This morning I am skipping ahead in Mark's Gospel to a set of verses I quoted yesterday which are always good to reflect upon, as JEsus is speaking about the most important things. Here are the verses - Mark 12:28-34 NIV:
[28] "One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
[29] “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [31] The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.”
[32] “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. [33] To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
[34] "When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions."
According to Mark this conversation happened in Jerusalem shortly before Jesus passion and death and thus we can ascribe a certain significance to them, for Jesus was well aware of what His future held, and as such was likely focused on those things of most importance. The teachers of the Law were growing in their disfavor of Jesus and had been trying to trap Him into saying something they could use to try Him for blasphemy, but had been unable to do so. This particular teacher was apparently not one of that crowd, but had been impressed with Jesus skilful responses. It seems that this question is actually a heart-felt question, and Jesus responds accordingly.
Jesus' answer is somewhat surprising as He doesn't pick two commandments from the list of the 10 Commandments, but rather picks the first of the 10, and then adds a second commandment that is found in the Book of Leviticus, which is a list of 25+ various Laws, and probably not considered one of the great commands. Most of us would not be familiar with this list of laws, but the Jews in Jesus' time would have known the list, at least. Regardless, it is interesting that Jesus specifically calls our attention to that 'command' to "love your neighbor as yourself". This is clearly a precursor to His issuing His new command at the Last Supper in John 13:34-35 NIV: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We would do well to meditate on both of these commands and compare how we are living our life in light of them. Jesus, in His response ties these two commands to experiencing the Kingdom of God, and that is where we want to be found.
Our primary motivation for our life should be our love of God, first and foremost, and that should lead us to love for our fellow man, our brothers and sisters that we encounter in our daily lives, for that is clearly the context of the second 'command'. Jesus invites us into the lifestyle that He lived! He loved the Father first and foremost, being careful to only do and say what the Father directed Him to do (John 5:19 & John 12:49). Secondly He laid His life down for all of us, loving us with the greatest love possible, and invites us to do the same.
There is no room for selfishness in this invitation, for our primary focus becomes loving God and then each other, as we love ourselves (equally). For many of us, our love of God and each other takes a distant second and third place in our lives, at best. We fill our lives with so many things that we don't have time for God or our neighbors. We run through life with best intentions but end up spending most of our time and energy on self-focused activities. Our love of God is supposed to consume us, and out of that flows a love for our fellow man, each of whom God loves as much as He loves us.
I guess when you think about it, our lives are supposed to overflow with Love, not activities! We are supposed to make love our primary motivation and action. We are supposed to walk in Love, reflect His Love, love one another, love ourselves, love, love, love! That is certainly not a bad pursuit in life.
This morning I am encouraged to purge things in my life that don't fit into these two most critical pursuits. I am encouraged to be more intentional in my daily life, making sure that my activities fall in-line with my pursuit of loving God and loving my neighbors! I am encouraged to be a distributor of love to those around me! I am encouraged to increase my pursuit of God, who desires to be the love of our lives.
Amen!
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Worship - Its About Encountering God, Not Religous Duty
This morning I am continuing my reading of Mark's Gospel, and today I pick up where I left off yesterday. Jesus, after entering Jerusalem to the acclaim of many people, had left the Temple complex without doing anything. The next day He returned to the Temple and these following verses describe His actions - Mark 11:15-18 NIV:
[15] "On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, [16] and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. [17] And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' ”
[18] "The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching."
The very first thing Jesus does when entering the Temple is to drive out those doing business there. Apparently this business was allowed because it was related to the sacrifices that people needed to offer as a part of their religious duty. The money-changers were those that converted different types of money into that which was used in the courts, and the doves were used as sacrifices, as proscribed in the Law. The question that has always been in my mind is why was this such a big deal to Jesus and the Father?
I believe there are a couple of reasons. First, Jesus addresses them and calls these businesses a "den of robbers". Clearly there was money being made, and likely it was significantly to the advantage of the business owners. People were coming to do what they believed was their religious obligation and the money-changers and sellers of doves were most likely taking extreme advantage of them. If that wasn't bad enough, they were probably doing it in God's name, as they were likely there with some permissions from the Priests. Thus, in the name of God, the businesses were stealing from who the people were coming to be in God's presence. I can't imagine the Father NOT being angry about how He was being represented.
When I think of the money focus that many ministries have these days, I see some strong parallels. In the name of God and for the sake of their continued ministry there are many that unabashedly make strong pushes for tithes (that which we should give back to God). There are stories of Pastors living in extravagant houses, flying on personal jets, and all sorts of luxurious lifestyles, riding on the backs (as it were) of needy people who are coming to experience God's presence.
We can try to rationalize the ministry being done as the reason, but it seems to me to be exactly the same issue Jesus was addressing here. Later in Marks account Jesus specifically addresses some of religious leaders in the following verses - Mark 12:38-40 NIV: "As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, [39] and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. [40] They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
The second reason, I believe, that Jesus addresses this issue is directly related to the first - they are doing this in God's name! Rather than focusing on prayer and communication with God, they were making it about money and sacrifice, religious obligation. Let's be clear, God doesn't need our money, He doesn't want our tithes, He doesn't require our religious acts of sacrifice. God doesn't cheat us, doesn't treat us harshly, doesn't take advantage of us in our need! All of these things could be seen as part of how God acts, as represented by the businesses being conducted in the Temple. Many times in the Old Testament God said that what He wanted was people to act rightly, to value mercy over sacrifice, to do acts of kindness rather than offer burnt sacrifices. He was after people hearts, desiring relationship and right action because of that relationship.
Although the Law was given by God through Moses, there had been hundreds of years of prophets calling the people back to relationship with God, to not focus on the sacrifices, but to return to Him with their hearts. These businesses basically just ignored this whole theme and discouraged real relationship. I can just imagine the system set up for the processing of people's sacrifices. They would go to the money changers, exchange their money into the temple money, then get in line to purchase the doves, then get in line to offer the dove as a sacrifice, all the while hearing those conducting the business shouting "Next!" There was likely very little in the experience of encountering God. I imagine it wasn't much different than what we experience when we go to the Department of Motor vehicles for a new License, long lines of people, each waiting to get processed.
Jesus cries out that the Temple was supposed to be a "house of prayer for all nations" and in doing so is drawing their attention back to what the Temple was supposed to be , a place to encounter God. God wants to encounter us! Here is the Son of God calling people to prayer, to conversing with God! He isn't after our rote prayers, but after intimate encounters of God's presence. Later in Mark, Jesus and a teacher have an exchange about the most important commandments as follows - Mark 12:28-31 NIV:
[28] "One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
[29] “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [31] The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.”
In these verses Jesus is calling us to LOVE God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. This is not some perfunctory obligation that does not engage the heart, but is rather supposed to engage our whole heart! We can't do anything with our whole heart without significant experience! God desires that we experience relationship with Him! The call to prayer is exactly that, the call to experience God. God desires us all to know Him, to hear from Him, to experience His love! We do that most consistently in the place of prayer.
Thus, this morning I am encouraged that God is after relationship with me, not the business of ministry. It is my prayer that all churches and all ministries being done in His name would recognize this truth and represent God accordingly. Lord, I pray that people would encounter You, not the request for money the next time they walk into church!
Secondly, I am encouraged to make sure that I am never sliding into a perfunctory prayer time, but rather expect to meet God, to encounter Him in the midst of my prayer! Lord, I am so grateful for Your invitation to relationship, for Your presence and guidance, Your love and direction!
Thank You Lord!
[15] "On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, [16] and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. [17] And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' ”
[18] "The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching."
The very first thing Jesus does when entering the Temple is to drive out those doing business there. Apparently this business was allowed because it was related to the sacrifices that people needed to offer as a part of their religious duty. The money-changers were those that converted different types of money into that which was used in the courts, and the doves were used as sacrifices, as proscribed in the Law. The question that has always been in my mind is why was this such a big deal to Jesus and the Father?
I believe there are a couple of reasons. First, Jesus addresses them and calls these businesses a "den of robbers". Clearly there was money being made, and likely it was significantly to the advantage of the business owners. People were coming to do what they believed was their religious obligation and the money-changers and sellers of doves were most likely taking extreme advantage of them. If that wasn't bad enough, they were probably doing it in God's name, as they were likely there with some permissions from the Priests. Thus, in the name of God, the businesses were stealing from who the people were coming to be in God's presence. I can't imagine the Father NOT being angry about how He was being represented.
When I think of the money focus that many ministries have these days, I see some strong parallels. In the name of God and for the sake of their continued ministry there are many that unabashedly make strong pushes for tithes (that which we should give back to God). There are stories of Pastors living in extravagant houses, flying on personal jets, and all sorts of luxurious lifestyles, riding on the backs (as it were) of needy people who are coming to experience God's presence.
We can try to rationalize the ministry being done as the reason, but it seems to me to be exactly the same issue Jesus was addressing here. Later in Marks account Jesus specifically addresses some of religious leaders in the following verses - Mark 12:38-40 NIV: "As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, [39] and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. [40] They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
The second reason, I believe, that Jesus addresses this issue is directly related to the first - they are doing this in God's name! Rather than focusing on prayer and communication with God, they were making it about money and sacrifice, religious obligation. Let's be clear, God doesn't need our money, He doesn't want our tithes, He doesn't require our religious acts of sacrifice. God doesn't cheat us, doesn't treat us harshly, doesn't take advantage of us in our need! All of these things could be seen as part of how God acts, as represented by the businesses being conducted in the Temple. Many times in the Old Testament God said that what He wanted was people to act rightly, to value mercy over sacrifice, to do acts of kindness rather than offer burnt sacrifices. He was after people hearts, desiring relationship and right action because of that relationship.
Although the Law was given by God through Moses, there had been hundreds of years of prophets calling the people back to relationship with God, to not focus on the sacrifices, but to return to Him with their hearts. These businesses basically just ignored this whole theme and discouraged real relationship. I can just imagine the system set up for the processing of people's sacrifices. They would go to the money changers, exchange their money into the temple money, then get in line to purchase the doves, then get in line to offer the dove as a sacrifice, all the while hearing those conducting the business shouting "Next!" There was likely very little in the experience of encountering God. I imagine it wasn't much different than what we experience when we go to the Department of Motor vehicles for a new License, long lines of people, each waiting to get processed.
Jesus cries out that the Temple was supposed to be a "house of prayer for all nations" and in doing so is drawing their attention back to what the Temple was supposed to be , a place to encounter God. God wants to encounter us! Here is the Son of God calling people to prayer, to conversing with God! He isn't after our rote prayers, but after intimate encounters of God's presence. Later in Mark, Jesus and a teacher have an exchange about the most important commandments as follows - Mark 12:28-31 NIV:
[28] "One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
[29] “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [31] The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.”
In these verses Jesus is calling us to LOVE God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. This is not some perfunctory obligation that does not engage the heart, but is rather supposed to engage our whole heart! We can't do anything with our whole heart without significant experience! God desires that we experience relationship with Him! The call to prayer is exactly that, the call to experience God. God desires us all to know Him, to hear from Him, to experience His love! We do that most consistently in the place of prayer.
