Gratitude and Thanks

Today, I think I want to spend some time reflecting on gratitude.  There is a saying about "first world problems" for people who live in well developed places that are all angry or frustrated when one of our luxury items or lifestyle options isn't perfect.  I think its time I spend some thought on things I take for granted, things I don't often think of, but are such a  blessing!

So here is my list of things we have that I don't often think about, but am grateful for in my life - things that many people would be ecstatic to experience, or have:

1) clothes that fit

2) clothes that aren't worn out

3) clothes that are appropriate for the season

4) shoes that fit

5) socks and underwear

6) not having to wash my clothes every night

7) a comfortable bed to sleep in

8) no bugs in my bed

9) pillows

10) blankets

11) able to sleep in a room with my door open

12) able to sleep through the night without hearing any gunfire, or screaming, or even honking horns

13) a bed in a bedroom

14) temperature controlled home, heat in winter, A/C in summer

15) running water, in my house

16) clean water, in my house

17) water that is safe to drink

18) toilets that flush and don't smell

19) toilet paper

20) the ability to bathe when I want to, daily if desired

21) soap, shampoo and deodorant

22) tooth paste and tooth brushes

23) my own private bathroom

24) towels and wash cloths

25) not having to bathe in someone else's dirty water

26) automatic hot water

27) refrigerators for safe food storage

28) electric stove and oven

29) freezer for safe food storage

30) grocery stores with an abundance of food stocked in them daily

31) money to buy food

32) not being hungry

33) not having to hunt for my food

34) multiple grocery stores within an easy distance

35) a car that works

36) a car that is mine, that I can drive whenever I want to drive

37) the freedom to drive wherever I want to

38) inexpensive fuel

39) comfortable furniture

40) enough furniture to equip multiple rooms

41) doors that lock

42) windows that lock, and open

43) electricity

44) quiet neighborhood

45) a yard that is mine

46) trees, birds and wildlife visible

47) air that is clean to breathe

48) no visible pollution or trash

49) books

50) education

51) neighbors who are caring and friendly

52) family living nearby

53) not having to do manual labor to support my family

54) a relatively stable economy

55) personal space, having multiple rooms I can go to if I want to be alone

56) quiet

57) peace

58) loving family members

59) freedom

60) eyeglasses with the correct lenses

61) enough food for the day, for all my family

62) clean dishes

63) pre-processed food

64) a well balanced diet, if I want it

65) a diverse diet, plenty of food options

66) readily available medicine

67) readily available modern medicine and medical care

68) inexpensive medicine

69) medicine to relieve some of the common aches and pains

70) law and order

71) freedom of religious expression

72) freedom of speech

73) freedom of movement

74) freedom to choose 

75) abundance of food

I know I could keep going for quite a while, but this sure helped me be thankful for all the blessings that are in my life, many of which I take for granted every day!  

As Paul encourages us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV:

[16] "Rejoice always, [17] pray continually, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

May the Lord bless you today, and may your life be filled with abundant blessings!  May your heart be filled with gratitude!  

Gratitude, Mercy and Compassion, Rather Than Fear and Hoarding

This morning I felt led to turn to James 5, and I was thinking, I generally know whats in that chapter, not sure why that is the reading assignment today.  However, after reading it, it certainly grabbed my attention.  Here are the specific verses I am focused on today - James 5:1-11 NIV:

[1] Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. [2] Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. [3] Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. [4] Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. [5] You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. [6] You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. 

[7] Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. [8] You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. [9] Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 

[10] Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. [11] As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

I can't help but read the first 6 verses in light of our present experience.  My first thought was thank goodness I am not rich, and yet as I think about it, I am!  I haven't lost my job during this time, I haven't struggled to feed my family, to keep electricity on, water running, any of the basics!  Yet, there are millions of people who are affected in these very ways.  I haven't hoarded anything, but I have no lack.  I don't think James was referring to toilet paper when he wrote this, but I would say that the hoarding of things, is every bit as bad as the other things James is decrying here!  He is talking about those people whose only focus is on themselves, people who really don't care what befalls others, as long as their lives are unaffected.   That hits a bit too close to home, for I know my families own comfort and life-style certainly take precedence over most every other thing,  and every other person in our life at present!  I do pray for those who are lacking, but that is generally as far as I will go.

