The Burden

The Ark of the Covenant was the resting place of God. It symbolized the presence of God, and God placed His Name in it. While it was with the people of Israel, it indicated God’s presence, His protection and His favor. The Ark is now lost, and no one knows where it is. But the Ark is also the symbol of the Old Covenant, and we are now under the New Covenant. God does not take something away without replacing it, and the replacement is always better than what was before. The Lord showed me that He has given us a replacement for the Ark; something more powerful, and that we are neglecting this replacement of the Ark.

We are in a time of coming Revival. Revival is like a tree. The Tree of Revival is now a young tree; not a sapling, and not yet a mature tree. The leaves of the tree are the worship given to God. These leaves are shimmering as in a light wind. The branches are the prayers in support of Revival. The trunk is the leaders of the Revival. The roots are the grounding and nourishment of the tree. Every part of the tree is essential. No part can grow alone, and damage or weakness in one area can impact the other parts.

In a healthy tree, the leaves give vigor to the tree. The branches and trunk support the worship. The roots provide moisture and nutrients. Although hidden from view, the roots should spread as large as the crown of leaves and branches. When the roots are smaller than the crown, the grounding of the tree is inadequate to support the weight of the crown. The tree may become weak; it may lean, or even fall over. It will not grow to its full potential as a healthy mature tree.

The tree’s roots are for grounding, and we should be rooted and grounded in the love that proceeds from the knowledge of God. As a teacher, I am one of the roots, and I see that the roots are not growing to sustain the growth of the crown. The tree is at risk.

I speak for God in this matter. He showed me that the replacement for the Ark is being neglected. This replacement is powerful, and God has elevated it above His Name. It is the Sword of the Spirit, powerful to divide asunder bone and marrow, able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. We are neglecting the Word of God and this neglect may hinder the growth of the Tree of Revival. The tree may lean or fall, or it may simply have a weak area. God would have the Tree of Revival grow to be a large, healthy, mature tree. God calls us back to His Word, the Ark’s replacement.

Sensory Input

Music. We listen to relax, to energize, to enjoy. We use music in worship and praise. Music eases the morning commute and the daily routine. Sometimes we listen to music and do nothing else. When we go to a concert, the music itself is the focus. When we sit at home and just listen with eyes closed, music fills us. When we use music during praise and worship, it is to focus our minds on God, because by focusing on the sounds, we experience something created by God.

All our senses can be a reminder of God. Light, whether from a candle or a sunset, can remind us of God. The smell of holy oil or the temple-like forest glade reminds us of God. Most often the sensory impact is because it reminds us of a previous experience. A particular piece of music or the smell of oil is associated with closeness to God. But sometimes the pure beauty of the input reminds us that God is the Creator of all we experience.

This pure impact can be one piece of red cloth, or one breath of spring air. It is not associated with a previous experience, but is made available by the Creator. We can see God’s creation all around us, and it is proof of the presence of God. Where there is light, or sound, or touch, there is God also; present and waiting for His people.

The Sword

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.

Whereof I am made a minister,
according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you,
to fulfil the word of God;

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible,
by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught,
that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort
and to convince the gainsayers.

Seasons

To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

When we are little, each birthday is a new season, and new beginning, and signals growth and increasing abilities. As we get older, we see that birthdays are not an unmixed joy. With the passage of time we also leave things behind. Graduation from High School is an accomplishment we celebrate with ceremony, presents and congratulations. It is also a time when we leave friends behind and go into unknown places, to more school or to a job. We leave behind the safety of home and family to venture into independence and adulthood.

Graduation is not the only new season. We move to a different home, and leave behind familiar rooms and neighborhoods. We marry and leave parents and siblings behind. We make choices to benefit our children and leave behind the single lifestyle.

Each ending and each leaving behind is also a beginning. A new job or school brings new friends and new challenges. Marriage brings a closeness unavailable in any other relationship. Change can be difficult to adjust to. We like the comfort of stability and predictability. God does not lead us into sameness and boredom. He brings us into new pastures, fresh grass, flowing water. An overgrazed pasture is safe and familiar, but not fruitful.

Obedience

Say not, I am a child:
for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee,
and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

God asks for obedience above all else. We give obedience because of love – He loves us, and we return His love. God does not ask for sacrifice, neither the literal sacrifice of the Old Testament nor our modern promises to give something up for Him. There are many things we give because we love and obey God: worship, prayer, tithes, reverence, service. But when we obey, we give all these and more.

The people of Samaria worshiped God, but they were rejected by God. Worship alone was not sufficient because they also worshiped other gods, and did not obey the true God.

Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people:
and walk in all the ways that I have commended you,
that it may be well unto you.

Hind's Feet

2Sa 22:34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet:
and setteth me upon my high places.

The burden of the Lord

The burden of the Lord is upon me,
to tell you what He has told me.

At Shiloh, the Ark of God was brought to the battleground by the Israelites. The Ark was the power of the Lord, the favor of the Lord, and the presence of the Lord. When the Israelites brought the Ark to the battleground the Philistines were motivated by fear to fight valiantly. They slew 30,000 men of Israel, and captured the Ark.

The Ark symbolizes the very presence of God, and with His presence, His power, His favor, His anointing. The Ark is now lost and no one knows where it lies. But God has given us a replacement for His Ark, to lead us in power, and in favor and in anointing.

The Ark was not just a symbol of God’s presence, it was a weapon. When the Israelites brought the Ark to Shiloh, it was captured by the Philistines. The Israelites no longer had the protection of the Ark. But - the Philistines received the consequences of possessing the Ark. The god Dagon fell on his face before the Ark three times, and the Philistines moved the Ark to another city. They moved the Ark again and again and wherever the Ark went, disease, plagues and destruction followed, because the Ark of the Lord was in the hands of unbelievers.

God has given us a replacement for the Ark; a replacement that is alive, and powerful, and confers the favor of the Lord. This replacement is a weapon, just as the Ark was a weapon.

The burden will continue...

Sonship

Ephesians is the power epistle for the committed Christian. It tells us who God has made us and the power and authority He has given us. It is recorded that God has:

chosen us in him before the foundation of the world
and
predestinated us unto the adoption of children

We are His children. Our status as children is permanent, and cannot be altered, either by us or by God. After all, when we have children, that status is permanent; neither the child nor the parent can sever the connection. It is impossible for a human being to do something that is greater, more powerful or more permanent than God.

We can however, walk away from God, just as children walk away from their human parents. When children walk away, their status as children is unchanged, but the communication, the fellowship, is no longer there. And just as human parents wait for and long for their children to return, God also waits for and longs for His children to return. God is unchanging. When we walk away from God, He remains the same, it we who have changed.

Teaching a Leader

The epistles Paul wrote to Timothy are the instructions for a man who was becoming a leader and teacher. Timothy had been with Paul, and worked with him. That is why Paul calls Timothy his “son” even though there was no family relationship between them. Timothy was Paul’s “son” in the work of the ministry. Paul wrote these letters at the end of his life, not knowing if he would live to see Timothy again; and so he gives Timothy his last advice and instructions.

The first chapter in I Timothy emphasizes the correct attitude of the leader – to edify with the motivation of love. He reminds Timothy that all have sinned, that grace has covered us all and that God desires to have all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

In II Timothy is one of the base principals of Bible study – that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God”. The source of the entire Bible is God Himself and it was simply written down by men. How we are to use scripture is also given: “for doctrine [what to believe], for reproof [how to know what we do incorrectly], for correction [how to get back on track]”. And the three together are “instruction in righteousness”. The final result is a man who may be “perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”.

Night Prayer

Lord, I aspire to do more for You. To be closer to You, to share in Your presence moment by moment. As the years pass, the hunger to breathe Your Word into my life increases.

