This morning I was reading through Psalm 119 and I read verse 68 which resonated with me. It says, "You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees." I love the simplicity of the first statement.
So often we, in our limited human understanding, don't see God as good or His acts as good. We blame God for things that are bad. We can't understand how God would allow bad things to happen to innocents.
Isaiah 55:8-9 probably explains it best, "“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
As much as we would like to understand God, or try to project our human ideas upon Him, he is wholly different than us. We are created in His image - but we are not duplicates - we are far from ever attaining His understanding. God in His infinite perspective and wisdom, sees and understands far beyond our limited understanding and perspective.
Lord help us to trust your word over our perceptions and ideas. You are good, and everything You do is good.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
You Give Them Something to Eat
This morning I was reading Matthews Gospel again, and was meditating on the feeding of 5000 found in Matt 14:13-21. The title of this blog post is Jesus' reply to the disciples when they brought up the issue of the peoples hunger, found in verse 16. I can almost imagine the disciples response - one of complete bewilderment, confusion, and disbelief.
I think Jesus was trying to teach them more about the authority they had in the Kingdom of Heaven. He had given them authority over demons, sickness, death, and disease. He was now demonstrating to them that, as His representatives, they would have access to the provision of the Father.
I was reminded of two other verses while thinking about this. The disciples should have been familiar with these, and should have quoted back to Jesus, as they made their request. This wasn't a new revelation about God, but it was a new revelation about their abilities as followers of the Christ.
Ps. 145:16 "You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."
2 Kings 4:42-44 - When Elisha feeds 100 men with 20 barley loaves and few heads of grain
How often, when confronted by seeming impossible situations, do we find ourselves limiting our thinking to the natural realm, where five loaves and two fish would never feed 5000? I believe the Lord wants us to grow up into people who can look at a nearly impossible situation, and see God's opportunity and desire. Lord help us to look beyond our means and see Your bounty and provision - waiting and available!
I think Jesus was trying to teach them more about the authority they had in the Kingdom of Heaven. He had given them authority over demons, sickness, death, and disease. He was now demonstrating to them that, as His representatives, they would have access to the provision of the Father.
I was reminded of two other verses while thinking about this. The disciples should have been familiar with these, and should have quoted back to Jesus, as they made their request. This wasn't a new revelation about God, but it was a new revelation about their abilities as followers of the Christ.
Ps. 145:16 "You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."
2 Kings 4:42-44 - When Elisha feeds 100 men with 20 barley loaves and few heads of grain
How often, when confronted by seeming impossible situations, do we find ourselves limiting our thinking to the natural realm, where five loaves and two fish would never feed 5000? I believe the Lord wants us to grow up into people who can look at a nearly impossible situation, and see God's opportunity and desire. Lord help us to look beyond our means and see Your bounty and provision - waiting and available!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Kingdom Like a Mustard Seed
Yesterday I was continuing my read through Matthews Gospel, and read Matt13: 31-32 which reads: "He (Jesus) told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”
I have read and re-read this passage many times, yet while reading it this time, I felt like I wasn't fully understanding this parable so I decided to do some research. I looked up the verse on www.studylight.org and saw that several interesting comments and facts, such as:
1) The mustard plant that grew in Israel didn't grow into a tree, it grew into a shrub at most maybe 10 ft. tall.
2) The Mustard plant is not generally planted in a garden or agricultural field as it is a bit like a bad weed, once established it takes over
3) Birds don't particularly like to rest in mustard bush
After reading these comments, I had to think about what Jesus was trying to communicate about the Kingdom of Heaven to people who would have known these facts? I believe that He was commenting on the surprising nature of the Kingdom of Heaven as follows:
1) Not only does it grow quickly from a tiny seed, but it will surpass what anyone would think is naturally possible, becoming a mighty tree when it should only be a bush.
2) The planting in the field/garden indicates God's protection and care over the Kingdom - He will be watching over and cultivating this plant and protecting it because of its great value to Him
3) The birds coming to its branches talks of rest and refuge for all.
Lord, help us to hear what You are saying and embrace Your Kingdom. We want to be a part of the surprising Kingdom!
