His Loving Gaze

Today's verses for my meditation are from Isaiah 43:1-7 NIV:

[1] "But now, this is what the Lord says---he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

There is a deep reality here, that Lord created me, that He formed me, and that He called me. I am not some happenstance combination from my Mother and Father, but rather planned and purposed and created. I am not the result of chance, but of deliberate choice on God's part.

[2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

He is with me, in the midst of all things, sustaining me, helping me and protecting me. He doesn't mention how I got into these situations, but rather says He will be with me. I know in my life, many of the difficult situations I have been in, have been the result of decisions I made, or actions I took. Regardless, He is with me.

[3] For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.

He gave His son Jesus in my stead. The life of Jesus, poured out for me, to pay the debt of my sin, so that I might be ransomed and restored to the Father.

[4] Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.

I am unique, and the Lord loves me as I am. I matter to the Lord. As I think of the last sentence, 'giving people in exchange', I am reminded of playing on the playground and having someone offer to trade several other people just to have me on their team. Or putting it in modern context, a football trade where one team trades 4 or 5 people, just to get me on their team. That is how much God wants me...and you.

[5] Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
[6] I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth---

Putting this in a personal context, He will gather around me those He wants me to be part of, those whose lives interconnect with mine, who will play an important role in my life, and I in theirs. I am not meant to live on my own, but rather as a part of a group of people, both my family and friends, and brothers and sisters in the Lord. There is God's purpose in these people.

[7] everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. ”

I am part of the 'everyone who is called, created, formed and made'. I bring God glory through my existence, through my life, through my being. His desire is for me, and as I come into that relationship with Him, I bring Him glory.

As I am sitting here on my couch, the light of the rising sun just hit me, and I realized that even that small detail does not pass unnoticed by God. He is intimately aware of everything about me, of every moment and every thought and action. He thought of me, created and formed me, and wants me to be a part of His team, His family, His friends, His intimates. He doesn't miss anything in my life, my birthdays, my big games, plays or concerts, or any single moment of my life whether I am awake or asleep. I am reminded of holding my daughter in my arms when she was first born, and it didn't matter what she was doing, I was just happy to hold her and gaze upon her, amazed at the love I had for her. That is how I imagine the Lord looks at me every day, every moment, with a loving gaze, full of love for who I am, and full of anticipation for who I will become.

An Amazing Mystery

This morning I am continuing my reading from Paul's letter to the Romans.

Romans 5:6-8 NIV:
[6] "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. [7] Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Just thinking through these three passages, it is an amazing mystery, and amazing gift that we have been given in salvation. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians how were were chosen before the creation of the world, and predestined to be adopted as His children (Eph 1:4-5) and we see here the action He took to make that possible, dying for us. Paul writes as one who was alive before Jesus death, and after, and saw in his own person the miraculous application of the mercy of God towards him. This mercy of God is no less available to us, for each of us, as we become aware of our own sinfulness and need for a savior, have already been paid for by Jesus' death.

His death and sacrifice is timeless, in that it is applied throughout all time to every person who comes to Him humbly. There is no one single time in our lives where His mercy is only available, but rather it is available every moment of every day, and regardless of our sin or situation He welcomes us to receive Him, for He has already paid the price for us all. This was not some blanket cancellation of sin, without emotion or feeling or knowledge, but rather a deliberate act of love, with full knowledge of the price to paid, and the ones who would receive the benefit, for He knew us and chose us before the world was created.

So let me paraphrase Paul's writings this way - God demonstrates His love for us in this, He sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for all our sins, ultimately dying on the cross. He knew what sins we would commit, and still loved us and wanted us for His children and paid the price wth His body and blood. The price has already been paid, and we only have to ask that the price be applied to our life, and He will do so, for He knows us and loves us. That is an amazing gift, and an amazing mystery of love, sacrifice and redemption.

Hope Does Not Disappoint!

This morning I was led to read from Paul's letter to the Romans - Romans 5:1-5 NIV:

[1] "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."

