Kingdom Communities

Remembering Today...

2012-01-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

I was just reminded by a friend that four years ago today, one of our dear friends and co-workers was taken by armed men in a Central Asian country. Since that time and the two to three weeks immediate following, we have never heard from her again.

Thinking about this, I remember once again how fragile and precious life is. I also am mindful that those who choose to live their lives for the sake of a higher calling, are not immune to suffering, sadness or trouble in this life.

I still pray for our friend who was abducted even though I have no idea or clue to where she is or even if she is still alive. Perhaps she is more alive now than ever! I do pray that wherever she is, she stand well and strong in her faith before the Father and before all those who are near her. Knowing her, I think this is probably one of the most safest and surest prayers that I pray.

The Kingdom of God is ultimately the most glorious place inhabited by the most glorious Being. And we are invited to become citizens of that Kingdom and under the rule of the Great and Loving King. As we move towards the culmination of time and the coming in fulness of the King and His Kingdom, we continue to live and breathe in a fallen and sin filled world. It is a paradox that causes our very being and even all of creation along with us to groan and long for that day. But until then, we can only live our whole lives for and in obedience to the King and accept all the joy and all the suffering that may come.

In honor of Cyd. May she continue to stand well before the Father...

Hungry For God?

2012-01-23T04:27:00.001-08:00

In the book of Deuteronomy, God tells His chosen people, Israel, that He let them go hungry so that they would learn to depend on Him. The story goes something like this...

(Deuteronomy 8:2-4) "Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord..."

God humbled Israel with hunger. Then he gave them manna so they would learn to depend on Him and "every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

I wonder today what are the things that God uses to make us hungry for Him? I have not experienced hunger, poverty or hardships as many in the world do. I also confess that my hunger for God and His Word are at times pretty lukewarm. All in all, I consider myself to be one of the most blessed peoples on the earth (out of the small fraction that I know). So, why do I continue in God's blessing when my hunger for Him is not what it should be?

I really don't know the answer but I do know that as God blesses and "feeds" us from His hand, we should never take it for granted.

A country preacher in West Tennessee once asked me (literally), "Preacher boy, where do you get your desire for God from?" And before I could answer, he said, "You can only get it by asking God to give it to you." Pretty wise words from a fellow wearing overalls.

I pray in this early part of the new year that God gives me the grace to have a deep hunger in my soul for Him. I pray that just as I would experience physical hunger without eating, may I experience a constant spiritual hunger that nothing satisfies outside of a close walk with Him, time in His word and hours in His presence.

Anybody hungry out there besides me?

God's Kingdom and Kingdom Building...

2012-01-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

When we talk about community development in God's Kingdom, we sometimes refer to it as, "Kingdom Development." This is not to say that what we do, humanly speaking, actually adds to or even takes away from God's Kingdom. It does not. For God's Kingdom is something that exists wherever He reigns and rules in the hearts of men and women submitting to His Lordship.

It also doesn't imply that our efforts at helping the poor, feeding the hungry and making the world generally better hastens or delays the coming of God's Kingdom. His Kingdom is fixed and appointed to come in fullness at the time of His choosing, no matter what our efforts (or lack thereof). Paul says that creation will one day be set free from its current bondage but that until that day, creation will remain subjected to futility and decay (Romans 8:21-22).

This might cause one to pause and ask, "then why are we concerned with, from a Christian perspective, making the world a better place through relief and development ministries?" If it is all subject to decay and His Kingdom will come in fullness when He so desires, aren't all our efforts "futile" along with creation?

From a Biblical as well as missiological stand point, I view our efforts at "making the world a better place" as a "means" of making Christ known to that same lost and dying world. When we do good community development, in the Name of Jesus, and when we help feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, we do so because of God's love. And in doing so, we reflect the nature and the heart of God to a world that is broken and fallen. With our actions, and with our voices, we proclaim, "This is not how life was meant to be!" In short, we live to make Jesus known in our words we speak and in the deeds we do.

Jesus said that we would always have the poor with us. He could have equally said that we would always have the lost with us as well. Neither statement or thought should lull us into complacency, or worse, inaction, to not do something about them both.

When I tell someone about Jesus and make a disciple, I do so because it is God's command. Whether I use words or deeds is pretty much irrelevant. I know that my feeding a hungry person doesn't make the King return any sooner. I also know that my verbally sharing the gospel doesn't hasten His return as well. I do know that when the King does return, I pray He finds me faithful in loving others in both word and deed.

To make Him known...

Thoughts About God's Kingdom...

2012-01-04T05:31:00.001-08:00

A second book that I'm reading in this new year is, "What is the Mission of the Church: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom and the Great Commission." It is by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert and is a very well thought out and well written book.

About the middle of the book, they devote a whole chapter to the Kingdom of God. They encourage us to think of the kingdom in terms of an "inaugurated eschatology" which was promoted originally by George E. Ladd among others. This thought line regarding the Kingdom of God posits that, "God's kingdom has already broken into this world but has not yet been fully realized." The theme permeated the Old Testament but only comes to fulfillment in the New Testament with the advent of Jesus, His birth, life, death, burial and resurrection. In short, we have gone from the promise of (Old Testament) to the inauguration of (the cross of Christ) and are heading to the full manifestation in (the return of the King and establishing of His eternal Kingdom).

Summarily, we can see that God's Kingdom is not of this world but something far more perfect that is foreshadowed by this world. The Kingdom of God does not refer to castle, an army or a kingdom as we understanding from an earthly point, but rather the reign and the rule of God through Christ in the hearts of those who submit to Him.

DeYoung and Gilbert describe it as...

"...the kingdom isn't geographical. Rather, it is defined relationally and dynamically; it exists where knees and hearts bow to the King and submit to him. And therefore you cannot 'expand the kingdom' by bringing peace and order and justice to a certain area of the world. Good deeds are good, but they don't broaden the borders of the kingdom. The only way the kingdom of God - the redemptive rule of God - is extended is when he brings another sinner to renounce sin and self-righteousness and bow his knee to King Jesus."

Applying this to our ministry of and heart for community development, it helps us put things in proper perspective. When we help feed the hungry, clothe the poor, take care of the widows and orphans, we are not expanding God's Kingdom. Rather, we are giving a glimpse of and making manifest His plan for humanity in a way that ultimately brings glory to Him and His Kingdom. True "Kingdom" only comes when a knee bows and a heart turns to God and His Son, Jesus.

Our acts of compassion...could they as well be acts of proclamation? Absolutely! If done in His Name, causing knees to bow and hearts to turn, and in a way that brings glory to Him.

Charity with dignity...

2012-01-03T06:26:00.000-08:00

I have been reading an interesting book by Robert Lupton called, "Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life." In his book, Lupton has much to say about our responsibility to help people in need and more importantly the way we truly help people. He discourages well-intentioned welfare and says, "...welfare depletes self-esteem while honorable work produces dignity." The core thought is that if we do for others what they can do for themselves, we, in many cases unknowingly, make them the objects of our pity and deprive them of human dignity. Lupton expands this thought in saying, "A relationship founded on one's giving and the other's need never yields healthy outcomes."

Could it be that when we stop "handing out to" and "stepping in to save" the poor and needy, we give them the God ordained opportunity to take charge of their lives and situations in a way that gives dignity a chance? We do understand that poverty brings limitations especially in the area of capacity. However, poverty does not change the fact of responsibility and the need for the poor to own their situation and the determination to do something about it.

I believe that our desire to help others is given by God to all people, not just the "religious" or the good people. Some cultures, government systems, and societies do their best to suppress this desire or basically deny it. The key for me is "how" we act on this desire. Do we truly help in a way that builds people, communities and dignity or do we simply take the easy way and resort to dependency building handouts?

Lupton discusses four levels of charity in Hebrew wisdom. They are listed from the highest to the lowest and with the lowest to be avoided if at all possible.

1. The highest level is to provide a job for a person in need without him/her knowing that you provided it. In this way, you meet a need, preserve dignity, avoid dependency, and return the person in need to a working state as God intended.

2. The second level is to provide work that the needy one knows your provided. While helpful to the person, it falls short of the first level in that it brings attention and possible dependency issues to the provider.

3. The third level is to give an anonymous gift to meet an immediate need. This is a level below number two for the simple fact that it provides a gift but not the dignity of the person "earning" their way out of their problem.

4. The fourth and lowest level of charity, again to be used only as a last resort, is to give a poor person a gift with his/her full knowledge that you are the donor.

So, how do we help people in need without communicating to them that something is deficient in them and that something is superior in us? It is not an easy thing.

Charity with dignity...

Feeding the Hyena...

2012-01-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

Recently, I made a trip to Ethiopia and during the trip, we visited an old city where there is an ancient tradition of feeding the hyenas. Hyenas are huge, ugly, smelly creatures with powerful shoulders and jaws. They also have small hindquarters. They are scavengers by nature and in this case, live in the mountains surrounding the city we visited.

They come to the city at night to scavenge for food. Years ago, in order to appease the hyenas so they would not attack and drag off their children and elderly, the townspeople began to feed the hyenas every night about dusk time. This worked so well that it continues until today. If you go to this city (which we did), you can go in the evening and help feed the hyenas (which we did as well).

You actually kneel down on a mat, hold out a piece of raw meat on a stick and the hyenas come up (rather aggressively) and snatch the meat from you. The guide will even hold a piece of raw meat over your head so that the hyenas will climb up your back in order to reach the meat. This is a weird feeling to say the least.

As I fed the hyenas (I had to, some single ladies did it before me and I couldn't turn down the challenge), I observed some potential problems with the process. For one, it is dangerous for the one feeding the hyena. They are wild animals. They are big and powerful. They could turn on those feeding them at any time. Secondly, and even more troubling, is that once you start feeding the hyenas, you have to keep feeding them. How do you stop? What if they came to the town at evening and there was no food? Third, and again disturbing, the more you fed them, the more they came and the more that they brought their friends. We started feeding with a couple of hyenas surrounding us. By the time we finished, we had a whole herd!

As I start the new year, I wonder what kind of "hyenas" I have in my life. What are the things that I have unnecessarily fed over the last year that I would do much better with by not feeding at all? Are there issues of pride, lust, character flaws, etc., that would be much better off if I starved them or completely removed them from my life?

I pray that God shows me my "hyenas" in this new year and that He also gives me the courage and grace to quit feeding them.

Happy New Year!

Why Was I Created?

2011-12-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of times so that we should walk in them."

I have often overlooked this verse but God spoke to me through it during morning devotions the other day. In my previous post, I had asked "Who am I" so this post seemed a natural follow up in answering "why" I was created.

The Apostle Paul says we are His creation. In a world that places so much on the superficial and appearances, it is nice to note that no matter what we look like, no matter what our skin color, no matter where we came from, we are His creation. There are a lot of things that I do not like about myself. However, God in His Word seems to hold a much higher opinion of me that I do. I guess the real reason there are things that I don't like about myself is because the world and its standards have blinded me to the peace that I can relax and be who I am because it was Him, God, who created me.

When our children struggle with self-esteem issues, we want to take them in our arms, muss their hair up and say, "don't you know that you're the most beautiful thing to me?" Isn't this what God does with us? Doesn't he laugh to Himself when we fuss with our outward appearances never happy to see what we see when we look in a mirror? "For we are His creation..."

The world says you and I need the right "look" to be successful, happy, _____ (you fill in the blank). God says, I created you not for what the world considers acceptable but "...in Christ Jesus for good works..." Interesting thing is that I was not created to look good but to do good. It's a different perspective. (And a comforting one!)

There's nothing wrong with looking good unless it takes precedence over our being and doing good. God created us first and foremost to do good works. And these "good works" are in turn to be blessings to others so that they may see Him in us and in the end, come to know Him better.

Why was I created? To do good works that lead others to Jesus.

Amen!

Who Am I?

2011-12-14T09:25:00.000-08:00

In 2 Samuel 7:18 King David says, "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?..."

Are you ever overwhelmed at the goodness of God? In the last few months, I have been more and more thinking about how incredibly blessed my life has been. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife/soul mate and three great, loving children. We have now added two more with a son-in-law and daughter-in-law who both bring us utmost joy.

I am blessed in my work and ministry through Baptist Global Response (BGR). I work with some of the most committed and dedicated men and women that anyone could find anywhere.

I am blessed in the good things that God constantly brings into my life and leadership with BGR. I describe myself as, "the accidental leader", meaning the one who seems to bumble and stumble but yet God continues to lead and bless.

I am most blessed with good friends and a privileged life whereby I am getting to do what I feel I was created to do: helping people in need both physically and spiritually.

So, I ask along with King David, "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far?..."

There are trials along the way. There are periods of intense pain and hurt. But overall, there is an amazing amount of grace and mercy flowing from God's throne to my life that I utterly and simply stand amazed.

Who am I? I am His and for some strange reasoning of His choice, He is mine!

I am truly blessed.

Thank You, God...

Thanksgiving: A Whole New Meaning...

2011-12-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

The Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone but it was a much different experience for me this year. As it always seems, I was traveling during the holidays and working in my role as BGR Executive Director.

I spent Thanksgiving this year in the Horn of Africa. On a holiday that we in the USA traditionally gather with friends and family and enjoy some of our favorite festive foods, I was visiting work with our BGR partners who were unselfishly ministering to the poor and needy of the Horn. Many were coming for food; they were refugees from Somalia looking for relief from the terrible drought that plagues their country and a safe refuge from the armed conflict going on.

One morning, during my quiet time, I was reflecting on the differences between where I was and my home in Nashville, Tennessee. Here are some of the contrasts that I jotted down...

Thanksgiving in the Horn of Africa -
* Missing my family but being with the extended family of God that is serving in a difficult area of the world
* Missing turkey and the trimmings but helping to feed the hungry people of the Horn
* Not watching the traditional football games on TV but getting to see first-hand the amazing movement of God among some unreached people groups
* Not a citizen of this country but in truth, not a citizen of this world

As we were working with feeding stations and some health care clinics, one of the local workers made the following statement...

"We are learning day by day how to be a friend of the poor."

Jesus is a friend of sinners. He is also a friend of the poor. I am thankful that in His abundant grace and mercy, He reached out to me in my sin and in my poverty.

I am thankful that He allowed me to re-experience Thanksgiving in a whole new light.

Did I forget to say, "thank You, Lord"?

Salt, Light and Firm Foundations...

2011-11-18T05:33:00.000-08:00

From Matthew 5 through Matthew 7, we have some of the greatest teachings ever given. We call it, "The Sermon on the Mount". And in these few short chapters, at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus turns upside down the conventional wisdom of the day and opens to us the heart of the Father and His desire for our lives.

He starts with the beatitudes and extols the virtue of being poor in spirit, mourning, gentle, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, etc. All of the things that the natural world and our natural inclinations would deem weak, Jesus celebrates and promotes as characteristics near and dear to the heart of God.

He challenges his followers to understand that they are salt and light to the world. They should add the flavor of God and shine His light to a fallen world. He says they do this for the simple fact that people might see God through us and give Him the glory.

He then spends a bulk of the message showing how He, Jesus, is the fulfillment of the law. That the conventional wisdom was to follow the letter of the law whereas He was challenging us to follow the spirit of the law. Jesus says it is easy not to murder, not to commit adultery, not to lie. But the deeper question is not in the absence of committing a banned act but in the intent of our own hearts.

He also teaches us His model prayer, how to truly fast, how to view our possessions and even the cure for anxiety (what a great need for our world today).

He closes this amazing message by talking about building on a solid foundation. The foolish man builds on the sand whereas the sensible man builds his house on the rock.

Every part of the Bible is God breathed, God inspired so we need to tread carefully when we single out one or two particular portions. However, I find myself continually coming back to the Sermon on the Mount and thinking, "If I could live life as Jesus describes here..."

And He taught His disciples to pray...

"Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

What would or maybe what should God's Kingdom on earth look like? Pretty close to these two chapters I would venture to say...

Think Carefully About Your Ways...

2011-11-16T05:22:00.000-08:00

I just read through the book of Haggai this morning for my devotion time. Haggai was a prophet who came as the Jewish exile to Babylon was ending. He was among the returnees to Jerusalem and was struck with a message from God. He saw that the house of the Lord had not been rebuilt. The Jewish leaders and people had fallen on hard times and claimed that they couldn't rebuild God's house. They used the excuse that it really wasn't time to rebuild the house.

Haggai, true to his prophetic standing, calls them out. He asks, "Is it time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruin?" In other words, "How can you let God's house lie in ruin and make provisions for your own comforts and own houses?" (Haggai 1:4)

He then says a chilling statement...

"Think carefully about your ways..."

"My house lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house." (Haggai 1:9)

"Think carefully about your ways..."

God has blessed the church in the United States with abundant resources. Even in economic hard times, we are able to build bigger buildings, install state of the art video and sound equipment, hire a legion of staff. Please understand I am not complaining but I am wondering when there are 9 out of 10 people in the world who are lost, are we really thinking carefully about our ways?

