Have you ever done something that was risky - and you knew it? Of course! We all take chances from time to time. Sometimes it's an ordinary thing like jumping off a diving board. Do you remember the first time you did it? It seemed SO high! If you were little, you might have been terrified. But by the 20th or 30th time, it didn't seem so bad. In fact, fear had turned into fun.
That's an example of what it's like to have a fear of the unknown and to overcome it.
There is a part of the Christian walk that is similar. In fact, many would say that a Christian walk without risk-taking is an impotent venture. It lacks power. It's... dead. Faith without works... right?
But we reach a point where reaching out and sharing the Gospel of Jesus is no longer terrifying. Perhaps it becomes (as it should) second nature. Maybe even fun! I'm just using this as an example. What would scripture say about it?
Jos 5:12 MKJV
(12) And the manna stopped on the next day after they had eaten the old grain of the land. And there was no more manna to the sons of Israel, but they ate the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Joshua was no longer in the desert. He and the Israelites were now in the Promised Land. Where had they been? They had been in a situation where they could not rely upon their wealth to get them through tomorrow. They had ONLY ENOUGH FOR TODAY! They had to rely upon God to send manna. Manna... remember, means 'what is it'.
Then comes Jericho and the Promised Land. Promised Land living affords us some security we did not have in the desert. With that security comes a responsibility. Now we can save enough food for today and tomorrow and maybe the next day. We can accumulate wealth. The manna stops. The 'what is it' goes away, meaning, there isn't a question about tomorrow any longer. It's a land of plenty. But do we forget God? Does the blessing of today distract us from He who gave it?
Even if the manna stops in the physical, we have a responsibility to continue gathering and consuming Manna in the spirit.
A good question that I heard a rabbi ask is this: Do I have what it takes to go beyond the next ten minutes - alone? I'm a sheep who has wealth. I have enough grass to last me for right now - and I have a Shepherd.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Blessed - The Man
It has been a long couple of weeks for me. South Dakota has been a very white place over Christmas, and people didn't move around much. I was shacked up with my family in a farmhouse with no cable TV, Internet, or cellular service, so God graciously afforded me some study time.
I spent quite a bit of time on this passage:
Psa 1:1-2 HNV
(1) Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
(2) but his delight is in the LORD's law. On his law he meditates day and night.
When trying to commit passages to memory, I try to take out the italicized words, meaning... the ones that were not in the original text. It's intellectually stimulating to sit on a passage that comes across as awkward in English. This one isn't so bad... in fact instead of awkward, I think it becomes more potent.
BLESSED the man - it's emphatic. Notice all the negative actions. Blessed is he who does not... and does not... and does not.
But then there is the one big positive action. The pathway to being blessed is to meditate on the law of the LORD. Do we do this? Much? Some might say... the Law has passed away - that's 'Old Testament'. Was this the stance Jesus took?
Or did Jesus say that not one jot or tittle would pass away from the Law? Yes, Jesus fulfilled the Law, but He also said that it all hung off of two commands:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and also... love your neighbor as yourself. Easy, right?
Tremendously simple! Horribly difficult. That Jesus fulfilled the Law means that to follow Him requires us to chase after these two commands.
It would be quite a feat to love God with everything you are... and your neighbor as yourself... and also to sit in the seat of scoffers, or walk in the counsel of wicked men, or stand as a stumbling block to sinners. Here is a question that we can consider rhetorical: do the biggest scoffers you know consider themselves Christ-followers?
I spent quite a bit of time on this passage:
Psa 1:1-2 HNV
(1) Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
(2) but his delight is in the LORD's law. On his law he meditates day and night.
When trying to commit passages to memory, I try to take out the italicized words, meaning... the ones that were not in the original text. It's intellectually stimulating to sit on a passage that comes across as awkward in English. This one isn't so bad... in fact instead of awkward, I think it becomes more potent.
BLESSED the man - it's emphatic. Notice all the negative actions. Blessed is he who does not... and does not... and does not.
But then there is the one big positive action. The pathway to being blessed is to meditate on the law of the LORD. Do we do this? Much? Some might say... the Law has passed away - that's 'Old Testament'. Was this the stance Jesus took?
Or did Jesus say that not one jot or tittle would pass away from the Law? Yes, Jesus fulfilled the Law, but He also said that it all hung off of two commands:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and also... love your neighbor as yourself. Easy, right?