Lord, I long for Your peace in my life. I long for quietness amidst the noisy throng of daily life. My quiet moments are tinged with fatigue, and tucked into the remnants of the day. My inner being reaches for your peace even as my weak flesh lets go.

Still, in the quietness of the end of the day, You are there. In my fatigue, You can be my strength. My tumultuous thoughts can find rest in turning to You.

Names (part 2)

I am the God of Abraham, the God of Israel, and the God of Jacob.

Abraham is known as “the father of believing” because he believed what God told him. Abraham believed when God gave him the land, when God told him to go to a strange land, when God promised that he would be the father of nations. A great and seemingly impossible promise that God gave him was that Abraham and his wife Sarah, although both old and beyond the age to have children, would have a son.

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief;
but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

Isaac was the son that was promised to Abraham.

In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

And Jacob (a twin) was a man who stole and deceived, but repented and turned back to God.

For [the children] being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand,
not of works, but of him that calleth.

Take these names together, and see the true meaning for the Christian, of the God who is “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. To the Christian, the promises of God are given to those who believe, like Abraham. Just as Isaac was Abraham’s promised son, so was Christ God’s promised son. Both fathers were willing to sacrifice their sons, knowing that resurrection was available. Our promised salvation is given only through Christ. And the promises of God are given, not by works but by grace, as the promises that were given to Jacob.

God is faithful to His promises, and they are available to those who believe on His son and are given by grace and not by works. “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” looks back to the faithful men who believed God, and it confirms to us today that Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.

Names (part 1)

I am the God of Abraham, the God of Israel, and the God of Jacob.

When God speaks of Himself, the names He uses are very important. One name is “the God of Abraham, the God of Israel, and the God of Jacob”. The first thing to note is the sentence structure. This is a list of three items. If you have a grocery list, you will say “Go buy lettuce, chicken, milk and bread”. It’s just a simple list, with the emphasis on the purchase of four items. But phrase it differently: “Go buy lettuce, and buy chicken, and buy milk, and buy bread.” Now the emphasis is on the items to be obtained. This phrase also gives equal importance to each item on the list. So in this name of God, the emphasis is not on God, but on the items in the list, who are the three men, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

And who are these men? Why are they so important? Abraham is the father of Isaac, and Isaac is the father of Jacob. God gave promises, and established covenants with these men, and the promises got bigger each time. As each generation walks with God, the new promise builds on the previous one.

And there are the names of these men to consider. Abraham was originally called Abram. He became old without having children, but God had promised that he would have a son. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham before his wife conceived. Abraham means “father of many”. Isaac was Abraham’s promised child. Jacob was Isaac’s son, and was a twin. His name was also changed by God, to Israel.

Jacob and Israel

For the Lord shall have mercy on Jacob, and will choose Israel,
and set them in their own land:
and the strangers shall be joined with them,
and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

In reading in the Old Testament, we often see the pairing of two names, Jacob and Israel. These names have multiple meanings. The most obvious meaning is that Jacob and Israel are both names of a man. Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. He was given a new name, Israel, by God, after he repented of his earlier sins, and turned to God.

Jacob was the father of many sons, and so engendered the twelve tribes. The name of the father Israel therefore stands for the nation of Israel. Jacob is the name of a man who lived in sin, even though chosen by God. Israel is his name after he repented, and became the man God wanted him to be. Often the names of Jacob and Israel refer to the nation not the man, and are used in the some verse or sentence. In this case, they speak of the nation when in sin and separated from God (Jacob) and when in obedience to God (Israel).

The reference to God as the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob not only refers to God’s promises to these men and His relationship with the nation, but looks forward to the body of Christ. Jacob refers to the natural man, in sin and without God. Israel refers to the spirit-filled believer, in obedience to God.

Overflowing Dams

The 62 mile long Owens Valley has been dry since 1913, when the entire flow of water from the Owens River and the Owens Lake was diverted to supply water for the city of Los Angeles. The valley has become a desert, full of salt and toxic dust. (See www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6590362) On December 6th, Los Angeles allowed water to begin flowing back through the riverbed in the Owens Valley. It will take several days for the flow of water to reach the end of the valley.

Aren’t we like the Owens Valley? Before knowing God, we are dry and barren. But the knowledge of God flows through the believer like a life-giving river. God is able to make the barren places fruitful and the dry places grow. And wouldn’t it be nice if that was all we need to do: just believe once, and then sit back and let the water flow. But we are imperfect. We often rebuild dams that block the flow of nourishment from God. So our lives are sometimes stagnant, and sometimes are flourishing with new growth.

If you find yourself in a time of stagnation, examine your life. Have you built any dams recently? Laziness, apathy, discouragement can all block the working of God. But hidden fears, hesitation and unbalanced priorities are less obvious dams. God also wants to teach us the way to come closer to Him, and we often do not listen. Whatever your dam, God can show you how to tear it down.

Your Own Eyes

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil. Prov 3:7

It is so easy to be sure of our own wisdom. Every two-year old child is sure that they are right and their point of view is correct. We retain this ego-centric viewpoint throughout our lives. We just learn to apply it in more subtle ways. We look at others, and are able to point to their weaknesses, their lack of insight, their shortsightedness. We, on the other hand, are more aware of the actual situation, more able to see the whole situation. And we are even able to refrain from telling others how inadequate they are. We know they won’t take our advice, because others aren’t able to understand as we do.

And we think that we mature as we grow older! We just become more subtle in our self-importance. But God is not fooled. He knows how shortsighted we really are. He knows that we really are no wiser than those other fools who surround us. None of us have the true wisdom of God, unless He imparts it to us.

True wisdom comes from letting God direct our paths. He’s like a compass that points out the correct path. We can choose to take the path, or not. The path of wisdom is the one directed by God. The worldly path is one of our own choosing. Can we become smarter than a two-year old?

The Revival Tree

Revival is moving and growing in this region. It is like a healthy young tree. Revival is occurring in many groups; it does not originate in just one place or organization.

The leaves of the Revival Tree move as if in a wind. Every leaf shimmers in the wind so that both sides are visible. They bring energy and vigor to the tree. The leaves represent the worship and praise people give to God.

When people pray for revival and the furtherance of God’s Will, they are the branches of the tree, and they support the smaller branches, twigs and leaves.

Some men and women work to bring about revival, and they make up the trunk of the tree. They support and nurture the worship and prayers of the people.

Some people guard the work of revival, and they are the bark of the tree. Guarding is through prayer and vigilance.

The roots of the tree go deep into the fertile ground, bringing up moisture and nutrients for the life of the tree. Roots are underground, and spread as large as the leaves and branches. Without the anchoring of the roots, the tree is not grounded. Roots not only nourish the tree; they keep the tree from falling over.

Habits

Good habits get us through the day. We try to get good night’s sleep, buy coffee in the same place every morning, check the weather and turn the stove off when done cooking. All good things to do – without them life would be a mess. Habits keep us from harm and they cut down the number of decisions we make. They’re a real time saver because they allow us to stop thinking.

But habits can be negative, too: habits of laziness, over-indulgence and thoughtlessness. Some habits are downright sneaky. We acquire them and don’t realize it, because they are subtle, and don’t appear to be either good habits or bad habits, so they are easy to ignore. We pray for the same things, without really thinking about our prayer. We sit in the same pew at church, talk to the same people, and quickly put aside the things of God.

Try a different routine, shake things up. Put on a different attitude, expect something new, pray for something bigger than ever before. Look at your life and ask yourself “What do I really want God to do in my life? And what do I really want to do for God?” Leave your habits and step into a fresh relationship with God.