Another translation for verse 5 (NASB) says "and hope does not disappoint.." The theme this morning seemed to be focused around hope. As Paul says here, one of the sources for hope is living in difficult circumstances. It is the belief and knowledge that there is a better experience coming ones way. It is mean to be held onto, to be relied upon, because it is based on the promise of God (see my earlier blog entry on hope - http://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2014/02/hold-onto-hope.html ).

The simple message that hope does not disappoint is a powerful reminder to us all to not give up, to hold onto hope, to press through difficulty and suffering, knowing that our hope will be justified. God is good! God is faithful to fulfill His promises!

Hope turns our eyes upwards and outwards, and enable us to step free of the shackles of introspection and self focus. We should not be surprised if we encounter difficulty or struggles or even persecution (1 Peter 4:12; 1 John 3:13), for these are common among all God's people. However, we should recognize that in hope we have the tools necessary to overcome these things, and bring glory to God our deliverer and savior.

Hope Does Not Disappoint! Amen!

Perception and Reality

I was just looking at my glasses, seeing how they correct things to make them clear, but at the same time they also make things look farther away. So even though I am seeing clearly, I am not seeing reality. There has got to be a spiritual principle in there somewhere. :-)

I know I discovered this when I put on contacts and everything seemed so much closer, and then understood why when I jumped down from a height I aways hit sooner then I expected, my depth perception was off, based on the correction of my lenses. My depth perception was trained with perfect vision when iI was a child, and apparently still interprets my vision as if it were perfect vision. I would never had known my vision was off if I hadn't tried contacts (seeing differently).

This directly relates to our own perception of people, as we think we perceive things correctly, and judge accordingly. However, all our interpretation of what we see is based on previous experiences, so likely affected (corrected) in some way. We need to have another experience with seeing to see reality, and that is where the Holy Spirit guides us, giving us eyes to see from God's perspective. This is why its so important to listen to the Holy Spirit, to ask for His guidance, and then expect Him to lead us and guide us, as He wants us to see as He sees.

I was just reminded of these verses in Matthew - Matthew 7:3-5 NIV:
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

If we look at what Jesus is saying, remembering that they hadn't invented glasses to correct vision yet, He is talking about something that affects our vision, which would undoubtedly affect our view of everything. The Greek word translated plank in the NIV, actually is more closely translated log, or beam of wood. Talk about affecting ones vision, I would think that it more likely obscures one's vision. In essence, Jesus is saying that we are almost blind, but trying to be an eye doctors. We need to have our own blinders removed, and the best way to do that is to go tot he one who can heal blindness, and sees all things - Jesus.

I am sure my perception of the reality I live in is either obscured, or incorrectly affected by my own experiences. Lord, help me to see clearly, to listen to You and to trust Your description of reality, for my perception of reality is skewed. I want to see Lord.

The Next Great Move Of God Is...

This morning I was thinking about the Kingdom of God, and when I opened my Bible, it opened to where I had been reading, Luke 17, but I was focusing on some other things, but when I red down through the chapter, I came across these verses - Luke 17:20-21 NIV:

[20] "Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, [21] nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

I started thinking about the expectations the Pharisees, and really all the Jews, had concerning the coming Messiah, and His kingdom. They were expecting a military ruler and King who would restore the grandeur, power and God's presence back to Israel. They were looking for some great move of God, and Jesus tells them its already here in your midst, some translations say "its within you". The must have looked at Him like He was crazy, because their expectations wouldn't allow the paradigm and reality Jesus was talking about to be recognized by them.

As I was thinking through this, I felt the Lord take me one step further and say, and this is exactly how the church is today, always looking for the great move of God, the coming revival, the demonstration of His glorious kingdom, when it is in our midst and within us! That caused me stop dead in my thoughts...

So....
1. Another way to say this, is His Kingdom starts with me, with us
2. If I am not seeing His glorious Kingdom, maybe I need to look at myself
3. All great moves of God start with the prayers of individuals, why am I waiting for someone else to get things going?
4. I need to change my expectations, so I don't miss His presence - I am not sure what that looks like exactly, but I know I don't want to miss Him
5. Jesus gave me authority, and appointed me to be a representative of the Kingdom, but my actions say I don't believe that, or live that reality

I could keep going, but that is enough for me to think on and act on for the next several years. Lord, help me to live this reality, that Your Kingdom is within me. I could even say - the next great move of God is within me!