Tremendously simple! Horribly difficult. That Jesus fulfilled the Law means that to follow Him requires us to chase after these two commands.
It would be quite a feat to love God with everything you are... and your neighbor as yourself... and also to sit in the seat of scoffers, or walk in the counsel of wicked men, or stand as a stumbling block to sinners. Here is a question that we can consider rhetorical: do the biggest scoffers you know consider themselves Christ-followers?
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wrestling With God?
-from FoxNews
Obama arrived in Copenhagen Friday with a large American delegation in tow, hoping to pressure China and other nations into accepting a global framework for combating climate change.
Obama and an estimated 120 world leaders converged on the city in hopes of saving the long-awaited summit from ruin by hammering out a framework deal in its closing hours. But the stormy two-week conference was marred to the end by flare-ups between the developed world and developing nations.
I don't think there is anyone (with full faculties) that believes any longer that all of this climate change hoopla is truly about saving the planet. We have surpassed that bit of idiocy and have gone straight to power struggle. The world has finally found its avenue - it thinks - to falsely obtain the blessings of God. What avenue is that?
God's blessing on our nation has been unprecedented. We have blessed Him and have blessed His people, Israel, and as a result we have become the greatest empire on earth. Only that season is over. We have turned our back on God and on Israel and now the only ones laughing are our enemies. The world smells blood in the water and it endeavors to siphon off all of the wealth that God has given the United States. How does it do that?
With a Copenhagen Climate Change agreement, that's how! Only the blessings of God cannot be bought, stolen, or had in any way other than through His favor. The world cannot wrestle blessing from the hand of God. The funny thing is that we can all see where this goes prophetically. As the world scrambles for its piece of the pie, God chuckles, because the world cannot organize itself to 'get' the pie. Why? The devil as at the source of all this - and confusion is all he can muster. Look at the last segment of this FoxNews article:
"But the stormy two-week conference was marred to the end by flare-ups between the developed world and developing nations."
What is the characteristic of the last human empire?
(41) And as to that which you saw: the feet and toes, part of potters' clay and part of iron; the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
(42) And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.
The world can unite on one thing: a hatred of Truth. All other bets on international cooperation are off.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
What Does The Spirit Say Today?
Heb 3:7-11 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you will hear His voice, (8) do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, (9) when your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. (10) Therefore I was grieved with that generation and said, They always err in their heart, and they have not known My ways. (11) So I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest."
What did the Spirit say hundreds of years prior?
Psa 95:7-11 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His voice, (8) harden not your heart, as in the day of strife, as in the day of testing in the wilderness; (9) when your fathers tempted Me, tested Me, and saw My work. (10) For forty years I was grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they have not known My ways; (11) to whom I swore in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest.
Heb 4:11 Therefore let us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief.
What did the Spirit say hundreds of years prior?
Psa 95:7-11 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His voice, (8) harden not your heart, as in the day of strife, as in the day of testing in the wilderness; (9) when your fathers tempted Me, tested Me, and saw My work. (10) For forty years I was grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they have not known My ways; (11) to whom I swore in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest.
Heb 4:11 Therefore let us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
New Frontiers
For those of you who occasionally like to watch a good animal documentary (I know there are many of you who do...) you have probably seen one that depicts dangerous encounters. The one that comes to mind for me is the problem polar bear in some remote Canadian town. You've seen it - the authorities are shooting firecrackers and shotguns in the air to frighten the creature out of town.
The problem typically occurs when an animal becomes so hungry that its hunger surpasses its fear.
As followers of Jesus, we have to reach this point. Walking like Jesus is not easy. It's not easy to take a stand, or to be different, or to deny the flesh. But the Holy Spirit creates such a hunger in us that eventually - hopefully - the hunger trumps everything else. Then we can step into the frontier of risk.
It is difficult to separate flesh from spirit. In the scriptures, the flesh was the skin and hide, and spirit was the fat. There is a way to separate it, but it takes FIRE. It's the fire within - the hunger within - that drives us into our destiny. If we don't have that, we should be praying for it.
The problem typically occurs when an animal becomes so hungry that its hunger surpasses its fear.
As followers of Jesus, we have to reach this point. Walking like Jesus is not easy. It's not easy to take a stand, or to be different, or to deny the flesh. But the Holy Spirit creates such a hunger in us that eventually - hopefully - the hunger trumps everything else. Then we can step into the frontier of risk.
