: Lord, in your wise words about Israel, you have given us so many examples of how we are to live. May I consider Nahshon's willingness to simply do the tasks assigned to him. Amen.

Hanging Out with the Holy Spirit

Scripture:
Talk to Wisdom as to a sister.
Treat Insight as your companion.
Proverbs 7:4

Observation: As a new section of Proverbs begins, the writer again makes the point about how valuable God's wisdom is in our lives. It is something to embrace every day, always. It is a treasure, and just as valuable as our very eyesight.

Wisdom is also something - someone - to be interacted with. We can "talk" to wisdom. And we should do so with familiarity. Wisdom is just like a sibling or family member, someone we are around regularly and in fact share our lives with. Insight is a friend who we can casually converse with.

Application: I have been praying recently about my desire to do a better job meditating on God's word ... on his wisdom. However, I never just casually talk to "wisdom". I never say "Hi, wisdom, what do you think about this, buddy?" I instead interact with wisdom as if it is some vague concept that extends from the Lord, and as such I can only approach the ideas of wisdom as a tangential component of my prayers and reverence toward the Lord.

Wisdom - the wisdom that can guide my life because it is that extension of the Lord - is the Holy Spirit itself. And the Holy Spirit can be a companion who I simply interact with. It can be a sibling who is just in my home, sharing my life with me, and effectively experiencing and witnessing all that I do. So we can just ... chat! When we do, wisdom can then just chat back and give me the insights I seek, advice I desire, and direction I so desperately need.

Prayer: Lord, you know I feel lost, as I have struggles recently with just my life in general. May I find a way, in my heart and mind and body and soul, to simply be a companion with your spirit. Holy Spirit, I wish to hang out with you and just listen to your wisdom. Amen.

Yes, I Need to Pray More

Scripture:
These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray;
when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts
we’ll be on high ground, untouched.
Psalm 32:6

Observation: This psalm is all about prayer, and the fact we simply need to be praying to God, laying out our lives before him. When we do this, we will remain in his grace. When hardships come, he will be by our side. We will find joy daily. Every day - every time we pray - we get a fresh start, with our lives wiped clean of all problems and sorrows and guilt and mistakes. In Yahweh, and by prayer to him and relationship with him, we find all the remedies for the ailments of life.

Application: I have said this many times, including yesterday, that my prayer life is terrible. I do not pray enough, and I actively turn away from the Lord in my mind and commit sins and struggle with life. And yes, these two things are very related.

I need to pray more, and I need a better overall relationship with the Lord. I must stop holding back, for of course he knows my heart and mind anyway. I hold back from everyone, and it's a lonely existence. I must at the very least be open with the Lord, speaking to him regularly, sharing my life with him, and finding the peace, joy, hope, forgiveness, understanding, and love that he provides. It is always great when I do turn to him, and I need to do it more and more often.

Prayer: Yes, Lord, I desire to be closer to you, and I know you are not the one who ever pulls away. I will seek you. I desire to move toward you in both word and action, beginning with a better prayer life. Again I say, please forgive my sins, and help me expel evil from my life and my mind and my heart, so I can hear your spirit within me. Amen.

A Curse upon Lying Preachers

Scripture: Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and bewitching performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. Mark 13:22

Observation: Once again, as Jesus is asked about the signs of the end-times, he deflects a bit and isn't direct in his response. However, along with the list of all the general issues that have always occurred throughout history, he includes this about false teaching. He calls them "fake Messiahs" and "lying preachers", and elsewhere the term "false prophets" is also applied. These are people who are lying to believers, making false pronouncements, and the truly bad news is that ... believers will believe them.

Application: This week, a faithful Christian wanted a meeting with our church leaders and told them all about the fact that many, many "prophets" on ... YouTube ... are declaring that the entire world economy will collapse by the end of this week, and the church needed to pull its money out of one of the largest banks in the world - that bank is going to fail, and bank insurance protections are actually a scheme by the government - and urgently buy gold instead. So sayeth ALL these prophets.

