August 31: On earthly discouragement and Godly confidence

Job 37:1-39:30

2 Cor 4:13-5:10

Psalm 44:9-26

Proverbs 22:13

Have you ever been discouraged?  I get discouraged a lot - mostly about myself, my shortcomings as a husband and a father, my frequent and repetitive inability to be the man I aspire to be, my recidivist sinfulness EVEN when I know the sin, I know it is sin, and I want to avoid it.  So in the context of my chronic discouragement, it was so interesting to see how well the Psalm today tied into the story of Job.  

"But now You [God] have rejected and humbled us;

   you no longer go out with our armies...

 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep

   and have scattered us among the nations."

And all this has come about "though we [in this case, either the psalmist or Job] had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant."

Why does God sometimes seem to turn His back on us, however we might seek Him?  Has He really turned away?  Is He no longer aware of our conditions?  The answer, intellectually, is "no".  And God shows us, through Job, that He does, in fact, remember us.  Job suffered much, but through it all, God was watching, and when Job complained and cried out, God answered.  And in His words we read today, He makes it clear He is - as so eloquently put by the inimitable John Lennon and Paul McCartney - "Here, There, and Everywhere".  

Which is why, as Saint Paul says, "we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."  We can take comfort from the fact that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" - though we may understand neither the why suffering is necessary, or how the glory is to be achieved.  We can be confident because, when we learn to recognize them, we see evidence of God everywhere in our lives - the God "who has fashioned us for this [for His!] very purpose", and "who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing" - GUARANTEEING!!! - "what is to come."

It is confidence in His perfect love and perfect wisdom, in His complete control, that we can willingly "face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."  And with this confidence, we are able to shrug aside our discouragement and carry on.  

8/30/13

8/30/13

For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. (2 Corinthians 4:6, 7 NLT)

Light bulbs

A light bulb is a very, very fragile thing. Much like our passage today talks about the light of Christ shining in our hearts, and we are fragile beings. What better way to illustrate this than a light bulb? We are fragile, i.e., the glass dome. God is the source of light, i.e., the cord plugged in to the electrical socket. Christ is the treasure inside that illuminates in us, i.e, the tungsten coil inside the glass dome. I guess the point here is that if Christ was not inside of our fragile beings, then God's great power would not be revealed through us. And so we ask Christ to come into our hearts, and shine God through us.

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Thursday, August 29

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2013

Job 31–33

2 Corinthians 3

Psalm 43

Proverbs 22:8.9

 

 

¡Buenos días de Santo Domingo!  Good morning from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.  Scott, Kathie, Danielle, and I arrived last evening and will today be heading to a conference with 14 Dominican pastors and their wives.  We seek to encourage them in their marriages and ministry and to refresh them with the opportunity to share transparently and vulnerably about their joys and struggles.  Please pray that God would send His Spirit to enliven our minds and spirits and to bring edification, wisdom, and grace among us.  Thank you for your support of this ministry opportunity!

 

 

“Send forth your light and your truth,

                let them guide me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain,

                to the place where you dwell.

Then will I go to the altar of God,

                to God, my joy and my delight!

I will praise you with the harp,

                O God, my God.

 

“Why are you downcast, O my soul?

                Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

                for I will yet praise him,

                My Savior and my God.”  (Psalm 43:4–6)

 

In this Psalm, we find the writer wrestling with His spiritual and emotional condition, describing himself as “downcast” and “disturbed.”  He has called upon God for His “light… and truth,” searching for God’s wisdom as his guide to God’s “holy mountain,/ to the place where you dwell.”  The writer has set his heart on following and serving God, but he still struggles in the journey.

 

We have all likely experienced this mix of good intentions but nagging feelings.  The world and the Evil One consistently bombard us with messages of our shortcomings in order to accuse and nullify God’s work in us.  We may find ourselves unmoored and undirected.

 

The final verse encourages to resolutely and intentionally walk forward, even in the face of these challenges.  Like the writer, we may speak into our hearts and minds from the “light… and truth” that God has revealed through His Word and His Spirit.  We may pray in these moments of struggle:  “Lord, which verses or truths shall I cling to?  What does Your heart have to say about this difficulty?”

 

As Pastor Scott has explained before, we process thousands of thoughts daily, subconsciously taking in observations and processing our reactions.  We must choose what and whom we will follow in these momentary reflections:  ourselves or God’s wisdom.  We may train our minds and hearts for this daily battle through trusting God and obeying the truth of Psalm 119:9–11:

 

“How can a young man keep his way pure?

    By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;

    do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart

    that I might not sin against you.”