As I was reflecting on this bit, I was defending myself, saying to the Lord that I don't really know anyone that's in need now.  However, as I was thinking that I felt the Lord say, 'yeah but there are people we probably know about through church that are in need, and we just need to be willing to ask!'   In general (not to defend myself) we have tried to be a generous family, and we do give and share our blessings with others as often as we can, but this time is different.  We are ALL in a crazy time, not just one or two of us!  We are ALL affected emotionally, spiritually, financially, and socially.  We have so much more we can give that isn't related to our money!  We are wealthy beyond imagining, compared to much of the rest of the world.

I feel that the main issue the Lord is after here is my heart and my focus.  When times get tough I tend to go into survival mode, which means I am focused on what I need to do to make sure we are safe, sound, and secure, with as much as possible locked down.  I reduce my focus to my own family and closest friends, and essentially shut myself off from the rest of society, mentally at least.  While God put Noah and his family into the ark, I don't think this should be the way I act now.  I am part of a much larger family, the Body of Christ.  Even beyond that, we are called to be a light to the nations, and that is impossible if we go into lock-down mode.

I think this reflection is very appropriate, as tomorrow we celebrate a holiday that began with a large group of people gathering together to share their bounty, in gratitude and friendship.  In this season of lock-down, and restrictions, there are people who need help, and if I don't have my eyes open looking for where I can help, I will miss them.  I can choose to open up my storehouses, even though they may not be rich, they are more full than others, and I can share in friendship and gratitude my blessings with those who need help!  I can choose to live out of a motivation of gratitude, compassion and mercy, rather than fear and hoarding.

My prayer is that I might live my life embracing this great family I am a part of, willingly sharing our blessings, being open to helping those in need and choosing to embrace gratitude and openness rather than locking everything down in fear.  I pray that as the Body of Christ, we would embrace a love and concern for each other that allows us to meet one another's needs!  I pray that the Light of Christ might shine brightly through me and through the greater Body of Christ to this dark world, in this dark time!  

Amen!

Reading and Understanding With Discernment

This morning I felt like I should read from the Book of the Prophet Micah, which is definitely not on my normal weekly or monthly reading list.  I am always interested to see what the Lord is about when He leads me to what I would consider obscure, or maybe call them lesser-known, verses.  This morning I am apparently continuing the theme I started yesterday, a reflection on the multiple levels of truth conveyed by God when He speaks.  He we see the Prophet Micah, proclaiming what is seen as a Messianic Prophecy - Micah 5:2-9 NIV:

[2] “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, 

out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” 

[3] Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, 

and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 

[4] He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. 

And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 

[5] And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. 

We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders, 

[6] who will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. 

He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders. 

[7] The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, 

like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man. 

[8] The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, 

like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, 

which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. 

[9] Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed."

The first thing I will say is that when I read these verses, I could easily understand how the Jews were waiting for a Messiah who would free them, and would be a military leader!  I mean the language is quite specific, and yet when we look at them against the record of Jesus' life, we see that He fulfilled the prophecies, but not in the militaristic way.  

As I know very little about Micah, I figured I should do a bit of research.  Micah was written between 735 and 700BC, which predates the Babylonian exile of the Kingdom of Judah, and is during the time of the exile of Kingdom of Israel to Ninevah, which interestingly would be the land of Nimrod, and peopled by the Assyrians.  He was writing primarily to the Kingdom of Judah, but it seems God's heart was still for the tribes of the Kingdom of Israel, the Northern Kingdom.  What is even more interesting is that it was the Babylonians that destroyed Ninevah, and defeated the Assyrians.  It was 100 years before the Southern Kingdom (Judah) would be taken captive by the Babylonians.  