What about the 6,800 unreached people groups of the world that have less than a 2% chance to hear about Jesus? And even greater, what about the 3,800 people groups of the world that are unengaged and unreached with about zero percent of hearing?

Jesus said, "where your treasure is, there will be your heart as well." (Matthew 6:21)

I look at our churches in the USA and wonder, "where is our treasure?" Is our treasure in bigger and better things or is it in God and His desire for the nations to come to know Him as Lord and King?

Again, I am not complaining. I'm just saying...

Think carefully about your ways..."

I think Haggai was on to something...

Our Task and Call: To the Lost, the Last and the Least (Part 3)

2011-11-13T05:02:00.001-08:00

As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to reach out to the lost with the good news of the Kingdom. We are moreover called to reach out to the "last" of the lost joining God in His plan to see the "panta ta ethne" (the nations) hear His message. Additionally, we are called to the "least" which is the third point to this already lengthy blog.

In Matthew 25:31-46, there is a great story told by Jesus in which He describes a final judgement. The "Son of Man" (Jesus) in all His glory with His angels sits on His glorious throne and judges the nations. All the nations ("panta ta ethne") are gathered before Him and He begins to separate them, one from another. He separates the sheep (His flock) to the right and the goats (not of His flock) to the left and says to the sheep, "Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world..." (Matthew 25:34)

As you read through these verses and this story, it becomes evident that the criteria in this judgement has everything to do with how the "sheep" treated the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and prisoners. The sheep are rewarded with an inheritance in Jesus' kingdom based upon how they responded to those in need. Conversely, the "goats" in the next few verses are excluded from the kingdom based upon the sole fact that they did not care for their needy brothers.

Then, Jesus makes an extraordinary statement revealing a disturbing truth. When the sheep asked, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?..." To which Jesus replied, "I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me." (Matthew 25:40)

I am not suggesting that Jesus is saying our "good works" are what gets us placed in the sheep pen. I am saying that our "good works" are a tell tale sign of how (or even if) our lives have been transformed by the Master Shepherd. For whatever we did for the "least", we did for Jesus.

Two things. The word "least" can really be interpreted only one way. These are the people who are "very little" or "very small" in the eyes of the world. These are the ones with the "least" dignity and the least hope in this life: the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, etc. You cannot spiritualize this fact. These are the "poorest of the poor" in the world.

Secondly, when we minister to these, in the name of Jesus, Jesus Himself says, "...you did for Me." Can it be that when we reach out to the "least", we are reaching out to Jesus? And conversely, when we turn our backs on the "least", we turn our backs on Jesus. Want to talk about radical?

I believe Jesus calls us, as His church and His body, to be on His business in making His name known among the lost, the last and the least.

Final note. It is interesting to me that the three passages we've looked at (Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 25:31-40) all use the wording, "to the nations" or "panta ta ethne".

Our task and call? To the "panta ta ethne" of the lost, last and least!

Selah!

Our Call: To the Lost, the Last and the Least (Part 2)

2011-11-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

God's Word in Matthew 28:18 to 20 commands us to reach the lost. It is in the heart of God that as we are going about, we should be in the business of making disciples of all the nations. This is a mandate to the church. It is a personal command not to the "missionary" but to the average, everyday follower of Jesus.

But God's Word also commands us to go to the last of the lost as well. This is a command to every Christian as well but to the church as a whole. Second Peter 3:9 tells us that it is God's will that none should perish. Expounding on Matthew 28:19, we are commanded again to make disciples of "all nations" or the "panta ta ethne". This would be better said as making disciples of all people groups.

What is a people group? It is group of people often defined by language and culture. It is sometimes defined by geographical location as well. But the best Biblical definition of a people group is the largest group of people that the gospel can flow without encountering a significant barrier.

For example, we lived and worked in the Philippines for a number of years. We worked among tribal people groups helping with their livelihood and physical needs as well as sharing the gospel. We would see a lot of fruit of our work among a certain people. We would assume that that good work would spill over to other tribal people groups (there were about 60 tribal groups on our island). Over and over again, we saw that there needed to be a catalyst, an intentional plan, or a "jump start" to see the gospel "jump" people groups.

At best count, there are almost 12,000 distinct people groups in the world today. Over half of them, about 6,800, are unreached or less than 2% evangelical Christian. Out of this 6,800 "unreached", there are about 3,600 unengaged and unreached people groups. While those living in places deemed "reached" like the USA have a great opportunity to hear the gospel multiple times in their life, those living in unreached areas have a very small percentage chance to encounter a follower of Jesus and even smaller percent chance of hearing the gospel clearly in their own heart language.

Now, think about the 3,600 unengaged and unreached people groups. These are places and peoples in the world that no one is trying to engage with the gospel. They live in areas of the world that for some reason - political, geographical, religion related, inaccessible, etc. - that they will be born, live their lives and pass into eternity without ever having the chance to even hear the name of Jesus. This is "the last of the lost."

Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 24:14, "And this good news will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come."

I am not suggesting that our global evangelism efforts in any way will slow, hasten or change the Father's timetable for Jesus' return. I am saying that God is inviting even commanding us to be about His business of making His name known among the "panta ta ethne" or "nations."

Question. If you are a follower of Jesus, I surmise that you like I are looking forward to his second coming? However, my heart cries out, "How can we celebrate His second coming when there are so many who have never heard about His first coming?"

To the lost...and to the last.

But there is a third category. To the least....

Our Call: To the Lost, the Last and the Least...

2011-11-10T18:19:00.001-08:00

I've never done this before but I've decided to preview the message that I'm going to share Sunday here on my blog site. It is a simple one that's titled, "To the Lost, the Last and the Least". The central theme is that God calls us to reach out to our world with His good news and His compassion. He commands us to reach to these three basic groups of people: the lost, the last and the least.

To the lost. Matthew 28:18-20 is probably the most familiar verse associated with missionaries sent out from the church to reach the lost of the world. Here, Jesus says, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you..."

The "command" word here is not "to go" but rather to "make disciples". It might even best read, "As you are going..." giving more of a passive but continuous action for the follower of Jesus to obey. It in truth presumes that "as we go" and "wherever we go" we will be doing what comes naturally to a follower of Christ and that is to make disciples. The command is in fact to make disciples. Another way of stating it is, "As you are going, disciple the nations..."

I would garnish that most people's interpretation here is that this verse is for sending out missionaries. But it appears to be more for the average Joe and Jane of the church to be about the business of disciple making of the nations wherever they are.

So this passage is not as much a challenge for the missionary to go to some dark continent taking the gospel but more about you and me, as we go about our lives, to have as our life's goal and practice making disciples of all the nations we encounter.

Keep in mind that "all nations" doesn't refer to geo-political nations with boundaries as we understand them (e.g. the USA, China, Brazil, etc.). It refers to the Greek, "panta ta ethne" meaning language groups and population segments of the world.

If you go to the grocery store today to shop for groceries, how many "nations" will you meet along the way? If you live in a fairly homogenous section of the USA (such as my home town), how can you be about Jesus' command of making disciples of all nations?

I desire to be a disciple maker of all the nations whether I live in rural Tennessee or urban Asia. I can do this by actively making disciples of those I come in contact with. I can also facilitate the making of disciples through my prayers and gifts through my local church.

I just need to constantly remember that as I go, I am to go about making disciples of all the nations.

Next blog: to the last...

Time to Sit and Rest...

2011-11-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

I heard a great devotion this morning. We walked through the fourth chapter of John and the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. The devotion leader took it verse by verse and brought out some great truths to a story that I had read time and time again but missed.

One thing that really spoke to me was the truth that he shared from John 4:6. It's at the first of the story, the place I'm usually rushing through to get to the "meat" of the main story. That's why I often miss God's simple messages.

The story goes that Jesus leaves Judea to go to Galilee and passes through Samaria along the way. It is technically "enemy" territory that he is passing through. The Samaritan's are not mortal enemies, but they are much lesser than the Jews because they are considered to be a mixed breed. No "good Jew" would be caught dead talking to a Samaritan.

However, as Jesus came to the town of Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph and as He approached Jacob's well, the Word of God makes a simple statement that is easy to miss saying...

"...and Jesus, worn out from His journey, sat down at the well."

Our devotional leader camped a bit on this verse and said to our group,...

"When you're weary from the journey, sit down by the well...Jesus did."

I don't know if you're like me, but I tend to live life in a feverish panting swirl of activity. If I'm not doing something that I consider significant for God, I feel as if I'm maybe less worthy than I should be. However, it is comforting and chastising to me to know that even Jesus got tired and sat down from time to time. Not only did he sit down at the well, he sat down in the perfect place for God the Father to use Him in order to speak into the life of a woman who was coming to draw water but was deeply hurt to her core by the burdens and choices of her life.

I don't know about you but I need to sit down by the well more. I need to sit down and let God show me His next step and His next plan for my life.

Have you been in enemy territory lately? Are you a bit weary? Why not take a seat at the well? You and I might find some living water...

(Note: Thank you, Elbert, for allowing God to speak through you to me)

Forth-telling the Obvious...

2011-11-02T05:25:00.000-07:00

In my daily devotions, I have recently walked through the books of the "major" prophets: Isaiah and Jeremiah. I am currently in the book of Ezekiel. They have much to say about God's Kingdom. They have a great deal to say about what is coming "forth" as a result of God working in their midst. And I've concluded that prophets seem to be more "forth" telling than "fore" telling.

This strikes me as so because much of what they prophesy seems to be fairly obvious if you can look back and forward as we can when we meditate on what they say. To me, much of what they are speaking from God to the people of Israel and Judah are simply reminders of what Israel and Judah should already know. Love God, follow His commandments and live in His presence. Pretty simple and (to me as an observer from the outside) pretty obvious.

Conversely, they "forth" tell that if you rebel against God, follow after the ways of the world, and reject His commandments, you will reap sin, death and destruction. The law of reaping what you sow.

I know this is a base analysis and could be construed as naive or even simple minded. But it reminds me of what my Grandfather always talked about: God's word and way as an anchor to our souls. It also brings to mind a person whose life is arranged according to God's way as having a "moral compass", a guide, a set of principles (based on God's word and Spirit) that leads us to a fulfilled life in Him.

Then it hits me. It is easy to read/devotion through the prophets and think that the "forth telling" and warnings only relate to those in the story. That they missed the obvious, rejected God and His ways, and thus suffered the consequences. But isn't the story also about us?

The Psalmist tells us that God's word should be a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. And blessed is the person who delights int eh Lord's instruction. As he meditates on it day and night, he becomes like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season. Whatever he does prospers.

I pray that today I will hear and heed God, His word, His way and His will.

Selah!

Loving God; Loving Your Neighbor...

2011-11-01T06:00:00.001-07:00

I heard a great message by our Pastor at Mt. Juliet FBC this past Sunday. He shared the story of the good Samaritan and made it come alive once again to me. The premise he started out with was simple...

"You cannot love God and not love your neighbor; conversely, you cannot not love your neighbor and love God."

A teacher of the Law had come to test Jesus. The teacher asked Jesus, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" To which Jesus turned the tables and asked a question back to the teacher of the Law, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"

Without answering the question, Jesus answered it. His question back to the teacher of the Law was to reveal the teacher's "yoke", or the burden that the teacher himself placed on others because of his beliefs. The teacher answered well from the Shema of the Torah by saying, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." Jesus told him that he answered well and that if he did this, he would live!

But the teacher, wanting to justify himself, asked, "Who is my neighbor?" to which Jesus replies with the story of the good Samaritan.

What Jesus did in that short story was to dissect the heart of the teacher. He also dissects our hearts as well.

The point is that we not try to define who our neighbors are. The teacher of the Law wanted a strict definition of neighbor so that he could exclude those who weren't from his culture or even class. In other words, if his "neighbors" were only those people like himself (e.g. other teachers of the Law), he would find it easy to love them. However, Jesus shattered that idea by showing that the definition of "who" is our neighbor is infinitely insignificant to "how" we respond in a "neighborly way" to those in need that we encounter no matter who they are or where they are from.

It is easy for me to love others who are like me. It just isn't natural for me to love enemies or people that I don't know. I find it pretty easy to drive by the person on the side of the road needing help. I can find all kinds of excuses to justify doing so: I'm in a hurry, I'm on an important mission, I pass a value judgement on that person and just know that he/she is going to waste money on booze or something else if I give them some...the list goes on and on.

How do I love God? Take a look at how I love others. That should give you a clue and many times, it's not a pretty sight.

Nutella For Lunch...Sacrifices We Make

2011-10-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

I had a Nutella and peanut butter sandwich for lunch today. For those of you that don't know what Nutella is, it's a Hazelnut/chocolate sandwich spread that kids love...usually. Anyway, I didn't choose it. It chose me.

At Ethan's school today, they didn't serve lunch due to a power outage yesterday. We were told to prepare him a lunch today and so his wonderful mom did so. At the time of leaving the house, he informed us that he didn't want a Nutella sandwich (which he usually loves and which his mom prepared for him) and left.

As his car pulled out of the driveway, I stared at the Nutella sandwich on the counter top. I then looked at Regina who then looked back at the Nutella sandwich. It was a no brainer. I knew what I was going to have for lunch.

Please understand. I'm not a Nutella hater. It's just that it's not what I would choose for my lunch given a choice. But there it was on the counter, bigger than life. And if there's one thing I can't stand more than a less desirable lunch is to see food wasted. So, I did the right thing. I bravely proclaimed, "I'll eat it."

All parents from time to time (some more often than others) step in to take one for their kids. It's what we parents do. We love them. We sacrifice to make theirs a better world. We eat their Nutella when they don't want it. We do it because we love them.

God the Father has loved me with an everlasting love. He made the ultimate sacrifice for us by giving His Son, Jesus Christ. He continues to step in for me in my time of need. When I slip and fall, He is there to pick me up. When I fail to do the things I ought, He is there to forgive. Every day, He goes far and beyond what I deserve to give me His blessings.

I guess He would even eat a Nutella sandwich for me if I needed Him to...

Thank You, God, for being such a good and kind Father...

Contentment with Great Gain...

2011-09-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

The writer of the 30th chapter of Proverbs say...

"Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, 'Who is the Lord?' or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9)

The Apostle Paul says, "...I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I now how to have a lot In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content - whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need..." (Philippians 4:11-12)

And, Paul goes on to say, "But godliness with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these..." (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

Sunday, October 9, 2011 is the observance of World Hunger Day on the Southern Baptist calendar. While the hungry of the world is something that should move us to action each day, we Southern Baptists have at least set aside one day to call attention to the needs of the hungry and more importantly move us to action.

On the average, a member of a Southern Baptist Church gives about 30 cents annually to the Southern Baptist World hunger fund. Yes, you heard me right. Thirty cents. In the United States, I am not sure what 30 cents buys anymore. Not much. Thirty cents, however, overseas, say in the Horn of Africa, will proved a meal for a family. It also will provide a much needed food supplement for a home of HIV/AIDS orphans in South Africa. Thirty cents isn't much to ask and it isn't much to give but it will be sorely missed if we don't give it.

I wish the average Southern Baptist would give 3 dollars or maybe even 30 dollars annually to the World Hunger Fund. What a difference that would make in not only feeding the world's hungry but also sharing the compassion of Christ!

Paul and the writer of the 30th Proverb knew how to be content with much or little. We as Southern Baptists seem to know how to be content with much...but what about little?

I pray that God will move all of us to stop and think this coming World Hunger Day. I pray that He will move our hearts to do something more than just 30 cents worth...

May our "contentment" be of "great gain" to others and not lead us to apathy or worse, indifference...

There is a Way that Seems Right to a Man...

2011-09-28T06:16:00.000-07:00

Devotioning through the Proverbs of King Solomon, I find a recurring verse that pops up almost word for word every few pages...

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but is end is the way of death."

While there are many words of wisdom in the Proverbs, most of them boil down to one thing. True wisdom is fearing God and following His commands. In His commands and in His plans are long life, blessings, better people and even better communities. When we live life individually and collectively in the way that He prescribes, we are better people, better communities and a better world.

It is simple yet profound. It is easy and yet so hard to do.

Jesus said it this way..."If a man really wants to find his life, he must first lose it."

There are many competing voices in the world today that tell us how we should live and who we should be. They range from self-help gurus to advertisers wanting to sell us their products to make us "acceptable" and even popular to others. Our cultural icons of Hollywood, sports and entertainment seem to ridicule us if we don't subscribe to their definition of what it takes to be a success in this world. Theirs is the path to fame, fortune and fulfillment (according to them).

But God says...

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death..."

The laws of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul...

Happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners...his delight is in the Lord's instruction...He is like a tree planted besides streams of water...

And, unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor in vain...

I don't know about you, but I choose to not to follow what seems right to me. I choose to follow God's way, no matter what...

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the temple than have all the world could offer.

Amen?

When There is Nothing Else, There is God...

2011-09-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Our God is a God of compassion. Our God is a God who is on the side of the helpless and the needy. Our western culture teaches us that weakness is generally a bad thing; that we should be self-sufficient and strong. But the Bible says,...