Remember

Have you ever asked God for something, something that you really needed? And then your prayer was answered, and God gave you what you desired?

When God brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, they saw the plagues brought upon Egypt, and were spared when the firstborns died. They saw the Red Sea parted before them, and Pharaoh’s army destroyed. They ate manna in the wilderness. But when they came to Meribah they complained that God had brought them out of Egypt to Meribah only to die of thirst.

How soon we cease to remember the mercies of God. His Blessings soon grow commonplace. He answers us, whether our requests are small or large, and yet we so soon forget to be grateful, and ask for more as if we have never received at all. God does not mind if we ask and then ask again, but we should be mindful of what we have received. We each have a journey that we have made with God beside us, and we should not cease to see how far God has brought us.

Choices, Choices

Life is full of choices: little choices in what to wear, when to eat lunch, what book to read; bigger choices in honesty, kindness and how to treat others. The biggest choice we make is the decision to become a Christian, but after that every day is the choice to do things God’s way or not. There are only two choices. If you don’t live your life for God, then you follow the way of the world. God or mammon; which will it be?

When we try other ways and other choices, the result is never good. David disobeyed God, and was given three choices (I Chronicles 21). Even though his disobedience had a fearful consequence, David made the choice to fall under the hand of God instead of the hand of man.

If you choose God, the rest of the choices are clearer. Choose wisdom, not foolishness. Choose goodness, not evil. Choose love, not hate. Look at how often God tells us to follow the way “which the LORD your God shall choose”. Joshua chose to follow God. Solomon chose to ask for wisdom. Elijah chose to remain faithful to God, even when confronted with 400 priests of Baal.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

Moving On

We know that things happen in God’s own time. We also know that, like it or not, things just plain happen. We all experience daily events, the changing seasons, the passing years. Our circle of friends changes; we get a new job; we move to a different house. Nothing remains the same. Some of the changes are expected. We grow from child to adult. We move from the classroom to the workplace. We marry, have children, and bury our parents. No matter what your relationship is with God, these changes are inescapable. The only control we have is our reaction to the changes. The only possible constant in the midst of these changes is our relationship with God.

If our secular life changes, so does our spiritual life. We grow from enthusiastic new Christian to settled maturity. There are times of quick growth, hard times of adversity, and times of winter dormancy. Like the growth of a crop, there are good years of bounteous harvest and lean years when the harvest is only enough to plant anew the next year. As in our secular lives, the only constant is God.

We should expect change, just as we expect the seasons of the year to be different. Do we expect a spring day to be as warm as a summer day? Do we expect the same clouds, the same rain and sun every day? And should we expect our spiritual life to be unchanging? Even though God is the only possible constant, we can still become closer to God each day. He does not change, but we can move closer to Him. And if only God is consistently there for us, why do we spend so much time ignoring Him?

Few Words

I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

This verse is both amusing and provides us with a timeless message. It comes after Job and his friends have had long discussions about God. Each one of them has spoken at length about man’s relationship to God, and each one has something different to say. Finally, they are all done. Each one has spoken till there is no more to say, and still there is no final conclusion.

The men have no more words, and now God Himself speaks. He speaks of His own greatness, and how little mankind knows, even about the things God has created. If we don’t even know why mud sticks together, how can we fathom the greatness of God? When Job hears God’s words, he understands that he cannot presume to speak, but must only listen and acknowledge the greatness of God. My mental picture is of these men, seated on the ground, and Job lays his hand over his mouth as a sign that he has spoken without understanding.

The lesson here is unchanged from Job’s time. God is still supreme. When we presume to speak without knowledge, we fail to acknowledge God Himself.

Be not rash with thy mouth,
and let not thine heart be hasty to utter and thing before God:
for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth;
therefore let thy words be few.

The Prophetess

Deborah, a prophetess…judged Israel at that time.

The job of a prophet is to speak for God. A prophet may speak of the future, but not always. A prophet does not lead, like a king or a general, a prophet simply speaks. The job of a prophet is difficult; the prophet must be accurate and never speak their own words, but only the words God gives them. And since a prophet does not lead, the prophet often sees God’s people ignore His words.

Deborah judged Israel at a time when they were under attack. A mighty army with 900 chariots (the tanks of the day) was moving into position to conquer. Deborah called Barak, the leader of Israel’s army, and told him to attack. This man, who was in command of the entire army, said he would lead the attack only if Deborah accompanied him. Deborah’s job was not to lead the army. Her job was to speak the words God gave her. In this case, words of encouragement and reassurance. Some foretelling of the future was also included when Deborah foretold the downfall of Sisera at the hands of a woman.

Since Barak heeded Deborah’s words, he was able to lead the army to victory. Sisera’s chariots were mired in the soft ground near the River Kishon, and the powerful army was destroyed.

The Living Word

Thy words were found, and I did eat them;

and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:

The Word of God is a living document. Reading in the Word brings you closer to God. It is a living link between mankind and God. It’s like the internet – interactive with endless possibilities. It has an application for any problem or situation. It never becomes obsolete. The Word lives within our mind when we read it, and it lives for others when we speak it forth.

God devised His Word with a purpose in mind, and the Word always accomplishes its purpose. We may never see the result or the final accomplishment of speaking the Word. But it is there nonetheless. The Word should be close as our breath, as essential as food for our lives.

Pray for Blessing

And the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends.

Job received a benefit when he prayed for his friends. One reason he received a benefit was that in prayer for his friends, Job’s love and forgiveness for them was kindled. Another reason was that in giving to others, God is able to bless the giver.

Christian relationships need the continual nurturing of prayer. If you are married, pray for your spouse. If you have children, pray for them. If you are in ministry, pray for your partners and fellow church members. How will God bless your marriage if you will not pray for your spouse? How will you God bless your ministry if you will not ask favor for your partners?

It is essential to pray first for the relationships in your life. The prayer must be for your partners first. Later you can ask a blessing for yourself, but it is secondary to the blessing for another. God will not grant the selfish prayer.

Greed

When we think of greed, the picture that comes to mind is of an obvious, almost medieval vice. We think of wealthy men hoarding piles of gold, or the collector who must have just one more item. But the actuality of greed is much more subtle and insidious. We experience it everyday.

Just as the worker deserves the pay he has earned, the price for goods bought and sold should be a fair price. But we are on the constant lookout for bargains, suspicious that we will be taken advantage of. Many people will not buy unless there is a sale, or they can buy in bulk. Discount stores abound; well-made goods for a fair price are hard to find.

Employers and employees both try to get the most out of the relationship while putting the least into it. Employers cut benefits and expect more production. Employees expect unreasonable benefits. Look at the airline workers who refuse a pay cut when the company is so bankrupt that they can’t make the next payroll. This is a relationship based on greed.

In restaurants, the size of the portions becomes larger and larger. Even standard restaurants serve more than one person can eat in a sitting. All-you-can-eat buffets are popular. Fast food establishments provide the maximum amount of food for the least cost, usually in a way that is unhealthy in the type and quantity of food. Why do we expect more food than we need? The purpose of eating is to nourish the body, and we enjoy foods that we do not cook at home. But to expect super portions for rock bottom prices is greed.

Give, and it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down, and
shaken together, and running over,
shall men give into your bosom.
For with the same measure that ye mete withal
it shall be measured to you again.

The Word of God

The parable of the seeds that landed on four kinds of ground is a familiar one. Sometimes it is instructive to rearrange the verses a little, like this:

11. The seed is the Word of God.
5. A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.	12. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
6. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.	13. They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.	14. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
8. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.	15. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience.

The last three examples are all of people who have received the Word of God and believed it. They are all Christians. But the people in the first example are not believers, even though they have heard the Word. They have heard enough of the Word for it to enter their hearts. But before they can believe, the devil comes by and snatches it away.

