December 1: We have met the enemy, and he is us...

Daniel 8:1-27

1 John 2:1-17

Psalm 120:1-7

Proverbs 28:25-26

"I call on the Lord in my distress,

     and He answers me.

 Save me, Lord,

     from lying lips

     and from deceitful tongues."

It is so easy to read the psalmist's words and think of all the people who have hurt us, with their "lying lips" and "deceitful tongues".  And yet it is somewhat enlightening to realize that, often, the person whose lying lips and deceitful tongue hurts us the most, is ourself.  When I think about the distress I've experienced, while a lot of it resulted from what other people did, so much more of it was a result of what I did - the lies I told myself to rationalize sinful behavior, the deceit I permitted myself to think I wasn't necessarily hurting anyone, so I wasn't really doing anything wrong.  

See, the thing is, when I sin, I find I rarely do it without recognizing the sin; I do so likely having rationalized it somehow, in order to be able to gratify myself and make it seem right.  "Everyone's doing it - how bad could it really be?" or "I'm sure God didn't mean THIS particular situation" or even "Just this once - and never again."  As I think about this now, I realize that all this was a means to justify putting myself ahead of God - and was reflective of the quality of my relationship with Him. 

It's that relationship that John writes about - the one that involves something I've mentioned in the past: "transformative knowledge".  When my relationship with God is in right order, then I keep His commands - not because they justify me before Him, but because I want to.  Obedience to Him, putting Him first, putting my brother and sister first - all this is a result not of my own strength and effort, but of being in right relationship with Him.  It comes naturally - sort of like how, before I fell in love with my wife, I was quite happy to go on long business trips; and now, I would like nothing more than to be at home with her and the kids.  

Still, I struggle with sinfulness.  How wonderful, therefore, to read John's reassurances: "But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world."

It is because of HIs sacrifice that, despite my sinfulness, I can "call on the Lord in my distress, and He answers me."  Thank You, Jesus.

Saturday 11/29/2014

Saturday, November 29, 2014

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”  (Daniel 6:16)

"People of character and integrity who take risks are most often the kind of people who see God’s power and the fullness of His blessing upon their lives and ministries.” (Martin Sanders, The Power of Mentoring)

Daniel was such a person - a man of character and integrity, on and off the job, in the eyes of God and men.  He was so favored that his jealous co-workers devised a scheme to get him thrown into a lion’s den.  They tricked the king into issuing a decree that forbade praying to any other god or human being other than the king.  In spite of the decree, Daniel continued to pray three times a day as he had always done (even at the risk of losing his life).  As a result, when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for praying to God, God made the once ferocious lions to be like kittens.  The Lord miraculously rescued Daniel from death because of Daniel’s character…and everyone in the empire heard about it.

Daniel didn’t overpower the lions and he didn’t pull a 007 escape trick.  No magic.  No frills.  Just character...especially when things got hard.  Most of us would have excused Daniel if he didn’t pray so openly after the decree was issued or if he had just prayed silently rather than aloud.  But, Daniel took the risk and God honored it, using it to glorify His Own Name.

Have you stopped praying because it just hasn’t seemed like its worth the effort anymore?

Has a particular difficulty that you’re facing intimidated you and caused you to waver in faith?

If we’ve learned anything from this passage it’s that whether things look hopeless or intimidating don’t stop praying - keep the faith.

November 28th

November 28th

"You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent this hand to write this message. "This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. This is what these words mean: Mene means 'numbered'—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means 'weighed'—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means 'divided'—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." (‭Daniel‬ ‭5‬:‭22-28‬ NLT)

So, Nebuchadnezzar was called "God's instrument" in some of our readings. Belshazzar was not, and God did not love anything that was going on. Belshazzar took idolatry to another level, and God took offense to it. He wrote on the wall, and that writing was final. Belshazzar's doom was finalized. And quick it was. The teaching that I think we can get out of today is that when God warns of certain doom, we need to repent. If King Belshazzar turned his life around after this warning, we would have seen a different result. God gives us opportunity to turn around, and when He does that we need to NOT sit on a decision. Our life could be taken that very night. God wants to see change, it is our duty to change.

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Thursday, November 27

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2014

Daniel 4:1–37

2 Peter 1:1–21

Psalm 119:97–112

Proverbs 28:17,18

 

 

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 

“For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance; godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” (2 Peter 1:3–9)

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!  May you rejoice in the blessings of God’s Word and His presence and the fellowship of your loved ones.