 

 

“Such confidence we have through Christ before God.  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:4–6)

 

These words guide any human efforts in ministry.  We recognize that, without the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we will find little change.  Only God may mold and shape our hearts.  Please consider this wisdom from LeRoy Eims in The Lost Art of Disciplemaking:  “If anything of spiritual value is done in this world, it will be because God did it.  We find this to be so throughout the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments.”

 

 

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.  We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.  But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read.  It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.  Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.  But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:12–18) 

 

Here, Paul describes the fading vs. lasting glory of the Old and New Covenants.  While the Israelites saw that Moses had indeed met with God and that God had shared His radiance, Moses covered his face with a veil to obscure the fading glory from the Israelites.  Paul describes those who have not yet trusted in Christ as having a veil covering their hearts.  Therefore, we understand that anyone who comes to Christ must arrive there supernaturally.

 

The Old Covenant and its sacrificial system looked forward to the everlasting glory of Jesus Christ, its Guarantor.  In the New Covenant, the veil no longer remains because, through the Holy Spirit, God brings sanctification – “being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory.”  This transformation occurs both individually and corporately through the body of Christ, His church.   We may also rejoice in the “freedom” we have received through the Spirit – not to pursue selfish gain, but rather to become servants of righteousness and to experience the transformation into the likeness of Christ.

 

 

May we trust You wholly today, Father.  Give us deeper eyes of faith, that we might understand Your light and Your truth.  Lead our hearts and minds to seek You, and bring to light Your Word in our momentary struggles.  We seek to honor You and to become more like Your Son today; guide us in these desires.  Give us hearts of compassion and a sensitivity to Your Spirit.  In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

 

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August 27

Job 23-27

2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11

Psalm 41:1-13

Proverbs 22:5, 6

For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between "Yes" and "No." He is the one whom Silas,  Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God's ultimate "Yes," he always does what he says.  For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory.

2 Corinthians 1:19-20

Twice this week, I've already had conversations with people who are in difficult situations and they do not know what to do. I listened to both my loved ones and I realized that I couldn't really offer much advice. All I could do was listen and let them know that I supported and loved them. After these conversations, I wished that there was more I could do. I wished I could fix their problems for them.

After reading the passage in 2 Corinthians, I was reminded that I am not the one who is suppose to have all the answers. I can't solve all the problems of the world, but I serve a God who can. Because God gave us His Son Jesus, we are able to be victorious even when we don't know what to do. We can have peace even when others disappoint and hurt us. We can be confident that God will keep all His promises even when we don't understand how. "For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding YES!" This is something that I need to remember everyday!

Blogpost - Monday 8/26

Monday, August 26, 2013 [Chances Go Around]

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) 

"Chances go around."

My pastor, Thomas Johnson, used to say this all this all of the time, and I've found that it's true - life happens to everyone! The fact that we follow Christ does not exempt us from hardships. It actually opens us up to the possibility of even greater hardships, rejection, and pain.  

Last night, Jim and I talked with one of our YoungLife kids, who was promoting a Christian Club at Stamford High to incoming freshmen. He was telling us about the rejection, mocking, and ridicule that he went through simply because he dared to invite his classmates to join this club. This is the reality of sharing our faith. We will feel rejected; people will mock the message and ridicule us for even sharing it. I remember the friends that I lost when I began following Jesus and the people that have turned cold in recent days when I've shared my faith in conversations. But, had it not been for experiences like these, Jim and I wouldn't have been able to comfort and encourage our young brother. He is on the front lines - a missionary to his school reaching the unreached teens of Stamford with the Gospel. We stand with him as he continues on his mission. Sometime in the near future we'll be looking for someone to do the same for us as we are going through.

What am I saying? We often are discouraged by our struggles - that's a natural feeling. But, there's another way to look at this. If we never go through anything, how can we be of comfort to someone else when they are going through? Chances go around. Encourage someone who's going through hardships. Pray with someone who is struggling. Lift up someone who is down. The day will come when you and I will be in need of the same. Who knows? God may be allowing you to experience hardship knowing that you will cross paths with someone who needs to hear your story of victory (John 9:1-3). 

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Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."

Proverbs 11:25, "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."

John 9:1-3, "As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

--------------------

Kenny Sullivan

Grace EFC, Stamford, CT

(201) 218-0751

שלום

August 25

Psalm 40  

Shame and guilt cripple so many people today.  I have had conversations with many teens in which they talk about "cutting" themselves to help deal with the pain. The gospel presents us with a different view of cutting. We don't have to cut ourselves to find relief from shame. Jesus was "cut" on our behalf. It is his "cutting" that changed everything.

In Psalm 40 David speaks about a radical identity change. One minute he is in the slimy pit; the next moment his feet are placed on a rock. One moment he is moaning in despair; the next moment he is singing a song. How does one have such a radical transformation?

