Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 29-30
We know that we as creation are made in God's image, but we also know that God is holy and perfect. Sometimes we project our personalities and flaws onto God and believe he operates just like us. For example, when we have our feelings hurt by someone, even after they apologize to us, we may not be ready to receive their apology and return to a proper relationship. However, God is much different from our sinful state.
In Deuteronomy 30, Moses explains to the Hebrews that God is ready to receive them. It did not matter when or how the Hebrews returned to God. The point is that they did return. This is the same God we serve, the same God we believe in! God is ready for us and always wants us in proper relationship with Him. I pray we are not as stubborn as the Hebrews, and that we always stay close to God.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 28
After reading this I don't know why anyone ever disobeyed the commands Moses made here in Deuteronomy. The picture that is painted about the curses is frightening. Sickness, famine, loss of all possessions, hard work with no reward and being taken over by even the weakest of your enemies. Who would willfully step into that?
I found myself, while reading this chapter, thinking about how easy we have it with the new covenant. How we no longer suffer these curses for ignoring God, then I read verses 66-67.
"You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. In the morning you will say, "If only it were evening!" and in the evening, "If only it were morning!"-because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see."
That was the light bulb moment, I realized that I know people that feel this way. Hopeless, lost, scared, they have no idea where to turn so they put their faith in the trivial things of this world. That's when it hit me that under the new covenant we face very similar "blessings" and "curses." If we choose to be obedient to God then we are blessed by His presence in our life, but if we choose to be disobedient then we face the curse of going through life without Him.
If we are all honest today, the world is a scary place. Don't push away the one person big enough to protect you from unnecessary harm, Jesus.
Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. - 1 John 3:24
After reading this I don't know why anyone ever disobeyed the commands Moses made here in Deuteronomy. The picture that is painted about the curses is frightening. Sickness, famine, loss of all possessions, hard work with no reward and being taken over by even the weakest of your enemies. Who would willfully step into that?
I found myself, while reading this chapter, thinking about how easy we have it with the new covenant. How we no longer suffer these curses for ignoring God, then I read verses 66-67.
"You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. In the morning you will say, "If only it were evening!" and in the evening, "If only it were morning!"-because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see."
That was the light bulb moment, I realized that I know people that feel this way. Hopeless, lost, scared, they have no idea where to turn so they put their faith in the trivial things of this world. That's when it hit me that under the new covenant we face very similar "blessings" and "curses." If we choose to be obedient to God then we are blessed by His presence in our life, but if we choose to be disobedient then we face the curse of going through life without Him.
If we are all honest today, the world is a scary place. Don't push away the one person big enough to protect you from unnecessary harm, Jesus.
Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. - 1 John 3:24
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Deuteronomy 27
In the first half of this chapter Moses commands the people to gather stones, coat them with lime and write the words of the commands in detail. He also commands them to build an altar of uncut stones on which to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. In the second half, Moses pronounces curses over possible actions taken by the Israelites. These are to be read aloud to the people, and the people are to respond by saying, "Amen."
Deuteronomy 27
In the first half of this chapter Moses commands the people to gather stones, coat them with lime and write the words of the commands in detail. He also commands them to build an altar of uncut stones on which to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. In the second half, Moses pronounces curses over possible actions taken by the Israelites. These are to be read aloud to the people, and the people are to respond by saying, "Amen."
As Brandon pointed out yesterday, it is easy to read these passages and ask, "Why?" or even "How do I apply this today?" In attempt to answer these questions about today's passage, I'm reminded of growing up and school. But first, a few questions for you:
Do you keep a diary or journal?
Do you have a box of keepsakes?
What kinds of things do you use to help you remember important things that have happened in the past?
My mom used to always tell me, "Write it down." Whether it be homework assignments, to do lists, or ideas for a project, mom insisted it would help if I would write it down. Ya know what? She was right! I learned to apply this as life went on. For example, as a music student in seminary, I had to learn 8 songs a semester. If I had trouble memorizing them I would often write down the lyrics of the songs repeatedly. This helped expecially with songs in a foreign language! As time went on I also learned, particularly in teaching, that the more senses we use gathering information, the more we will retain it. So, if I see it with my eyes, hear it with my ears, and write it down, I'm gonna have a much better time remembering it and applying it!
Once again, we come back to God's holiness and His command for His people to be holy. God wanted the people to remember His promises, commandments, and the consequences (curses). What better way to remember and apply God's commands than writing them down and hearing them! I feel it necessary to say that God may have had a completely different purpose in these commands to Moses, after all, He is God! I do hope, however, that this can be one way for us to relate to and apply this awesome Old Testament book!
May God bless the reading of His word!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 25-26
So you have to admit that after reading today's passages, the laws during this time were quite detailed and at times somewhat graphic. Now that we're nearing the later chapters of Deuteronomy, one might be asking, "So what's the point." Well, we definitely know that one would not want to be known as the house who had their sandal pulled off!
Chapter 26 stuck out to me in two ways. The laws always have some reason and purpose behind them. In the last verse in this chapter, the reason is clearly stated. The Lord desires that His people become holy as He is holy. Our response is obedience to His commands and HE will make us Holy and have us stand out. I think that is amazing! God is holy and desires His children to be holy. He has not set this mark and given us no-way of following through. We must continue doing as His Word says in proper response and worship to His holiness.
Join with me in worshipping the Lord so that we might become more and more holy as He is. Finally, we know that God has declared us a treasured possession!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Today's Passage: Mark 14
While this passage has more importance and theology than could possibly be covered in a single blog post, I want to focus today on two stories that seem unrelated. I think that examining our hearts in light of these will help us understand where our walk with Christ is today.
The first is found in verses 1-11. Jesus is about to embark on the most difficult few days in history, but before these things can happen this woman (who the gospel of John recognizes as Mary, sister of Martha) anoints His head with oil by breaking an alabaster jar. This practice was very common, especially for a special guest such as Jesus, but scripture goes to great lengths to show us this was special. This jar was made of alabaster, which was extremely valuable...this jar was most likely the most expensive thing Mary owned. The oil inside the jar was worth about a year's wages, and she poured out all of it on Jesus even though just a little would have been very special. She gave everything...the things that were costly, special, and dear to her...to honor Jesus.
Contrast that with the story of Peter's denial. Here is Peter, leader of the disciples, "rock" of the church, boasting that he would follow Jesus until death. He makes the claim that nothing, not even his life, is too costly for Jesus. But when the time comes to stand for Him, Peter denies Jesus three times. He has three chances and fails every time.
It's one thing to talk a good game, but it's another to back it up with actions. As we look at our own lives today, which story better fits where we are with Jesus? Are we talking a good game...pretending on the outside to be devoted followers of Christ...but when the going gets tough we deny Him? When the decision is difficult...when it is costly to ourselves or to our family, to our image, to our worldly success...do we also deny Him? Or do our actions speak much louder than words...are we giving all we have for the One who gave His all for us? Are we demonstrating such a great love that we are willing to give whatever we have regardless of the cost for the sake of Christ?
Which story reflects your heart today?
While this passage has more importance and theology than could possibly be covered in a single blog post, I want to focus today on two stories that seem unrelated. I think that examining our hearts in light of these will help us understand where our walk with Christ is today.
The first is found in verses 1-11. Jesus is about to embark on the most difficult few days in history, but before these things can happen this woman (who the gospel of John recognizes as Mary, sister of Martha) anoints His head with oil by breaking an alabaster jar. This practice was very common, especially for a special guest such as Jesus, but scripture goes to great lengths to show us this was special. This jar was made of alabaster, which was extremely valuable...this jar was most likely the most expensive thing Mary owned. The oil inside the jar was worth about a year's wages, and she poured out all of it on Jesus even though just a little would have been very special. She gave everything...the things that were costly, special, and dear to her...to honor Jesus.
Contrast that with the story of Peter's denial. Here is Peter, leader of the disciples, "rock" of the church, boasting that he would follow Jesus until death. He makes the claim that nothing, not even his life, is too costly for Jesus. But when the time comes to stand for Him, Peter denies Jesus three times. He has three chances and fails every time.