"Happy (blessed) is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He remains faithful forever, executing justice for the exploited and giving food to the hungry. The lord frees prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord raises up those who are oppressed. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord protects foreigners and helps the fatherless and the widow,..." (Psalm 146:5-9)

This Psalm foreshadows Jesus' proclamation in Luke 6:20 where He says, "You who are poor are blessed, because the kingdom of God is yours..." Conversely, in Luke 6:26, He pronounces woes to the rich saying, "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort..."

I am convinced that I rob myself many times of the blessings of God because I am so apt to trust in my own resources, my own ways and my own abilities. I tremble at the thought of losing everything so that I can be totally dependent on Him and nothing else. I pray that if life does come to the point where all it lost, I will have the faith that says, "Blessed be the Lord,...my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

When I see the beggar on the side of the road here in the USA and oversees, many times I am tempted to say, "there but for the grace of God go I."

Maybe I should instead say, "If there go I, may I still trust in the grace of God"...

"Blessed you who are poor..."

Remember the Awesomeness of God...

2011-09-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

Devotioning through the Psalms, it strikes me that a number of the Psalms, especially those of David, are a call to remembrance. Since many of these were written to be performed publicly in the temple, I can envision the temple filling up with worshipers, the trumpets and instruments resounding, and the priests coming in, marching, singing these praises to God.

They would be calling the people to remembrance of the awesome deeds of God: His provisions during times of crises, His deliverance from bondage in Egypt, His steadfast hand upon them through their wanderings in the wilderness, His provision to them of a land flowing with milk and honey, and last but not least, His calling and setting them apart as His chosen people. Again, these are not small deeds they are called to remember but great and awesome acts of God in their lives and the lives of their nation.

I sometimes forget to remember. I oftentimes lead my life in such a feverish panting of activity that I forget to remember. I need to remember and praise God for His awesome deeds in my life as well.

Thank you God for giving me life and life with a purpose.

Thank you God for giving me your salvation and grace so rich and free through your Son, Jesus Christ. It did not cost me one thing and yet cost Him everything.

Thank you God for giving me such a loving family to be raised in and for giving me a beautiful family of my own to love, lead, raise and watch them begin their own families.

Thank you God for calling me according to your purposes and allowing me to be on mission with you to the uttermost parts of the world.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good..." (Psalm 34:8).

God, I have tasted and taken refuge in you and I am so blessed.

Selah!

Nellie's Story...

2011-09-13T05:39:00.000-07:00

Her name was Kw'nelle (Kwa-nellie). She never knew her biological parents. She was born into a community in South Africa that has about 50% of its members either HIV positive or in full blown AIDS. In her particular community, an average of 30 people die per day from the complications of the disease. In her larger community, there are over 5,000 child headed households. Because of HIV/AIDS ravaging the adult population, the average age of the head of those households is 15 years of age.

She was born HIV positive. She didn't have a say in the matter. She didn't have a say in the matter either that she was abandoned at birth. This is the world that "Nellie" was born to.

Nellie was taken in by a local ministry and cared for until a week or so ago. She had been on ARV's, medicines that kept the HIV at bay, since a baby. Those medicines combined with the love and provisions of her caregivers were the only things that kept her alive. Until last week.

Nellie passed away. She was 8 years old. She had an infection in her ear that eventually worked its way into an abscess in her brain. The doctors tried. Her caregivers did all they could. Prayer was mobilized all around the world for Nellie. But Nellie's little body combined with the constant battle with HIV/AIDS finally reached its limit.

I had the honor to be at her memorial service. I am an outsider but was overwhelmed with the love of those who knew Nellie. Her 30 "brothers and sisters" at the orphange. Her kind and godly caregivers who had raised Nellie. The members of the community and local churches who had known and come to love Nellie. The memorial was for Nellie but I received the blessing.

There is nothing left for us to do for Nellie except celebrate that she is now at home with Jesus. We can also rejoice that she is not in pain like she was those last few days.

There is nothing left for us to do for Nellie but we can resolve to do something about the specter of HIV/AIDS that so cripples Sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world.

We can pray. We can pray that God will lead us to a cure for this terrible disease. We can pray for those working in this field. We can pray for workers and ministries who are tirelessly ministering to those affected.

We can get involved. Our churches or civic groups could pack an In Home Care Kit to be sent to help caregivers and families ministering to those dying of HIV/AIDS.

We can support others that minister in these areas. We can help people like those who helped Nellie even if we can't go and do it ourselves.

I am so blessed. I don't know why God has blessed me so much. I don't know why I was born with all the advantages that Nellie never had. I do pray that I will be a good steward of what God has blessed me with so that more "Nellies" and communities where Nellie has come from can experience a more abundant life.

In memory of Nellie...

Mama Mary's Story from the Slums of Nairobi...

2011-09-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

This past week, I met a remarkable Kenyan grandmother names Mama Mary. I was helping to conduct a workshop in urban community development with our Baptist Global Response Area Directors here in Africa and we had just finished the classroom work and went out to local communities to practice what we learned.

My team consisted of myself and four Kenyan pastor/leaders. We went to a nearby slum area and met with a small community group to talk about their issues. We went in letting them know that we were learners and were trying to understand from our recent training how to really know a small community like theirs.

We used some key questions to get them to begin participating with us. We also used some mapping and problem analysis tools to talk about the major issues in their community. One of the things that quickly rose to the surface was the fact that they had no water source.

They had one before but it was illegal and the pipe had been cut. They were now using what we in the west would be called a "mud puddle" to get their water. It was basically a seepage area in the middle of the community and it was open to foot traffic of the community, animal contamination and a host of other things that would make any of us gag at the thought of taking a drink from. However, it was the only water they had.

They shared with us the causes of the water problem ranging from no government support to no really good source in the area. They also talked about the results from having poor quality or no water: their children were constantly sick, they had to go a long way to haul water, they spent a lot of time and money in getting water.

During the discussion, we met Mama Mary. She was the "grandmother" of the whole community and the community midwife who had delivered all the babies in that community for the past 50 years. When I asked her how many babies she had delivered during her lifetime, she simply started pointing to all the people gathered in the small room (about 11) and just said as she pointed to each one, "I delivered that one and that one and that one..."

Mama Mary then told us how hard it was for her at her age to get water. She couldn't go the long distances and haul the water back to her house. Since she was the "grandmother" of the community, she would go each day with a glass to every home in that community and ask for a glass of water. She would make her round of about 48 homes and that is how she got her drinking, bathing, cleaning and cooking water for each day. She said (translated into English by one of the pastors with me), "Water is life...without water, life is miserable."

I thought of the story of Elisha in 2 Kings and the widow and the flowing oil. When the containers were exhausted, the oil stopped flowing. But everyday, Mama Mary has to go through her village to collect the blessings of God at the mercy of her neighbors.

Pray for Pastor Patrick (one of our companions and the Kenyan church planter working in that community) as he continues to work with that slum area and share with the member the Living Water. Pray for Pastor Patrick too as he helps the community walk through the process of getting a good, clean water source for their members.

The Lord is Patient, But...

2011-09-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

I finished reading through 2 Chronicles this morning during my devotions and look forward to beginning the book of Ezra tomorrow. However, there is one final lesson from the lives of the kings that literally jumped out at me today. It is found in the Chronicler saying,...

"But Yahweh, the God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of His messengers, sending them time and time again, for He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they kept ridiculing God's messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets, until the Lord's wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy..." (2 Chronicles 36:15-16)

God made Himself known to the Israelites as the, "...compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin.." (Exodus 34:6-7). He also made it known that if Israel rejected Him, He would ultimately reject them.

Over and over, God's goodness and His patience is manifested to His people. Over and over they scorn His advances, His love and His provisions for them. And ultimately, they pay the price until God's "wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy." What a sobering statement.

I am one who celebrates and strives to live the grace of God. However, I wonder if I often, like Israel, tread on God's grace in a way that grieves Him? I wonder if I, like Israel, am testing His goodness to the point of stirring up His wrath? I don't mean to. I think I'm a pretty good person (at least by the world's standard). But, like Israel, do I have have my own idols, my own distractions that easily take my eyes off the Lover of my soul and cause me to try His patience with me?

I pray today that I will be single-eyed in my devotion and service to God. I pray that He will once again wash over me with His goodness and grace and I will be content and satisfied with Him and nothing else.

Amen!

It's Not About Our Strength...

2011-09-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

The stories of the kings of Israel and Judah in the book of Chronicles and Kings always fascinate me. There are so many life/spiritual lessons to be learned - both positive and negative - from their examples. One lesson that rings true throughout almost every story is that no matter what the strength of a particular king and his army, God is the one who determines the outcome of the battles.

From the stories of the kings of Israel/Judah, over and over, God makes known that He desires their obedience and faithfulness - not their horses, chariots and armed men. God teaches them time after time that the battle is His to win or lose, not theirs. As in the story of Jehosaphat (2 Chronicles 20) when Judah is confronted with a vast hostile army, the word comes to them, "You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord...Do not be afraid or discouraged. Tomorrow, go out to face them, for Yahweh is with you."

Conversely, in the story of Joash (2 Chronicles 24), God uses a smaller and weaker Aramean army to defeat and plunder Jerusalem. The Bible says, "Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, the Lord handed over a vast army to them because the people of the Judah had abandoned Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash."

From the world's point of view, I guess it would be best to be the biggest and strongest person in the room. Personally, I wouldn't know that. But I do know that from heaven's point of view, it is much better to be the more obedient and more faithful than the strongest, smartest or best looking.

King David said, "Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of Yahweh our God." (Psalm 20:7)

Unfortunately, I sometimes look for security in my own strength, ways and methods. I find it to be true that I have much more real security when I trust in the Lord and lean to His understanding, not mine.

I pray today that I have the wisdom to let the battle belong to God...

Filled With a Cloud...

2011-08-30T05:34:00.000-07:00

In 2 Chronicles 5, we see the story of Solomon completing the preparations for the temple of God in Jerusalem. King David was not allowed to build the temple because he was a man of war and had shed blood. So he made the preparations and gave the charge to his son, Solomon, to complete the task.

As he makes the elaborate preparations and time comes to dedicate the temple, Solomon has the priests consecrated. He has the Levitical singers robed and carrying cymbals, harps and lyres and he has 120 priests blowing trumpets. One by one, the trumpeters and singers joined together to raise their voices accompanied by the instruments in praise to the Lord singing...

"For He is good; His faithful love endures forever."

The Bible then says, "The temple, the Lord's temple, was filled with a cloud. And because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the Lord filled God's temple." (2 Chronicles 5:13-14).

The New Testament teaches us that our bodies are the temple of God. Have you ever experienced the filling of "the cloud" of God's presence in a way that the world would see the glory of the Lord filling it? Wouldn't it be something if we could die to self daily in a way that would allow the life, the cloud of God's glory to shine through us radically affecting every life we came in contact with?

Meister Eckhart says, "If we are wholly surrounded by God, enveloped by God, clothed with God - such a man no one can touch except he touch God also."

Would it be that people would be touched by our lives and come away saying...

"The Lord is in His Holy temple; Let all the earth keep silent..."

Selah!

Remembering the Good (and God) Things...

2011-08-29T05:25:00.000-07:00

In 1 Chronicles chapters 15 and 16, we have the story of King David settling in his new kingdom city, Jerusalem. He builds houses for himself and he prepares, albeit temporary, a place for the Ark of the Covenant to rest. After a botched attempt, David, the priests and his men, bring the Ark to Jerusalem and there is great thanksgiving. Most of chapter 16 is devoted to David's famous Psalm of Thanksgiving where he sings,...

"Give thanks to the Lord; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him; sing praise to Him; tell about all His wonderful works!"

David then goes on, in the rest of the Psalm, to recount the good things that God has done for him and for Israel.

Mind you, there are a lot of bad things in David's life he could have remembered. He was unjustly persecuted by Saul. He was driven away from his home and country. He had to submit to his sworn enemies to even survive. At one point, he had to become like a madman in appearance so that he would not be put to death. Along the way, he had experienced the loss of all his possessions, his dignity and even his self worth.

One thing he never lost, however, was his faith and his confidence in God.

In our lives, there are a number of negative things that we all could dwell on. But like King David, wouldn't it better for us and the body of Christ if we could commit ourselves to focus on the positive? I am not encouraging us to live a "Pollyanna" type of life that doesn't feel grief or sadness over losses and trials. But there is something to say for the life that lives in faith and trust, like King David, and continues to focus on the goodness of God even in the shadow of the valley of trials and death.

Paul said, "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8) Peter says, "...make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love..." (2 Peter 1:5-7).

I think today you and I would be better people if we could join King David in saying, no matter what comes our way, no matter how people treat us, no matter what life throws at us...

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever..." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

May it be so...

A Chronicle of Relationships...

2011-08-28T06:18:00.000-07:00

The first twelve chapters of 1 Chronicles reads like a "who's who" in the early life of Israel as a nation. Most of it (chapters 3 to 12) are devoted to the relationships that were established by King David. While reading it through, one is tempted to be bored and skip over the details to get to the stories that start in Chapter 13. However, there are some interesting insights from reading the list of David's descendants, relatives and his mighty men.

For one, there are those listed who lay down their lives for David: Jashobeam, Eleazar and Abishai - the three mighty men. One time when David was thirsty, they risked everything and broke through the armed guard of the Philistine camp to draw water from the well at the gates of Bethlehem for David to drink.

There were the honored thirty, who were revered for their fighting skills and victories. Many of them were from his own clan but others were not even Israelites. Mighty fighting men from all of the tribes came over to David until, "there was a great army, like and army of God." (1 Chronicles 12:22)

But in that list, there were those who were murderers and betrayers of David. Also, there were some in that list that David himself betrayed (such as Uriah the Hittite, husband of Bathsheba). There were even 3,000 from the line of Saul, the king that preceded David after Saul had died for his unfaithfulness.

One thing stands out. In the mix of all of David's relationships, there were those who were loyal to the end. There were also those who would betray him (such as his son Absalom). There were even those David himself would betray.

In our world of relationships today, I wonder if we are any better than King David or any more blessed? I think, if the truth be told, there are those relationships and people who bring us utter joy. But at the same time there are those who can cause deep pain - even those we love the most.

As King David, we have to become people after the heart of God. We have to celebrate and enjoy those relationship that God gives us but we also must remember that we cannot put our trust in those relationships if we are to find fulfillment. Our relationship to God has to be first and foremost in all of our relationships and when that relationship is where it should be, He gives us the grace and wisdom to live with others.

Our relationships with others will give us pure joy. Some will cause deep pain. However, if we keep the primary relationship with God in focus, He will help us keep our eyes fixed on Him no matter what comes.

No Matter What, No Regrets...

2011-08-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

One of the last kings of Judah was a good king named Josiah. During his lifetime, he initiated a reformation for the whole nation. The Bible says, "He did what was right in the Lord's sight and walked in all the ways of his ancestor David; he did not turn to the right or the left." (2 Kings 22:2)

Judah as a nation was breathing its last breath. They were on an irreversible path to death and punishment. Judgement had already been passed. And no matter what good things Josiah brought about, no matter what spiritual renewal he instigated, no matter how much he honored God in all that he did, his people were doomed to God's wrath. The writer of 2 Kings says, "In spite of all that (the good things done by Josiah), the Lord did not turn from the fury of His great burning anger, which burned against Judah..." (2 Kings 23:26)

I wonder if Josiah knew that in spite of all his best efforts the inevitable was going to happen? And if he did, would he have still given it his best efforts?

I like to think that he would have.

I like to also think that I, no matter what is on the horizon, will continue to give God my best. No matter what happens. No matter what tragedy befalls. No matter what...period.

I choose to live my life wholly for God. No regrets. Whether He pours blessings of mercy and grace on me, I will live for Him. Whether He chooses to pour suffering and hardship out on me, I still choose to follow.

To a large degree, I cannot choose or control many of the circumstances in my life. However, I can choose to follow Him...no regrets!

Amen!

You Are What You Worship...

2011-08-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

In 2 Kings chapter 17, we read the chronicler's account of why the northern Kingdom, Israel, fell. He lists a long string of reasons including...

* Sinning against the Lord their God who had brought them out of Egypt
* Worshipping other gods
* Living according to the customs of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites and the customs the kings of Israel had introduced
* Secretly doing things that weren't right
* Setting up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill
* Burning incense to and serving idols

He then summarizing by saying, "...they became obstinate like their ancestors who did not believe the Lord their God. They rejected His statutes and His covenant He had made with their ancestors and the decrees he had given them..."

He then makes this frightening conclusion. "They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves..."

Many of us grew up probably hearing the old saying, "You are what you eat." What the writer here is saying, "You are what you worship."

What are the things that we worship today besides God? What is it that we fix our eyes and even our hearts on that serves as our modern day idols? What are the worthless things that we revere that cause us to become like them, worthless?