Jesus, The Perfect Offering

Recently we were talking in church about how Jesus fulfilled the law, and this morning I was reading from Leviticus chapter 7, where the descrption of the different offerings is found. At the end of the chapter the author lists the different types of offerings - here is the verse: Leviticus 7:37 NIV

"These, then, are the regulations for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering and the fellowship offering,"


And here is David Guzick's commentary on that verse:


Jesus Christ and The Sacrificial System.

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever,
sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE BURNT OFFERING (Leviticus 1)

As Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma (Ephesians 5:2)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE GRAIN AND FIRSTFRUITS OFFERING (Leviticus 2)

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE PEACE OFFERING (Leviticus 3)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God though our Lord, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE SIN OFFERING (Leviticus 4)

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE GUILT OFFERING (Leviticus 5)

Who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification (Romans 4:25)

You have made His soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS ALL THE SACRIFICES FOR US!

"He is the Burnt-offering, the Meat-offering, the Peace-offering, the Sin-offering, and the Trespass-offering for His people. By His one oblation of Himself once offered, He has stood in all these different relations" (Jukes)

We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)

I would add:

JESUS CHRIST is the ordination offering (Exodus 29:22-34)

"...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5)

JESUS CHRIST is the fellowship offering (Lev 7)

"For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. [56] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. [57] Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me." (John 6:56-57)

"On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. [21] Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:20-21)

It is so beautiful how the imagery and pattern laid out in the law is fulfilled and accomplished in Jesus. He really is the answer, the way, the truth, and the life - (John 14:6)

Opposition Brings Opportunity

This morning I was reading through the book of Micah, one of the minor prophets, and the following few verses caught my attention:

Micah 4:11-13 NIV

[11] "But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, “Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!”
[12] "But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor."
[13] “Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and you will break to pieces many nations.” You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth."

As I read these verses, I was greatly encouraged by the Lord's perspective towards difficulties, struggles and enemies (verse 12) - namely that He allows them to gather together so that He can cut them down like ripe wheat, and thresh them of everything of value, giving it to His people. In this case, He is talking about enemy peoples, but I am confident this also applies to any difficulties or struggles that we face. We just need to change our perspective.

One of my favorite saying from a Catholic teacher named St. Alphonsus de Ligouri is that everything we encounter is for our greater sanctification (becoming Christ-like) and His (God's) greater glory. One of my favorite authors and speakers, Graham Cooke, says it this way - 'behind every giant of opposition is a bigger promise and provision from God.'

So often we look at difficult circumstances as if we are being punished or have done something wrong, and sometimes we are encountering the consequences of bad or wrong decisions. However, what if the majority of the time, God is planning to reveal more of His Glory to us, and draw us deeper into relationship with Him, allowing us to become more like Him. If we start looking past our opposition to God, we can start to see His plans and thoughts. God isn't in this to crush us, or wound us, but rather to bring us freedom and life, and reveal to us that we are His sons and daughters.

It seems to me that this is a bit like a supernatural version of the TV show "The Amazing Race" where each week the task is more difficult, but the people continue to press through the tasks because they know that eventually the winners receive a great prize. The difference between that TV show and life with God is that in this scenario we all get to win the prize - awesome experiences with God, recognition of our true identity, and His greater Glory.

Paul clearly understood this whole idea, and wrote several times about the topic of suffering and dealing wth opposition, leading to God's Glory. Just one of the many verses from Paul - Romans 8:17-18 NIV

[17] "Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. [18] I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

Peter also wrote about this same topic - 1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV:

[12] "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. [13] But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

So, let us be encouraged, especially if we are confronted with difficulty or opposition, knowing that God also has plans for our rescue, and His glorification. It is an amazing adventure, and He is the prize! We just need to change our perspective, and see it like He sees it, opposition is an opportunity for Him to shine, and for us to grow in our relationship with Him.

Up On The Mountain

So this morning I was reading several places in scripture, and I finally found myself in Matt 17, which starts with Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain. As I was reading the story, a question popped into my head, why Moses and Elijah? And what were they talking about?