It's one thing to talk a good game, but it's another to back it up with actions. As we look at our own lives today, which story better fits where we are with Jesus? Are we talking a good game...pretending on the outside to be devoted followers of Christ...but when the going gets tough we deny Him? When the decision is difficult...when it is costly to ourselves or to our family, to our image, to our worldly success...do we also deny Him? Or do our actions speak much louder than words...are we giving all we have for the One who gave His all for us? Are we demonstrating such a great love that we are willing to give whatever we have regardless of the cost for the sake of Christ?
Which story reflects your heart today?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 23-24
I know that at sometime I have read this passage. However, today was the first time that the end of chapter 24 stuck out so much. I think most of the time when we think about the Old Testament we think about history, great Bible heroes, and laws that do not apply to us anymore. This section proves, once again, that the Old Testament is so much more.
This section from verse 17 on shows the compassion that God wanted the Israelites to have, and in turn what He wants us to have. Whether it is in matters of justice or provisions this passage is clear that the Israelites are to look out for those who may not have someone else looking after them.
I think the three groups that are mentioned are very interesting. The alien, the fatherless, and the widow seem to be groups that do not really go together. It is very reasonable that the nation should look after those who do not have a father. If one is without a father, they are possibly without a family as well. A widow needing help was just as clear to me. A wife who had been provided for and protected by a husband for most of her life, and now is without that husband would need any food that she might be able to get. The one that did not make sense at first was the alien. But then I thought about what it is like to be in a foreign land. It is kind of scary not knowing anyone or not knowing how to communicate well with everyone. It makes perfect sense that they might need extra food during their travels.
I think this passage is important for us today as well. I think all of these groups translate today into groups that we should continue to look after. However, I think today there are more and more groups that we need to provide food or clothing for or even educate. My challenge for you today is to see where your extra grain is or the grapes that you did not need are and look for aliens, widows and the fatherless to share them with.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 20-21
It is such a comfort to know that the Lord fights our battles with us! As I was reading the first part of this passage, I noticed that the reasons listed for being afraid are perfectly legitimate reasons. Facing a greater army with greater horses and greater chariots would certainly be intimidating, but God wants us to be bold and brave and trust in Him. I felt my toes being stepped on a bit when I realized that most of the things I allow to frighten me are not as intimidating as I think, and they are definitely not as intimidating as the situation in this passage. I began to think about how many opportunities I've missed out on to share the gospel with someone or minister to a person because I was afraid of what they might think of me or afraid they'd ask a question I wouldn't be able to answer.
A couple of weeks ago I read a book called Soul Revolution by John Burke. In it he shared a story of a couple driving home with their two small children at night. As they drove, they passed a couple in a parking lot who was arguing. At one point, it seemed the man might become physically abusive, but then he left. As the couple drove, they both felt they should turn around and help the woman. It turned out she had moved to town to be with her boyfriend. He ended up not being quite the man she thought he was and she found herself in what she thought was a hopeless situation. The couple not only helped the woman out, but shared the gospel with her as well. The woman began to attend their church and her life was changed! As I read this account, I put myself in the couple's shoes...I don't know what I would have done. All too often, we tend to think that somebody else's situation will work itself out without our help. As you go about your day, look for those opportunities to reach out. Don't become paralyzed by fear (or hesitation, or busy-ness, or faintheartedness)!
It is such a comfort to know that the Lord fights our battles with us! As I was reading the first part of this passage, I noticed that the reasons listed for being afraid are perfectly legitimate reasons. Facing a greater army with greater horses and greater chariots would certainly be intimidating, but God wants us to be bold and brave and trust in Him. I felt my toes being stepped on a bit when I realized that most of the things I allow to frighten me are not as intimidating as I think, and they are definitely not as intimidating as the situation in this passage. I began to think about how many opportunities I've missed out on to share the gospel with someone or minister to a person because I was afraid of what they might think of me or afraid they'd ask a question I wouldn't be able to answer.
A couple of weeks ago I read a book called Soul Revolution by John Burke. In it he shared a story of a couple driving home with their two small children at night. As they drove, they passed a couple in a parking lot who was arguing. At one point, it seemed the man might become physically abusive, but then he left. As the couple drove, they both felt they should turn around and help the woman. It turned out she had moved to town to be with her boyfriend. He ended up not being quite the man she thought he was and she found herself in what she thought was a hopeless situation. The couple not only helped the woman out, but shared the gospel with her as well. The woman began to attend their church and her life was changed! As I read this account, I put myself in the couple's shoes...I don't know what I would have done. All too often, we tend to think that somebody else's situation will work itself out without our help. As you go about your day, look for those opportunities to reach out. Don't become paralyzed by fear (or hesitation, or busy-ness, or faintheartedness)!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 22, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 19-20
Nearly every school has one thing in common, bullies. These bullies run around picking on their classmates so that they can feel good about themselves. I did not get picked on much in school, but some of my classmates did. I am the oldest of my parent's three children, my sister being five years younger and my brother ten years younger than myself. My family all went to the same school. During my adolescent years, I let both my brother and sister know that if anyone picked on them, then they were to come get me so that I could defend them. They felt safe having their older brother in close proximity and knew I was simply a call away.
The same was true for Israel but on a much grander scale. Israel had many enemies and was involved in warfare often. When they would see their enemies they would, like most people, become frightened when realizing that they were outnumbered. However, even when they were outnumbered they still stood a good chance at winning the battle.
God was on Israel's side. No matter the number of people, the weapons, or the skills of the enemies, God was in control of the battles. God brought Israel out of Egypt, so how much more can He do? Much more! God can cause the weak to defeat the strong (David and Goliath). Deuteronomy 20 shows us that God grants Israel victories. We serve a great God! We always need to remember that He is in control and learn not to rely on ourselves.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Today's Passage: Mark 13
Almost all of us have heard or read this chapter before. It is the creative foundation for many movies and books. We use it as believers to contrast our current situation with what Jesus says will happen before the end. But what God challenged me with out of this passage has a lot more to do with my heart and I'm willing to bet you might feel the same.
When I was managing CiCi's Pizza we used the term proactive a lot. "Be proactive", "make proactive decisions" I remember knowing what the word meant but not understanding why it was such a big deal. Not to boast but I was pretty good at leading my team to serve tons of pizza. It wasn't until I went to my corporate training that I realized there are some situations that you just can't react to and get done. My second night there I crashed the buffet (no pizzas on it), I had never seen that many people come in with out having advanced notice. To put it simply we were busy, busier than I had ever seen. We made adjustments and got pizzas back out but nothing can describe how unsettling it is to see a line out the door and know that you aren't ready for them.
After my CiCi's corporate experience I added a new characteristic to my management style, urgency. I started running my shift as if we could have that many people walk in at any time. I was being proactive but this time I knew what I was preparing for. In this passage God challenged me on my sense of urgency for His kingdom. This passage spells out for us that we should be ready always. Ready to give a testimony, ready to help someone, ready to face Jesus, ready to stand up for our beliefs, do you feel ready?
I think as believers we have gained a peace for ourselves in God's salvation, but that has left us without a sense of urgency for those around us. What if all the members of the body of Christ started living with a sense of urgency for the unsaved? What would happen if all of our hearts were broken for those far away from God? How much could God change the world through us?
God has restored my sense of urgency, how about yours?
Almost all of us have heard or read this chapter before. It is the creative foundation for many movies and books. We use it as believers to contrast our current situation with what Jesus says will happen before the end. But what God challenged me with out of this passage has a lot more to do with my heart and I'm willing to bet you might feel the same.
When I was managing CiCi's Pizza we used the term proactive a lot. "Be proactive", "make proactive decisions" I remember knowing what the word meant but not understanding why it was such a big deal. Not to boast but I was pretty good at leading my team to serve tons of pizza. It wasn't until I went to my corporate training that I realized there are some situations that you just can't react to and get done. My second night there I crashed the buffet (no pizzas on it), I had never seen that many people come in with out having advanced notice. To put it simply we were busy, busier than I had ever seen. We made adjustments and got pizzas back out but nothing can describe how unsettling it is to see a line out the door and know that you aren't ready for them.
After my CiCi's corporate experience I added a new characteristic to my management style, urgency. I started running my shift as if we could have that many people walk in at any time. I was being proactive but this time I knew what I was preparing for. In this passage God challenged me on my sense of urgency for His kingdom. This passage spells out for us that we should be ready always. Ready to give a testimony, ready to help someone, ready to face Jesus, ready to stand up for our beliefs, do you feel ready?