Thus, this morning I am encouraged that God is after relationship with me, not the business of ministry. It is my prayer that all churches and all ministries being done in His name would recognize this truth and represent God accordingly. Lord, I pray that people would encounter You, not the request for money the next time they walk into church!
Secondly, I am encouraged to make sure that I am never sliding into a perfunctory prayer time, but rather expect to meet God, to encounter Him in the midst of my prayer! Lord, I am so grateful for Your invitation to relationship, for Your presence and guidance, Your love and direction!
Thank You Lord!
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
When God Does the Unexpected and Unanticipated!
This morning I am continuing my reading of Mark's gospel, and the verses I read today cover what is traditionally known as Palm Sunday. I think Mark adds one of the most interesting verses I have read in a long time to the end of His account. Here are the verses - Mark 11:1-11 NIV:
[1] A"s they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, [2] saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. [3] If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.' ”
[4] "They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, [5] some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” [6] They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. [7] When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. [8] Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. [9] Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [10] “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
[11] "Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve."
As I was reading these verses this morning my first thought after reading verse eleven is that must be the verse with the most empty anticipation in the whole Bible. Here is Jesus, finally coming to Jerusalem, being proclaimed as the coming King, people are lining the streets and shouting! There is an incredible excitement, for this is what they had been waiting 300+ years to see, the coming of the Messiah! The city of Jerusalem must have been stirred up to an incredible level of interest, excitement and anticipation!
Jesus rides the donkey into the city fulfilling the ancient prophecy about the Messiah!
All of the people are waiting to see what He says and does!
They are waiting on Him, straining to hear what He is going to say!
His procession leads to the Temple Courts, the very place that God's anointed would reveal Himself in Glory!
The people can hardly stand it!
Jesus enters the building!
He looks around!
He sees that it is late and turns around and walks out without saying or doing anything!
I can just imagine the startled, questioning looks the people must have had on their faces! I am sure the disciples were equally confused! They all still thought that Jesus was going to establish a New Kingdom, and the parade was basically supposed to announce that was imminent, and instead Jesus walks out.
Wow! Talk about underwhelming!
So the question in my mind is why did this happen? Why did Mark, under the influence of the Holy Spirit record this strange occurrence? What can I learn from this event?
First, I think it is important to remind myself that Jesus only did and said what the Father did and said (John 6:38; John 12:49, etc). He obeyed the Father in everything He did, and thus the whole entry into Jerusalem, the riding on the colt, were all directed by the Father. They did fulfill scriptural prophecies as well. The people were likely familiar with some of the prophecies and while they knew the text they didn't understand the fullness of God's plan. Pretty much all the people expecting the Messiah, based on the prophecies, were expecting the coming Messiah to become a King like David. Jerusalem was the seat of David's Kingdom, and thus their expectations were seemingly being fulfilled.
Instead we see the Father interrupt the ideas and anticipated events and steer Jesus in a completely different direction, not incongruent with His will or the Prophecies, but unanticipated by the people!
As this theme started to be revealed in my mind, I realized that this is actually quite common, at least in my life! I pray something, and then think I hear something from the Lord in response to my prayer (which should be the normal experience of prayer, for it is supposed to be a 2 way conversation with God) and I think I know what His response means. I start to think through what I think He means and it builds in me an anticipation of His will and purpose. I get things all figured out in my head and then expect the situation to resolve itself the way I think it will.
Instead, I am often amazed at the actual resolution! God meets me in ways that I didn't anticipate, provides for me in new ways, or in deeper ways than I had ever thought! I find that God is not limited to my imagination! Thankfully! Sometimes the difference between what God does and what I thought He was going to do is very significant, other times its pretty similar, some times it is completely different! When it is different, I can sometimes get myself worked into a tizzy, because He hasn't met my expectations! Talk about vain imaginations! Like my thoughts are capable of understanding all the perfect will of God and how I fit into His grand plan!
Anyway to explain this a bit further, I was reminded of the movie "The Karate Kid". In the movie the young boy asks the old Japanese man to teach him Karate, and the old man agrees. The young boy shows up the next day all ready to begin his training and the old man tells him to wax the cars. The next day his training is to paint the fence, then a whole assortment of seemingly unrelated tasks. The boy had this anticipation and expectation of learning to fight and finally confronts the old man in his impatience and imperfect understanding. The old man then shows him how his work has built in him reflexes and strength that He didn't have before. It was a very good example of lack of understanding creating an anticipation and expectation that was unmet!
In the same way, I believe that we are limited in our understanding of God's plans and purposes. We want to think that we understand God's ways. We believe that our understanding is correct, and then when God works it is different than we thought, and sometimes we get our undies in a bunch! We want God to work the way we want Him to work, and when He doesn't we can get offended.
Sometimes it can be for really important things, like praying for sick relatives to be healed! Sometimes it can be for a new job, a new home, a new life, all which are very important to God! We bring our needs before God, and being the good Father that He is, He answers. However, His answer is in line with His will, not with our imaginations and thoughts! I heard a pastor say one time that the problem we people have with God is that He thinks He is God! :-) We want Him to be like us, to think like we think, to do things the way WE expect Him to do them. We don't want Him doing unanticipated things, in unanticipated ways!
My encouragement this morning is to ask God for more understanding! My encouragement is to recognize that I don't often understand what He is doing, ad to be ok with that! My encouragement is to trust that God's ways are perfect and good, even if they are unexpected or unanticipated.
When I look back on my life I see plenty of times that God surprised me with something I would have never thought of on my own. There are times that He completely changed the course of my life, or my direction, and it has only been through trust, obedience and faith that I have followed Him, because it certainly didn't make sense at the time. He has provided far more abundantly that I could ever have dreamed of and led down paths that I would have never chosen, yet which have been full of life and blessings!
My encouragement this morning is to believe that God knows exactly what He is doing, and to entrust myself to Him, regardless of how it looks to me! He is the God of the Impossible, the God of Provision, the God who heals and the God who is good!
Amen and Amen!
[1] A"s they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, [2] saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. [3] If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.' ”
[4] "They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, [5] some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” [6] They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. [7] When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. [8] Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. [9] Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [10] “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
[11] "Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve."
As I was reading these verses this morning my first thought after reading verse eleven is that must be the verse with the most empty anticipation in the whole Bible. Here is Jesus, finally coming to Jerusalem, being proclaimed as the coming King, people are lining the streets and shouting! There is an incredible excitement, for this is what they had been waiting 300+ years to see, the coming of the Messiah! The city of Jerusalem must have been stirred up to an incredible level of interest, excitement and anticipation!
Jesus rides the donkey into the city fulfilling the ancient prophecy about the Messiah!
All of the people are waiting to see what He says and does!
They are waiting on Him, straining to hear what He is going to say!
His procession leads to the Temple Courts, the very place that God's anointed would reveal Himself in Glory!
The people can hardly stand it!
Jesus enters the building!
He looks around!
He sees that it is late and turns around and walks out without saying or doing anything!
I can just imagine the startled, questioning looks the people must have had on their faces! I am sure the disciples were equally confused! They all still thought that Jesus was going to establish a New Kingdom, and the parade was basically supposed to announce that was imminent, and instead Jesus walks out.
Wow! Talk about underwhelming!
So the question in my mind is why did this happen? Why did Mark, under the influence of the Holy Spirit record this strange occurrence? What can I learn from this event?
First, I think it is important to remind myself that Jesus only did and said what the Father did and said (John 6:38; John 12:49, etc). He obeyed the Father in everything He did, and thus the whole entry into Jerusalem, the riding on the colt, were all directed by the Father. They did fulfill scriptural prophecies as well. The people were likely familiar with some of the prophecies and while they knew the text they didn't understand the fullness of God's plan. Pretty much all the people expecting the Messiah, based on the prophecies, were expecting the coming Messiah to become a King like David. Jerusalem was the seat of David's Kingdom, and thus their expectations were seemingly being fulfilled.
Instead we see the Father interrupt the ideas and anticipated events and steer Jesus in a completely different direction, not incongruent with His will or the Prophecies, but unanticipated by the people!
As this theme started to be revealed in my mind, I realized that this is actually quite common, at least in my life! I pray something, and then think I hear something from the Lord in response to my prayer (which should be the normal experience of prayer, for it is supposed to be a 2 way conversation with God) and I think I know what His response means. I start to think through what I think He means and it builds in me an anticipation of His will and purpose. I get things all figured out in my head and then expect the situation to resolve itself the way I think it will.
Instead, I am often amazed at the actual resolution! God meets me in ways that I didn't anticipate, provides for me in new ways, or in deeper ways than I had ever thought! I find that God is not limited to my imagination! Thankfully! Sometimes the difference between what God does and what I thought He was going to do is very significant, other times its pretty similar, some times it is completely different! When it is different, I can sometimes get myself worked into a tizzy, because He hasn't met my expectations! Talk about vain imaginations! Like my thoughts are capable of understanding all the perfect will of God and how I fit into His grand plan!
Anyway to explain this a bit further, I was reminded of the movie "The Karate Kid". In the movie the young boy asks the old Japanese man to teach him Karate, and the old man agrees. The young boy shows up the next day all ready to begin his training and the old man tells him to wax the cars. The next day his training is to paint the fence, then a whole assortment of seemingly unrelated tasks. The boy had this anticipation and expectation of learning to fight and finally confronts the old man in his impatience and imperfect understanding. The old man then shows him how his work has built in him reflexes and strength that He didn't have before. It was a very good example of lack of understanding creating an anticipation and expectation that was unmet!
In the same way, I believe that we are limited in our understanding of God's plans and purposes. We want to think that we understand God's ways. We believe that our understanding is correct, and then when God works it is different than we thought, and sometimes we get our undies in a bunch! We want God to work the way we want Him to work, and when He doesn't we can get offended.
Sometimes it can be for really important things, like praying for sick relatives to be healed! Sometimes it can be for a new job, a new home, a new life, all which are very important to God! We bring our needs before God, and being the good Father that He is, He answers. However, His answer is in line with His will, not with our imaginations and thoughts! I heard a pastor say one time that the problem we people have with God is that He thinks He is God! :-) We want Him to be like us, to think like we think, to do things the way WE expect Him to do them. We don't want Him doing unanticipated things, in unanticipated ways!
My encouragement this morning is to ask God for more understanding! My encouragement is to recognize that I don't often understand what He is doing, ad to be ok with that! My encouragement is to trust that God's ways are perfect and good, even if they are unexpected or unanticipated.
When I look back on my life I see plenty of times that God surprised me with something I would have never thought of on my own. There are times that He completely changed the course of my life, or my direction, and it has only been through trust, obedience and faith that I have followed Him, because it certainly didn't make sense at the time. He has provided far more abundantly that I could ever have dreamed of and led down paths that I would have never chosen, yet which have been full of life and blessings!
My encouragement this morning is to believe that God knows exactly what He is doing, and to entrust myself to Him, regardless of how it looks to me! He is the God of the Impossible, the God of Provision, the God who heals and the God who is good!
Amen and Amen!
Monday, November 27, 2017
Being Interruptable - an Invitation to Change
This morning I am continuing on with my reading of Mark's Gospel and come to one of my favorite stories, the healing of Bartimaeus. I was reading through this very familiar story and the yet, one of the verses grabbed my attention unexpectedly. Here is the story as recounted by Mark 10:46-52 NIV:
[46] "Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. [47] When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
[48] Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
[49] Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.” [50] Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
[51] “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
[52] “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."
