Thursday, April 30, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 27

There are two things that I really want to talk about from this chapter today. First, I want to look at the account of Pilate and then I want us to take some time and look at verse 51. There is so much in this chapter that it would be really difficult to focus on it all.

The story of Pilate really hit home with me. Pilate knows that he has the ability to stop this. He has been appointed to a position with great power. His wife even warns him that this may be a bad decision. Although this is not the part I want to focus on, consider this a bonus lesson from the scripture: when your spouse or someone else close is throwing up red flags to you it is a good idea to listen. Sometimes God uses the people around us to teach us something, so we must always be listening for what God may be trying to tell us through others. The thing with Pilate that stuck out to me was his inaction. Sometimes we think that inaction can cause no harm or do no wrong, but we are greatly mistaken. Inaction can be just as wrong or worse in some cases. Pilate believed, and we sometimes do as well, that if he said it was not truly his fault that it wouldn’t be. When we see an injustice, even if we are not the cause of it, if we tell ourselves that inaction is ok, then we are wrong. I think that God often puts us in situations like Pilate was in, where we have the choice to not act or not. Pilate did not want to be remembered as the guy who said, “Crucify him!,” but his inaction has forever linked him to the death of Christ.

I am so glad for His death on the cross. With our current study of Leviticus, we have seen the measures that the Israelites had to take to come into the presence of God. The death of Christ and the tearing of the curtain symbolize the end of the separation. As we have seen in the Old Testament there is need for someone to be the mediator between the common man and God, but with Christ’s sacrifice He takes on that role. There is no more need for new sacrifices and no more need for a physical dwelling place for God. His spirit can now live in us and not be separated by a curtain in the temple. Praise God for the new covenant!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Today's Passage: Leviticus 16

God always amazes me in the way that He has had a plan for us since the beginning of time. As we read through the Old Testament, we gain an even deeper and more faceted understanding of our Savior. When it comes to the Old Testament pointing the way to Christ, today's passage is no exception. Leviticus 16 introduces us to the idea of a scapegoat, a goat which took on the sins of the people and was cast alone into the wilderness.

As I was sitting down to write this blog, a friend called and told me about a book she recently read called The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers. The book is a historical fiction piece about the group of people living in the Appalachian Mountains during the mid-1800's who utilized the idea of a scapegoat or "sin eater." A sin eater was often a beggar who lived outside of the community. When a person died, bread and wine would be placed on the body and the sin eater would come in unseen and eat the bread and drink the wine, supposedly ingesting all of the sins of the dead person. Eventually missionaries taught the group of the ultimate scapegoat, Jesus Christ. By taking on all of the sins of all of humanity, Jesus not only saved us from our sins, but eliminated the need for atonement through exercises such as using a scapegoat. As you read through these passages of the Old Testament, do so with a thankful heart. Imagine how life would be without Jesus and let us never stop being thankful for the gift of eternal life that we have in our Savior!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Today's Passage: Leviticus 15

After you have read this chapter you are probably thinking one word: Irrelevant. These cleaning rituals seem to be far removed from our American culture. However, I believe there is a great lesson for us from this passage. It is easy to see here that God has a high regard for people to be clean. While this was an act of hygiene, it was much more symbolic of spiritual cleanliness.

We, as believers in Jesus Christ, are called to be clean in our spiritual walk. James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you, Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James was showing the churches of his day that being spiritually clean is a vital part of following Jesus. In today's culture the private world of sex is being exploited in every way possible. Simply look at the stores on 377, the commercials during your TV programs, and the ads in your favorite magazines. This idea of physical and spiritual cleanliness is polar opposite of the environment we inhabit. What then should the Christian response be toward an unclean and impure world? Paul answers that question in Romans 12:2a, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." We must keep in check our personal spiritual cleanliness in our hearts and minds.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Today's Scripture: Leviticus 14

This may sound like a stretch, but there are two things that God revealed to me through this scripture.

First, all of us have done it or have wanted to do it, that is throw away a piece of Tupperware or an article of clothing because it was just too dirty. Whether it be a shirt that was left in a gym bag for a month or the container of who knows what that has been in the back of the fridge longer than you can remember. We often write things off as "uncleanable". God however in both of His instructions in this passage begins with "first try to clean it." He doesn't say "this person or that house is past the point of recovery", no. He says "try and then if there is no change then throw it out, but try first."

For me this is one more piece of scriptural proof that God's primary desire is for us to have the chance to be clean of our sin. He wants us to be clean of our sin so that we can be in His presence. God writes no one off, not matter how "dirty" they are. All He asks is that we first try.

Building on my point above, the second thing that God revealed to me is this: He instructed His people to wait seven days after the initial cleaning and then reevaluate the cleanliness of the person or house. God is trying to stress to His people that just the procedure of making yourself clean is not enough. You must make sure that the sin or dirtiness doesn't return.

The most effective way for us to do this in our own lives is to have someone hold us accountable. If we have someone checking back in on our cleanliness then we are far less likely to fall back into dirtiness or sin.

To put it simply, God's first desire is always our spiritual cleanliness, and to help us maintain that cleanliness it helps to have others who will check it for us from time to time. So I encourage you if you aren't a part of an accountability group on Wednesday nights come and find one. It will truly bless you and help you to be accountable to God's desire for your life.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Today's Passage: Leviticus 13

I'm thrilled to be writing my first blog as Minister of Music at Bear Creek!! So--here goes!
What do you write about Leviticus 13?

