Thanks to those of you who are following this blog. I pray it has been a blessing to you as we are on this journey to know Christ together. I pray that a great joy and gratitude would well up inside for our Redeemer. I pray you had a great day of celebration this Easter!!
I Samuel 15-17
I am trying to go back and finish off some days where I didn't blog. Today's story of Saul is typical. God gave him certain instructions about what was to be done with the spoils of war. God seemed to change up the scenario historically. It required paying attention and obedience. Saul , like many of us, was not really very good with either.
I Sam 15:21 Saul reveals a general theme throughout is time of leadership..."The people took the spoil, the sheep, the oxen etc..." For Saul, the fault was always to be placed on everyone else, never taking ownership for his faults. It's a bad place to find ourselves, but extremely common. Own it, repent, be forgiven, walk a new way. It's way better than denial!!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
I Sam 13-14 A King's Ransom
March 30th, I Samuel 13-14
Today's story is certainly appropriate to our Easter Season. In the story we find Saul, soldiers and Saul's Son Jonathan. In short Saul issues a hurried vow for all to follow in the midst of a day of fighting. Jonathan didn't seem to get the message and violates the vow.
To me this whole reading feels a little like the weather outside right now. It's foggy, snow is trying to melt, rain is trying to fall. The humidity is 89% and I'm not sure where this day is headed.
Saul is a mix of asking God, followed by do whatever I want to do. Jonathan violates an instruction and it seems that in the past God strikes people pretty harsh for the same type of thing. But Saul's vow is not rooted in any "God" kind of response, just his own personal reaction and as I type this the fog seems to get thicker, not only in my neighborhood, but in this story as well.
Some clarity comes in this story as the lots fall in Jonathan's lap to offer not only an explanation but also a confession of his misdeeds. Saul's proclamation is that Jonathan should pay with his life for his missteps.
In the crescendo of this story the people step in " Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day" So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die."
The people seem to recognize the fog also. Saul's our leader, Jonathan's worth following. It's a piece of the story that adds to the difficulty of Saul's leadership. But back to the ransom...
People stepped in to save Jonathan. A ransom to save that which was guilty. Jesus has stepped into save us. To offer a ransom to save that which was guilty. Thank you Lord for life and for the price you paid for us!!
Today's story is certainly appropriate to our Easter Season. In the story we find Saul, soldiers and Saul's Son Jonathan. In short Saul issues a hurried vow for all to follow in the midst of a day of fighting. Jonathan didn't seem to get the message and violates the vow.
To me this whole reading feels a little like the weather outside right now. It's foggy, snow is trying to melt, rain is trying to fall. The humidity is 89% and I'm not sure where this day is headed.
Saul is a mix of asking God, followed by do whatever I want to do. Jonathan violates an instruction and it seems that in the past God strikes people pretty harsh for the same type of thing. But Saul's vow is not rooted in any "God" kind of response, just his own personal reaction and as I type this the fog seems to get thicker, not only in my neighborhood, but in this story as well.
Some clarity comes in this story as the lots fall in Jonathan's lap to offer not only an explanation but also a confession of his misdeeds. Saul's proclamation is that Jonathan should pay with his life for his missteps.
In the crescendo of this story the people step in " Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day" So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die."
The people seem to recognize the fog also. Saul's our leader, Jonathan's worth following. It's a piece of the story that adds to the difficulty of Saul's leadership. But back to the ransom...
People stepped in to save Jonathan. A ransom to save that which was guilty. Jesus has stepped into save us. To offer a ransom to save that which was guilty. Thank you Lord for life and for the price you paid for us!!
Friday, March 29, 2013
I Samuel 9-12 Samuel helps us walk through failure
March 29th, I Samuel 9-12
Most of this passage is dedicated to the story of Saul being selected King. It's a story of God's people trying to accomplish their will instead of God's. Saul hiding in the baggage and them having to drag him out to make him king. Certainly a different story than David making a name for himself by showing the courage that an entire army of soldiers could not!! That's later though.
My inspiration today comes from Samuel's address at the end of his tenure. It starts off with a sign of thunder and rain that is proof that they never should have asked for a king. After the storm the people ask Samuel to pray for them, "that we may not die, for we have added this evil, to ask for ourselves a king." Samuel's response...
"Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself...only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart."
What I really like about the statement is the feeling of "let's move on." A mistake was made, but let's get back to serving the Lord. We could linger in this moment of failure and try to blame people and get all worked up about the problem here. Let's say we are sorry, learn from it and move on. Our lives are the same. Moments of great faith followed by blunders that are intentional or accidental, nevertheless, how we move on from low moments will define us.
In this Holy Week, there are some moments to remember the weight of our sin. But there is an even better moment on Easter Morning. A moment to move on, to remember that life has power over death, that our minds are to be renewed, that even though the past is real, the future can be vastly different. How do you and I move on from our failures? Samuel's got it right, and we should to!! Just keep following the Lord with all our hearts.
Most of this passage is dedicated to the story of Saul being selected King. It's a story of God's people trying to accomplish their will instead of God's. Saul hiding in the baggage and them having to drag him out to make him king. Certainly a different story than David making a name for himself by showing the courage that an entire army of soldiers could not!! That's later though.
My inspiration today comes from Samuel's address at the end of his tenure. It starts off with a sign of thunder and rain that is proof that they never should have asked for a king. After the storm the people ask Samuel to pray for them, "that we may not die, for we have added this evil, to ask for ourselves a king." Samuel's response...
"Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself...only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart."
What I really like about the statement is the feeling of "let's move on." A mistake was made, but let's get back to serving the Lord. We could linger in this moment of failure and try to blame people and get all worked up about the problem here. Let's say we are sorry, learn from it and move on. Our lives are the same. Moments of great faith followed by blunders that are intentional or accidental, nevertheless, how we move on from low moments will define us.
In this Holy Week, there are some moments to remember the weight of our sin. But there is an even better moment on Easter Morning. A moment to move on, to remember that life has power over death, that our minds are to be renewed, that even though the past is real, the future can be vastly different. How do you and I move on from our failures? Samuel's got it right, and we should to!! Just keep following the Lord with all our hearts.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
I Sam 4-8 The need for a physical presence
March 28th, I Samuel 4-8
There is something about this need we all have for a physical presence. It makes sense, you and I were made to live in the garden. A perfect place where God visits us in the cool of the evening, and everything that happened during the day can melt away in the presence of God almighty, physically being with us. But the fall happened and that has set forth in motion this need in us, a manifestation of the physical presence of something, anything.
We see this twice in our story today. The first instance is during battle with the Philistines. The israelites determine they need to bring in their lucky rabbits(I've always thought it was funny that this foot was obviously not lucky for the rabbit!!). Anyway they call in the physical presence of the Ark of the Covenant. This physical "thing" is going to save us. In this instance, they didn't call on God, they needed a "thing" to save them.
Since they didn't ask for God's help, he didn't offer and the Ark was taken by the Philistines. It gave them so much trouble, after 7 months they gave the thing back. How much are we in need of a physical thing to create a sense of wellness in us. God encourages the use of symbols because they help us remember, but we can errantly think that a cross is more valuable than the message of it and forget the Ark, the Cross only have power when God comes.
The second time we see this issue of physical presence is Israel beginning to demand a king. It's really the same statement as above, I need a physical person to be my leader. Samuel goes to great length to warn people what they will get with a king. It's a great read, I highly suggest it. But people want what they want and God sometimes grants what we want, so be careful what you wish for!
All of this should bring an understanding to us today, we live with this strong desire for an ability to see what we worship. While we live here on earth their will always be a sense of being incomplete. We must be careful to keep ourselves from rushing in to the worship of something we can see that is not God. Being mindful of our weakness helps us pursue... God, not an Ark, Jesus, not a cross. Symbols are okay, they're just not God. Let's remember to worship Him this week.
There is something about this need we all have for a physical presence. It makes sense, you and I were made to live in the garden. A perfect place where God visits us in the cool of the evening, and everything that happened during the day can melt away in the presence of God almighty, physically being with us. But the fall happened and that has set forth in motion this need in us, a manifestation of the physical presence of something, anything.
We see this twice in our story today. The first instance is during battle with the Philistines. The israelites determine they need to bring in their lucky rabbits(I've always thought it was funny that this foot was obviously not lucky for the rabbit!!). Anyway they call in the physical presence of the Ark of the Covenant. This physical "thing" is going to save us. In this instance, they didn't call on God, they needed a "thing" to save them.
Since they didn't ask for God's help, he didn't offer and the Ark was taken by the Philistines. It gave them so much trouble, after 7 months they gave the thing back. How much are we in need of a physical thing to create a sense of wellness in us. God encourages the use of symbols because they help us remember, but we can errantly think that a cross is more valuable than the message of it and forget the Ark, the Cross only have power when God comes.
The second time we see this issue of physical presence is Israel beginning to demand a king. It's really the same statement as above, I need a physical person to be my leader. Samuel goes to great length to warn people what they will get with a king. It's a great read, I highly suggest it. But people want what they want and God sometimes grants what we want, so be careful what you wish for!
All of this should bring an understanding to us today, we live with this strong desire for an ability to see what we worship. While we live here on earth their will always be a sense of being incomplete. We must be careful to keep ourselves from rushing in to the worship of something we can see that is not God. Being mindful of our weakness helps us pursue... God, not an Ark, Jesus, not a cross. Symbols are okay, they're just not God. Let's remember to worship Him this week.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
I Sam 1-3 God's Orchestra
March 27th, I Samuel 1-3
The book of First Samuel starts out with the story of Eli, Hannah and Samuel. These are stories of common struggles we all face.
Eli: One of the priests in the midst of the story of Hannah and Samuel. Eli is also known for his worthless sons. His sons were known for not following the rules for what they were permitted to eat. They were also known for sleeping around with women who served God's house. Eli finds himself with young Samuel, dedicated to God's service and his own sons that have no desire to honor the Lord.
Samuel recieves a message from the Lord that Eli and his house will be punished for the iniquity he knew, but did nothing about. As parents we have some responsibility to hold our kids accountable to do the right things. Leadership of our children is tough, but a priority. Eli knows what you and I know, parenting isn't for the faint of heart.
Hannah: Tormented by others who were able to have children. Made a deal with God that if he gave her a son, she would yield him to the Lord all the days of his life. A child is born to Hannah, named Samuel, and dedicated to God.
Verse 1:27-28 "For this child I prayed and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to Him. There fore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord." Chapter two is Hannah's prayer. It is a heart that rejoices in God's gift, a worthy read. An inspiring story for parents of faith. Yielding our children to the Lord's care. A different story than helicopter parents!!