I love this story of the blind man's faith and desperation and how he wouldn't stop shouting. I am encouraged by his faith and perseverance. However, this morning the verse that caught my attention was verse 48, "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet". I was just thinking how strange that response was for the people following Jesus, as He was constantly healing people. He had stopped for many people, and always had time for them and their needs and yet the crowd was telling Bartimaeus to be quiet!
As I started pondering this in my mind, I felt like the Lord said, this is no different than many churches and individuals who are so busy with their programs and tasks that they don't want to stop for those in need who are crying out for the touch of God. I thought that was a bit harsh, but then I realized that I am one of those that would be so time focused that I wouldn't stop either. Ouch! I was raised in a time conscious family and was taught that being late is rude. If I say I will be done or going to meet someone at a certain time I will do that regardless of the situation in front of me. I am willing to put my schedule and commitment before most anything else.
In this case, Jesus was obviously going somewhere, leaving the city on His way to Jerusalem. As a personal note, I am almost impossible to get off track when I am traveling somewhere, and pretty much never stop for anything but the essentials. I don't think Jesus was that way, but for some reason I am. Anyway, there appears to have been in the crowd a fair number of people who were also schedule people, task people, or as I call them "drivers". They didn't want Jesus to be interrupted by this poor blind man, and told Him to be quiet. They might have been thinking about Jesus' comfort, or His need to get somewhere and rest. Whatever, they were missing the heart of the Father, as demonstrated by Jesus.
The Father always cares for the one, is always concerned for the needs of the individual, and will always allow Himself to be interrupted, and He is the one we should be representing! Jesus, gave us multiple examples of this heart and attitude in His ministry, stopping for the one who others would have ignored or felt it was their religious duty to bypass. In the stories of Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the adulterous woman, the woman who touched his cloak and was healed, and even the lepers, Jesus had good religious reasons to bypass them. He could have ignored them and yet, in each of those cases, He stopped, saw the person and their real need and radically changed their lives.
Imagine if we, rather than judging people, really saw people for who they were and allowed the Father to minister through us (as Jesus demonstrated) how different our communities would be! There are many good church ministries to homeless people, the disadvantaged, the needy and the downtrodden, and these are great! We should support these efforts and get involved where we can! We should be known as generous and giving people.
However, we can sometimes allow our support and even participation in these ministries to become an excuse to not reach out personally to those we encounter in our daily lives. I am fine with program based ministry, but when I am invited to make ministry my actual lifestyle and invite those in need into my daily life, I get uncomfortable and often ignore the opportunity. It is fine to go minister as long as it doesn't interfere with my "real" life, or the lifestyle I have come to enjoy!
The question on my heart this morning is whether I am interupptable? I feel like the Lord is offereing me an invitation. The question is am I willing to be interrupted in my daily life, in my comfort, in my schedule orientation, in my upper-middle class lifestyle, by those in need? Am I too busy going somewhere, or doing something to stop and allow the Father's heart to touch someone through me? Am I truly willing to make my life available to God, and listen for those crying out in their need?
It is my prayer that I would be like You Father! I want to be willing, to have my heart and mind changed so that I put people before my schedules, tasks and own plans. I want to be interupptable, to be aware of those in need! I want to be willing to stop, regardless of what I am doing, to see God touch my brothers and sisters in need, whatever it is.
Yes, Lord, help me!
[46] "Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. [47] When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
[48] Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
[49] Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.” [50] Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
[51] “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
[52] “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."
I love this story of the blind man's faith and desperation and how he wouldn't stop shouting. I am encouraged by his faith and perseverance. However, this morning the verse that caught my attention was verse 48, "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet". I was just thinking how strange that response was for the people following Jesus, as He was constantly healing people. He had stopped for many people, and always had time for them and their needs and yet the crowd was telling Bartimaeus to be quiet!
As I started pondering this in my mind, I felt like the Lord said, this is no different than many churches and individuals who are so busy with their programs and tasks that they don't want to stop for those in need who are crying out for the touch of God. I thought that was a bit harsh, but then I realized that I am one of those that would be so time focused that I wouldn't stop either. Ouch! I was raised in a time conscious family and was taught that being late is rude. If I say I will be done or going to meet someone at a certain time I will do that regardless of the situation in front of me. I am willing to put my schedule and commitment before most anything else.
In this case, Jesus was obviously going somewhere, leaving the city on His way to Jerusalem. As a personal note, I am almost impossible to get off track when I am traveling somewhere, and pretty much never stop for anything but the essentials. I don't think Jesus was that way, but for some reason I am. Anyway, there appears to have been in the crowd a fair number of people who were also schedule people, task people, or as I call them "drivers". They didn't want Jesus to be interrupted by this poor blind man, and told Him to be quiet. They might have been thinking about Jesus' comfort, or His need to get somewhere and rest. Whatever, they were missing the heart of the Father, as demonstrated by Jesus.
The Father always cares for the one, is always concerned for the needs of the individual, and will always allow Himself to be interrupted, and He is the one we should be representing! Jesus, gave us multiple examples of this heart and attitude in His ministry, stopping for the one who others would have ignored or felt it was their religious duty to bypass. In the stories of Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the adulterous woman, the woman who touched his cloak and was healed, and even the lepers, Jesus had good religious reasons to bypass them. He could have ignored them and yet, in each of those cases, He stopped, saw the person and their real need and radically changed their lives.
Imagine if we, rather than judging people, really saw people for who they were and allowed the Father to minister through us (as Jesus demonstrated) how different our communities would be! There are many good church ministries to homeless people, the disadvantaged, the needy and the downtrodden, and these are great! We should support these efforts and get involved where we can! We should be known as generous and giving people.
However, we can sometimes allow our support and even participation in these ministries to become an excuse to not reach out personally to those we encounter in our daily lives. I am fine with program based ministry, but when I am invited to make ministry my actual lifestyle and invite those in need into my daily life, I get uncomfortable and often ignore the opportunity. It is fine to go minister as long as it doesn't interfere with my "real" life, or the lifestyle I have come to enjoy!
The question on my heart this morning is whether I am interupptable? I feel like the Lord is offereing me an invitation. The question is am I willing to be interrupted in my daily life, in my comfort, in my schedule orientation, in my upper-middle class lifestyle, by those in need? Am I too busy going somewhere, or doing something to stop and allow the Father's heart to touch someone through me? Am I truly willing to make my life available to God, and listen for those crying out in their need?
It is my prayer that I would be like You Father! I want to be willing, to have my heart and mind changed so that I put people before my schedules, tasks and own plans. I want to be interupptable, to be aware of those in need! I want to be willing to stop, regardless of what I am doing, to see God touch my brothers and sisters in need, whatever it is.
Yes, Lord, help me!
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Inattention and Wrong Approach - God's Response
This morning I was sitting here feeling a bit brain-dead from a head cold, and thinking about how sometimes I just don't feel spiritual at all. I was thinking about all the times that I just don't seem to be tracking with anything that seems related to God, and probably am missing what He is speaking about because I just am not listening.
I turned to Mark's Gospel and ran across these next verses, which give a great example of a couple of the Apostles who were apparently in a similar state. The background to these verses is that Jesus was again speaking to them about His impending death for the third time. I have included those verses for context - but my real focus this morning is on James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Here are the verses - Mark 10:32-45 NIV:
[32] "They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. [33] “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, [34] who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
[35] Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
[36] “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
[37] They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
[38] “You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
[39] “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, [40] but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
[41] When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. [42] Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [43] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. [45] For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Starting with verse 35, it is apparent to me that neither James or John had heard a word that Jesus was saying! Here Jesus is telling them about how He is going to be mocked, beaten, spit on, flogged and killed when they get to Jerusalem and they are thinking about Jesus ruling as the new King of Israel, and them sitting on His right and left hand! Talk about completely missing the point, and all the previous conversations!
Jesus is not apparently angry about the fact they they were not listening to a thing He had just said, as He never even addresses that issue. I also love the fact that Jesus is not offended by their extremely ambitious request, their wrong approach, or even by the way they introduce it. Imagine coming to Him and saying, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask!" I don't even approach my sweetheart that way, nor would I think to do so, yet here are the brothers boldly asking Jesus to agree to do "whatever they ask"! Based on Jesus' response, it doesn't seem like He had a problem with their approach. He asks for clarification, and even after hearing their request is not indignant, nor angry! He might have rolled His eyes back a little, but the sense I have is that Jesus liked their boldness in asking, they just were asking for the wrong thing.
There are several scriptures where we are encouraged to ask of God (two quick examples - Matt 6:11; Matt 7:7-12). He has revealed Himself as our provider (Job 36:31; Ps 111:5) and He has promised to care for us and meet our needs (Matt 6:25-34). Thus, we know that God doesn't have a problem with us asking of Him, and that He even encourages that heart and mindset. God wants us to ask Him for provision and blessing.
It is interesting that shortly before these verses, we find the story of a rich man who comes to Jesus and he asks what He needs to do to inherit eternal life? Jesus answers that He needs to sell everything and give to the poor and then come follow Him (Matt 10:17-23). Sometimes people want to make this command to the rich man a command for us all to follow, and forget all the verses where God clearly tells us to ask of Him. Jesus ends that section with the following statement - “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel [30] will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---along with persecutions---and in the age to come eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30 NIV) He intends to bless us in this present age and the age to come, if we but follow Him.
So back to the original theme, that of missing the point, not listening and God's handling of us in those times. He knows us, knows our hearts and knows our every thought and word spoken (PS 139:1-4). He has always known us and has never been surprised by a thing we think or ask. In spite of this, He loves us and has chosen us! Paul writes the following in his letter to the Ephesians 1:3-6 NIV: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. [4] For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--- [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Rather than judge us for our inattention, our stupid thinking, or our stupid words, He loves us and blesses us with every spiritual blessing! Wow! God clearly isn't like us, nor are His thoughts like our thoughts! (Isaiah 55:8-9)
The ultimate concern of the Lord is that we are in relationship with Him. Paul mentions our adoption to sonship (Eph 1:5)! Jesus invited the rich young man to, "come, follow me" (Mark 10:21), which was a clear invitation to relationship. Jesus does not break relationship with James and John, rather He invites them into the fellowship of His suffering servant-hood. Our call, our invitation, our opportunity is to embrace the same, to follow Jesus, to be with Him where He is and to do what He is doing! He understands that we miss the boat sometimes, or often-times as in my case. He knows our thoughts and words, and still invites us to join Him. He desires to give us good things and wants us to approach Him boldly. More than anything He wants us to understand our invitation to significant relationship as His sons and daughters, in whom He is well pleased!
Let us not be indignant with our brothers and sisters who are pursuing God, who are learning how to ask Him and receive from Him! Let us not judge those who are inattentive, or missing the boat, for He doesn't judge them. Let us embrace a similar attitude towards one another and towards ourselves. Let us press forward in relationship and not worry about our past mistakes and inattentiveness. Let us believe that God has great things in store for us, and encourage one another to press into Him! God knows us and still Loves us!