As written in an earlier blog, Leviticus emphasizes the holiness of God. The phrase that has impacted me the most is, "soothing aroma to the Lord." But this phrase isn't found in this chapter--lol. Leviticus 13 is full of procedure for leprous spots on skin, the head, and materials of all kinds. It is very easy to connect this passage to our own quest for purity and holiness in our lives: What do we do when we notice a leprous (sinful) spot coming up in our skin? But is it really about our actions?

There is more to this passage, however. To me, it is another window into who God is. It's not so much the steps to follow to handle our "leprous spots," it is the fact that God steps in and cleanses us. Our Father wants ALL of us, our circumstances, our diseases, ALL OF IT!! He took the ACTION (Christ's death and resurrection)to cleanse and cover all things, and we MUST receive it in faith if we want true cleansing that is found only in Him. This is where our actions count--are our actions putting us in the place to receive His cleansing? Just like the Israelites with leprous spots had to be examined, WE have to be examined--through His word and through prayer.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Today’s Passage: Matthew 26

After reading today’s passage, I felt a sense of conviction and sadness. I think the primary reason is because, this passage recalls the actions of the disciples towards Jesus at the end of His earthly ministry. I am distressed because I know that I would have acted just as they did. First, they were so bent out of shape about Mary anointing Jesus because they were missing the big picture. Second, they all promised that they could/would not disown Jesus. Third, Peter, based on his actions elsewhere in Scripture, was adamant about never betraying Jesus. Fourth, Peter, James and John could not even stay awake with Jesus during his prayer in Gethsemane. And on and on I could go about the disciples’ having a large portion of this go right over their heads! And I read this thinking how could they have missed it?

These are the types of things that constantly amaze me about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave all the warning signs. As a matter a fact, He blatantly told them what they would do against Him and they still did it and wept afterwards. God’s love for us runs so deep! Here is Jesus, troubled about the crucifixion He is about to undergo and His closest disciples are falling by the wayside, it seems.

I realize it may appear that I have been somewhat harsh towards the disciples thus far, that is not my intention. Rather, I wanted to share my feelings after reading and digesting this passage. Oh how often am I oblivious to all the signs and convictions God is using to direct my paths. Yet, Romans 5:8 reveals His love for me even in those times! Christ felt deeply and compassionately towards His disciples. He loved them, as He does His children.

I always like to end with something to take away, and the best way to do that on a blog is a challenge. So, here is a challenge for myself and for you. Christ, in His troubled times fell on His face before God, for hours. (vs 47-56). Would you take sometime today, tomorrow, the rest of the week to physically get on your knees before God in prayer? He loves us and desires to hear from us.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Today's Passage" Leviticus 11-12

If you've been following this blog for several months, I want to commend you today! This is the 83rd entry in our two year trip through the Bible, and I hope spending time in God's Word Every Day has enriched your walk with Him.

I want to commend you today because we're now in a danger zone...the book of Leviticus. I've attempted several times to read the Bible straight through, only to bog down in the details of Leviticus and never make it through. While these lists of rules may seem tedious at times, there are, like all books of scripture, things that God can use to touch our hearts and change our lives. Keep going and see what God has for you!

That being said, today's passage is a list of rules about food and purification. We must understand in context that the Israelites didn't know all that we do about keeping food clean and safe. God prohibited them from eating foods that would hurt them...they didn't understand the full picture, so God was very simply trying to keep them from harm.

I don't know if the people were grumpy about not getting to eat rat or lizard, but often times we see God's commands as a bind or a hindrance. Scripture tells us in Romans 8 that all things work for the good of those who love Him. That means that even the rules that sometimes feel binding are working for our good! There are many times that we don't see the big picture or don't understand everything, but we can trust that God does. He sets up boundaries to keep us safe from harm, just like He did for the Israelites here.

Have you been pushing back against the boundaries of God lately? Do you realize He has no plans to harm you, but to protect you and give you hope and a purpose? Instead of fighting God, let's rejoice that He loves us enough to protect us from ourselves!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Today's Passage: Leviticus 10

Today’s passage is for me another great example of how the Old Testament builds a foundation for the New Testament.  The part of today that I really want to focus on the first three verses.  Aaron’s sons knew the law and the procedure as well as anyone.  They handled sacrifices and had been told exactly how to do everything, very clearly.  They next to Moses and Aaron were “the guys.”  The one problem with being “the guy” is that everyone looks up to you and if you are not careful, you forget that you are “the guy” but you are still just a small fish in a very big pond.  What they chose to do was wrong, but I think scripture makes it very clear that they were aware that they were doing wrong.  It appears that they got careless and believed that their actions would go unpunished.

 

For us it is very clearly laid out in the New Testament in the book of James.  James 4:17 tells us that if we know the good we ought to do and do not do it, it is sin.  That is pretty clear.  I think the same is true, that if we know the evil that we are about to do, but still do it is sin.  Now, I want to be clear that if you do wrong and do not know, it is still wrong.  What I think is important is that if you know and still choose to do it, there is no easy forgiveness in that.  When a two year old does something wrong, sometimes it is still cute because they do not know, but when a 12 year old does it and knows it is wrong there is nothing cute about that.  However, we as adults fall into the same trap that Aaron’s sons did and that the book of James warns us of.  We know what we are doing is not right, but we still do it, even when we don’t like ourselves for doing it.  Paul talks about this in Romans 7.  We are people, and it is clear from this story in Leviticus, that do things that are not good, even when we know they are not good.  It is our nature, and we cannot beat it alone.  My prayer for you and for me today is that we will seek out God and ask for His divine help to avoid temptation and that He will put someone in each of our lives that can help us battle thru sin.  There are many sins that tempt us and it is easy for us to fall into our old bad habits, we must not go at this alone.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Today's Passage: Leviticus 8-9

It is really the simple things that give me pleasure and one of my favorite things is one of the simplest. I love car air freshener. I buy the same kind every time, but I love it when it's time to put in a fresh one. As a matter of fact, I just got a new one on Sunday and every time I open my car door that fresh apple-y smell wafts out at me and makes me smile.