Samuel: Born into an awkward situation. He is the replacement for Eli's wicked son's. It's easy to imagine resentment from son's, investment from Eli. The story says that the nation knew that Samuel was the prophet established by God. A humble story of a hurting empty-wombed mother, who through faith, calls out to God who solves her needs and the nations needs at the same time. God works like that!!
The book of First Samuel starts out with the story of Eli, Hannah and Samuel. These are stories of common struggles we all face.
Eli: One of the priests in the midst of the story of Hannah and Samuel. Eli is also known for his worthless sons. His sons were known for not following the rules for what they were permitted to eat. They were also known for sleeping around with women who served God's house. Eli finds himself with young Samuel, dedicated to God's service and his own sons that have no desire to honor the Lord.
Samuel recieves a message from the Lord that Eli and his house will be punished for the iniquity he knew, but did nothing about. As parents we have some responsibility to hold our kids accountable to do the right things. Leadership of our children is tough, but a priority. Eli knows what you and I know, parenting isn't for the faint of heart.
Hannah: Tormented by others who were able to have children. Made a deal with God that if he gave her a son, she would yield him to the Lord all the days of his life. A child is born to Hannah, named Samuel, and dedicated to God.
Verse 1:27-28 "For this child I prayed and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to Him. There fore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord." Chapter two is Hannah's prayer. It is a heart that rejoices in God's gift, a worthy read. An inspiring story for parents of faith. Yielding our children to the Lord's care. A different story than helicopter parents!!
Samuel: Born into an awkward situation. He is the replacement for Eli's wicked son's. It's easy to imagine resentment from son's, investment from Eli. The story says that the nation knew that Samuel was the prophet established by God. A humble story of a hurting empty-wombed mother, who through faith, calls out to God who solves her needs and the nations needs at the same time. God works like that!!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Ruth 1-4 Duty, Love, Loyalty
March 26th, Ruth
Ruth is like the human interest story at the end of the newscast. The feel good story of how things go when a caste of characters is doing things right. The struggle of Naomi is overwhelmed by the loyalty of a daughter-in-law and a kinsman redeemer who not only honors his obligations, but does so in a way that is witness to going above and beyond duty.
Certainly the famous verse in all of this come from Ruth 1:16. After Naomi's husband and sons die, she is headed back to her home country and urges her daughter-in-laws to stay with their families and find another husband in their homeland. But Ruth's loyalties to her mother-in-law stand as a testimony to both Naomi and Ruth. Here is Ruth's response to Naomi asking here to stay in her homeland..."Do not urge me to leave you or return from following you. For where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God will be my God.
I imagine a widow who is unsure of her future, these are words of life. Commitment and loyalty are some of the greatest gifts we can share with one another.
There is much more to the story, if I retell too much you might not read it and get the full blessing of it. I will tell you that part of God's plan in this day and age is for family to provide for one another when no social security plan is in place. Our families are supposed to provide for each other. It's a great idea for sustainable care!! Boaz is the kinsman-redeemer in this case. As I said before he is obviously a great man. A man who goes beyond simply the dutiful obligation of a family member. But also a man who exhibits, love, grace, mercy in a moment of profound need.
If you need a great story this day to inspire you about people in the OT and what happens when God's people interact the way he desires, read this short 4 chapter book. When things go as God intends, it is a beautiful thing.
Ruth is like the human interest story at the end of the newscast. The feel good story of how things go when a caste of characters is doing things right. The struggle of Naomi is overwhelmed by the loyalty of a daughter-in-law and a kinsman redeemer who not only honors his obligations, but does so in a way that is witness to going above and beyond duty.
Certainly the famous verse in all of this come from Ruth 1:16. After Naomi's husband and sons die, she is headed back to her home country and urges her daughter-in-laws to stay with their families and find another husband in their homeland. But Ruth's loyalties to her mother-in-law stand as a testimony to both Naomi and Ruth. Here is Ruth's response to Naomi asking here to stay in her homeland..."Do not urge me to leave you or return from following you. For where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God will be my God.
I imagine a widow who is unsure of her future, these are words of life. Commitment and loyalty are some of the greatest gifts we can share with one another.
There is much more to the story, if I retell too much you might not read it and get the full blessing of it. I will tell you that part of God's plan in this day and age is for family to provide for one another when no social security plan is in place. Our families are supposed to provide for each other. It's a great idea for sustainable care!! Boaz is the kinsman-redeemer in this case. As I said before he is obviously a great man. A man who goes beyond simply the dutiful obligation of a family member. But also a man who exhibits, love, grace, mercy in a moment of profound need.
If you need a great story this day to inspire you about people in the OT and what happens when God's people interact the way he desires, read this short 4 chapter book. When things go as God intends, it is a beautiful thing.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Judges 19-21 Shocking, Troubling, How did we come to this?
March 25th, Judges 19-21
This last section of Judges is certainly not for the faint of heart. Almost to the point of why is it even in the Bible, what purpose does it serve? It almost feels a little like WWII when they made German citizens tour the death camps. Whatever denial you might have about what your government is up to will be shattered by you witnessing the truth first hand .
The real troubling nature of the story is that it's no longer Israel against the godless nations around them. It's a civil war of godless Israelites treating each other with malice and evil. The story almost sounded like Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact I had to check and make sure I wasn't reading in the wrong place. It makes me wonder if the writer of this book used language from the Sodom story to prove his point about the evil nature of what was going on in God's promised land.
The end of the book of Judges summarizes the heart of the problem for Israel at this time in history. "In those days there was no King in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes." If chapters 19-21 represent the norm in Israel, you can see why God steps in.
It's stories like this that will make tomorrows reading feel like a breath of fresh spring (snow melting!) air. Stories like this are a reminder of our past. The Bible is not a sanitized version of life, it reflects the joy, sorrow, embarrassing, proud moments of a people struggling to discover a God who says he loves them. Then the even bigger struggle of how to love God the way he loves us. A lifelong journey for us all.
This last section of Judges is certainly not for the faint of heart. Almost to the point of why is it even in the Bible, what purpose does it serve? It almost feels a little like WWII when they made German citizens tour the death camps. Whatever denial you might have about what your government is up to will be shattered by you witnessing the truth first hand .
The real troubling nature of the story is that it's no longer Israel against the godless nations around them. It's a civil war of godless Israelites treating each other with malice and evil. The story almost sounded like Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact I had to check and make sure I wasn't reading in the wrong place. It makes me wonder if the writer of this book used language from the Sodom story to prove his point about the evil nature of what was going on in God's promised land.
The end of the book of Judges summarizes the heart of the problem for Israel at this time in history. "In those days there was no King in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes." If chapters 19-21 represent the norm in Israel, you can see why God steps in.
It's stories like this that will make tomorrows reading feel like a breath of fresh spring (snow melting!) air. Stories like this are a reminder of our past. The Bible is not a sanitized version of life, it reflects the joy, sorrow, embarrassing, proud moments of a people struggling to discover a God who says he loves them. Then the even bigger struggle of how to love God the way he loves us. A lifelong journey for us all.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Judges 16-18 In God I trust, second only to myself.
March 24th, Judges 16-18
Samson: His exploits are certainly on a grand scale. It is an inspiration of the power that can well up inside of an individual when God comes upon you. However, his life is also testimony of how your arrogance will get you in trouble. I think Samson was so sure of himself that if he told the truth about the source of his strength he could win anyway. It's easy for us to convince ourselves of our own personal greatness and forget the God who is making things happen.
His personal story is certainly parallel to the story of the Israelites in the book of Judges. Sin and arrogance followed by capture and shame. Crying out to God for help and walking in a path that honors the Lord.
As much as we can see the pattern in Judges, it's certainly a pattern that is very real in our walk as well. The process of becoming like Christ is indeed a story of failure, need, repentance, power, change and hope followed by failure, need, repentance, power, change, hope.
Not sure where you are in the cycle right now. God is at work in all of them. Much like the ongoing story of God and His people, He just keeps working things out.
The heart behind Samson's motive seems vastly different from the heart of Micah. The beginning of Micah's journey and the end of ours' today is this... "Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether the journey on which we are setting out will succeed. And the priest said to them, Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord."
An ongoing theme..."Inquire of the Lord." Good advice!
Samson: His exploits are certainly on a grand scale. It is an inspiration of the power that can well up inside of an individual when God comes upon you. However, his life is also testimony of how your arrogance will get you in trouble. I think Samson was so sure of himself that if he told the truth about the source of his strength he could win anyway. It's easy for us to convince ourselves of our own personal greatness and forget the God who is making things happen.
His personal story is certainly parallel to the story of the Israelites in the book of Judges. Sin and arrogance followed by capture and shame. Crying out to God for help and walking in a path that honors the Lord.
As much as we can see the pattern in Judges, it's certainly a pattern that is very real in our walk as well. The process of becoming like Christ is indeed a story of failure, need, repentance, power, change and hope followed by failure, need, repentance, power, change, hope.
Not sure where you are in the cycle right now. God is at work in all of them. Much like the ongoing story of God and His people, He just keeps working things out.
The heart behind Samson's motive seems vastly different from the heart of Micah. The beginning of Micah's journey and the end of ours' today is this... "Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether the journey on which we are setting out will succeed. And the priest said to them, Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord."
An ongoing theme..."Inquire of the Lord." Good advice!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Judges 13-15 Effective Leadership
March 23rd, Judges 13-15
From beginning to end, Samson's life seems to be lived on a bigger scale. The start, the choices, the power, the scenarios all seem like a whole lot of drama. The story of Joshua seemed like a witness of all of God's greatness accomplishing these things for his people, with Joshua's name in the fine print at the bottom of the page. Joshua led God's people during this time. Samson on the other hand, is a figure where the story always seems to be about him with an asterisk next to God at the bottom of the page.
Samson is a witness of God's special anointing on an individual. Everything he does turns to gold, he can't seem to be stopped. If Samson lived in our day, there would be no doubt that God's hand was upon him. Like a Billy Graham, there's just no question that God is using him in a special way. There is a difference though.
I think there is a weight to the calling God gives people. Moses experienced this weight as he moved from a shepherd tending a flock to a calling to lead 2 million people. There is more weight to the later calling and the weight begins to expose some cracks. Some cracks in our character can be ignored or written off when there is no weight. Some cracks might not ever be a big problem while your tending sheep.
Here's the trouble of leadership... those cracks will grow overtime due to having to bear the load. Samson's character was filled with cracks and as the weight of his anointing grew, the erosion of his foundation was exposed, and ultimately the foundation fell apart.
People avoid leadership for this very reason, the weight reveals the cracks. It's a catch 22, leadership gives you the chance to notice what you wouldn't have noticed otherwise. If you haven't noticed, God has an ability to make things new. Those cracks are repaired through walking with Christ. The strength of obedience instead of the cracks that come from doing it "my way."