It is difficult to separate flesh from spirit. In the scriptures, the flesh was the skin and hide, and spirit was the fat. There is a way to separate it, but it takes FIRE. It's the fire within - the hunger within - that drives us into our destiny. If we don't have that, we should be praying for it.
Monday, December 14, 2009
My Friend, You're Going To Die
John the Baptist is in prison. He is frightened, because chances are good that he is going to die. So he asks Jesus this very cryptic question.
Mat 11:3 MKJV
(3) And they said to Him, Are You he who should come, or do we look for another?
John, a rabbi, was doing something very rabbinic. He was prompting Jesus for an answer that only Jesus would give. What he actually asked was, "Are you the coming One?" This is a ramez, which I've explained in previous posts. Only this is a very difficult one to track down. We have to know where in the text Messiah was referenced to as the 'Coming One'. The reference is found in Zechariah:
Zec 9:9-11 HNV
(9) Rejoice greatly, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, daughter of Yerushalayim! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(10) I will cut off the chariot from Efrayim, and the horse from Yerushalayim; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak shalom to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
(11) As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.
Why was John asking this in this way? Because the Coming One would set those free who were 'prisoners', and John was definitely this. Here is his question in western English, "Jesus, are you going to leave me in prison?"
What did Jesus say?
Mat 11:4-6 MKJV
(4) Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John again those things which you hear and see:
(5) the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them.
(6) And blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me.
If you do not think these men knew the text, this passage should prove to you differently. Jesus is quoting from 6 different places in Isaiah to John, who would have known all of this - by heart.
1) & 4)
Isa 42:6-7 MKJV
(6) I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the nations;
(7) to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.
(8) I am Jehovah; that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.
(9) Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they happen, I cause you to hear.
2) & 3)
Isa 33:23-24 MKJV
(23) Your ropes are loosened, they do not hold the base of the mast; they could not spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil shall be divided; the lame take the prey.
(24) And an inhabitant, the people who live in it shall not say, I am sick; iniquity is taken away.
5)
Isa 26:19-20 MKJV
(19) Your dead ones shall live, together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is as the dew of lights, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
(20) Come, my people, enter into your rooms and shut your doors around you; hide for a little moment, until the fury has passed by.
6)
Isa 61:1 MKJV
(1) The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on Me; because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
All of these references of the sick being made well and the ropes loosened, the lame walking and the ropes loosened, blind eyes opened and the prisoner set free, those made to hear and the prisoner set free, the dead live while the people are beckoned, and the Gospel is preached while the prison doors open. Yet Jesus tells John, "the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them." What is missing? The captive is set free. John, my friend, it is all true, but you are going to die in prison.
But blessed is he... what? That aren't offended because of these things. What things in our text are so obviously offensive? It is so very hard to know... if you don't know the scriptures. This is a personal challenge - to me.
Mat 11:3 MKJV
(3) And they said to Him, Are You he who should come, or do we look for another?
John, a rabbi, was doing something very rabbinic. He was prompting Jesus for an answer that only Jesus would give. What he actually asked was, "Are you the coming One?" This is a ramez, which I've explained in previous posts. Only this is a very difficult one to track down. We have to know where in the text Messiah was referenced to as the 'Coming One'. The reference is found in Zechariah:
Zec 9:9-11 HNV
(9) Rejoice greatly, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, daughter of Yerushalayim! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(10) I will cut off the chariot from Efrayim, and the horse from Yerushalayim; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak shalom to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
(11) As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.
Why was John asking this in this way? Because the Coming One would set those free who were 'prisoners', and John was definitely this. Here is his question in western English, "Jesus, are you going to leave me in prison?"
What did Jesus say?
Mat 11:4-6 MKJV
(4) Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John again those things which you hear and see:
(5) the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them.
(6) And blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me.
If you do not think these men knew the text, this passage should prove to you differently. Jesus is quoting from 6 different places in Isaiah to John, who would have known all of this - by heart.
1) & 4)
Isa 42:6-7 MKJV
(6) I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the nations;
(7) to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.
(8) I am Jehovah; that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.
(9) Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they happen, I cause you to hear.
2) & 3)
Isa 33:23-24 MKJV
(23) Your ropes are loosened, they do not hold the base of the mast; they could not spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil shall be divided; the lame take the prey.
(24) And an inhabitant, the people who live in it shall not say, I am sick; iniquity is taken away.