These are the same prophets that have repeatedly wrongly predicted ... the outcomes of elections, other political actions, the beginnings of wars, the endings of plagues, the healing of people, the occurrences of earthquakes, the death of world leaders, etc. All these prophets have five major similarities identical to all of them:

1) They focus on pronouncing terrible events, many of which involve U.S. politics.

2) These pronouncements are mostly fear-filled and divisive.

3) They claim these are words given to them by God.

4) They are never, ever right.

5) Hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, believe everything they say, despite #4.

And Jesus knew they would be here near the end-times, liars with impressive credentials and bewitching performances, popping up everywhere, and pulling the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better.

Prayer: Lord, in the name of Jesus, today I first ask this. May you protect your faithful believers from such lies. May we actually know better. I follow on with this second ask. These liars, these false teachers, fake Messiahs, and lying prophets, who misrepresent you and besmirch your name through their lies in order to advance their personal earthly glory, may they be under a curse. May your strong hand correct and punish them, not just removing their influence, but bringing about punishment for the wrong they are doing to believers who should know better, but who do not and have been deceived. Be a jealous God, desiring your believers to believe only your true words, and actually smite those who make lying declarations in your name. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Minor Cuts Destroy Lives

Scripture: Any person with a serious skin disease must wear torn clothes, leave his hair loose and unbrushed, cover his upper lip, and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as anyone has the sores, that one continues to be ritually unclean. That person must live alone; he or she must live outside the camp. Leviticus 13:45-46

Observation: When a person has a persistent skin disease, this is their life from that moment on ... they must shroud their face, dress like a vagrant, live is isolation, and continually declare themselves out loud as an outcast. In the actuality of daily life, this is a worse punishment than almost any non-capital punishment for any crime. For the 'wrong' of having damage to the skin that became infected, this person is publicly shamed forever, barely able to survive, without friends or family.

This seems so harsh, and certainly contributes to the issues the Jews would develop around the significance of their washing practices. It must have been one of life's greatest fears, to get a minor cut while working in the field or walking in open shoes along rock-filled roads, and hoping no infection set in, as would almost be normal in such conditions. A minor cut could destroy their life.

Application: This is certainly a metaphor for "minor" sins. Doing little things wrong now days - telling a white lie, looking with lust at a person, muttering God's name in vain - seem minor in daily life. However, they could be destroying our lives, creating the little weakness where greater issues can enter the body and mind, placing distance between us and God.

It is clearly impossible to live a life without ever doing those little things, which is why my faith in Jesus is so important. I know I sin. I know I create these 'minor cuts' in my life daily. And I know some of them have become infected from time to time. Because of Jesus, I don't have to have my life destroyed and live in public shame forever. I am washed by his blood.

Prayer: Lord, I do seek your forgiveness for the sins I have committed these last days. Please wash me clean, and help me to repent of patterns in my life that continue to nick my heart and soul. I desire to be spotless, and I can only do that through your grace and the sacrifice of Jesus. I claim that, as I do firmly believe in Jesus as Messiah, and my Lord and savior. Thank you for your mercy, and for not leaving me as an unclean outcast forever. Amen.

Seeking Wisdom to Respond to Lies

Scripture: Jesus said, "You’re way off base, and here’s why: One, you don’t know what God said; two, you don’t know how God works." Mark 12:24

Observation: When the Sadducees attempt to trick Jesus with a question about resurrection, this is the response ... they are ignorant of even the context of their question. They base this question on the assumption of marriage in heaven, when there is none. Also, the context they assume is about how relationships work for eternity, ignoring the fact that, in heaven, relationships are focused upon the Lord and love he pours out.

Ultimately, Jesus doesn't answer the question because the question itself is nonsense. It appears like a good question when taken as-is, but given the fact it is based on factual inaccuracies and bad assumptions, responding to it would only re-enforce (intentionally?) inaccurate logic.

Every day, people challenge the Lord by first, completely misstating his word or the historical facts surrounding his and Jesus' words and deeds, then misunderstanding his nature and purpose in the first place. The fact this same model is used to create all kinds of fights and division in our world today is evidence that this model is inspired by the originator of all lies, who used this exact same model in the garden of Eden. Satan deceived mankind by first eliciting a misunderstanding of what God even said in the first place, then outlining a faulty assumption about God's reasons.

