3/7/14

3/7/14

"O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! 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 50:7-15, 23 NLT)

When I was reading this passage this morning, it jumped out at me. After all we are reading about in the Old Testament about sacrifice and ritual and purification, God doesn't really want all of that. God set it up to be a tangible image of redemption for His people. But it didn't spark a lasting heart of thanksgiving. It was set up so the people would bring their gifts to God to thank Him for all he had done for them, but it became just a work. Just a duty. God is saying in Psalm 50, that this sacrifice is meaningless if there is no change of heart. There is no point of all the bloodshed if hearts of thankfulness are not raised up to God. God wants our hearts, and He wants us to thank Him. And that is all. Thankfulness needs to be our sacrifice to Him.

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Numbers 4:1 – 5:31, Mark 12:18-37, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 10:26

Numbers 4:1 – 5:31, Mark 12:18-37, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 10:26

 

            A few weeks ago in church, Pastor Scott gave us a list of about 5 things we could do that week, but the only one I can remember is "Serve your neighbor."  I choose this one because it identified a sin that I have been dealing with for months now.  This is going to sound totally childish (because it really is,) but I have beef with one of my neighbors.  There is not assigned parking in my community, but everyone has their known spots.  I have pretty much parked in the same spot for the last three years.  A couple years ago, D and I parked one spot over from our usual spot (where my mini-cooper neighbor parks.)  We left, came back, and they had actually out their patio furniture in their spot to block anyone (us) from parking there.  My blood boiled.  Since then, no problems.  It's cool.  You park in your spot, I'll park in mine.  Sometimes when we see each other we will say hi, sometimes I'm just totally ignored.  Whatever.  So…(I know this is a venting saga, but giving you the background) in January, my neighbor to the right (parking spot) no longer needed to park there, so my neighbor came up to me once while shoveling snow, telling me that I could move over one spot to the right, to take his parking spot.  I told her thank you, but I'm good with the spot I have had (for the past three years.)  Before I knew it, her car was in my spot, forcing me to park one over.  Blood boiled again (#firstworldproblems).  I know this is totally childish and dumb, and I am not one to harbor feelings like this, but for weeks my sin and my anger got a hold of me. 

 

            The week that Pastor Scott challenged us with serving our neighbor, I knew that was what I had to do.  Even though I have never wronged her, I have always been polite and civil when seeing her, my mind and heart were totally opposite.   That week of the challenge, I honestly didn't do anything to serve them.  But I took the challenge to start praying for them, and pray that God would change my heart.  The issue was not the parking spot, but the condition of  my heart that is sinful.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus is challenged by the leaders of the Jewish people, the Sadducees, and asked, "Which is the first commandment of all?" (Mark 12:28)  A note of the context:  In Exodus, God gave Moses the 10 Commandments, which were the basis of the law.  They were so revered in Hebrew culture that they lived in the Ark of the Covenant, and were basically the first commands.  The rest of the Pentateuch gave more commands (hundreds as we have been reading,) but the 10 commandments were basically the first.  Jesus responded basically by saying that before not stealing, or honoring your father and mother, "The FIRST of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ones.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31)

 

            On my Twitter account, I describe myself, "New Mexican in Connecticut…Starbucks Partner…UNM Lobo…Tennis, food, and drink Enthusiast…Christ Follower and Lover."  I proclaim and identify myself as a believer…a Lover of God.  But these two commandments go hand-in-hand.  I cannot proclaim to be a believer without loving my neighbor (literally.)  I kinda still care about the principle of the parking spot, but I'm not angry or annoyed anymore.  I know how stupid I was in my mind and heart, and I have already seen change.  One morning at 630 I was getting in my car to go to work, I looked over and she was sitting in her car.  I smiled and we both mouthed "Good Morning."  Sigh.  I am still a work in progress (major piece or work in progress,) but God is dealing with me.  I know I need to love others, show my love to others, and then God's love will shine through me.   