I think as believers we have gained a peace for ourselves in God's salvation, but that has left us without a sense of urgency for those around us. What if all the members of the body of Christ started living with a sense of urgency for the unsaved? What would happen if all of our hearts were broken for those far away from God? How much could God change the world through us?
God has restored my sense of urgency, how about yours?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
As we continue to study through Deuteronomy, we see that God gives the Israelites commands in every detail of life to keep them centered on Him. These two chapters cover the administration of justice by priests, judges, and kings, provision for the Levites, and spiritism. The beginning of chapter 17 may be difficult to relate to because we do not practice stoning--AMEN! Right? If we did, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now! So, a phrase that we can definitely apply to our lives is found at the end of verse 7, "So you shall purge the evil from your midst." Now you might be thinking, "Really? What evil do I have to purge?" If we stop to think, it won't take the Spirit a long time to reveal quite a list of things that need to be kicked out of our lives. There are thoughts, attitudes, words we say to our spouses and children, things we do in secret that we have to fight to keep out of our "midst." But what about some other things, things that we may be calloused to, things that sneak into our midst unnoticed? This might seem extreme and controversial, but I think it is important enough for us to consider and that is--ENTERTAINMENT! Movies, television, Broadway musicals, the internet, even "positive" radio stations are filled with messages and themes that do not encourage us to live as the Christians we claim to be! All kinds of media are full of ideas from things as blatant as immoral relationships, sorcery, and murder to things more subtle like pride, materialism, and the love of self. For example, it's a nice song from the 80's, but Whitney Houston's song that says, "Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all," is a lie! How do these lyrics compare with Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." Jesus also said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31) It is only in the context of these scriptures that we can appropriately love ourselves! A more recent and blatant example of media communicating ideas contrary to scripture is NBC's show, Medium. In chapter 18:10-12, the Lord says, "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you." Why would we want to fill our minds with shows or movies that deal with issues that God speaks so strongly against? That is the bottom line-- WE MUST DECIDE FOR OURSELVES! I am NOT saying we should throw away our tv's, computers, radios, and never go to another show of any kind. However, I am saying we must be aware of what is coming into our minds; we fool ourselves if we think these ideas do not affect us! We MUST be absorbed in the Word of God to stay centered on Him and not be polluted by the world. I John 2:15-17
May God bless the reading of His word!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 15-16
Only if the world still operated like this today! Debt forgiveness after every seven years, any takers? I can remember a class I took in college where my professor was teaching us a little bit about how God originally intended things regarding the economy. God's original creation was that there would be no poor. Everything was perfect. After sin entered the world, that all changed. The question that arose in class went something like, "What are Christians today supposed to do about those who are in need and the poor?" The class I was in was on the book of Acts, and we were learning about the understanding of fellowship. Today's passage reminded me a lot of that because God was instructing His people to take care of one another. In chapter 16, verse 17, it says that, "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you." I think this could be the summary sentence of these two chapters.
God was very clear that if the people would strictly obey the voice of the Lord and were careful to obey His commandments, God would continue to bless them as he had in the past. Our teacher taught us this concept of God's blessings will always be sufficient for our needs and at times in our abundance, we are to give to those who are in need as we are able. Chapter 15, verse 11 still remains true to this day, "For there will never cease to be poor in the land."
It is not coincidence that this teaching of helping those in need is right in the midst of God teaching His people about the sacrifices they are to make to Him in worship. We use the term "tithe" today. A better understanding of this term is explained here. That understanding is that as God blesses, we then are able to bless others who are in need (and there is no short of people who are in need.) This is an act of worship!
I must be honest, this truth is something that I struggle with myself. As you read this, I pray that the Lord would work in your heart to look for those opportunities to worship Him.
Only if the world still operated like this today! Debt forgiveness after every seven years, any takers? I can remember a class I took in college where my professor was teaching us a little bit about how God originally intended things regarding the economy. God's original creation was that there would be no poor. Everything was perfect. After sin entered the world, that all changed. The question that arose in class went something like, "What are Christians today supposed to do about those who are in need and the poor?" The class I was in was on the book of Acts, and we were learning about the understanding of fellowship. Today's passage reminded me a lot of that because God was instructing His people to take care of one another. In chapter 16, verse 17, it says that, "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you." I think this could be the summary sentence of these two chapters.
God was very clear that if the people would strictly obey the voice of the Lord and were careful to obey His commandments, God would continue to bless them as he had in the past. Our teacher taught us this concept of God's blessings will always be sufficient for our needs and at times in our abundance, we are to give to those who are in need as we are able. Chapter 15, verse 11 still remains true to this day, "For there will never cease to be poor in the land."
It is not coincidence that this teaching of helping those in need is right in the midst of God teaching His people about the sacrifices they are to make to Him in worship. We use the term "tithe" today. A better understanding of this term is explained here. That understanding is that as God blesses, we then are able to bless others who are in need (and there is no short of people who are in need.) This is an act of worship!
I must be honest, this truth is something that I struggle with myself. As you read this, I pray that the Lord would work in your heart to look for those opportunities to worship Him.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 13-14
Some of the attributes of God flow quickly off our tongues in worship: powerful, mighty, holy, perfect, awesome, loving, worthy...but when is the last time we sang about or praised God for being a jealous God? Isn't jealousy supposed to be a bad thing? Galatians 5:20 even says that jealousy is an act of the sinful nature. But Exodus 20:5 says, in part, "I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." So what's the difference?
I think these two passages help us understand what God's jealousy really means. In the dictionary, jealousy as stated in Exodus 20 is defined as "intolerant of unfaithfulness or rivalry." God is not envious of our time away from Him...He is intolerant of unfaithfulness. He is upset that there would be something that would rival the attention and worship that we've already promised Him through our covenant relationship.
That's why He makes it clear to the Israelites in Chapter 13 that there is no circumstance that makes it right to worship something other than Him. If a so-called prophet of God says to worship something else, that's no excuse. If a family member says to worship something else, that's no excuse. If everybody else is doing it, that's no excuse. If the world says it's ok, that's no excuse. There is no excuse for putting something above God...we've promised Him our full attention.
That makes Chapter 14 make more sense in context as well. God was telling them that He would provide...if they trusted something else for their provision, they were being unfaithful. God made it clear what was being provided. He also made it clear that a part of His provision was giving back through tithes. When God blessed the people with abundance, He expected the people to acknowledge His provision by offering back to God the firstfruits.
It makes us think...are we causing God to be jealous? Are we making excuses about worshiping other Gods...the things of this world...when there is never an excuse to break our word to Him? Are we trusting Him for provision? Are we giving back to Him, thanking Him for His abundant blessing? God will not stand for something else taking His place in our hearts!
Some of the attributes of God flow quickly off our tongues in worship: powerful, mighty, holy, perfect, awesome, loving, worthy...but when is the last time we sang about or praised God for being a jealous God? Isn't jealousy supposed to be a bad thing? Galatians 5:20 even says that jealousy is an act of the sinful nature. But Exodus 20:5 says, in part, "I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." So what's the difference?
I think these two passages help us understand what God's jealousy really means. In the dictionary, jealousy as stated in Exodus 20 is defined as "intolerant of unfaithfulness or rivalry." God is not envious of our time away from Him...He is intolerant of unfaithfulness. He is upset that there would be something that would rival the attention and worship that we've already promised Him through our covenant relationship.
That's why He makes it clear to the Israelites in Chapter 13 that there is no circumstance that makes it right to worship something other than Him. If a so-called prophet of God says to worship something else, that's no excuse. If a family member says to worship something else, that's no excuse. If everybody else is doing it, that's no excuse. If the world says it's ok, that's no excuse. There is no excuse for putting something above God...we've promised Him our full attention.
That makes Chapter 14 make more sense in context as well. God was telling them that He would provide...if they trusted something else for their provision, they were being unfaithful. God made it clear what was being provided. He also made it clear that a part of His provision was giving back through tithes. When God blessed the people with abundance, He expected the people to acknowledge His provision by offering back to God the firstfruits.
It makes us think...are we causing God to be jealous? Are we making excuses about worshiping other Gods...the things of this world...when there is never an excuse to break our word to Him? Are we trusting Him for provision? Are we giving back to Him, thanking Him for His abundant blessing? God will not stand for something else taking His place in our hearts!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Today's Passage: Mark 12
Whenever I read a chapter like Mark 12, I really question how the chapters of the Bible were put together. For the most part it usually makes a lot of sense, but there is so much in Mark 12, I find it impossible to talk about the chapter as a whole. There is so much in this one chapter. We cannot begin to really do each section justice. In light of that, we are going to focus on a small…huge section.