The invitation is for all of us to lead. God calls us to walk down a narrow road that not many will choose and he calls us to call others down this same road...that's leadership. In the midst of this leadership position God calls us to, our character development has to come along for the ride. Let Samson's life be witness to what happens when it doesn't.
From beginning to end, Samson's life seems to be lived on a bigger scale. The start, the choices, the power, the scenarios all seem like a whole lot of drama. The story of Joshua seemed like a witness of all of God's greatness accomplishing these things for his people, with Joshua's name in the fine print at the bottom of the page. Joshua led God's people during this time. Samson on the other hand, is a figure where the story always seems to be about him with an asterisk next to God at the bottom of the page.
Samson is a witness of God's special anointing on an individual. Everything he does turns to gold, he can't seem to be stopped. If Samson lived in our day, there would be no doubt that God's hand was upon him. Like a Billy Graham, there's just no question that God is using him in a special way. There is a difference though.
I think there is a weight to the calling God gives people. Moses experienced this weight as he moved from a shepherd tending a flock to a calling to lead 2 million people. There is more weight to the later calling and the weight begins to expose some cracks. Some cracks in our character can be ignored or written off when there is no weight. Some cracks might not ever be a big problem while your tending sheep.
Here's the trouble of leadership... those cracks will grow overtime due to having to bear the load. Samson's character was filled with cracks and as the weight of his anointing grew, the erosion of his foundation was exposed, and ultimately the foundation fell apart.
People avoid leadership for this very reason, the weight reveals the cracks. It's a catch 22, leadership gives you the chance to notice what you wouldn't have noticed otherwise. If you haven't noticed, God has an ability to make things new. Those cracks are repaired through walking with Christ. The strength of obedience instead of the cracks that come from doing it "my way."
The invitation is for all of us to lead. God calls us to walk down a narrow road that not many will choose and he calls us to call others down this same road...that's leadership. In the midst of this leadership position God calls us to, our character development has to come along for the ride. Let Samson's life be witness to what happens when it doesn't.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Judges 10-12 Rumors fester into facts
March 22nd, Judges 10-12
I don't know about you , but I feel like I need to make a flow chart when I read the book of Judges. Lots of things going on, lots of backstory to explain the story etc... The good news this morning is the five Judges that had their time with no drama. They get mentioned by name but not much more. Sometimes that simply the sign of a good job, no one notices. But...
"The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." The saga moves along. I encourage you to read the story, but two major things go on...
First: Jephthah, son of a prostitute gets written off when no one sees their need of him, wants him to be their rescuer when they get in trouble. Nothing like feeling used by people. Do we love people when we need them and write them off when they aren't needed anymore? Lesson 1 for the day... Love like Christ!
Second: This is a little more complicated, reading the story would be best. Israel's enemy has a perception about history that leaves them in a place to desire revenge against Israel. But their version of history just isn't accurate. When Israel was traveling through the desert to get to the promised land, several times they asked for permission from countries to peaceably travel through and be on their way. They asked this of the Amorites when they were on their border. Because of the Amorites fear of the nation Israel, they came out and attacked Israel and Israel fought back.
The Amorite account is that Israel started it and now in the book of Judges they are going to finish it. Jephthah reminds them of the true story and is the hero to repel their advance. But these same issues are alive and well in our lives.
We rewrite history to protect ourselves, then these ideas fester into facts that generations behind us believe and they or we years later feel some need for revenge on something that isn't even accurate. It's a reminder for us to live in reality day by day. We can work ourselves up into something that isn't even true. Regardless of that, God's invitation to us is an invitation to forgiveness. Even when the sin done against us was real or perceived, revenge isn't part of the life we're called to.
I also encourage you as you listen to the injustices people speak about to us. They might be like the Amorites, they might be all wrong about the situation. That's not for us to prove, just a good reminder that forgiveness has more value for our friend and a direction to bring them in the midst of it all.
I don't know about you , but I feel like I need to make a flow chart when I read the book of Judges. Lots of things going on, lots of backstory to explain the story etc... The good news this morning is the five Judges that had their time with no drama. They get mentioned by name but not much more. Sometimes that simply the sign of a good job, no one notices. But...
"The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." The saga moves along. I encourage you to read the story, but two major things go on...
First: Jephthah, son of a prostitute gets written off when no one sees their need of him, wants him to be their rescuer when they get in trouble. Nothing like feeling used by people. Do we love people when we need them and write them off when they aren't needed anymore? Lesson 1 for the day... Love like Christ!
Second: This is a little more complicated, reading the story would be best. Israel's enemy has a perception about history that leaves them in a place to desire revenge against Israel. But their version of history just isn't accurate. When Israel was traveling through the desert to get to the promised land, several times they asked for permission from countries to peaceably travel through and be on their way. They asked this of the Amorites when they were on their border. Because of the Amorites fear of the nation Israel, they came out and attacked Israel and Israel fought back.
The Amorite account is that Israel started it and now in the book of Judges they are going to finish it. Jephthah reminds them of the true story and is the hero to repel their advance. But these same issues are alive and well in our lives.
We rewrite history to protect ourselves, then these ideas fester into facts that generations behind us believe and they or we years later feel some need for revenge on something that isn't even accurate. It's a reminder for us to live in reality day by day. We can work ourselves up into something that isn't even true. Regardless of that, God's invitation to us is an invitation to forgiveness. Even when the sin done against us was real or perceived, revenge isn't part of the life we're called to.
I also encourage you as you listen to the injustices people speak about to us. They might be like the Amorites, they might be all wrong about the situation. That's not for us to prove, just a good reminder that forgiveness has more value for our friend and a direction to bring them in the midst of it all.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Judges 8-9 How Not to Live
March 21st, Judges 8-9
Sometimes reading the Bible is a showcase for how we should not live. Like the show "What not to Wear," todays verses are a role model of how not to act.
1. When someone is having success at the Lord's command, don't whine about not being included. Judges 8:1-4
2. When people are struggling to do God's work and need food, don't tell them "you haven't finished your job, why should we give you food." Judges 8:4-16
3. Don't ask for gifts of gold. You'll just make something nice out of it and then have to protect it and it will be a snare(not a drum, maybe ask for a drum)!! Judges 8:22-28
4. Don't expect people to be able to stay the course of worshipping God very long. For the Israelites 24 hours is about as long as you can expect. Judges 8:29-35.
5. If you have 70 sons, don't get greedy and have an extra evil son!! Judges 9
6. If you become an evil person and kill your 70 brothers, make sure you kill 70 and not 69. Oh and God will not be on your side. Eventually he will deal with you as you deserve. Judges 9
7. If you do evil to people at the base of a tower, make sure someone doesn't drop a millstone on your head. Bob and weave, bob and weave...
8. Lastly, When you fill out your NCAA bracket don't pick against K-State! (until of course you have to)
Just a few insights into How Not To Live...enjoy
Sometimes reading the Bible is a showcase for how we should not live. Like the show "What not to Wear," todays verses are a role model of how not to act.
1. When someone is having success at the Lord's command, don't whine about not being included. Judges 8:1-4
2. When people are struggling to do God's work and need food, don't tell them "you haven't finished your job, why should we give you food." Judges 8:4-16
3. Don't ask for gifts of gold. You'll just make something nice out of it and then have to protect it and it will be a snare(not a drum, maybe ask for a drum)!! Judges 8:22-28
4. Don't expect people to be able to stay the course of worshipping God very long. For the Israelites 24 hours is about as long as you can expect. Judges 8:29-35.
5. If you have 70 sons, don't get greedy and have an extra evil son!! Judges 9
6. If you become an evil person and kill your 70 brothers, make sure you kill 70 and not 69. Oh and God will not be on your side. Eventually he will deal with you as you deserve. Judges 9
7. If you do evil to people at the base of a tower, make sure someone doesn't drop a millstone on your head. Bob and weave, bob and weave...
8. Lastly, When you fill out your NCAA bracket don't pick against K-State! (until of course you have to)
Just a few insights into How Not To Live...enjoy
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Judges 6-7 Hope in the Hood
March 20th, Judges 6-7
This story reminds me of the kids in the neighborhood of our church. Like the story we try to proclaim "the Lord is with you." Gideon's response, "If the Lord is with us, why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his wonderful deeds that our father's proclaim to us." The Egyptian hand has been replaced by the hand of the Midianites so who cares??!!
Futhermore, I am the least in my father's house in the clan that is the weakest in Israel, what am I going to do? For an added glimpse into the life of your typical Israelite child, Gideon was asked by God to tear down his father's altar to Baal and the Asherah pole next to it. How does Gideon and other children have a chance when their parents have an altar on their own property? How do some of the kids we minister to in our neighborhood have a chance when their parents last choice is worship of the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords. We need people to help us proclaim truth to people in our neighborhood.
The good news is this...God's promise to Gideon and the answer to his weakness is simply God's promise of "I will be with you." Our strength comes from God's presence with us. In the midst of God's presence with Gideon, he tore down the altar and built one to God. Parents, family, neighbors notice these things and wanted to kill Gideon for it. Gideon's dad stood up for him and said if Baal is real he can fight for himself, let's see what he will do...wait for it...Oh yeah, he's not real...moving on!
You remember the fleece. Before you get in over your head it's nice to know God is with you!! You remember the whittling down of Gideon's men. 22,000 are too afraid so they go home. 10,000 become 300 because of how they take a drink. Here's your fighting force, 300 verses what is described as a valley of locusts. The least, the powerless, the hopeless, can see great things with the power of God going before us.
Please pray for the community we serve. It's filled with the god of addiction. Children we reach out to grow up in homes filled with altars to gods that steal life. Pray for the power of God to step in and change things that we can't and that our trust of Him would bear fruit and we would give Him all the glory.
This story reminds me of the kids in the neighborhood of our church. Like the story we try to proclaim "the Lord is with you." Gideon's response, "If the Lord is with us, why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his wonderful deeds that our father's proclaim to us." The Egyptian hand has been replaced by the hand of the Midianites so who cares??!!
Futhermore, I am the least in my father's house in the clan that is the weakest in Israel, what am I going to do? For an added glimpse into the life of your typical Israelite child, Gideon was asked by God to tear down his father's altar to Baal and the Asherah pole next to it. How does Gideon and other children have a chance when their parents have an altar on their own property? How do some of the kids we minister to in our neighborhood have a chance when their parents last choice is worship of the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords. We need people to help us proclaim truth to people in our neighborhood.