The good news is the "cuts" of Jesus on the cross make us different people. Before Christ I was a different person. This person was my old nature, my old self. But that person died. He was killed when I trusted in the "cuts" of Jesus. And now my life is hidden with Christ. I am in Christ. And He is in me. I am a new creation. This doesn't mean that I will never stumble or fall back into my old habits. But I will call them what they are, old habits, and I will confess them. I will thank God for his forgiveness. I will make amends and then I will move on. Not because I am taking sin lightly, but because I am taking who God says I am seriously.

God says that I am holy, pure, unstained, and without blemish. It's not because of anything I have done, but because of the "cuts" of Jesus on the cross.

When I trust in his "cuts," he wipes the slate clean. All guilt, all shame, and all sins are removed from my account and God views me as blameless.  Therefore shame has no place in my life because I am a new creation.

All the ugly parts of my story, the parts I want to pretend never happened, have been redeemed and they have become the moments in my life when God's grace is most on display.

In the end, my mistakes do not define me. My past does not define me. Jesus is the one who defines my identity and I am his beloved child in whom he is well pleased.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

August 24: Am I the bad company I do not want my kids to keep?

Job 12:1-15:35

1 Corinthians 15:29-58

Psalm 39:1-13

Proverbs 21:30-31

"Do not be misled: 'bad company corrupts good character'".  

Someone once told me that one's influence on one's children peaks at 9, and falls off sharply from 12 onwards.  We have three children, and remember having been so concerned for our eldest, a daughter, now almost 16, and for the type of friends she would have.  We worried that, however we might try to raise her, she would choose friends who did drugs, or drank, or partied late.  We were so grateful to have hosted three of her closest friends for a week, and confirmed what we had already known - that God had blessed her with wonderful friends - kind, respectful, considerate and responsible, pleasant and industrious and - refreshingly for teenagers - filled with wonder.

While reflecting on this, I realized that, while my influence with my children may fall off, it doesn't go away.  I still have, and will always have, influence on my children's lives.  Which led me to thinking: how good is my company?  How good is my influence?  Do I realize that, when they see me lose my patience and my temper, they think it is acceptable to do so?  Or that when weekends come and I put work ahead of them and their mother, when I put work and wealth ahead of God and family, that they learn this is the right thing to do?  

The thing is, I tell myself, I do all this not because I want to be mean or hurtful, but because I am trying to do what I think is best for them.   I suspect that many of the Corinthians who had formed factions, thereby dividing the church, thought they were doing the right thing as well.  Good intentions, clearly, are not enough.  In our humanity, and failure is inevitable.  How wonderful then that we can cry out, like the psalmist does:

"But now, Lord, what do I look for?

   My hope is in you.

 Save me from all my transgressions...

 Hear my prayer, Lord,

 listen to my cry for help."

8/23/13

8/23/13

"I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God's church......But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead." (1 Corinthians 15:3-9, 12-15 NLT)

We have to believe in miracles to be Christians. What? Really? I don't know if I can do that. Isn't Christianity about following this God guy? Believing that miracles happen is too much of a stretch. If you are asking these questions, then you are like me. The doubt creeps in.
When I was a young boy, my church was having a campout. We had sat around a fire one night, and stayed up late fellowshipping together, hanging out around that fire. If you have ever had a campfire, you understand that the heat inside that fire pit lasts a long time. So in the morning, that bed of white-hot coals (like after the red color goes away, but still blistering) was sitting there, waiting. That morning, some of us kids were playing in the campground, and this kid Ryan, who was probably 2, was running around in just a diaper. Anyway, somehow, in a toddler sort of a way, teetering on his feet, he ended up backing up next to that fire-pit. And then his heels hit the ring of that pit, and he fell flat on his back in those white-hot coals. His head was buried in the coals to his ears probably. My dad sprung to action and grabbed him out. Thinking the worst, my dad frantically began to wipe the hot coals off of his back and hair, and my dad's hand was getting burned in the process. His diaper was melted, but there was not a blister on his body, and his hair was not burned......Miracle
But, even though I can tell this story like it was yesterday, and I know how hot the coals were, and I know my dad burned his hands wiping off those coals, and I saw his melted diaper, I still have a hard time believing in miracles. And, so it sounds from this chapter, so did the church in Corinth. Specifically, the resurrection of the dead. But Paul makes a great point: if you don't believe in the resurrection of the dead, then how can you believe in Christ? How is the cross worth anything, if Christ is not alive? Through resurrection, Christ conquered death and the grave, once for all.

God, turn us from our unbelief!

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Thursday, August 22

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

Job 4:1–7:21

1 Corinthians 14:18–40

Psalm 37:30–40

Proverbs 21:27

 

 

While Job has limited opportunity to share his heart in Job 3, cursing the day of his birth, Eliphaz the Temanite and the other friends interject into Job’s situation with frequency over the coming 30-some chapters.