I turned to Mark's Gospel and ran across these next verses, which give a great example of a couple of the Apostles who were apparently in a similar state. The background to these verses is that Jesus was again speaking to them about His impending death for the third time. I have included those verses for context - but my real focus this morning is on James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Here are the verses - Mark 10:32-45 NIV:
[32] "They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. [33] “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, [34] who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
[35] Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
[36] “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
[37] They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
[38] “You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
[39] “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, [40] but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
[41] When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. [42] Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [43] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. [45] For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Starting with verse 35, it is apparent to me that neither James or John had heard a word that Jesus was saying! Here Jesus is telling them about how He is going to be mocked, beaten, spit on, flogged and killed when they get to Jerusalem and they are thinking about Jesus ruling as the new King of Israel, and them sitting on His right and left hand! Talk about completely missing the point, and all the previous conversations!
Jesus is not apparently angry about the fact they they were not listening to a thing He had just said, as He never even addresses that issue. I also love the fact that Jesus is not offended by their extremely ambitious request, their wrong approach, or even by the way they introduce it. Imagine coming to Him and saying, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask!" I don't even approach my sweetheart that way, nor would I think to do so, yet here are the brothers boldly asking Jesus to agree to do "whatever they ask"! Based on Jesus' response, it doesn't seem like He had a problem with their approach. He asks for clarification, and even after hearing their request is not indignant, nor angry! He might have rolled His eyes back a little, but the sense I have is that Jesus liked their boldness in asking, they just were asking for the wrong thing.
There are several scriptures where we are encouraged to ask of God (two quick examples - Matt 6:11; Matt 7:7-12). He has revealed Himself as our provider (Job 36:31; Ps 111:5) and He has promised to care for us and meet our needs (Matt 6:25-34). Thus, we know that God doesn't have a problem with us asking of Him, and that He even encourages that heart and mindset. God wants us to ask Him for provision and blessing.
It is interesting that shortly before these verses, we find the story of a rich man who comes to Jesus and he asks what He needs to do to inherit eternal life? Jesus answers that He needs to sell everything and give to the poor and then come follow Him (Matt 10:17-23). Sometimes people want to make this command to the rich man a command for us all to follow, and forget all the verses where God clearly tells us to ask of Him. Jesus ends that section with the following statement - “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel [30] will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---along with persecutions---and in the age to come eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30 NIV) He intends to bless us in this present age and the age to come, if we but follow Him.
So back to the original theme, that of missing the point, not listening and God's handling of us in those times. He knows us, knows our hearts and knows our every thought and word spoken (PS 139:1-4). He has always known us and has never been surprised by a thing we think or ask. In spite of this, He loves us and has chosen us! Paul writes the following in his letter to the Ephesians 1:3-6 NIV: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. [4] For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--- [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Rather than judge us for our inattention, our stupid thinking, or our stupid words, He loves us and blesses us with every spiritual blessing! Wow! God clearly isn't like us, nor are His thoughts like our thoughts! (Isaiah 55:8-9)
The ultimate concern of the Lord is that we are in relationship with Him. Paul mentions our adoption to sonship (Eph 1:5)! Jesus invited the rich young man to, "come, follow me" (Mark 10:21), which was a clear invitation to relationship. Jesus does not break relationship with James and John, rather He invites them into the fellowship of His suffering servant-hood. Our call, our invitation, our opportunity is to embrace the same, to follow Jesus, to be with Him where He is and to do what He is doing! He understands that we miss the boat sometimes, or often-times as in my case. He knows our thoughts and words, and still invites us to join Him. He desires to give us good things and wants us to approach Him boldly. More than anything He wants us to understand our invitation to significant relationship as His sons and daughters, in whom He is well pleased!
Let us not be indignant with our brothers and sisters who are pursuing God, who are learning how to ask Him and receive from Him! Let us not judge those who are inattentive, or missing the boat, for He doesn't judge them. Let us embrace a similar attitude towards one another and towards ourselves. Let us press forward in relationship and not worry about our past mistakes and inattentiveness. Let us believe that God has great things in store for us, and encourage one another to press into Him! God knows us and still Loves us!
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Understanding the Kingdom - Changing My Worldview
This morning I am continuing on in my reflections on Mark's Gospel, and the theme appears to be understanding the Kingdom of God. A couple of days ago I was reflecting on the provision of God relating to the multiplication of food to feed 4000 people in a remote location.
As I was rereading that reflection this morning, I thought that I should probably mention the fact that God was also demonstrating that what we consider natural rules do not necessarily apply in the Kingdom. He is the creator and has the authority and power to create, to multiply or to suspend certain natural laws. Jesus wasa demonstrating God's ability to do that through a man walking in obedience. In scripture we see Him speaking to storms and causing them to stop (Luke 8:22-25), walking on water (John 6:16-21), and multiplying food (Mark 8:1-10 for example). Some of His healing miracles also seem to flow counter to our understanding of natural laws, such as the man with the withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), the man born blind (John 9:1-7), and the lame man cured after 38 years (John 5:1-15). All of those would be medically impossible, and still are medically impossible, in our natural world-view. However, God has a Kingdom view, and we need to learn to see things from His perspective, and learn to listen to Him regarding what is possible.
Today I am reflecting on the following verses - Mark 8:13-21 NIV:
[13] "Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
[14] The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
[15] “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
[16] They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
[17] Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? [18] Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? [19] When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
[20] “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.”
[21] He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
I must say that I am with the disciples on this, and I am not happy that is the case, it is just my present reality. I am so logical and so tied to the natural world-view that I am struggle to understand the laws of the Kingdom yet, and most of the time just walk away from the impossible, the improbable, and think about them in purely logical ways. I can read the stories in the Gospels, but my mind is just wired to think a certain way, at present, and I need help to change!
Lord I want to believe! I want to see and understand! I want my heart and mind to be softened and changed! I want to have eyes that see and ears that hear! I want to understand!
It seems to me that Jesus was encouraging the disciples to reflect back on what He had done and demonstrated in front of them. He was calling them to see that in the Kingdom everything was possible, ever feeding thousands of people (5000 on one occasion and 4000 on another) with a total of twelve loaves. He wasn't explaining the math, but calling to their mind and understanding the principle of God's miraculous provision. The disciples remained mired in the circumstances of what was on hand (They forgot to bring bread on this journey) and not on what God could do.
This is a great example of how I think, I look at the facts on hand and try to figure out a solution using what is available. What if I learned to think from God's perspective? What if I started to look for possibilities, rather than at the limitations. What if I started working my solution equations with a factor for God's miraculous provision? Sort of an A + B + "God's provision" = something beyond my expectation!?
I was just reminded of the story of Peter and John walking into the temple, and seeing the man with the crippled legs. I think this story demonstrates the change in the way they thought.
Here is the story as recounted by Luke in Acts 3:1-10 NIV:
[1] "One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer---at three in the afternoon. [2] Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. [3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. [4] Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” [5] So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
[6] Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. [9] When all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."
Peter understood that He had "God's Provision" in the form of healing! He had faith that God could do something that was out of the realm of the natural law, or logic. God could restore the man's legs, even though he had been lame from birth. They bypassed the normal human based solution, "give the man some money" and went right to God's provision.
Lord, that is the way I want to think! I pray that You would rewire my thinking, and increase my faith for You to move in miraculous ways. I pray that You might help me see, hear and understand! Help me to embrace Your Kingdom ways and reality! Help me to change my default worldview to embrace Your Kingdom reality.
Amen and Amen!
As I was rereading that reflection this morning, I thought that I should probably mention the fact that God was also demonstrating that what we consider natural rules do not necessarily apply in the Kingdom. He is the creator and has the authority and power to create, to multiply or to suspend certain natural laws. Jesus wasa demonstrating God's ability to do that through a man walking in obedience. In scripture we see Him speaking to storms and causing them to stop (Luke 8:22-25), walking on water (John 6:16-21), and multiplying food (Mark 8:1-10 for example). Some of His healing miracles also seem to flow counter to our understanding of natural laws, such as the man with the withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), the man born blind (John 9:1-7), and the lame man cured after 38 years (John 5:1-15). All of those would be medically impossible, and still are medically impossible, in our natural world-view. However, God has a Kingdom view, and we need to learn to see things from His perspective, and learn to listen to Him regarding what is possible.
Today I am reflecting on the following verses - Mark 8:13-21 NIV:
[13] "Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
[14] The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
[15] “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
[16] They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
[17] Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? [18] Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? [19] When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
[20] “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.”
[21] He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
I must say that I am with the disciples on this, and I am not happy that is the case, it is just my present reality. I am so logical and so tied to the natural world-view that I am struggle to understand the laws of the Kingdom yet, and most of the time just walk away from the impossible, the improbable, and think about them in purely logical ways. I can read the stories in the Gospels, but my mind is just wired to think a certain way, at present, and I need help to change!
Lord I want to believe! I want to see and understand! I want my heart and mind to be softened and changed! I want to have eyes that see and ears that hear! I want to understand!
It seems to me that Jesus was encouraging the disciples to reflect back on what He had done and demonstrated in front of them. He was calling them to see that in the Kingdom everything was possible, ever feeding thousands of people (5000 on one occasion and 4000 on another) with a total of twelve loaves. He wasn't explaining the math, but calling to their mind and understanding the principle of God's miraculous provision. The disciples remained mired in the circumstances of what was on hand (They forgot to bring bread on this journey) and not on what God could do.
This is a great example of how I think, I look at the facts on hand and try to figure out a solution using what is available. What if I learned to think from God's perspective? What if I started to look for possibilities, rather than at the limitations. What if I started working my solution equations with a factor for God's miraculous provision? Sort of an A + B + "God's provision" = something beyond my expectation!?
I was just reminded of the story of Peter and John walking into the temple, and seeing the man with the crippled legs. I think this story demonstrates the change in the way they thought.
Here is the story as recounted by Luke in Acts 3:1-10 NIV:
[1] "One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer---at three in the afternoon. [2] Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. [3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. [4] Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” [5] So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
[6] Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. [9] When all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."
Peter understood that He had "God's Provision" in the form of healing! He had faith that God could do something that was out of the realm of the natural law, or logic. God could restore the man's legs, even though he had been lame from birth. They bypassed the normal human based solution, "give the man some money" and went right to God's provision.
Lord, that is the way I want to think! I pray that You would rewire my thinking, and increase my faith for You to move in miraculous ways. I pray that You might help me see, hear and understand! Help me to embrace Your Kingdom ways and reality! Help me to change my default worldview to embrace Your Kingdom reality.
Amen and Amen!
Monday, November 20, 2017
God's Provision in Need - Understanding the Kingdom
This morning I am reflecting on some verses from Mark's Gospel. These verses follow immediately after Jesus healed a man who was deaf and could barely speak. He was in the area of the Decapolis. Here are the final verses from Chapter 7 which set the stage for chapter 8 - Mark 7:35-37 NIV:
[35] "At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly."
[36] Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. [37] People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Here are the verses - Mark 8:1-10 NIV:
[1] "During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, [2] “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. [3] If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
[4] His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
[5] “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
[6] "He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. [7] They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. [8] The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. [9] About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, [10] he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha."
The first thing that caught my eye this morning was verse 1, about a large crowd gathering. The large crowd gathered because of occurrences of the end of chapter seven, the healing of the man who was deaf and unable to speak. I think it is clear that significant healings will draw people, and Jesus was the greatest healer they had ever heard of or seen. The response of the people was natural, they wanted to see Him and hear Him. What caught my attention was that the people were willing to travel to a remote area, AND had been with Jesus for 3 days!