The good news is this...God's promise to Gideon and the answer to his weakness is simply God's promise of "I will be with you." Our strength comes from God's presence with us. In the midst of God's presence with Gideon, he tore down the altar and built one to God. Parents, family, neighbors notice these things and wanted to kill Gideon for it. Gideon's dad stood up for him and said if Baal is real he can fight for himself, let's see what he will do...wait for it...Oh yeah, he's not real...moving on!
You remember the fleece. Before you get in over your head it's nice to know God is with you!! You remember the whittling down of Gideon's men. 22,000 are too afraid so they go home. 10,000 become 300 because of how they take a drink. Here's your fighting force, 300 verses what is described as a valley of locusts. The least, the powerless, the hopeless, can see great things with the power of God going before us.
Please pray for the community we serve. It's filled with the god of addiction. Children we reach out to grow up in homes filled with altars to gods that steal life. Pray for the power of God to step in and change things that we can't and that our trust of Him would bear fruit and we would give Him all the glory.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Judges 3-5 Man's Ego...Big, Fragile
March 19th, Judges 3-5
When getting the job done is more important than our personal ego, great things can happen. God makes his choice of who would lead his people for this season of history and it's Deborah who gets called into service to be the judge for Israel. A woman in charge of Israel? Yup...deal with it guys!! It sounds like Deborah knows the situation she's in as well...
Judges 4:9 "I will surely go with you.(speaking to Barak). Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman."
I've done a lot of coaching. Coaching is an ego driven pursuit. "My idea led us to victory." Not only is our staff smarter than their staff, but I'm the smartest coach on this staff, my ways work, no need to listen to you! I was on a staff where ego was bigger than the common good. How that played itself out is one person exerted their authority and on the side, coaches would grab their players and say "here's what they want to do, but here's what I think you should do." Conflict, confusion, ego and in the end... failure.
The redemptive part of this story was a new outlook. A staff that recognized the problem and decided being together supporting someone else's idea, letting go of our ego in having the right solution. Half-time of a game was about coming up with a list of solution's. Decide which one we try first, if it doesn't work move on to the next best option etc... The mark we get to put next to our name is a mark for Win/Loss not a "my great idea" tally. Individual ego was thrown out for a team minded approach to helping these young people have the best chance to succeed because we checked our ego at the door.
It's sounds like Deborah knew something about the nature of men. If your only reason for going down this road is for your own glory my friend, it ain't gonna happen. How much do we do to fuel our ego? How many of the good things we do are there to validate ourselves in the eyes of ourselves or others? How willing are we to support others who are attempting to lead and give them our full support? How many times do we create confusion by saying to others, "Here's how I would do it?" Are we willing to let a woman get the job done ahead of us? Fill in the woman with a whole host of others backgrounds, races, etc... We all have to check our ego and pursue God's way and success at advancing the Kingdom of God however he chooses. Thanks Deborah for being a hero of faith!!
When getting the job done is more important than our personal ego, great things can happen. God makes his choice of who would lead his people for this season of history and it's Deborah who gets called into service to be the judge for Israel. A woman in charge of Israel? Yup...deal with it guys!! It sounds like Deborah knows the situation she's in as well...
Judges 4:9 "I will surely go with you.(speaking to Barak). Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman."
I've done a lot of coaching. Coaching is an ego driven pursuit. "My idea led us to victory." Not only is our staff smarter than their staff, but I'm the smartest coach on this staff, my ways work, no need to listen to you! I was on a staff where ego was bigger than the common good. How that played itself out is one person exerted their authority and on the side, coaches would grab their players and say "here's what they want to do, but here's what I think you should do." Conflict, confusion, ego and in the end... failure.
The redemptive part of this story was a new outlook. A staff that recognized the problem and decided being together supporting someone else's idea, letting go of our ego in having the right solution. Half-time of a game was about coming up with a list of solution's. Decide which one we try first, if it doesn't work move on to the next best option etc... The mark we get to put next to our name is a mark for Win/Loss not a "my great idea" tally. Individual ego was thrown out for a team minded approach to helping these young people have the best chance to succeed because we checked our ego at the door.
It's sounds like Deborah knew something about the nature of men. If your only reason for going down this road is for your own glory my friend, it ain't gonna happen. How much do we do to fuel our ego? How many of the good things we do are there to validate ourselves in the eyes of ourselves or others? How willing are we to support others who are attempting to lead and give them our full support? How many times do we create confusion by saying to others, "Here's how I would do it?" Are we willing to let a woman get the job done ahead of us? Fill in the woman with a whole host of others backgrounds, races, etc... We all have to check our ego and pursue God's way and success at advancing the Kingdom of God however he chooses. Thanks Deborah for being a hero of faith!!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Judges 1-2 I'm Sorry
March 18th, Judges 1-2
Patterns are cool. Visually, I love a photo down a fence row where item after item forms a pattern. A cool old building where the design includes stones cut the same way and built in a unique repeated pattern.At the same time I don't really like formal gardens as they feel too stiff and rigid. They follow the pattern to closely and their is no freedom. Patterns can be good and patterns can be oppressive.
Here's the patterns for the book of Judges. It too is a pattern that is not pleasing...
1. People abandon God
2. God punishes them by raising a power to oppress them(a power they were supposed to drive out and didn't).
3. People cry out to God for deliverance
4. God raised up a Judge to take care of the situation
Over and over and over and over again. Israel is addicted to this sin in particular. The sin of worshiping other Gods. Like taking another drink, getting another high, buying another item, looking at pornography, gossiping about others or hating instead of loving... the Israelites seem to be willing to swap the worship of the one true God for the worship of any other god at the drop of a hat.
Like the friend of an addict, God can only bring it up so many times before he has to let the natural course of action find it's way. Ever feel helpless watching your friends demise? God certainly knows how it feels.
God I'm sorry for the ease with which I stop worshiping you and find other ways to feel validated. I'm sorry for using others and things and achievements to tell me I'm valuable rather than cashing in all my chips at your feet, allowing you to be my hope, rock, fortress, refuge, strong tower and the lover of my soul who loves without condidtion.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Josh 22-24 Hope for a new Pattern
March 17th, 22-24
I see the book of Joshua as a giant metaphor for the lives of each of us as individuals. Coming into new life we have some enemies to caste out. Enemies that cower in fear to the God who is with us. Never the less we have to engage the fight. Sometimes the enemy is routed, sometimes our sin is our own worst enemy.
Sometimes we get deceived. Over time God gives victory, and yet some times those little things creep back in. In the midst of God proclaiming our inheritance, we grumble a bit, we want more and aren't satisfied with where the boundary lines are drawn. We experience victory and help out the rest of our faith community by fighting with them even when our inheritance is secured. And then we go home and find out that our families made an altar to another god.
For the first time (at least the first time I noticed) in Joshua 24:14 we see the real root of this problem the Israelites have embedded in their heart... "throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord." Just like our bad habits, addictions, hang-ups hold sway over us, the same is true for these people. This seeming addictions to throw away God for a god in what seems like just moments is replicated in our lives as well.
A moment by moment decision to proclaim what is claimed in the rest of the passage..."But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
The power of our past is stronger than we realize. The strength required to choose a new path will cost us much more than we imagine. That's the invitation, God's way over mine.
Be Strong and Courageous, Be Strong and very Courageous... We need the same word offered to Joshua!
I see the book of Joshua as a giant metaphor for the lives of each of us as individuals. Coming into new life we have some enemies to caste out. Enemies that cower in fear to the God who is with us. Never the less we have to engage the fight. Sometimes the enemy is routed, sometimes our sin is our own worst enemy.
Sometimes we get deceived. Over time God gives victory, and yet some times those little things creep back in. In the midst of God proclaiming our inheritance, we grumble a bit, we want more and aren't satisfied with where the boundary lines are drawn. We experience victory and help out the rest of our faith community by fighting with them even when our inheritance is secured. And then we go home and find out that our families made an altar to another god.
For the first time (at least the first time I noticed) in Joshua 24:14 we see the real root of this problem the Israelites have embedded in their heart... "throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord." Just like our bad habits, addictions, hang-ups hold sway over us, the same is true for these people. This seeming addictions to throw away God for a god in what seems like just moments is replicated in our lives as well.
A moment by moment decision to proclaim what is claimed in the rest of the passage..."But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
The power of our past is stronger than we realize. The strength required to choose a new path will cost us much more than we imagine. That's the invitation, God's way over mine.
Be Strong and Courageous, Be Strong and very Courageous... We need the same word offered to Joshua!
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Josh 19-21 A little Promise to get you through the day
March 16th, Joshua 19-21
43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 TheLord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. Joshua 21:43-45
The Lord takes care of his people, fulfills his promises, and our enemies don't have a chance against the Lord.
'nuff said,
Strength, Courage, and Celebration in God Almighty
Friday, March 15, 2013
Josh 16-18 Faulty Logic, Bad Questions
March 15th, Joshua 16-18
Selling off my possessions to afford my lifestyle choices is a long term realistic goal. Letting my three year old outwit-outplay-outlast me is a healthy model for parenting. Do you walk to school or carry your lunch? That's not big enough for me because I don't want to do what woul dmake it big enough for me?
You know they say there is no such thing as stupid questions. I've actually found that this isn't true. We don't like to say it because we don't want to call someone stupid. There are many questions asked that are proof that maybe people aren't getting it. One of those questions gets asked this morning. A question that defies logic and proves someone wasn't listening the entire semester and should take and refer to their notes more often.
The Background... when you enter the land God has promised to give you, you are to drive out all of the inhabitants of the land. So we are reading chapters where the 12 tribes are mapping out their inheritance. As you can imagine some tribes feel like they are getting less than they deserve. Notice how rarely does anyone ever complain about unfairly attaining too many riches, just too few.
Anyway, one group states "The hill country is not enough for us... the Canaanites dwell there and in the valley and they have chariots of iron."
So the command is to drive out all the inhabitants and the reason you don't think you'll have enough land is because of all the inhabitants that God has commanded you to drive out!! Do you walk to school or carry your lunch? There is such a thing as a foolish question! We ask them all the time. Someone had to sit across the table from this tribe and ask the question that made more sense.
Someone has to sit across the table from me and ask a question that makes more sense as well. So let's press into asking the right questions and inviting others to do the same. Sometimes the wrong question is obvious, sometimes we need to INQUIRE OF THE LORD what is the right question. That seems to be the advice and theme for the week/weak. INQUIRE OF THE LORD.
Selling off my possessions to afford my lifestyle choices is a long term realistic goal. Letting my three year old outwit-outplay-outlast me is a healthy model for parenting. Do you walk to school or carry your lunch? That's not big enough for me because I don't want to do what woul dmake it big enough for me?