I think this is why the author of Hebrews encourages us to, "...lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:1-2). It is also why Paul exhorts us in saying, "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things." (Galatians 4:8)

Transformation and conformation to the image of Jesus is truly a gift from God. It comes from us constantly gazing at and seeking Him. From glory to glory and slowly but slowly He changes us to be like Himself but we must keep our eyes and our hearts fixed upon Him and not the worthless things.

So here's my question. What will you worship today?

Live Well by Listening Well...

2011-08-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

In 2 Kings, chapter 12, we find the story of Joash the boy king. He came to power at seven years of age in a tumultuous time in Judah's history. At the death of his father, Ahaziah, his grandmother, Athaliah took advantage of the vacant throne and had all the sons of Ahaziah (her own grandchildren) put to death in order for her to claim the throne. She ruled six years while the remaining heir, Joash, was hidden in the temple and raised/protected by his aunt and the priests.

When Joash was publicly revealed and Athalia overthrown, he began his rule. At the beginning of his rule, he was instructed and led by Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada instructed and guided Joash in the ways of God and the Bible says that Joash, "did what was right in the Lord's sight."

Many good things happened in his early years. The kingdom was strengthened. The temple was repaired. The nation regained its prominence. Everything went well as long as Joash listened to the word of the Lord through Jehoiada.

However, Jehoiada grew old and died. With Jehoiada gone, Joash began to fall away from God. He abandoned the temple of God and began serving the Asherah poles and idols. God's wrath returned to Jerusalem and God sent the prophet Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, to call Joash and the people back to God. Then the Bible tells us, "King Joash didn't remember the kindness that Zechariah's father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son..." (2 Chronicles 25:22). In the end, Joash, in an untimely way, is wounded in battle and then assassinated by his own 'loyal' servants. Sad.

I have often experienced that I tend to live better when I listen better. God places wise guides in my life from people to His inspired Word, the Bible. When I spend time listening to God through their counsel, I find myself walking God's path instead of one contrived in my own power.

I also find that cultivating the art of listening for God has its practical rewards in life as well. Foster says that, "We are to live in a perpetual inward, listening silence so that God is the source of our words and actions. If we are accustomed to carrying out the business of our lives in human strength and wisdom, we will do the same in worship..." We also will tend to not trust in the Lord and we will tend to lean towards our own understanding.

I pray today that I will not run ahead or run behind God but take time in every moment to listen for His wise counsel and His Word for my life. I pray then that I will have the wisdom and courage to follow whatever His prompting.

To hear...to obey...

It could be an interesting day!

What's for Lunch? Cole Slaw...

2011-08-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, as per my usual routine, before I left out the door for the office, I opened the refrigerator door and peered into the great abyss. I do this every work day excited to find what leftovers are available to take to work as my lunch of the day. If I'm lucky, it will be one of Regina's famous dishes. If the refrigerator is bare, well it's whatever is available.

Now, I could make a sandwich if I wasn't so lazy (or in a rush to get going). Or I could even buy my lunch (if I wasn't so cheap). But the truth is that I really do enjoy taking bits and pieces of things - leftovers - and making that my noon meal of the day. However, yesterday was different.

All that was in the refrigerator was cole slaw. To make matters worse, it was mayonnaise slaw and not vinegar slaw which I am more partial to. It was what was left of the "penny item" that Regina gets as a promo from a local supermarket and it had been in there a few days because no one in our family particularly likes mayonnaise based cole slaw. Even worse, there was lots of it.

So...because I'm lazy, cheap and in a hurry, I have a tub of mayonnaise slaw for lunch. Please don't get me wrong, I am not a cole slaw basher and I have nothing against folks who love cole slaw (even mayonnaise based). Its just that when I pulled my lunch out at noon and saw the tub of slaw I thought, "Really? I settled for this?"

In our spiritual lives, we tend to do the same thing if we are truly honest with ourselves. We tend to "settle" for good enough when God has even better for us. Maybe it takes too much effort or maybe we're just in a hurry to get somewhere. Maybe it just costs too much to quit striving and receive what God really has planned for us. In many respects, I settle for spiritual "cole slaw" when God really has something much more tasty and filling in store for me.

I look at the Old Testament and am constantly amazed that the nation of Israel seemed to always settle for something else besides God. "Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Ps 34:8), urges King David. And yet constantly after tasting the goodness of the Lord, the people immediately go back to the gods of the land and settle for "cole slaw."

I don't know about you, but today, I choose not to eat cole slaw...

A Funny Thing Happened Yesterday...

2011-08-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Late yesterday afternoon, Regina and I went to run some errands. On the way to the car, she picked up the mail and we took off.

Looking through the mail, we saw that we received a sample of a new type of granola bar in the mail (we sign up for all those special promos) and being late afternoon and a bit hungry, I encouraged her to open it and eat it together. It was one of those really good kind with a chocolate coating (read 'healthy') but the only problem is that it was quite melted. No worries. We ate it anyway. Me driving while she stuffed my half (or three quarters) into my mouth.

Our first stop was at our bank. Regina remained in the car while I went in to make a quick transaction. Lucky me! No one was in the bank! There were four lady tellers all ready and eager to wait on me. And as I drew closer to the counter, they all were smiling and looking right at me. I thought, boy, what a friendly bank. And then, or course because of my vanity, I thought, I must still look pretty good at my age to have four women looking at me and all smiling.

Feeling smug, I completed my transactions. The smiles only increased even to the point of a bit of a chuckle. I quickly returned to the car, jumped in and Regina looked at me and broke out laughing. My face (mainly my lips) were coated in chocolate from the melted granola bar!

Regina promises she didn't send me in the bank knowing that my face was covered in chocolate. I believe her (for the most part) but I'm kind of glad it happened. It reminded me of two valuable lessons...

1. When people smile at you it may be because you have something all over your face, not that you are a good looking guy/girl.
2. Sometimes our own sins that are so hidden to us are obvious to others. They are especially known to God.

I think of the stories in the Bible where people tried to cover up their sins. Achan and devoted things taken from conquered Jericho. Saul who defeats the Amalekites and keeps the best of the spoils. David, who as supreme commander of God's army and all of Israel, steals and murders to claim the wife of one of his most trusted warriors, Uriah the Hittite.

The message? Be sure that your sins will find you out.

I resolve to do better today. I resolve to see myself in God's eyes; to let Him expose every area of my life to His loving mercy and grace.

Oh, another lesson...I resolve never to eat a melted chocolate granola bar and go out in public.

Granola bar anyone?

My Obituary...

2011-08-17T06:37:00.001-07:00

The early classical Christian writers talked of a spiritual discipline known as "looking" or "peering into the abyss." As strange as it might sound, it is a discipline one uses to contemplate ones own mortality. It was used as a tool of personal transformation to help the practitioner come to a sober judgment of his/her life and to put things in perspective such as the things eternal versus temporal.

Foster says, "In our day of runaway narcissism it is a practice we would do well to revive. What would happen if you were to die today? If I were to die today? One of the most sobering insights from such a meditation is the realisation (sic) that life would continue right on without us - and quite well for that matter. The sun would come up the next day. People would go about their normal duties. Nothing of substance would be changed. This is a hard reality for us who carry the illusion that the world revolves around our decisions..."

So, with that in mind, I want to take this opportunity to write my obituary or at least outline some major points. Like Momma said, you can never be too prepared! Or was that my Scout leader?

Anyway, here are some things that I would like to be said or written about me when I'm gone...

* He loved God and he loved people
* He was a most fortunate man who knew the love and companionship of one woman and three excellent children
* He served his King well
* He had a passion for the lost and for the least
* He is more alive now than he has ever been...Rejoice!

The helpful thing about writing ones own obituary is that you can look at it and ask, "Is this the life I am now living?" And if not, what do I need to change and get right with God in order to make my life what I want to be remembered for?

Help me today, Lord, to keep in perspective that I am mortal and at best, in the process of dying. May my physical dying day by day be an outward sign of my daily spiritual death to self and conformation to the image of your Son, Jesus.

Amen...

Arrows From Unexpected Places...

2011-08-16T05:32:00.000-07:00

In their book, "The Sacred Romance", Brent Curtis and John Eldredge talk about arrows in our heart that cause pain and are a part of our journey of growing into the people we are. An arrow of an abusive parent that sometimes shapes a young child into an abusive adult. The arrows of withheld love that tells a teenager that he or she will never be good enough and so they look for fulfillment in worldly avenues. There are even arrows we inflict on ourselves; arrows of poor self image or low self esteem that constantly finds ourselves pitting and comparing our lives to others who seem to have it all together.

Of all the arrows that pierce the deepest are the arrows that come from the ones we love the closest. I think of King David in the Bible in relation to his son Absalom. David loved Absalom with a father's heart. Even when Absalom brutally murdered his brother Adonijah, David's love for Absalom stayed true. When David fully restated Absalom to his place of sonship, Absalom took advantage and leveraged everything he had to dethrone and even have his father murdered. David's love for Absalom was only equalled by Absalom's deep craving for power and taking by force everything that belonged to his father. Yet, even when it was all over the the young man Absalom lay dead, David cried out, "My son Absalom!...If only I had died instead of you..."

It is easy to recognize the "arrows" that come from our enemies. David could tell the difference between a Philistine and an Amorite arrow, I am sure. What trips us up is when the arrows come from those we love the most. An unkind word. A betrayal. An intentional plot to take us down.

Fortunately, for the most part, few of us have to experience the deep arrow of betrayal such as an Absalom with his father David. But even the smaller arrows can be hurtful and cause deep wounds that may take years to heal.

* A colleague who puts us down in some way in order to build himself/herself up in the eyes of others
* A confidence shared with a friend broadcast for the world to see
* A word of criticism from a loved one when a word of encouragement is what is needed

These seem like small things and maybe they are but when these particular arrows come from those who are supposed to be watching our backs, it can be discouraging and even crippling.

What are some of the arrows of affliction that God is bringing to your mind right now? How do we allow Him to take those arrows of pain and turn them into something good like a life-lesson? How do those arrows become building blocks for us to become more conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus?

I am tempted to think that all of the arrows in my heart are "about" me. Sometimes I need to realize that they might just be "for" me in order to make me more like Jesus.

If Life Were Only a Series of Recipes...

2011-08-15T05:35:00.001-07:00

I marvel at my wife. She is undoubtedly one of the best cooks on the planet. Yesterday, she whipped up a batch of her amazing brownies to go with our homemade vanilla ice cream. She took a recipe that she had marked as one of her favorites, placed it on the counter and began following the steps that she had followed many times resulting in perfect brownies. The recipe, if followed correctly, works every time.

Sometimes, I wish life were like this: a simple recipe. We do the things that are "right", follow what God asks us to do, write it down and pull it out and follow the steps every time we need it. However, I have found that a life that is called to follow God is never as simple as following a recipe. There is no cookie cutter philosophy in cross-filled living. I wish there were but my experience and the Bible proves otherwise.

Yes, there are general Biblical principles that we all should strive to live by. Yes, there are some practical spiritual disciplines that we all should seek to cultivate. But over and over I am amazed at those who seek to follow God with all their heart and in all their practices and decisions can arrive at very different destinations. There is no guarantee that if we "do the right things", life will be all that we expect it to be.

* Consider the parents who raise their children according to God's word. One turns out a lover of God and the other turns out a prodigal.
* What about a young mother who lives according to God's laws and ways and wakes up one more to find that she will soon die of cancer leaving too soon a family behind.
* Or the father who does everything right to the best of his knowledge and ability who loses his job and self-esteem and cannot provide for his family anymore.

It just seems unfair. At least from a worldly standard.

The truth is, we live in a world that God loves but it is a fallen world. A world that was meant to be something else and is becoming something else. It is a world that brings, at times, unspeakable joy and happiness but at the same time sin, death, suffering and pain.

We are created with a purpose to learn to love God and keep our eyes and hearts fixed on Him. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves or our loved ones in, our call is to constantly seek the face of God and Jesus, focusing on Him and His perfection and not our present trials.

In my perfect world, "A" plus "B" plus "C" would equal "D". That makes sense to me. In God's world, add the same things together and you might come up with "Z". The truth is that there are no failsafe recipes to make life here turn out the way that we all desire.

And this should not be discouraging. Rather, it should be liberating to know that no matter what the outcome of this life, no matter what results in the final equation of life, our eyes should be fixed on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith because it is in Him we move, breathe and have our life.

The prize is not our expectations of what should turn out when we get the recipe right. It should be God Himself and His Son Jesus.

But, Let Me Explain Myself...

2011-08-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

We all have those times when we are misunderstood or something we did or said was misinterpreted. At least we say we were misunderstood. But maybe we really meant that action or that particular word but find ourselves having to come back and do damage control or worse, image adjustment. The simple fact is that this worldly flesh prompts us to want to make ourselves look good in the eyes of others.

I am at time my own worst image consultant. I am at times addicted to others' approval. I don't really want to, but I find myself time after time trying to explain things in a way that put me in the best light of others. It's a deep flaw and it is a deep addiction.

David, before he was King, could have fallen prey to this malady. He was a very winsome person to both men who would follow him and ladies who would more than once glance his way. He had a natural way in which people just fell in love with him. And yet early on, and throughout much of his latter years, he was the recipient of some of the most unjust accusations and character assassinations than any one person ought to have to bear.

His response? He constantly went to God. He refused to lift his hand against the Lord's anointed. He bore the loss of most every convenience and every right he had and responded mostly in silence, allowing God to be his justifier before others. Radical.

Richard Foster says, "The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation. A frantic stream of words flows from us because we are in a constant process of adjusting our public image...If we are silent, who will take control?..."

Today, I determine to live my life without having to excuse or justify myself to others. I pledge to let God be my justifier. I choose to let my "self" image be immersed in a "God" image and let Him be my identity to a world so in need of Him.

I vow today not to have to use the phrase, "But, let me explain myself..."

I Understand a Cross Death, but a Cross Life?...

2011-08-11T06:05:00.000-07:00

In the story of David in the Bible, young David does everything he can to support King Saul and his family. He fights and slays the giant Goliath even though he is a youth. He fights for Israel in the name of God and becomes its most famous general. He serves Saul with all his heart and supports whatever his king commands.

His reward? The king throws a spear at him trying to pin him to the wall. He is persecuted and hunted. He is driven out of his home and even his country to live like a madman at times. He is surrounded by a group of malcontents and misfits who look to him as their model and leader.

Life, at times, just doesn't seem fair. We give and give, we serve and serve, we even obey to the best of our abilities, and the world, instead of applauding, throws a spear at us.

Jesus experienced this and in a much greater way than any of us can begin to understand. We celebrate His "cross-death" for us, but rarely stop to thank Him for HIs "cross-life".

Richard Foster says, "The most radical social teaching of Jesus was his total reversal of the contemporary notion of greatness. Leadership is found in becoming the servant of all. Power is discovered in submission....Christ not only died a 'cross-death', he lived a 'cross-life'...Jesus called his followers to live the cross-life. 'If any man would come after me,...' 'If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all'...The cross-life is the life of voluntary submission. The cross-life is the life of freely accepted servanthood."

A couple of thousand years before God came to earth in the form of Jesus, David showed us the way of the cross-life. He was obedient to his king, never even thinking about raising his hand against God's anointed. He had every opportunity to do so. He had the hearts of the people who would have followed him. But you see, David was a man after God's own heart and he chose God's way even though it meant becoming the spear-throwing target of a madman.

I am often willing (at least ideally in my mind) to think that I can accept the cross-death...to be a martyr if needed. What I struggle to do is to be able to live the cross-life. I am finding that the cross-life is far more difficult to choose than the cross-death.

Our Strength; God's Strength...

2011-08-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

The stories of the Old Testament always seem to speak to me simple and obvious truths. Where I find myself struggling is trying to apply those truths practically to my own life and in most cases, it is a struggle with my will and pride.

Take the story of Gideon and how one day, God leads him to select an army to fight against Midian. The Midianites were as numerous as a swarm of locust. They had oppressed Israel for several years and had so laid waste to the land that Israel, "became poverty stricken...and cried out to the Lord."

God calls out Gideon to lead Israel against Midian. Gideon puts together an impressive army. Then, the Lord tells Gideon, "You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you..."

Gideon had amassed 32,000 warriors and God said that this was too many to fight a people who were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. God instructs Gideon to give a "go home free" card to those afraid of battle. Twenty-two thousand left leaving 10,000. God said, "There are still too many people." So God had them separated by the way they drank water. He instructed Gideon to choose only 300. God took what looked like an impressive army and whittled it down to 300 to face the Midianite hordes. And He did it all because, "...or else Israel might brag: I did it myself."

There is no math, no military strategy, no earthly reasoning that would say 300 is better than 32,000 when it comes to war. It is only in God's economy and in God's plan does this even begin to make a little sense.

Relinquishing our plans and our strategies to God and His way is no easy task. I do find it easy to champion "God's will" and even to fight passionately for it when it conveniently aligns with my interpretations. But when God's will becomes perpendicular to mine, that's when I struggle with, "Not my will but Yours..."

I think Gideon had to experience doubts when God left him with 300 men. I admire his willingness to follow God's way no matter how counterintuitive it was to all of his natural inclinations.