 

Today’s passage discusses the concept of progressive sanctification or, more simply, growth or maturation as a Christian.  From the moment of our receiving Christ into our lives through faith, we become part of God’s family, but each day thereafter represents an opportunity to mature more into the likeness of Christ.  This process involves the empowerment and guidance of the Holy Spirit and our willingness to be refined.

 

In his book Respectable Sins, author Jerry Bridges explains that, as believers, we typically should find contentment for the material and experiential situations in which we find ourselves.  This contentment speaks to our welcome acceptance of God’s sovereignty and goodness in our lives.  Discontentment with our life situations expresses doubt towards God’s purposes in our lives, which the Scriptures describe as intended for our transformation into Christlikeness.

 

Bridges notes, however, that we may rightly be discontented with our progress and growth in Christ.  Bridges terms this sentiment “holy discontentment,” reasoning that, if we became complacent with our growth, we will stagnate.  Athletic training follows the same principle.

 

Peter starts by noting that His “divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him.”  God has provided His “very great and precious promises,” which enable us to “participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”  Our transformation into Christlikeness therefore comes primarily through His provision.

 

In the second paragraph above, Peter turns to discussing how we play an active role in this transformation.  He explains that we should “make every effort” to pursue these great characteristics of a transformed believer.  He does not suggest that we may develop these characteristics through our own effort.  Rather, they emerge primarily through our participation in the divine nature through our knowledge of God.

 

Through his text, Peter indicates that these characteristics become more fully grown through time.  Each of the characteristics holds merit in its own right, but there appears to be a pattern for growth, heading towards love.  Speaking realistically, we cannot expect to develop one characteristic fully and then move on the next.  Instead, the sense here is of progressively growing in each, recognizing that our character development in one area will impact and strengthen our growth in another.

 

While God may use us as raw, unrefined newborns, He does desire our progressive growth in character to be used for His glory and fame.  A quick self-inventory helps us to recognize that we have many areas in which to “make every effort.”  Disappointment and crisis provide a great crucible for witnessing our character development.  I have a long, long way to go, but I am not alone in the journey.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for giving us Your very great and precious promises and for allowing us to participate in the divine nature.  Help us to grow in character this day and to more fully embrace Your work in our lives.  Help us not to be impediments towards Your purposes, but rather change our perspective towards Yours.  We love You and worship You.  You are our great Provider.  You alone deserve the glory.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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November 24: A Prayer for Ferguson

Ezekiel 47:1-48:35

1 Peter 2:11-3:7

Psalm 119:49-64

Proverbs 28:12-13

It is 8:30 PM on the east coast as I write this, and in a half hour, we expect to hear whether or not a grand jury has indicted Officer Darren Wilson in the matter of the shooting death of Michael Brown.  It seems so timely that we read 1 Peter 2:11-19.  Peter seems to be relaying to us the way in which Christians are to respond to authority, even the authority over slaves.  

For those who do not know, three and  a half months ago, an encounter between Officer Wilson and Mr. Brown led to injuries to the former, and the death of the latter, in the town of Ferguson, MIssouri, which has since been flooded by protestors demanding Officer Wilson's arrest and indictment, accompanied by many who have seen fit to destroy and deface property, and to intimidate those who do not share their views.  I am not weighing in on whether or not the grand jury ought to indict - either way, there are going to be some very angry, very frustrated people.  My question is, how should we respond?  

1 Peter 2:13 is something I have tremendous difficulty with.  Almost 30 years ago, I was involved in the EDSA revolution, a peaceful revolt against 14 years of martial rule and the dictator who ran the country.  And those who know me know how frustrated I am with the current administration.  And yet today I read that we are to "submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors , who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right."  The only way this makes sense to me is if I go back to last week's reflection on "good and perfect gifts" - these authorities have been permitted by our all knowing, all powerful and all loving God out of the perfection of His plan for our welfare.  

In that context, one would think we should be able to respect the authorities God permits, and the decisions they make.  In fact, it is pretty amazing, because in verse 18, Peter says that even slaves should show such respect - "in reverent fear of God, submit yourselves to your masters, not only those who are good and considerate, but also those who are harsh".  And we should then be able to "live such good lives among the pagans that, though they may accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us."  The good thing is that we do not do this without guidance and direction - we have Christ's example, Who suffered for us, leaving us an example.  He didn't retaliate, He made no threats....instead He entrusted Himself to His Father, Whom He knew would judge justly.