5)
Isa 26:19-20 MKJV
(19) Your dead ones shall live, together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is as the dew of lights, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
(20) Come, my people, enter into your rooms and shut your doors around you; hide for a little moment, until the fury has passed by.
6)
Isa 61:1 MKJV
(1) The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on Me; because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
All of these references of the sick being made well and the ropes loosened, the lame walking and the ropes loosened, blind eyes opened and the prisoner set free, those made to hear and the prisoner set free, the dead live while the people are beckoned, and the Gospel is preached while the prison doors open. Yet Jesus tells John, "the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them." What is missing? The captive is set free. John, my friend, it is all true, but you are going to die in prison.
But blessed is he... what? That aren't offended because of these things. What things in our text are so obviously offensive? It is so very hard to know... if you don't know the scriptures. This is a personal challenge - to me.
Friday, December 11, 2009
True Discipleship
Jesus spent perhaps thousands of hours memorizing the scriptures - the Tanakh. This was what Jewish children did. By the age of twelve, Jewish boys were to have done their best to memorize Torah - the first five books of the Bible. Naturally, not every boy did. In fact, probably most didn't quite make it - although 'most' would have huge portions of the text memorized.
If the child was particularly talented and had shown an amazing capacity for the scriptures, they could advance to the second level of Jewish schooling - Bet Midrash (understanding - or explanation). This occurred at the age of 12 IF the child had all of Torah memorized. Also, as a rite of passage, the child was allowed to go to Jerusalem on that year on Passover and offer the lamb for his family.
Where do we find Jesus at the age of 12 on Passover? In Jerusalem, at the temple. If you had to venture a guess, would you think He might have been adept at memorizing scriptures?
Being a disciple of Jesus in the truest sense is the endeavor to be just like Him. That means what He found to be important, we, too, should find important. How much time did He spend in the scriptures?
It's very easy to write this off as works... or as legalism, or fill in your own blank. Truly, if one memorizes the entire bible and has not love, he has nothing. But for those of us who have love, or claim to have love, how much time do we really seek to be just like Jesus?
If the child was particularly talented and had shown an amazing capacity for the scriptures, they could advance to the second level of Jewish schooling - Bet Midrash (understanding - or explanation). This occurred at the age of 12 IF the child had all of Torah memorized. Also, as a rite of passage, the child was allowed to go to Jerusalem on that year on Passover and offer the lamb for his family.
Where do we find Jesus at the age of 12 on Passover? In Jerusalem, at the temple. If you had to venture a guess, would you think He might have been adept at memorizing scriptures?
Being a disciple of Jesus in the truest sense is the endeavor to be just like Him. That means what He found to be important, we, too, should find important. How much time did He spend in the scriptures?
It's very easy to write this off as works... or as legalism, or fill in your own blank. Truly, if one memorizes the entire bible and has not love, he has nothing. But for those of us who have love, or claim to have love, how much time do we really seek to be just like Jesus?
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Not Buying Into It
Daniel was quite a guy. He made a name for himself in a pagan nation simply by being true to God and not letting circumstances shake him. With a death sentence upon all wise men - himself included - Daniel won reprieve from the king by interpreting his dream. As a result, he was named the chief wise man.
Dan 2:48 Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over all the province of Babylon, and chief of the prefects over all the wise men of Babylon.
As great an honor as that was, that title came with some baggage that Daniel probably didn't want. Being a wise man, according to his world's standards, was a great thing. But according to his own Godly standard, it was a compromise. Daniel didn't use sorcery or witchcraft to divine answers. He sought God. But as we see below, God didn't always get the credit.
Dan 4:9 MKJV
(9) O Belteshazzar, master of the horoscopists, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its meaning.
He was known as a master of the horoscopists - the chief astrologer. This brings up quite a spiritual dilemma. Do we accept worldly recognition and praise and justify it as the reward of the blessed? Or do we seek the God and let the world find its own heroes? What did Daniel do?
The story shifts to Nebuchadnezzar's grandson who sees the writing on the wall. This is one of the more classic verses that truly comes (hilariously) to life in the King James translation:
Dan 5:6 KJV
(6) Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
The man... was frightened. What he needed was a good horoscopist to translate the writing on the wall.
Dan 5:10-12 MKJV
(10) The queen came into the banquet house because of the king's words, and his nobles. And the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever. Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.