 

At the outset, we read that Job’s friends did intend to stand with their friend:  “When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.  When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.  Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.  No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.” (2:11–13)

 

Initially, in this humble attitude, the friends approached Job to bring comfort through their presence.  The friends elected to sit “on the ground with” Job rather than to take an elevated position of physical or moral superiority.  Their posture reflected a genuine and loving concern for their friend, and their silence matched the gravity of Job’s deserved despair.

 

As we reflect on comforting others as ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:13–21), we understand from Paul that our trials ultimately prepare us to serve others:  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.  If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.  And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3–7)

 

This passage and our own life experience suggests that God does not waste crises; rather, each challenge that we face better enables us to treasure the Lord Jesus Christ and to serve His people.  Even in adversity, we recognize that God’s will remains steadfast:  to magnify His glory and further the good of His people (Romans 8:28,29).  Specifically, our “good” involves becoming more fitted into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ.  And, broadly speaking, this Book of Job highlights the value of our faith to demonstrate God’s goodness and beauty.

 

From Chapter 4 onward, however, the friends become intent on pointing out the likelihood that Job had sinned, which triggered his palpable misfortune.  Their theology simply argued:  only flagrant sinners receive God’s punishment.  Given the glimpse into the spiritual realms in Chapters 1 and 2, however, we grasp that cosmic warfare means that God’s people may indeed face unwarranted attacks.

 

Practically speaking, we may take away several lessons:

 

1.       Be careful to distinguish between descriptive and prescriptive reactions to others’ adversity.  As problem-solvers, we may wish to provide solutions immediately when faced with another’s challenges.  Yet, we must exercise gracious sensitivity to determine when to simply listen, when to provide observations, and when to propose steps for change.  Those who are suffering often value the opportunity to describe their challenges rather than to have others rushing to define as a third party.

 

2.       Questions and invitations often trump statements.  Much of ministry involves eliciting stories for others and relating to their situations.  Throughout Jesus’s ministry, we find Him posing core-cutting questions and inviting others to experience His presence.  Those who wish to domineer issue edicts, while servant-leaders appear ready to draw others out.

 

3.       Trust and time often come together in a perseverant adversity strategy.  Trust involves an exertion of our wills – a choice – to turn to God and embrace His wisdom over the long haul.  Whose voice will you choose to hear in these moments?  How may you support others in that daily battle to trust and obey?  You may find “The Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns encouraging in this battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YgfiaLk0kE).

 

 

You may have followed the news regarding an intercepted school shooting in Decatur, Ga., on Tuesday.  School bookkeeper Antoinette Tuff engaged the would-be massacre agent not with violence, but with vulnerability.  She revealed her brokenness and spoke with firmness and faith into the troubled young man’s life.  She leaned upon God and received miraculous calm in this tense situation.  As a result, the 870 elementary school students at the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy safely evacuated the building.  This hero walked alongside the broken in order to bring reconciliation and grace.  Praise God for the wisdom He provided to Ms. Tuff and for the safety of these dear children!

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August 20

Esther 8-10

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

Psalm 37:1-11

Proverbs 21:23, 24

"And yet I will show you the most excellent way."

1 Corinthians 13 is a very well known passage from the Bible. It is read at weddings, it is studied in church, it is written about at length in studies. And for good reasons. It describes in detail what it means to love each other. Love is patient, kind, selfless, humble, gracious, honest, trustworthy, hopeful, strong, enduring, eternal. This is what love looks like. 

For me, it's easy to focus on this chapter by itself. But the last sentence of chapter 12 really struck me: "And yet I will show you the most excellent way." Then there is an entire chapter on love, how if we don't have love, then we have nothing, we know nothing, we are nothing. Love is the most excellent way that Paul was talking about. The most excellent way for what? Chapter 12 is all about spiritual gifts and unity in the body of Christ and how these gifts can benefit the entire body. Paul was saying that all these spiritual gifts and our efforts at making them work together in the church (the body of Christ) mean nothing if we do not first and foremost love one another. Without love at the center of all that we do, everything will fall apart.

Monday Blog (8/19/13)

Monday, August 19, 2013

(Written by Keesha Sullivan)

In the reading today Psalm 36:7 was covered, which states "How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings." God's love is so rich and deep that we cannot place a price on it. God's love is better as well as more powerful than possessing all the money in the world.

We can take refuge in the shadow of the Almighty's wings. The word refuge here can be looked at in three different ways. 

1.  God provides a safe retreat when life is throwing tumultuous storms our way. Maybe things are getting really hard and the pressure of life just feels like it is too much. God is there as a safe place. We can go under His wings and feel His covering shielding us from the storm.