It is shocking to realize how close these people are to salvation, before deception keeps them from it. Our adversary has the ability to deceive us, and to make the most attractive promise God has for us to appear worthless.

The Cynic's Prayer

Dear God (if you do exist, and might possibly be listening):

If You wanted me to believe in you, why didn’t You send me a personal message? I don’t count Your Bible. I know that Your Bible is full of contradictions, even though I’ve never read it. And I know that the things people tell me about You are wrong and misguided, even though I don’t know You.

If You want my worship, then why haven’t You helped me? I’ve been through some difficult times when I needed assistance. Help me first, then I’ll consider believing in You.

And why did You create the world the way it is? This place is really messed up. You could make things perfect. Just don’t let people be unkind or selfish and everything will be better. I’m sure that if people were in charge we wouldn’t have let things get so bad.

Well God, I’m sure You are going to ignore this prayer. Am I not good enough? Maybe You could have sent someone special, just for me, to help me find You. Someone who would love and care about me; someone willing to bring me close to You, a real friend.


Wish I could hear from You-
Your Cynical and Unbelieving Friend

Little Things

There are so many things we should take to God for His guidance and protection. In actuality, we should take everything to Him. Whenever I lose something, I ask God to help. I know that with God’s help, the item will soon “turn up.” But because there are so many little things, we shouldn’t spend much of our time, or of God’s time, on these items. When I lose something, I thank God for showing me the place to look, and then I move on to another topic. This is one of those quick check-in communications with God. He always comes through.

Go to God for the little things, but don’t spend very much time on the little things. After all: 1. These are little things 2. He’s going to come through. 3. If you keep praying about it, your unbelief is showing. 4. The priority is to spend more time with God on the big things.

If you waste your time in long prayer about little items, you will never have time to take the big things to God. You will never have time to do big things for God, because you are stuck on the little things. So be faithful to the little things, but when they are done, move on to the big things. Pray a little bit about the little things, but pray a lot about the big things.

Cold Nights

When my daughter was very young, she used to get mad at the constellation of Orion because she blamed Orion for bringing the cold of winter nights. In a way, this actually makes sense. Orion is a bright and distinctive set of stars, easy for a small child to pick out of the night sky. Orion is only visible in the winter months. It appears early in the evening on the horizon, and moves upward in the sky as the night progresses. And stars are best viewed on the cold, cloudless nights. So on the coldest of nights, Orion was visible, and became associated with the cold.

This kind of occurrence, that Orion is always visible on a cold night, is too consistent to be a coincidence. But Orion does not cause a cold night to occur; and cold nights to not cause Orion to appear. These two things are not cause-and-effect, they are not coincidence; they are in correspondence to each other. A cold night has the corresponding effect of the appearance of Orion.

It is easy to see why people in the past believed in the signs and superstitions in the natural world. The Harvest Moon always appeared on the summer nights when a few more hours of light were needed in the fields. A certain star always appeared at the right time to plant. But these are corresponding events. They just happen to occur at the same time.

In God’s Word, there are no corresponding events. There are no coincidences. There is a reason that each event is included in the Bible. There is a reason that each decision has a specific result. And each person mentioned is there to teach us with their story. But we must read with the understanding of an adult, and not the narrow understanding of a child.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Captivity Turned

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends.

Job is the story of a man who was assaulted by the adversary. He lost all his great wealth, his wife and his family, and he lost his health. He was counseled by three friends, who only blamed Job and explained his troubles as a result of Job’s own sin. Each one of them saw in Job a different weakness or fault, and expounded on it at length. Finally, it was God Himself who spoke to Job, and recounted His limitless power, His unequalled knowledge. What are we, in comparison to God?

Finally, Job realizes that there is nothing for him to say, except in praise and admiration of God. And God commanded that the men sacrifice together and pray for each other, and so be reconciled. It is when Job prays for the others that his captivity is turned. I’m sure that Job wasn’t feeling kindly towards his friends, who only had words of blame and injustice for him. When he needed comfort and encouragement, they gave him disappointment. Job compared their words to a brook that dries up in the summer. Just when you need comfort the most, it is not there.

But still, Job’s captivity is turned, not when he acknowledges God’s sovereignty, not when he sacrifices with the others, but when he prays for them. It is important to pray for others; to not “hog the blessings” and try to gather them all for oneself. When you pray for another, it is a giving that blesses you back.

Alone in a Crowd

Alone, or lonely? Which are you?

When you are alone, it is easier to hear God. It is easier to experience the presence of God. His presence is clearer when no one else is near. And yet, how lonely it can be in the middle of a crowd. Job had friends to comfort and counsel him, but their presence made him feel more lonely, not less. Their presence made him feel further from God, and their counsel did not bring him peace.

When Jesus was tired from the crowds and the long days, he went up into the mountains, or into desolate places, to be alone. While alone (but feeling the presence of God), he became refreshed. Sometimes he took his followers, but only a select few, and sometimes he went completely alone. When he took followers, they also needed the rest afforded by being alone with God.

And when he had sent the multitudes away,
he went up into a mountain apart to pray:
and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

We all need space to be by ourselves. Too much noise and busyness is not exhilarating, but is tiring. God is our refuge. When we are with Him, there is safety, comfort, understanding. Seek time to be alone with God and experience the refreshing.

Woe unto them that join house to house,
that lay field to field, till there be no place,
that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

God's Needs

The Creator of the Heavens and the earth. The Most High God.
The Almighty. The Lord that Heals. The Lord our Righteousness.
The Lord who Sanctifies You.
The Lord Who makes Holy. The Everlasting. The Ancient of Days.

God knows our every thought. Nothing is hidden from Him. Even if we do not speak, God knows. So why do we pray? Does the Creator of the Heavens and the earth need to hear us pray?

When we worship God, is He strengthened? Is He restored? What profit does our worship give God? Does the Lord Who makes Holy need our worship?

If we speak out our thankfulness to God, does His power extend further? Does He become greater?

If we pray or not, God is still God. If we worship or not, He is still supreme. If we are thankful, His nature is unchanged. Our prayer, our worship, our thankfulness, are all for us. We need to pray. We need to ask, and know that it is God who answers. We need to worship, to acknowledge His sovereignty, to put our position in the proper perspective. We need to place our attention on Him instead of ourselves. And we need to thank Him, to remind ourselves that we can do nothing by ourselves. Our relationship with God is entirely what we choose to make it. If we ignore Him, the relationship withers. If we place God in the forefront of our attention, He draws closer.

The Fool

Have you ever met someone who is inconsiderate, but doesn’t seem to be aware of it? Or someone who tells rude jokes at a party, and doesn’t seem to be aware that no one finds them funny? How often people are completely unaware of their own faults!

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes… Prov 12:15

But consider again. If the fool, whose faults are so obvious, is unaware of them, what lesser faults do we all possess? And we are blind to all these faults. But there is hope for us. Our faults can be replaced with the wisdom that comes from God.

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom…Prov 15:33

True wisdom comes only from God. It is not the same as knowledge or education. Wisdom is something that we can acquire, or something that we can reject. Usually, wisdom comes little by little, because we ignore the leading of God, but God can pour out His wisdom in a river, if we accept it.

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Jer 8:9

A Guiding Light

The Christian walk is done by faith, and not by sight. We so often do not know the next step God wants us to take, until the last moment. Then we are shown an open door, ands we have the opportunity to walk out in faith.

If we could see our lives ahead of time, would we be walking in faith? If we knew where God wanted us many steps ahead, would we become discouraged? If we knew the difficult lessons God wanted us to learn, would we lose heart? God provides a guide, a direction for us to go. He doesn’t give us complete knowledge.