For today I want to look at the greatest commandment section. This section is actually something that I have really been thinking about lately and when I sat down to study the chapter, I was so excited and amazed how God provided this chapter for me today. There are some parts of the Bible that are so foundational for us. I think once we get those parts down, then we can look at the big picture of the whole Bible. I equate this to teaching a child. They do not need to know exactly how an oven works, just that it is really hot. We do not have to understand the entire Bible, but there are some key parts we need to have a grasp on before we can go look further. One of those is this section in Mark 12.
When I read this section, I hear, “If you only understand one thing I say, let it be this!!” Jesus tried to make everything so simple in His teaching. In this section of scripture He basically says if we cannot understand anything else, then understand that you are to love God and love people. It sounds simple enough. But, it does not seem that many people today really have this down. Imagine if we all did have this down. Think about if Bear Creek became a place where we all loved God fully and we all loved our neighbor as if they were ourselves. What kind of an impact could we make? Think about how easy it would be to walk into a place like that. If it helps to make it more personal, think about if just you said that your were going to start loving God with everything you had and completely surrendering, and loving people with everything you had. What kind of impact would that make?
I will be honest; I am not sure what this actually looks like. I do not know that I have ever been in a place where this was happening. I think if it can happen, then Bear Creek is a place that it can. I do not know if personally I have been where this scripture is describing either. There have been times in my life that I look back on and see that I was really seeking after God or other times when I see that I was really trying to pour into people, but I do not know that there is a time when I can look back and say that I was loving God with all I had and that I was loving people with all I had. I realized today that, I do not want to get to the end and get a fifty on this test. I am ready to see what can happen if I start completely loving God with all I have and start loving people with all I have. Every week I like to find the one thing for us to pray for or encourage you to do one thing, today it is that you and I would start loving God with everything we had and that we would start loving people like we love ourselves. I think if we do these to things, everything else spiritually will just fall into place. If we seek after God with all our heart, and pour out to others with all our heart, I really do believe that everything else will take care of itself. I hope today’s passage has lit a fire under you like it did me.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 10-12
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
So much is packed into this one sentence! It sums up what the Lord has asked of us and tells us why: fear and love the Lord for your own good. Dictionary.com defined this fear as "reverential awe." I can remember that in my Sunday School classes as a child, the teachers would compare God to a parent when the passage talked about "fearing" God. They would talk about how we wanted to obey our parents because we feared them or had respect for them and recognized their authority. How much more should we fear and love God!
The progression laid out in this sentence challenges the reader to consider the motivation behind his service to the Lord. I know that all too often in my life, service can become obligatory or just another item to be checked off of a to-do list. How much more meaningful and powerful would that service be if it was ALWAYS done with ALL my heart and ALL my soul? Doesn't God deserve my VERY best EVERY time? How might my attitude improve if it was always done as an overflow of my love for Him? After all, what does the LORD our God ask of us but this?
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
So much is packed into this one sentence! It sums up what the Lord has asked of us and tells us why: fear and love the Lord for your own good. Dictionary.com defined this fear as "reverential awe." I can remember that in my Sunday School classes as a child, the teachers would compare God to a parent when the passage talked about "fearing" God. They would talk about how we wanted to obey our parents because we feared them or had respect for them and recognized their authority. How much more should we fear and love God!
The progression laid out in this sentence challenges the reader to consider the motivation behind his service to the Lord. I know that all too often in my life, service can become obligatory or just another item to be checked off of a to-do list. How much more meaningful and powerful would that service be if it was ALWAYS done with ALL my heart and ALL my soul? Doesn't God deserve my VERY best EVERY time? How might my attitude improve if it was always done as an overflow of my love for Him? After all, what does the LORD our God ask of us but this?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 7-9
For those of you who know me, you know that I am a very forgetful person. I certainly do not mean to forget things, but often I am gently reminded by those who love me what I have forgotten to do. Over the last few years I have noticed that there are many guys just like me, forgetters! That is not to say that women lack the ability to forget, it is just that men seem to be predisposed to chronic forgetfulness.
Although most wives are keenly aware of men's forgetfulness, God has a deep understanding for our problem. In Deuteronomy 8, God tells the Israelites that when a meal is eaten He should be praised. While this may seem like a small, even arbitrary act, there is a great purpose behind it.
God had brought his people out of the desert and into a great land of promise. Therefore, generations of Israelites were growing up in comfortable environments, some being unmoved by the hard life of their forefathers. This spirit of unthankfulness leads to a proud heart. The encouragement God has for us is that we should constantly be thanking God for what he has done in our lives. He has moved in powerful ways. We did not get where we our today by ourselves, rather it has been by the hand of God! Let us not be forgetful towards what God has done for us in the area of finances, health, emotions, and especially our spiritual state. Today is a great day to give thanks and praise to our Creator!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Today's Scripture: Mark 11
This is such a great chapter. The part that jumped out at me this week was the story of the withered fig tree. I had heard this story before, but I must admit that I had forgotten the purpose behind it.
I find it funny that Peter was surprised that the tree was withered when they pass back by. It is almost as if he thought Jesus was joking when He said to the tree "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." It was either that or Peter didn't believe in the power of Jesus' words. I don't think it was the latter since Peter had already witnessed Jesus do unbelievable things with just His words. It must have been that Peter thought that Jesus was speaking out of compulsion and He really didn't want the tree to wither and die, but that it was just something He said.
This exchange between Peter and Jesus helped me see two things a little more clearly. The first Jesus made very clear in the passage: believe completely in what you pray and ask for from God. This is the basis of faith and is crucial to our dependence on Him. The second thing I saw was a little more subtle. I think Jesus was also drawing Peter's attention to the fact that we must be careful of the negative words that we speak. This is not to say that if we pray bad things for people that God will grant our prayers. Instead I think Jesus is pointing out the true power of words that are said with a passionate intent.
I am reminded of Brett's sermon yesterday and the fact that none of us have the right to throw the first stone. However, how many times do we speak with a passionate intent against someone?
Yes you may not agree with them...
Yes they may be completely wrong...
Yes they are probably selfish...
No it is not OK to rant about them behind their back...
No it is not OK to tell everyone else your problem with them...
No it is not OK for you to pretend that they don't exist...
We must guard our tongue when speaking about and with other people. I am as guilty as anyone else. My frustrations get the better of me all the time, but this passage makes it clear that our words are powerful. They can do great things if they come from a God-centered life, but they can also do great damage if we are not careful to choose them wisely. I'm not sure if I have heard this somewhere or God just gave it to me, but this phrase summed up this passage for me.
Believe in what you pray and be careful what you say.
This is such a great chapter. The part that jumped out at me this week was the story of the withered fig tree. I had heard this story before, but I must admit that I had forgotten the purpose behind it.
I find it funny that Peter was surprised that the tree was withered when they pass back by. It is almost as if he thought Jesus was joking when He said to the tree "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." It was either that or Peter didn't believe in the power of Jesus' words. I don't think it was the latter since Peter had already witnessed Jesus do unbelievable things with just His words. It must have been that Peter thought that Jesus was speaking out of compulsion and He really didn't want the tree to wither and die, but that it was just something He said.
This exchange between Peter and Jesus helped me see two things a little more clearly. The first Jesus made very clear in the passage: believe completely in what you pray and ask for from God. This is the basis of faith and is crucial to our dependence on Him. The second thing I saw was a little more subtle. I think Jesus was also drawing Peter's attention to the fact that we must be careful of the negative words that we speak. This is not to say that if we pray bad things for people that God will grant our prayers. Instead I think Jesus is pointing out the true power of words that are said with a passionate intent.
I am reminded of Brett's sermon yesterday and the fact that none of us have the right to throw the first stone. However, how many times do we speak with a passionate intent against someone?
Yes you may not agree with them...
Yes they may be completely wrong...
Yes they are probably selfish...
No it is not OK to rant about them behind their back...
No it is not OK to tell everyone else your problem with them...
No it is not OK for you to pretend that they don't exist...