Tuesday March 4

Numbers 2-3

Mark 11:27-12:17

Psalm 47:1-9

Proverbs 10:24-25

The Pharisees and religious leaders did not like having Jesus around. He challenged everything about their way of life and their point of view. They were completely off base from where God intended them to be and Jesus was not going to let them get away with that. They certainly did not appreciate what Jesus was accomplishing.

They were afraid. They were afraid of losing their way of life, their comfort, and their status. They were more concerned with all of this rather than learning the truth of God.

They could not hide their true motives from Jesus. Every time they tried to trap Him, He saw right through them and used their own games against them. Jesus saved His harshest words for the religious leaders of that time because they should have known better. They had access to God's law and His word and they still didn't get it. 

Sometimes when God is telling us something, we may not like what He has to say. He might be telling us to make some major changes in our lives or He might be telling us that we are going about things all wrong. If God is trying to tell you something, don't do what the Pharisees did. Keep your heart open to God's instructions and directions and He will always lead you in the right direction.

March 3: As George Michael once sang...

"But I gotta have faith..."

Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54
Mark 11:1-26
Psalm 46:1-11
Proverbs 10:23

As I read Mk 11:1-6, I couldn't help but think: this was theft! It wasn't their colt. If Jesus was wrong, the penalties could have been very severe...but they trusted Jesus and they went and did what He asked. They had faith that mattered.

It was the kind of faith that could, as the psalmist wrote in Psalm 46:1-11, "be still and know that I am God.". The faith Jesus described in Mk 11:22-25 that could tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea, not doubt, and see that it was done for the person of faith. It is the kind of faith that asks in prayer, believes it has received and does, in fact, receive.

If you are like me, you do not yet have this faith...but you want it: the kind of faith that lets one see past their inabilities and shortcomings, past the adverse effects one may have had, one is inevitably going to have, on family and on friends, on people one loves, to know that He has them all in His care.

Jon Lanuza

Saturday BlogPost (3/1/14)

Saturday, March 1, 2014  [The Kingdom of God and Little Children]

Mark 10:13-15

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 

Imagine the scene.   Jesus is being swarmed by parents who are bringing their children to Him from every angle.  He was so popular that He could hardly go anywhere without being noticed.  And, once He was noticed, everyone wanted Him to bless, heal, or deliver their loved ones.  But, the disciples thought that Jesus' REAL ministry was too important to involve praying over children.  They received quite a surprise.

In Matthew 18, when the disciples ask Jesus who is considered to be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (aka Kingdom of God), Jesus calls a little child to Himself and says, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."

Little children are dependent on their parents for everything.  They can't supply all of their needs because they actually don't even know exactly what they need.  Without guidance, support, and encouragement they cannot thrive.  I love to hear a three-year old ask questions about anything.  Their favorite response to any answer you give them is "Why?"  Everything that a big person says to one of these little people is received as the truth.  They are so trusting, so impressionable, and ready to receive.  "Anyone who will not receive [the rule and reign of God] like a little child will never enter it." (v. 15)

One of the downfalls of growing up in this fallen world is that we often learn how to survive, seemingly by our own wits.  We get this worldly intellect that helps us navigate our existence in society.  We learn to be skeptical of everyone, rationalize everything, and live a life of unlimited critique.  We even evaluate Jesus by these standards - our experience, our education - only to find out that if we want to enter the Kingdom of God we have to strip ourselves of these things and become little children again, dependent, needy and humble.

God is not impressed by our education.  Our phenomenal life experiences do not cause Him to pause and gasp in amazement.  The great successes we have had and the accolades we have received are nice, but they don't grab His attention.  It's when we run toward Him, like we did when we were little children, our arms open wide and our hearts open wider, that we hear, "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (v. 14)

Questions:

Where in your life has rationalization and reason overtaken God's simple truth?

What are you trying to control?  Why?

In what areas of your life do you need to become like a little child?

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Kenny Sullivan

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2/28/14

2/28/14

After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, "What were you discussing out on the road?" But they didn't answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else." Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me." (Mark 9:33-37 NLT)

This "who's the greatest?" Question was an ongoing issue for the Disciples, and I can just imagine Jesus, rolling His eyes every time they started talking about it. He knew this didn't matter, but they wouldn't get it through their thick skulls. So He took one of the children, (I imagine it was Peter's daughter, or James' son) and put the child on His shoulders, and taught about how to become great in God's kingdom. Humility, placing others in front of yourself, and serving. The last will be the greatest. We need to strive to become last.