When the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, God provided guidance; a light by night and smoke by day. Sometimes they stopped in one place for only one night, sometimes for much longer. Every morning the people stayed or journeyed as God guided them. God provided guidance. He did not give them a map.

The Race

…let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Heb 12.1

What does a person do, who is going to run in a race?
First, the person decides upon the length and type of race: is it a sprint or a distance run? Is it on a track or across country? The runner chooses the event, and enters her name. And she finds out about the race location. And the runner doesn’t wait until race-day to prepare. Although it is possible to finish a sprint without practice, neither the sprinter nor the marathoner will perform at the best without training, sometimes for months or longer.

So the runner prepares by learning about the race itself, the race location with all the turns and hills, the other runners and their techniques and by conditioning the body through training and diet. On race day, the runner is prepared, physically and mentally.

Our daily walk is like a race. We need to train for it. But this race is not one we choose. It is set before us. And it doesn’t sound like a sprint, because we need patience to complete it. As we go through life, remember that we are runners in training. We gain in strength and endurance as we run each day. Some days are sunny, and the run is like a downhill course. Other days are cold and windy, but we still must run. This is a run that requires patience, so we have the example of others who have run before us. If they did it, so can we.

Continuing Promise

And the LORD smelled a sweet savor; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (Gen 8:21-22)

The context of this verse is illuminating. It is God’s promise, given to Noah after the flood. The inhabitants of the earth have been destroyed as a consequence of their wickedness and disobedience, but Noah has obeyed God, and has built an altar and sacrificed to thank God. Even though mankind has an evil heart from youth, (the flood didn’t change that) God still grants this promise. There will still be the cycle of days and seasons, planting and harvest. This is not a promise conditioned on man’s obedience (good thing it’s not, because we aren’t). It is not conditioned on man’s goodness or faithfulness or believing. It is simply that as long as the earth exists, so will the promise of seasons and harvest be fulfilled.

This is the season of coming cold. The ground is cooling; grass and crops no longer grow. Trees loose their leaves. Soon the snow will come and the ponds will ice over. But the proof of this promise is still evident. Scratch a twig, and see the green under the bark. Turn over a rock, and see the grubs in torpid hibernation. Under the pond ice fish, toads and frogs wait for spring. God is still faithful to His promise.

Couples

When we go to Church, we see families, couples, newlyweds, golden agers. We see children, parents and single people. It is good to worship God as a family. It is good to sit in Church beside your spouse. Worship with family strengthens the family in following Christ.

But sometimes you see a couple in Church, and they are not together. One bows in prayer, the other lifts up hands to praise. Or maybe one dances and the other sits in quiet contemplation. There is no division between them; they simply are pursuing their personal relationship with God. This is a couple that knows the importance of family worship, but one that also knows each one of us is responsible for our own relationship with God.

The most important relationship in our spiritual life is our relationship with God. The individual’s second most important relationship is to the spouse. Each one of us must put the relationship with God first and sometimes this means a separation from the spouse. After becoming close to God, the couple comes back together, and their individual’s closeness to God will bless the marriage bond, and strengthen and deepen it.

More Promises

Abram believes God’s promises. This is now a “teachable moment”. So God continues, and He reminds Abram that He has given Abram the land. So Abram asks for more information. Notice that Abram didn’t ask when he didn’t believe, but when he believes, he wants more of God.

Abram follows God’s instructions to make a sacrifice, and God gives Abram a vision of the future concerning the 400 years in Egypt, and then He seals the covenant with Abram by passing His light through the sacrifice. And this covenant is even more specific:

Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. (Gen 15)

Unfortunately, the next thing that Abram and Sarai do is an act of unbelief. Thinking that God is taking too long in fulfilling His promise, they decide to “help”. Sarai gives her handmaid, Hager, to Abram to obtain children.

Promises to Abram

When God gives a promise, He sometimes doesn’t reveal it all at once. The first recorded promise to Abram was that God would make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (Gen 12) After Abram separated from Lot, God told him that all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. (Gen 13) And then some years go by; Abram was still childless, so he asked God about a son. And God was more specific. He that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And God showed Abram the stars and said So shall thy seed be. Only now does Abram believe God’s promises.

So why did God not tell Abram everything at once? Even Abram is as a child to God, and how do we teach our children? We teach them gradually, a little at a time. In kindergarten, we learn to share toys, stand in line for recess and clean up for snack. In elementary school, we learn the shape and sound of letters and how to swing very high. Only after years do we learn algebra, the history of Mongolia or how to drive a car. God was teaching Abram, giving him a little more each time. God wanted Abram to experience the faithfulness of God himself and to know that God would not withdraw His promise. Abram believed God in other matters, and moved his family where God directed.

Even Abram, the father of believing, did not immediately believe all that God told him. He needed time to learn and grow.

Wisdom

I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there shall be none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unit thee.

So do you think that when Solomon asked for wisdom that God just opened his head and poured it in? That he was like some comic book superhero, the Wisdom Hulk, and he became instantly wise? Solomon started out wiser than most of us because he asked for wisdom, not power or wealth or status, but that was just his beginning.

Solomon had more than one kind of wisdom. One kind was the instant and reliable wisdom to judge the people that didn’t come from experience, but from listening to God. How else would Solomon know that the true mother of a baby would be revealed by offering to cut the child in half?

But Solomon also learned some of his knowledge through long, hard experience. He records in Ecclesiastes his search for meaning in life. Wealth, learning, great accomplishments and various pleasures all failed to satisfy. It was only after trying all these and experiencing the emptiness for himself that Solomon reached his full wisdom.

Fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

Cast Your Cares

The balloon rises into the air, bobbing near the tree branches.

God wants us to give Him our cares. (I Peter 5:7) But sometimes a sorrow does not diminish with time. Sometimes unforgiveness or anger is not replaced with peace. Sometimes a situation becomes overwhelming, consuming our thoughts, dominating every waking moment and robbing us of sleep.

A hand holds the string, as the balloon rises further and further into the air.
As the string lengthens, the balloon becomes smaller, further away.
The balloon seems to touch the clouds.

We pray about these things. We ask God to take these cares; to relieve us of these burdens. We give these burdens to God, asking for peace. And yet, the burdens do not lessen. Our prayers seem ineffectual. Where is the peace of God; where is the care God promises?

Higher still. Surely the balloon will touch the hand of God.

We pray; we ask God to take our burden. But God will not take anything from us unless we give it completely. We ask God to take our burden, but when the prayer is ended, we take back the burden.

Cut the string.

Toaster Tidbit #2

The Oscar and Mark Caravan was in Columbia, SC for the first part of this week. They are now back in Laurens, and plan to start for home on Friday. Their days have been full of ministering to the body of believers. There has been a release of God’s energy, which will continue to work powerfully in the days to come.

The church members remaining in Bennington have been under assault from our adversary, but we remain in praise and worship to God, and assured of His faithfulness to His promises. Like the Believers in Acts 5:24, we held prayer meeting tonight, and we lifted up our voices with one accord to praise God. Though we have been threatened, we still pray for more boldness to speak Thy Word.

We also talked about change, and that change is not always comfortable. We are in the midst of change, because God is bringing us to a new place. Because we are trusting the Lord, and we delight in Him, and have committed our ways to Him, He is giving us new desires, the desire to serve Him. As He places these new desires in our hearts, we know that we shall dwell in the land God provides, and be fed by Him. (Ps 37)

Protective Dogs

Visualize the house by the road, a dog sleeping in the yard. A stranger comes to knock on the door. The dog knows no one is home, and so he hides under the porch. But when the owner is home, the dog goes out to the property line to confront the intruder. It’s not only that the dog is protecting the owner; the dog feels braver, more able to deal with he intruder, because he has the backing of a more powerful force. The owner is his pack leader, and the dog feels protected by his owner.