As I read this description of the offerings made to God, I am struck by the language used in Leviticus 8:21 which describes the burnt offering as a "pleasing aroma." Although we no longer make these types of animal offerings to God, I think He still views our offerings as a pleasing aroma. That is amazing to me...that God would see my offering as a pleasing aroma, wafting to Him and making Him smile. As much as I desire to please God, I often fail to view my offerings in this way. How much more pleasing it is when I selflessly offer Him my time, my words, my praise, my life...all because I desire God's pleasure. Let us live our lives as an offering to our Creator...striving to be a pleasing aroma to Him!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 25

Throughout my life, even as a young man, I find it easy to lose focus. That is focus on the 'right' things. It is so easy for me to get hung up on the everyday stuff. We all have family and numerous responsibilities that require time and energy. However, after reading Matthew 25, I realize that Jesus calls me to be more aware of life around me than just my normal responsibilities.

There was an entire group of people that Jesus chastised because they did not take care of the physical needs of others. Jesus explained that when they took care of others, they were taking care of him. They did not understand, because they did not see Jesus, so how then could they take care of him? Jesus pointed (as he often did) to the marginalized, and showed his disciples who should receive their ministry.

Jesus does not leave room for excuses here. So if our lives are patterned in such a way that we do not come into contact with those who are in need, then we must find the time, energy, or money to minister to these people. Taking care of the needy was serious business for Jesus, and therefore should be serious for us too. I pray that we all have the hearts to go and minster to the needy, because when we minister to them, we minister to Jesus!

Moday, April 20, 2009

Today's Scripture: Leviticus 7

Wow, look at all the rules! Can you imagine if we had to follow these guidelines today, just to be free from guilt or to extend fellowship to God? If you hadn't already come to this conclusion last week, I think it's pretty clear that Jesus provided a much more efficient process for us to communicate with God as believers.

Thinking about Brett's sermon Sunday really puts these long ceremonies in perspective for me. I mean, if we truly believe Christ's claim as being THE way, THE truth and THE life, then it should be a relief to us that all we have to do to be saved is confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord. No elaborate "what to do with this part of the animal" or "don't eat that part of the animal unless it's on this day" just a simple believe and act like it.

I know what you're thinking, what God wants from us right now sounds so simple when we look at it in comparison with what God required from His early followers. I believe that is precisely why God gave His people these detailed directions on how to make their selves clean. He knew that He would have to send His son to finish the job, but He also knew that man needed something to compare to Jesus' sacrifice so that we could truly understand how big of a sacrifice it was.

In short, these passages have helped me to be thankful for Jesus' sacrifice in a whole new way. Thank you Father for making for us a simple and clear process for salvation through your Son, Amen.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Leviticus 6

If you are like me, then when you look at chapters like Leviticus 6 you are very tempted to just flip right past it and move on to something more...well...interesting? I mean, why do we need to know all about the different kinds of offerings? But of course that thought is fleeting. As I read this chapter, I was struck by the use of one word: holy. The author uses that word over and over again. I cannot help but think that this is an important thing to catch for us. God desired His people to be holy, which means "set apart." These offerings and the other rules mentioned throughout the first several books of the Old Testament are partly what set apart the Israelite people from the rest of the world. In Exodus 19:6, God declares that He wants Israel to be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Leviticus 6 shows us just a few of the practical ways for the Israelites to live in order to fulfill that command.

The focus on the word holy reminded me of my "life verse." When I was 13, my dad took me to dinner for my birthday and gave me a ring to wear on my left ring finger, asking me if I would take on the responsibility to remain pure (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) until marriage. He explained why this was such an important covenant to make with the Lord. I accepted and after doing so, my dad handed me the ring and on the inside he had inscribed "1 Peter 1:15-16," which says "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" This has been my life verse ever since. God desires us to be holy just like the Israelite people we read about in the Old Testament. He wants us to be set apart and we are to be a kingdom of priests even today (Rev. 1:6).

This chapter challenged me to take a deeper look at my life. Am I really living set apart for the Lord? Does my life look different from the people I pass on the street? I believe it should. I know that the Lord has convicted me to rediscover the practice of living a HOLY life before Him, in all aspects of life, not just the easy ones. I pray for you as well as myself as we read Leviticus, that God will show us areas in our lives that need to be holy, just like He is holy. It's a tall order, to be sure! Thankfully, we have the power of the Holy Spirit with us that will help us!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Today’s Passage: Leviticus 4-5


Today’s passage of Scripture reminds us of the wonderful sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God that He sent His only Son to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Those in the Old Testament were required by God to make specific sacrifices for their sin in order for the sin to be atoned for. What this means is that God instructed them to have the priests offer up a sacrifice for the people’s sin, in order that God would forgive them and thus bring the relationship back into a right standing with God.