The Psalm today alludes to this as well, where the psalmist begs God to give him comfort in his suffering.  He cites how even when mocked unmercifully by the people of the world, he does not stray from the Lord's laws.  May we be blessed with such a relationship with our Father that we too will find His strength to stay the course even amidst difficulty and injustice.  It is then, in Ferguson, Missouri and in our own personal Fergusons, that we will be able to find His peace.

November 23

1 Peter 2

Special People 

When I think of special people during my lifetime, I think of John Kennedy Jr. He had it all, the good looks, the fame, the brains, the charisma, the beautiful women, and the money.  But on the evening of July 16, 1999,  John Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and her sister Lauren departed from New Jersey on a flight path up the coastline of Connecticut with their final destination of Martha's Vineyard. They were planning on attending a wedding the following day. The plane never made it to its destination.  Four days later the wreckage was found on the bottom of Long Island Sound.  The National Transportation Safety Board determined the cause of the crash was Kennedy's failure to see properly. The haze of the evening blinded him to the actual horizon. He flew the plane straight into the water, not even aware of the danger. If Kennedy had been flying by instruments and not sight, they would have arrived safely.

How are you navigating your course through life?  Are you living by your own insights or do you trust in other instruments to guide your life?

The Apostle Peter says there is a stone in the road that either you will trip over or build your life upon.  That stone will either build you up or crush you.

Those who see Jesus clearly as the promised Messiah enter into a relationship with him and start a life with him. It is in this special relationship that we are given incredible significance. We are actually called chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation and even people belonging to God. The bottom line is special people have a special relationship with Jesus. I become special not because of what I do, but because of who I know. I know the Cornerstone.

But there is a grave warning here. Jesus is also a dangerous stone. Those who reject Him, those who stumble over him will fall.  This is not a threat; it is a loving warning from a God who wants to reach all of mankind. 

In the end the most important question for any of us, rich or poor, famous or not, is simple.  Do you have a relationship with the Cornerstone? That relationship makes you a special person.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Saturday 11/22/14

Saturday, November 22, 2014 [by Keesha Sullivan]

     I felt a warm, heavy burden on my chest. My eyes were tightly shut. Although I knew there were many people around me, I was only aware of the presence of the Lord and myself. As the warmth grew hotter, revelation began to come. I felt as though God began to gently speak to me. What the Lord would reveal to me had been revealed to David long ago. 

     Psalm 119:19 says, “I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me” (New American Standard Bible). In this scripture, the psalmist calls himself a stranger. To be a stranger according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is to be “one who does not belong,” a “visitor,” “outsider,” or someone in an “unfamiliar place.” Due to him being a stranger, he wasn’t looking to follow the commandments/ways set by the world. He was looking to follow the commandments/ways of our Living God. He wanted to know and follow the ways of his true home, so that He could please God. Like David, the psalmist understood that although he was in the world that he was not of this world (see Psalm 39:12). He was a man after God’s own heart, and his one goal was to please God. 

     In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (New International Version). Another translation says, “Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don't become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect” (God’s Word Translation). 

     The only way to determine what God really desires and to please Him is by becoming a stranger of this world and a citizen of heaven. 

     Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word and examples of men and women that desired to please You. Thank You Lord that David’s greatest and only true desire was to please You. Soften our hearts O’Lord and make them hearts of flesh. Help us to present our bodies to You. Help our one desire to be holy, set apart for you Lord. Help us to choose to be holy and ready to do Your will. We love you Lord. We thank You so much for Your love and Your mercy. Thank You for answering our prayers. 

-----
Psalm 39:12 - ““Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.”

November 21st

November 21st

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. (‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭13-18‬ NLT)

I love this passage in James. I love it because it challenges my faith. I love it because it spurs me on to better my prayer life. I have struggled with prayer for a long time. Bible reading and memorizing scripture I never really battled with. There were times that I just didn't read scripture, but with prayer, it is a struggle. It's not just the habit of it. It is something deeper, much deeper. I think my struggle with prayer goes back to a passage in 2 Corinthians. In the 10th chapter, Paul writes about this cosmic battle of the mind that is going on. I think that is what it is that I struggle so much with. For me to be effective in my prayer life, I need to be winning the battle in my mind. If I am losing this battle, then distraction causes me to lose focus. Satan fears prayer, and I think his number one goal is to stop people from praying. Prayer-less people have a very hard time advancing in their spiritual walk, I would actually be as bold to say that it is impossible for a prayer-less person to grow spiritually. So I really think it comes down to a spiritual battle. God wants relationship, and if we are not talking to God, how can we have that bond? Relationships have to be built on communication, so we need to pray.