Here are the verses - Matthew 17:1-3 NIV:
[1] "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. [2] There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. [3] Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus."

My first thought was that they were there because the Lord was about to fulfill the Law, and he as explaining it to Moses, but that wouldn't explain Elijah. Then I thought it was because Elijah had been prophesied to return (Mal 4:5-6), but that didn't explain Moses, since he wasn't prophesied to return, at least not that I am aware. So I decided to read from 1 Kings 17 the story of Elijah, and it was when I got to 1 Kings 19 that I had an idea of why Moses and Elijah met Jesus on the top of the mountain - it was because they had met God there before! Of all the people of the old testament, only two that I know of had the Lord pass them by on a mountain top, Moses and Elijah - (Exodus 33:18-23 & 1 Kings 19:11-13).

Some commentators speak of them representing the law and the prophets as well, which may well be the case, but I like my theory. There is a certain culmination, and tie back to the great revelations of God in the old testament here. God didn't just speak to His prophets, but He had shown Himself to them, twice, and this third time left no doubt about Jesus being the Son of God. He allowed the future leaders of the early church to be present as well, solidifying in them the absolute assurance that Jesus was God's son. I am sure they need that assurance later.

As for want they talked about, it seems it was a lengthy conversation for Peter, in his glory delirium, wants to set up tents so they can continue meeting together. One other thing I like about the story is the fact that God the Father interrupts Peter while he was talking -"While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matt 17:5. The more I think about this story, the more symbolism and fulfillment of scripture and parallels I see - God comes in a cloud, the cloud of incense in the Temple which hides God's presence, the Cloud that leads the people out of Egypt; Jesus' face shining like the sun, Moses face shining after his encounter with God; 7 individuals meeting on the mountain top - the perfect number in God; The Father's command to listen to Jesus - relating to the others times He spoke the law and through the prophets (Moses and Elijah), etc.

Suffice it to say, that this was one of the most significant events of Jesus' ministry period, and one I should think about in greater detail. I also feel like the Lord wants to invite us to experience His glory, His sovereignty, so that we also are assured of who He is, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior. We all are invited up on the mountain!

Lord I pray that we all might experience You in such a way that our lives are transformed.

Mercy and Compassion, Our Calling Cards

I am continuing in my mercy over judgment theme with the Lord, as this morning I felt led to read out of the minor prophet Zecharaiah, which is not one of my usual growing selections. Specifically I felt directed to chapter 7, and saw the following verses - Zechariah 7:8-10 NIV:

[8] "And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: [9] “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. [10] Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’

It is interesting that the Lord combines true justice, which could be translated right judgment, with mercy and compassion. Sometimes we can read James 2:13 as if they are opposing, for mercy triumphs over judgment, but that is not the case at all. Mercy and judgment are both found within the Lord, and are significant characteristics of Him. Mercy and Judgment are not opposing, but rather two approaches.

The Lord is addressing the leaders of the people of Bethel here, and at that time Israel had been reestablished, and the leaders were responsible for both the religious and social leadership of the people. The Lord was reminding them of their duty to correctly judge the people according to the law, and to represent Him in doing so. Nothing causes issues with belief like unethical and wrong behavior amongst the religious leaders - and the Lord was putting His finger on one of the causes of the people's falling away from Him.

His call to continue to show mercy and compassion to one another, is calling them back to one of the most significant differentiating characteristics of God and His people. God chooses to revel Himself, first and foremost as a merciful and compassionate God. When God was describing Himself to Moses, before He actually showed His Glory to him, this is what He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." Ex 33:19. Although judgment is also one of God's characteristics, He chooses to lead with mercy and compassion. As His followers, His people Israel were called to do the same. Mercy and Compassion are meant to be the calling cards of God's people.

Finally, the Lord calls for fair treatment of those without covering, protection or social standing, the widows, the fatherless, poor and foreigner. He calls for fair and right judgment, mercy and compassion, and kindness towards those that are easy to take advantage of because they have no strong voice or support. You can tell much about the true character of people by the way they treat those who are helpless, and again the Lord is reminding them of His previous words to them.