When I read these verses, I tend to combine all references to Israel, Jacob, Judah into one people, and while that is true, from a lineage perspective, at this time Judah, who Micah is writing to, and Israel were separate Kingdoms and had been for close to 200 years.  That really changes how I read these verses, and should help us understand that God speaks into very specific circumstances, and sometimes the things He speaks are just for a particular group, or even individual.  If we look at verse 5, where Micah is talking about seven shepherds, even eight commanders, we can understand that based on the known history of the southern Kingdom they actually had eight additional kings from the time of the Assyrians capturing the northern kingdom and their own defeat by the Babylonians. At the time of his writing Hezekiah was king, and he clearly followed after the Lord, for we find the following passages - 2 Kings 18:5-7 NIV:

[5] "Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. [6] He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. [7] And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him."

As I look back at the verses above, I now understand that Micah was essentially intermixing prophecies about the Messiah (2-4, 9), a King for Judah (Hezekiah) (4, 6), the southern Kingdom (5), the Northern Kingdom of Israel (3,6), and all of the tribes of Jacob (Jews) (7-8).   Wow!  

Reflecting on all of this, I can see the multiple layers, some spanning 700-800 years in the making, others 100-200 years in the future, and other bits almost immediate, and some that are still in play!  This makes me think back on the different things the Lord has said to me, and ask Him for clarity and understanding around timing.  I normally just take God's word to be about now, but it is clear that He speaks in multiple layers and it takes a discerning heart to be able to hear and understand what He is saying.  We must be able to parse out those words the Lord intends as seed for next year or the year following, those words He intends to give us nourishment and encouragement in the moment, and those things that are for ourselves or others.  Clearly the only one who can guide us correctly is the Holy Spirit.  I don't know about you, but I know I need to be praying for discernment much more than I have been!

I am also reminded of how important context is to understanding the word of the Lord.  We could read these verses from Micah, and extracting them out of their historical context, think they all apply to us, or all apply to Jesus, and get all messed up in our minds and and understanding.  The Jews in reading verses like these hundreds of years later, could have done exactly that, and thought that verses that applied to Hezekiah were actually speaking about the coming Messiah, and thus they would expect a warrior Messiah!  

Lord, I pray that you will provide me greater understanding and insight, the ability to discern Your word more clearly!  I know You speak from Your eternal perspective, and You know I need help understanding what You are saying!  Help me to hear and understand more clearly!

Amen!

If you want to view the context of my historical view of the timing of these verses, here is a link to the image:  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/586eb3372994ca8b180cb830/1483656581843-L4W79JQ4G2URIRBFJ09K/Old-Testament-Timeline1.jpg?content-type=image%2Fjpeg

The Eternal Significance of Jesus' Words

This morning I am reading from John 5, picking up where I was last reading.  Another one of those verses, that as you read them and let the words really settle in, you realize maybe you need to have a deeper look.  Here are the specific verses from today - John 5:24-27 NIV:

[24] “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. [25] Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. [26] For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. [27] And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man."

Verse 25 is the one that grabbed my attention this morning, as in reading it carefully, Jesus is saying the dead will hear His voice.  Now I would normally think that He is speaking metaphorically, but 6 chapters later we have Him command Lazarus, which is clearly a literal fulfillment of this statement.  So the question in my mind, is whether this is applicable to more than Lazarus, or others that we are told He raises from the dead?  Is it speaking prophetically of the day of Resurrection, when we are told that many who were dead were raised and seen walking about the city? (Matt 27:52-53).  Is He speaking of those dead in sin?  Is He speaking about all those that die?  Can we apply this to those who have passed, who we are unsure of the state of their salvation? 

Jesus is clearly talking about eternal life as stated in verse 24, and he is also speaking about judgment, so this could very well be seen as pertaining to the final judgment.  Adam Clarke in his commentary takes a wide approach -

"Three kinds of death are mentioned in the Scriptures: natural, spiritual, and eternal.