In the New Testament; however, we see that God’s Son, Jesus Christ was the sacrifice for our sins! You may have heard of the phrase, the priesthood of the believer. That is what this phrase is referring to. No longer are we (Christians) required to go and slay a goat or lamb and prepare it in a specific way for the priest to offer it up to God as a sacrifice for our sin. Rather, we as the believer can boldly approach the throne of God and confess our sin to Him and ask forgiveness of them c.f. Hebrews 4:16 (or Hebrews 4 for that matter). If we genuinely repent, God says that He forgives us and our relationship is thus back in a right/good standing.

I challenge you today, to mediate on the fact that Jesus Christ is our ultimate sacrifice. He died in our place so that our sins would be forgiven. This does not mean we only ask once and that’s it. Even in today’s passage, we see that God’s people had to keep sacrificing for sin. God does not want sin to come in between our relationship with Him. This is one reason why we confess our sin to Him. So again, I challenge you to confess your sin to God today, in genuine repentance. And meditate on the fact of God’s sacrifice for myself and you! If you would like more reading on this, I recommend I Timothy 3:5 and the whole book of Hebrews, or more specifically Hebrews 7:23-28.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 24

This is a difficult and often misquoted passage of prophecy. People take bits and pieces of these verses like "wars and rumors of wars" or other descriptions and use them to say they've figured out exactly where we are in the cosmic timeline of the return of Christ. Many have profited from these predictions (remember "88 reasons why Jesus is coming in 1988"?), only to see those predictions fail to be true.

It is tempting to try to analyze and understand exactly where we are in the Last Days, but our heart should hear the words of verses 36-44. No one, not the angels or Jesus Himself, knows the day of His return...just the Father. That's hard for us to wrap our minds around, but that is the way God drew it up from the beginning of time. If Jesus and the angels don't know, what are the chances that one of us can figure it out?

We should instead focus on the analogy of verses 42-44, where Jesus talks about the home owner and the thief. If you knew what time a thief was going to come to your house, wouldn't you be ready? Of course! We'd have the police on standby and every door locked down...if we know they are coming, it's no surprise. Unfortunately, the thief comes when he thinks we're not ready. That's why we lock the doors, have a security system, form a neighborhood watch...we want to be ready, not knowing the time he will come.

We need to be ready for the return of Jesus. He could return today, tomorrow, or in 1000 years or more, but the bottom line is when He does come, the time of preparation is over. Those who know Him as Savior will be prepared and spend eternity with Him. Those who don't and are not prepared will not...but wish they had.

Are you ready? Have you asked Jesus to forgive your sin? Have you confessed your belief in Him? If not, it's time to get ready!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Today's Passage: Leviticus 1-3

After reading these chapters in Leviticus, I am even more thankful for Jesus. I encourage you to take a minute or two and read Hebrews 10. The author of Hebrews does a great job of comparing the sacrifices of the Israelites and the sacrifice that God gave in His son, Jesus.

These sacrifices by the Israelites are a mere shadow or picture of the true sacrifice that is to come. A picture is great, and it is worth a thousand words, but it is not the same as the real thing. No matter how perfect an animal the Israelites brought to sacrifice it would have never been enough. That must have been a terrible feeling. Continually having to sacrifice animals and grain must have been a constant reminder that nothing that they ever did would ever be enough to bridge the gap that sin had placed between them and the heavenly father. I especially think about someone who may have not had as much as others to give. You give your best animal of a small flock and then it is still not enough to come back into fellowship with God. God must have been pleased to see one of the Israelites be truly obedient and sacrifice an animal for the sole purpose of being obedient. I think the same is true for us today, that when we act in obedience for all the right reasons, God must be pleased.

After reading this section, I really began to wonder why the Israelites were ever asked to sacrifice at all. God is all knowing, and knew that these sacrifices were not going to be enough, and knew that Jesus was going to have to be the ultimate sacrifice to allow man to be forgiven, but the Israelites are still asked to sacrifice. But, it wasn’t the animal that God wanted; it was their heart and obedience that he desired. It was their outward expression of an inward obedience to God and his law. The more I read the Old Testament, the more the sacrifice of Christ means to me. For thousands of years man had tried to get back closer to God. Nothing we can do, and nothing the Israelites ever did could ever atone for our sins completely. It took the pure sacrifice of an unblemished Christ to allow me to gain access back to that fellowship with God. I am so thankful for God’s great sacrifice!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 40

Move-in day! I can remember how exciting it was to move into our new church building almost a year ago. We'd seen it built phase-by-phase and it was finally ready for us. We began packing everything, and suddenly had much more stuff than we thought. Items that had taken up entire rooms now only took up a corner of a room. Although it took a while to settle in and get used to the new surroundings, our church was so thankful to have a new space. It was just fun!

As I read through this chapter I can't help but imagine how excited the Israelites must have been. They'd been working to build the tabernacle, following God's directions perfectly. They finally had a special place for worship. As amazing as the tabernacle of the Old Testsament is, it is also amazing that a tabernacle is no longer God's dwelling place...my heart is! I can't imagine how awesome it must have been to see a cloud filled with fire representing God's glory. How comforting it would be to look over to the tabernacle and see that cloud's presence. But how much more comforting that I have that same presence within me! As I contemplate what that means, I am becoming more and more aware of just how UNaware I am of his presence sometimes. How often I fail to submit to the prodding of the Holy Spirit. Let us seek Him this week...is He inviting you to pray for a friend, encouraging you to share your faith with a co-worker, helping you to show patience with your kids? Be confident in the guidance and encouragement of the Holy Spirit in your heart!