Our relationship with God is similar. We don’t have to go it alone. We have the backing of a larger, more powerful force, so we feel more able to confront the things sent against us by the Adversary.

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Christ Jesus our Lord…In whom we have boldness.

Justice

In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy. But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. And everyone who tells lies in court will be brought to justice. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Pruning the Vine

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that bears no fruit, he takes away; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples. John 15, 1-2, 8

Why are fruit trees pruned? What does it accomplish? The reason is that an unpruned tree puts all its strength and energy into growing leaves and new shoots. In a tree that has been properly pruned, the excess branches that will not bear fruit are removed. The tree then will put its energy and growth into the fruit. After all, it doesn’t have the barren shoots and leaves anymore, so that energy goes into fruit. A tree is pruned annually, because the tree still tries to grow those barren shoots, and they must be removed regularly.

In John, we are compared to a vine. When we follow God’s will for us, we make the choice to leave behind things that distract us from Him. A true disciple of Jesus examines his own life and asks God what needs to be pruned away to be the bearer of God’s fruit.

Joy in the Morning

Have joy in the morning. Awake to praise the new day and the Lord who has made it. His joy comes from a deep wellspring, and flows without end. You know the trueness of His joy, because unlike the happiness of the world, it is pure. There is no taint of acquisition, no sense of yourself in the Lord’s joy. It comes regardless of circumstance.

In Acts 4, Peter and John were imprisoned and brought to court for their boldness in obeying God. When they were let go, they were threatened to not teach in the name of Jesus again. And yet, when they returned to the church, everyone prayed for more boldness to speak God’s Word. They prayed for boldness, and they prayed with joy. They rejoiced because they knew that God was moving among them, and that God was glorified in their actions.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings; and grant unto Your servants, that with all boldness they may speak Your word…And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filed with the holy spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:29, 31

Silence

What fills the void of silence? When the routine of every day seems to repeat without change or progress, what brings you joy?

Tonight, the power is out, the result of a “lack of supply from the power suppliers in this area”. I have the chance to hear the silence, and am reminded that we fill our days with noise and our hours with a full schedule. The balanced life includes time for quiet closeness to God, as well as exuberant praise and worship. So tonight the loudest sound I hear is the ticking of the battery clock on the wall. The candles glow intimately. And I bless the presence of God.

When we feel the need to fill our hours with activity, we separate ourselves from God. Our daily lives become a fog that drifts over the face of God. Instead, take time for silence, the one-to-one with God. Refresh yourself with His presence, and then go out with joy in praise and worship, go out again to the daily duties. But remember with me, to return always to God’s closeness.

This is the rest, give you rest to him who is weary; and this is the refreshing.

Toaster Tidbit #1

Pastors Mark Herrick and Oscar Caraballo are on their way to a Christian conference in South Carolina. On the way, they are following the leading of the spirit to stop at Churches to fellowship with believers.

Tuesday
Mark and Oscar left Bennington early and headed south in an RV, “the toaster”. They stopped in New Jersey to fix a mechanical problem. They were able to find a parts store with the correct CV valve and a mechanic to install it. Proceeding onward, they had great fellowship with some believers that evening.

Wednesday
The pastors continued the journey, this time as far as Maryland. My news of Mark and Oscar is sparse because I had a sick horse to care for. My thanks for his kindness go to the veterinarian, Dr. Ted Johnson, who came to tend to Ren. Unfortunately, Ren was extremely sick, and was put down late Wednesday night.

Thursday
I am also thankful to Leon Knapp for his kindness and gentleness to me when he came with a backhoe to bury Ren. Oscar’s wife, Gloryvee, was hit on the head today by an object falling off a high shelf. The prayer meeting at Alpha and Omega Church in Bennington was full of praise for God, and the great work He is doing with Mark and Oscar. We know that we are truly walking out in boldness for God when the adversary moves against us.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
I Peter 5:8

Formula for Life

MULTIPLY

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof

BY

the multitude of thy tender mercies

SUBTRACT

the cares of this world

DO THE MATH


And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

A Prayer Request

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

“Approved” is also used to describe a coin of full weight and value.

This is an important scripture, because by study we gain God’s approval. But study does not have to be some long arduous task. It does not need to consume endless hours. The study of scripture should be a joy that brings us closer to God. It should help us to understand His plans and desires for us. Scripture should excite, encourage, comfort.

Study seems difficult because we make it so. God can bring understanding, if only we ask. Make part of your prayer this request:

Lord, show me one new thing each day.

The Bee

Deborah was a woman who led the Hebrew people. For years, the people brought their problems and disputes to her, and she gave judgment. By the time the story of Sisera begins, she is no longer young. Perhaps she is grey-haired, stout, like a kind grandmother.

She starts by summoning Barak, and tells him to gather an army to defeat the army of the conqueror Jabin, led by Sisera. Sisera’s army is very strong, outnumbering the Hebrews, and is better equipped with chariots. The battle takes place on a wide plain between Mount Tabor and the River Kishon. It is Deborah who summoned the army; Deborah who encouraged Barak when he hesitated; Deborah who sent Barak and his army after the chariots of Sisera. And the army of Sisera was completely defeated.

Deborah means “a bee”. And she is like a bee, not like a wasp. Wasps are carnivores. They hunt other insects, and scavenge carrion. They are aggressive, and will attack without cause. Bees are herbivores, eating only the nectar of flowers. They sting only when threatened. Deborah, like a bee, attacked only in defense. She used a small force to defeat a larger. And though small and ineffectual in appearance, she was able to defeat a large enemy, because she listened to God.

Jogging

Jogging down the road. Thud, thud, thud, thud; the sound of feet on the ground. No cars; the house far behind. Breathe in and out; arms swing. Alone with the road and the running.

If I stumble, who will see it? If I fall, who will help? If I tire, I am still far from home. If I walk or if I run, the distance is the same.

But God is with us. His presence is no weight. He lets us choose our own course, our own pace. And if we let Him, He will guide our steps and remove the rocks from the path.

Paradox

Have you ever noticed that the things of God are often paradoxes? He uses the weak to defeat the strong, the foolish to confound the wise, and He puts the first last and the last first. And the things of God are good and honest. When things happen God’s way, everyone feels better. When things happen God’s way no one loses. That doesn’t happen by man’s way. So this is why the things of this world don’t make sense. This is why so many of man’s ideas have a bad result.

You can use this to test the things around you. Look at children’s games. Someone wins, and someone loses. Look at the losers face, and see how unhappy that makes the child. When we are grownups, similar situations occur. One person wins the lottery, and is very happy. Thousands of people lose and are unhappy: proof that lotteries are not part of God’s plan.

God makes win-win results. We all win, no one looses. This is why salvation is available for all, no one gets left out, we can all be winners. God has enough Blessings to give to everyone. God never runs out of Blessings and has to say: “Come back in a week, after the next delivery”. What in the world works this way?

The Duty of Man

Each one of us is alone. No one can know your thoughts, unless you voice them. No one can experience your feelings as you experience them. The connection to others is based on the shared understanding of words, not the actual sharing of the feelings. And what is there to do when there is no other to share even the small words we give each other? What is there to do when friends are gone, when family dies? Who is left to understand, and more importantly, what else is there left to do with life?

In Ecclesiastes is the experience of a man who looked for meaning in life. He experimented with pleasure, drunkenness and sex. He accumulated knowledge, wealth and power. He built great structures that amazed all who beheld them. And yet, he was unsatisfied. Everything that he tried, no matter how great or pleasurable, became stale. It was only when he turned his devotion fully to God, and to doing the will of God, that he found an activity that satisfied, and did not become stale.