I am reminded of some similar verses in Isaiah where the Lord was also discussing fasting, for that was the original question posed the the Lord through Zechariah, in the verses above. Here is an excerpt from Isaiah 58:

Isaiah 58:6-7 NIV
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? [7] Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter---when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

So for me, I see a call from the Lord to merciful and compassionate, first and foremost. These should be my calling cards, the very first things that people experience. I must treat those who are helpless with the same care and concern I would anyone else.

Wisdom From Heaven

As I read the third chapter of James' letter, I am drawn to the final two verses of this chapter - James 3:17-18 NIV:

[17] "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness."

I think these verses are such a good litmus-test for our thinking. If our thoughts do not fit into the list above, although its clearly not exhaustive, then we need to examine the source of the thoughts. Noticeably, judgment and critique are not on this list. I was examining judgment and mercy yesterday, and in our hearts and minds the two often have different sources, judgment coming out of spiritual pride or a religious spirit, while mercy comes from heaven.

If I look at the list, one word at a time, it is really a thing of beauty to consider. Purity of thought, describes an untainted, chaste and wholly clean line of thinking, in which there is no corruption or even a hint of immorality. The Greek word that is translated pure, can also mean sacred, holy and without blemish.

The second description is peace-loving, which in mind means that this is the nature one naturally moves toward. There is no desire for contention, no thriving on disagreement, or unrest, but at the very core, a desire for peace, joy and rest. This also speaks to me of an internal satisfaction.

The third term is considerate, and I think this characteristic is becoming rarer and rarer in our society today. To actually consider others needs before our own, to stop and notice (consider) others, is uncommon. The NASB translates the original Greek here as gentle, which is more accurate, but I like the word considerate, because it is outward focused, rather than inward focused. To treat others with gentleness and consideration is a beautiful thing.

The next word is submissive, and that probably rubs us the wrong way because of the abuses and misunderstanding of this term as it relates to husbands and wives, and will in general. The Greek word here is Eupeithes, and it means easily obey or comply. This is wisdom that comes from Heaven, so it is speaking of our attitude towards the Lord, not others, and I know my desire is to be easily and readily obedient to that which the Lord asks of me. This is in contrast to my own self-will that only wants to do what I want.

The next phrase is full of mercy and good fruit. We are called to act not intend, to extend mercy not judgement, and that wisdom which comes down from Heaven, inspires this in us. Oh that more of us would live this out in our lives.

The last two characteristics translated as impartial and sincere in the NIV, are translated unwavering and without hypocrisy in the NASB. Impartiality means without a strong leaning one way or the other, but unwavering speaks of a knowledge of the truth and an unwillingness to accept anything less. This is closer to the meaning of the original Greek. As for the term hypocrisy, we don't like to use that word anymore, for it seems contentious. Sincerity is an agreeable term, and speaks of a purity of intention and alignment of action and belief. Hypocrisy comes from the Greek word for an actor, one who is putting on an act. So if we look at these two phrases, wisdom that comes from Heaven will impart to us truth, that we can hold onto, believe in, and act upon. It won't bring confusion, doubt or an unsettled mind or spirit.

I pray that I will experience this heavenly wisdom, and recognize it in my own life, following the beautiful path You are leading me down daily. I pray that You will help us all to recognize that which comes from You and grasp hold of it with our whole heart, and reject the rest.

Spiritual Pride and Judgment

This morning I felt like reading from Jonah:

Jonah 3:10 NIV:

'When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened."

Jonah 4:1-5 NIV

"But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. [2] He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. [3] Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

[4] But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

[5] Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.

This past Sunday we were talking about how mercy triumphs over judgment, and this story is a great example of that principle. Although God could judge the people of Ninevah, He chose instead to warn them, to send to them a prophet that they might change their heart, so that He could show mercy. I love Jonah's statement about how he knew God was gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and that He would relent of sending judgment. That is who God chooses to reveal himself as, one who loves mercy and compassion more than judgement. It is so amazing that so many people see Him as an angry God, waiting to punish us for our sins.