We must guard our tongue when speaking about and with other people. I am as guilty as anyone else. My frustrations get the better of me all the time, but this passage makes it clear that our words are powerful. They can do great things if they come from a God-centered life, but they can also do great damage if we are not careful to choose them wisely. I'm not sure if I have heard this somewhere or God just gave it to me, but this phrase summed up this passage for me.
Believe in what you pray and be careful what you say.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Today's Passage:
It is pretty easy to sum up these chapters: Do what God says, you'll be blessed. Don't do what God says, you'll miss His blessing. Michelle used a great illustration in one of her previous blogs about the playground next to the road. Remember?-- The children did not feel free to play until the fence was put up around the playground. I have another illustration that demonstrates the same principle. A violin string laying by itself on a table has complete freedom. However, it can not move or make a sound. Only when it is bound to the violin by the master, can it produce beautiful music.
In chapter 4 it is written, "Give heed to yourself", "Watch yourselves carefully", "Watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD." Moses knows from his own experience what it is like to miss God's blessing by forgetting, ignoring, or disobeying His commands. In Numbers 20, Moses was commanded by God to speak to a rock so that God would provide the people water from it. Instead, Moses struck the rock twice and it gave water to the people and their animals. However, Moses' disobedience cost him the privilege of leading the people into the promised land. Have you ever thought, "Really? Just because of that one little detail??" I have thought about it, but in my contemplating I've realized that there is no inbetween when it comes to God's commands-- it's all or nothing! So Moses urges the people passionately, repetitively, "Do not forget the commandment of the Lord!"
In chapter 5, the ten commandments are restated. This is another example of the importance of reminders, or spiritual markers. If these people, who had seen miracles by God on their behalf, needed reminders, how much do we need reminders?
Chapter 6 lists the benefits of obeying God. The most poignant verse is verse 25, the concluding verse. "It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us." It is written elsewhere of Abraham, "He believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness."
In the New Testament, we read Jesus quoting verses 5 of this chapter,"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." That is what this all boils down to -- our love for God! Do we love Him? Do we trust Him? Do we obey Him? Are we ready for Him to take us and bind us to His instrument so that He can play and produce beautiful music for His glory in our lives? That is an incredible thing to strive for -- LET'S GO FOR IT!!
May God bless the reading of His word!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 1-3
Today we start the fifth book written by Moses. It must have been pretty hard for him to write some of this stuff down. The reason I mention that is because he mentions that God was even angry with him on account of the Israelites and so he was to die out in the wilderness with them.
I'd like to point out two things that I got from today's passage that maybe you did not recognize when reading it. First was what I thought was an emphasis on listening to God. The Israelites always seem to miss this very important factor in following God. So, God explicitly said to them that He had given them land to take possession over and what do they do? They gather together, talk to Moses, and decide it best that they should send out men who can explore and find the best way to take the cities. Then, get this, Moses records, "The thing seemed good to me..." There's a big problem right there! I know that if God told me something specific to do, then I thought of a "better" way to do it, it's probably not the wisest thing I could ever do. God knows a little more than I do. Furthermore, it angered God for their refusal to listen and take matters into their own hands. Verse 26-27 says they murmured in their tents that God hated them so much and He gave them over to the Amorites to be killed. They've missed it...once again!
The second thing I wanted to point out is chapter 2, verse 7. I have this verse highlighted in my Bible. "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness..." God never forgot the people. The end of that verse says that they lacked nothing. So we see here that God brought them away and supplied their every need! Sometimes I get this mixed up with my wants. I sometimes grumble to God about things I've wanted to see happen, when God has given everything I need.
While there is much more to be said, I wanted to end on the one last thing that caught my attention. At the end of chapter three, Moses is denied passage into the land. Then, God commands him that Joshua is to take his place, and that Moses is to strengthen and encourage him. Wow. Moses, would have been a very strong and obedient man! I know that many times when I'm told I cannot have something, I tend to get restless and set on getting what I was told I could not have. However, we see that Moses remained obedient in the midst of the (what may have been somewhat painful) news.
Today we start the fifth book written by Moses. It must have been pretty hard for him to write some of this stuff down. The reason I mention that is because he mentions that God was even angry with him on account of the Israelites and so he was to die out in the wilderness with them.
I'd like to point out two things that I got from today's passage that maybe you did not recognize when reading it. First was what I thought was an emphasis on listening to God. The Israelites always seem to miss this very important factor in following God. So, God explicitly said to them that He had given them land to take possession over and what do they do? They gather together, talk to Moses, and decide it best that they should send out men who can explore and find the best way to take the cities. Then, get this, Moses records, "The thing seemed good to me..." There's a big problem right there! I know that if God told me something specific to do, then I thought of a "better" way to do it, it's probably not the wisest thing I could ever do. God knows a little more than I do. Furthermore, it angered God for their refusal to listen and take matters into their own hands. Verse 26-27 says they murmured in their tents that God hated them so much and He gave them over to the Amorites to be killed. They've missed it...once again!
The second thing I wanted to point out is chapter 2, verse 7. I have this verse highlighted in my Bible. "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness..." God never forgot the people. The end of that verse says that they lacked nothing. So we see here that God brought them away and supplied their every need! Sometimes I get this mixed up with my wants. I sometimes grumble to God about things I've wanted to see happen, when God has given everything I need.
While there is much more to be said, I wanted to end on the one last thing that caught my attention. At the end of chapter three, Moses is denied passage into the land. Then, God commands him that Joshua is to take his place, and that Moses is to strengthen and encourage him. Wow. Moses, would have been a very strong and obedient man! I know that many times when I'm told I cannot have something, I tend to get restless and set on getting what I was told I could not have. However, we see that Moses remained obedient in the midst of the (what may have been somewhat painful) news.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Today's Passage: Mark 10
How do you blog on such a rich passage like Mark 10? To fully be able to cover every part would take us a week of posts. You could talk about the trap of the Pharisees and the statements of Jesus on the importance of marriage. You could spend a day talking about coming to Christ as a child. The story of the rich young ruler reminds us of the things that are of true importance in this world. But today, I want to spend my time on the last two stories of Mark 10...the request of James and John and the healing of Bartimaeus.
Last night was our first night to serve at the Center of Hope this summer. Although it was abbreviated by the weather, it only took a few minutes to see the kind of impact this project will make on our community and, maybe more importantly, our own families. If you haven't had the chance yet, I encourage you to go back to Michelle's email earlier in the week and do the family devotional she provided on the story of James and John and their eagerness to be the favorites. We were able to have a devotional time just before we left for the COH and talk to our girls about the importance of serving. They understood some as we talked, but it was actually going to serve that made them understand what Jesus meant when He said the words of verses 43-45. You can talk and teach about being a servant all you want to, but the only way to truly understand what Jesus wants from us is to be His hands and feet. If we are going to be like Jesus, then we have to do the things Jesus called us to...service, loving our neighbor, sharing our faith...action must accompany the heart!
The story of Bartimaeus is one of my favorite passages in all of scripture...it will always be special to me because I wrote my first sermon based on it. I want you to notice something very important in the reaction of Bartimaeus...that scripture makes a point to say "throwing his cloak aside". Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who lived out by the city gates. He most likely had very little, and this cloak was the one thing that would keep him warm during very cold nights. But even though he was blind and in a crowd, he threw it away...there was no chance of ever getting it back! He would have never been able to find it again. But he knew in moment that things were about to change. He didn't need to hold on to the old things because Jesus was about to make all things new for him!
Do you see how these two stories go together? We must be His hands and feet, but to do that, we're going to have to let go of the things of the world that we find comfort in and expectantly run to Jesus to make us new. Are you holding on to something so tightly that you can't use your hands for Jesus this week? Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone and see things that only God can do?
How do you blog on such a rich passage like Mark 10? To fully be able to cover every part would take us a week of posts. You could talk about the trap of the Pharisees and the statements of Jesus on the importance of marriage. You could spend a day talking about coming to Christ as a child. The story of the rich young ruler reminds us of the things that are of true importance in this world. But today, I want to spend my time on the last two stories of Mark 10...the request of James and John and the healing of Bartimaeus.