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Thursday, November 20

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Ezekiel 40:28–41:26

James 4:1–17

Psalm 118:19–29

Proverbs 28:3–5

 

 

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

 

“’God opposes the proud

    but shows favor to the humble.’

 

“Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Grieve, mourn and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

 

 

Tonight, at the Chinese students’ group, we will be discussing the Christian’s call to humility.  For us, this most unnatural attribute must become ingrained deeply within us.  Our growth in Christ and proper attitudes towards God, others, and ourselves depend on our becoming humble.

 

Why does humility not come naturally?  In the Scriptures, we read over and over about our sinful nature and its inherent pride.  Like Adam and Eve so long ago in the Garden, we have followed the temptation of the Evil One before that first sin:  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  Each person has this desire for self-direction and self-exaltation.  Today’s celebrity culture shows that we have become experts in marketing the self as the ultimate product:  no talent required!

 

Andrew Murray, a 19th-century South African missionary and pastor, wrote a classic called Humility, in which he reflected on this most crucial subject.  He argued in that book that the life of Christ within us may give birth to true humility; only humility through Christ may overwhelm our pride from Adam.  We recognize that these two powers rage within us:  “Pride and humility are the two master powers, the two kingdoms at war for the eternal possession of man. There never was or ever will be but one humility, and that is the humility of Christ.  Pride and self have the ‘all’ of man, until man has his all in Christ.  He only fights the good fight whose desire is that the self-idolatrous nature that he has from Adam may be put to death by the supernatural humility of Christ brought to life in him.”

 

Murray further provides his “secret of secrets”:  “humility is the soul of true prayer.   Until the spirit of the heart is renewed, until it is emptied of all earthly desires and stands in a habitual hunger and thirst after God, which is the true spirit of prayer; until then, all our prayer will be more or less like lessons given to the students.”  A humble heart comes expectantly before a God Who faithfully provides.

 

Jonathan Edwards observed that “nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.”  Stated differently, nothing sets us apart for loving and honoring God than humility.

 

How may we develop humility?  I am definitely no expert, but the wisdom I have received suggests that a fervent love-relationship with God lies at the center.  Only when we recognize His awesome power and grace do we see ourselves rightly.  We show our humility through prayer and a grateful heart.  From this humility, we may gain a tremendous confidence, knowing that we rely on a faithful and loving God Who never abandons His children.

 

 

Lord God, help us to see ourselves in the light of Your awesome power and grace.  Give us humble hearts, and renew our minds to view our strengths, weaknesses, and every situation in life in proper perspective.  We are in desperate need of Your daily provision of grace.  Apart from You, we are nothing.  Draw us close to Your heart, and bear in us Your fruit, sprouting from humility and obedience.  We love You and thank You for sending Your Son to live, suffer, and die in our place.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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Tuesday November 18

Ezekiel 37-38

James 1:19-2:17

Psalms 117:1-2

Proverbs 28:1

"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?"

~ James 2:14

"Christians have often disputed as to whether what leads the Christian home is good actions, or Faith in Christ. I have no right really to speak on such a difficult question, but it does seem to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary."

~ C.S. Lewis

It's important to understand that we are not saved by anything we do. We are not even slightly able to save ourselves from anything. We fully depend on Jesus to win the victory over sin and death on our behalf.

That being said, we are not completely off the hook as far as responsibility goes. We need to have faith in Him as our Creator and Savior and we need to follow His direction for our lives. Not only do we need to believe what He says, but we also need to do what He says. These works (caring for the poor, loving your neighbor as yourself, being honest and gracious) are naturally what happens when one has faith in God. So faith and works cannot be separated, anymore than the blades of a pair of scissors can be separated. In order for the scissors to work properly you need both parts, otherwise they are useless.

November 17: Kipling had it wrong

Ezekiel 35:1-36:38
James 1:1-18
Psalm 116:1-19
Proverbs 27:23-27

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows."

