Monday BogPost (9/9/13)

Monday, September 9, 2013 [Discipline/Restoration]

Isaiah 4:2-6

2 But in that day, the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel.3 All who remain in Zion will be a holy people—those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem and are recorded among the living.4 The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains with the hot breath of fiery judgment.5 Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there.  He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land.6 It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.

As a child, my dad disciplined me.  I was never beaten or abused.  I simply received the standard issued spanking that was a kind of textbook discipline for my parents.  The one thing that would bother me about getting a spanking was how my dad treated me afterwards.  Dad was never angry or out of control.  He was even-tempered and would take me into his arms telling me that he loved me.  After introducing me to the pain of his correction he restored me with his love.  It was one of the most confusing moments I could ever imagine.  My hindquarters felt like they were on fire, but he loved me?  He would go on to tell me why what I did was wrong and how if he didn't help me to learn that it was wrong early in life it would cause me much more pain later–maybe even my own demise.
Yesterday we started to read about the "spanking" that God has planned for Israel and Judah because they have gone outside of the boundaries of the Lord's expectations.  Everyone was looking out for #1 – there was no justice for the widow, the fatherless, or the foreigner (Is. 1:16-17).  This was not the way that God's family was supposed to live and God was determined to correct it (1:25-26, see below).
Using this imagery of metalworking and smelting, the Lord says that He will remove all of the "impurities" from Israel – all of the evil and hard-heartedness.  One of the reasons why people began using metal tools was because of the strength and durability of the material.  Things made with metal were built to last.  Yet, if the metal were teeming with impurities it would lose its durability, become brittle, and be more likely to break under strain as it is being used.  So how are the impurities removed?  Fire.  The metal is heated to extremely high temperatures, melted, and finally the impurities are skimmed off.  God was going to "melt" Israel down.  But He also promised to restore her.  The Branch of the Lord, Messiah Jesus, was coming!  The Lord promised to "wash the filth from beautiful Zion" (4:4) and to provide protection, guidance, and His Presence (4:5-6).  This would come through the life-giving sacrifice of Jesus.  It is His blood that washes us, His Spirit that guides us, and His Presence that covers us.
This is not a metaphor for every painful life situation, but some definitely fall into this category.  There are times when we experience God's discipline because what we are doing is going out of bounds with God.  Yet, the discipline that God is calling us to endure is to bring us to a place of strength, durability, and holiness (Hebrews 12:5-11, see below).  God disciplines us because of His great love for us.  And, the end of that discipline is restoration.
What, then, should our response be? "Yes, Lord."
---------------------Isaiah 1:25-2625 I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities26 I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning.  Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City."
Hebrews 12:5-6, 10-115 "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son."10  God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

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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

September 8

2 Corinthians 10

The Christian life is not a playground but a battlefield. If you cannot smell the gunpowder and see the casualties of war, you are on the playground. We are locked in a battle against evil, error and the powers of darkness. Paul makes it clear that there is distinction between the weapons of this world and spiritual weapons. Worldly weapons include human cleverness, ingenuity, eloquence, hard work, propaganda, and a reliance on a charming or forceful personality.

Spiritual weapons, while scorned by the world, are feared by the powers of darkness and Satan himself. They include prayer, faith, the Word of God, worship, evangelism, unity and righteousness.

Even though a person might be considered a frail human being, if they are empowered by the Holy Spirit they can knock down strongholds of the evil one.

The test of what weapons you are using is found in the answers to two questions:

1. Did you pray today? (If you answered similar to the national average of 7 minutes, then you are on the playground)

2. Did you obey God today?

We will only be successful when we use these two weapons of prayer and obedience.

John Patton tells the story of when he was a new missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. Hostile natives surrounded his mission headquarters one night intent on burning the Pattons out and killing them. John and his wife prayed all during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see that the attackers had unaccountably left them.