Last night was our first night to serve at the Center of Hope this summer. Although it was abbreviated by the weather, it only took a few minutes to see the kind of impact this project will make on our community and, maybe more importantly, our own families. If you haven't had the chance yet, I encourage you to go back to Michelle's email earlier in the week and do the family devotional she provided on the story of James and John and their eagerness to be the favorites. We were able to have a devotional time just before we left for the COH and talk to our girls about the importance of serving. They understood some as we talked, but it was actually going to serve that made them understand what Jesus meant when He said the words of verses 43-45. You can talk and teach about being a servant all you want to, but the only way to truly understand what Jesus wants from us is to be His hands and feet. If we are going to be like Jesus, then we have to do the things Jesus called us to...service, loving our neighbor, sharing our faith...action must accompany the heart!
The story of Bartimaeus is one of my favorite passages in all of scripture...it will always be special to me because I wrote my first sermon based on it. I want you to notice something very important in the reaction of Bartimaeus...that scripture makes a point to say "throwing his cloak aside". Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who lived out by the city gates. He most likely had very little, and this cloak was the one thing that would keep him warm during very cold nights. But even though he was blind and in a crowd, he threw it away...there was no chance of ever getting it back! He would have never been able to find it again. But he knew in moment that things were about to change. He didn't need to hold on to the old things because Jesus was about to make all things new for him!
Do you see how these two stories go together? We must be His hands and feet, but to do that, we're going to have to let go of the things of the world that we find comfort in and expectantly run to Jesus to make us new. Are you holding on to something so tightly that you can't use your hands for Jesus this week? Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone and see things that only God can do?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 35-36
These two chapters for me are a good reminder that whether society likes it or not, we get our basic laws from the Bible. The cities of refugee sound a lot like a prison today. I mean they went there on their own, but they couldn’t leave until a trial was held, and they were protected from those that might seek to do harm against them.
The detail in which God lays things out for Moses never ceases to amaze me. He constantly is given exact numbers and such specifics, it seems that it would be hard to mess up. God even lays out the number of cities and the number of cities of refugees. An interesting thing I found this week while I was studying was the names of the cities of refugees. They are Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan on the east side of the Jordan and then Hebron, Shechem, and Kedesh on the west side of the river. You can find a little more about them in Joshua in chapters 20-21.
God made it pretty clear that he wanted the Levites at all the cities. I think this is important for us today to remember that we need to seek to find areas that do not have churches and put them there. We at BCCC are the product of such thought. God wanted there to be Levites all over the nation so that there might be teaching all throughout the land. It is a good reminder for us today that God had some pretty good ideas about church planting before we even thought of the term.
The last thing that I really took away from today’s reading was in Chapter 36. God gave pretty clear instructions about the tribes and how they were not to mix. I think this is a good reminder that He had very clear ideas on the roles of each tribe and that one of these tribes was to be the ancestors of the Messiah, and by not allowing them to mix it was very clear which tribe He came from. The leaders had no idea of this at the time. Which for us should serve as a great reminder that God sees the big picture and we only see a small part. We have to trust Him for the long run. My prayer for us today is that we trust in God’s big picture and we are content with what we can see in the short term.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 34
I once heard a message on the boundaries that God has given us and how those boundaries actually give us more freedom than we have without them. The speaker shared a story about a child's playground built on a busy street. The playground was finished and ready to be used before a fence had been built around it. Without the fence, the children would stay very close to the play apparatus, not wanting to get too close to the street. The observing teachers were extra cautious as they watched their classes at play. No games could be played in which a ball might go rolling into the street and running about was kept very minimal. Once the fence was installed, however, the children would freely run all the way up to the fence, mere feet from the busy street. They could have run this far all along, but without the fence the children did not have the freedom that known protection provides.
God had given his people the Promised Land of Canaan, but with it came boundaries. This seems to be the case with most of God's gifts. He has given us many wonderful things, but desires for us to use them within his boundaries. These boundaries not only protect us, but give us the freedom to enjoy those gifts properly. Our talents, time, home, abilities, finances, and intellect are to be used for his glory and not selfish gain. As you read today's passage, thank God for the "Promised Land" that He has given you and contemplate how you may best use it for his glory. Also, consider the boundaries that He wants us to have and how those boundaries can actually give much freedom in your life!
I once heard a message on the boundaries that God has given us and how those boundaries actually give us more freedom than we have without them. The speaker shared a story about a child's playground built on a busy street. The playground was finished and ready to be used before a fence had been built around it. Without the fence, the children would stay very close to the play apparatus, not wanting to get too close to the street. The observing teachers were extra cautious as they watched their classes at play. No games could be played in which a ball might go rolling into the street and running about was kept very minimal. Once the fence was installed, however, the children would freely run all the way up to the fence, mere feet from the busy street. They could have run this far all along, but without the fence the children did not have the freedom that known protection provides.
God had given his people the Promised Land of Canaan, but with it came boundaries. This seems to be the case with most of God's gifts. He has given us many wonderful things, but desires for us to use them within his boundaries. These boundaries not only protect us, but give us the freedom to enjoy those gifts properly. Our talents, time, home, abilities, finances, and intellect are to be used for his glory and not selfish gain. As you read today's passage, thank God for the "Promised Land" that He has given you and contemplate how you may best use it for his glory. Also, consider the boundaries that He wants us to have and how those boundaries can actually give much freedom in your life!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 33
Growing is a fun journey for most children. When I was a child I remember every so often my Mom would want to measure my height. I would stand next to an entry way and she would mark my newly discovered height while recording the date next to it. It was enjoyable to see how much I had grown in such a short amount of time.
Keeping a record of growth is not only fun, but it is important as well. God told Moses to keep a record of the journey of Israel. This involved the spiritual and geographic journey for God's people. This was a significant act because the following generations could then look back and see how God had taken care of their forefathers.
Do you keep record of God working in your life? I know journaling may be seen as effeminate, but the good news is that Moses did it as well! I encourage every reader to take some time and think of how God has been working in your life and write it down. Put the paper and pen in a place where you know you will come back to it. Hopefully in a few months you will see your journal entry and be encouraged by the movement of God. Like the Israelites, we need encouragement through our stages of life. Take some time today and reflect on how great our Creator is.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 32
I have a strong justice nature so this passage was very challenging to me. I have a hard time thinking it was fair for these tribes to basically lay claim to their land before everyone else. The key to this passage however, is that the Gadites and the Reubenites made clear their intentions to continue to follow the Lord's commands and fight with the rest of the Lord's people.
What this passage brought to my attention was that we often set out on a journey with two sets of goals in mind, God's and ours. God's goals tend to drive us on to do things we have never imagine doing, but our goals if set any shorter than God's can cause us to stop short of God's plans.
We find in this passage that even after the two tribes obtained their goal, they continued to pursue God's goal and saw it through to the end. This should be a testimony to us not to settle for the fulfillment of our limited desires, but to push forward with thanksgiving and reach for the goals that only God can do.
Be thankful when God blesses you but realize that He does so not just for your benefit, but for the benefit of everyone He is calling you to reach out to.
Not to us but to Your name be the glory.
I have a strong justice nature so this passage was very challenging to me. I have a hard time thinking it was fair for these tribes to basically lay claim to their land before everyone else. The key to this passage however, is that the Gadites and the Reubenites made clear their intentions to continue to follow the Lord's commands and fight with the rest of the Lord's people.
What this passage brought to my attention was that we often set out on a journey with two sets of goals in mind, God's and ours. God's goals tend to drive us on to do things we have never imagine doing, but our goals if set any shorter than God's can cause us to stop short of God's plans.
We find in this passage that even after the two tribes obtained their goal, they continued to pursue God's goal and saw it through to the end. This should be a testimony to us not to settle for the fulfillment of our limited desires, but to push forward with thanksgiving and reach for the goals that only God can do.
Be thankful when God blesses you but realize that He does so not just for your benefit, but for the benefit of everyone He is calling you to reach out to.
Not to us but to Your name be the glory.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Mark 9
Have you seen the I AM SECOND billboards? Have you checked out the website: iamsecond.com? I was reminded of this powerful ministry when I was reading Mark 9. This passage is full of reminders that we are NOT first!!
THE TRANSFIGURATION verses 1-13
The three disciples that went with Jesus saw Him as He is in all His glory. Wow! I can't imagine what that must have been like!! This is a window into our future, our true destiny. We will all bow our knees, and we will all confess with our tongues that Jesus is Lord---IN PERSON!!
When we think of our plans and goals for the future, is this FIRST?