(11) There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And in the days of your father there was found in him light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, your father the king, appointed him master of the horoscopists, conjurers, Chaldeans, and fortune-tellers,
(12) because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, explaining of dreams, and revealing of hard sentences, and the unraveling of knots, were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will reveal the meaning.
Here is our answer. Daniel had been the chief astrologer, but where was he now? The king apparently had never heard of him. Only the queen (the king's grandmother, Nebuchadnezzar's wife) remembered Daniel for the wise man he was. Why? Because Daniel had separated himself from the reward of the world - the titles, the prestige, the ceremonies. Reading on, we see that he truly did not care for the recognition of the king:
Dan 5:17 MKJV
(17) Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Yet I will read the writing to the king, and make the meaning known to him.
Daniel's walk with God was one of steadfastness - his eyes always locked on the Father. Daniel was perhaps the only bible persona other than Jesus Himself that never had a single derogatory remark made about him. Despite the law, he prayed. Despite the reward, he remained focused. Despite hardship, he remained thankful. He did not buy into the reward of this world.
Dan 2:48 Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over all the province of Babylon, and chief of the prefects over all the wise men of Babylon.
As great an honor as that was, that title came with some baggage that Daniel probably didn't want. Being a wise man, according to his world's standards, was a great thing. But according to his own Godly standard, it was a compromise. Daniel didn't use sorcery or witchcraft to divine answers. He sought God. But as we see below, God didn't always get the credit.
Dan 4:9 MKJV
(9) O Belteshazzar, master of the horoscopists, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its meaning.
He was known as a master of the horoscopists - the chief astrologer. This brings up quite a spiritual dilemma. Do we accept worldly recognition and praise and justify it as the reward of the blessed? Or do we seek the God and let the world find its own heroes? What did Daniel do?
The story shifts to Nebuchadnezzar's grandson who sees the writing on the wall. This is one of the more classic verses that truly comes (hilariously) to life in the King James translation:
Dan 5:6 KJV
(6) Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
The man... was frightened. What he needed was a good horoscopist to translate the writing on the wall.
Dan 5:10-12 MKJV
(10) The queen came into the banquet house because of the king's words, and his nobles. And the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever. Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.
(11) There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And in the days of your father there was found in him light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, your father the king, appointed him master of the horoscopists, conjurers, Chaldeans, and fortune-tellers,
(12) because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, explaining of dreams, and revealing of hard sentences, and the unraveling of knots, were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will reveal the meaning.
Here is our answer. Daniel had been the chief astrologer, but where was he now? The king apparently had never heard of him. Only the queen (the king's grandmother, Nebuchadnezzar's wife) remembered Daniel for the wise man he was. Why? Because Daniel had separated himself from the reward of the world - the titles, the prestige, the ceremonies. Reading on, we see that he truly did not care for the recognition of the king:
Dan 5:17 MKJV
(17) Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Yet I will read the writing to the king, and make the meaning known to him.
Daniel's walk with God was one of steadfastness - his eyes always locked on the Father. Daniel was perhaps the only bible persona other than Jesus Himself that never had a single derogatory remark made about him. Despite the law, he prayed. Despite the reward, he remained focused. Despite hardship, he remained thankful. He did not buy into the reward of this world.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Who Has Touched Him?
Mar 5:25-31 And a certain woman who had had an issue of blood twelve years, (26) and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and had not been bettered any, but rather came to worse, (27) having heard about Jesus, she came in the press behind and touched His garment. (28) For she said, If I may but touch only His clothes, I will be cured. (29) And instantly the fountain of her blood dried up. And she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. (30) And knowing instantly within Himself that power had gone out of Him, Jesus turned Himself around in the press and said, Who touched My clothes? (31) And His disciples said to Him, You see the crowd pressing on You, and do You say, Who touched Me?
Most of us know this story. We talk about the woman, having suffered so long and having the faith to take a risk. We talk about faith rewarded. But what about all those who had pressed Jesus? What about the many who had touched Him and had never realized.
How many times have we gone to church and left the same way we went in... distracted, annoyed, indifferent? Maybe it wasn't church. Church certainly isn't the only place to find God, although it should be a place we do find Him - without fail. Perhaps that breeze that blew through our hair was His Presence, and we simply thought the AC had kicked on, never knowing the difference.
But He knows the difference, doesn't He.
If we seek nothing, we often find it.