Application: I have been through this issue several times in just the last couple days, and see it so very, very often on social media ... arguments that begin with a "Since X is true, then ..." type of statement, when X is absolutely untrue. Just yesterday, I was asked in a game board "Why doesn't God due miracles anymore?" Obviously, the answer to 'why' is moot, because God DOES do miracles every day. They further wanted to know why he didn't do "big" miracles to impress the world, and of course God has never needed to "impress" anyone and that has never been the purpose of any miracle, and thus their understanding of even the nature and definition and context of miracles is flawed.

This is just one example of this in daily life today. We see this on almost every thread on every social media platform, on every topic ... heck, this happened yesterday on a thread about a new luau in Maui. This is a dangerous model, and especially for us Christians sometimes asked to address questions about faith, we need to be prepared to respond like Jesus. Specifically, we need to examine and correct the question first, avoiding the trap of responding to flawed logic, inaccurate assumptions, and inaccurate bible quotes.

Prayer: Lord, you have shown us a model for wisdom, and how to avoid the trap the evil one creates with his lies. May we seek your wisdom in our conversations every day. Amen.

When Faced with Our Own Truth

Scripture: “Listen to me carefully. We’re on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Romans, who will mock and spit on him, give him the third degree, and kill him. After three days he will rise alive.” Mark 10:33-34

Observation: The truth is, Jesus could not have been more clear about what was about to happen to him. What he outlines here is exactly what transpires ... the Jewish leaders will accuse him of violating the law and sentence him to death, then the Romans will carry out that sentence and kill him, after which he will rise from the dead three days later. Even if you don't believe that would or can happen, there's really no way of not understanding that is what Jesus says will happen. Yet, the disciples just don't understand.

It seems this lack of understanding must be rooted in the idea that this is all just unthinkable. In their context, they see two completely unchallengeable facts. First, once people are dead, they are dead and cannot "rise". Yes, they have seen Jesus perform miracles that seemingly contradict that, but not upon himself, and no well after the person is buried. Second, Jesus is the Messiah, so it cannot be that the Jewish leaders themselves - the ones most studied about prophesy and who teach others about this very topic - will be the ones who reject and accuse and condemn Messiah.

The second of these facts - Jesus is Messiah - was clearly true. However, the conclusion that educated humans won't reject that fact, substitute their own version of truth, and then act upon their own conclusions, was wrong.

The first of these facts - the dead cannot be resurrected - was clearly false. Jesus had already done it, and would do it again soon with Lazarus. God can do whatever he wants, and the disciples assuming it couldn't be done was them rejecting that fact, substituting their own truth. Their conclusion was wrong.

Application: I was talking to my wife the other night about the modern phrase "living (or speaking) my truth". This is what someone says when they justify declaring their own thoughts on a topic ... that the declaration is "my truth". The issue is that this is often done when two or more people are in wild disagreement about the facts of a situation. The implication is that, by naming their version "truth", it is now unassailable fact. Since "truth" by definition cannot be false, "my truth" cannot be false.

This is all a concept I hate, and it is a concept that permeates mankind today ... and apparently has done so for thousands of years. Yes, it goes back to original sin. However, we at least used to leave room for the idea that such stances were still personal opinions or decisions or conclusions, and that they could be wrong.

There are many things about which I believe I know the truth, and I'm sure I'm wrong about many of them. But I do know there is only one source for truth, and that is the Lord. I must not have my own truth.

Prayer: Lord, the evil one has declared war on you, and his tactic has been to confuse in the hearts of men those things that best define you. You are love. You are truth. You are justice. You are mercy. At least three of these four now have completely corrupted definitions in the minds of billions of people. May we all return to your truth, and not cling to our own. Amen.

Standing in the Storm

Today is leap day, so the reading is just three verses about the bible itself. Instead ... let's turn it up!

Whatever comes,

I'm not giving up.

I still got some life in me!