You know they say there is no such thing as stupid questions. I've actually found that this isn't true. We don't like to say it because we don't want to call someone stupid. There are many questions asked that are proof that maybe people aren't getting it. One of those questions gets asked this morning. A question that defies logic and proves someone wasn't listening the entire semester and should take and refer to their notes more often.
The Background... when you enter the land God has promised to give you, you are to drive out all of the inhabitants of the land. So we are reading chapters where the 12 tribes are mapping out their inheritance. As you can imagine some tribes feel like they are getting less than they deserve. Notice how rarely does anyone ever complain about unfairly attaining too many riches, just too few.
Anyway, one group states "The hill country is not enough for us... the Canaanites dwell there and in the valley and they have chariots of iron."
So the command is to drive out all the inhabitants and the reason you don't think you'll have enough land is because of all the inhabitants that God has commanded you to drive out!! Do you walk to school or carry your lunch? There is such a thing as a foolish question! We ask them all the time. Someone had to sit across the table from this tribe and ask the question that made more sense.
Someone has to sit across the table from me and ask a question that makes more sense as well. So let's press into asking the right questions and inviting others to do the same. Sometimes the wrong question is obvious, sometimes we need to INQUIRE OF THE LORD what is the right question. That seems to be the advice and theme for the week/weak. INQUIRE OF THE LORD.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Josh 12-15 Sick Cell, Healthy Cell, Metaphors for Life
March 14th, Joshua 12-15
Taking control of all the land God is offering is a lifetime of work. Rooting out every inhabitant feels a little like the "Whack-a-Mole" game in the arcade. About the time you have one enemy out, another creeps back in. Today's reading is also a look at boundaries. Where each tribe is going to end up, how much land for each group.
As much as I'd like to talk about piles of stones, boundary lines, and rooting out enemies, I'd like to think of it more as a metaphor for your life and mine for our devotion this morning.
Rooting out our enemies: This is certainly a theme for entering the promised land. To me the metaphor for life is the idea of casting out the enemy in our life. The struggle we have with sin looks a whole lot like the Israelites struggle with their enemies. Trying to live at peace with them, losing energy to care so much about the last little tribes, making peace with them (accidentally) like yesterday's story. Fighting a little less now hoping it will go away only to find out in the next chapter or season of life those enemies have grown strong in some secret parts of our kingdom. Sometimes in our life we find a big battle in our life is the result of not fighting a lot of little battles along the way.
Boundaries: The story here is talking about physical boundaries. It's what says yes to this and no to that. Somethings can cross the boundary, somethings cannot. This metaphor is applied to issues of leadership in a great book I highly recommend called "A Failure of Nerve." In it, the author compares good healthy leadership as coming from people with boundaries. He also does a lot of medical illustrations concerning the lack of boundaries and the invasiveness of disease. A healthy person becomes sick when diseased cells begin to attack and overwhelm healthy cells. The body has an ability to fight back and repel invasive cells that seek to destroy health. If the body can't do it alone, then science has come up with a way to provide help in some instances so health can be restored and invasive sick cells can be put in their place.
Take the life of a mother out shopping with their 3 year old. A three year old wants what they want when they want it. They'll cry, scream, beg, kick, pinch, bite until they get what they want. Those little ones are invasive, they have no boundary and they will take over your space if you let them. It takes a healthy boundary to put the child in their place. In this case discipline is the antibody to take something invasive and make it be healthy and not sick. A healthy leader needs to know when to be strong and stand up to the invasiveness and when to give help and encouragement at the right time as well. When are those times...like we learned yesterday...Inquire of the Lord!!
Taking control of all the land God is offering is a lifetime of work. Rooting out every inhabitant feels a little like the "Whack-a-Mole" game in the arcade. About the time you have one enemy out, another creeps back in. Today's reading is also a look at boundaries. Where each tribe is going to end up, how much land for each group.
As much as I'd like to talk about piles of stones, boundary lines, and rooting out enemies, I'd like to think of it more as a metaphor for your life and mine for our devotion this morning.
Rooting out our enemies: This is certainly a theme for entering the promised land. To me the metaphor for life is the idea of casting out the enemy in our life. The struggle we have with sin looks a whole lot like the Israelites struggle with their enemies. Trying to live at peace with them, losing energy to care so much about the last little tribes, making peace with them (accidentally) like yesterday's story. Fighting a little less now hoping it will go away only to find out in the next chapter or season of life those enemies have grown strong in some secret parts of our kingdom. Sometimes in our life we find a big battle in our life is the result of not fighting a lot of little battles along the way.
Boundaries: The story here is talking about physical boundaries. It's what says yes to this and no to that. Somethings can cross the boundary, somethings cannot. This metaphor is applied to issues of leadership in a great book I highly recommend called "A Failure of Nerve." In it, the author compares good healthy leadership as coming from people with boundaries. He also does a lot of medical illustrations concerning the lack of boundaries and the invasiveness of disease. A healthy person becomes sick when diseased cells begin to attack and overwhelm healthy cells. The body has an ability to fight back and repel invasive cells that seek to destroy health. If the body can't do it alone, then science has come up with a way to provide help in some instances so health can be restored and invasive sick cells can be put in their place.
Take the life of a mother out shopping with their 3 year old. A three year old wants what they want when they want it. They'll cry, scream, beg, kick, pinch, bite until they get what they want. Those little ones are invasive, they have no boundary and they will take over your space if you let them. It takes a healthy boundary to put the child in their place. In this case discipline is the antibody to take something invasive and make it be healthy and not sick. A healthy leader needs to know when to be strong and stand up to the invasiveness and when to give help and encouragement at the right time as well. When are those times...like we learned yesterday...Inquire of the Lord!!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Josh 9-11 Tricks, Trips and Triumph
March 13th, Joshua 9-11
Tales of trickery, miracles, and provision...just a normal slice of life for God's people.
Trickery: Ever been duped by someone lying to you? We've all been there, someone presents what is not true and we make decisions based on that. Israel makes a mistake and yet they didn't compound it with another. They've learned the God they serve is a God of his word and feel compelled to do the same. Do we have to keep our word when the word of another is a lie? ....processing...I'm not ready to say always, but I can appreciate how the leaders kept their word in this story even at the cost of followers questioning you. The biggest point to remember in this whole story is stated in the text... they didn't inquire of the Lord... ah, lesson learned.
Miracles: Your enemies are fleeing and stones begin to fall out of the sky. Based on yesterday's devotion, this too is not a normal battle strategy taught at a war college. Day's not long enough for you, too many enemies to rout in 24 hour period...then make the sun stand still in the sky for an extra 24 hours. Don't we wish we could do that??!! By the way, I love reading people trying to scientifically prove how a miracle couldn't have happened because it doesn't follow the normal rules of nature. That in and of itself is the nature of a miracle right. If there is a God who created this place, he can suspend all the natural rules of order he wants. If he can stop the world from spinning on it's axis he can also keep the sunny side of the earth from overheating, and the shady side from overcooling, that could be part of the miracle. "God couldn't of therefore this didn't happen," is faulty logic concerning what God can/can't do. If God exists miracles are easy to explain. If God doesn't exist one has to go way out of the way to come up with bad explanations that sometimes are more nonsensical than just knowing God intervened and I can't explain. Yeah God!! The Book of Jashar is an outside resource confirming this strange event. Everyone can't be wrong!
Provision: Joshua 10:42 Joshua captured all these Kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. We find ourselves in different types of battles than Joshua, but know this...whatever battle you are facing today, God is even more interested and capable of winning the battle than we are. So inquire of Him, ask for His strength, rejoice in the victory we get to know because of God Almighty.
Strength and Courage,
Terry
Tales of trickery, miracles, and provision...just a normal slice of life for God's people.
Trickery: Ever been duped by someone lying to you? We've all been there, someone presents what is not true and we make decisions based on that. Israel makes a mistake and yet they didn't compound it with another. They've learned the God they serve is a God of his word and feel compelled to do the same. Do we have to keep our word when the word of another is a lie? ....processing...I'm not ready to say always, but I can appreciate how the leaders kept their word in this story even at the cost of followers questioning you. The biggest point to remember in this whole story is stated in the text... they didn't inquire of the Lord... ah, lesson learned.
Miracles: Your enemies are fleeing and stones begin to fall out of the sky. Based on yesterday's devotion, this too is not a normal battle strategy taught at a war college. Day's not long enough for you, too many enemies to rout in 24 hour period...then make the sun stand still in the sky for an extra 24 hours. Don't we wish we could do that??!! By the way, I love reading people trying to scientifically prove how a miracle couldn't have happened because it doesn't follow the normal rules of nature. That in and of itself is the nature of a miracle right. If there is a God who created this place, he can suspend all the natural rules of order he wants. If he can stop the world from spinning on it's axis he can also keep the sunny side of the earth from overheating, and the shady side from overcooling, that could be part of the miracle. "God couldn't of therefore this didn't happen," is faulty logic concerning what God can/can't do. If God exists miracles are easy to explain. If God doesn't exist one has to go way out of the way to come up with bad explanations that sometimes are more nonsensical than just knowing God intervened and I can't explain. Yeah God!! The Book of Jashar is an outside resource confirming this strange event. Everyone can't be wrong!
Provision: Joshua 10:42 Joshua captured all these Kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. We find ourselves in different types of battles than Joshua, but know this...whatever battle you are facing today, God is even more interested and capable of winning the battle than we are. So inquire of Him, ask for His strength, rejoice in the victory we get to know because of God Almighty.
Strength and Courage,
Terry
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Josh 5-8 Military Strategy...Yelling
March 12th, Joshua 5-8
In the annals of war there are things that have worked and been repeated and things that didn't work and won't be repeated. Jericho is a different case entirely and proof that God, like Sinatra, is gonna do it his way. Some vegetables do a good job telling this story and they don't make it anymore believable, just a little more fun.
I didn't remember the strange part of the story where the guy titled "Commander of the Lord"s Army" seems to come out of nowhere and takes charge. Testimony to Joshua, usually new people in positions of authority don't just give in to some strange person identifying themselves as such. Makes you wonder about who this is right!
Meanwhile back to Jericho... God's not interested in battle plans that make sense to people. You just know that when God is in charge things get done. Being their first battle in the promised land you wonder what people were thinking. Marching around a city once a day seems like an odd thing to do. On the seventh day as they entered the last lap you wonder do these guys have enough faith to shout with all their heart or are they embarrassed by this "Stupid Plan." How does Joshua feel as the new leader enacting an unproven military strategy? Things we'll never know, but I know humanity and I know that when God asks us to do something different from the norm, doubt can set in.
But our God is big and mighty and doing what he asks should be my norm. No matter how odd or against the norm it is, God should be like the old E.F. Hutton slogan... When God Talks, People Listen.