Most of us know this story. We talk about the woman, having suffered so long and having the faith to take a risk. We talk about faith rewarded. But what about all those who had pressed Jesus? What about the many who had touched Him and had never realized.
How many times have we gone to church and left the same way we went in... distracted, annoyed, indifferent? Maybe it wasn't church. Church certainly isn't the only place to find God, although it should be a place we do find Him - without fail. Perhaps that breeze that blew through our hair was His Presence, and we simply thought the AC had kicked on, never knowing the difference.
But He knows the difference, doesn't He.
If we seek nothing, we often find it.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Ignore the Numbers
Jesus did over 90% of His teaching in the area of Galilee, which is a small triangular area cornered by the cities of Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Corazin. The sides of this triangle are approximately 3 miles long.
What do you think of when you think about changing the world with the gospel message? Do you think telling people about Jesus at work has little or no effect? Do you think you have to have the website with thousands of hits? Does it have to be a tent revival that draws thousands?
Jesus spent most of His ministry teaching within a 10 square mile area (closer to 5). Do you think He had much of an effect? Most who heard Him went the other direction. Those who scriptures portray as being the most receptive were often single people in lonely circumstances: a woman at a well, a blind man, an adulteress.
Do not despise small beginnings. Rather plant when you can plant, reap when you can reap, and wait to see what God does with the Harvest.
What do you think of when you think about changing the world with the gospel message? Do you think telling people about Jesus at work has little or no effect? Do you think you have to have the website with thousands of hits? Does it have to be a tent revival that draws thousands?
Jesus spent most of His ministry teaching within a 10 square mile area (closer to 5). Do you think He had much of an effect? Most who heard Him went the other direction. Those who scriptures portray as being the most receptive were often single people in lonely circumstances: a woman at a well, a blind man, an adulteress.
Do not despise small beginnings. Rather plant when you can plant, reap when you can reap, and wait to see what God does with the Harvest.
Friday, December 04, 2009
You Are The Salt of the Earth
In the time of Jesus, people would heat their homes with small, bee-hive type fireplaces in their living spaces. Often they would use olive pressings (pits, skins) from the olive press, which was great fuel, but limited in supply. More often they would use dung from their animals - which was in 'plentiful' supply. This was a good source of fuel because oft-times animals were in the homes, especially at night when it was cold.
One thing that these people learned was that mixing salt into the dung would allow it to burn hotter, longer. After a few fires, however, this mixture would no longer do its job and the fireplace would have to be cleaned out and a new fuel 'mixture' put in. Now, listen to what Jesus said:
Mat 5:13 MKJV
(13) You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.
Yes, we are salt. Yes, salt adds flavor and serves to preserve. But Jesus was telling us that in a world full of 'dung' we can make the fire burn hotter, longer.
Who are you, and why are you here?
One thing that these people learned was that mixing salt into the dung would allow it to burn hotter, longer. After a few fires, however, this mixture would no longer do its job and the fireplace would have to be cleaned out and a new fuel 'mixture' put in. Now, listen to what Jesus said:
Mat 5:13 MKJV
(13) You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.
Yes, we are salt. Yes, salt adds flavor and serves to preserve. But Jesus was telling us that in a world full of 'dung' we can make the fire burn hotter, longer.
Who are you, and why are you here?
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Feet Like A Deer
Psa 18:32-33 LITV
(32) It is God who girds me with strength and gives my way to be perfect;
(33) setting my feet like the deer, and making me stand on my high places;
Have you ever watched the Green Planet Discover Channel series? What awesome photography and cinematography! Sometimes the information is lacking, but the production is stunning.
Did you see the one where the snow leopard is chasing the mountain goat? It's like... in the Himalaya's or some place like that - where any wrong move or mis-step means certain death. The cat chases this goat hundreds of feet up and down a cliff-face that would be unnavigable to a human. The goat escapes, somehow, and the cat is left forlorn without his dinner.
Can you imagine being able to walk on such terrain? What about 'running' on such terrain?
God says that troubles and trials will come. David had sense enough to ask of God - please Lord give me the FEET to be able to travel the paths you have set before me. After all, even for a goat - it's easier to walk across a plain than a mountain range. But when the rocks come, the goats don't sweat it. They can navigate. They can cope.
God, give us feet to navigate the roads in front of us, because we know it's not always your will to remove the road, or to send us around the other way.