Foster says that through His prayer in Gethsemane, "Jesus shows us a more excellent way. The way of helplessness. The way of abandonment. The way of relinquishment. 'My will be done' is conquered by 'Not my will.'"

Lord, today and forevermore, may it be, "Not my will, but Yours."

Why Am I Afraid to Go to God?

2011-08-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

In Jesus' parable of the prodigal son, there is a loving father waiting anxiously for the son to return home.

This is how I picture God looking and even longing for us day in and day out. Standing with eager anticipation of His children returning to Him with a broken and contrite heart. And even though I know deep down that God never turns away a broken and contrite heart, I constantly find it hard to next to impossible to make that first step back towards the Father when I have strayed.

I don't know about you, but I constantly fail and constantly stray much like the prodigal. It may not be as dramatic and it may not be as visible to the world, but my heart has a tendency to wander.

Oftentimes it wanders into busy-ness and good deeds. I can get so busy for God that I forget that He wants my heart and my companionship above all service.

Sometimes it wanders into complacency and boredom. The 'same old, same old' becomes the standard of the day and I go through the motions looking good on the outside but dry and barren on the inside.

More often, it wanders into pride and self-sufficiency when my heart tells me to trust in my own understanding and abilities.

So how do we continually walk in a way that we carry this broken and contrite heart? Richard Foster says,...

"We begin by asking. I wish that did not sound so trite, for it is the deepest truth we can ever know about our turning towards God. We simply cannot make heart repentance happen. It is not something that we cause to come about by creating a certain kind of mood with a certain kind of atmosphere and a certain kind of music. It is a gift from God, pure and simple. But it is a gift that God loves to bestow upon all who ask."

Lord, please grant to me today a broken and contrite heart. May all of my senses be in tune with You. And may I have the courage to take the first step back home to you like the prodigal that I am.

I Wish I Were Better at Praying...

2011-08-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

Reading the Bible fervently? No problem. Reading good devotional material? A snap. Service to others? It's one of my gifts. Preaching and proclaiming? I can do that.

These are the things that come fairly natural after years of being in love with and serving King Jesus. And while there are many, many areas in need of improvement (including those listed above), the one area I constantly struggle with prayer. I try. I determinedly set my mind to do it. I set aside time. I try spontaneous prayer. But I always seem, to myself, to come up short for what I think is a dynamic, vibrant prayer life.

I recently re-read a statement made by Richard Foster on prayer where he says...

"The truth of the matter is, we all come to prayer with a tangled mass of motives - altruistic and selfish, merciful and hateful, loving and bitter. Frankly, this side of eternity we will never unravel the good from the bad, the pure from the impure. But what I have come to see is that God is big enough to receive us with all our mixture. We do not have to be bright, or pure, or filled with faith, or anything That is what grace means, and not only are we saved by grace, we live by it as well. And we pray by it."

I long to be that person who "prays without ceasing." But maybe I have to learn to accept that my attempts at prayer are always going to be messy, short of my ideals, and just not perfect.

I pray that I give myself, like Christ has given me, the grace to pray. He does receive us with "all our mixture."

Amen...

There But For the Grace of God Go I...

2011-08-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

As I continue to read through the Bible two times per year as one of my spiritual disciplines, today I am finishing up time in Joshua and moving into Judges. As I reflect back on Exodus, Deuteronomy and Joshua, one of the things that jumps out at me is the continual encouragement from God that He is on the side of the Israelites.

As they were coming out of Egypt and being pursued by Pharaoh and his army, God told them, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord's salvation. He will fight for you today."

In Deuteronomy, over and over, the Israelites are reminded and continually being taught that it is the Lord who is their helper and He is with them, goes before them and will deal with their enemies. (Deuteronomy 1:29; 7:18; 20:1; 31:26). And in Joshua, when the Israelites were setting about conquering the tribes in the promised land, the Lord says to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for I will cause all of them to be killed before Israel..."

When I look at these wonderful promises from God, I often think, "How could the Israelites see such provisions from God and in one or two generations be totally rebellious to Him who has provided so much for them?" He took them out of captivity. He provided for them throughout the wilderness experience. He took them to a land promised to their forefathers. He went with them and even prepared the way before them by taking care of their enemies. How could they in a few short years forget about God's goodness and provisions for them?

And then I think, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

How often to I let the problems of my life cloud my ability to see God's goodness and grace? How many times do I take my eyes off God and focus on my problems or either rely on my abilities and wisdom to address the issues in my life? How frequently do I forget to acknowledge that our God is awesome, powerful and has His best intentions for my life? In short, like the Israelites, He is constantly fighting for me.

It is easy to judge others' actions and reactions. It is hard to acknowledge that we are not much different than the things we judge in others.

My prayer for today is that I will not be afraid. I will stand firm and see the Lord's salvation. And I will rest in the comfort, knowledge, and assurance that God will fight for me today.

Selah!

Participating in the Divine Nature...

2011-06-09T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Apostle Peter says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2 Peter 1:3-4).

These are a loaded two verses so let me try and unpack them.

First of all, Peter says that God's divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. This is good news to a lost and dying world. It is good news to a fallen world that needs a fresh touch of God's divine power. We see that this divine power comes from God through Jesus by faith (verse 1, previously). Isn't it nice to know that even though "fallen", we can experience the power that gives us all we need for life and godliness?

And we know this to be true through, "..the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." God wants to display his great and awesome power through our lives not necessarily or solely for our benefit but for His own glory and goodness. What I glean from this is that I have to constantly remind myself that it is not about me; it is all about God and His glory, His goodness.

What really excites me about this short passage is what Peter says next in verse 3. "Through these...you may participate in the divine nature (of God) and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil." I don't know about you, but I grieve to see how much of a grasp that evil has on our world. When I see hunger, poverty, war, exploitation, etc., I wonder, "where is the hope?"

In this short verse, Peter says that the hope is in His (God's) divine power and that through the promise of that power to followers of His Son, Jesus, we can "participate" in the divine nature...

The word "participate" here is the word "koinonea". We generally interpret this word as "fellowship". But the word usage here is much deeper than what we understand as fellowship. It is a unity of relationship where we become one in God through Christ and He becomes all that He wants to in us. When we are "in Christ" and He is "in us", we can then participate in His divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. And we can move on to be beacons of God's power to others, our neighbors and society as a whole.

Participating in the Divine Nature is the first step in not only transformation of our own selfs but of the communities and societies we live and move in. And God wants, even desires, for us as His children to experience that power in our lives. Us participating in the Divine Nature and living that nature out in the world is a way in which He receives glory and honor.

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Radical!

The Search for Significance...

2011-06-07T04:07:00.000-07:00

Psychologists tell us that one of the deepest human needs is for us as humans to find our significance in this life. Appropriately, every person eventually struggles with the question, "do I matter" or "what difference does my life make"? This is called the search for significance.

In the greater story, God's story, we are called to step out of our small worlds and see the world and ourselves as God created us to be and to become. If we look only through our own filters, we will always come up short because we are comparing ourselves to the world's standards and we can never be enough. However, if we learn to find our significance in who God says we are and in Him, we find peace, joy and, ultimately, our significance.

Peter points this out in his first letter. In chapter 1, verse 3, he says, "In His great mercy, He (Jesus) has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never spoil or fade..." He continues in verse 9 to say, "...for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." And this is so amazing and so far fetched that God would love us so much that Peter says, "...Even angels long to look into these things." (1 Peter 1:12)

He continues to describe how significant we are to God by saying, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:19). Furthermore he states, "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:23)

He then caps this whole reminder of our significance in God by declaring, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God..." (1 Peter 2:9-10)

In our day to day lives when we are trudging through the mundane, we should take time to remember who we are. We should also remember to realize that who we are and what makes us significant is truly found in our relationship to God through His Son Jesus Christ. If I look for my significance in the eyes of the world or men, I will always be found wanting. If I listen to God and find my significance in Him, I will delight to find that I am chosen and belong to Him.

It cannot get more significant than this. Who am I? I am God's beloved and redeemed. I belong to Him.

Amen!

Life as it was Meant to Be: The Significance of the Tree of Life

2011-05-26T22:27:00.001-07:00

As per my last post, we catch two glimpses of life as God meant it to be in the Bible. One is the garden of Eden before the fall (Genesis 2:4-25) . The second is the New Heaven and New Earth found in Revelation 22. It is also interesting to note that these are also the only two places in the Bible that we find the Tree of Life.

God created everything and then planted a garden in the east. He put man there to enjoy and for Him to enjoy. He gave man responsibility to work the garden and take care of it. He made all kinds of trees pleasing to the eye and giving food to man. He also placed two specific trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man was free to eat of any fruit of any tree except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and was told that if he were to eat of it, he would surely die.

Enter the serpent. See the woman disobey. See the man disobey alongside of her and also fail to protect the woman. See God punish the serpent (Satan), man and woman. The ground is cursed because of man and now he must be tied to it forever to produce food by the sweat of his brow with the ultimate end of returning back to dust. Woman has her pains in childbearing greatly increased and is placed under the rule of her husband.

Then, as God drives them out of the garden forever (at least in this life), He places a cherubim and flaming sword to guard the way back to the garden and more importantly the tree of life.

I propose that the "tree of life" is to be taken as a symbol of what God meant our lives to be. Perfect. In the garden. No death, no tears, no pain, no sickness. Most of all, we were created to be in perfect fellowship with Him, walking with him in the cool of the day, sharing our intimate secrets.

The reason I say that the tree of life symbolizes all of this is for the simple fact that we do not see the tree of life again until the end of time. And that tree of life is rediscovered by man in the coming of the New Heaven and the New Earth. John the Revelator is shown by the angel the river of the water of life as clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God. It is coming down the middle of the great street of God. And on each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing fruit and whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Notice what Revelation 22:3 says now that the New Heaven and New Earth are a reality and that the tree of life is back within grasp: "No longer will there be any curse." (Rev 22:3). God is now back with His people to be reunited. Life for man is now restored to life as God always meant it to be. Man will see God's face once again and there will be no more night. We will be His people and God Himself will be with us. He will wipe every tear from our eyes and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things will have passed away. The curse is broken!

I recently heard a pastor say that the bad news always precedes the good news of the gospel. The bad news is this: you and I are under a curse. It came when sin entered into this world by the choice of our forefather Adam and foremother Eve. The good news is that there is a way back to the life, the paradise if you will, that was lost. That way is through the cross and the blood of Jesus.

I don't know about you, but I look forward to one day seeing God face to face and tasting of the tree of life so graciously provided for us.

That will be life as it was meant to be!

Life as it was Meant to Be: The Haunting of the Sacred Romance

2011-05-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get that feeling of overwhelming awe? Or do you ever get that sense of things all coming together at the right place at the right time and a sweeping emotion of "everything is right" comes over you?

It might happen at a picture-perfect sunset. It could happen when your favorite team overcomes all odds and wins the championship. It happened to me at the birth of all three of our children when I got to see and hold them for the first time.

These are moments in our lives when we realize either consciously or sub-consciously that there is something deeper, more meaningful, more permanent than life as we know it. Eldredge and Curtis says this is the "haunting of the Sacred Romance." In other words, these are snapshots of the true story that we all are living; the life God has planned for us from the beginning of time. I call it "glimpses" of "life as it was meant to be."

From the cradle to the grave, we are all on a journey. And the journey is not just about this small, insignificant life we live here on earth. It is about eternity and a life forever with our Creator-Lover who has made us and called us according to His purposes.

Our lives at best here on earth are dim shadows of who we really are and forerunners of who we are to become. The great enemy, Satan, would like nothing more for us to believe that our short stories here on earth are the ultimate reality. In fact, that is how he lures many of us away from the Sacred Romance. He convinces us that what we are experiencing here and now is the best that it is ever going to get. So, we just settle...

I challenge you to remember today, that the best of the best that you and I experience here on earth can never compare to the worst in the Kingdom to come. My imagination is too small when I think of eternity with God. I sometimes think, "C'mon, there has to be more than attending an eternal worship service (not that this is totally bad)..."

Imagine the greatest elation/joy that you have felt in this life. Multiply that by one million and think, "Gee, this is what God has planned for me for eternity."

The next time you or I are moved by a great story, stirred by some great music, touched by a scene in nature, or just given a moment of rapture, I hope we take time to reflect that this is just a taste of what God has prepared for us.

The wise writer of Ecclesiastes says that, "He (God) has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Today, give thanks to God when He gives you glimpses of how life was meant to be. Also, celebrate that one day, for those who know His Son Jesus as Lord and Savior, all of life will be like that moment and immeasurably more than you or I could ask or imagine.

Selah!

Signs and Wonders and Kingdom Impact

2011-05-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

In Luke 7, there is a great story about Jesus raising to life the dead son of a widow from a village called Nain. By Luke's account, Jesus has just finished teaching the great sermon on the mount (or level place) and was going through the local villages and towns. As he passed through Nain, he saw a dead person being carried out of the town gate. This dead person was the only son of his mother and she was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."

He then went up and touched the coffin and said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Then, to the amazement of all present and the obvious rapture of his grieving mother, the young dead man sat up, began to talk and Jesus, Luke says, gave him back to his mother.

A number of things strike me about this story in relation to the Kingdom of God. For one, the compassion of Christ for one who had lost so much. "His heart went out to her..." Second, the authority of Jesus to say to the dead young man, "...I say to you,get up!" and then the great gift made as He, "...gave him back to his mother."

But the thing that intrigues me the most is the reaction of the crowd of on-lookers. "They were all filled with awe and praised God. 'A great prophet has appeared among us,' they said. 'God has come to help his people.'"

"God has come to help his people." When we minister to people physically in the name of Jesus, the whole goal should be to point people to the Father and His Son, Jesus. When we respond to a disaster event in Japan, a chronic hunger problem in sub-Saharan Africa, an urban slum and its needs in a mega-city in India, our goal to have the people whom we minister to say, "God has come to help his people!"

A mentor of mine always taught me that when we are finished working in a community with our development projects, the highest praise from the local people is that they do not build a statue to us, but rather give glory to God.

Jesus used compassion and life touching ministries to point people to the Kingdom and to God. Our compassion ministries and demonstration of the gospel through acts of kindness should ultimately be about making His kingdom and the King Himself known.

What do people see and say when we help them in their hour of need? Do they applaud us or do they see that through us, God has come to help them? More importantly, what do we do to make sure that they don't applaud us but see God's Kingdom and His fingerprints in our acts of service and ministry to them?

It's a good question...

Biblical Metaphors Describing our Relationship with God

2011-05-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

John Eldredge in, "The Sacred Romance", writes that the Bible uses an ascending scale of metaphors to describe our relationship to God. It is a scale from low to high and shows us increasingly God's value of us.

1. We are the clay; He is the potter. Clay is an inanimate substance. However, in the potter's hand, it can be shaped and molded into whatever instrument the potter desires. God, our creator, also desires to be our shaper and molder. He longs for us to yield to Him to be molded and shaped into the person He knows we can be and desires for us to be.

2. We are the sheep; He is the shepherd. Sheep are a little smarter than clay; not much, but a little. I know this because I'm an agriculturist and have helped raise sheep before. But sheep need a shepherd, a guide if you will, to direct and lead them to safe paths and a good quality life. God desires even longs to lead us as the Good Shepherd.

3. We are the servants; He is the master. Servants are a bit higher than sheep. However, they are still regarded as a possession of the master of the household. God is a great master that is benevolently kind to his servants and is always looking out for their best interests.

4. We are His children; He is our heavenly Father. Children are even better than the previous three metaphors. They belong to the family. They are not objects or livestock to be owned, traded or sold. They are not hired hands or indentured service. They are children with full rights and full love in the Father's household.

5. We are His friend; He is the befriender. Not only has he adopted us into His family and called us His child, He has brazenly and dangerously now given us the privilege of being called His friend. Creator, Sustainer, All-Powerful and All-Knowing. He, the very One who made us and called us according to His purposes, gives us the honorific "friend" and invites us to stroll with Him in the cool of the day, talk, fellowship and enjoy His company as He enjoys ours.

6. We are the beloved; He is the lover. This is the highest level of intimacy and partnership which God beckons to us to enjoy. We are invited to be lovers! As Eldredge says, "The courtship that began with a honeymoon in the garden culminates in the wedding feast of the lamb."

The Apostle John writes in 1 John 4, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us..."

I don't know about you, but I would settle for being clay. However, amazingly, God sees so much more in me...

Selah!

God the Lover...We the Beloved

2011-05-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

I finished reading through the Old Testament and am now into Matthew in my daily devotions. It would be negligent of me not to mention an age-old truth God has once again revealed to me through His OT prophets.

As I read through the prophets, I am struck over and over again how God is the white-hot, even jealous, Lover who unashamedly and unconditionally pursues you and I, the beloved. It's in Isaiah where He says, "...as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." (Isaiah 62:5). It's in Jeremiah where He proclaims, "...I have loved you with an everlasting love..." (Jeremiah 31:3). Hosea's adulterous wife, Gomer, is redeemed by the command of God to Hosea in a picture of how God pursues us even thought we constantly reject Him. And it goes on and on...God loves, we reject, God relentlessly pursues!