Tuesday April 14, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 39

Have you ever noticed that nearly every special job position that requires a set of skills, also requires special equipment or clothing? Take football for example, each position requires different kinds of equipment to best prepare them to play the game. The running back will generally have large shoulder pads and not a lot of knee padding. However, a lineman will have knee pads, knee braces, and so on. Here in Exodus we see the specifics concerning the garments that the priests wear. The text of Exodus is very descriptive, and Moses gives the purpose of many of these materials. Each piece of the holy garments was significant to God. It is amazing the detail in which God spoke to Moses and his people, and how He desired their worship.

But that is not where the story ends! If you have been to Bear Creek recently you may have noticed there are not specific rooms that are more holy than others. You also may have noticed Brett, or other staff members are not required to wear odd and ornately designed garments in order to preach and teach. That is because we are not under this law anymore. Moses and Aaron are not our priests. Jesus is our High Priest! Look at the this amazing verse: Hebrews 3:1b "consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." God had an order and place for the priesthood in the days of Moses, but now that priesthood is all in the authority of Jesus. If God desired so much from the priest in the days of Moses, how much more does he desire from His Son, Jesus? Jesus is able to fulfill this role like no human ever can. We should first be in awe of the detail and energy that was put on the priest and their garments in the days of Moses. This awe should continue as we worship our Savior and Lord, who is the one and only High Priest!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Today's Scripture: Matthew 23

This is one the first passages that I taught, and also one of my favorites. I can still remember asking my mentor what the best explanation of a Woe was. He described it to me in several ways but the one that seemed to stick with me was the saying "it stinks to be you". Basically Jesus was trying to say to the teachers and Pharisees, your life is a mess.

From the outside looking in at their lives it looked like they had it all together, but as soon as you get past the pretty and clean exterior you find a funky, bad smelling, mess. This passage is great because we get to read, in Jesus' own words, how He feels about those who put on a religious show for the people around them. We aren't fooling God when we do this, and this passage tells us that He has no problem pointing out where we are faking it.

It is in my personal opinion that the most common reason for hypocrisy and "churchy" games among believers, is when we stop realizing that it's not about us. Church, worship, bible study, prayer, service none of those things are about us. They ARE about God and what he wants from and for us as His children. That is what the teachers and Pharisees missed, they got so wrapped up in defining what they were about, that they stopped being about God.

As a beliver I have to constantly ask myself a question: "Am I doing what I am doing because it is what God wants, or am I doing it because it makes me look good?"

It's a hard question to answer honestly, but we must if we truly want God to be the center of our lives.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Exodus 37-38

These two chapters at first glance seem a little repetitive. Just a few chapters back in Exodus, we read about the Lord giving Moses all the instructions for the tabernacle and now we are reading about the actual construction of the tabernacle. They sound almost exactly the same. That is what is amazing to me! They sound exactly the same because the people who were building the tabernacle followed God's instructions exactly the way He gave them. I love that! The focus of these chapters is all about the obedience of Bezalel and his crew carrying out the important task of the construction of such an important thing. I imagine that the job seemed pretty daunting at times, and yet these men and women did what they knew the Lord wanted, using the talents that He gave them to accomplish it.

In light of Easter, I think about this passage along side the story of Jesus dying on the cross for us and our sins. In Exodus 25:8, God is explaining to Moses that He wants them to build the tabernacle so that He can "dwell among" the people. He desired close fellowship with the Israelites and by having a tabernacle in which He could dwell and the people could present their sacrifices, that was possible. So of course, the Israelites built the tabernacle just as the Lord had said. They desired that close fellowship with Him too. Thankfully for us, we do not have to rely on the tabernacle and offering system anymore! By sending Jesus to the earth to die on the cross, God is letting us know loud and clear that He desires close fellowship with us. It is now by believing in Him and relying on the saving blood of Jesus shed on the cross to wash us clean of our sins. Also, Jesus of course did not stay dead, in the grave. He is very much risen and alive! That is how was have true fellowship with the God of Creation. We should be thankful beyond words that Jesus was obedient to His Father and took the weight of our sins upon Himself so that we can enjoy that close fellowship and relationship with God that was not possible before. Have you really thought about that? Have you stopped to think about how much God loves you and desires to "dwell among" you? Perhaps today we should take some time to sit with the Lord and thank Him for dwelling among us, not in a tabernacle, but in our hearts and lives because of the sacrifice of His Son, that we celebrate today.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Today’s Passage: Exodus 36

I wish that I could have seen what the tabernacle really looked like after it was built. After reading today’s Scripture passage, I could not help but be enamored at the shear detail and various intricacies that the Lord commanded His people to build.

The Lord has given each of us a special gift or ability. Like in this passage, He had given some the ability to be skillful craftsmen in order that they might use that ability to construct the Lord’s tabernacle. I’m also sure that they did so with all their might and ability in order to give the Lord their best work. Verses 3-4 show that the people went above and beyond to serve, to the point where Moses had to ask them to cut back.

I think about my own life and how He has given my special gifts, talents and abilities. Even the opportunities that I have that maybe others would not. Am I using these for the Lord’s benefit? Am I doing the tasks set before me to the best of my ability. Am I thankful for how the Lord has gifted me in the various areas of my life? I have to admit that often times I take for granted the gifts and talents the Lord has given me. The tendency is also to use them for my benefit most of the time. How are you using your gifts and abilities the Lord has given you?