I was thinking about the simple logistics of a crowd of 4 thousand people following Him. He clearly wasn't walking about, but must have been camped in particular area, and more and more people came to hear Him speak and watch Him minister. We are not told about any other healings during this particular 3 days, but one would expect that His basic ministry model was unchanged. He would proclaim the Kingdom of God and then demonstrate the Kingdom realities by healing the sick, casting our demons, etc. (See Matt 4:23-25).
Regardless or what Jesus was doing, the crowd was with him for three days and that presents many logistical problems, one of them being food. The fact that they were gathered in a remote place, made these logistical problems that much greater. How could they get enough food and water for all those people? Jesus' original statement and question to the disciples shows us that He was aware of the issues and was making sure the disciples were aware as well.
I recently heard Graham Cooke speak about the ways of the Kingdom. (For more from Graham go to http://brilliantperspectives.com) He said that we need to change the way we think, because in the Kingdom, there are no problems, just possibilities for God to demonstrate His provision, increase our faith, and prove His faithfulness (See Matt 6:25-34). In this case, Jesus was presenting the issue to the disciples, I think, to see if they understood these Kingdom principles yet.
In the section of Matthew that I point to above, Jesus says that God knows all our needs, but that we should concern ourselves with the Kingdom first, and God will the provide all we need (my paraphrase). So in this case, He seems to be asking them to look at the issue of feeding 4000 from the perspective of the Kingdom of God, and God's ability to demonstrate provision, His faithfulness and to increase people's faith. The disciples however had no idea how God would solve the issue at hand and their answer proves they hadn't shifted into Kingdom thinking yet, for they answered that it would be impossible to get enough food to them in that region. They looked at the logistical problem, not the possibility of the Kingdom solution.
In the Kingdom, with God, all things are possible for those that believe (Mark 9:23). Thus, feeding 4000 people in a remote region, is not impossible! There was a Kingdom provision available, but the disciples didn't see it yet. Jesus, rather than berate them for their lack of faith, patiently leads them to the solution, the multiplication of food. The issue wasn't really logistics, it was having enough food to feed the people, but the disciples were focused on what they perceived as the problem. They had some food, probably hardly enough to feed themselves, let alone 4000 but no way to get more. So, they had what they needed (Food) just not enough.
Do you ever feel like you have just a measure of what you need, but not enough? It may be that the Lord is allowing you to be in this position so that He can show you how His Kingdom works!
So, in the Kingdom (as demonstrated by Jesus here) when we are in need, we take what we have, give thanks to God for it and then ask Him to bless it then give it away! Now that is radical! That is so illogical! That is the absolutely wrong logical approach and one that we just wouldn't come up with on our own! Yet in the Kingdom, that is How the Lord pours out provision, demonstrates His faithfulness and grows our faith! As I was quoting in my last blog entry, God doesn't think like us, nor are our ways His ways (Iss 55:8-9). He demonstrates that reality here, and provides for 4000 people through a completely illogical step.
So this morning, I realize that sometimes as I am following God I find myself in difficult situations, wondering how I got there, and wondering where the provision I need is going to come from? I am encouraged to believe that God has brought me to that place to show me how His Kingdom works and to provide miraculously more than I can imagine, proving Himself faithful, and growing my faith in Him! Sometimes it might take a while (3 days can seem like an eternity if you are hungry) and it might be downright uncomfortable. However, if I maintain my focus, believe in God and give thanks for that which I do have, and follow His directions and guidance completely, God will provide!
This morning I am greatly encouraged that God is capable of the impossible! Even when I am in the wilderness, and hungry! I am encouraged that the Lord wants me to understand the ways of the Kingdom!
Amen Lord!
[35] "At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly."
[36] Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. [37] People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Here are the verses - Mark 8:1-10 NIV:
[1] "During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, [2] “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. [3] If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
[4] His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
[5] “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
[6] "He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. [7] They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. [8] The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. [9] About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, [10] he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha."
The first thing that caught my eye this morning was verse 1, about a large crowd gathering. The large crowd gathered because of occurrences of the end of chapter seven, the healing of the man who was deaf and unable to speak. I think it is clear that significant healings will draw people, and Jesus was the greatest healer they had ever heard of or seen. The response of the people was natural, they wanted to see Him and hear Him. What caught my attention was that the people were willing to travel to a remote area, AND had been with Jesus for 3 days!
I was thinking about the simple logistics of a crowd of 4 thousand people following Him. He clearly wasn't walking about, but must have been camped in particular area, and more and more people came to hear Him speak and watch Him minister. We are not told about any other healings during this particular 3 days, but one would expect that His basic ministry model was unchanged. He would proclaim the Kingdom of God and then demonstrate the Kingdom realities by healing the sick, casting our demons, etc. (See Matt 4:23-25).
Regardless or what Jesus was doing, the crowd was with him for three days and that presents many logistical problems, one of them being food. The fact that they were gathered in a remote place, made these logistical problems that much greater. How could they get enough food and water for all those people? Jesus' original statement and question to the disciples shows us that He was aware of the issues and was making sure the disciples were aware as well.
I recently heard Graham Cooke speak about the ways of the Kingdom. (For more from Graham go to http://brilliantperspectives.com) He said that we need to change the way we think, because in the Kingdom, there are no problems, just possibilities for God to demonstrate His provision, increase our faith, and prove His faithfulness (See Matt 6:25-34). In this case, Jesus was presenting the issue to the disciples, I think, to see if they understood these Kingdom principles yet.
In the section of Matthew that I point to above, Jesus says that God knows all our needs, but that we should concern ourselves with the Kingdom first, and God will the provide all we need (my paraphrase). So in this case, He seems to be asking them to look at the issue of feeding 4000 from the perspective of the Kingdom of God, and God's ability to demonstrate provision, His faithfulness and to increase people's faith. The disciples however had no idea how God would solve the issue at hand and their answer proves they hadn't shifted into Kingdom thinking yet, for they answered that it would be impossible to get enough food to them in that region. They looked at the logistical problem, not the possibility of the Kingdom solution.
In the Kingdom, with God, all things are possible for those that believe (Mark 9:23). Thus, feeding 4000 people in a remote region, is not impossible! There was a Kingdom provision available, but the disciples didn't see it yet. Jesus, rather than berate them for their lack of faith, patiently leads them to the solution, the multiplication of food. The issue wasn't really logistics, it was having enough food to feed the people, but the disciples were focused on what they perceived as the problem. They had some food, probably hardly enough to feed themselves, let alone 4000 but no way to get more. So, they had what they needed (Food) just not enough.
Do you ever feel like you have just a measure of what you need, but not enough? It may be that the Lord is allowing you to be in this position so that He can show you how His Kingdom works!
So, in the Kingdom (as demonstrated by Jesus here) when we are in need, we take what we have, give thanks to God for it and then ask Him to bless it then give it away! Now that is radical! That is so illogical! That is the absolutely wrong logical approach and one that we just wouldn't come up with on our own! Yet in the Kingdom, that is How the Lord pours out provision, demonstrates His faithfulness and grows our faith! As I was quoting in my last blog entry, God doesn't think like us, nor are our ways His ways (Iss 55:8-9). He demonstrates that reality here, and provides for 4000 people through a completely illogical step.
So this morning, I realize that sometimes as I am following God I find myself in difficult situations, wondering how I got there, and wondering where the provision I need is going to come from? I am encouraged to believe that God has brought me to that place to show me how His Kingdom works and to provide miraculously more than I can imagine, proving Himself faithful, and growing my faith in Him! Sometimes it might take a while (3 days can seem like an eternity if you are hungry) and it might be downright uncomfortable. However, if I maintain my focus, believe in God and give thanks for that which I do have, and follow His directions and guidance completely, God will provide!
This morning I am greatly encouraged that God is capable of the impossible! Even when I am in the wilderness, and hungry! I am encouraged that the Lord wants me to understand the ways of the Kingdom!
Amen Lord!
Friday, November 17, 2017
What God Isn't...
I have been reading a book on Orthodox Theology written by Andrew Louth. One of the things he refers to is Apophatic Theology - which is focused on defining what something is, by describing what it isn't, as in God. As I was reading through the book and thinking about that idea I was thinking about the verses from Isaiah 55 where God describes Himself using similar thinking. This morning when I opened my Bible that is exactly the section I was in. Here are the verses - Isaiah 55:7-11 NIV:
[7] "Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
[8] “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."
The critical verses are eight and nine, but they are framed nicely by three other verses that are also not like us. We are made in His likeness and Jesus came to earth and became man incarnate, but as a member of the Holy Trinity He is much more than just human. God, throughout scripture is giving us indications of what He is like, using our limited language to describe Himself, and it is just not possible to convey limitlessness with a limited language. Sometime the best definition is to say He is not like us!
These verses are some of my favorite that help me to understand the difference between all of us brothers and sisters that makes up mankind and God. God says "His thoughts are NOT our thoughts'. There is no simpler way of saying that our best thoughts do not come close to how He thinks.
He is present all the time in every situation, in every circumstance, in every life and we cannot comprehend that at all. We can say the words, but we cannot logically get to a full understanding of what that means. The best Chess player in the world thinks through hundreds and maybe thousands of move scenarios, and in comparison God is aware of everything in all of creation all at the same time, including every man, woman and child and every thought they are having, have had, and will have. Clearly His thoughts are not our thoughts!
He continues on saying that 'our ways are NOT His ways'. In other words, we cannot judge God by the ways of other men, or said slightly differently, by the actions of humans. Our best ways, do not even come close to the ways of God. We can be kind, loving, good, merciful, compassionate, and caring, and never come close to being as kind, loving, good, merciful, compassionate, and caring as God.
He has ways we will never understand.
He has perspective we will never grasp or see.
He doesn't act with motives like man does, He is unchanging, yet always new! He is merciful and compassionate and just! Every word we use to describe Him is only scratching the surface of who He really is, and what He is like. We can learn more and more about Him everyday, and yet never come to an end of Him. He is beyond comprehension, yet chooses to be known. He is the God of the Universe, yet present to us in our very hearts!
Back to the verses from Isaiah, He continues to say that as 'high as the heavens are above the earth, so much higher are His ways than ours, and His thoughts than ours'. If we compare a light-bulb to the Sun, we might get a glimpse of how much bigger, and yet the heavens go so much more beyond that, for we understand the reaches of the universe to be included in the Hebrew word used by God here to describe His loftiness above our thoughts and ways.
At our kind, loving, good, merciful, compassionate, and caring best we are merely a shadow of reference, a likeness that is dimly pointing to the originator of it all. He is so much more than we can know and understand and yet He gives us images that help us to relate to Him, for He desires relationship.
Oh, what an awesome God we serve and love!
Amen!
[7] "Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
[8] “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."
The critical verses are eight and nine, but they are framed nicely by three other verses that are also not like us. We are made in His likeness and Jesus came to earth and became man incarnate, but as a member of the Holy Trinity He is much more than just human. God, throughout scripture is giving us indications of what He is like, using our limited language to describe Himself, and it is just not possible to convey limitlessness with a limited language. Sometime the best definition is to say He is not like us!