Speaking of listening...Achan can't seem to and brings all sorts of trouble on himself and his nation. Our individual sin has an affect on our collective whole. Another good thought worthy of an entire devotion.
Meanwhile God has another plan for another city. It too is the way of God. God could have had the nation do the same thing as they did in Jericho. It worked last time, why not try it again? Answer... because faith is to be placed in the author of the plan and not the plan itself. When we see God at work in a certain way, we tend to want to repeat it, thinking it was the plan that works more than God. Don't live out someone else's plan, learn to do what God asks of you. It's the connection we have with God to here his voice and do what he asks. In the Covenant Church this is the value we've labeled "Connectional" Listening to the Spirit and doing what he asks. All the while being Strong and Courageous!!
Strength and Courage,
Terry
In the annals of war there are things that have worked and been repeated and things that didn't work and won't be repeated. Jericho is a different case entirely and proof that God, like Sinatra, is gonna do it his way. Some vegetables do a good job telling this story and they don't make it anymore believable, just a little more fun.
I didn't remember the strange part of the story where the guy titled "Commander of the Lord"s Army" seems to come out of nowhere and takes charge. Testimony to Joshua, usually new people in positions of authority don't just give in to some strange person identifying themselves as such. Makes you wonder about who this is right!
Meanwhile back to Jericho... God's not interested in battle plans that make sense to people. You just know that when God is in charge things get done. Being their first battle in the promised land you wonder what people were thinking. Marching around a city once a day seems like an odd thing to do. On the seventh day as they entered the last lap you wonder do these guys have enough faith to shout with all their heart or are they embarrassed by this "Stupid Plan." How does Joshua feel as the new leader enacting an unproven military strategy? Things we'll never know, but I know humanity and I know that when God asks us to do something different from the norm, doubt can set in.
But our God is big and mighty and doing what he asks should be my norm. No matter how odd or against the norm it is, God should be like the old E.F. Hutton slogan... When God Talks, People Listen.
Speaking of listening...Achan can't seem to and brings all sorts of trouble on himself and his nation. Our individual sin has an affect on our collective whole. Another good thought worthy of an entire devotion.
Meanwhile God has another plan for another city. It too is the way of God. God could have had the nation do the same thing as they did in Jericho. It worked last time, why not try it again? Answer... because faith is to be placed in the author of the plan and not the plan itself. When we see God at work in a certain way, we tend to want to repeat it, thinking it was the plan that works more than God. Don't live out someone else's plan, learn to do what God asks of you. It's the connection we have with God to here his voice and do what he asks. In the Covenant Church this is the value we've labeled "Connectional" Listening to the Spirit and doing what he asks. All the while being Strong and Courageous!!
Strength and Courage,
Terry
Monday, March 11, 2013
Josh 1-4 Be Strong and Courageous and Safe
March 11th, Joshua 1-4
Joshua feels like a new beginning and a fresh start. Part of that is the new call to press into the promised land. With that new call comes the often repeated phrase "Be Strong and Courageous." As your about to step into warfare with people the call to strength and courage is because the task ahead makes you feel weak, overwhelmed and fearful. The clash of two values, feeling weak(saying no to the promised land a generation ago) verses knowing strength comes from God. Which value will you choose? Fast forward to 2013...
It's like the George Carlin sketch about football and baseball. He makes fun of the differences and the ultimate goal of each. In baseball the entire goal of the game, the way you know you've done everything you can is to "Go Home and Be Safe." Our Christian radio station is obsessed about talking about safety. I hear Christians talk about and pray for safety more than other themes we might need to pray about. I really struggle with the idea that one of our main values in Christianity is safety. Imagine the Bible where the predominant theme of every story was safety. To be honest, safety is not a value at all in God's Kingdom. Be Strong and Courageous and Safe doesn't have the same ring to it. God's call on our life is to be on the frontline of expanding God's Kingdom. The goal of baseball has become the goal of the church, that's why the church is losing ground. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!!
In other news, read about Rahab.It's hard to believe how much the residents of Jericho knew about God's people leaving Egypt. News travels fast without CNN.
If you've ever wondered why I have 12 stones in my back yard, here's your chance to read the story in Joshua 4. it ends with my end for today..."So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever."
Joshua feels like a new beginning and a fresh start. Part of that is the new call to press into the promised land. With that new call comes the often repeated phrase "Be Strong and Courageous." As your about to step into warfare with people the call to strength and courage is because the task ahead makes you feel weak, overwhelmed and fearful. The clash of two values, feeling weak(saying no to the promised land a generation ago) verses knowing strength comes from God. Which value will you choose? Fast forward to 2013...
It's like the George Carlin sketch about football and baseball. He makes fun of the differences and the ultimate goal of each. In baseball the entire goal of the game, the way you know you've done everything you can is to "Go Home and Be Safe." Our Christian radio station is obsessed about talking about safety. I hear Christians talk about and pray for safety more than other themes we might need to pray about. I really struggle with the idea that one of our main values in Christianity is safety. Imagine the Bible where the predominant theme of every story was safety. To be honest, safety is not a value at all in God's Kingdom. Be Strong and Courageous and Safe doesn't have the same ring to it. God's call on our life is to be on the frontline of expanding God's Kingdom. The goal of baseball has become the goal of the church, that's why the church is losing ground. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!!
In other news, read about Rahab.It's hard to believe how much the residents of Jericho knew about God's people leaving Egypt. News travels fast without CNN.
If you've ever wondered why I have 12 stones in my back yard, here's your chance to read the story in Joshua 4. it ends with my end for today..."So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever."
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Deut 32-34 A Narrow Road with a Wide View
March 10th, Deuteronomy 32-34
Moses' time is drawing to a close but he has a few things to make known. First of all chapter 32 is a little song he wrote. Moses seems to know nothing about the standard verse, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus format. It;s kinda nice that we don't know the tune. Too often we judge the worthiness of a song by it's style rather than content(oh I think I just came up with another devotional thought!!) Maybe some other time.
Moses song has an ebb and flow of theme to it. It starts off where a good song does... the greatness of our God. It's a theme we are comfortable with and one for which no one would argue. It moves from that to the pain of a nation that can't seem to get their act together and honor their God. It's not a song we sing. It's as song title we would reject.
Years ago I remember reading a book called "The Heavenly Man." I remember the words to a chorus of a song written in that book. I can't remember all of the chorus exactly, but I know there was a repetition of..."O to die a Martyr, O to die a Martyr..." Again not words we sing here in American Churches. In Mexico they sing a lot of songs about Victory. Victory in Jesus. We don't sing enough songs about the proclamation of victory. Is it because we don't feel victory? Is our constant themes about God's affection for us stem from our lack of knowledge about that or does it stem from something more self-needing.
There is a delicate balance in what we need to know about God and his stance towards us. He loves us, he hates sin, he will let us dig the pit of our own choosing (people will then blame God for allowing us to dig our own pit), he will forgive when we cry out to him. God is great is a true theme. But true also is "Our Poo Doth Possesseth Stench."
As you read through Moses Song, consider all that he has to say. Remember all the things that are true about the wonder of God and the falleness of mankind. Realize that the greatness of God is magnified in the full understanding of our mess. A journey into the depth of our personal depravity magnifies the perfection of God who loves us. Minimizing the vast expanse between the two is an attempt to help us understand God. Inadvertently it minimizes him and maximizes us and doesn't accomplish what we wanted.
The word for the morning is that we are the gatekeepers of what messages we allow to reach out heart. The polarized day we live in encourages a narrow view of everything, even God. Praying for a deeper fullness of knowing God.
Moses' time is drawing to a close but he has a few things to make known. First of all chapter 32 is a little song he wrote. Moses seems to know nothing about the standard verse, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus format. It;s kinda nice that we don't know the tune. Too often we judge the worthiness of a song by it's style rather than content(oh I think I just came up with another devotional thought!!) Maybe some other time.
Moses song has an ebb and flow of theme to it. It starts off where a good song does... the greatness of our God. It's a theme we are comfortable with and one for which no one would argue. It moves from that to the pain of a nation that can't seem to get their act together and honor their God. It's not a song we sing. It's as song title we would reject.
Years ago I remember reading a book called "The Heavenly Man." I remember the words to a chorus of a song written in that book. I can't remember all of the chorus exactly, but I know there was a repetition of..."O to die a Martyr, O to die a Martyr..." Again not words we sing here in American Churches. In Mexico they sing a lot of songs about Victory. Victory in Jesus. We don't sing enough songs about the proclamation of victory. Is it because we don't feel victory? Is our constant themes about God's affection for us stem from our lack of knowledge about that or does it stem from something more self-needing.
There is a delicate balance in what we need to know about God and his stance towards us. He loves us, he hates sin, he will let us dig the pit of our own choosing (people will then blame God for allowing us to dig our own pit), he will forgive when we cry out to him. God is great is a true theme. But true also is "Our Poo Doth Possesseth Stench."
As you read through Moses Song, consider all that he has to say. Remember all the things that are true about the wonder of God and the falleness of mankind. Realize that the greatness of God is magnified in the full understanding of our mess. A journey into the depth of our personal depravity magnifies the perfection of God who loves us. Minimizing the vast expanse between the two is an attempt to help us understand God. Inadvertently it minimizes him and maximizes us and doesn't accomplish what we wanted.
The word for the morning is that we are the gatekeepers of what messages we allow to reach out heart. The polarized day we live in encourages a narrow view of everything, even God. Praying for a deeper fullness of knowing God.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Deut 30-31 Proof of God's Existence
March 9th, Deuteronomy 30-31
A funny line I once heard as a proof for the existence of God...I've never seen a Hittite or a Philistine in New York City. There is something special about the way God has made a promise to this people called the Israelites/Jews. Chapter 30 starts off with a telling of the future based on the promises of blessing/cursing in yesterdays text. In a nutshell....
I want you to choose life, I know you'll choose death, when you return to me...I'll bring you life!
We look at the story of the Israelites, then we stop to think about their collective life and how it looks a lot like my life. Moments of clarity and worship, followed by stretches of faithless, selfish, fearful responses, followed by clarity and worship....Rinse, Wash, Repeat.
So 4000 years later there are Jewish people in New York City, but no Jebusites, Hittites, Perezites (maybe parasites, but that's a different devotional). Just like God has been looking out for his people all these years, he is looking out for his children as well. I highly recommend adoption into God's family through the purchase price of Jesus Christ.
For leaders: I can appreciate God's words to Moses. Sometimes in leadership you wonder if success is a result of your good leadership or the opposite, failure is a result of your bad leadership. The answer is found in Chapter 31:16-19 (and beyond) I won't say what God says, so you'll turn and look!!