2.  When we take refuge in the shadow of His wings, He provides a place of healing and renewal. When we become physically sick or mentally exhausted, God gives us healing for our bodies and renewal for our minds. Just the other night Kenny and I both were dealing with ailments at three o'clock in the morning. Neither one of us could sleep because the pain was so intense. I felt it was a spiritual battle, and that the enemy was trying to steal our sleep. Kenny and I got up and began praying for the Almighty's protection. God gave us both immediate healing, and we slept soundly the rest of the night.  

3. The third meaning of refuge is when God provides a stronghold from which to launch a counter attack. During times where life, people, or the evil one comes against us, God gives us a fortified place, a place of security or survival. 

One place in Scripture that shows this verse coming to life is in Ruth. In Ruth 2: 12, Boaz says to Ruth, "May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." Ruth was a foreigner that had no food to eat, yet God provided refuge, a safe retreat, through Boaz. Ruth had no protection to keep her from being molested in this foreign place, yet God provided refuge, a stronghold, through Boaz. Ruth did not have a husband or someone to give her a family line, yet God provided refuge, renewal, through Boaz. 

I thank God that His love has been, and will continue to be, more costly than gold and more beautiful than diamonds.  Nothing that we desire will ever compare with Him and the refuge He provides in the shadow of His wings. 

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"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)

Kenny Sullivan

(201) 218-0751

שלום

August 18

Esther 1-3

One of my favorite games is "Risk." When Thanksgiving arrives we usually play a game on Friday afternoon at the dining room table.  The objective is to take over the world with your armies. Guess what you need to do to conquer the world and become a hero? You must risk putting up your armies against your opponents. The only way to win is to RISK.   

Today our heroine is a reluctant one. Esther not a risk taker; she is a conformist. We might even call her a compromiser. But she is definitely not the heroine type. Yet something will happen in her life that dramatically changes her.

One trivia question about this book: what word does not appear in this story? It is the word "God." The author takes pains not to mention God. Why?  Because God was not part of their lives. The heroine is TOLD not to mention anything about her background, and certainly not about her God. Esther is told to keep quiet. Contrast that with Daniel who proudly says he is a Jew. Esther hides her heritage and never speaks the name of God. Not much of a heroine. In fact, if you are looking for a heroine, look at Queen Vashti. In an incredible act of courage, she says no to attending a bachelor party and doing some pole dancing.

So the original "American Idol" is formed. Estimates are that up to 1000 young women were kidnapped and began one year of preparation for the goal of spending a night in bed with the king.

That one night would determine your future. There were 4 outcomes to the competition:

1. Be sent back to harem and live alone for the rest of your life.

2. Become a concubine, and get called up a few times a year for parties.

3. If lucky, become one of the king's multiple wives and have his children.

4. The grand prize: become Queen.    

So Esther gets on her perch in complete compliance. She plays the Barbie doll,  the playmate and does everything the men want. By completely selling out to the world's systems, she rises to the top.

I am offended by this story so far. Why would God put up with people who are afraid to speak his name to others? Why would God hang around people who compromise and blend in with the culture? Doesn't God give up on people who are living in disobedience to him?

By the way, are you acting like Esther in any way?  When was the last time you spoke the name of God to someone? When was the last time you took a kingdom risk?

This story challenges us to take a risk and use our privileged lives for more than just focusing on our perch, our comfortable lives, and feathering our own beds. Stay turned to find out how Esther becomes a heroine.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

August 17: Don't get mad, get even! ;)

Nehemiah 12:27-13:31

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Psalm 35:1-16

Proverbs 21:17-18

While I suppose I could've reflected on Nehemiah's uncompromising purification of the remnant of Israel, what struck me most about today's reading was how much music was a part of it.  In fact, not since David came singing back into Jerusalem (to his wife's disdain) and the Israelites conquered Jericho did music seem such a huge part of the reading.  Read the OT reading again - not just one, but two large choirs, musicians from all around the region, cymbals, harps and lyres, to celebrate joyfully and give thanks, finding their places in the House of God.  And they weren't incidental - reading on, we realize that they were valued, their contributions were important, and "all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians..."

After the gifts of salvation and family and friends, the gift of music I received is the one for which I am most grateful.  But it would have been for nothing had my father paid for music lessons, and had my mother not insisted I practice daily.  The gift of music I received was less than that given to some, more than that given to others - but it did not make a difference to the imperative I use it, and use it for His glory.  I am further grateful for having had many opportunities, up to this day, to use this gift in God's service.