These verses are some of my favorite that help me to understand the difference between all of us brothers and sisters that makes up mankind and God. God says "His thoughts are NOT our thoughts'. There is no simpler way of saying that our best thoughts do not come close to how He thinks.
He is present all the time in every situation, in every circumstance, in every life and we cannot comprehend that at all. We can say the words, but we cannot logically get to a full understanding of what that means. The best Chess player in the world thinks through hundreds and maybe thousands of move scenarios, and in comparison God is aware of everything in all of creation all at the same time, including every man, woman and child and every thought they are having, have had, and will have. Clearly His thoughts are not our thoughts!
He continues on saying that 'our ways are NOT His ways'. In other words, we cannot judge God by the ways of other men, or said slightly differently, by the actions of humans. Our best ways, do not even come close to the ways of God. We can be kind, loving, good, merciful, compassionate, and caring, and never come close to being as kind, loving, good, merciful, compassionate, and caring as God.
He has ways we will never understand.
He has perspective we will never grasp or see.
He doesn't act with motives like man does, He is unchanging, yet always new! He is merciful and compassionate and just! Every word we use to describe Him is only scratching the surface of who He really is, and what He is like. We can learn more and more about Him everyday, and yet never come to an end of Him. He is beyond comprehension, yet chooses to be known. He is the God of the Universe, yet present to us in our very hearts!
Back to the verses from Isaiah, He continues to say that as 'high as the heavens are above the earth, so much higher are His ways than ours, and His thoughts than ours'. If we compare a light-bulb to the Sun, we might get a glimpse of how much bigger, and yet the heavens go so much more beyond that, for we understand the reaches of the universe to be included in the Hebrew word used by God here to describe His loftiness above our thoughts and ways.
At our kind, loving, good, merciful, compassionate, and caring best we are merely a shadow of reference, a likeness that is dimly pointing to the originator of it all. He is so much more than we can know and understand and yet He gives us images that help us to relate to Him, for He desires relationship.
Oh, what an awesome God we serve and love!
Amen!
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Remembering Our Foundation!
The last two days I have reading and reflecting on Peter's letters. I like to read all through a letter a few times to get a feel for the over-arching themes. This morning I am reflecting on a few passages from his second letter - 2 Peter 1:16-21 NIV:
[16] For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” [18] We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."
[19] "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. [20] Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. [21] For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
I am grateful for the reminder from Peter that both the prophetic message and the eye-witness experience of the Apostles and disciples are in agreement about Jesus. There are times in our lives where our thinking can be affected by things we experience or hear, and it is good to go back to the foundations of our faith and beliefs. In fact just a couple of sentences prior to the verses above, Peter says the following - "So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. [13] I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,..." (2 Peter 1:12-13 NIV).
The truth is that I know these things, but it is good to be reminded of them, to brig them freshly to my mind. I don't want to lose sight of the foundations of my faith or belief, regardless of how long or advanced my studies and though become. They must always rest firmly on the witness of Jesus' life, for He was the perfect representation of the Father (Heb 1:2), and to which the ancient prophetic record pointed. I must review and revisit scripture regularly for it must be the foundation of all I think regarding God.
Secondly, I must be ok with God's non-humanness, as well as Jesus incarnation. The Godhead is a mystery, the Holy Trinity, three and one, and as such I can never fully comprehend His nature. I must be ok with not knowing and not fully understanding, for there is much that I don't completely understand in this present world, and I am ok with that, how much more should I have the same attitude towards our Creator. God, through the prophet Isaiah says it well - Isaiah 55:8-9 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." Our ways are not His ways, and His thoughts are far beyond ours, and thus beyond our ability to understand.
It is interesting to note that these verses in Isaiah immediately follow His statement about having mercy on the wicked. This is what God says about them - Isaiah 55:7 NIV: "Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." This is not the way we would think, mercy for the wicked and unrighteous. We would prefer that they receive judgment for they are bad and evil and have done wicked things, and yet God opens wide the door of invitation to them, desiring them to turn to Him so that He can pardon them and have mercy on them!
So this morning I am reminded of the foundations of my faith, or God's greatness, of Jesus' representation of the Father, and of the words of the prophets concerning God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the opportunity to be reminded of the truths and light of Christ Jesus. I am reminded of my need to reflect these truths in my daily life and walk.
Thank You Lord.
[16] For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” [18] We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."
[19] "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. [20] Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. [21] For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
I am grateful for the reminder from Peter that both the prophetic message and the eye-witness experience of the Apostles and disciples are in agreement about Jesus. There are times in our lives where our thinking can be affected by things we experience or hear, and it is good to go back to the foundations of our faith and beliefs. In fact just a couple of sentences prior to the verses above, Peter says the following - "So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. [13] I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,..." (2 Peter 1:12-13 NIV).
The truth is that I know these things, but it is good to be reminded of them, to brig them freshly to my mind. I don't want to lose sight of the foundations of my faith or belief, regardless of how long or advanced my studies and though become. They must always rest firmly on the witness of Jesus' life, for He was the perfect representation of the Father (Heb 1:2), and to which the ancient prophetic record pointed. I must review and revisit scripture regularly for it must be the foundation of all I think regarding God.
Secondly, I must be ok with God's non-humanness, as well as Jesus incarnation. The Godhead is a mystery, the Holy Trinity, three and one, and as such I can never fully comprehend His nature. I must be ok with not knowing and not fully understanding, for there is much that I don't completely understand in this present world, and I am ok with that, how much more should I have the same attitude towards our Creator. God, through the prophet Isaiah says it well - Isaiah 55:8-9 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." Our ways are not His ways, and His thoughts are far beyond ours, and thus beyond our ability to understand.
It is interesting to note that these verses in Isaiah immediately follow His statement about having mercy on the wicked. This is what God says about them - Isaiah 55:7 NIV: "Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." This is not the way we would think, mercy for the wicked and unrighteous. We would prefer that they receive judgment for they are bad and evil and have done wicked things, and yet God opens wide the door of invitation to them, desiring them to turn to Him so that He can pardon them and have mercy on them!
So this morning I am reminded of the foundations of my faith, or God's greatness, of Jesus' representation of the Father, and of the words of the prophets concerning God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the opportunity to be reminded of the truths and light of Christ Jesus. I am reminded of my need to reflect these truths in my daily life and walk.
Thank You Lord.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Becoming Like Clay, in a Good Way.
This morning as I sat down to pray, I was thinking about my desire to be directed and guided by the Lord. For some reason the idea of being clay, and allowing Him to mold me an shape me came to mind. This, certainly not a normal thought for me at 6am, caught my attention as something the Lord wanted to say, so I started to look in scripture at some of the "clay" themed scriptures.
There are several times that the Lord used the imagery of the potter and clay, to refer to our being made by him, fashioned by His hands. The most famous in my mind are the verses from Isaiah 64:8 NIV: "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." This morning though, my thoughts led me to some earlier verses in Isaiah where the Lord uses the image of potter and clay again, this time as an example of His greatness compared to us. The setting into which this theme is introduced a section where Isaiah is prophesying about the worship and empty hearts of the people. He is describing hearts and mindsets that are against Him. HE continues on and describes what God plans to do about that situation, and its good stuff!
Isaiah 29:13-16,18-24 NIV:
[13] "The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. [14] Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. ”
[15] Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” [16] You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?
[18] "In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
[19] Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
[20] The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down---
[21] those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice."
[22] "Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the descendants of Jacob: “No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale. [23] When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. [24] Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction.”
As I was reading this I was thinking of God's amazing mercy and compassion! I was thinking about how God draws us and delights in us when we turn to Him. Jesus demonstrated some of these very things, opening blind eyes, healing the deaf and other signs and wonders. He also spent much of His time with the humble and the needy!
In the midst of this prophecy of restoration, of moving in astounding signs and wonders He speaks of the potter and clay. I love the picture of malleability that clay brings. When worked properly, clay can be formed into just about any image or object. It is in the heart of the potter that any creation or vessel is formed, and then His hands shape it. God is speaking of His perspective, and gives us a comparison between ourselves and Him. Compared to God we are clay. We have potential within us, character that is in process, the ability to be formed an changed. He desires to mold us and direct us, and our job (If I can call it that) is to be malleable. It is interesting that this does require choice on our parts, for we can choose to be inflexible and set in our ways.
Having worked with clay (my Dad was an art teacher, and loved ceramics) I know that even if a clay dish or pot is allowed to harden, to completely dry out, it can still be turned back into clay. My Dad had the ability to fire our ceramics, and any that didn't did get fired, could be broken down, turned back into clay dust and added to some water and become fully clay again! Even though the pot or cup seemed hard, as long as they had not been fired, they were able to be remade.
Sometimes I feel like that is what God does with me, having made me into a certain form and even having used me in certain ways, there are times that it feels like God is remaking me. I can resist, or feel like I am being punished or didn't satisfy the Lord, when He takes me through these times of transition, but I don't think that His heart towards me is that way at all. Rather I believe (unlike clay) that I maintain some of what I had done or learned previously in my new form (hopefully that makes sense).
Speaking in more ministry terms, at one point I did Youth ministry, at another I did worship, leading worship for our church and being on the worship team, at another point, I was in charge of the men's ministry. I have seen God heal people through our prayers, I have seen God move through me, igniting things in people. I have served in prophetic ministry, and even pastoral leadership. All of these things are now inside me, and yet God is changing my role and responsibilities again. If I wasn't open to change and rigid in my perspective (lets say believing that the only thing God wanted me to do was youth ministry) then I would potentially miss many other opportunities to be used and changed and formed by God. He could still accomplish making me into some new form, but if I remain rigid, He has to break me down or out of my mindset.
I want to remain malleable, to remain responsive to His touch and guidance. I don't want Him to have to break down my rigidity and resistance, to be responsive to Him. It is God's desire to use us, and sometimes that requires that He change our form or how we are used. Resisting Him or arguing with Him is not the right approach, clearly. Paul actually writes about this in His letter to the Romans 9:20-21 NIV: "But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' ” [21] Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?"
I am also reminded that this word from Isaiah was actually directed to the nation and was an encouragement to respond to the Lord, to turn hardened hearts and wayward minds back to Him. It was an encouragement to stop just going through the motions of worship, and instead to give themselves fully to God. God wants us to be witnesses to His Glory, and being rigid and unchanging, and participating in "heartless" worship is not what He desires.
The good news is that His response is one of opening Heaven, and pouring forth signs and wonders, miracles and healings! Lord, it is our desire to see you do such things again! That those who scoff at You and Your names would be astounded by Your goodness, mercy, compassion and Love!
Lord, help me to be malleable clay, responsive to Your touch, and direction! I want to do exactly what You want me to do! Help me to resist the temptation to be rigid an resist Your invitation to change and grow.
Amen!
There are several times that the Lord used the imagery of the potter and clay, to refer to our being made by him, fashioned by His hands. The most famous in my mind are the verses from Isaiah 64:8 NIV: "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." This morning though, my thoughts led me to some earlier verses in Isaiah where the Lord uses the image of potter and clay again, this time as an example of His greatness compared to us. The setting into which this theme is introduced a section where Isaiah is prophesying about the worship and empty hearts of the people. He is describing hearts and mindsets that are against Him. HE continues on and describes what God plans to do about that situation, and its good stuff!