I was also thinking about Jonah's response of wanting to see God judge the Ninevites. It seems a similar attitude exists today, those calling out for judgment upon sinful people or nations. Its as if they desire to see judgment to validate what they have been saying, and this would prove their own position as righteous individuals. This is the heart of spiritual pride, the belief that they are better than others, and God through His judgment will prove it. It is a sick and twisted understanding of God - thankfully that is not at all what Jesus was like! He set the record straight on so many occasions, where He was confronted by sinful people, and in every instance He chose mercy over judgment, compassion over punishment. Really the only people He had harsh words for were the spiritually prideful, those that thought they were better, or more righteous than everyone else.

I am reminded of a few verses from James 2:12-13 NIV:

[12] "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [13] because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment."

I know that I want God to treat me with mercy, not judgment, and the key to experiencing this is to be merciful myself. Lord, help me to represent Your heart of mercy, compassion, and abounding love to all that I meet, that I might experience the same from You.

Change Is The Operative Word

This morning I am reading from the Letter of James - James 1:21-25 NIV:

[21] "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

[22] "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. [23] Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [24] and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. [25] But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it---not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it---they will be blessed in what they do."

I like these verses from James, so simple, yet so important. We must first accept Gods word and let it be planted in us. That is also really what verse 22 says, merely listing to the word, but not acting on it, is similar to the first type of person described in Jesus parable of the sower. (Matt 13:3-4) His explanation of this type of person is found in Matthew 13:19 - "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path."

So the questions for us are as follows: Do we act on the word we hear? Do we allow it to be planted in our lives, in our mind and in our heart? Do we change the way we act, based on the word we receive? Do we consider the word, look at our lives and compare how we are living to what it says we should be doing in God's Word? Are we bearing fruit in our lives, that is visible to others? Do we know what God is working in us, what His purpose is in this present season?

We are warned to not deceive ourselves, by settling for merely listening. This would include having good intentions, but never changing our behavior. Ouch - that hits close to home, because I know my intentions are much more significant than my actual actions. I can deceive myself into thinking that just listening to or reading the word is enough - if I put in my time, I am good. James warns us that this is just deception. What counts is actual action, real change, consistent fruit. Going back to Jesus parable of the sower, he warns us about the other struggles we must overcome to be fruitful, cares of the world, pressures, troubles or even the deceitfulness of wealth can reduce or eliminate our fruitfulness.

The season from planting a seed to bearing fruit usually is more than a few weeks - it often takes a focused effort of more than a few months to see real fruit - real change in our lives. In an organization, changing the culture - how they think and act - can take many months. It is accomplished by consistent, planned and regular activities that enable and encourage the changes desired. Our lives are much the same, seeing real changes in our thinking and activities, or making something a habit can take several months. We need to continue to pursue, continue to remind, continue to hold onto that seed - that Word of God - to see real change.

So let us endeavor to listen, to hear, to consider, to compare and then change in accordance with Gods word. Change is the operative word.

It Is All About Jesus

Reflecting on my conversation this morning with a good friend, I thought he would read a little of Paul's letter to the Romans - starting at the beginning.
Romans 1:1-7 NIV

[1] "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--- [2] the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures [3] regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, [4] and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. [5] Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. [6] And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

[7] "To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul was called into service of Jesus, to spread the gospel (Good News) about Him, and to call all others into relationship with Him. The focus, impetus, action and direction is always towards Christ Jesus. Although this is a call to service, and became his life's work, it is all about an individual, namely Jesus. Being about an individual should drive us to a conclusion, that it is ultimately about a relationship. The highest form of interaction with anyone is a relationship. This is what we are called to, and what we are called to invite others to as well. We are to invite others to join us, as fellow members, not coming underneath us, but alongside us as brothers and sisters, in relationship with our Lord Jesus. I like the way the Living Bible translates verse 5: "And now, through Christ, all the kindness of God has been poured out upon us undeserving sinners; and now he (Christ Jesus) is sending us out around the world to tell all people everywhere the great things God has done for them, so that they, too, will believe and obey him (Christ Jesus)."

It really is all about Jesus!