When God makes a promise to love you, it's for the long haul. For those of us trying to lead(everyone is trying to lead someone, it's why the baby of the family learns to boss around the dog) how we lead is more important, the people we are when we lead is more important than the way people respond to the leader longterm. Love God, be God's voice in the world and leave the results to Him.
A funny line I once heard as a proof for the existence of God...I've never seen a Hittite or a Philistine in New York City. There is something special about the way God has made a promise to this people called the Israelites/Jews. Chapter 30 starts off with a telling of the future based on the promises of blessing/cursing in yesterdays text. In a nutshell....
I want you to choose life, I know you'll choose death, when you return to me...I'll bring you life!
We look at the story of the Israelites, then we stop to think about their collective life and how it looks a lot like my life. Moments of clarity and worship, followed by stretches of faithless, selfish, fearful responses, followed by clarity and worship....Rinse, Wash, Repeat.
So 4000 years later there are Jewish people in New York City, but no Jebusites, Hittites, Perezites (maybe parasites, but that's a different devotional). Just like God has been looking out for his people all these years, he is looking out for his children as well. I highly recommend adoption into God's family through the purchase price of Jesus Christ.
For leaders: I can appreciate God's words to Moses. Sometimes in leadership you wonder if success is a result of your good leadership or the opposite, failure is a result of your bad leadership. The answer is found in Chapter 31:16-19 (and beyond) I won't say what God says, so you'll turn and look!!
When God makes a promise to love you, it's for the long haul. For those of us trying to lead(everyone is trying to lead someone, it's why the baby of the family learns to boss around the dog) how we lead is more important, the people we are when we lead is more important than the way people respond to the leader longterm. Love God, be God's voice in the world and leave the results to Him.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Deut 28-29 Simple: Apparently Not
March 8th, Deuteronomy 28-29
Simple... you'd think things in life would be more simple. For about the 1000th time, God makes his people aware of this simple idea. If you obey me, the wellspring of life would pour out blessings you couldn't fathom. If you won't obey, then it won't go well. It's really very simple. Why is simple so hard?
Since Bonsai is a major interest in my life, you'll have to witness a few of these examples. The tree you see is an example of a style called Bunjin. It always has twisted, long, gnarly, trunks with a sparse amount of foliage. People try to take a young tree that is tall and lanky and make a bunjin. It rarely works. It seems like such a simple tree to create. But like we've already said, simple isn't that easy.
Simple: Serve the Lord with gladness and a joyful heart who will provide everything or serve your enemies who will make you naked, hungry, thirsty and lack every good thing. Seems so simple, but simple isn't so easy.
Simple, elegant and blessed is more difficult than it seems. Don't be surprised at the difficulty of simplicity. Don't be surprised at the blessing of it either. How simple is your simple? How much promised land is there on the other side of the simple choice God has laid before us?
Simple... you'd think things in life would be more simple. For about the 1000th time, God makes his people aware of this simple idea. If you obey me, the wellspring of life would pour out blessings you couldn't fathom. If you won't obey, then it won't go well. It's really very simple. Why is simple so hard?
Since Bonsai is a major interest in my life, you'll have to witness a few of these examples. The tree you see is an example of a style called Bunjin. It always has twisted, long, gnarly, trunks with a sparse amount of foliage. People try to take a young tree that is tall and lanky and make a bunjin. It rarely works. It seems like such a simple tree to create. But like we've already said, simple isn't that easy.Simple: Serve the Lord with gladness and a joyful heart who will provide everything or serve your enemies who will make you naked, hungry, thirsty and lack every good thing. Seems so simple, but simple isn't so easy.
Simple, elegant and blessed is more difficult than it seems. Don't be surprised at the difficulty of simplicity. Don't be surprised at the blessing of it either. How simple is your simple? How much promised land is there on the other side of the simple choice God has laid before us?
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Deut 24-27 The intent behind the rule
March 7, Deuteronomy 24-27
Lots of good stuff today. You really should read up on how not to have your house called..."The house of him who had his sandal pulled off." You don't want to be "that" guy. Also, don't take a widows only coat as a pledge. You'd think you wouldn't have to say that, however rules are put in place because people are doing those things. Have a heart!
The part that stands out the most to me is this list of regulations regarding how we look at our own gain verses how we have a heart for others. The prescriptions are generally in regards to helping widows, orphans, strangers and the poor. It really is an assault on our way of thinking. As Americans we really do think first and most about how to gain more profit for myself.
The regulations that God sets out are: leave some fruit on the vine, don't beat your olive trees multiple times, don't go back and pick up a sheaf of grain if you left it in the field. Those things are to be left for the poor to come in after and glean. As Americans, we would pick the field over multiple times to make sure we didn't leave any profit on the ground. WE WANT IT ALL. Now everyone needs to figure out what that means in their own personal business setting, most of us aren't farming!
We have funny ways of interacting with rules. The stingy landowner, tells his works to beat the olive tree 1 round just to honor the law. But his 1 round is 1 hour per tree instead of 1/2 hour per tree that is the norm (this is just for example, I have no idea what the norm is). Is he really keeping the spirit of the law? One landowner cuts all the best grapes off of the vine and leaves the fruit that hasn't matured yet. The other instructs his workers to cut off 99% ripe or not.
I imagine farmers who caught the spirit of the law God spoke, decided profit wasn't his biggest concern and allowed many the chance to be blessed when they had no hope. I imagine God sees and takes note of these people and blesses their vineyards and fields beyond the norm. You see God has a way of taking our faith and obedience and correct application of his laws(understanding a heart for provision rather than the most I can acquire for me) and offering us more than we expect.
Do we just keep the rules or see the heart behind the bigger picture? Do we just look at our bottom line profit margin or do we live a life of contentment which allows room to give? God is proclaiming these rules because he wants to shape his people to see life a certain way. That's the challenge for all of us, to see things God's way.
Lots of good stuff today. You really should read up on how not to have your house called..."The house of him who had his sandal pulled off." You don't want to be "that" guy. Also, don't take a widows only coat as a pledge. You'd think you wouldn't have to say that, however rules are put in place because people are doing those things. Have a heart!
The part that stands out the most to me is this list of regulations regarding how we look at our own gain verses how we have a heart for others. The prescriptions are generally in regards to helping widows, orphans, strangers and the poor. It really is an assault on our way of thinking. As Americans we really do think first and most about how to gain more profit for myself.
The regulations that God sets out are: leave some fruit on the vine, don't beat your olive trees multiple times, don't go back and pick up a sheaf of grain if you left it in the field. Those things are to be left for the poor to come in after and glean. As Americans, we would pick the field over multiple times to make sure we didn't leave any profit on the ground. WE WANT IT ALL. Now everyone needs to figure out what that means in their own personal business setting, most of us aren't farming!
We have funny ways of interacting with rules. The stingy landowner, tells his works to beat the olive tree 1 round just to honor the law. But his 1 round is 1 hour per tree instead of 1/2 hour per tree that is the norm (this is just for example, I have no idea what the norm is). Is he really keeping the spirit of the law? One landowner cuts all the best grapes off of the vine and leaves the fruit that hasn't matured yet. The other instructs his workers to cut off 99% ripe or not.
I imagine farmers who caught the spirit of the law God spoke, decided profit wasn't his biggest concern and allowed many the chance to be blessed when they had no hope. I imagine God sees and takes note of these people and blesses their vineyards and fields beyond the norm. You see God has a way of taking our faith and obedience and correct application of his laws(understanding a heart for provision rather than the most I can acquire for me) and offering us more than we expect.
Do we just keep the rules or see the heart behind the bigger picture? Do we just look at our bottom line profit margin or do we live a life of contentment which allows room to give? God is proclaiming these rules because he wants to shape his people to see life a certain way. That's the challenge for all of us, to see things God's way.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Deut 21-23 Anyone Seen My Ox
March 6th, Deuteronomy 21-23
This is another section of various items God is calling attention to. I have to remember that God is setting up a new standard for his people. Ways he wants them to behave and interact with one another on top of the instruction he has for them about worship.
Part of today's text includes a group of duties that we should have towards one another. Going the extra mile to help someone out even when it means going out of our own way, do a little extra work. One of the examples given is when you see your brother's sheep or ox go astray, you should go out of your way to take them back to your brother. If it doesn't live near you and you don't know who it belongs to then you should take it home. Take care of it, tend to it, and wait for the one who lost it to come looking for it. But that you should not ignore it, walk on by and act like it's non of your business.
That's a sense of community right there. Helping out when someone is in trouble is part of my business. In a fast-paced world these things are seen as an inconvenience. If a community is going to be a positive thing, it has to be filled with people adding to it, finding ways to say "how can I make things go better here?"Imagine a community where everyone said "how can I gain advantage over people and use them for my gain?"
Beyond the 10 Commandments there are numerous things that "ought" to be. How can you or I look out for others today? Find little or big ways to serve and help. Help someone pick up something they dropped, grab a door when hands are full, offer to get something from the kitchen for my wife rather than waiting for her to go and asking her to get something for me(busted). The knee jerk reaction of jumping into service when we see it happen.
Thanks God for inviting us into this kind of life??
This is another section of various items God is calling attention to. I have to remember that God is setting up a new standard for his people. Ways he wants them to behave and interact with one another on top of the instruction he has for them about worship.
Part of today's text includes a group of duties that we should have towards one another. Going the extra mile to help someone out even when it means going out of our own way, do a little extra work. One of the examples given is when you see your brother's sheep or ox go astray, you should go out of your way to take them back to your brother. If it doesn't live near you and you don't know who it belongs to then you should take it home. Take care of it, tend to it, and wait for the one who lost it to come looking for it. But that you should not ignore it, walk on by and act like it's non of your business.
That's a sense of community right there. Helping out when someone is in trouble is part of my business. In a fast-paced world these things are seen as an inconvenience. If a community is going to be a positive thing, it has to be filled with people adding to it, finding ways to say "how can I make things go better here?"Imagine a community where everyone said "how can I gain advantage over people and use them for my gain?"
Beyond the 10 Commandments there are numerous things that "ought" to be. How can you or I look out for others today? Find little or big ways to serve and help. Help someone pick up something they dropped, grab a door when hands are full, offer to get something from the kitchen for my wife rather than waiting for her to go and asking her to get something for me(busted). The knee jerk reaction of jumping into service when we see it happen.
Thanks God for inviting us into this kind of life??
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Deut 17-20 Just Do It
March 5th, Deuteronomy 17-20
This morning is an eclectic collection of laws. Let me sum up in a way that might have meaning for our day as well...
Don't bring your junky stuff to God.
In my day I've seen the collection of stuff people bring to church and church camp. God deserves our best not our cast offs.
If a judge says it's so, then it's so.