I have read and re-read this passage many times, yet while reading it this time, I felt like I wasn't fully understanding this parable so I decided to do some research. I looked up the verse on www.studylight.org and saw that several interesting comments and facts, such as:
1) The mustard plant that grew in Israel didn't grow into a tree, it grew into a shrub at most maybe 10 ft. tall.
2) The Mustard plant is not generally planted in a garden or agricultural field as it is a bit like a bad weed, once established it takes over
3) Birds don't particularly like to rest in mustard bush
After reading these comments, I had to think about what Jesus was trying to communicate about the Kingdom of Heaven to people who would have known these facts? I believe that He was commenting on the surprising nature of the Kingdom of Heaven as follows:
1) Not only does it grow quickly from a tiny seed, but it will surpass what anyone would think is naturally possible, becoming a mighty tree when it should only be a bush.
2) The planting in the field/garden indicates God's protection and care over the Kingdom - He will be watching over and cultivating this plant and protecting it because of its great value to Him
3) The birds coming to its branches talks of rest and refuge for all.
Lord, help us to hear what You are saying and embrace Your Kingdom. We want to be a part of the surprising Kingdom!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Times are Accelerating
This morning I turned to Amos 9 and was reading verse 13 - it says: “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." Every time I read this verse it calls to mind supernatural acceleration of events - planting grapes and harvesting and treading immediately, plowing and replanting even as the harvest is still being collected.
I was reminded of a pastor I heard preaching on the end-times and preaching out of Matt 24:6-8 which talks about wars, famines and earthquakes, etc. In verse 8 Jesus says, " All these are the beginning of birth pains."
The pastor said the one thing about birth pains that is important to note is that they come more often and closer together as you get closer to the time of birth - in other words they accelerate! Looking just at this year already we have seen an incredible array of natural disaster, wars erupting in many places, and we are barely half way through the year.
Which brings me back to Amos 9 - the picture there is of a harvest accelerating and I believe that we will begin to see, and already are seeing, an increase is the harvest (people coming to God), as we draw closer to the end times. No sooner will the person hear the word of life (planting) than they will be ready for harvesting (salvation).
Lord we look forward to Your return, help us to be ready for these times of acceleration!
I was reminded of a pastor I heard preaching on the end-times and preaching out of Matt 24:6-8 which talks about wars, famines and earthquakes, etc. In verse 8 Jesus says, " All these are the beginning of birth pains."
The pastor said the one thing about birth pains that is important to note is that they come more often and closer together as you get closer to the time of birth - in other words they accelerate! Looking just at this year already we have seen an incredible array of natural disaster, wars erupting in many places, and we are barely half way through the year.
Which brings me back to Amos 9 - the picture there is of a harvest accelerating and I believe that we will begin to see, and already are seeing, an increase is the harvest (people coming to God), as we draw closer to the end times. No sooner will the person hear the word of life (planting) than they will be ready for harvesting (salvation).
Lord we look forward to Your return, help us to be ready for these times of acceleration!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
God's Heart vs. Religion
I am recently returned from vacation and celebration of 25 years of Marriage, hence the time off from blogging.
This morning I was reading Matt 12: 9-14 which is the story of how Jesus healed the man with the withered hand. I was specifically meditating on the question that the Pharisees asked Jesus - “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
I know this question is about obeying the law to do no work on the Sabbath, but to me it points to an even more important point - do we follow the laws of religion or do we represent God's heart? One would think that answer to this question would be obvious, but the Pharisees prided themselves on living in obedience to the Law. Hundreds of years of debating and discussing the finer points of the law, such as - what is work as it relates to the sabbath - had apparently resulted in the whole purpose of the law being lost.
I was thinking about my own life and wondering if I have put the laws of religion before the purposes of God? Have we, in the church, lost our vision of what's really important to God or what is on His heart in our pursuit of programs or activity? Are we so busy Sunday mornings that we don't reach out to those in need?
Lord help us to desire mercy over sacrifice (Mt 12:7) and help us to see where we have put our religious practices before You.