Hold Onto Hope

This morning I am focused on hope. There are two sets of verses from Paul's letter to the Romans, and a third from the letter to the Hebrews that are the basis of my meditation:

Romans 8:24-25 NIV
[24] "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? [25] But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Romans 15:13 NIV: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

And finally the most quoted verse on faith and hope from the Letter to the Hebrews:

Hebrews 11:1 NIV: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

As I read the first verses this morning, my heart was reminded of some of the things that I hope for in my heart, concerning the Lord, the Kingdom and His manifest presence. I have in me this hope for something much more than I am now experiencing in Christ. I hope for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like they saw in Acts 2. I hope for God's presence to so fill His church that we all fall face-down in worship. I hope for the pouring forth of healing, so that every person who comes for prayer is healed. I hope for the day all our family is alive in Christ, and pursuing relationship with Him. I hope for salvation, healing, cleansing and deliverance to come to thousands, and tens of thousands. I hope to see many raised from the dead in Jesus' name. I hope for the return to and even surpassing time of miracles and signs and wonders through the church.

I have all this hope inside of me, and the question is where did it come from, or who put it there? The second question is why?

The first question is easily answered for God is the God of hope (Rom 15:13) and all hope comes from Him. He is the author of hope. So if hope exists in me, it came from Him. The second question becomes more interesting at this point - if the hope is from God, why did He put it there? I believe that it is to cause a yearning for something more, which then causes me to pray for and pursue this something more.

In the letter the Hebrews, the author associates hope with the promises of God in Hebrews 6:11-12: "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. [12] We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

So, in other words this hope that I have in me, is an unfulfilled promise, but one that God intends to fulfill. It is is through patience, faith, diligence and confidence that I will see these promises fulfilled. God intends to deliver on His promises, and the natural response to a promise is the hope of seeing it fulfilled. Hope is looking for that which haven's seen yet, but which we know is coming, because we know the purposes of God, His intents, will always be true! So when I read the scriptures, instead of just reading them as a historical document and receiving knowledge, when I read them I have received from the Lord His promise. This promise causes me to hope, pray and pursue God until I see His promise fulfilled.

God does not intend to fan the flames of hope without the chance of seeing them realized. He says in Proverbs 13:12 NIV: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." God is not about making us sick, but rather about breathing life into us.

So my encouragement today is to hold onto this hope, with the knowledge that this signals the intent of the Lord, and what the Lord plans on doing, He does! He wants us to overflow with hope, spreading His hope to all.

Living As A Child Of God - YES!

This morning I opened my Bible to Paul's letter to the Romans and started reading from Chapter 8. The following verses are worth a slow and meditative read:
Romans 8:9-17 NIV:

[9] "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. [10] But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. [11] And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."

[12] "Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation---but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. [14] For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

There is so much good stuff in these verses, its hard to know where to start. His very first statement is worthy of constant reminder, even refrigerator posting. We ARE in the realm of the Spirit, because the Spirit of God lives in us. The original Greek, does not use the word realm, but I think it is very helpful in understanding this reality. To be members of a realm speaks of a Kingdom, and a set of rules and authority in power, and Paul is definitely speaking abut those things here. Again, we ARE in the Kingdom of the Holy Spirit, we are under His rule and reign, if we belong to Christ. Because we are under His rule and reign, we receive those things that He has the power and authority to provide, namely life to our mortal bodies.

The Greek word translated 'life' is Zoopoieo which is pronounced - dzo-op-oy-eh'-o

Definition
1. to produce alive, begat or bear living young
2. to cause to live, make alive, give life
a. by spiritual power to arouse and invigorate
b. to restore to life
c. to give increase of life: thus of physical life
d. of the spirit, quickening as respects the spirit, endued with new and greater powers of life

I think the second definition makes the most sense here, and Paul probably meant that we receive all that through the Holy Spirit - that we are made alive, we are invigorated, we are restored, we see an increase of life, and we receive new and greater powers.