The first consists in the separation of the body and soul. The second in the separation of God and the soul. The third in the separation of body and soul from God in the other world. Answerable to these three kinds of death, there is a threefold life: Natural life, which consists in the union of the soul and body. Spiritual life, which consists in the union of God and the soul, by faith and love. Eternal life, which consist in the communion of the body and soul with God, by holiness, in the realms of bliss.

Of the dead, our Lord says, the hour is coming, and now is, when they shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and live. The hour is coming, when all that sleep in the dust shall awake at the voice of the Son of man, and come to judgment: for he giveth life to the dead, John 5:21,28,29. Again, the hour is coming, when some of those who have died a natural death shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live again here. It is likely that our Lord had not as yet raised any from the dead; and he refers to those whom he intended to raise: See Clarke on John 5:21. Lastly, the hour now is, when many who are dead in trespasses and sins, shall hear the voice (the word) of the Son of God, believe, and receive spiritual life through him." (Adam Clarke Commentary)

I do like this wider approach, for Jesus, seems to say things that have many layers, and that is how I would expect one who is speaking for the Father in Heaven to speak.  His words have eternal significance, and thus, our understanding of them, while limited to this present natural mind, cannot be complete.  Often when I read scripture and read the words Jesus speaks, I assume that He speaks the way I speak, with a purpose and generally one intended understanding.  There are times where my speech might have allusions to something else, where the true meaning is veiled, but that is rare.  I generally just say what I mean, and use simpler words to convey my thoughts, so that I am clearly understood.  When I write I use a simpler set of words, and don't try for conciseness or perfection.  I am reminded of a friend of mine who would spend hours writing papers in college, for he was always searching for the perfect word, rather than using several words to convey his thought.  

As I think about Jesus' words, I am reminded of what He says a bit later, "For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken." (John 12:49 NIV)  Thus, we know that Jesus was not just communicating, He was repeating what the Father told Him, or "commanded" Him to say.  He was speaking words that were coming from the Father's eternal perspective, and speaking into the eternal record.  His words are not to be taken lightly.  I go back over and over to the famous quote from Isaiah 55:8-11 NIV:  “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. [10] As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, [11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Clearly Jesus, in speaking for the Father, was speaking words whose full understanding are beyond our grasp, words that are accomplishing exactly what they were meant to accomplish, and words that have eternal impact. 

Going back to the verses of reflection this morning, I think we must take that wide, multi-layered approach to understanding Jesus' words, for they were not spoken just for those who were following Him that day, but for all creation, for all time.  If we continue on reading in John the next two verses we see clearly that Jesus was including the final judgment in His comments - John 5:28-29 NIV:  “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice [29] and come out---those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned."

In summary, I am encouraged to read scripture with an openness to deeper understanding, recognizing that especially the words that Jesus spoke have a weight and eternal significance.  I must lean into Him to hope to understand His word's deeper meaning!  I need to allow His words to drive me to prayer, to conversation with Him about their meaning, their application to my life, and about their purpose in me!

Lord, help me to better listen, and understand.  Help me to be a recipient of Your eternal words!  I desire as well to be able to speak the words I hear You tell me to speak, just as Jesus demonstrated.

Amen!

Deep Dives and the Awesomeness of God

This morning I am reflecting on a few verses from the end of the eleventh chapter in Paul's letter to the Romans.  I love the depth of Paul's thinking, yet there is so much more.  Here are the verses - Romans 11:29,33-36 NIV:

[29] "for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." 

[33] "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 

[34] “Who has known the mind of the Lord? 

Or who has been his counselor?” 

[35] “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” 

[36] For from him and through him and for him are all things. 

To him be the glory forever! Amen."