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Thursday, February 27

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014

Leviticus 20:22–22:16

Mark 9:1–29

Psalm 43:1–5

Proverbs 10:18

 

 

“Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’

 

“‘From childhood,’ he answered.  ‘It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.  But, if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’”

 

“‘If you can?’ said Jesus.  ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’”

 

“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” (March 9:21–24)

 

 

Pastor Scott has discussed this passage several times, but the core truths here are definitely worth revisiting.  I often find myself exactly in the father’s position:  trusting in God’s hand but desiring to trust Him more.  Have you struggled with this balance before?

 

Two images came to mind in considering this passage:  a pie chart of belief/unbelief and the “logic” behind Zeno’s paradox.  Please imagine a pie chart in your mind’s eye with two slices:  one representing your current state of trust/belief and the other representing distrust/unbelief.  This pie chart adjusts fluidly through time, right?  One moment, we may experience a nearly complete trust/belief slice, but momentary struggles may force the distrust/unbelief slice to grow.  The two slices push at one another, and reality tells us that, if we are not actively expanding the trust/belief slice, it will begin collapsing under the weight of worry, fear, and doubt.  We will explore how this trust/belief slice may grow in a moment.

 

Additionally, I would like to introduce Zeno’s paradox.  This mathematical concept involves the consideration of “limits.”  Zeno noticed that, if one were to look at a race, each runner at some point reaches the halfway point (50%).  Then, in the remaining 50%, he or she then reaches the halfway point of that segment, or 75% of the total.  We may continue this subdivision of the remaining portion until a very small subset remains (~0.01%) of the race.  Zeno posited that the runner may never finish the race, given that the small halfway sections would approach zero but never become zero.  Yet, the runners do finish the race, pointing to the reality that mathematical and physical limits do exist.  Otherwise, we would never “finish” anything.  Whew!

 

In the Christian life, however, we find that Zeno’s paradox does hold to some extent, as our best attempts to grow the trust/belief slice face impediments from the world, the Evil One, and our own hearts and minds.  Faith and trust often feel like paddling upstream, struggling against a current of worldliness and frustration.

 

How may we combat these forces?  Two key realizations seem crucial:  1) we must become intimately familiar with the One who “can,” and 2) the battle belongs to the Lord.

 

Knowing Jesus and His power involves both our heads and our hearts.  Merely recognizing His goodness doesn’t unlock faith; we must instead experience His Presence and sense His mighty power.  Our faith grows when we willingly surrender and beg Him for a demonstration of His power and majesty.  The father could not bring about healing through money, possessions, or rituals; rather, he needed just to trust and rest in Jesus’s power, taking His yoke.  As Mary did when she had seen the promised Messiah’s coming, we may “treasure up all these things and ponder them in our hearts.” (Luke 2:19)  Please notice that this joy came to Mary because, as the “Lord’s servant,” she trusted that God’s “word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38)

 

We also do not fight this battle alone, relying on our own strength.  As Chad taught on Sunday, God draws near to us as we draw near to Him. (James 4:8)  Those who eagerly seek the filling and power of the Holy Spirit will receive His power as part of a request after God’s will. (Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 5:14,15; Acts 4:22–31)  As we seek to live according to His Word, we know that He is fully able to accomplish His purposes.   As Jeremiah exclaimed, ““Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (32:17)  Amen, and amen.

 

 

Lord Jesus, help us to overcome unbelief.  Reveal Yourself more fully in our lives so that we may trust You and comprehend Your awesome majesty more deeply.  Make us hungry for You and not for the world’s lies and idols.  Bring us into a more profound relationship of love and a fuller picture of Your goodness.  We desperately need You on a moment-by-moment basis.  May Your glory overwhelm us and cause many people to draw near to You:  in Grace Church, our local communities, our state, our country, and our world.  Come, Lord Jesus, come.  In Your precious Name, amen.

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