It saddens me to hear many people say they have no gift for music...the truth is, the beauty of the music is not in how it sounds, but in how it is expressed.  I've heard toddlers sing off key from the heart sound more beautiful than trained sopranos just going through the motions.  So if you haven't yet, please - sing out.  God is listening.  Do not worry about what the other person might think of your tone or timbre.  Instead, remember three things:

1.  Singing is twice praying

2.  You're singing in church - what are they going to do, ask you to stop?

3.  If God gave you a voice, it is a way to give thanks.  If He didn't, it's a way to get even! ;)

So don't get mad, get even!

8/16/13

8/16/13

You say, "I am allowed to do anything" —but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is beneficial. Don't be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord 's, and everything in it." (1 Corinthians 10:23-26 NLT)

Here's the thing about this passage. People will use this passage all day long to support a healthy diet, not drinking, not cursing, etc. And there is nothing wrong with that idea, but that is not what I got out of this passage today. The thing that jumped out at me is this: "Don't be concerned for your own good but for the good of others." So, my point is that I don't think that Paul was concerned at all about the idea of SELF here. I think his whole point was that whatever we do, we need to be looking at how we are perceived. Some people are not going to care. They are just going to be who they are, no matter what other people think. But Paul said he became like the people that he hung around with, in order to reach some. If I think about this idea, I think it is kinda dangerous, but, if you can live within a certain crowd, and yet not be drawn into said crowd, it can be a very effective means of reaching people. We cannot reach people if we do not hang out with them. But we cannot be a go-along-with-the-crowd people, and not be seen as hypocrites. There is a fine line that we need to walk. That is what I think Paul's point is. We need to watch our backs to make sure we are not being perceived in a negative way. Watch out. Watch out!

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Thursday, August 15

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Nehemiah 9:22–10:39

1 Corinthians 9:19–10:13

Psalm 34:1–10

Proverbs 21:13

 

 

“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)

 

Paul’s missionary method involved emptying himself so that he might become fully available for the Gospel ministry.  He temporarily set aside his personal customs and comfort in order to identify with his audience.  He followed closely after Jesus’s pattern of humility:  “Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.’” (Luke 9:48)

 

In vv. 20–23, he recognizes the differences among those he met.  While Greeks sought after wisdom and self-enlightenment through philosophical knowledge, the Jews looked for the “power of God” (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5).  Paul explained that the Cross represented the “foolishness of God,” meaning that the world, when peering at the Cross, would fail to connect this gruesome death with salvation and the eternal Lordship of Christ.

 

In light of both Jews’ and Greeks’ preconceptions, Paul approached his ministry with a singular focus on the risen Jesus, trusting in the power and wisdom of the Gospel instead of fancy methods:  “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1,2)

 

Given the matchless value of God’s Word and its focus, we likewise may rest confidently in the power of the Gospel.  We desire to meet people where they are but to share the love of God, speaking with both grace and truth (John 1:14).

 

 

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27)

 

Paul here calls the Corinthians to a high standard of godly training and witness.  Instead of settling for mediocrity, the Kingdom mindset should include a striving for excellence --  to the glory of God.

 

Training for running involves working out multiple muscles, strengthening your breathing, and pushing your endurance.  It requires breaking down the body in order to build it more agile, quicker, and more resilient.  Both short- and long-distance runners include faster and slower workouts in preparing for races. 

 

As Paul writes later in 1 Timothy 4:7,8, this training brings eternal gain:  “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

 

With the approach of a race, the gun finally sounds, and each runner struggles toward the finish line, giving everything possible.

 

Like running, in a Kingdom life, we exert ourselves both in training and “running the race.”  Many times, these activities overlap in our daily lives.  In both training and “running the race,” we earnestly seek after God, knowing that He will meet the hunger in our hearts.

 

May we approach both training and “running the race” with an attitude of humility and gratitude, rejoicing that God has somehow called us worthy to enjoy His presence and to participate with Him in the great work of the Gospel.  May we also trust in the sufficiency of His grace and the value of His simply being with us.

 

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Nehemiah 7:61-9:21, I Corinthians 9:1-18, Psalm 33:12-22, Proverbs 21:11-12

Nehemiah 7:61-9:21, I Corinthians 9:1-18, Psalm 33:12-22, Proverbs 21:11-12

I'm sitting on a bus right now with singing high schoolers. We are listening from everything to Jackson 5, Justin Bieber, to Chris Brown.  We are driving back from 5 days of adventure, laughs, and intense camp days. Young Life camp has really been amazing. I have served as a leader to 13 beautiful teenage ladies and all I have to say is that I'm so thankful I'm not a teenager anymore. :) At camp we have been surrounded by the message of Christ and it has been great reading through these past chapters. 