It is because of this new life in us that we have an obligation to live according to the rules of the realm, and when we do, we step into our true identity as sons and daughters of God. We are His children, and He is a good Father. We are set free from fear, for that is what slaves feel toward their masters, but instead we have a loving merciful Father who has breathed His life into us, and called us His own. I can almost see Him bending over me, leaning His face down to me and breathing the words "my son" over me. That is who I am, and that is who you are - a son or daughter of God. Paul says we have an obligation to live that way and that is true, but I say why would we want to live any other way? I think of it more as an opportunity, as is - 'you mean we actually get to live as a son or daughter of God, as His children?' That is the most awesome opportunity I have ever heard of, why would I want to live any other way?

YES and Amen Father!

Just Cry Out...

This morning I felt encouraged to read Psalm 72, which starts as a prayer of David for his son Solomon, but which becomes a prophesy concerning Jesus Christ. There are some many beautiful images and promises, and the new that caught my heart and mind this morning were the following: [11] "May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. [12] For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. [13] He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. [14] He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight."

I felt like there was a special message of hope and encouragement for those who felt oppressed, depressed, burdened, troubled, stressed, anxious, fearful, or anything other than peace, joy and hope. The Lord really does meet us in our need, in our desperation, in our weakness. He is waiting for us to cry out for He is a respecter of our free-will even in our need. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the light of the World. He is Love. He had defeated death, sickness and disease. He has broken every chain as set the captives free. He paid for all of us with His own body and blood, and none of us is worthy, but all are included in this gift of salvation. All we need to do is cry out....

Judging Significance

Yesterday at church we were discussing judgment, identity and relationships. This morning I spent some time meditating on these verses from James' letter - James 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. [2] Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. [3] If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” [4] have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? [5] Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"

For me, these verses are a great reminder that I need to see as the Lord sees, and not as the world sees. We tend to associate a persons significance by their position in society, but that is not true in the Body of Christ. We also cannot judge based on one's gifting, or even calling, although those at least are somewhat related to Body of Christ. In fact we shouldn't really judge at all, but rather extend mercy and compassion, the hand of fellowship and welcome.

In Jesus eyes, we are all equally significant, seemingly least to the greatest. He personally paid for each of us with His Body and Blood, so how can we ever look at someone and think we are better than them, for it is mercy that has established us in the Body of Christ, not our acts or our accomplishments. Equally, we can never judge someone outside the Body of Christ, because the Lord died for them as well, and encouraged us to leave the 99 sheep to find the one that is lost (Matt 18:2-3).

Lord, help me to extend mercy and compassion to everyone and leave the judging to You. Help me to look for and see the significance of everyone I meet, everyone You died to save.

Upward First, Then Outward

This morning I felt I should read from Paul's letters to the Philippians 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

[5] "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:"

I guess I am seeing everything in the relational context these days, but these verses are very clearly discussing our relationships with the Lord and wth each other. The idea that the Lord spends so much time discussing relationships, their importance and their foundational aspect in the scriptures is surprising to me. It seems like this is one of the core messages, yet one that gets lost in many of our experiences of the church. The Lord is clearly after something in my life, and I am interested in the same, deepening relationship wth Him and others.

Looking at the verses above, the initial focus is direct - unity with Christ Jesus. There is no clearer description of intimate relationship than unity. Unity by very definition requires one mindedness, one expression of love, compassion, and spirit. Another translation simply says have the same mind, same love, and same compassion. If we are in Christ, united with Him, found in Him, joined with Him, than His heart and mind need to become ours. A good example of this is how couples who have been married for many years start thinking alike, often able to communicate with just a look, because they both know what the other is thinking. We are called to a similar experience in Christ. This is the listed first, and in our pursuit of God, must always remain first, for it is out of this unity that the second focus is derived.

Secondly, the focus is on unity with one another. It is clear that this is the main subject for Paul, yet he takes time to lay the foundation of relationship with Christ. As I said before, it is out of this foundational relationship that others develop and grow. Our focus in relationship should be upwards (towards the Lord) than outward (toward one another). The danger in not taking this approach is selfishness, or self focus. Our frame of perspective for our life, our outward relationships needs to be viewed from the Lords perspective, and this is what Paul is discussing and calling the Philippians to experience. It is when we have Christ's mind, that we can think correctly about the significance of each other as well as our role and our purpose in the Body. So as Paul says, in our relationships with each other we should have Christ's mindset, His perspective. Upward first, then outward.