This morning I was reading Matt 12: 9-14 which is the story of how Jesus healed the man with the withered hand. I was specifically meditating on the question that the Pharisees asked Jesus - “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
I know this question is about obeying the law to do no work on the Sabbath, but to me it points to an even more important point - do we follow the laws of religion or do we represent God's heart? One would think that answer to this question would be obvious, but the Pharisees prided themselves on living in obedience to the Law. Hundreds of years of debating and discussing the finer points of the law, such as - what is work as it relates to the sabbath - had apparently resulted in the whole purpose of the law being lost.
I was thinking about my own life and wondering if I have put the laws of religion before the purposes of God? Have we, in the church, lost our vision of what's really important to God or what is on His heart in our pursuit of programs or activity? Are we so busy Sunday mornings that we don't reach out to those in need?
Lord help us to desire mercy over sacrifice (Mt 12:7) and help us to see where we have put our religious practices before You.
Friday, June 10, 2011
The Calling Cards of the Kingdom
I've been really thinking about Jesus' ministry and comments in Matthew Chapters 8-11. Jesus primary message is that the Kingdom of God is here (near). For the people in Israel - a new Kingdom meant a new king, new rules, new laws and ultimately a new life experience. They had been under multiple kings, and nations, and the proclamation of a new Kingdom, God's Kingdom surely fell on attentive ears.
The question I've been thinking about is how Jesus and His disciples demonstrated the reality of this new Kingdom? They didn't have an army, tax collectors, a uniform or any other occupying presence. What they had was what Jesus demonstrated - healing every disease, curing blindness, the deaf and lame, cleansing lepers, raising the dead and deliverance from demons. He called his workers to demonstrate these (Matt:10:1) as the way to demonstrate this new kingdom was real!
In the same way, these are supposed to be the evidence in our day of the fact that Jesus is Risen, He Reigns as King, His Kingdom is alive and well in this day, and the Church is His Body on earth. This is how we are to know this is all real. Anything else is less than convincing.
When I go to work for a company, they give me shirts with their logo, business cards with their logo, tools to work with their equipment, and training so I know about their equipment. These are my calling cards - proof that I represent this company. In the same way healing, miracles, and deliverance are supposed to be our calling cards, proof that we serve the King, and His Kingdom with its new rules and new reality is indeed true.
I don't have to ask for these calling cards from my new company, they know that without them I can't effectively represent them. In the same way, I believe the Lord wants us all to be able to demonstrate the reality of His kingdom - we don't have to beg, or hope, or work for years to attain these proofs, because without them our representation of the Kingdom is less believable.
Lord, help us to fully grasp this reality and become better representatives of Your Kingdom to all those around us!
The question I've been thinking about is how Jesus and His disciples demonstrated the reality of this new Kingdom? They didn't have an army, tax collectors, a uniform or any other occupying presence. What they had was what Jesus demonstrated - healing every disease, curing blindness, the deaf and lame, cleansing lepers, raising the dead and deliverance from demons. He called his workers to demonstrate these (Matt:10:1) as the way to demonstrate this new kingdom was real!
In the same way, these are supposed to be the evidence in our day of the fact that Jesus is Risen, He Reigns as King, His Kingdom is alive and well in this day, and the Church is His Body on earth. This is how we are to know this is all real. Anything else is less than convincing.
When I go to work for a company, they give me shirts with their logo, business cards with their logo, tools to work with their equipment, and training so I know about their equipment. These are my calling cards - proof that I represent this company. In the same way healing, miracles, and deliverance are supposed to be our calling cards, proof that we serve the King, and His Kingdom with its new rules and new reality is indeed true.
I don't have to ask for these calling cards from my new company, they know that without them I can't effectively represent them. In the same way, I believe the Lord wants us all to be able to demonstrate the reality of His kingdom - we don't have to beg, or hope, or work for years to attain these proofs, because without them our representation of the Kingdom is less believable.
Lord, help us to fully grasp this reality and become better representatives of Your Kingdom to all those around us!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Are You the One?
This morning I was continuing my reading of Matthew's Gospel. I was reading Chapter 11 and focused on verse 1-6. John is in prison and wants to know if Jesus truly is the one he was sent to announce. He has his disciples ask Jesus, "Are you the one?"
Matt 11:4-6 gives us His reply:
"Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.