A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Jesus Christ, and John, remembering what had happened, asked the chief what had kept him and his men from burning down the house and killing them.

The chief replied surprised, "Who were all those men you had with you there?" The missionary answered, "There were no men, just my wife and I." The chief argued that they had seen many standing guard ‑ hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords in their hands. They seemed to circle the mission station so that the natives were afraid to attack.

Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932) put the issue this way, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. The devil fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. The devil laughs at our toils, mocks our wisdom, but Satan trembles when we pray.”

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

September 7: You cannot outsin God; you cannot outgive God

Song of Songs 5:1-8:14

2 Cor 9:1-15

Psalm 51

Proverbs 22:24-25

Outsinning God

In my life, Psalm 51 has been one of the most powerful prayers ever.  When I have been frustrated and discouraged because of some repetitive, habitual sin, one I seem just incapable of overcoming, no matter how hard I try, When I am frustrated with myself, when I am unable to forgive myself of the "sin...always before me", I am reminded of His "unfailing love" and "great compassion"; I am reminded that I can still cry out to Him for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, for the strength to be sustained amidst challenge and trial.  The price of this forgiveness?  Not anything I can buy, but rather a recognition of my sinfulness and a desire to change - things I already have, the very things that are causing me to despair over myself.  

Outgiving God

"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."  How easy to think of this only in terms of tithing and other charitable giving.  But this principle goes far beyond that.  When I lost what, at one point, counting travel, a 90+ hour a week job, I realized an area I had grievously neglected for so long - family; in particular my wife and - at that time - my 12 year old daughter, who had gone without husband and father for the most part the previous 12 years.  Was it any surprise my daughter was distant, and I didn't understand her?  Was it any surprise my wife and I were so unfamiliar with each other?  Was it any surprise my sons didn't want me to come pick them up from school now that I had the time?  I love my wife and children, and have had to find a new way to express that love...no longer work, pay and the goodies we can buy, but time, conversation and activity together.  Not because I have to - after all, "God loves a cheerful giver" - but because I want to.  

The same is true for the work, the goods and the time we tithe to our Lord.  And the amazing thing is, when we give, we cannot outgive God, who returns what we have given so much more abundantly.  My parents constantly remind me of this, of how we should continue to tithe even when things are tight; and God reminds me of this with how much more wonderful the relationship I have with my wife and children is today.

9/6/13

9/6/13

"I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." ....."But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God." (Psalms 50:8-15, 23 NLT)

Does God need us to sacrifice to him? Does he need death and destruction? After all, everything is His. God is a God of symbolism. He approves of our sacrifices because He sees the symbolism of us giving something up, to give to Him. He says here that He wants our thanks. That is all He requires. That is all he wants. It is what truly honors Him. We have a lot to give Him thanks for. This week I have seen quite a bit of it. God's magnificence is abundant. It is hard to describe the works of His hands. He is such an amazing God!

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Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 22:17-19

Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 22:17-19

 

            I think I have seen The Shawshank Redemption at least 50 times.  It's one of our favorites, but it is also always on tv.  If you haven't seen it, the novel was originally written by Stephen King, but it stars Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, and is about the 4 decade prison experience Robbin's character experienced for a crime he did not commit.  It's a story of hardship, compassion, the meaning of life, justice, and hope.  There is a quote these characters shared that sticks in my mind when they were surrounded by walls of the prison, they said, "Get busy livin' or get busy dying."  As I have been reading through Ecclesiastes, this quote came to mind and as Solomon debated the purpose of life, waste, death, and what is better.