Don’t wait till the end of your life to do God’s will. Don’t wait till friends and family are gone before experiencing the closeness of God. Don’t be deceived by the busyness of your life into thinking you are fulfilled. Only through nearness to God and the doing of His will does life have meaning.


Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them"…Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

A Prayer

In times of trouble, O God, remind me of Your goodness. When I am discouraged, give me hope. If my friends desert me, comfort me with Your nearness. When I am alone, let Your presence fill me.

I am so often weak, and unworthy of your kindness. I so often forget the mercies and benefits that You have showered upon me. How fleeting is the mindfulness that I have for You, O my hope for eternity. My desire should always be to serve You. My thoughts should abound with Your Words.

What is there left for the child who wishes to be close to You? Only to contemplate Your greatness. Only to be thankful that You are faithful when I am not.

Bless the Lord, O My soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Ps 103:1

The light of God's Word

One match illuminates a room. One candle illuminates a house.



What does this small amount of light reveal? The hands, the faces, the pages of the book.

What reflects the light? The faces of the beholders. And so we should reflect the light of the Word as we look upon it.

Sorrow and Trouble

Through our darkest times, though our saddest times, God is with us. He sees our sorrows, our troubles; He always is ready to listen. “There is no new thing under the sun” (Ecc 1:9). Our problems may seem huge and unique to each of us, but they are not new to God. He understands - always. Who else can understand, no matter what? And yet, he will not let us feel sorry for ourselves. He will not let us be less than He has made us. He will not let us be less than a conqueror. “We are more than conquerors, through Christ that loved us”.

Being a conqueror on God’s terms is not the same as being a conqueror on the world’s terms. When you are a conqueror on the world’s terms, everyone knows about it. You are put on a high place, like an Olympic athlete, for all to see. When you are a conqueror on God’s terms, the world does not recognize you; it does not see your triumph. But you know that you have triumphed, because you are at peace; the world has not won, because you are resting in the sure knowledge of God’s mercy and grace.

Do not hide your light under a bushel.

A Leader

Children know what a leader is. In the game of “Follow-the-leader”, one child goes first, and the others follow, doing everything that the leader does. Alexander the Great was a wonderful secular leader. He never asked his troops to do anything that he wouldn’t do. If there was a dangerous river crossing, or steep terrain to scale, Alexander went first, to show the troops how to reach the goal. His men would follow him no matter what, and he conquered the world.

A supervisor is not the same as a leader. A supervisor sits back and directs the work crew. A leader goes first, to show the way. This is why Jesus Christ was a great leader. Men looked at him, and said to themselves: “I want to do what he does. I want to be like him.” And they followed his example.

Being a leader doesn’t come by ordering people around, or even by being in charge. A leader has to go first, and starts out alone. After setting an example that others can see, the first person is followed, and becomes a leader.

God Speaks

God has spoken to his people in many times and in many ways. Sometimes it is with information, sometimes it is with direction, sometimes it is with power. When God’s Word goes out with the power to establish a new order, it is established and made final by being spoken twice.

Gen 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

So when God speaks something twice we should pay attention. When He speaks something more than twice, we should really pay attention. God tells Abraham twice that He will bless all the nations of the earth in his seed (Gen 12:3 and Gen 22:18). He repeated the same to Isaac (Gen 26:4) and to Jacob (Gen 28:14). And Solomon repeated the promise (Ps 72:17), as did Peter (Ac 3:25) and Paul (Gal 3:8). And the seed is Christ:

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Two Kinds of Death

Deut. 18:18-20
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

A false prophet, one who speaks for another god while pretending that the prophecy is from the True God, will die as a consequence of his falseness. The tense used for “die” indicates a completed action, something so sure that it has already happened.

And yet, the next verse asks, how do we know if a prophet is false or not? Obviously, we don’t have a dead prophet on the floor as our proof. The proof is that the prophecy shall not come to pass. The last verse tells us to not fear the false prophet. If the prophet is physically dead, this seems a little silly. Why fear a dead person?

There are two kinds of death. We think of physical death first, but that isn’t the case here. The false prophet becomes spiritually dead. As a prophet of God, the spirit of God was upon him, giving him the words God wanted him to speak. When the prophet speaks for another god, the True God immediately removes His spirit from upon him, resulting in spiritual death. There is no need to fear the spiritually dead prophet.

A Wedding Blessing

One section of the Bible contains the story of a young woman’s courtship and marriage. It reads very much like a play, with changing scenes and various characters who come in to say their part. Then the scene changes and another character appears and speaks. The young woman speaks most often, because the story is told from her point of view.

She speaks of her thoughts and feelings as her marriage approaches. This is not the story of an arranged marriage to an unknown person, but of a courtship between a man and a woman that takes place over a significant time span. The woman describes her feelings when she hears the voice of her intended:
The voice of my beloved! behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
The sound of his voice fills her with joy like skipping across mountains.

And the man describes his feelings when he sees the woman:
Who is she that looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun?

This story is full of the love these two have for each other. It talks of the strength of their marriage bond. This couple has eyes only for the other.

Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot wash it away: if one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would utterly be scorned.

The young woman sees her intended looking out a window. If you keep the bond of marriage and walk with God’s love and grace, then you will fulfill my prayer for you, which is, that for the rest of your life, you will be able to look out a window to see your beloved and say what she said:

Look, there he is behind the wall! Now he is looking in through the window, gazing into the room. My beloved has answered and said to me, `Rise up, my friend, my fair one, and come away, For, behold, the winter is gone, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard; The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, and come away. Show me your face, let me hear your voice; My beloved is mine, and I am his.

Mercy and Grace

True Mercy and Grace (the Godly kind) are always together. Grace is undeserved favor; Mercy is the release from a deserved consequence or punishment.

Human Mercy is granted on a whim, or comes with conditions. It has no Grace with it. God’s Mercy is always by Grace. It comes with no “strings” or hidden clauses. True Grace, and true Mercy, are only possible with God. Whenever we humans try to grant Mercy without God, it still contains our ego and our pride.

How great and how good God is! That He not only is the only source of true Mercy and Grace, but that He grants it so freely to us! He grants us the Mercy and Grace of forgiveness every time we ask for it. He never withholds, and He never tires of our asking.


1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Dinner

A child does not spend the day thinking about dinner. The child knows that an adult will find, prepare and serve the food, and that the time and place will be announced. All the child has to do is answer the call to dinner, and eat.

But when a child becomes a woman, she thinks about dinner, sometimes planning days ahead. What food is at hand, and what needs to be purchased? What is the day’s schedule and how much time will be needed to prepare the food? The subject of dinner is with the woman throughout the day.

So it is with the spiritual life. When we are new Christians, someone else prepares the nourishment of the Word and serves it to us. All we have to do is show up and partake. But as we grow, we begin to take on the responsibility not only for ourselves, but for others. Our goal as mature Christians is to have the things of God as a constant presence in our minds, never far from the surface. We begin to minister the Word to others while maintaining our relationship with God.


Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

The God of Jacob

Jacob wasn’t a very nice person. As a young man, he stole his brother’s inheritance. He stole it by deceiving and lying to his father. The deception wasn’t some accidental mistaken identity, but a well thought out plan of lies. He timed the deception for when his brother would be gone a long time, and wore his brother’s clothes to act the part.

Jacob also had troubles in his life. He had a difficult relationship with his in-law family. He was deceived by his father-in-law in marriage and in business. His daughter lay with a Canaanite and his sons avenged her by massacring the men of a whole city and then looting the city. Jacob had to flee the area to avoid retaliation. Later, those same sons sold their youngest brother into slavery and covered their crime by telling Jacob that his son was killed by a wild beast.