This verse made me think: what are God's "good and perfect gifts"? In the OT reading today we read about how God is planning to bring the Israelites home to a fruitful land after having permitted their captivity and enslavement. Was the captivity and enslavement a "good and perfect gift"? Are any of the hardships we experience - the challenges of marriage, the concerns raising children, the worry about work - "good and perfect gifts"?

As difficult as it may be for me to accept and to understand, today's NT reading tells me all of this is from God, and all of it constitutes His "good and perfect gifts". Because even the painful and the difficult situations, even the trials are from God and deserving of "pure joy" because of the the transformative work they accomplish in us, if we permit them to and approach them properly. God tells us that faith in trial produces perseverance, which leads to maturity and completeness, so we are "not lacking anything".

Certainly we go through much hardship difficult to understand - we know neither reason nor purpose, and consequently we are mired in worry. It seems that it is a "lack of wisdom" that prevents us from seeing these difficulties from the perspective of our loving God - who again gives us the solution - if we lack wisdom, "you should ask God", and trust that He who gives generously will grant our request.

As I sit on the train on a Tuesday morning, writing this a day late (Sorry!), I am astounded by the magnitude of the implications of today's readings. In this light, when I almost died from a burst appendix in 1991, it was a good and perfect gift. So was the time I lost my job during the financial crisis. And the time my marriage was struggling, and the times I worried for my children.

I'll go a bit further: we have dear friends whose second child, a son, went home to God when he was but 13 months old. I have a consultant who is about to get a divorce. I know people who have just lost their jobs, and unjustly so. As difficult as it may be to comprehend and to accept, all of this, too, is God's "good and perfect gifts".

Kipling once wrote "if you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same". He had it wrong. For those who believe in our Lord's perfect love, absolute wisdom and infinite power, it is only disaster that is an impostor.

Father, help us see the world through Your eyes, and through the lens of Your love and our relationship with You, that we might recognize Your hand and be comforted in the knowledge You are in control, and will have permitted all that comes to pass - even any and every difficulty we might face - because You love us and want to bring us home to You.

Saturday 11/15/14

Saturday, November 15, 2014

As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. (Proverbs 27:19, NLT)

Who are you?  This can be a sobering question if we ask it of ourselves and have the courage to take off the mask. This is not a question of "who you think you should be" or "who you used to be and how much better are you now." This questions begs us to be honest and take inventory of ourselves.  Amazingly, the answer resides in our hearts. What are the longings and desires that you have? What makes you tick? What frustrates you and why?

One thing God has been teaching me lately is that how I see myself treating people is how I treat Him.  I used to think that the two could be separated, but they cannot. I can't be soft and obedient to God and have a hardened unforgiving heart toward a sister or brother.  I would venture to say that I'm not the only one that this applies to. John even says, "Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister" (1 John 4:20).  So what are we to do? How do we know ourselves?

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."  Keep, guard, and watch carefully your heart.    To not do this is to sweep your feelings under a rug. You can only do this but so much before you start tripping over the lump in the rug!  So, we ask ourselves hard questions in the presence of God:

Why did I react that way? 
What am I afraid of? 
Is there more to why my attitude is like this today? 

These kinds of questions get to the "heart of the matter."  Praying through the answers is where we encounter the Truth - Jesus - and we find the freedom to freely live (John 14:6; 8:32).

Lord, help us to humbly and honestly guard our hearts well that we would live for you, and with one another, in true freedom.

November 14th

November 14th

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1-4‬ NLT)

Taken from Merriam-Webster dictionary:
Full definition of THEREFORE
1 a : for that reason: consequently
b : because of that
c : on that ground
2 : to that end

Whenever we see the word Therefore, it means that what I am about to say is going to sum up, or re-enforce what was just said. It is the big reveal. In this case, the writer is saying "hey, what I am about to tell you is important, as important as what I just told you." In this case, that is a BIG DEAL! As Steve pointed out yesterday, the passage before this is all about the people who were the pillars of faith in the Old Testament. He called it the "Hall of Faith." What I believe that the writer of Hebrews is trying to get at here is this: here are all of the "super-faith" people, but with endurance and the leaving behind of sin, we can be just as big in the world of faith as they are. He is saying that I can be just as big of a deal as Daniel, Moses, or Enoch. That is a big deal. But it takes sacrifice, it takes endurance, and it takes letting go of the sin that so easily entangles. And it takes faith. Faith in a God that has proven faithful. We a children of promise. All of us. We all go back to Abraham. God promised to make him the father of many nations, and through Christ, that right to childhood was opened to us all. We have the power inside of us, through Christ, to be the next Jonathan Edwards, Billy Graham, DL Moody, or Fanny Crosby! We are writing history in our living, let's write a history of people of faith!