In these verses Jesus is pointing back to Isaiah 35:5-6, Isaiah 61:1, Isaiah 42:7 all prophecies of the coming Messiah. In other words, Jesus says, 'Yes, I AM the one!" He offered clear and conclusive proof that He was indeed the Messiah.
Sometimes, when we aren't seeing the things we think we should see (John was expecting Judgement as well as blessing) we can lose sight of who Jesus really is, and need to be reminded again. I know that is true for me.
Lord help us to recognize who You truly are, and act on that belief.
Matt 11:4-6 gives us His reply:
"Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.
In these verses Jesus is pointing back to Isaiah 35:5-6, Isaiah 61:1, Isaiah 42:7 all prophecies of the coming Messiah. In other words, Jesus says, 'Yes, I AM the one!" He offered clear and conclusive proof that He was indeed the Messiah.
Sometimes, when we aren't seeing the things we think we should see (John was expecting Judgement as well as blessing) we can lose sight of who Jesus really is, and need to be reminded again. I know that is true for me.
Lord help us to recognize who You truly are, and act on that belief.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Light Dawns in the Darkness
I was reading through Psalm 112 the other morning and I really liked verse 4. It reads: "Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the Lord is gracious and compassionate and righteous." (Alternative Translation).
Since we are clearly in darkening times, I found hope and solace in this imagery, that light will dawn, no matter how dark it gets. Light will always dawn because of the character of God. He is gracious and compassionate and righteous and He won't leave His own in darkness for long.
Lord, help us to hold onto You, for you are our source of light and life.
Since we are clearly in darkening times, I found hope and solace in this imagery, that light will dawn, no matter how dark it gets. Light will always dawn because of the character of God. He is gracious and compassionate and righteous and He won't leave His own in darkness for long.
Lord, help us to hold onto You, for you are our source of light and life.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Workers in the Harvest
This morning I was continuing my journey through Matthew and read Matt 9:35-38. "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
This is such a rich passage, but my focus was drawn to the last line. A couple of thoughts struck me:
1) Its His Harvest field
2) He is the Lord (Master) of the Harvest
3) We are workers He sends out to Harvest in His fields
4) He will give us the proper tools and abilities to be successful, just like any other farmer at harvest time
5) He demonstrated what the harvest would look like in verse 35 - "proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness"
6) These are just the tools of the harvest, like scythes and rakes
Lord help me to have faith to be one of the workers you have equipped and sent into Your harvest field, and see an effective harvest.
This is such a rich passage, but my focus was drawn to the last line. A couple of thoughts struck me:
1) Its His Harvest field
2) He is the Lord (Master) of the Harvest
3) We are workers He sends out to Harvest in His fields
4) He will give us the proper tools and abilities to be successful, just like any other farmer at harvest time
5) He demonstrated what the harvest would look like in verse 35 - "proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness"
6) These are just the tools of the harvest, like scythes and rakes
Lord help me to have faith to be one of the workers you have equipped and sent into Your harvest field, and see an effective harvest.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Forgiveness and Healing
This morning while continuing to work my way through Matthew, I was meditating on Matt: 9:1-8, and verse 8 really caught my eye. It reads "When the crowd saw this (healing of the paralyzed man), they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority (to forgive sin and heal) to man."
As I was thinking about this verse, I was reminded of a verse in James. James 5:15-16. It reads, " And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other (forgiveness is implied here) and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
I know I have read through these verse before, but today the link of forgiveness of sins and healing was highlighted. In James, its clear that confession of sins to one another and praying for the sick person also involves forgiveness of their sins Vs. 15 "If they have sinned, they will be forgiven."
What an incredible gift the Lord gives us in providing a cleansing for our soul and healing for our body, all together. Lord help us experience this truth in our lives!
As I was thinking about this verse, I was reminded of a verse in James. James 5:15-16. It reads, " And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other (forgiveness is implied here) and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
I know I have read through these verse before, but today the link of forgiveness of sins and healing was highlighted. In James, its clear that confession of sins to one another and praying for the sick person also involves forgiveness of their sins Vs. 15 "If they have sinned, they will be forgiven."