(32) It is God who girds me with strength and gives my way to be perfect;
(33) setting my feet like the deer, and making me stand on my high places;
Have you ever watched the Green Planet Discover Channel series? What awesome photography and cinematography! Sometimes the information is lacking, but the production is stunning.
Did you see the one where the snow leopard is chasing the mountain goat? It's like... in the Himalaya's or some place like that - where any wrong move or mis-step means certain death. The cat chases this goat hundreds of feet up and down a cliff-face that would be unnavigable to a human. The goat escapes, somehow, and the cat is left forlorn without his dinner.
Can you imagine being able to walk on such terrain? What about 'running' on such terrain?
God says that troubles and trials will come. David had sense enough to ask of God - please Lord give me the FEET to be able to travel the paths you have set before me. After all, even for a goat - it's easier to walk across a plain than a mountain range. But when the rocks come, the goats don't sweat it. They can navigate. They can cope.
God, give us feet to navigate the roads in front of us, because we know it's not always your will to remove the road, or to send us around the other way.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Sticks and Stones
Exo 17:5-6 MKJV
(5) And Jehovah said to Moses, Go on in front of the people, and take with you the elders of Israel. And take your rod with which you struck the river, in your hand, and go.
(6) Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb. And you shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Looking at our Salvation story through events in the Old Testament can be so exciting. Israel represented fallen man, hopelessly enslaved in Egypt. God used Moses to bring them out, through the Red Sea. They were free from Egypt, but only physically free. Mentally they were still enslaved to bitter, selfish souls. They were in the desert.
Notice what God says: take your rod with which you struck the river. The river? The river... which river was that, Lord... because... since we've seen the Nile we've WALKED THROUGH THE RED SEA. Why has God referenced a seemingly small event of the past instead of referencing the HUGE event of walking to freedom through a sea? Here is the verse:
Exo 14:16 MKJV
(16) But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it. And the sons of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
But no. God is reminding Moses to take the rod he used when he struck the Nile River, which probably seemed eons ago. Moses had struck the Nile in Exodus 7:20 and it turned to blood.
God usually allows mankind to obtain what he pursues, doesn't he? Pharaoh was out for blood. He had decreed the destruction of all the male Hebrew babies by what means? Throwing them in the Nile... But it was the Nile that floated their salvation: Moses. Now God was giving Pharaoh what he wanted - blood.
Back to God's reference. He said, even as you took the rod and struck the river, take the rod and strike the rock.
From here, we can take what we know and apply it. The rod is the cross that struck our Rock, Jesus Christ. From Him came water to nourish us and save us in the desert we were in. Understand, too, that rods have NO CHANCE against rocks. You'd no more set out to break a rock with a stick than you would digging a tunnel with a plastic spoon. Forget it. But the Rock split and water issued forth...
The cross... the Romans... the Jews... had NO CHANCE of killing Jesus unless He laid His life down for us. That He did.
1Jn 3:16 MKJV
(16) By this we have known the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
But the river... what about it? This same cross that was used to bring us water in the desert was also used to destroy the enemy - ultimately bringing him exactly what he wanted. Blood. The cross brings life, but the cross brings death to those who reject it.
(5) And Jehovah said to Moses, Go on in front of the people, and take with you the elders of Israel. And take your rod with which you struck the river, in your hand, and go.
(6) Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb. And you shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Looking at our Salvation story through events in the Old Testament can be so exciting. Israel represented fallen man, hopelessly enslaved in Egypt. God used Moses to bring them out, through the Red Sea. They were free from Egypt, but only physically free. Mentally they were still enslaved to bitter, selfish souls. They were in the desert.
Notice what God says: take your rod with which you struck the river. The river? The river... which river was that, Lord... because... since we've seen the Nile we've WALKED THROUGH THE RED SEA. Why has God referenced a seemingly small event of the past instead of referencing the HUGE event of walking to freedom through a sea? Here is the verse:
Exo 14:16 MKJV
(16) But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it. And the sons of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
But no. God is reminding Moses to take the rod he used when he struck the Nile River, which probably seemed eons ago. Moses had struck the Nile in Exodus 7:20 and it turned to blood.
God usually allows mankind to obtain what he pursues, doesn't he? Pharaoh was out for blood. He had decreed the destruction of all the male Hebrew babies by what means? Throwing them in the Nile... But it was the Nile that floated their salvation: Moses. Now God was giving Pharaoh what he wanted - blood.