And yet, one of the names that God Himself uses to identify Himself is “the God of Jacob”. Why would God identify Himself as the God of Jacob?

God is not just the God of those who made no mistakes or have no troubles. He is the God that brings you through trouble; He is the God who loves you even when you do wrong. Whenever Jacob did wrong or had a great trouble, he went to God and recommitted himself to God. He went to the source of power and forgiveness with the resolve to change his life and follow God better than before. God calls Himself the God of Jacob as a reminder to us that His salvation is of grace.

Perceptions

We have two dogs. Demi is a medium-size, blonde dog who runs in circles and is somewhat frantic. Regent is larger and calmer, but likes to annoy Demi. Demi often leaves part of her dinner so that she can growl at Regent when he walks by. One evening after dinner Regent and Demi both lay down. After a few minutes, Demi got up and moved to a spot further away. Suddenly she realized that Regent was now closer to her food! He hadn’t moved, but now he was closer than Demi and she was very upset.

Perceptions are as important as expectations. When Demi was closer than Regent to the food, everything was fine. But when she moved, he became a threat. But he did nothing. The difference was in Demi’s perceptions. She perceived him as a threat because she was in a different place.

Dogs are wonderful. They can teach us so much about who we are as people. Their feelings and motivations are right on the surface where we can see them. How many conflicts or misunderstandings exist because of altered perceptions? How often do we misunderstand another person, not because they have done something, but because we have changed?


Mal 3:6 For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.

An Exclusive Relationship

The marriage relationship is contractual, and the relationship between Christ and the Church mirrors that contractual relationship.

An example from modern life:
A loan contract for purchase of a vehicle: the lender (the bank) offers a contract. It is accepted by the borrower, and memorialized by the signing of a contract. The contract has conditions. What happens if the borrower stops paying? What happens if the vehicle is sold? What happens if one party wants to end the contract?

Marriage is a contract. The contract is offered (Will you marry me?). The contract is accepted (Yes, I will). The contract is formalized before witnesses (I do. I do, too).

And so Christ offers a contractual relationship to his church (Will you be my followers?) Many of us have accepted the contract (I believe, I accept Christ as Lord in my life). The contract is formalized (We receive spirit within, and are born again).

Jesus is described as the Bridegroom, his church is described as the Bride. A contract relationship. Jesus’ relationship is with his church, not with a denomination, not with just one group, not with just one sect. His church is the entirety, all of us, no denominations, all are accepted by him.

And there is an exclusivity inherent in the relationship. When we marry, it is to one person “till death do us part”. When Christ beholds his church, he sees no other. There is only one church for Jesus. If we are unfaithful, he is not. If we see divisions, he does not. If we abandon him, he does not abandon us. For Jesus, there is no end to the contract, no end to the relationship with his church. Just as the marriage relationship is exclusive (one man, one wife) so is the relationship between Jesus Christ (the Bridegroom) and his church (the Bride) exclusive. Jesus does not see denominations. He does not see divisions, disagreements in doctrine. He sees his church, the Bride, one entity. For him, there is no other possible relationship. The church should see only Christ.

The marriage contract is supposed to be exclusive, just as the relationship between Christ and his church is exclusive. In real life, marriage is often flawed, for we are frail, and our frame is dust. But the relationship between Christ and his church is absolute. For Christ, there is only his church. If we fail to live up to His calling, we still are his.

“Male and female created He them…” (Gen. 1:27)

For far too long, people have assigned value to other humans based on gender. This value assignment has resulted in a world-wide patriarchy, which, although filtered differently through different cultures, serves to demean and disempower people based on their gender. Many endeavor to utilize the Word of God to prove their positions. These people “do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matt. 22:29) Our American culture contains many variations resulting from this patriarchy. One end of the spectrum denies female worth even as it attempts to worship God. The other end of the spectrum denies God as it attempts to champion gender equality. Meanwhile, families are fractured, marriages fail at a crescendoing rate and everywhere are hurting people. In all such variations, God’s Will and power and love are diluted and misunderstood and downright ignored. Even among Christians, there is a major schism over female equality.

God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34) There is no need or place for power hierarchy in human relationship, for we are all “one in Christ Jesus”. (Gal. 3:28) While there are different roles for men and women and children and husbands and wives and masters and servants spelled out in the Word, the currency and determinants of these interactions are of loving service, not of power application. Natural man does not understand this system, (1Cor. 2:14) and unschooled Christians need discipling to grow into understanding.

God has given us a love-based system of human relationship. The fallen world wants to re-assign these relationships into systems of power. We assist in this counterfeit when we are ignorant, unstudied, prideful and unwilling to see the error.

One of the greatest of these errors is cultural and individual gender contempt, otherwise known as patriarchy or misogyny. No human relationship can be Godly when it is founded upon any assumption of female inequality.

Expectations

Act 3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

Expectations are powerful. We have expectations of what a situation will be like; of what a new food will taste like; of who we will get along with. But our expectations are often wrong. We discover that we really do like brussel sprouts; we find that the roller coaster isn’t so scary. And having expectations that are wrong are not always a big deal. If we never try, or learn to like brussel sprouts, there are other things to eat. If we never ride a roller coaster, the amusement park still has plenty of fun rides. But false expectations about people can be hurtful. If we expect a new acquaintance to be a trusted friend, and they don’t live up to our standards, we are hurt.

Incorrect expectations of God are downright dangerous. If we expect God to be distant, we will never become close to Him. If we expect God to be uncaring, we will never receive from Him. The lame man expected something good from Peter and John. And yet, how many times had they passed this same man, who was laid at the main gate of the temple every day? Peter and John had walked past him many times. But this day was different. It was different because the lame man had different expectations. This day he expected something good, not just alms.

We receive from God when we expect something good from Him. Look for His blessing. Expect it.

The Elevated Word

God elevated His Word above His name. This shows how important God’s Word is. It reveals to us the heart of God. God also says that His Word is like silver tried (purified) seven times. He wrote His Word in the stars, so that He would be revealed to all mankind. There is no place where His Word is not evident.

God created the heavens and the earth, fitting together the air and sky and clouds. He formed our bodies down to the smallest cell and piece of DNA. He formulated quantum mechanics and put springs in the deepest part of the ocean. He made mathematics to be reliable, so that two plus two always equals four. Could God put less reliability and consistency into His Word than into the created world?

There is beauty in His Word, like a sparkling jewel. The same verse has many facets, new ones are revealed as we examine and study.

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Alone in Egypt

Things didn’t get better in Egypt. At first Joseph rose to a position of trust and responsibility as overseer of a household, but then he was falsely accused of a crime, and was put in prison. Release from prison finally came because God gave Joseph the meaning of prophetic dreams, and Joseph became a powerful man in the land. Joseph was thirty years old.

So why is this story included in God’s Word? One reason is that Joseph is an ancestor of Jesus Christ. Another reason is that Joseph’s story is one of God’s faithfulness and protection towards his people. But God also wants us to know that He understands the human condition. He knows we have sorrow. He knows we have trouble in this life, and that loneliness comes in many forms.

Joseph was alone as a child among his family. He was alone while others talked and socialized. He was alone on a journey to a strange land, and alone in that strange land for years. God truly was Joseph’s only companion. Everyone else used him as a tool for their own purposes. God was Joseph’s companion, not only because He never left Joseph, but because He understood him. We read about Joseph’s aloneness because God knows how pervasive aloneness is, and He understands and will preserve us as He understood and preserved Joseph.

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life...So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God...

Gen 45:5, 7