What does He see in us? What does He want from us? Doesn't he understand how vile and corrupt and completely unloveable we really are?

John Eldredge says in his book, "The Sacred Romance",...

"The gospel says that we, who are God's beloved, created a cosmic crisis. It says we, too, were stolen from our True Love and that he launched the greatest campaign in the history of the world to get us back. God created us for intimacy with him. When we turned our back on him he promised to come for us. He sent personal messengers; he used beauty and affliction to recapture our hearts. After all else failed, he conceived the most daring of plans. Under the cover of night he stole into the enemy's camp incognito, the Ancient of Days disguised as a newborn...The whole world lay under the power of the evil one and we were held in the dungeons of darkness. God risked it all to rescue us. Why? What...causes him to act the jealous lover, to lay siege both on the kingdom of darkness and on our own idolatries...not to annihilate, but to win us once again for himself?...what does he want from us?...What he is after is us!"

I stand amazed in the presence of the great love of God for me. I cannot fathom why, but I celebrate that He is the Lover of my soul and, unbelievably, I am am His beloved!

Henri Nouwen says that the gospel in a few words is this: "You are the beloved of God."

Solomon said it this way: "My lover is mine and I am his..." (Song of Songs 2:16)

Utterly amazing!

What are you doing this Easter?

2011-04-24T05:10:00.000-07:00

(Luke 23:55-56) "The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph (of Arimathea) and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."

A friend named Keith shared this passage with me a few years ago. He told me how often he had read this passage yet overlooked this simple statement...

"But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."

I cannot think of a more pivotal few days in the history of the world. Jesus, the one being followed as the Messiah by a growing handful of rag-tag believers, has been put to death. Not just any death. Death on a cross. Death that is only benefitting a common criminal or an enemy of the state. Death that causes and intentionally inflicts severe and cruel punishment on the unfortunate soul undergoing its ordeal.

But this was no criminal, no petty thief that was being crucified. It was, if He was who He claimed to be, the one and only Son of God the Father. He was the Lamb and the Lion. He was the Chosen One who takes away the sins of the world. The Only One who would and could ever claim to be without sin. And yet, here He was, being crucified alongside sinners.

A King and Creator, dying on a cross, awaiting burial and then, evidently unforseen by His followers, a glorious resurrection. We all know and cherish the story. But what happens here in the in-between time is what baffles yet excites me.

As Jesus was taken down from the cross, a man from Arimathea, a follower, asked for Jesus' body. He took it and wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a newly prepared tomb. There was no time for a proper burial. It was "Preparation Day" and the Sabbath was about to begin. So all the followers left Jesus in the tomb, partially prepared yet temporarily left and awaiting a proper burial. They even prepared the necessary spices and perfumes but, "they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."

In our age of hustle, bustle and screaming noise, it may be that God is calling you and me this Easter to a place of rest, a Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. I think that my tasks and my life is so important that I cannot slow down. I am deceiving myself. If the followers of Jesus could rest on the Sabbath while the Lord of all creation awaited a proper burial, I am fooling myself to believe that my work is more important than honoring God and His appointed Sabbath.

My prayer for you (and me) this Easter season is that amidst the Easter eggs, new clothes, Sunday worship, and intolerable scramble of panting feverishness, that all of us would stop to rest, reflect and to honor God's Sabbath...

Happy Easter, everyone!

"It would have been better if the tsunami had come at night..."

2011-04-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

(This story was related to me by a Japanese pastor who had just returned from the earthquake and tsunami impacted areas. He wept as he told me – through an interpreter – what he had heard from this one grandmother. I tried to capture the story's message accurately.)

"It would have been better if the tsunami had come in the night…"

A 71-year old grandmother shared she was so tired that she could not go on. She related her story about fleeing for her life as the tsunami approached their home. She was able to run to higher ground with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter who were at home with her at the time.

As they fled to some nearby hills and turned around, they watched the debris filled water swallow up their community and their home. The water reached up to the third story of buildings in their small town. They watched as the water engulfed everything in the lower lying areas, as far as they could see.

Then she began thinking about other family members. Where was her husband of so many years? Where was the son that was the family wage earner?

As the weeks have passed, she has dealt with living in government shelters, freezing cold weather, and a lack of basic supplies for daily living. She and her daughter and grand-daughter have moved back into the shell of her destroyed home and trying to put their lives back together. They are resigned to the fact that they will never see their lost family members again. It is hard knowing that there are no bodies for them to bury or even to say prayers over.

Understandably, she is tired. She is tired physically. She is tired emotionally. She is tired spiritually…

It would have been better if the tsunami had come at night, she told the pastor. That way, we would all have been dead and not suffering like this.

Please pray that the people of Japan would find the hope and peace of Jesus in the midst of their incredible suffering. Pray that they would find the comfort of the Great Comforter, the Holy Spirit. And pray that God will make Himself known in this nation even through this terrible disaster event.

Three Common Sins of Israel...

2011-04-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

I have made it a habit over the past many years to read through the Bible at least two times per year. It is a part of my spiritual discipline and daily devotions. It at times is dry (mainly because of my heart, not God's Word) but at other times, God speaks truth and I am most fortunate to hear.

The other day, as I was working my way through Isaiah, Jeremiah and now into Ezekiel, a thought occurred to me. It seems that there are three things that keep coming up regarding Israel and her sin: rejecting God's Law, idolatry, and breaking the Sabbath. Then the thought came that these are really measuring sticks of how much Israel loved or did not love their Creator God.

If we love God with all our heart, mind and strength, He gives us the desire to follow His Law, His way (image) and to honor Him in all we do and say (such as honoring Him on His Sabbath). Interesting enough, the desire for these things (to follow God) actually comes from Him and we cannot have that desire unless God gives it.

Moreover, the love and desire that God gives us for Himself and that which should grow as we grow in Him, has external manifestations and consequences. In other words, each of the prophets mentioned above talk about how Israel has strayed from God (idolatry, breaking His Law, not keeping the Sabbath) and what that means to relationships to their fellow Israelites and to the nations as a whole. Ezekiel says, "You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband!" (Ezekiel 16:32). And thus the result was that, "(you) were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; (you) did not help the poor and needy. (You) were haughty and did detestable things before me..." (Ezekiel 16:49)

This is the very thing that Jesus was saying in the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-39). The summary of the Law and Prophets? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...Love your neighbor as yourself."

When we sin, we sin against God. When we sin against God, it has great implications for our fellow believers and for our neighbors as well. We cannot be lulled into thinking that our sins only affect us. There are consequences personally for our sins but also corporately. I guess the statement is that none of us sin in a vacuum.

Praise be to God that He has established this great love/trust relationship with us through His Son Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross.

Praise be to God that even after I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I still sin, He still loves me, seeks me and draws me to Himself.

Praise be to God however far my sins take me from Him and from perfect community with His body, He is always standing at the gate, looking for the lost and wandering child such as I to come home.

As Ezekiel says, "The soul who sins is the one who will die." (Ezekiel 18:20) "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die." (Ezekiel 18:21)

I don't know about you, but I choose life in God...

Selah!

Here and Now and There and Then...

2011-04-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

I read a quote by Thomas Kelly recently that said, "Men nowadays take time more seriously than eternity."

The quote was from the book, "A Testament of Devotion" and under his chapter regarding the church and social concern. I thought this odd in that Kelly seems to be indicating that the more we become God-focused and thus eternity focused, the more we become concerned about our world.

Growing up Southern Baptist, I found it easier to be heavenly minded when thinking spiritual thoughts and truths. It seemed to me that we were always preaching and being taught that the best was yet to come. And that this life here on earth was at its best an ordeal to tolerated until we could get to our final reward which of course was heaven.

What I have since learned in my maturing faith (and still am in a steep learning curve) is that our inward life with Christ does not reduce our concern for the world but rather spurs us on towards and more truly whole and righteous burden for the world that God created and all that is therein.

The deeper we go into God, the deeper we go into the paradox of what the early church fathers called 'contemptus mundi' - turning away from earthly attachments and ambitions - to 'amor mundi' - a divine but painful concern for the world. It is not that we become more detached from the world the more spiritual we become but rather the opposite. The more we become "in God" through Jesus Christ, the more we begin to see, have concern for and love the world through God's eyes. And this is a terrible and painful yet wonderful (all at the same time) burden.

It's like John Coffey ("Like the drink, but not spelled the same") in the movie, "The Green Mile." We begin to see the world as it really is: beautiful yet dark; wonderful yet painful; filled with joy yet filled with evil. And we yearn and are even tired down to our bones with the anticipation of one day, God setting everything in place like He planned from before the beginning of time. Yet in the in-between time, we find ourselves - called to turn away from the world but still be concerned and join God in His great redemption process of bringing His world back to Himself.

Ours is not an easy journey. But then the way of the cross is never easy, is it?

Blessings...

One House at a Time...With Dignity

2011-04-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

As I wrote in my last blog, my 16 year old son, Ethan, and I had the opportunity and privilege to head to Haiti and help out with our Southern Baptist "Rebuild Haiti" project. The project has as a goal to see 6,200 homes constructed for Haitians in the next two to three years. The homes are simple, 12 foot by 16 foot cinder block houses with tin roofs. They are not much compared to US standards but they are a far cry above the tents and temporary shelters that almost 1 million Haitians are still living in.

A part of our desire was to see Haitians get back into homes that were safe, expandable, culturally appropriate and done in a way that gave them dignity. Ethan and I saw and worked on some of these homes and can attest that these three criteria are being met.

We have adjusted the construction to inter-lock the corners of the houses by overlaying the blocks and using reinforcement bar to add stability. We have also reduced the load bearing on the walls by utilizing a tin roof instead of heavy cement. We have also worked hard to ensure that the cement mix and materials being used are of good quality.

The homes being constructed are culturally appropriate in that the houses are very much like the ones they had before the earthquake and all materials to build are available locally. Nothing has to be brought in from outside the community. One of the neat concepts of these houses is that they are expandable. They are built in a way that next month or next year, when they get enough materials or money to buy the materials, they can add on another room or two to make it into a larger home for their families. We learned this concept in our rebuilding projects in the Indonesian tsunami of 2004.

Finally, these are homes being built with dignity. The communities are involved in the process of deciding and selecting who gets the homes. Most families, if they have able bodied people, are involved in the process of participating in the construction of their own homes.

To date, we have seen almost 800 homes constructed with a number nearing completion as I write this. The cost is about $2,500 to build one home and while we only have funding on hand for about half this number, we are trusting in God to provide the rest.

We are still a ways from our overall goal of 6,200 but it is exciting to see Haitians rebuilding their country one house at a time...with dignity!

God bless,

Jeff Palmer

Good News from Haiti...

2011-04-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

This past week, my 16 year old son, Ethan, and I had the privilege of going to Haiti for a few days and work with our BGR team there. We spent a few days building homes for Haitian families in our "Rebuild Haiti" project and a lot of time in meetings and touring some of the communities where we have been working for over a year.

It was a wonderful trip. We were able to work alongside Haitian community members who were excited about seeing the new homes going up in their communities. Moreover, it was as if we were witnessing a transformation of some of the communities whereby they were not only getting new homes but dignity and pride in what they, Haitians, were being able to accomplish.

I thought about BGR's vision to see, "...people experiencing a full and meaningful life with hope and peace that inspires them to raise their families in confidence, build their communities with dignity and share this life with others." And I thought, "this is what we are seeing!" How exciting!

We saw homes built but people being built up as well. We saw communities working together for the benefit of all and we saw people whose lives were being literally transformed by the message of hope that our team was living out among them and sharing verbally.

It is hard to think that a little over a year ago, the city of Port-au-Prince lay in rubble. Today, much of it still does. But in the communities where our BGR teams are working, the rubble is returning to community not only in terms of good housing but in terms of people whose hearts and lives are being transformed! Radical!

I want to thank our BGR team members who are working so hard in Haiti to make this happen. I also want to thank Southern Baptists for their gifts and volunteerism that is such a key part in this transformation that we're seeing. And I want also thank our Haitian partners who are opening up their lives the transforming power of God.

"Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

Trouble, Trouble, Trouble...

2011-04-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

You see it when you turn on CNN, Fox News, or BBC. You can't look at a news and information website without it jumping at you off the screen. It dominates the world today. Trouble.

There's the earthquake and tsunami with resulting radioactive issues in Japan. Countries in North Africa and the Middle East are dominoing with popular uprisings. A relatively ignored war is happening in Ivory Coast where we now see over one million refugees and internally displaced peoples. Not to mention that Haiti is still trying to crawl out from under last year's rubble, chronic hunger grips many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, HIV-AIDS has now killed almost 30 million worldwide, global economies and traditional power houses are reeling from financial pressures, etc., etc., etc....

Signs of the end of the ages? Absolutely! Reasons to turn it off, turn our backs and become more and more insular each day? Not a chance!

We are living in some of the most opportune days since the beginning of the world. While our hearts go out to those in these areas mentioned who are suffering, we as followers of Jesus Christ and believers in an all powerful and all knowing God have complete assurance that God is at work in these historical events. Moreover, the history that we see being made today in the form of all these troubles really is a part of the grand design.

So, is it God's will that people suffer due to armed conflict, HIV/AIDS, hunger and poverty? Absolutely not! God created man (and woman) to be wholly in Him, His fellowship and His care. The "troubles" that we experience and see today are the results and a sure sign that we live in a fallen and dying world. This bears repeating: our world, at best, is a dying world. It will pass away just like me and you. Don't believe for one minute that our cleverness, collective human knowledge or any other attributes we possess will work to change this fact. We are a dying race of man living in a dying world. Pessimistic or just plain realistic?

Here's the good news, however. Jesus said to His followers in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!"

So, if you and I want to avoid trouble, we have probably been born to the wrong species. How I find comfort in all the trouble is to ask God what He is doing in the midst of what I perceive as chaos. I then ask Him to show me not only what He is doing but how can I join Him in doing something about it that will align myself with Him in seeing His Kingdom come and His will being done.

Trouble? It isn't going to go away. But even if it doesn't "go", we can always take comfort and confidence in knowing that something better is coming...Jesus Himself! :)

God bless...

When Bad Things Happen...Japan

2011-03-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

Why do bad things happen to good people? It's an aged-old asked question.

Habakkuk asked the question to God, in relation to Judah's suffering, "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, 'Violence!', but you do not save?" (Habakkuk 1:2)

The disciples asked Jesus about a man born blind, "Teacher, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?"

We are seeing pictures of horrible devastation in northern Japan due to one of the century's strongest earthquake and resulting tsunami. As we watch the visuals streaming over our television sets, it moves us to the depths of our souls and we also might be crying out, "Why, Lord? Why do these bad things happen?"

And the answer is not easy. In Habakkuk, the prophet really did not get an answer to his "why"? He simply got the response, "Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." (Hab 1:5) Meaning that you and I might not even be able to handle the real answer and so it is withheld.

In regards to the man born blind, Jesus said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life..." (John 9:3). Maybe this "bad" thing happened so that God could make his name known and glorify himself through the event.

One thing is for sure. We are all a part of a lost and fallen world where bad things happen to both the good and bad people and nations. Being involved in international relief and development, I have seen my share of bad things happening and have found no comfort in asking "why"? What I have found comfort in is asking "what", as in "what I am I going to do about this, on a personal level and a corporate level?"

Here is what I encourage you to do over the next few days as the tragedy of what has happened in Japan continues to unfold...

1. Pray. Pray for those suffering physically. There is a basic need for water, food and shelter. It is still cold season there.

2. Pray. Pray for those suffering emotionally. Many lost loved ones. Aftershocks continue and fear rules with each new tremor. Emotional shock leads to physical manifestations that can be fatal themselves. Pray for healing.

3. Pray. Pray for the responders as they go. Pray for the Japanese government and international organizations as they try and come up with some type of a unified response plan. Pray that all work together to speedily reach those in need.

4. Give. Find a good, trusted partner to give through. We have a great vehicle to give through: Baptist Global Response (BGR). Our website is: www.gobgr.org. Please go there for updates and options for giving. One hundred percent of your donation with go to provide appropriate relief. If you have other channels of giving, give that way. Right now, monetary gifts that can be used locally in Japan to purchase water, food and shelter are much more effective than gifts in kind.

5. Consider going and helping. Especially if you have certain skills that are needed. Again, you need to find a trusted partner to do that through. Again, BGR would be happy to help you if God is leading you.

Why do bad things happen to good people? I'm not sure I can answer that.

What am I going to do about those bad things like what has happened in Japan? I'm afraid that I'm the only one that can answer that.

God bless...Pray for Japan!

The Shepherd's Secret

2011-03-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

Psalm 78 says that God..."chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance."

So God chose, God appointed and God set David in place to shepherd His people. We know from the story of God sending Samuel to anoint a new king, David, man looks at the outward appearance when selecting leaders while God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16). One by one, the sons of Jesse passed before Samuel the prophet and Samuel thought at each choice, "Surely the Lord's anointed stands here..."