On Sunday morning as we started Nehemiah, Jim, Rico, Morgan (a jr. leader) and I were prepping for the first full day of reaching out kids an we compared Stamford (and where our high schoolers come from) to the land that Nehemiah lived in: without hope, desolate, and a spiritual battlefield. In the reding we had on Wed we heard how the people were so desperate to hear the Book of Law: Genesis- Deuteronomy, the Word of God. Their reaction was that of grief, weeping, and guilt at first. Some o high schoolers had similar reactions this week. There were many times of tears (again, so glad Im not a teenager.). Then, after Israel heard the good news, there was confession, there was worship, glory went to God. 

In I Corinthians 9, Paul shared his responsibility of preaching this good news... That we all know and have. I like how he said, "Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?...Yet WHEN I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" This was what Paul was called to do. This is what I was called to do. This is what you were called to do. We are called to preach. Paul said "When I preach". Not "If": if I feel like it," or "if the opportunity comes up" or "Only if I'm asked." 

I was reminded how important it is for our youth, our neighbors, our family an out friends to hear the truth of Christ. Our Young Life students heard truth this week: God knows us by name, He never leaves us, we are not mistakes, and it's the blood of Christ that saves us. This is out responsibility to preach and share. The heavens rejoice because we are coming home with 9 more who were added to the Kingdom of God.  

August 13

Nehemiah 5:14-7:72

1 Corinthians 8

Psalm 33:1-11

Proverbs 21:8-10

Nehemiah 5:14-18

"For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes —neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance.  The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces  of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way. I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall.  I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands!  The provisions I paid for each day included one ox, six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of poultry. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. Yet I refused to claim the governor's food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden."

1 Corinthians 8:9-13

"But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.  For if others see you—with your "superior knowledge"—eating in the temple of an idol, won't they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?  So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer  for whom Christ died will be destroyed.  And when you sin against other believers  by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.  So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don't want to cause another believer to stumble."

These passages have something in common. In the first one, Nehemiah goes without an official food allowance because he knows it would put a heavy burden on the people of Israel. In the second one, Paul instructed believers to be aware of their own behavior and if it negatively effected other believers.

I think both these passages are saying the same thing: Think about others before you think about yourself. Nehemiah went without food because it would hurt the other people in the city. Paul instructed the people of the Corinthian church not to cause weaker believers to stumble because of their actions (even though their actions are not sinful against God, it would still be wrong because it would be putting others in danger).

Jesus said that the most important command (behind loving God) is to love our neighbor as ourself. Sometimes loving other people means we have to go without. If everyone had this in mind, then no one would be in need and the whole community of believers would be supporting each other. 

Monday blog entry: 8/12

Family,

Today's blog entry is from Nicole Belasco. Some really great insights on Psalm 32!

Blessings,

Kenny

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Monday August 12, 2013

 

Psalm 32

 

"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit."

 

Have you ever lingered in a stressful situation and found yourself in physical pain? When I'm having a bad day at work, if I'm anxious about something, my shoulders will tense up. Sometimes I'll get a bad headache. Other times, inexplicably, I'll leave work with aching feet, as if I'd been on my feet all day.

 

Things that weigh heavily on our hearts and minds often weigh heavily on our bodies as well. How much more heavily if we have unacknowledged or unrepentant sin? The psalmist David describes it like this:

 

"When I kept silent,

My bones wasted away

Through groaning all day long

 

For day and night

Your hand was heavy upon me;

My strength was sapped

As in the heat of summer.

 

Then I acknowledged my sin to you

And did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" –

And you forgave the guilt of my sin."

 

The reality is, even as men and women of God, we DO sin. But hiding sin from God is not very productive…he can see right past our deceit!

 

What's more, we pay the price in our hearts, minds, and even our bodies.

 

The wonderful thing is that God's unfailing love surrounds those who trust in him. We can freely confess to God and ask him to cover our sins.

 

What are some things that keep us holding onto sin instead of confessing it?

 

Throughout the Scriptures, we see the hand of God moving as a result of humbled hearts, honesty, and confession. Nehemiah fasted and confessed before rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. In the process he found favor with God, who restored not only the broken walls but also the nation of Israel. If we confess our sin to God, he will forgive the guilt of that sin. He will not count that sin against us, and will deliver us into safety!

August 11

1 Corinthians 7

Several years ago our family was headed down to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for summer vacation. We were driving our raised roof 1986 Dodge Caravan, traveling along the highway all happy and cheerful.  Suddenly we heard a thump, thump, thump; a flat tire. This really ticked me off because now there was no chance of breaking our record time. But no problem, I had changed tires before.  However, the van had no trunk. I didn't even know where the jack was.  I finally figured out that the jack was in the engine, of course. Next I found the spare tire under the back of the car, held on by a donut-shaped nut. I tried to move the nut by hand, but no go. So I whacked the nut with the tire iron for 2 minutes and got it to move about 2 inches. At this rate it would have been Thanksgiving before I got it off. Sweating and becoming more frustrated by the minute, I found that our eldest son, Jeremy, had a novel idea.  "Dad, have you thought about reading the instructions?" I responded, "How can I read the instructions when I have to keep hitting this nut?"  So he got the car manual, read it and returned.  "Dad, let's try a different approach."  "But son, I am making progress… Look the donut has moved 4 inches to the left."  "Dad, try this."  He went back, lifted up a flap, put the tire iron on and dropped the tire faster than a linebacker sacking a quarterback. Life would be much easier if we just read the manual.