Israel's kings should never... get horses from Egypt, not acquire many wives or excessive gold.
It seems Israels kings did all these things in excess. Seems like a problem
Levite's don't get land, their share is your offering.
Robbing God is robbing blessing from the people serving you.
Contacting sorcerers, fortune tellers, and the dead is wrong.
Don't bother with your horoscope, spend your time with the knower of all things.
A Prophet is only a prophet if what he says comes true 100% of the time.
Educated guessing is not part of being a prophet.
If you kill someone by accident or intentionally, you better know where the city of refuge is.
Life matters to God. Even an accident will separate you from your family. Don't have an accident.
Don't steal land.
Integrity means not moving the boundary stone even when no one is looking.
If a witness lies, they can be charged with the same crime they were lying about.
Not a bad idea, frivolous lawsuits waste everyone's time or money or both.
When you go to war...
I'm guessing our military has a few rules...better to know what they say.
God has a "way" to go about life. I have a "way" to go about life. Discipleship is about surrender of my way to His. The Kings of the Old Testament were not a good model, but Jesus was.
We like popular slogans so I'm gonna go with Nike here...Just Do It
Monday, March 4, 2013
Deut 14-16 Don't touch my...
March 4th, Deuteronomy 14-16
Money, blessing, lending, serving is all part of these chapters this morning. Issues revolving around money are a hotbed topic of opinion. How it's used, when to save, what to give, not to hoard, not to be reckless.
For me and my house I have fallen under the great conviction of Proverbs 22:7b "the borrower is servant to the lender." We live in a world where borrowing is the norm. I've borrowed for a house, for student loans, for a vehicle, for windows, for stuff I don't really need. Borrowing for stuff I need... a house, an education...has allowed me to get too comfortable with debt. As a result I borrowed for some of the other things.
If the borrower is servant to the lender then I have about 5 or 6 masters that are not God. Being reasonable, I'm sure I'll almost always have a mortgage, but all my other masters are a result of my own choosing this point and I am looking forward to a day (about 2-2.5 years from now) when the only debt I have is a debt of love to my God and creator. I confess I don't really know what it means to be free, or how well I'll do at handling my freedom when I get there. But I know these other masters are a weight to me that I'm so used to that I am not totally sure how they effect me.
The specific verse that caught my attention was Deuteronomy 15:6 "For the Lord your God will bless you, as he has promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you."
Issues surrounding money are important for our life. I encourage you to think about what the Bible says to us about how to honor our God with His(I was gonna say our) money. God has set these things out plainly, but we sing a song and dance to do what we want. What is God's will for you concerning issues of money! Walking in those convictions will form us into His likeness.
Money, blessing, lending, serving is all part of these chapters this morning. Issues revolving around money are a hotbed topic of opinion. How it's used, when to save, what to give, not to hoard, not to be reckless.
For me and my house I have fallen under the great conviction of Proverbs 22:7b "the borrower is servant to the lender." We live in a world where borrowing is the norm. I've borrowed for a house, for student loans, for a vehicle, for windows, for stuff I don't really need. Borrowing for stuff I need... a house, an education...has allowed me to get too comfortable with debt. As a result I borrowed for some of the other things.
If the borrower is servant to the lender then I have about 5 or 6 masters that are not God. Being reasonable, I'm sure I'll almost always have a mortgage, but all my other masters are a result of my own choosing this point and I am looking forward to a day (about 2-2.5 years from now) when the only debt I have is a debt of love to my God and creator. I confess I don't really know what it means to be free, or how well I'll do at handling my freedom when I get there. But I know these other masters are a weight to me that I'm so used to that I am not totally sure how they effect me.
The specific verse that caught my attention was Deuteronomy 15:6 "For the Lord your God will bless you, as he has promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you."
Issues surrounding money are important for our life. I encourage you to think about what the Bible says to us about how to honor our God with His(I was gonna say our) money. God has set these things out plainly, but we sing a song and dance to do what we want. What is God's will for you concerning issues of money! Walking in those convictions will form us into His likeness.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Deut 11-13 Walk in the Later
March 3rd, Deuteronomy 11-13,
When I look around the news, my world, life stories I hear, not only in our culture but from around the world there is one thing I notice. The thing I notice is probably not what God has intended for us. I see people all the time trying to fix it. Most can't and the ones who want to give off the impression that they have, aren't doing as well as they think. The ones who have solved the riddle for real don't look anything like those who think they have.
God in his word makes it clear that there is a strong link between two things. Cause and effect. The effect is something most desire, the cause is what trips us up the most. But there is no way of short circuiting the cause to get to the effect. Deuteronomy 11:8...
"Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, SO THAT you may have strength to go in and take over the land you are crossing over the Jordan to possess."
Obedience =strength. In God's economy these two things are never separated from one another. Like "love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage." You can't have one without the other.
God wants us to be people of strength. Many people are seeking ways out of weakness, many have given up because they don't know how. Today's passage shows us the way and invites us in. Disobedience leads to weakness which compounds itself over time. Obedience leads to strength which compounds itself over time. Let's walk in the later together!!
When I look around the news, my world, life stories I hear, not only in our culture but from around the world there is one thing I notice. The thing I notice is probably not what God has intended for us. I see people all the time trying to fix it. Most can't and the ones who want to give off the impression that they have, aren't doing as well as they think. The ones who have solved the riddle for real don't look anything like those who think they have.
God in his word makes it clear that there is a strong link between two things. Cause and effect. The effect is something most desire, the cause is what trips us up the most. But there is no way of short circuiting the cause to get to the effect. Deuteronomy 11:8...
"Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, SO THAT you may have strength to go in and take over the land you are crossing over the Jordan to possess."
Obedience =strength. In God's economy these two things are never separated from one another. Like "love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage." You can't have one without the other.
God wants us to be people of strength. Many people are seeking ways out of weakness, many have given up because they don't know how. Today's passage shows us the way and invites us in. Disobedience leads to weakness which compounds itself over time. Obedience leads to strength which compounds itself over time. Let's walk in the later together!!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Deut 8-10 The Mighty Hand We Don't See
March 2nd, Deuteronomy 8-10
There is a totality to life that is really incomprehensible. A couple of years ago I was at my wife's grandma's 100 year birthday party. One of the relatives had a chance to speak and said something to the effect of..."it's hard to measure all the benefit of the Christian heritage we have in our family." Heritage has some weight behind it that, like a wave of the ocean, pushes things forward when we don't have a sense of how things are moving forward.
So my thoughts aren't really about heritage, rather this unseen wave that we are blessed by but can't really see. In the verses for today I see how God is making things happen for his people that is most likely missed by them. "Your clothing did not rot and your feet did not swell." I'm going to give you a land filled with vines you did not plant, olive groves not maintained by you, cities built by others. Your going to eat and be full, build and live in good houses, have your flocks multipy as well as your gold and silver.
God led you through a desert filled with snakes and scorpions. Provided water for two million people and double the number of animals in a desert. Gave you food to eat. Will be a consuming fire as you enter the land and disposses people who are more powerful than you, living in cities fortified to the heavens.
A familiar invitation is offered all throughout. An invitation away from pride and into thankfulness. This food, this support, this wealth, this multiplication is from the hand of your Father. This wave you are riding can feel like it's generated by your greatness...but it's generated by the hand of God. It is hard to calculate the measure of the benefit of walking with God. The benefit is greater than we will ever realize and should be cause for us to enter into a great time of worship tomorrow morning. To celebrate this God and his blessing we know and realize there is more we don't.
There is a totality to life that is really incomprehensible. A couple of years ago I was at my wife's grandma's 100 year birthday party. One of the relatives had a chance to speak and said something to the effect of..."it's hard to measure all the benefit of the Christian heritage we have in our family." Heritage has some weight behind it that, like a wave of the ocean, pushes things forward when we don't have a sense of how things are moving forward.
So my thoughts aren't really about heritage, rather this unseen wave that we are blessed by but can't really see. In the verses for today I see how God is making things happen for his people that is most likely missed by them. "Your clothing did not rot and your feet did not swell." I'm going to give you a land filled with vines you did not plant, olive groves not maintained by you, cities built by others. Your going to eat and be full, build and live in good houses, have your flocks multipy as well as your gold and silver.
God led you through a desert filled with snakes and scorpions. Provided water for two million people and double the number of animals in a desert. Gave you food to eat. Will be a consuming fire as you enter the land and disposses people who are more powerful than you, living in cities fortified to the heavens.
A familiar invitation is offered all throughout. An invitation away from pride and into thankfulness. This food, this support, this wealth, this multiplication is from the hand of your Father. This wave you are riding can feel like it's generated by your greatness...but it's generated by the hand of God. It is hard to calculate the measure of the benefit of walking with God. The benefit is greater than we will ever realize and should be cause for us to enter into a great time of worship tomorrow morning. To celebrate this God and his blessing we know and realize there is more we don't.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Deut 5-7 The Greatest Thing
March 1st, Deuteronomy 5-7
This mornings passage contains one of the great sections that is a priority in doing what we talked about yesterday...pushing the reset button.For Jewish people this is a prayer to be said morning and evening...
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a](A) 5 Love(B) the Lord your God with all your heart(C) and with all your soul and with all your strength.(D) 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.(E) 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.(F) 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.(G) 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
There is a wholeness in this expression. To love God with all that I am, help a generation younger than me be inspired by the greatness of God and my willingness to conform to his way. To do that in the normal everyday parts of life. When I sit at home, when I walk around the market. It's the first thing on my mind when I get up and the last thing on my mind when I go to sleep. The physical tangible reminders needed because we all need something tangible to remember.
So far the book of Deuteronomy has been a constant reminder of all things that fill our minds with awe about God and the one things he asks of us...to simply obey and live in his strength and blessings. Read the story today of God choosing these people and longing to be a blessing to them...to you...
This mornings passage contains one of the great sections that is a priority in doing what we talked about yesterday...pushing the reset button.For Jewish people this is a prayer to be said morning and evening...
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a](A) 5 Love(B) the Lord your God with all your heart(C) and with all your soul and with all your strength.(D) 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.(E) 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.(F) 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.(G) 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
There is a wholeness in this expression. To love God with all that I am, help a generation younger than me be inspired by the greatness of God and my willingness to conform to his way. To do that in the normal everyday parts of life. When I sit at home, when I walk around the market. It's the first thing on my mind when I get up and the last thing on my mind when I go to sleep. The physical tangible reminders needed because we all need something tangible to remember.
So far the book of Deuteronomy has been a constant reminder of all things that fill our minds with awe about God and the one things he asks of us...to simply obey and live in his strength and blessings. Read the story today of God choosing these people and longing to be a blessing to them...to you...
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