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Thursday, November 13

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Ezekiel 27:12–28:26

Hebrews 11:17–31

Psalm 111:1–10

Proverbs 27:15,16

 

 

“Now faith in confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for….  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:1,2,6)

 

 

Many commentators have termed Hebrews 11 as the Bible’s “Hall of Faith,” for it tells of many Old Testament figures’ commitment to following God.  Throughout the chapter, we might provide a template, such as:  “By faith, (name) (action verb, past tense) in spite of… ”  That is, these characters all dedicated themselves to action, even in the midst of opposition and temptation to the contrary.  Even without having the testimony of the living and risen Lord Jesus Christ, these pillars of faith carried on: 

 

“All these people were still living by faith when they died.  They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.  If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.  Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

 

 

As an analogy, it appears that these pre-Christ believers were engaged in a marathon of walking by faith, looking ahead to an uncertain finish line but confident in God’s goodness and provision.  On their own, their strength (life) would run out before finding realization of the promises.  For many runners, contemplating the joy of finishing or of being reunited with family provides a key “push” in the final miles of a long race.  The “runners” in Hebrews 11 contemplated those finish-line rewards but did not experience them in this earthly life.  Their example of faithfulness and endurance should encourage us, who have the privilege of knowing the reality of the Resurrection and, in part, the promise of heaven as described in the Scriptures.

 

In addition, these heroes of the faith took actions that demanded their submission.  Abraham sacrificed his homeland to follow God’s directions and later raised the knife to slay his promised son.  Hebrews 11:19 provides a helpful insight into Abraham’s likely thinking on this matter:  “Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.”

 

Then, the author concentrates on Moses, who had, by virtue of his adoption by Pharaoh’s daughter, come to live in privilege in the king’s palace.  Yet, God called him forth from this privileged upbringing to lead his people – the people of God – out from Egypt and to their Promised Land.  Moses would only view the Promised Land from a distance, however. 

 

Moses endured mistreatment and suffering “rather than… the fleeting pleasures of sin.”  What caused Moses to stay the course?  We read that “he was looking ahead to his reward” and that “he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.”  He had focused on “his reward” and “him who is invisible.”  Yet, he could not see either of these focal points with his human eyes!  He had developed eyes of faith, trusting, as Paul writes about Abraham in Romans 4:17, “the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.”

 

How may grow in our faith and endurance?  How do we gain spiritual eyes and a trusting heart?  These transformations appear to come from becoming familiar with God’s promises, seeking God with all our hearts, and waiting on His faithfulness and deliverance.  For this reason, Bible reading and prayer time plays a crucial role in our becoming aware of His promises (as with Moses’s “reward”) and our seeing “him who is invisible.”  Like the “faith runners” in Hebrews, we will not experience the fullness of these rewards until we come into the Lord’s presence, but, based on God’s character, the “finish line” will be “immeasurably more than all we ask of imagine… ” (Ephesians 3:20)

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for these examples of faith.  We would like to become deeply acquainted with Your promises and the fullness of God.  We would like to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.  We would like to run confidently after you, trusting in Your provision and goodness.  Give us new eyes so that we may persevere by faith.  Strengthen us to live out Your purposes today and during the rest of our time on earth.  We love You.  In Your Name, amen.

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Tuesday November 11

Ezekiel 23

Hebrews 10:18-39

Psalms 109:1-31

Proverbs 27:13

Ezekiel 23: Samaria and Jerusalem as promiscuous sisters.

The Lord tells Ezekiel about two sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, who were very promiscuous. They engage in prostitution with Egyptians, Assyrians, Chaldeans. They have no shame and there is no satisfying their lust. Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem. The people of Samaria and Jerusalem turn have turned their backs on the Lord in favor of foreign gods. They worship idols, sacrifice their children to the false gods, and desecrate God's sanctuary. Verse 35 says: "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution."  Verses 48-49 say:  "So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.  You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD."