But the Lord spoke to Samuel in Kingly wisdom saying, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." One by one, the sons of Jesse were rejected leading Samuel to proclaim, "The Lord has not chosen these."

Finally, the youngest son, David, was called from tending his father's sheep. When Samuel saw him, God said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one."

What was it that God saw in the heart and life of David? More importantly, when He looks at us, does He see the same things?

Psalm 78:72 gives us a hint in saying, "And David shepherded them (Israel) with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. How did David shepherd his people? With integrity of heart and with skillful hands.

Developing and exercising the skills God gives us is one key part to being faithful in His Kingdom. However, equally and perhaps more important is having a heart of integrity.

Skills applied for God's glory plus God's heart yields fruitful ministry.

May we have both.

Psalm 23

2011-03-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

King David starts out his now famous 23rd Psalm with the simple statement, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want..."

As an agriculturist, I am always intrigued by the agriculture allegories in the Bible. But this one has a significant fascination for me. I have helped raise sheep and believe me, there is not much of a more ignoble animal than a sheep. However, what I have learned is that the focus is not on the sheep in this Psalm but rather the shepherd.

The Bible has much to say about shepherds. When David as a young man was asked by King Saul as to his qualifications to be a warrior and to face the giant Goliath, he simply replied, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep."

Now what in the world would make a shepherd qualified to fight a giant? For one, he passionately protects his flock. David was literally offended that anything (not less anyone - including a giant) could mock or stand up to the people (read flock) chosen by God. Secondly, he had experience in fighting the monsters, the bear and lion, that attacked the flock. He literally recalled that he chased the beasts, snatched the unfortunate lamb from the mouth of the offender and then, grabbed the beast by the hair and slay it. So, what's the big deal about a giant when you've taken care of lions and bears?

Later in the New Testament, Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd. He talks about how a good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (like David going after the bear and lion). Moreover, the Good Shepherd is so familiar with his flock and his flock with him that they hear and respond to his voice. They even reject the voice of the imposter.

Here is the Kingdom lesson I get from this. From Psalm 23 and from John 10 (the Good Shepherd), the key to abundant life if found simply in the sheep (you and me) hearing and following the voice of the Good Shepherd. Abundance, in a Kingdom perspective, is not measured in things, titles, or even accomplishments. It is measured simply in hearing and obeying. What a radical thought.

The Lord is my shepherd...when I hear and follow Him, I will have no want...

The Promise Purified - Part 2

2010-04-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Let's get back to the main topic. We are talking about God brining about his promised Kingdom community on earth. He has provided models, examples if you will, of what He desires for community through his own person (One God, three persons - perfect community), the Garden of Eden and creation (no pain, sickness, death and intimate fellowship of man with God), and the plan for family (husband and wife shall become one). He then begins to establish His next model of community on earth by the calling and setting apart of a nation of people through the descendants of Abraham. This people is to become a nation known as Israel.

We have looked at Israel being formed into a nation during their crucible "sojourn" in Egypt...430 years. We have seen how God called them out, through His servant Moses, to leave Egypt, no longer a group of 70 members of one family but a nation of around 3 million people. They went as a desperate family and emerged as a formidable nation, bound for the land long-promised to their forefathers. We have also touched on how, because of their disobedience and lack of readiness, God used another mini-crucible in their journey; 40 years in the wilderness. It was during this time that God trained them up for war, taught them to be dependent on Himself, and showed His love for them through His provisions (manna, clothing, water, etc.).

It is interesting to reconsider that it only took about 11 days by the Mt. Seir road to get from Horeb (Mt. Sinai) to the edge of Canaan (Deuteronomy 1:2). Considering it took them about the same time to get from Egypt to Mt. Horeb, that's about a 22 day journey turned into forty years. But these were an important forty years. They were a result of their rebellion (see the story of the 12 spies sent into Canaan - Deuteronomy 1:19-46) but they also were a result of Israel needing more forming into the community God had set them apart to become.

It was during the time in the desert that God gave them His Law. This was a Law for them to follow and receive His blessings if they were true to it. They were laws which defined what Israel's relationship to God was to be and what Israel's relationship to each other was to be. There were laws as to how Israel was to treat the environment, the land that they were inheriting. And there were laws given as to how they were to treat the current and future alien inhabitants of the land. While there was the command to purge the land of its current inhabitants, God provided clear instructions very mercy-oriented for the aliens that would dwell among them in the future.

What God was building in Israel was what He promised to Abraham. That his descendants would become a great people and a light to the nations. They would become God's kingdom on earth. Even God's own throne would be housed among the Israelites. No other nation on earth would ever be able to claim this save Israel!

They endured hunger, thirst, and discouragement in the desert. But all the while, God was preparing them to become His people, a unique people, set apart to serve and honor him through their obedience and to be a beacon to all other nations. They were to be God's community of witness on earth as in heaven.

As they neared the end of the 40 years in the desert and approached the day of entering the promised land, what kind of community would they be when they entered?

Next blog...the Promise Arrives!

Blessings...

Interlude #4 - "Haiti" and "Chile"

2010-04-21T01:58:00.001-07:00

I apologize for not having any recent posts. I hope to get back to a regular posting schedule. No excuses except for two words: "Haiti" and "Chile".

In a global relief and development organization, things tend to be pushed off to the side and put on hold when major disasters break. On January 12, the Haiti earthquake hit with a 7.0 magnitude and just 10 miles west of the capital city, Port au Prince. It left some 230,000 people dead, 3 million in need of assistance and a local and international community wondering how best to respond to such a massive event.

On February 27, just as recovery efforts were finally gaining some semblance of order in Haiti, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile. Even though it was 500 time stronger than the Haiti earthquake, it was much deeper and further removed (epicenter-wise) from a major population area. Initial estimates of loss of lives was up to 800 but has since been revised downward to a little more than 300. Many of those died not from the earthquake itself but the resulting tsunami generated.

Two similar events and yet two different results. Two catastrophic earthquakes and yet two totally different responses. As we visited with organizations in Haiti and talked to experts, everyone was saying that it would be at least 10 to 20 years before Haiti ever gets back to its pre-earthquake posture. In Chile, we are looking at pretty much "finishing up" our response with local partners either June or July.

So, what's the big difference? (Between the earthquake effect and response in Haiti and Chile)

1. The massiveness of destruction. Anyone that has been to Haiti and toured the worst hit areas of the earthquake there comes away with an overwhelmed sense of depression. The physical amount (not to mention emotional, social, etc.) of destruction quickly overwhelms anyone who sees it not to even mention those that survived it. While Chile is very bad in areas (in terms of destruction), it is nothing compared to Haiti.

2. The pre-existing poverty conditions before the earthquake. Chile, being a developed country, had resources, good government and, maybe most importantly, good building codes. Haiti, unfortunately, had none of the above. Studies conducted months before the earthquake said that 60 % of the houses in Port-au-Prince were sub-stantard in their construction. In Chile, the majority of structures that caved in or fell were the older "adobe" (mud-walled) houses. The newer, better constructed cement houses and buildings for the most part stood.

3. The pre-existing lack of infrastructure. Haiti's infrastructure pre-earthquake was poor and in places, non-existant. One of the main problems in the demolition and clean up in the hardest hit areas is that many of the houses were built along the only main road and then there are rows and rows of adjacent houses (some which fell totally, partially or not at all) five and six deep, side by side, with no access roads. How do you clean this up? The infrastructure of Chile was probably damaged more than Haiti's (volume-wise; Chile had more bridges, paved roads, etc.) and the government there had the organization and resources to respond quickly to restoring what was damaged.

4. The pre-existing poverty mentality in Haiti as opposed to Chile. Because Haiti has been a "hand out" country for the past 50 years, there is little self-help mentality among the survivors. Constantly we saw a "wait and help with come" mentality from people and communities we visited. Not only that, there was also almost an arrogance that said, "It is your responsibility to help me" which sometimes manifested itself in inactivity and even anger. In Chile, we saw nothing but gratitude, participation and initiative on the part of Chilean partners. In Haiti, like Chile, we primarily are working through Baptist partners who have much concern for their churches and church members but not much for the community. In Chile, our Chilean Baptist partners are using their own resources to reach out and bless their communities. Amazingly different.

Please don't hear me criticizing Haiti or Haitians. I am just trying to analyze, as an outsider, the differences in the two areas and especially in regards to the experiences we are having responding to those in need. And, if there is anyone to blame for some of the issues in Haiti, we would have to more than likely point the fingers at ourselves, those of the developed world who have poured 40 Billion dollars of international aid into Haiti over the past 40 to 50 years. With good intentions, we have created a perfectly dependent culture.

Please continue to pray for our work with BGR. Pray for us to have wisdom and knowledge of how to help without hurting in Haiti. Pray also for our relationships with local partners in both Haiti and Chile. Pray that God would use us to minister to those in need in a way that glorifies Him and brings people dignity.

Helping in a way that truly helps. Helping without hurting...wouldn't that be novel?

Blessings...

JJP

The Promise Purified

2010-02-25T21:21:00.000-08:00

Through the calling out and setting apart of the descendants of Abraham as a new nation (Israel), God is modeling His plans and intentions for a Kingdom community. He begins the community with a promise to Abraham. He perfects that Kingdom community in the crucible of 430 years in Egypt. He then purifies the community, in an effort to make that community His Kingdom model, by giving them 40 years in a wilderness.

Imagine 600,000 plus men with their wives, children, belongings, animals, etc., leaving Egypt and heading to Canaan. If we assumed one wife per man and 3 to 4 children per family, that would be around 2 to 3 million people in the procession. It would normally be about two week journey to Mt. Horeb (the mid-way point) and another 10 to 14 days to Kadesh Barnea, the beginning of the promised land Canaan. Allotting for more time due to the size and organizational needs of moving so many people and goods, let's say it would take them approximately one to two months to get to the Promised Land.

However, due to the disobedience and stiff-necks of the Israelites, God chose to have them wander in the deserts of the Sinai peninsula for 40 years. Later we learn that this was a time where God refined the nation of Israel through fire. It was during this time they learned the ways of warfare. It was a time that a whole generation of rebels passed away. It was also a time in which God taught Israel (the nation) to learn how to be totally dependent upon Him. In the desert, there was nothing to support 3 million people for 4 days let alone 40 years. And yet, God blessed the Israelites ad watched over them through their forty year journey where they did not lack anything. (Deuteronomy 2:7) Even their clothes and footwear did not wear out during this time. (Deuteronomy 29:5)

The Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are excellent summaries of what happened and the laws given to the Israelites through the time Moses led them out of Egypt and to Canaan. These books chronicle the journey, the constant grumblings and rebellion of the people, the intercession of Moses and the punishment and subsequent restoration by God of this strange Kingdom community known as Israel. It moreover shows us how God shapes His people into His unique community through love, discipline, hardships, rewards and even plainly giving to them His expectations of them as His set apart community. He gives them His law - perfect, sweet and refreshing to the soul - through Moses, His servant. He provides for them as they try and follow and He disciplines - harshly yet justly - when they disobey. All of this is done in His plan to purify and perfect this Kingdom community.

Would they become a perfect and completely pure community? Of course not. They were to be however a chosen people, a holy nation a people belonging to God so that they might proclaim and declare His praises to all the other nations.

How would this happen and what would it look like?

Next blog...The Promise Purified: Part 2!

The Promise Perfected - Part 3

2010-02-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

So, we are talking about God brining about his promised Kingdom community on earth. He has provided models, examples if you will, of what He desires for community through his own person (One God, three persons), the Garden of Eden and creation, and the plan for family. He then begins to establish His next model of community on earth by the calling and setting apart of a nation of people through the descendants of Abraham. This people is to become a nation known as Israel.

Israel, his sons and families go down to Egypt to survive a terrible famine. Joseph, one of the sons of Israel has gone ahead by God's design to preserve the family of Israel. But Israel, Joseph and his children pass away. A new Pharaoh comes to power who doesn't know Joseph and begins to enslave the Israelites out of fear.

God's plan was to use Egypt as a crucible to form Israel into a nation. At the appointed time, he raises His leader, Moses, to come and help deliver Israel from its bondage in Egypt. Moses was a baby that was cast into the waters to die by Pharaoh's command. However, he is saved by Pharaoh's daughter, raised in Pharaoh's court and as a young man, begins to see the plight of his own people, Israel, and their misery.

Through a series of events where Moses kills a man (to protect a Hebrew), Moses flees for his life to the land of Midian. He meets and marries his wife, Zipporah, and becomes a shepherd for the flock of his new father-in-law, Jethro (Exodus 2:11-21). During that time while Moses is in Midian, the Israelites continued to call out to God in misery in their slavery and the Bible says that God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them (Exodus 2:23-25).

God then fulfills His promise to the community of Israel by calling Moses (from a burning bush) and sending him back to Egypt to lead Israel out of Egypt and back to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Through an amazing story and great events (including more oppression, plagues and miracles), Moses, assisted by his brother Aaron, confront Pharaoh and the leaders of Egypt and gain permission to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 4:18-12:42). Thus, at the end of 430 years (to the very day) all of the house of Israel left Egypt and began their journey (a whole another adventure) back to the land promised by God to their forefathers. They were seventy in all as the sons of Jacob when they went to Egypt. They were "about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children" when they left Egypt 430 years later.

A new nation, Israel, was born! A new community of God was initiated to be a showpiece for all other nations. They became a nation in the crucible of Egypt. They would now be forged into a cohesive community in the fire of the desert.

Next post - The Promise Purified

The Promise Perfected - Part 2

2010-02-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

God heard the cries of the Israelites as the spent over 400 years in Egypt. Life had started pretty good with Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Israel, in high favor with the King of Egypt. But Joseph had passed away and a new Pharaoh arose who did not know about Joseph and the Israelites were oppressed, being forced into slave labor. The fear of the Egyptians rose to the point that Pharaoh gave the order to have every boy born to the nation of Israel to be killed by throwing them in the Nile river.

Into this dark time of Israel's history, God sent a deliverer. To the house of Levi, one of Israel's 12 sons, a baby was born. And due to the decree by Pharaoh, the baby at three months old was put into a basket-boat and placed floating in the Nile. The baby boy's sister wast instructed to watch from a distance.

By God's design, the daughter of Pharaoh went down to the Nile to bathe and she spotted the basket among the river reeds and sent her slaves to retrieve it. Opening it and seeing the baby crying, she felt compassion for him and took him in as her son. The baby's sister appeared out of her hiding place and volunteered to find a woman to nurse the baby (which happened to be his own mother). So, Pharaoh's daughter offered compensation to the baby's mother in order for her to care for her own baby! Pharaoh's daughter named the baby "Moses" meaning "drawn out of the water." God protected Moses, blessed him and planned to use him to respond to the suffering of His people, Israel.

Moses would grow up in the courts of Pharaoh yet knowing all along that he was different. He would also soon learn that his life would be intricately linked to the slave nation known in Egypt as Israel.

Next, the Promise Perfected, part 3: The calling and setting apart of Moses for the task...

The Promise Perfected - Part 1

2010-01-31T12:45:00.000-08:00

So, Israel and his whole household went down to Egypt from the land of Canaan. God had sent Joseph ahead of them to help preserve His nation. They went to be cared for during the time of a severe drought and famine. When they went to Egypt, they were 70 people in all (Exodus 1:5). Little did they know that they would stay in the land of Egypt for over 400 years and during that time, God would mold them into a great people and nation. Egypt was to become the crucible of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’s descendants.

The Bible says that after the generation of Joseph and his brothers died, a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power. The people of Israel lost their voice with the new generation of leaders. They had to quit depending on Joseph and the good will he brought to now trusting more in God and His provisions: a part of the perfection process.

The Egyptians not only forgot who Joseph was, but also became frightened about the growing number of Israelites. They said, “Look, the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” (Exodus 1:9-10) So the Egyptians enslaved them and oppressed them by placing taskmasters over them and forcing them into labor to build up some of their cities. They made their lives bitter, but the more they oppressed them, the more they spread and increased.

The king of Egypt even devised a scheme using Hebrew mid-wives to put to death any male children born to the Israelites in an effort to slow their growth. When that did not work, he made a decree that every male born to the Israelites were to be cast into the Nile River to die. (Exodus 1:15-22)

Who would deliver Israel from this oppression? They cried out to God in their suffering…

Next post: The Promise Perfected – Part 2…

The Promise Preserved...

2010-01-24T17:23:00.001-08:00

Genesis, chapters 37 through 50, tells us the story of Israel’s sons and of one in particular, Joseph. In the story of Joseph, we see the promise of God’s coming Kingdom preserved through Israel’s sons and Joseph’s faithfulness.

Israel (Jacob) has returned to the promised land of his forefathers. He has received the promise of a land, being made into a great nation and having all nations on earth blessed through his offspring. After the death of his father, Isaac, he makes a tenuous peace with his brother, Esau (Genesis 35:27-29). His favorite wife, Rachel, dies while bearing him her second son, Israel’s twelfth (Genesis 35: 16-20).