Isaiah 29:13-16,18-24 NIV:
[13] "The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. [14] Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. ”
[15] Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” [16] You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?
[18] "In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
[19] Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
[20] The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down---
[21] those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice."
[22] "Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the descendants of Jacob: “No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale. [23] When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. [24] Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction.”
As I was reading this I was thinking of God's amazing mercy and compassion! I was thinking about how God draws us and delights in us when we turn to Him. Jesus demonstrated some of these very things, opening blind eyes, healing the deaf and other signs and wonders. He also spent much of His time with the humble and the needy!
In the midst of this prophecy of restoration, of moving in astounding signs and wonders He speaks of the potter and clay. I love the picture of malleability that clay brings. When worked properly, clay can be formed into just about any image or object. It is in the heart of the potter that any creation or vessel is formed, and then His hands shape it. God is speaking of His perspective, and gives us a comparison between ourselves and Him. Compared to God we are clay. We have potential within us, character that is in process, the ability to be formed an changed. He desires to mold us and direct us, and our job (If I can call it that) is to be malleable. It is interesting that this does require choice on our parts, for we can choose to be inflexible and set in our ways.
Having worked with clay (my Dad was an art teacher, and loved ceramics) I know that even if a clay dish or pot is allowed to harden, to completely dry out, it can still be turned back into clay. My Dad had the ability to fire our ceramics, and any that didn't did get fired, could be broken down, turned back into clay dust and added to some water and become fully clay again! Even though the pot or cup seemed hard, as long as they had not been fired, they were able to be remade.
Sometimes I feel like that is what God does with me, having made me into a certain form and even having used me in certain ways, there are times that it feels like God is remaking me. I can resist, or feel like I am being punished or didn't satisfy the Lord, when He takes me through these times of transition, but I don't think that His heart towards me is that way at all. Rather I believe (unlike clay) that I maintain some of what I had done or learned previously in my new form (hopefully that makes sense).
Speaking in more ministry terms, at one point I did Youth ministry, at another I did worship, leading worship for our church and being on the worship team, at another point, I was in charge of the men's ministry. I have seen God heal people through our prayers, I have seen God move through me, igniting things in people. I have served in prophetic ministry, and even pastoral leadership. All of these things are now inside me, and yet God is changing my role and responsibilities again. If I wasn't open to change and rigid in my perspective (lets say believing that the only thing God wanted me to do was youth ministry) then I would potentially miss many other opportunities to be used and changed and formed by God. He could still accomplish making me into some new form, but if I remain rigid, He has to break me down or out of my mindset.
I want to remain malleable, to remain responsive to His touch and guidance. I don't want Him to have to break down my rigidity and resistance, to be responsive to Him. It is God's desire to use us, and sometimes that requires that He change our form or how we are used. Resisting Him or arguing with Him is not the right approach, clearly. Paul actually writes about this in His letter to the Romans 9:20-21 NIV: "But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' ” [21] Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?"
I am also reminded that this word from Isaiah was actually directed to the nation and was an encouragement to respond to the Lord, to turn hardened hearts and wayward minds back to Him. It was an encouragement to stop just going through the motions of worship, and instead to give themselves fully to God. God wants us to be witnesses to His Glory, and being rigid and unchanging, and participating in "heartless" worship is not what He desires.
The good news is that His response is one of opening Heaven, and pouring forth signs and wonders, miracles and healings! Lord, it is our desire to see you do such things again! That those who scoff at You and Your names would be astounded by Your goodness, mercy, compassion and Love!
Lord, help me to be malleable clay, responsive to Your touch, and direction! I want to do exactly what You want me to do! Help me to resist the temptation to be rigid an resist Your invitation to change and grow.
Amen!
Monday, November 6, 2017
Rightly Recognizing God's Plan and Movement
This morning I am reflecting on some interesting passages from Luke's Gospel. Setting the stage, Jesus is approaching Jerusalem, shortly before passover, at the end of His earthly Ministry. Against this backdrop, Luke describes Jesus' entrance and the people's reactions.
Luke 19:11,28-44 NIV:
[11] "While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once."
[28] "After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. [29] As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, [30] “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. [31] If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' say, 'The Lord needs it.' ”
[32] Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. [33] As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
[34] They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
[35] They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. [36] As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
[37] When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
[38] “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
[39] Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
[40] “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
[41] As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it [42] and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace---but now it is hidden from your eyes. [43] The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. [44] They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you.”
Luke captures the feeling of the crowds in verses 11, stating that they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear very soon. The question we should ask ourselves is why they thought that?
Jesus' primary message was proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and then demonstrating the reality of that Kingdom, which was done through healings, miracles, signs and wonders, casting out demons, and healing lepers. In verse 37 we see the people singing the praises of God, because of the miracles they had seen! So, clearly the people had been affected by the ministry of Jesus, and understood that He was blessed by God.
Back to the question of why they thought the Kingdom of God was going to be established, I think that they were sensing the significance of the coming days, and that it was clear that Jesus was ready to take the next steps required. I know in my life there have been several times where I was just aware, spiritually that the season was going to change, and it just plain felt different. I was expectant, encouraged, hopeful and engaged, and I think that describes well the people who were there when Jesus road the colt into Jerusalem.
The fact that they actually expected Jesus to become King, is in line with the thinking of even the apostles, who over and over, didn't understand what Jesus was telling them about His role, and His impending death. They really thought He would establish Himself on the Throne, and they along side Him. (see Matt. 20:20-28). This reflects what was apparently the common thought about the Messiah, that He would restore the true Kingship of God back to Israel and Judah, and that He would throw off the Roman rule, and set them free, probably something in line with what Israel experienced with the leadership of Moses, freeing them from Egypt, and then the reign King David and Solomon.
It is with this expectation that the people gather and sing and praise God, as Jesus enters Jerusalem, and against this more detailed backdrop that Jesus proclaims the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction (verse 42-44 above). My reflection this morning is about how strange that must have seemed to the people who were joining the parade! I believe that they all were expecting the restoration of the King would bring wealth and glory to Jerusalem, and instead Jesus is proclaiming destruction and death. Wow, talk about a "Debbie-downer"! That must have really stopped them in their tracks, and caused many to wonder about Jesus.
Jesus exhibits great focus and alignment with God's plan and purpose. He does not allow Himself to be swayed by the excitement and wrong expectations of the people, even His closest friends. He stays on task, says and does what the Father directs Him to do, and keeps moving forward to His death. He had clearly proclaimed his impending suffering and death, and the disciples just didn't have a paradigm of understanding, and it just didn't fit the narrative of what they were expecting, nor did it fit with what they had seen demonstrated by Jesus. In every situation, regardless of nature, demonic activity, political testing, hunger or need, Jesus had been victorious, or provided. They had never seen anyone deter Jesus, so His speaking of His suffering and death just made no sense. Who was possibly greater than Jesus? He was clearly from God and they knew all the stories of God's vanquishing His enemies and setting His people free!
Finally, Jesus says something that is very interesting. He says, speaking over Jerusalem, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace!" He continues prophesying the destruction of the city and says it is, "because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you.”
When I read those verses, it made me think about whether it was possible for Jerusalem to have properly recognized Jesus' coming, His roles as Messiah and thus spared themselves the destruction? They were looking for an earthly King, and earthly kingdom to be established. They wanted a strong ruler and thought they would achieve peace through force of arms, or the strength of God! They missed that which had been proclaimed by Jesus, choosing instead to hear and believe what they wanted to believe. One wonders if they would have understood what Jesus was actually different if they would have been saved from the future? I think that it is possible, for everything is possible for God.
Clearly Jesus still needed to suffer and die, as it was in God's plan for the restoration of the possibility of relationship between all men and God Himself. However, if they (The Jews) had recognized that the true path of peace was found in relationship with God, and that their true eternal salvation was available to them, they may not have rebelled against the Roman rule in 66 AD, which resulted ultimately in the destruction of the temple!
Looking back at history and trying to analyze "What-ifs" is never a sure science, nor worth extensive effort, for the results in reality are the same. However, we can learn from the mistakes of the past. We can read and understand the mistakes that were made and commit ourselves to not making the same mistakes. So, in that light, how can I endeavor to learn from these passages?
I think the message for me this morning is two-fold. First, I need to listen to God clearly, not thinking I understand what He is saying, but pressing into and asking Him for clarity and understanding from Him. We are living under a new dispensation, the in-dwelling of the God through the Holy Spirit. God desires that we understand His ways, His heart and His will. If we don't understand something, the invitation is to ask for clarity. I don't want to miss something that God is doing, because I incorrectly thought I understood what He was saying or doing. I can ask God to change my paradigm of understanding, and bring enlightenment and revelation. I never want settle for partial understanding or be satisfied with what I know or have, but rather know there is more available in God.
Secondly, I want to rightly identify seasons and God's movement. I want to be spiritually sensitive to God's visitation in my life! I want to recognize the time of God's coming to me, in what ever form and timing that might take. Because He is a loving Father, and because He lives within me, my expectation is that He will help me and show me! I however, need to apply myself to pursuing God and His ways, and pursuing further understanding. I want to pursue maturity in Him all my days, for there is always more available.
Lord help me to see and understand, and rightly recognize that which brings me peace, being in Your will!
Amen!
Luke 19:11,28-44 NIV:
[11] "While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once."
[28] "After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. [29] As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, [30] “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. [31] If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' say, 'The Lord needs it.' ”
[32] Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. [33] As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
[34] They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
[35] They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. [36] As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
[37] When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
[38] “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
[39] Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
[40] “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
[41] As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it [42] and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace---but now it is hidden from your eyes. [43] The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. [44] They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you.”
Luke captures the feeling of the crowds in verses 11, stating that they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear very soon. The question we should ask ourselves is why they thought that?
Jesus' primary message was proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and then demonstrating the reality of that Kingdom, which was done through healings, miracles, signs and wonders, casting out demons, and healing lepers. In verse 37 we see the people singing the praises of God, because of the miracles they had seen! So, clearly the people had been affected by the ministry of Jesus, and understood that He was blessed by God.
Back to the question of why they thought the Kingdom of God was going to be established, I think that they were sensing the significance of the coming days, and that it was clear that Jesus was ready to take the next steps required. I know in my life there have been several times where I was just aware, spiritually that the season was going to change, and it just plain felt different. I was expectant, encouraged, hopeful and engaged, and I think that describes well the people who were there when Jesus road the colt into Jerusalem.
The fact that they actually expected Jesus to become King, is in line with the thinking of even the apostles, who over and over, didn't understand what Jesus was telling them about His role, and His impending death. They really thought He would establish Himself on the Throne, and they along side Him. (see Matt. 20:20-28). This reflects what was apparently the common thought about the Messiah, that He would restore the true Kingship of God back to Israel and Judah, and that He would throw off the Roman rule, and set them free, probably something in line with what Israel experienced with the leadership of Moses, freeing them from Egypt, and then the reign King David and Solomon.
It is with this expectation that the people gather and sing and praise God, as Jesus enters Jerusalem, and against this more detailed backdrop that Jesus proclaims the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction (verse 42-44 above). My reflection this morning is about how strange that must have seemed to the people who were joining the parade! I believe that they all were expecting the restoration of the King would bring wealth and glory to Jerusalem, and instead Jesus is proclaiming destruction and death. Wow, talk about a "Debbie-downer"! That must have really stopped them in their tracks, and caused many to wonder about Jesus.