God has a specific work and task that He wants us to carry out if we would be willing to do so. The Lord has equipped us with the gifts and abilities to carry out these things. Just as the Israelites had come to put to use their craftsmen abilities, we too must be aware of our gifts and abilities so that we can put them to good use for the Lord. So I challenge you to seek the Lord for Him to show you how to best serve Him and do so to the best of your ability!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 34-35

Ten Commandments, take two....Moses once again goes up to the mountain, but this time after coming down the first time and seeing the "people of God" dancing around and worshiping a golden calf. Moses understands that this time is different, in that he acknowledges to God that the people waiting below are "stiff-necked".

Do you know what it means to be stiff-necked? Literally, it means unwilling to bend your neck to bow before another...and the Israelites, in their stubbornness, had certainly shown that to be true. There eyes were focused on a golden calf...a man-made treasure of this world...and they could not be swayed to bow before God. There eyes were focused on the temporary...."Where will the water come from?" "We're tired of manna!"...and they could not be swayed to bow before God. There eyes were focused on the attacking enemies..."It would have been better for us to stay in Israel!"...and they could not be swayed to bow before God and submit to his will and plan for their lives.

What are your eyes focused on today? Is it something bringing fear that paralyzes you? Is it your current circumstances that weighs you down? Is it the lure of the world? Are your eyes focused on something other than God? If so, your neck may be feeling a little stiff.

I want to focus my eyes on God this week (especially this Holy Week!) so that I can look more like Moses in 35:29-35. I want to shine with His Glory so that when people meet me, they see He's changed my life forever through the power of the cross. When we focus squarely on His will and His worship, we are forever changed and used by Him to bring His Glory to a lost and dying world! There would be no better way to celebrate Easter than renewing our commitment to turning our eyes upon Jesus.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 22

Matthew has always been one of my favorite books to read, and this chapter reminds me why. It is full of great stories about the time of Christ. I love how He not only answers their questions, but then throws one back at them that leaves them speechless. I think my favorite part of this chapter is the greatest commandment section.

I love this section because the answer that Jesus gives them is pretty clear and expected, at first. I mean the Old Testament would be pretty clear that you are to put God above all else. Most of them would have been totally on board with that. It makes perfect sense. 'Love the Lord with all your heart and soul and mind' covers basically all you need to know about your relationship with God. If you are doing that, then you are living right.

It is the second part he throws in that I think probably caught them off guard on so many levels. I mean they just asked for one answer and Jesus goes and adds in a second. It is as if Jesus was saying to them and “when you figure that one out, why don’t you try this one on.” They were probably so shocked that they did not even process what he said. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” What does that even mean? I know I did not really process that for most of my life. But then one day a light just came on and the statement, love your neighbor as yourself screamed out at me!

It took a deep contemporary theologian named Terrell Owens for this passage to finally make sense for me. (Yes that Terrell Owens, and by deep contemporary theologian, I mean self-absorbed football player.) He has a quote that I love for the sheer shock value, “I love me some me!” That just about sums up how we all feel about ourselves, he just has the courage to admit it on national television. I think the word is courage? Anyways, from that point on it made total sense to me.

I love me some me too. I mean I care for myself and do not want any harm to come to me, I do not want to go without a meal, I do not let myself go without clothing, I do not want myself to go without shelter, I do not want to be lonely, and I really did not want myself to spend eternity separated from God. Oh how that light bulb turning on convicted me. I am supposed to love my neighbor just like I love myself!! Everything I would not go without, I should want the same for my neighbor. Everything that I would not want to go through, Hell, I should want the same for my neighbor. So, I should do everything in my power to make sure they don’t. I would never let bad things happen to myself that I could prevent, and I would never go without if I could prevent it. I, we, are supposed to have that same love for our neighbor that we have for ourselves, and by neighbor, Jesus means basically anyone you could come in contact with. How revolutionary would it be if we took this command to love our neighbor as ourselves and made it our life goal? This type of love is the type of love that allows God to do things that only He can do. This type of love is the type of love that only God can help you have. Jesus, as he always is, was spot on with Love the Lord your God having to come first. We are fallen people and cannot sustain a love for our neighbor if the love for God is not the support for it. God is the only one that can break that selfish streak we have and give us a heart for our neighbor. My prayer today is that God breaks my heart and yours for our neighbors and we start seeing things that only God can do. Four little verses rocked my world and the way that I see everything. Today, I hope you look at those verses again, and I pray that they ruin your view on life like they ruined mine a while back.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 32-33

I have a confession. I have seen The Ten Commandments countless times. For some reason, I LOVED watching it when I was growing up. My brother was already a proficient movie-quoter at the age of 4 and The Ten Commandments was definitely in his repertoire. He didn't just say goodbye to people, he declared, "Farewell, my one-time brother." When our mom or dad or a teacher would give instructions or go over rules, he would justify their statement with, "So let it be written, so let it be done." All in a dead-on Yul Brynner (Pharaoh) by the way.

So any time I read these chapters, I picture Charlton Heston coming off the mountain to the wild and even eerie scene of the Israelites dancing around the golden calf as they worship it. I never understood it. It always seemed so silly to me that people would WORSHIP something that they knew they had made themselves...especially after they had eye-witnessed the truth and power of the one, true God. Because this scene is so outlandish and obviously crazy, I often misunderstood what an idol was. I would hear a message on having idols and think, "No worshiping golden statues...check."