I am convinced we make things in marriage much harder than they should be because we ignore God's manual.  Marriages are in trouble today, even Christian marriages.  I'm not saying just reading the Bible will give you a perfect marriage. Marriage and building intimacy is hard work. But God does have some great ideas and solutions for troubled marriages. Directions from God make marriage work. 

In our reading today we discovered some revolutionary teachings for the 1st century and for the 21st century. 

     One woman and one man make up a marriage.

     Sexual fulfillment is a mutual responsibility.  You are to keep each other sexually exhausted. (You should talk about this one today.)

     Premarital sex is wrong.

     Fight for your marriage when problems arise. Don't walk out the door.

     Don't divorce unless an unbelieving spouse walks away and refuses reconciliation.  Work out every disconnection no matter how difficult. Believers should always work things out.

 In the end, following the instructions is the only way for us to capture the heart of our sexually confused culture. Our marriages need to be so sizzling hot that the world begs us for the marriage manual we are following. Boldly, radically love God and out of the abundance of His love, pour love back out on your spouse. Turn your marriage into a powerhouse of strength for the Lord.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

August 10: So far to go, and not the strength to get there...

Ezra 10:1-44
1 Cor 6:1-20
Ps 31:9-18
Pro 21:3

Goes to show how far I have yet to go in my relationship with our Lord. If a pastor or a priest tried to tell me God said I had to give up my wife and the children I had with her, I would struggle to obey, and likely find ways to justify those relationships and prove the pastor or the priest wrong.

And yet what is asked of the Israelites is no different than what was asked of Abraham, when God told him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeyed and was blessed and, as we see from the book of Nehemiah, so too were the Israelites blessed with a revival of their relationship with God.

How did their change of heart come about? Did they one day realize, of their own accord, their sinfulness? It would seem not...for we see Ezra was fasting and praying to God in behalf of the Israelites, begging for mercy and forgiveness. I believe God answered Ezra's prayers, and changed the Israelites' hearts, so they recognized their sinfulness and desired to return to Him.

When I read the today's NT reading, from Corinthians, I am struck by how relevant, how pertinent the condemnation of sexual sin is to our society today. For isn't sexual sin, among other things, the exultation and gratification of self at the expense of the supremacy of God? Paul wrote to the Corinthians unequivocally about sexual sin because that appears to have been the hallmark manifestation of self over God in Corinth. We have many such hallmarks in our society today, and I certainly have many such hallmarks in my life. Which is why I have so far to go still in my relationship with our Lord.

I cannot overcome my sinfulness on my own. I have neither the power nor the consistency of desire to ensure I overcome temptation when it strikes. So it is best I follow Ezra's example, crying out to God in recognition of my sin and begging for His mercy, mercy that will manifest itself not just in forgiveness, but in transformation.

"Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress...my strength fails because of my affliction...
...but I trust in You, Lord...let me not be put to shame...for I have cried out to You..."

Jon Lanuza

8/9/13

8/9/13

I prayed, "O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today. "But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery. For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he caused the kings of Persia to treat us favorably. He revived us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem. "And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For once again we have abandoned your commands! Your servants the prophets warned us when they said, 'The land you are entering to possess is totally defiled by the detestable practices of the people living there. From one end to the other, the land is filled with corruption. Don't let your daughters marry their sons! Don't take their daughters as wives for your sons. Don't ever promote the peace and prosperity of those nations. If you follow these instructions, you will be strong and will enjoy the good things the land produces, and you will leave this prosperity to your children forever.' "Now we are being punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually been punished far less than we deserve, for you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive as a remnant. But even so, we are again breaking your commands and intermarrying with people who do these detestable things. Won't your anger be enough to destroy us, so that even this little remnant no longer survives? O Lord, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence." (Ezra 9:6-15 NLT)

I like this glimpse that we get of what kind of a man Ezra is. Ezra had not been the one to commit these sins that he is upset about, in fact he wasn't even there yet, but he still is grieved by it. He is just standing there, with torn clothes, crying out to the God of heaven. Not begging for forgiveness, but just confessing. Letting God know what the people had done. Openly admitting it. That is the kind of man I want to be. Honest. Honest with God and with myself. Not hiding my sin, but showing it to God and to my fellow believers.

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