In this chapter Paul has been reflecting on the Jews and Gentiles.  For those of us living in these days, its hard to imagine the complete surprise it was to the Jews that Gentiles would be offered salvation, for we have lived in this dispensation for 2000 years, but during the days of the early church this was a major issue.  We this topic in several of the letters, Galatians and Acts two of the most prominent, and while they describe some of the angst, confusion and outright disagreement, I don't know if we can really grasp the depth of this all.  

The only thing that I have seen in my life that comes close, is my conversation with a Chinese man who grew up under the teaching of Mao, but then in his 20s was told that was all wrong.  He no longer had any trust for any belief system, for he was told that everything he had learned, his whole foundation of thought, was wrong.  The Jews had lived their whole lives believing they were the "Chosen People", God's nation, His possession, and they were and are!  And Yet, God was not limited, and had bigger thoughts and ideas, and this included welcoming the Gentiles into relationship with Him.

This brings us to the verses for reflection, for Paul was speaking of the selection of the Jews, in verse 29.  However, we know that God's heart towards us Gentiles is the same in love, mercy and forgiveness.  In the same way that the gifts and calls of the Jews are irrevocable, so are ours!  We have turned our back on the Lord, grown hardened in our hearts, become dull in our faith, but all the Lord has given us and called us to are still ours!  That is such great news!  We can't lose these things from disuse, or disinterest!  We can't give them back, for they are ours!  We may not deserve then, in truth, none of us deserves anything from God, and yet He gives them to us freely!  Just as His mercy is extended to us in the Gospel of Grace, not because of anything we have done, but because of His love, so are the gifts and calls! 

Finally as Paul was reflecting upon all of this, He waxed eloquent, in describing the unknowable, unfathomable God, whom he loved.  We would be well severed to take this same approach to God, for we are constantly trying to figure Him out, to limit Him to working in certain ways, through certain people.  

We believe these days that science can explain everything, and yet daily there are new discoveries made, often completely unexpected.   We are observers, and recorders, even sometimes understanding how some basic things work, but there are whole sections of scientific thought that are for explaining why the things we think we know don't work that way all the time, like quantum-mechanics.  They have what's called the "uncertainty principle", that basically says we can't actually know where something is located and its momentum at the same time.  Think about that, one of the core principles of deep science says we can't know these two most basic things about a particle at the same time, which simply means we can't explain everything through science.  

Anyway, sorry for the deep dive there, my point is that we don't understand God, we never will fully understand God, He is beyond knowledge, and yet He invites us into life with Him, making Himself knowable, embracing our human limitations, and extending us grace and mercy in the face of these limitations.  He is and was and always will be, and we are well served to acknowledge this, and acknowledge our limitations.  His gifts, callings and invitations to life with Him are ours  always for He is unchanging.  

We can't fully understand all God's ways, but we can embrace the truths that we do know.  He has laid a solid foundation that is unchanging, and never will change, unlike the teachings of Mao or whatever other human thought we follow.  We can depend on His mercy, His Love, His Grace and His Faithfulness forever.

Let us allow His greatness, His mercy to us to rise up in gratitude!  Let our minds be renewed and our hearts become soft, and let us embrace Him who loves us eternally!

Amen!

Standing In Our Freedom, In Step With The Spirit

 This morning as I sat down to pray, pondering the state of our nation, and all the swirl around this election, I felt led to read out of Paul's letter to the church in Galatia, the fifth chapter.  I could quote the whole of the chapter, but instead am trying to glean the key parts that were highlighted to me this morning.  Here are the verses - Galatians 5:1,7-10,13-17,22-26 NIV:

[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

[7] "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? [8] That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. [9] “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” [10] I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty." 

[13] "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. [14] For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [15] If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." 

[16] "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. [17] For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want." 

[22] "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [26] Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

If I could summarize  these verses I would begin with verse 13, "Love your neighbor as yourself".  The core message and command of Jesus is to "Love one another!" (John 13:34).  Let us look to our actions and words and make sure that they are loving.  