This is not the first time that we've encountered this comparison: unfaithfulness to God is the same as adultery. Hosea was instructed by God to marry Gomer, an unfaithful wife to show a concrete example of the sin of unfaithfulness. This is something that God obviously wants all His people to fully understand: looking for comfort, pleasure, happiness, or gratification from any other source besides the Lord is as shameful, lewd, and disgusting as committing adultery. Image how much pain it would cause your spouse if you cheated on them. That's the same kind of pain we bring on God when we are unfaithful. The graphic image of the promiscuous sisters is not one that we should forget, or else we risk committing the same sin. 

November 10: It's not first about the rules, it's first about the relationship

Ezekiel 21:1-22:31

Hebrews 10:1-18

Psalm 108:1-13

Proverbs 27:12

Reading the NT passages today, I was reminded of Martha and Mary in the phrase "sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them"...and then later "Here I am, I have come to do your will."Martha offered the sacrifice of her work; she was busy cooking and cleaning and making their home ready to receive Jesus - most certainly in accordance with the customs of hospitality at the time.  Mary, on the other hand, chose to sit at Jesus's feet and listen to His words.

It's funny how much I still struggle with the rules I learned in my youth, that we had to justify ourselves before God with good works, with the various sacraments, including penance.  And it is frustrating just how much time I waste on all that, when what is asked of us would seem to me to be, ultimately, relationship: "love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength...and love your neighbor as you love yourself". 

The interesting thing is how this looks from the other side: today is my youngest son's birthday, and it just occurred to me the concept of "relationship before rules" makes sense from the standpoint of an earthly father looking upon his earthly son just as much as an earthly son looking up at his heavenly Father. 

Saturday 11/8

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Ezekiel 18:23, 31

23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

There is so much darkness in our world.  This didn't just begin in the last few years - it's been happening all along.  As a result, many people question God.  Does God really exist?  If He does exist is He really good?  If He is really good, why is there so much evil in the world - why doesn't He just stop it, destroy it, or send it away for good?  These are really good questions.  How do we answer them?

The first answer comes in the form of a question: where does evil (wickedness) come from?  Jesus deals with this in Mark 7.

"It is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person" (verses 21-23).

The problem is the fallen-ness, the evil, of the human heart.  All of us have one - no one is exempt.

So, what would it look like for God to do away with evil for good?  Death…the destruction of the human heart by destroying people.  This is clearly not God's desire.  He takes no pleasure in the death wicked.  What pleases Him is when the evil, obstinate, heart of stone dies and a new heart with a new spirit lives.  Our Loving Father, in all His mercy, is waiting for the creation that He loves to repent, turn to Him, and find the life they have been seeking since the beginning.  He's "leaving the light on" waiting for His children to come home.  

In the meantime, people express the very things on their hearts, both good and evil.  There is a lot of darkness around us.  But, I see the beauty of God's mercy in His patient waiting and waiting for us to "get it."  It's like the cartoonist's light bulb that turns on when a person finally understands.  And that light is what we lovingly and humbly share with others.  It's the reality that we don't have to live in the dark anymore.  For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life…In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 3:16; 1:4)

Thursday, November 6

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

Ezekiel 14:12–16:41

Hebrews 7:18–28

Psalm 106:1–12

Proverbs 27:4–6

 

 

In Hebrews 7, the author explains that Jesus serves as the Great High Priest, interceding for those who have trusted in Him.  In this manner, He fulfills the “mediator” role that Paul discusses in 1 Timothy 2:5.  For those clothed with Christ’s righteousness, God no longer holds their sin against them, fulfilling the promise of Isaiah 1:18:  “Though your sins are like scarlet,/ they shall be as white as snow;/ though they are red as crimson,/ they shall be like wool.”  Only in Christ may we find this transformation.  Praise God for His indescribable gift!

 

What makes Jesus’s Priesthood worthy and legitimate to bring about this great salvation?  The author of Hebrews points to two key factors:  its permanence and the Priest’s perfection. 

 

He carries on this discussion with reference to Melchizedek, who, like Jesus, served both in the king and priest roles.  Melchizedek served as king over Salem, which would later become Jerusalem, and provided priestly duties upon meeting Abraham and his men.  Melchizedek receives an offering from Abraham, which signified that the father of the Israelites owed no debt to any king but the Lord.  This Melchizedek serves as a type or prefiguration for the Lord Jesus Christ, as the author of Hebrews explains.