Well, one day, I learned that an idol can be anything that I allow to become more important than God. Once I understood that, God began to show me a list of things that I had allowed to become idols in my life: relationships, school, worry, work, appearance, even money. I'd never considered these things to be idols and yet I knew that they consumed my thoughts! I've even heard various speakers and writers confess that their children had become idols. This teaches us that idols can even be seemingly GOOD things (i.e. work, church, service)...but if they become more important to us than God, they are idols nonetheless. Today's passage has challenged me to take a step back and consider what I have possibly allowed to become an idol in my life now. I encourage you to do the same. Gauging my thoughts and intentionally turning my focus to God can only be good for my relationship with Him...and all the other things will go much more smoothly if I keep God first.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 30-31

I have always been amazed at how our bodies are designed. Every system and organ works together to benefit the body and help it sustain life. One of the most neglected aspects of the function of our bodies is rest. We abuse our bodies by going all night without sleep to finish a paper for school, or to stay up and watch a game on television, or even to travel overseas. If you have ever done any of these before, you are acutely aware of the necessity of rest for your body.

We all know that God designed our bodies to need rest. God is even our example during the creation account. God rested on the seventh day. At the end of Exodus 31, the Lord told Moses and his people to abstain from work on the Sabbath because it is holy. This is a physical and spiritual matter of rest that is being discussed here. God knew that man needed rest; He also knew that man needs to worship the Lord who gave this day of rest. In our culture, rest is a long forgotten discipline. Yes, I did just write the word discipline. There is so much to do during a given week, whether it is sports, academics, or simply just spending time with family and friends. We will never live out the command to keep the Sabbath until we have the discipline to say no to something, in order that we can rest. This is how God designed people, and we should not overlook this. I encourage you to read Exodus 31:12-13 a couple of times. The sabbath is all about the Lord. So this week I hope we all are able to celebrate the sabbath and focus on the Lord and His wonders.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Today's Scripture: Exodus 29

Reading this chapter I am amazed by the level of detail involved in the ceremony of consecrating the priests. I would by no means refer to myself as a priest, but I am called to minister in the Lord's name. This challenges my view of how committed I am as a minister for God. I mean to think that there was a time when God called someone to be His mouthpiece, and they had to perform this very detailed ceremony before He would use them is astonishing and humbling to me.

Any of the passages in the Old Testament that explain, in great detail, how to perform or construct something should be a testimony to how involved and committed God expects His people to be. How often do we think to ourselves that what we do for God is "good enough"? Looking at the great detail in these directions I would have to say that God is very much concerned with the little things in our lives. Which means we should see every instruction and command from God with the same importance--whether it be do not kill or be in the Word daily. God gives blessings and receives glory in even the smallest acts of obedience from us.

Praise the Lord that we don't have to be perfect to be called his child, but let it not leave our focus that He desires complete reverence from us in all things.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 21

When I read this chapter, I think of one word: rich. There is so much going on, the author is really getting into telling us about the journey of Jesus towards the crucifixion. However, the first eleven verses stand out to me in an incredible way.

Jesus sends two of his disciples into the village with specific instructions: bring him the donkey and the colt they will find immediately upon entering the village. The disciples just go. We are not told if there was any dialogue between Jesus and the two men, but the Scripture is very clear that they went and did just what Jesus told them to do. Of course, everything happened just as He said it would. I am sure that the disciples knew by this point in their time with Jesus, that when he tells you to do something, just do it! Why do we hold back when we know the Lord is giving us instructions? Why do we question Him and His judgment sometimes? The disciples were not perfect people, we know that, but I think we could all use a reminder of this invaluable lesson. When God speaks to you, listen to what He says and obey Him. The way will be marked for you. What you need will be provided and ultimately, He will be glorified by your obedience.

That point leads us to the next section of the verses: the Triumphal Entry. The disciples were obedient and brought the donkey on which Jesus would ride into Jerusalem. During this entry into the city, masses of people were following him and going ahead of him and shouting praises to Jesus. They knew of his works and miracles and they wanted to see Him during His arrival. We are told by Matthew that they shouted the word 'hosanna' (an expression of praise). This word reminds me of a song that I really love. It is called "Hosanna," by Hillsong United. Some of the lyrics are in the form of a prayer:
"Heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how to love like you have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks yours. Everything I am for your kingdom's cause, as I walk from earth into eternity."
This prayer is so beautiful to me in light of this passage in Matthew. The people shouting 'hosanna' were praising Jesus right there in front of their eyes. They knew of his power and greatness and they were able to say to his face, "Hosanna in the highest!" We have this ability every day and at any moment! We can say to the same Jesus, "Hosanna in the highest" and ask him to help us become more like Him. I pray I can become more aware of this during this Easter season and I pray the same for you.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Today’s Passage: Exodus 27-28

Tabernacle blue prints and priestly garments. For many, this chapter seems to only be set of instructions and is not really relevant to our lives today… none of us have to build a tabernacle to travel around with. But 2^nd Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is useful for teaching. My wife Krista, a biology teacher, told me a little bit about acacia wood. Aside from growing very well in the desert, acacia wood was used as a building material because it did not rot easily or become infested with insects. The fibers of the wood emitted a very strong fragrance which kept insects and other small animals away. When we read about the tabernacle we are reading about God’s dwelling place. He chose the specific materials that He wanted to use for His home. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become indwelled with Christ; He lives within us. Are we like the acacia wood, fresh and strong? Are you, figuratively, emitting the fragrance of Christ? Or have we let the small things in that eventually cause us to become rotten?