Secondly, we are called to stay in the Holy Spirit, to walk by the Spirit, guided and directed by the Spirit. While Paul  first lists the things of the flesh, I figured it makes more sense to look at the fruit of the Spirit and compare our thoughts and actions against that list. Paul warns us that anything contrary to these is of the flesh, and in conflict with the Holy Spirit, and thus the will of God.  

It is so easy to get all wound-up by all the swirl around us, but our call is to keep our eyes focused on the Lord, and to stay in step with Holy Spirit.  We should not be swept up into the turmoil, but instead, embracing the call to love one another, every bit as much today as last Monday, as any other day!  We should be constantly monitoring our lives, our thoughts, our words and our actions, and making every effort to live in peace (Heb 12:14) and to allow the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in our lives.  We want to bear witness to the Holy Spirit, who lives within us! 

Let us stand in the freedom that we have, and let us love each other well.  Let us stay in step with the Spirit, that we might bear witness to Him who lives in us!

Blessings,  Sam

When We Just Don't Get It - God Is Still Faithful!

 This morning I am reading from John's Gospel, chapter two.  In John's recounting of the Good News about Jesus, he skips much of what was included in the other Gospel's for his was written last, and I would assume he didn't feel he needed to include what was already available in the synoptic Gospels.  Instead, I love how John is focused on Jesus as the Son of God, and the memories of the apostles, often times commenting on how they didn't understand certain things or even believe certain things until afterwards.  He gives his Gospel such a personal feel.  

In John 2:13-22, he recounts how Jesus drove cattle, sheep and money-changers out of the temple. He provides a couple of eye-witness details, and recounts the conversation where Jesus, when asked about His authority replies cryptically, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” (John 2:19NIV).  It appears no-one understood at the time what Jesus meant, for john adds the note in John 2:22 NIV:  "After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken."   Notice - its wasn't until after He was raised from the dead, that John noted that the disciples then believed!  In other words, prior to that time, this particular prophetic statement had NOT been believed!  Wow, that is an interesting comment.  This gives me great encouragement that even if I struggle to understand or believe something, the Lord isn't going to chastise me, or leave me behind!

In fact, John adds the next three verses, which are actually the ones I wanted to reflect upon today, as if to emphasize the point I just made above.  Here are the verses - John 2:23-25 NIV:

[23] "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. [24] But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. [25] He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person."

John's point here is that Jesus, while fully human Himself, also had deep insight, through the Holy Spirit, into each and every person He met.  He knew them, knew what they were thinking, and knew their motivations.  He knew that left to their own ideas, and motivations they would try to make Him King, and use Him for their own advancement. While He was busy revealing to them all the true character and nature of the Father, through signs and wonders, healings, deliverances and even raising people from the dead, they were thinking about how they could benefit from Him.  They weren't to be trusted with His real mission, nor even the knowledge that He was the Messiah for much of His ministry time.  They couldn't grasp the mystery of what He was really about, and would royally muck things up if He entrusted 'the real plan' to them!  

Matthew captured the essence of this perfectly in the following verses - Matthew 16:21-23 NIV:  "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 

[22] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 

[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Jesus is finally speaking to the apostles about 'the real plan', Peter's first response is "This shall never happen to you!"  Peter, one of his closest companions still hadn't fully understood 'the real plan'.  Jesus says that his concerns were not the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.  That must have shocked Peter, and the rest, for they were likely thinking the same thing!  

Again, the point of this is that Jesus understood this tension existed in His followers.  He knew they didn't understand what He was saying, knew they didn't grasp 'the real plan' yet never did He send them away, leave them behind, or berate them for not grasping the truth.  This exchange with Peter might seem like a rebuke, but it wasn't aimed so much at Peter, as the source of Peter's thinking, the enemy himself.  