 

The author of Hebrews views Jesus’s permanent priesthood as setting aside the old covenant, which “made nothing perfect.”  The “better hope,” in the Personhood of Christ, allows His followers to “draw near to God.”  This change in the priesthood required a change in the law.

 

Jesus serves forever according to the oath sworn to Him by God the Father:  “You are a priest forever.”  This permanence allows Jesus to “become the guarantor of a better covenant.”  Because He has risen from the dead, He remains the living God – “the same yesterday, today, and forever” – and therefore His priesthood continues through all eternity.  By His blood, He may intercede for anyone at any time.  This readiness allows Him to “save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”  What an awesome promise!  Our salvation rests on promises and guarantees, sealed with the sturdy, solid trustworthiness of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus’s priesthood also rested on His perfection, “the power of an indestructible life.”  His worthiness to serve as priest did not rest on His ancestry; in fact, Jesus descended from Judah:  “in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.”

 

The author of Hebrews talks about this “indestructible life” as being “holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.”  God desires holiness in His people (1 Peter 1:15,16), but we consistently fall short.  Prior to Jesus’s coming, God instituted the Levitical priests to “offer sacrifices day after day, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people.”  This priesthood required consistent application and pointed directly toward the promise of a new Priest.  The Levitical priesthood also established the means of salvation:  “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)

 

This perfect Priest therefore supersedes the human priesthood:  “For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”  Through our knowledge and trust in this Priest, we may “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.”  What a joy to be able to approach the One Who has created us!

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your permanent and perfect Priesthood.  Thank You for interceding on our behalf through shedding Your precious blood and providing a secure means of becoming children of God.  Deepen our trust in You, and help us to grow in our grateful celebration of Your provision.  Give us opportunities to share this amazing news with our loved ones and neighbors.  To You be all praise, honor, and glory forever and ever!  Amen.

 

 

“This Is My Father’s World”:  http://goo.gl/UggIC9

 

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Tuesday November 4

Ezekiel 10-11

Hebrews 6

Psalms 105:16-36

Proverbs 27:1-2

"God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.  So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.  This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary."

Hebrews 6:17-19

I'm having trouble trusting God with some areas in my life and it's causing me a lot of stress. And it's needless. It really is. The reason for this can be found right in Hebrews 6. We can always have confidence in God because He cannot lie. So when He promises something to us, we can be sure that He is trustworthy. 

He will never leave us. His love endures forever. He has overcome the world. If He is for us, who can be against us. He has a plan for us. These are just a few of the many promises that we can know for sure that God will keep. So with this kind of confidence, we know that we can always trust Him.

November 3: Thank God for His Son's Empathy

Ezekiel 7:1-9:11

Hebrews 5:1-14

Psalm 105:1-15

Proverbs 26:28

I am struck by the contrasting images we have of our Lord God.  In the reading from Ezekiel, God is filled with righteous anger and judgement against a people that have rejected Him and rebelled against Him; the description of what happens to sinners is pretty horrible.  How different from the high priest we have in Jesus, who is "able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since He Himself is subject to weakness."  We are reminded that Jesus, like us, was able to feel worry and fear, and had to be obedient - in the same way we are called to be obedient.  

I don't know about anyone else reading this, but I struggle with persistent sins - sins I thought I'd overcome a long time ago, habits I'd broken, only to find myself falling back into their painful embrace in a moment of weakness, weakness exacerbated by the frustration the accompanies recidivism.  I then understand what Adam and Even must have felt - if I don't admit to my nakedness, if I hide it, maybe no one will notice.  The truth I try to deny is that God sees and knows, and He will "repay [me] for [my] conduct and for the detestable practices..."

Such punishment is nothing more than I deserve.  How wonderful, then, to have a priest able to intercede in my behalf with the Father who understands what I am going through, who has taken  upon His shoulders the burden I was supposed to carry.  May I always "give praise to the Lord...make known among the nations what He has done...and look to the Lord and His strength, and seek His face always."

October 31st

October 31st

Because God's children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭14-18‬ NLT)

Jesus was who he was...because he had to be. It was only in becoming just like us that he could atone perfectly once for all. The only way he could be master over death was to become mortal. Jesus made himself relevant to those he was saving by becoming just like them. This is the beauty of Christ. What other religion has a god that walked among the people? What other god put on the flesh of his subjects, and then bore their punishment? The answer is only our God, Jesus Christ!

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