Just as God was particular in his instructions regarding the tabernacle, He is particular with what we should and should not do with our tabernacles; our bodies. But God isn’t simply giving us an instruction manual, God provides the tools. Look with me if you will at chapter 27, verse 8b, “…As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.” I don’t know about you, but when someone gives me a lot of specific instruction, typically the first thing I respond with is, let me write this down or can you show me an example. I think this verse would typically be read over with no qualms; however, it caught my eye, simply because there is a lot of detail in these passages; yet, God does not merely give orders and expect His people to fabricate this out of their own abilities. God was the source of all their instruction.

Later on in chapter 28, you will notice the phrase, “…before the LORD.” The tabernacle was to be the place where the LORD would reside; thus, His tabernacle needed to be specifically and perfectly constructed. The things done in the tabernacle and for the LORD need to be acceptable before Him because He is a HOLY God. I, all too often, seem not to view God’s holiness in the right perspective. Verse 43 speaks of, “lest they bear guilt and die..” Death has always seemed to get people’s attention. As so God’s holiness should get His people’s attention.

Challenge this week: Have you let sin roam in your tabernacle? Has God’s holiness become insignificant to you? May we ask God that He may reveal the sin that we may have become comfortable with?

Friday, April 3, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 26

I have to admit that, when reading this passage previously, it's one I kind of skimmed through...at first glance, there doesn't seem to be much "life changing" material in a chapter about building a tent.

All of that changed two weeks ago, when I stood in the middle of the Negev Desert at an exact replica of this very tabernacle tent, built from the specifications found in Exodus 26! (Some of you may have heard the Kingry's talk about this project on Sunday, March 22...just a few days after I was there!) It was certainly not what I had pictured in my head when reading Exodus before...the tent is much larger and much more detailed than in my imagination. There were teams of men in charge of moving the tent when the presence of God (either by cloud or fire) showed the Israelites it was time to move again. The beauty of the handiwork, the detail of the structure, and the stark contrast of the tent in the middle of the desert all showed me just how much God cared about His home among the people.

If God cared that much about a temporary home, how much do you think He cares about His home in your heart? If God were to visit us physically, would we invite God to stay in a rundown, bug-infested hotel in a bad part of town? Absolutely not! There would be nothing too good for the presence of God. Why, then, is it ok with us to let sin turn our hearts into a disgusting place to live? The same Spirit that dwelt in the tabernacle described here lives in my heart today...am I willing to do the work to honor God in the way He deserves?

Examine your tabernacle today...have you followed the directions on keeping it holy and pure?

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 25

This story is a great reminder that instruction books for assembly have been around for a while. I am sure everyone has probably bought something, or had a “real” friend who has bought your child a gift that has those three magic words….some assembly required. The title of this chapter should be “Some Assembly Required.”

There is a joke around my house that the last place you go for instructions is the instruction booklet included by the person who designed the product and knows it better than anyone else. I am not sure if you can relate to this, but that is how I do things. However, I can remember two projects that stick out where I looked at all the pieces and then looked at the picture of the finished product and gave in. The first was a grill that I help put together for a friend which included a thirty page instruction booklet with sixty steps. The second though was the one I will never forget. It was a playhouse that Michael, Ethan and I put together. Being the young confident men that we are, we thought that we could assemble this in a few short hours even though the instructions said it was a twelve hour minimum project. Again, by our standards we had already admitted defeat by using the instruction book, and by book I think it is important to note that it rivaled Webster’s in size.

I will never forget that experience because it did take about twelve hours, and we did follow the book every step, and surprisingly enough it turned out just like the picture said it would. That project really gave me an appreciation for the designer of the playhouse and the planning that went into it. As we constructed it, sometimes it seemed that we were going out of order, at least by our “professional” opinion, but shortly after we would say that, it would make complete sense. The guy who made the instruction book knew exactly the way we should do things and the only time we ever had any problems was when we got ahead of the book.

The Israelites must have thought the same thing I did when these instructions came down. I mean they were smart people and could build an ark just fine. But then they saw the magnitude of the project and decided to follow the instructions. Here is the problem, though...when we get a huge project, we are quick to follow the manual and go step by step, but when it is a small project we just “freestyle” it and go on our own. We know the instructions are there, no matter the size of the project. We know that they are correct. Why do we choose to not use them every time, in life and in “some assembly required” projects?

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 20

This chapter continues the theme of selflessness. Two more times we hear Jesus emphasize acts of service and humility in order to be great or first. He is obviously very serious about it...which means we should be too.

I had never considered myself to be a selfish person. Of course I had other flaws, but I always pretty much thought I had selfishness under control. I mean everyone is selfish to some extent, but I wouldn't have described myself that way. And selfishness was one of my biggest pet peeves. I could not stand it when I felt like somebody was being completely oblivious to the rest of the world. Yep, I pretty much had that one all figured out...

...until one summer, when I began to pray the last two verses of Psalm 139...

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Now the tricky thing about this prayer is that God is usually more than happy to answer it...quickly. The same week, I ended up throwing a mental FIT about something a friend was going to do that made me jealous. I kept it all on the inside, but God still slapped me in the face with the realization that I am, in fact, very selfish at times. Today's passage reminds me of that summer. Christ's emphasis on selflessness teaches us that not only is it very important, but it doesn't necessarily look the way we may think it looks. Selflessness is not merely the absence of selfishness...it actually entails making yourself LAST so that another can be FIRST.

On Monday, Michael challenged us to consider what we might give up for God in order to make Him first. As God truly becomes first in our lives, may we also consider how to make ourselves last in order to lift up others. Are we sincerely selfless...the way that Christ demonstrated?