My point in all of this, is that God has an incredible amount of grace for all of our inability to understand what He is doing, what He is saying, even our unbelief!  He understands our limitations, our selfish perspectives, our lack of spiritual insight and understanding.  He knows His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and yet He chooses to work in and through us, and has mercy on us in our own limitedness!  He is not afraid of our lack, for He has the power and authority to make His plan work, regardless of our own bumblings, unbelief and general dunder-headedness! He is still faithful, even when we are not, even when we haven't a clue.

Oh, what a great God we serve!  Thank You Lord for not treating me as I deserve, but instead inviting me into an intimate and trusted relationship as Your son!

Amen and Amen!

Competence, Boldness and Freedom

This morning I am reflecting on a few verses from Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth.  Here are the verses - 2 Corinthians 3:4-6,12,17-18 NIV:

[4] "Such confidence we have through Christ before God. [5] Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. [6] He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant---not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." 

[12] "Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold." 

[17] "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

Looking at these verses, three related words seem to summarize the themes - competence, boldness and freedom.  It is interesting that in Paul's case all of these have the root in the Holy Spirit, whereas if I were to normally think of someone that embodied these, it would be due to their own fleshly attitude and mindset, not a spiritual encouragement.  I believe these are all true, and all available to us today.

The confidence of competent ministry, something which develops as the Holy Spirit bears witness by His presence and power is first on my list of prayers for me and for our congregation!  We desire to see God move, to know that He is leading us and guiding us.  Paul was clear that His confidence was not founded on his own abilities or knowledge, but rather due to the witness of the Holy Spirit's ministry through him.  As He said in his first letter to this church, 

"I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power." ( 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 NIV).

This consistent experience and recognition of God's blessing leads to hope, which should lead to boldness!  Again, Paul was not looking to his own skills or knowledge, but rather to the witness of the Holy Spirit, in him and through him.  There comes a level of confidence and boldness from the consistent ministry of the Holy Spirit, which is bearing witness to God's desire and will to work through him.  Oh that we would have the same confidence, the same boldness, the same expectant faith every time we gather in His name!

Continuing on, this consistent witness, this confidence, this competence which leads to boldness, should operate in us to allow us to open new doors, to press into new things, experiencing the freedom that comes with an intimate relationship, and knowledge of the heart of God!  I love how the schools of ministry for Bethel, in Redding California, encourage people to try new things.  Their belief is that if you don't experience failure then you are not pressing into the fullness of all God has for you!  In other words, the Kingdom will be expanded through taking new ground, and new ground is often the result of a new experience in the Holy Spirit!  If we aren't pressing into new experiences we aren't really embracing this boldness, this confidence in the Holy Spirit's witness and guidance.  

Ministry in the Holy Spirit should be anything but boring and consistently the same.  I believe this is partly due to the Holy Spirit's desire to keep us tuned to Him, looking to Him for our confidence and competence, not to our own knowledge and experience.  We must never lose our dependence on the Holy Spirit!  We must stay tuned into Him, relying on His guidance even in the consistent and seemingly mundane, for as Paul says, "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves!"  We must continue to remind ourselves that all we have, all our abilities, our understanding of Him and His ways, are all from Him!

Finally, the Lord's goal in all of this is that we would be transformed into His image, experiencing an ever increasing glory!  Thus the miracles, signs and wonders, healings and such we experience today, should be the low-bar of expectation as we look to the future.  Ever-increasing Glory speaks of ever-increasing intimacy and authority, and experience!  We are called and invited to constantly press into the Lord for more!  His Glory, our experience of His presence and impact in our lives, is meant to be ever--increasing, so let us throw off dullness and lethargy, acceptance of the status quo, and let us press into Him for more and more!  Let us wait expectantly, and embrace every opportunity to be transformed into His image.  Sometimes, this will require us to die to ourselves, specifically to our fear of man and fear of failure, that we might become more like Him!  

Let us look to Him, look to His guidance, look to His encouragement, look to His Promise, look to His empowering, and let us step boldly into freedom, into full life in Him!

Amen and Amen!