HEALING POSSESSED BOY verses 14-30
A man approaches Jesus to ask Him to heal his son. The most poignant verses are verses 23-24. Jesus said, "All things are possible to him who believes." The boy's father immediately responds, " I DO believe! Help my unbelief!" I wrote last week about our tendency to wander from God. This passage reminds me of another tendency we all have to deal with: DOUBTS! We have accepted Christ as our Savior; we believe His word. However, there are things, events, circumstances, feelings that sometimes lead us to a place of unbelief. As we are learning in our sermons on Sunday mornings, we are a lot like the Jews and the Gentiles of the New Testament. We want to see more miracles! We WANT PROOF that Jesus is who He says He is! No matter what He has done in the past we "need" the miracle/proof to believe today.
When troubles come, do we go to Him FIRST?
THE ARGUMENT verses 30-37
Since the disciples couldn't wrap their brains around Jesus' prediction of His own death and resurrection, they start arguing over who is the greatest among them. Then came Jesus' famous words, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
In our relationships, do we put others FIRST in order that He might be FIRST?
DIRE WARNINGS verses 38-50
Jesus warns of leading people astray and wayward hands, feet, and eyes. All of these things get in the way of God's glory being displayed in our life.
What things have we allowed in our lives that keep us from making Him and His glory FIRST?
(Feel free to sing along)
"Oh be careful little hands what you do, Oh be careful little feet where you go, For the Father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful little eyes what you see!"
May God bless the reading of His word!!
Mark 9
Have you seen the I AM SECOND billboards? Have you checked out the website: iamsecond.com? I was reminded of this powerful ministry when I was reading Mark 9. This passage is full of reminders that we are NOT first!!
THE TRANSFIGURATION verses 1-13
The three disciples that went with Jesus saw Him as He is in all His glory. Wow! I can't imagine what that must have been like!! This is a window into our future, our true destiny. We will all bow our knees, and we will all confess with our tongues that Jesus is Lord---IN PERSON!!
When we think of our plans and goals for the future, is this FIRST?
HEALING POSSESSED BOY verses 14-30
A man approaches Jesus to ask Him to heal his son. The most poignant verses are verses 23-24. Jesus said, "All things are possible to him who believes." The boy's father immediately responds, " I DO believe! Help my unbelief!" I wrote last week about our tendency to wander from God. This passage reminds me of another tendency we all have to deal with: DOUBTS! We have accepted Christ as our Savior; we believe His word. However, there are things, events, circumstances, feelings that sometimes lead us to a place of unbelief. As we are learning in our sermons on Sunday mornings, we are a lot like the Jews and the Gentiles of the New Testament. We want to see more miracles! We WANT PROOF that Jesus is who He says He is! No matter what He has done in the past we "need" the miracle/proof to believe today.
When troubles come, do we go to Him FIRST?
THE ARGUMENT verses 30-37
Since the disciples couldn't wrap their brains around Jesus' prediction of His own death and resurrection, they start arguing over who is the greatest among them. Then came Jesus' famous words, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
In our relationships, do we put others FIRST in order that He might be FIRST?
DIRE WARNINGS verses 38-50
Jesus warns of leading people astray and wayward hands, feet, and eyes. All of these things get in the way of God's glory being displayed in our life.
What things have we allowed in our lives that keep us from making Him and His glory FIRST?
(Feel free to sing along)
"Oh be careful little hands what you do, Oh be careful little feet where you go, For the Father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful little eyes what you see!"
May God bless the reading of His word!!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Numbers chapter 31 records the massacre of the Midianites. At the onset, it would appear that the Lord had commanded His people (the Israelites) to slaughter the Midianites for no reason. This obviously is not the character of a holy God. A closer reading and understanding of the whole would show that the Lord was executing a righteous justice upon the Midianites (including the women) for their sin. If one recalls, the Midianties had teamed up with the Moabites to curse the Israelites. Also, the Midianite women were brought specifically in the picture a few chapters back when they sought to seduce the Israelite men into serving their idols. These men were dealt with also for their sin.
With this in mind, we see then that the Lord was not tasking soldiers to take captive innocent women as slaves for no purpose. Rather, the Lord knew that the woman who had had sex would have been involved in the sin of seducing the Israelites and thus justice was made by the Israelite army.
This recollection of this historical event reminds me that sin will always catch up and find you out. There is no sin that can be hidden from a Holy God. The Lord is just that: righteous. Our sin is not to be taken lightly!
We are not doomed; however. The GREAT news of the Gospel is that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for all our sins. So, we are able to confess our sins to God so that He will forgive us.
The last thing that struck me when reading and mulling over today's passage is the giving back that the people did. God had given the Midianites over to the Israelites and they plundered quite a bit of loot. However, they were willing and ready to give to the Lord, even though it all was His. This same principle still applies today.
With this in mind, we see then that the Lord was not tasking soldiers to take captive innocent women as slaves for no purpose. Rather, the Lord knew that the woman who had had sex would have been involved in the sin of seducing the Israelites and thus justice was made by the Israelite army.
This recollection of this historical event reminds me that sin will always catch up and find you out. There is no sin that can be hidden from a Holy God. The Lord is just that: righteous. Our sin is not to be taken lightly!
We are not doomed; however. The GREAT news of the Gospel is that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for all our sins. So, we are able to confess our sins to God so that He will forgive us.
The last thing that struck me when reading and mulling over today's passage is the giving back that the people did. God had given the Midianites over to the Israelites and they plundered quite a bit of loot. However, they were willing and ready to give to the Lord, even though it all was His. This same principle still applies today.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 29-30
In the 80's classic TV show "The A Team", the famous catch phrase was "I love it when a plan comes together!" That's how I felt today when I opened my Bible to Numbers 29-30. All week long I've been preparing a sermon for Sunday on the last part of John 7 and studying the Feast of Tabernacles...and today my blog passage just happens to be on the Feast of Tabernacles! God must be doing something this week, bringing all these thoughts together.
The feasts described here...the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles...were all held in the seventh month of the year. This was the time between the harvest and the planting season, so it was a time when life moved a little slower. There wasn't the daily schedule that surrounded the growing season. God, as always, knew exactly what He was doing when He established these feasts of thanksgiving and reflection.
For many of us, this week marks the end of another school year. The daily schedule of getting kids out the door and then back in for homework, practice, or whatever else is replaced with a (slightly) slower pace. What a great time of year to make the time to reflect on God, thank Him for His provision, and prepare our hearts for Him to do something only He can do! What a great time to spend some time as a family on eternal things! I hope that we will use these summer months to offer something to God that is a "pleasing aroma" to Him.
Hope to see you Sunday...you'll learn much more about the Feast of Tabernacles, including why Jesus chose to claim He is the "living water" there. Much of the symbolism of John 7 is found in Numbers 29!
In the 80's classic TV show "The A Team", the famous catch phrase was "I love it when a plan comes together!" That's how I felt today when I opened my Bible to Numbers 29-30. All week long I've been preparing a sermon for Sunday on the last part of John 7 and studying the Feast of Tabernacles...and today my blog passage just happens to be on the Feast of Tabernacles! God must be doing something this week, bringing all these thoughts together.
The feasts described here...the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles...were all held in the seventh month of the year. This was the time between the harvest and the planting season, so it was a time when life moved a little slower. There wasn't the daily schedule that surrounded the growing season. God, as always, knew exactly what He was doing when He established these feasts of thanksgiving and reflection.
For many of us, this week marks the end of another school year. The daily schedule of getting kids out the door and then back in for homework, practice, or whatever else is replaced with a (slightly) slower pace. What a great time of year to make the time to reflect on God, thank Him for His provision, and prepare our hearts for Him to do something only He can do! What a great time to spend some time as a family on eternal things! I hope that we will use these summer months to offer something to God that is a "pleasing aroma" to Him.
Hope to see you Sunday...you'll learn much more about the Feast of Tabernacles, including why Jesus chose to claim He is the "living water" there. Much of the symbolism of John 7 is found in Numbers 29!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Today's Passage: Mark 8
Every time I read an account like this in the gospels I just want to call the disciples fools and question if they will ever get it. I mean seriously they walked with Christ daily and they still didn’t understand. When I get that urge, I remind myself that some day I will be in heaven and there might just be an opportunity for them or someone else to sit me down and say those magical words…what were you thinking when you…? When I think about this I refrain from my bashing on the disciples. With that in mind, let us look at the disciples and then see how they are not that different from us today.