Back to God's reference. He said, even as you took the rod and struck the river, take the rod and strike the rock.
From here, we can take what we know and apply it. The rod is the cross that struck our Rock, Jesus Christ. From Him came water to nourish us and save us in the desert we were in. Understand, too, that rods have NO CHANCE against rocks. You'd no more set out to break a rock with a stick than you would digging a tunnel with a plastic spoon. Forget it. But the Rock split and water issued forth...
The cross... the Romans... the Jews... had NO CHANCE of killing Jesus unless He laid His life down for us. That He did.
1Jn 3:16 MKJV
(16) By this we have known the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
But the river... what about it? This same cross that was used to bring us water in the desert was also used to destroy the enemy - ultimately bringing him exactly what he wanted. Blood. The cross brings life, but the cross brings death to those who reject it.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
The Promise of Firstfruits
Lev 23:10-12 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. (11) And he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah to be received for you. On the next day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. (12) And you shall offer that day when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering to Jehovah.
Firstfruits is the third high holy day prescribed by God for the Jews to observe; the first two are Passover and Unleavened Bread (a week long celebration). Firstfruits is interesting because it is initiated by the high priest and presented before God. Notice what the priest presents: a sheaf of grain and a male lamb without blemish.
We already know that Jesus was our Passover lamb, without spot or blemish. We also know He was the bread came down from heaven (John 6:33). But what about Firstfruits and what are the implications?
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruit, and afterward they who are Christ's at His coming;
Jesus was also our Firstfruits offering. He offered Himself to the Lord. When would He have done this? Immediately after His resurrection.
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, I ascend to My Father and Your Father, and to My God and your God.
Later on, you will recall, He tells Thomas to come feel the nail prints in His hand. Why was it okay to touch Him then? Because He had already ascended and accomplished what the priest had to do on Firstfruits!
Now to the implications. The sheaves that were waved before the Lord by the High Priest were considered holy - but because they were waved they also made the rest of the field holy!
Jesus was the Lamb without blemish that had to be presented on First Fruits, but where were His sheaves?
After Jesus died, the earth shook and a strange thing happened:
Mat 27:51-53 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, (52) and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, (53) and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Men rose from the dead! What happened to these? Did they die again? No! These were the sheaves! The would have been taken up with Jesus and presented to the Father. Why? As a down-payment that the rest of the field would soon follow. If that seems like a stretch, read this passage in Ephesians:
Eph 4:8-10 Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men." (9) (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
The promise of Firstfruits is that we will soon follow because we were made holy by Him who was able.
Rom 11:15-16 For if their casting away is the reconciling of the world, what is the reception except life from the dead? (16) For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, also the branches.
Firstfruits is the third high holy day prescribed by God for the Jews to observe; the first two are Passover and Unleavened Bread (a week long celebration). Firstfruits is interesting because it is initiated by the high priest and presented before God. Notice what the priest presents: a sheaf of grain and a male lamb without blemish.
We already know that Jesus was our Passover lamb, without spot or blemish. We also know He was the bread came down from heaven (John 6:33). But what about Firstfruits and what are the implications?
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruit, and afterward they who are Christ's at His coming;
Jesus was also our Firstfruits offering. He offered Himself to the Lord. When would He have done this? Immediately after His resurrection.
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, I ascend to My Father and Your Father, and to My God and your God.
Later on, you will recall, He tells Thomas to come feel the nail prints in His hand. Why was it okay to touch Him then? Because He had already ascended and accomplished what the priest had to do on Firstfruits!
Now to the implications. The sheaves that were waved before the Lord by the High Priest were considered holy - but because they were waved they also made the rest of the field holy!
Jesus was the Lamb without blemish that had to be presented on First Fruits, but where were His sheaves?
After Jesus died, the earth shook and a strange thing happened:
Mat 27:51-53 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, (52) and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, (53) and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Men rose from the dead! What happened to these? Did they die again? No! These were the sheaves! The would have been taken up with Jesus and presented to the Father. Why? As a down-payment that the rest of the field would soon follow. If that seems like a stretch, read this passage in Ephesians:
Eph 4:8-10 Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men." (9) (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
The promise of Firstfruits is that we will soon follow because we were made holy by Him who was able.
Rom 11:15-16 For if their casting away is the reconciling of the world, what is the reception except life from the dead? (16) For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, also the branches.
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