Jesus exhibits great focus and alignment with God's plan and purpose. He does not allow Himself to be swayed by the excitement and wrong expectations of the people, even His closest friends. He stays on task, says and does what the Father directs Him to do, and keeps moving forward to His death. He had clearly proclaimed his impending suffering and death, and the disciples just didn't have a paradigm of understanding, and it just didn't fit the narrative of what they were expecting, nor did it fit with what they had seen demonstrated by Jesus. In every situation, regardless of nature, demonic activity, political testing, hunger or need, Jesus had been victorious, or provided. They had never seen anyone deter Jesus, so His speaking of His suffering and death just made no sense. Who was possibly greater than Jesus? He was clearly from God and they knew all the stories of God's vanquishing His enemies and setting His people free!
Finally, Jesus says something that is very interesting. He says, speaking over Jerusalem, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace!" He continues prophesying the destruction of the city and says it is, "because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you.”
When I read those verses, it made me think about whether it was possible for Jerusalem to have properly recognized Jesus' coming, His roles as Messiah and thus spared themselves the destruction? They were looking for an earthly King, and earthly kingdom to be established. They wanted a strong ruler and thought they would achieve peace through force of arms, or the strength of God! They missed that which had been proclaimed by Jesus, choosing instead to hear and believe what they wanted to believe. One wonders if they would have understood what Jesus was actually different if they would have been saved from the future? I think that it is possible, for everything is possible for God.
Clearly Jesus still needed to suffer and die, as it was in God's plan for the restoration of the possibility of relationship between all men and God Himself. However, if they (The Jews) had recognized that the true path of peace was found in relationship with God, and that their true eternal salvation was available to them, they may not have rebelled against the Roman rule in 66 AD, which resulted ultimately in the destruction of the temple!
Looking back at history and trying to analyze "What-ifs" is never a sure science, nor worth extensive effort, for the results in reality are the same. However, we can learn from the mistakes of the past. We can read and understand the mistakes that were made and commit ourselves to not making the same mistakes. So, in that light, how can I endeavor to learn from these passages?
I think the message for me this morning is two-fold. First, I need to listen to God clearly, not thinking I understand what He is saying, but pressing into and asking Him for clarity and understanding from Him. We are living under a new dispensation, the in-dwelling of the God through the Holy Spirit. God desires that we understand His ways, His heart and His will. If we don't understand something, the invitation is to ask for clarity. I don't want to miss something that God is doing, because I incorrectly thought I understood what He was saying or doing. I can ask God to change my paradigm of understanding, and bring enlightenment and revelation. I never want settle for partial understanding or be satisfied with what I know or have, but rather know there is more available in God.
Secondly, I want to rightly identify seasons and God's movement. I want to be spiritually sensitive to God's visitation in my life! I want to recognize the time of God's coming to me, in what ever form and timing that might take. Because He is a loving Father, and because He lives within me, my expectation is that He will help me and show me! I however, need to apply myself to pursuing God and His ways, and pursuing further understanding. I want to pursue maturity in Him all my days, for there is always more available.
Lord help me to see and understand, and rightly recognize that which brings me peace, being in Your will!
Amen!
Friday, November 3, 2017
God's Goodness and Mercy
A ccouple of mornings ago, I felt like I should spend some time reflecting on mercy, which is certainly a worthy topic of thought. I decided to start in Matthew and look at some of the first statements Jesus made about mercy. Probably His two most famous statements are found in the following verses - Matthew 5:6-8 NIV:
[6] "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
[7] Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
[8] Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
- and -
Matthew 9:10-13 NIV:
[9] "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
[12] "On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Webster's Dictionary defines mercy as follows:
1 a : compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment
b : imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder
2 a : a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion
b : a fortunate circumstance
3 : compassionate treatment of those in distress
The Greek word that is translated mercy is the word Eleeo and whose root is Eleos, which is defined as follows:
1) mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them
a) of men towards men: to exercise the virtue of mercy, show one's self merciful
b) of God towards men: in general providence; the mercy and clemency of God in providing and offering to men salvation by Christ
c) the mercy of Christ, whereby at his return to judgment he will bless true Christians with eternal life
Mercy is one of the attributes that God named about Himself when He showed Moses Himself as described in the following encounter - Exodus 33:18-19 NIV:
[18] "Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
[19] And the Lord 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."
In these verses from Exodus, the original language is Hebrew, so in this case the word used in Chanan, and it is defined as follows:
1) to be gracious, show favour, pity
2) (Qal) to show favour, be gracious
3) (Niphal) to be pitied
4) (Piel) to make gracious, make favourable, be gracious
5) (Poel) to direct favour to, have mercy on
6) (Hophal) to be shown favour, be shown consideration
7) (Hithpael) to seek favour, implore favour
The different forms of the word are shown above in the definition, and it is clear that it is related to divine favor and goodness towards someone. God in this case is saying that it is desire and will to express mercy and compassion. It is interesting that when Moses asked to see God's glory, God responded, "I will cause my goodness to pass in front of you." Apparently God's glory is closely related to His goodness, mercy and compassion! Thus, as we reflect on mercy we are reflecting on one of His key glorifying attributes, those things that set His apart from all others.
The New Testament Greek adds to the Hebrew definition a sense of goodness to those in great need or to those who don't deserve it. Jesus in introducing the mercy in the first verses quoted above calls us as Christian's, as His followers, to extend mercy, so that we might receive mercy! These verses are from His sermon on the mount, which many consider the "constitution" of His Kingdom. Thus, we find mercy as one of the key attributes that we should possess as His followers.
God's goodness is demonstrated in His extending favor to those who are in desperate need, and those who don't deserve His favor. I am reminded that this is one of the reasons that seemingly evil people prosper. It is not because God doesn't care, it is because He Loves them in spite of their sinful and evil ways and extends to them His favor, even though they don't deserve it! We can look at that situation and think He is being unfair, but the truth is that we should look at that and be grateful that He is merciful.
Consider this, if that is how He treats those who we would consider His enemies, how much more favor would He extend to those who follow Him and are obedient to His will?? If we look at Jesus' actions in having dinner with the "sinners", the tax collectors, and other unsavory people, He is extending them great mercy, for He is gracing them with His physical presence, and in relating to Him they are seeing the Father, well represented by Jesus. He is interested in their lives, and speaking into them Truth. He is calling them to follow Him to encounter Him in relationship. The Pharisees and "religious" would not have given them (sinners) the time of day, for these people were judged as sinners, and thus a danger to potentially make them (the religious) unclean.
I love the fact that God's glory is seen in the extension of mercy towards those who don't deserve His favor and blessing! We can be participants in giving Glory to God by being messengers of His mercy! When we pray for those who persecute us; when we are kind to those who treat us poorly; when we love our enemies, we are proclaiming the Glory of God!
Back to Jesus' statement about mercy and sacrifice. The typical Jew in hearing this would recognize that sacrifice was related to religious acts, that were supposed to make them righteous. Jesus is quoting from Hosea 6:6 when He makes this statement, so He is drawing them back to the scriptures, and helping them to realize that God is after more than their acts, but desirous that they understand His heart.
The reality is that this is God's invitation to all of us, to learn what is in His heart for us, and for one another. Once we understand that He loves us, that He desires to have mercy on us, not judge us, and that His mercy and compassion are for all of us! He desires that we know His goodness, that we experience it in real ways, and that as we do, our hearts and minds are turned towards Him.
Finally, Paul writes an interesting bit on the goodness and kindness of God towards sinners (Definition of mercy), and our proclivity to judge others rather than extending mercy. Here are the verses - Romans 2:3-4 NIV:
[3] "So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? [4] Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"
God intends that His kindness, His goodness, His mercy to those in the world who don't know Him or follow Him, is intended to lead them to repentance! He doesn't want to scare them or judge them into relationship, but rather wants to woo them with mercy, love, goodness and kindness. We, as His followers, are supposed to be representatives of His heart, and that means extending mercy, not judgment as the primary path for repentance.
Lord, I am so grateful for Your mercy towards me! I know that I have not earned the right to Your mercy, but You extend it to me anyway! Thank You Lord! Help me to be an extender of Your mercy to all those around me!
Amen and Amen!
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Healing for Chronic Dry Eyes
I had a dream right before waking up that had to do with someone having chronic dry eye syndrome. As I was waking up I felt like I heard the Lord say that He cares for us in big and small ways, and that I should ask Him to heal anyone I meet with chronic dry eyes.
He then went on to explain it like this. If you are a part of a large family on the way to the store, and your dad says to everyone in the car, including you, "I have $5 for each of you. So, when we get to the store, come see me and I will give you your $5."
Would we have any doubt that when we got to the store, that if we asked our Dad for our $5 that He would give it to us? If you have a good Father, like I did, you would know that the $5 was guaranteed, all you had to do was put out your hand once you got out of the car.
I then continued thinking about this, and understood that this is the basic understanding behind words of knowledge that the Holy Spirit provides concerning healing and other issues that He wants to address. If we are willing and listening, especially when we are gathered together as a family, He will share with us the gift of Words of Knowledge. When He does this, He is giving us the list of the things He is prepared to provide at that time, and our confidence should be in the fact that He is the best Father! He loves us, and wants us to know that He loves us! He is prepared to express His love for us in a multitude of ways, and healing is just one of those ways. It is just like the $5 in His example, it is as good as guaranteed, all we need to do is ask!
So, this morning I am encouraged to pray for anyone that has chronic dry eyes, because our loving Father wants to demonstrate to them that He loves them! If you know of anyone that suffers, feel free to pray for them as well, as we are all in same family, and Dad just said He has healing for chronic dry eyes to hand out. :-)
If you are unfamiliar with Words of Knowledge here is a simple and teaching given at a Jesus Culture conference that explains it quite well: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L2nSeIOBYck
He then went on to explain it like this. If you are a part of a large family on the way to the store, and your dad says to everyone in the car, including you, "I have $5 for each of you. So, when we get to the store, come see me and I will give you your $5."
Would we have any doubt that when we got to the store, that if we asked our Dad for our $5 that He would give it to us? If you have a good Father, like I did, you would know that the $5 was guaranteed, all you had to do was put out your hand once you got out of the car.
I then continued thinking about this, and understood that this is the basic understanding behind words of knowledge that the Holy Spirit provides concerning healing and other issues that He wants to address. If we are willing and listening, especially when we are gathered together as a family, He will share with us the gift of Words of Knowledge. When He does this, He is giving us the list of the things He is prepared to provide at that time, and our confidence should be in the fact that He is the best Father! He loves us, and wants us to know that He loves us! He is prepared to express His love for us in a multitude of ways, and healing is just one of those ways. It is just like the $5 in His example, it is as good as guaranteed, all we need to do is ask!
So, this morning I am encouraged to pray for anyone that has chronic dry eyes, because our loving Father wants to demonstrate to them that He loves them! If you know of anyone that suffers, feel free to pray for them as well, as we are all in same family, and Dad just said He has healing for chronic dry eyes to hand out. :-)
If you are unfamiliar with Words of Knowledge here is a simple and teaching given at a Jesus Culture conference that explains it quite well: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L2nSeIOBYck
Blessings!
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