Mark 8 tells the story of the second large group that Jesus has fed with basically nothing on hand. This time it is 4,000 with seven loaves. They only have seven baskets left over, but there is an interesting side note to add about the baskets they speak of. The word used for basket here is not the small basket in the previous feeding of the 5000, this basket is the same word used to describe the basket in Acts 9:25 used to lower Paul from a wall. So seven loaves turned into not only enough to feed 4,000, but more than it originally was. Like I said, that is a small side note that I found really interesting in my study of this chapter. The heart of what I want to get to comes in verse fourteen when it says the disciples forgot to pack more than one loaf of bread.
I think it is amazing that Jesus just fed four thousand people with 7 loaves of bread and they become worried about only having one loaf. With the rate that he just provided for the people, the disciples and Jesus should have plenty of food for themselves, and about 550 of their closest friends. Jesus calls them on this and it is an amazing encounter. I think I probably picture Jesus being more sarcastic than He was, but can you imagine if you were there how you might handle it. He just fed four thousand and had leftovers, but they still do not get that He can provide and sustain all their needs. He even reminds them of the great gatherings that they have seen him feed. Then to close He even asks if they still do not understand. Again, in my head He is thick on the sarcasm during this discussion, because that is the way I would handle it. Which brings me back to what I started with and my temptation to just ridicule the heck out of the disciples who cannot ever remember that Jesus provides and they should just trust Him.
That last sentence gets me every time when I read it aloud. Last week I encouraged you to write down in a journal when God did something amazing for you. This week I come back with that same challenge. I can so quickly become like the disciples in this story. God can provide something above and beyond in a huge way, but then something much smaller comes around and I wonder how it will ever work out. Right after Suzanne and I got married I quit a job because it interfered with our commitment to the church, and the next day I got a job handed to me that provided above and beyond our needs. But for some reason occasionally I catch myself now thinking, how is school going to work out, or how is this going to happen, and then I remember how God has always provided for us above what we needed, even when it made no earthly sense. I want to invite you to share about a time when God provided in an extraordinary way for you. It does not have to be feeding the 4,000 big, but I would love to hear how God has amazed you with his provision for you.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 27-28
In this passage we learn that Joshua is to succeed Moses. Moses--the guy who lived in pharaoh's palace, spoke to God through a burning bush, led the Israelites out of Egypt, was used by God to part the Red Sea, received the Ten Commandments, and was the spiritual leader of an entire nation! Talk about having some big shoes to fill! I actually think this is one of the saddest parts of the Moses saga. He was certainly not sinless or perfect and his punishment for turning against God was that he would never enter the promised land. When Moses could have been feeling sorry for himself, he does the exact opposite: he displays a true love and concern for those he leads.
One of my favorite books is Good to Great by Jim Collins. Collins explores what common factors exist among businesses which have made the leap from "good" to "great." The very first and most important factor is what he calls Level 5 Leadership. He defines a Level 5 Leader as one who "builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will." Moses exemplifies this type of leadership when he prays, "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd." God answers this prayer with a man named Joshua, also a great leader of the Israelite nation. As you read this passage, consider the person God has called you to be. Like Moses, think about the legacy you want to leave behind...in your home with your family, at your job with your co-workers or employees, at your church, or in your community. Like Joshua, think about the position you are stepping into. Are there areas which need improvement in order for God to receive glory? Is God challenging you to shift your focus? Whatever your situation may be, we are commanded to do it all in the name of the Lord! In everything we do, we should ask ourselves if we are doing it as if for Him.
In this passage we learn that Joshua is to succeed Moses. Moses--the guy who lived in pharaoh's palace, spoke to God through a burning bush, led the Israelites out of Egypt, was used by God to part the Red Sea, received the Ten Commandments, and was the spiritual leader of an entire nation! Talk about having some big shoes to fill! I actually think this is one of the saddest parts of the Moses saga. He was certainly not sinless or perfect and his punishment for turning against God was that he would never enter the promised land. When Moses could have been feeling sorry for himself, he does the exact opposite: he displays a true love and concern for those he leads.
One of my favorite books is Good to Great by Jim Collins. Collins explores what common factors exist among businesses which have made the leap from "good" to "great." The very first and most important factor is what he calls Level 5 Leadership. He defines a Level 5 Leader as one who "builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will." Moses exemplifies this type of leadership when he prays, "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd." God answers this prayer with a man named Joshua, also a great leader of the Israelite nation. As you read this passage, consider the person God has called you to be. Like Moses, think about the legacy you want to leave behind...in your home with your family, at your job with your co-workers or employees, at your church, or in your community. Like Joshua, think about the position you are stepping into. Are there areas which need improvement in order for God to receive glory? Is God challenging you to shift your focus? Whatever your situation may be, we are commanded to do it all in the name of the Lord! In everything we do, we should ask ourselves if we are doing it as if for Him.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 25-26
Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines worship as giving honor, respect, and devotion to someone or something. Using this definition, it is easy to see that the average person probably worships more than just God in a given day. Once you consider your personal thoughts and actions within a day, you may see that you honor many things other than God. These objects that you honor may be clothes, cars, money, or even people. In the passage for today, the Moabite women distracted the Israelites with sexual sins which soon led to all out worship of Baal.
God did not take this worship lightly. He told Moses that the sinful men who worshiped Baal must be put to death (25:5). A few men followed God's order and killed the sinful men and honored God. He (God) was very pleased with his servants following the orders to remove those who worshiped false gods. It is clear from this passage and earlier Old Testament passages that God takes sin very, very seriously!
The question for us is, "Do you take sin seriously?" Due to our culture, we have the opportunity to worship anything and everything, especially ourselves. If we proceed to worship anything other than our Creator, then we will pay the price. The price may not be death by spear (25:8), but it will be no walk in the park either. We have to make a daily decision to honor, respect, and be devoted to God. I pray that none of us become like the Israelites who turned from God and worshiped false gods because it made them feel good.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Today's Passage: Numbers 23-24
I am so impressed by Balaam's character in this story. He could have easily bent to Balak's will and said the things he wanted, but instead he stood strong for God and what he knew was right.
We all have found our selves in this situation, faced with the choice to say the right thing and risk the earthly back lash or say what a person wants and not be true to our beliefs and God. This story reminds me of a question I am often asked by youth: How do I choose what hills to die on when it comes to defending my faith? I think this is one of the most challenging question for Christians in our current culture. What I tell my youth is: Our lives should reflect our beliefs in every way, not just our words. If you only give your beliefs and God lip service then you will be viewed as judgmental and hypocritical when you speak about them or are confronted on them. By living out your beliefs it provides you with the opportunity to speak truth in those situations. It also establishes to others that God is the most important thing in your life and eliminates any ideas they might have to sway that point of view.
In our culture it has become viewed as uncool and even wrong in some cases to stand firm in your beliefs. God's command to Balaam to only say what God had give him, rings true for us too. We must live lives that represent our beliefs so that we do not disqualify our testimonies about the Lord. We should do this so that when we are asked: Why do you live this way? We can say with confidence: Because I am being obedient to the Lord.
I am so impressed by Balaam's character in this story. He could have easily bent to Balak's will and said the things he wanted, but instead he stood strong for God and what he knew was right.
We all have found our selves in this situation, faced with the choice to say the right thing and risk the earthly back lash or say what a person wants and not be true to our beliefs and God. This story reminds me of a question I am often asked by youth: How do I choose what hills to die on when it comes to defending my faith? I think this is one of the most challenging question for Christians in our current culture. What I tell my youth is: Our lives should reflect our beliefs in every way, not just our words. If you only give your beliefs and God lip service then you will be viewed as judgmental and hypocritical when you speak about them or are confronted on them. By living out your beliefs it provides you with the opportunity to speak truth in those situations. It also establishes to others that God is the most important thing in your life and eliminates any ideas they might have to sway that point of view.
In our culture it has become viewed as uncool and even wrong in some cases to stand firm in your beliefs. God's command to Balaam to only say what God had give him, rings true for us too. We must live lives that represent our beliefs so that we do not disqualify our testimonies about the Lord. We should do this so that when we are asked: Why do you live this way? We can say with confidence: Because I am being obedient to the Lord.
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