 

            In the first ten verses of Ecclesiastes 7, the word "better" is used eight times.  In our American culture we can totally identify with this.  I am classically guilty of this on a daily basis…"If I had a better house, a better car, a better job, a better marriage…if I was a better friend, a better daughter, a better athlete, a better…"  Right?  But I have never really said, "The day of death better that the day of birth, " nor have I really thought about how "sorrow is better that laughter."  Later in verse 15, Solomon even said, "In this meaningless life of mine…"  As I read these things I think Solomon must be in a depressed mood!  Yes, he saw many terrible things as a child growing up as we have read in previous books, including the murders of brothers, marriages falling apart, death, war, poverty, and sin at its worst.  But he was also a great king with riches, he built the temple for God, and ruled a great nation.  Was life that meaningless?   He was known for his wisdom, and Ecclesiastes and these chapters are the essence of it.  He ties everything back to the mystery and the glory of God. 

           

            The wisdom Solomon shares is truth about God's sovereignty and perfection.  He challenges us in chapter 7:13-14, "Consider what God has done…When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad consider: God has made the one as well as the other."  One of my old pastors, Ryan, described it as an arrow, and this arrow always points back to God and His glory.  We are to enjoy the things around us: food, drink, beauty, our spouse, our family, and the creation around us, but we do so knowing that we give God the glory and that we celebrate Him.  We live our daily lives as Solomon saw…we do not know when the day of our death may come, but it is the one thing we all have in common.  Get busy livin, or get busy dying.  The challenge is WHO are you living for?  Are we waking and giving our day to God?  Are we using it wisely and with purpose?  Is it wasted?  We know how precious time is and how valued it is.  These days are a gift from God (Eccl 8:15) but I pray that we all use them for His glory and His purpose.

Thursday, September 5

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Ecclesiastes 10–12

2 Corinthians 8:1–15

Psalm 49:1–20

Proverbs 22:20,21

 

 

“Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;

                apply your heart to what I teach

for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart

                and have all of them ready on your lips.

So that your trust may be in the Lord,

                I teach you today, even you.

Have I not written thirty sayings for you,

                sayings of counsel and knowledge,

teaching you true and reliable words,

                so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?”

(Proverbs 22:17–21)

 

In recent weeks, I have reflected a fair amount on the nature of wisdom.  In reading through Proverbs and the rest of Scripture, we notice several key truths:  that wisdom comes directly from God (James 1:17); that it comes from fearing the Lord (Proverbs 9:10); that it preserves the life of its possessor (Ecclesiastes 7:12); and that its value surpasses earthly riches (Proverbs 16:16).  Here, we read that wisdom produces “trust” in the Lord, a firm foundation in life’s storms.

 

I find behavioral psychology absolutely fascinating, both from an investment perspective and also from a people-watching perspective.  Furthermore, I have recently sought to understand more clearly how massive technological and informational stimuli have impacted our present-day culture.  Why, for example, do I struggle to relax and lean confidently on the sovereignty of God?

 

Over the past week, I read a book called Your Survival Instinct Is Killing You:  Retrain Your Brain to Conquer Fear, Make Better Decisions, and Thrive in the 21st Century.  The author, Marc Schoen, serves as a doctor to traumatized individuals through his practice in Los Angeles.  While he espouses an evolutionist and secular worldview, some of the scientific findings he mentions point to the underlying brilliance of God’s creation.  While he chalks up brain function to evolution, I praise God for His wisdom in creation.

 

Schoen explains that the brain contains three separate regions, with differentiated functions.  The brain stem controls key bodily functions such as breathing.  The cerebral cortex collects rational thoughts and processes knowledge; we may train this region through reading and study.  The third region, the limbic brain, ties the emotions of the heart to our minds for action.  Schoen argues that, while we may have stored data in the cerebral cortex, the limbic brain may cause us to exhibit irrational reactions.  He provides the example of an individual who wishes to lose weight (driven by the cerebral cortex) but struggles to overcome the positive associations of food with comfort (driven by the limbic brain).  He illustrates how the limbic brain forces us to have associational reactions, such as tensing up over a recurring situation or becoming disenchanted with a particular place.