What an incredible gift the Lord gives us in providing a cleansing for our soul and healing for our body, all together. Lord help us experience this truth in our lives!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
The Desire of Our Hearts
This morning I was reading Psalm 37 which has one of my favorite verse - vs. 4: "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I must confess I have always like the second half of the verse - the part about receiving the desires of my heart. This morning I was wondering if the original Hebrew version means what I think of when I read this verse, so I decided to do some research.
In this verse the word delight - is the Hebrew word 'anag' which means to be delicate, to enjoy, find delight in, and be sensitive to...
The word that is translated desires is the Hebrew word 'misala' which means requests. It is closely related to the word 'saal' which means - to ask, to inquire, to ask intently, beg, or ask permission...
So, the verse could more accurately be translated - 'Take delight and enjoy and be sensitive to the Lord and He will give you those things you ask for, those things you seek intently, those things He has permitted you to ask of Him.'
This is not exactly the way I would understand it - as my focus is on my desires. This seems much more relational, much more intimate, and has more interaction. I think it reflects the fact that the more we understand and know the Lord, and enjoy Him, our hearts become more attuned to Him, and the desires of our heart flow out of that relationship. I think we have a good model for this in the lives of a married couple who are very much in love - the desires of their hearts flow out of their relationship with their spouse.
Lord, help us to learn how to delight in You in this way, that our hearts might become attuned to Yours.
In this verse the word delight - is the Hebrew word 'anag' which means to be delicate, to enjoy, find delight in, and be sensitive to...
The word that is translated desires is the Hebrew word 'misala' which means requests. It is closely related to the word 'saal' which means - to ask, to inquire, to ask intently, beg, or ask permission...
So, the verse could more accurately be translated - 'Take delight and enjoy and be sensitive to the Lord and He will give you those things you ask for, those things you seek intently, those things He has permitted you to ask of Him.'
This is not exactly the way I would understand it - as my focus is on my desires. This seems much more relational, much more intimate, and has more interaction. I think it reflects the fact that the more we understand and know the Lord, and enjoy Him, our hearts become more attuned to Him, and the desires of our heart flow out of that relationship. I think we have a good model for this in the lives of a married couple who are very much in love - the desires of their hearts flow out of their relationship with their spouse.
Lord, help us to learn how to delight in You in this way, that our hearts might become attuned to Yours.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Healed Without A Word
This morning I was reading Matthew 8:14-15 - "When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him."
I was struck by the fact that Jesus apparently didn't say a thing - He just touched her hand and she was healed. How different this is than most of the prayer for healing I have seen where we pray for several minutes or pray for people over long periods of time. Clearly there is a level of intimacy with the Father and availability within Jesus for the Holy Spirit to move in healing that most of us have not experienced.
Rather than being disappointed by my own lack of effectiveness, this verse encourages me to continue to pursue intimacy and availability in healing so that one day Jesus might heal through my hand without me ever saying a word.
I was struck by the fact that Jesus apparently didn't say a thing - He just touched her hand and she was healed. How different this is than most of the prayer for healing I have seen where we pray for several minutes or pray for people over long periods of time. Clearly there is a level of intimacy with the Father and availability within Jesus for the Holy Spirit to move in healing that most of us have not experienced.
Rather than being disappointed by my own lack of effectiveness, this verse encourages me to continue to pursue intimacy and availability in healing so that one day Jesus might heal through my hand without me ever saying a word.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
God is Willing
This morning I was reading Matt 8:1-3 - the story about the man with leprosy.
1" When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy[a] came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy."
I was meditating on the fact that Jesus healed every person who came to Him. How great would it be if we could literally come to Him today - like this man did in scripture. As I was thinking this - I realized that we, as the church, have been called to represent Jesus to the World so that they can approach Jesus for healing, just as the man did in this story.
Lord help us to better represent You to the World. Your answer to the question - "are You willing" is always yes, help us to walk in the integrity, intimacy and power to demonstrate this to the World.
1" When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy[a] came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy."
I was meditating on the fact that Jesus healed every person who came to Him. How great would it be if we could literally come to Him today - like this man did in scripture. As I was thinking this - I realized that we, as the church, have been called to represent Jesus to the World so that they can approach Jesus for healing, just as the man did in this story.
Lord help us to better represent You to the World. Your answer to the question - "are You willing" is always yes, help us to walk in the integrity, intimacy and power to demonstrate this to the World.
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