 

Schoen further argues that, while we experience the most comfortable era in human history, our limbic brains have become train to overreact to any sensations of discomfort.  Perhaps this development explains my tendency to complain and focus on the “little things.”  In short, our fight-or-flight response has become hypersensitized to even modestly negative stimuli, as our fear of “discomfort” rises over tiny agitations.  Yet, this discomfort wells into agitance, which may, coupled with stress, produce insomnia and panic attacks.

 

To overcome this cycle, Schoen suggests embracing a fair number of New Age mumbo-jumbo, which I will not repeat here.  Still, he does note that empathy/compassion and gratitude provide two pathways to reduce our agitance levels, both of which square with the teachings of Scripture (2 Corinthians 1:3–5; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).  These virtues, devoid of God’s influence, may become mere selfishness cloaked in altruism, however.

 

As I further reflected, it appears that God had intended wisdom, understanding, and “hiding” His Word in our hearts as the key to affecting the limbic brain (and the heart) and bringing the truth to bear even when our sinful natures wish otherwise.  The Word of God does indeed retrain our minds, causing us to react in concert with godly wisdom rather than our sinful natures.  Memorizing Scripture provides a key means of achieving this goal, as the Holy Spirit may then take the Word to apply it to our present situation and bring forth a wise resolution or reaction.

 

Accordingly, we have the privileged responsibility to submit our minds to Christ and to allow His reworking:  “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1–4)

 

Similarly, in seeking and basking in God’s presence, our understanding emerges from His light:

 

“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,

                your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

                your justice like the great deep.

O Lord, you preserve both man and beat.

                How priceless is your unfailing love!

Both high and low among men

                find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house;

                You give them drink from your river of delights.

For with you is the fountain of life;

                in your light, we see light.”

(Psalm 36:5–9)

 

 

I noted that Schoen overlooked trusting wholly in God as the true antidote to information overload and limbic brain freak-outs.  In this area, God has provided knowledge regarding His sovereignty and worthiness to be trusted in my life, but I continue to struggle to bring this knowledge into wisdom that guides my heart.  A recent strategy has involved bringing to mind those verses about God’s sovereignty and dominion during moments of stress and worry.  How about for you?

 

In what areas of your life would you like to submit more fully to God’s wisdom and plan?  How would you like hide His Word more deeply in your heart?

 

Lord God, we thank You for your creative genius and the nature of minds, hearts, and spirits.  Without Your wisdom, we will stand weakly on shaky ground, but your wisdom provides a firm foundation for our lives.  Help us to hide Your Word in our hearts and minds, that Your Holy Spirit may bring forth truth and wisdom in our everyday lives.  We seek to honor You and love You and Your children each day.  Give us the strength to pursue You faithfully and to trust You wholly.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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Help - I've fallen and I can't get up!!

Most of us know this phrase and it usually brings a smile to our face.  The product that is being sold by this phrase is a devise to alert someone for help – because the person that has fallen is completely alone.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 gives you a solution better than the “Lifeline Medical Alert”.  It is called a friend!!

 

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!  Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

 

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve come to believe that being independent and self sufficient is cool.  Being dependent on others, showing vulnerabilities, crying or wearing my heart on my sleeve shows weakness.  I’m learning that independence really just leaves you alone – and lonely.  It also leaves you vulnerable to danger.  When we isolate ourselves, we can easily believe the lies that fly around in our head and spiral down into a dangerous place.  With a friend, we can talk about what scares us, what we struggle with and together we are stronger to fight the lies and grow spiritually together.  Other benefits are getting a good return on our work – and keeping warm……

 

Any time I have opened up to a friend and shared my struggles & failures, it has been a great experience.  My fear of being rejected hasn’t happened.  In fact, just the opposite – we have actually become closer.  Satan knows that isolation is an effective tool for him – don’t let him have that tool.  Take a chance, call a friend, share a struggle.  My bet is they have struggles as well.  Next time you say “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” say it to a friend.  You won’t be disappointed.

 

Sheri M. Wills