The twelve sons of Israel are to become the twelve tribes of the nation Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

Trouble brews when we are told that Joseph loved all his sons but loved Joseph as his favorite. A few blogs back, I briefly told the story of Joseph. He was a dreamer. He even dreamed and shared with his brothers and father that one day, they would all bow down before him. It just increased the jealousy the brothers had in their heart for Joseph but Israel kept this in mind (Genesis 37:1-11).

The brother plotted and sold Joseph into slavery letting their father think Joseph had been killed by a wild animal (Genesis 37:12-36). However, God had preserved Joseph and the promise through Joseph by sending him to Egypt (Genesis 37:36).

Through a series of God-events, Joseph rose to power in Egypt only to be second to Pharaoh himself (Genesis chapters 39, 40, 41). Joseph interprets a dream for Pharaoh telling him that there will be seven years of abundant harvest followed by seven years of famine. He outlines a plan to save Egypt and her people and Pharaoh rewards Joseph by placing him in charge (Genesis 41:41-57).

As famine covers most of the known world, it reaches Canaan and the family nation of Israel. Israel sends his sons, minus the youngest Benjamin, to Egypt to get food. To bring the story full circle, the brothers wind up having to bow down to Joseph and ask to buy grain (even though they don’t recognize Joseph at this point – Genesis 42).

Again, through a series of God events, the brothers have to return a second time and ask to buy grain. During this time (Genesis 43 to 45), Joseph makes himself known to his brothers, they reconcile and Joseph sends for his father and whole household to come live in Egypt due to the prolonged drought.

There were 70 in all from Israel’s family nation who went down to Egypt. They probably did not know that they would be there over 400 years when they first went. Joseph’s brothers asked him at least twice for forgiveness for what they had done (selling him into slavery and passing him off for dead to their father). Joseph assured them that, “And now, do not be distressed and o not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you…” (Genesis 45:5). Later, after Israel’s death and the brothers are afraid once more that Joseph might retaliate for what they had done, Joseph assures them again saying, “Don’t be afraid Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)

One final promise was spoken to Israel by God. When Israel was struggling with the decision whether or not to go down to Egypt, God spoke to him in a vision saying, “I am God, the God of your father…Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you and I will surely bring you back again…” (Genesis 46:3-4)

God’s plan will always be accomplished. God’s purpose will always stand. He planned for Israel to become a mighty nation, set apart for Himself. This happened and He used the nation of Egypt and Joseph’s faithfulness to preserve His promise. God’s ways and thoughts are not the same as ours. They are as high as the heavens are apart from the earth. They are as wide as the east is from the west when compared with ours. What God promises, that He will bring about. He is God, there is none other.

So, the family of Israel, 70 in all, have gone to Egypt. God has preserved the promise by providing for them. Little did they know that they would stay there for over 400 years and grown into a people too numerous to count.

Next blog: The Promise Perfected…

The Promise Sealed...

2010-01-23T22:53:00.000-08:00

God's promise to make Abraham into a great nation and to bless all other nations through his descendants was propagated through his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. This promise of blessing is also the promise of a new kingdom, even a new kind of kingdom: God among men. It is something that starts in the very heart of God and is revealed in his creative efforts culminating with man with whom He has intimate community...walking together in the garden in the cool of the day. It is also a promise whereby God is calling forth and setting aside a chosen people, a royal priesthood, which will become the voice for announcing and the vessel for birthing the fulfillment of the promise in one word: Messiah.

But as we see through the remaining chapters in Genesis, the promise fulfilled has a rocky road to travel. It has to go through Isaac the son who was almost a sacrifice. It has to be the chosen Isaac and not the other son Ishmael. Then, the promise has to pass through Jacob. His very name, "he grasps the heel", foreshadows the great struggle that the promise will have coming forth through this "deceiver.' He will struggle with himself, his brother, his father-in-law and even with God before the promise is sealed in his life.

After Jacob has these great wrestling matches, he returns to the scene of where God first spoke to him, Bethel (Genesis 35:1-15). God reveals and seals with him there the promise first given to his grandfather, Abraham. God appears to Jacob once more and blessed him saying, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel...I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."

Jacob becomes Israel. Israel becomes the seal of the promise that God will raise up a mighty nation, even a community of nations, from the offspring of Abraham. And they will be God's people and a blessing to all other nations. How will this all happen? The story continues...

Our next blog will be about Joseph, Israel's son, and the promise preserved...

Interlude #3 - Haiti Earthquake Update

2010-01-23T19:08:00.000-08:00

I apologize for a lack of posting with my regular "Through the Bible Kingdom" theme. I will resume these shortly. However, I do want to pause a bit and update you on what is happening with the Haiti earthquake response and especially from our Baptist Global Response (BGR) perspective...

BGR HAITI UPDATE – SUNDAY 24 JANUARY 2010

From the News Media/Disaster Networks –

1. The Government of Haiti has now given an official death toll of 111,481 dead.

2. The main pier at Port-au-Prince and airport are open and functioning allowing much needed aid to arrive. One hundred and fifty (150) planes per day can land. Two hundred and fifty (250) containers can arrive per day. New roads have been made to facilitate transportation and overland goods from the Dominican Republic still seems to be the best route.

3. Two hundred thousand (200,000) people per day are being fed by the World Food Program. Much more is needed.

4. Temporary shelter is still a huge need for many Haitians. Tens of thousands still need shelter.

From Our BGR On-Ground Assessment Team in Haiti –

1. The have completed our initial in-country assessments, given initial relief and have returned to Dominican Republic. They will meet with partners there and then return Monday to the US and help us draft a comprehensive response plan utilizing all Southern Baptist avenues of response.

2. While in Haiti, the team was able to:
a. Establish logistics for supply routes.
b. Meet with local Baptist partners and come up with response plans.
c. Coordinate with Government/NGO groups for future collaberation.
d. Make some initial distribution of medical supplies and food.
e. Distribute $12,000 worth of infant formula/items to one clinic
f. Provide $10,000 worth of food assistance to a Baptist Convention (Mainly rice and beans)
g. Used $4,000 worth of food/aid to a local orphanage taking in people. This is a Christian orphanage managed by Southern Baptists.

From BGR Nashville Office –

1. Through Saturday, BGR has taken in almost $500,000 in gifts/donations for Haiti. We have already release $150,000 of this into Haiti. Almost all of this will be for water, food, shelter, hygiene care and medical supplies at this point. One huge need is infant formula, food and hygiene care items. We project our response in goods (food, water, medical, shelter, etc.) to be in the millions within the first few months. A big "thank you" to all who have given. One hundred percent of all these gifts through BGR will go to direct relief. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

2. We have a good updates and resources such as a great bulletin insert up and available as a download on the BGR website. Please keep checking our website for information and updates at www.gobgr.org.

3. We have begun contacting/informing medical contacts and networks of needs and to be ready for next week’s plan of volunteer/resource requests for Haiti.

God bless and remember to keep praying for Haiti...

Jeff Palmer

Interlude #2 - Haiti Earthquake: When Bad Things Happen...

2010-01-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

I want to break from our theme of following the promise to Abraham to address what is happening in Haiti right now. As you can imagine, our organization, Baptist Global Response (BGR - see www.gobgr.org for current updates), is like many others at the moment. We are feverishly scrambling to find the best ways to respond to this crisis. Our Nashville, TN Office is doing a great job in coordinating efforts and we are assessing needs, gathering resources, coordinating with others and, most of all, mobilizing prayer to assist those experiencing this horrible tragedy. Some 40,000 to 50,000 people estimated killed and more will die from injuries sustained and lack of adequate medical care. Some 3 million in need of assistance with the basic needs of life including water, food and shelter.

Some may question 'why' God would allow this to happen? Others with undoubtedly say that this is God's judgment against this nation. Some will say "karma" and again others will chalk it up to fate. Truth be known, we have to be careful to jump to any of these conclusions or questions. We do know that bad things happen to people. It is a part of this sinful, fallen world we live in. When paradise was lost through the choice of Adam and Eve, when they took a bite out of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, sin, death, suffering, injustice, and all the other consequences entered into this world.

Why does suffering happen to one and not the other? Why does one people or one area suffer greater than another? The answer is, "only God knows" and we should be careful in our judgments lest we be judged by the same standards.

What we should ask in times of crises like these is, "what is happening here from a Kingdom of God perspective?"

Through the last few chapters of the book of Genesis (Genesis 37 to 50), we find the story of Joseph and at least one answer to the question as to "why" God allows things like the Haiti earthquake to happen. Joseph is one of twelve sons of Jacob. He is the favorite of his father and naturally incurs a bit of jealousy from the others. One day while his brothers are out tending the flocks, Jacob sends his son Joseph (still at home) to check on his brothers and report back if all is well.

As the brothers saw Joseph approaching them from a distance, they plotted to kill him. "Here comes the dreamer", they said, "let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns...then we'll see what comes of his dreams!" God had shown Joseph in dreams that one day he would rule over his brothers and he had shared those dreams with his family. The jealous brothers were deciding to try and derail the plans of God. They were in for a surprise.

To shorten the story, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Jacob is told that his son, Joseph, is dead. Through a series of God-ordained events, Joseph eventually winds up in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then, many years later during a region wide famine, his brothers are sent to Egypt to buy grain to tide them over and lo and behold, the person that is there to decide their fate is none other than their brother Joseph, whom they sold into slavery and passed off as dead.

In many respects, Joseph had a tragic life. Sold into slavery by his brothers. Falsely accused by a number of people all along the way. Thrown in prison for a crime he did not commit and forgotten. Until one day, in God's kairos time, Joseph is given a place of honor and a key role in seeing God's Kingdom come!

In the end, when Jacob is dead and gone and Joseph's brothers are afraid that Joseph will now retaliate for all the evil they heaped upon him, Joseph makes this poignant statement...

"Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives..." (Genesis 50:19-21)

Whatever you or I think about what is happening right now in Haiti and in other tragedies around the world, I would hope that we could have the Kingdom eyes of Joseph. I pray that we could look with compassion, act with mercy and not give too much time to judge the situation but simply acknowledge that God is in charge and He is on His throne. Since He is God and who He claims to be, He knows why these things are happening and we are not in the place of God.

May God have mercy on Haiti. May God lead you and I to respond to their needs as an act of faithfulness. And even through this horrible disaster (and beyond), may His kingdom come and His will be done...

Pray for Haiti...

The Promise Propagated...

2010-01-12T16:25:00.000-08:00

In this blog, I would simply like to take a Biblical look at the promise as given to Abram and passed down to his son and grandson.

In chapter 12 of Genesis (as we have seen), God gave a call to Abram and said...

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Abram received this call and blessing when he was 75 years old. At 86 years of age, he had a son through and Egytian maidservant named Hagar (Genesis 16). While the son (Ishmael) was his flesh and blood (and obvious joy), Ishmael was not to be the son of the promise. God brought about his promise through Sarai, Abram's wife, and when Abram was 100 years old, God gave he and Sarai their promised son, Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7). During the giving of the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17), God gave Abram a new name, Abraham, and declared that Sarai would now become Sarah. Also, during this giving of this covenant, Abraham asked God if Ishmael could be the son of promise and live under God's blessings. To which God replied, "As for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year." (Genesis 17:20-22)

So, Isaac was to be the son of the promise. This is confirmed a few years later when God asks Abraham to take Isaac his beloved son to the region of Moriah and offer him up as a sacrifice, a burnt offering. Abraham obeys but Isaac doesn't die. God provides another sacrifice, Isaac is spared and Abraham is rewarded by God for his faithfulness with a reiteration of the promise he received some 40 plus years previously...

"I swear by myself, declares the Lord that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" (Genesis 21:16-18)

Later, after the death of Abraham, when Isaac is facing a famine in the land and goes to Gerar in the land of the Philistines, God appears to him. He says, "Stay in the land where I tell you...I will be with you and bless you. For to you and all your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,..." (Genesis 26:2-5).

Then, the promise is passed on to Jacob as he is fleeing for his life from his angry brother, Esau. Isaac is still alive when the blessing passes on to Jacob. Jacob has deceived his brother Esau out of his birthright and out of his father's blessing (Genesis 25-27). Esau has vowed to kill his brother Jacob for the shame he has endured (Genesis 27:41). Jacob is sent away by his mother Rebekah to preserve his life and to find a wife from amongst her relatives in Paddan Aram. As he is fleeing, he stops and overnights at a place called Luz. There, he takes a stone for his head rest and has a dream where the Lord says to him, "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring...I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." (Genesis 29:13-15)

It is amazing to me that the promise which came through Abram/Abraham has come full circle to his grandson Jacob. What God has purposed, He will bring about. Also, God chooses whom He desires to accomplish His purposes. And it is not the strongest, the bravest, or the wisest. In most cases, it is the small, weak and insignificant He calls and uses to do a might work. His criteria are not the same as our criteria. He looks for those who will have faith and faithfulness to follow Him and His plans.

Those whom He calls and those who follow Him are by no means perfect...just faithful.

For some strange reason, that is comforting to me...

Next...The promise sealed...

The Promise Unpacked: God's call to Abram...

2010-01-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

In Genesis 12:1-3, God calls Abram to leave Haran and go to a land that He would show him. He also includes (vs. 2 and 3) a promise or "covenant" if you will with four provisions or benefits...

1. I will make you into a great nation...This is a pretty bold statement. Abram was 75 years old and he and Sarai had yet to have children. Not only didn't he know the place (because it was a land that God was going to show him) but he didn't have anyone (save Lot) in his line to start this great nation. No place and no descendants. If Abram was going to become the father of a great nation, it had to be through the power of God.

I appreciate the faith of Abraham here. I'm not sure if I have that kind of faith to be quite honest. The faith to believe and follow when he's never seen the land and there is no direct-line heir in the mix...

2. I will make your name great (and you will be a blessing)...Remember man's way versus God's way? The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) where all the people of the earth came together to build a great tower to "make a name for ourselves..."? Again, I have no real idea as to why God chose Abram in particular over anyone else at that time. I do know that God's plans and God's ways are always right and they will succeed. I constantly struggle with choosing my own way, rushing through life and decisions when I would be much wiser to wait on the Lord and let Him be the one to lead. If Abram had set out to make his name great and to be a blessing himself to others, I think he would have failed (in his own power). But God called and God chose and, thankfully, Abram was faithful.

3. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse...We find out later on that the great nation God brings forth out of Abram and his descendants is the nation of Israel. We will also see God's preservation of the nation in multiple stories as we continue our walk through the Old Testament. it will become very evident that this part of the promise package is true. Constantly, God comes to the aid of Israel in the face of overwhelming odds. And He delivers them for His glory.

4. And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you...Here is the most intriguing component of the promise to me. I can understand how God can take one man/one family and make a nation. I can readily see how He could make their name great and even provide blessings and curses for its preservation. But to promise that all peoples on earth from now and forever will be blessed through this one man, one family? I wonder what Abram and Sarai thought about this? Any one of these promises could be overwhelming to any of us. Imagine God saying that He will make you into a great nation. And while your head is reeling from that, He just keeps going and it gets bigger and bigger.

Many will come and go with different interpretations of what God is promising to Abram here. We know that this part of the promise is the best and that God plans to send a Messiah, a Savior through this very nation, this very man called Abram. This Savior will be the fulfillment of all that God has been doing in seeing His Kingdom come forth on earth and it all starts with a call and obedience. Amazing!

Blessing all peoples on the earth through this one person? Why? How will it be done? Only God knows and only God could come up with a story like this one!

Next post: The promise propagated...

The Calling of Abram - The Promise

2010-01-08T17:11:00.000-08:00

In Genesis 12, God begins to call forth for Himself a race of people, a nation, chosen for Himself. He begins with the calling of a man named Abram and He calls Abram to, "leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1).

And this calling, if Abraham will follow, comes with a promise. To be more exact, it comes with a package of promises...

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:2-3)

Who in the world was Abram to receive such a calling? What was it about Abram that God saw to which this great opportunity was bestowed upon him? At the point of the calling, the Bible has said very little about Abram except for that he was the son of Terah and had moved from Ur to Haran and that he had taken a wife (Sarai). Later we will learn of Abram's character and faithfulness as he follows God's calling for his life. But my question is why did God call Abram and not someone else?

I have heard and read many explanations through the years to answer this question but the truth is we really do not know. What we do know is that God's ways and thoughts (and actions) are so far above us that there are so many things He does that we cannot and do not understand. As high as the heavens are above the earth, as far as the east is from the west, so are His ways and thoughts are over ours.

One thing that is clear throughout the Abram story and that of his descendants. God constantly chooses the weak, the youngest, the least, and even the foolish to accomplish His purpose. It's almost as if God is saying, "If I can show you that I can do My will through these bozos, I can do it through anyone - even you." It is also apparent to me that God constantly chooses those who are pretty ordinary to say to the world, "Look at what my power can do; take the ordinary and make it extraordinary!" Finally, I think it is also a way of Him making His glory shine forth through a place/person whereby the world has to look and say, "Only God could do that" and He then gets His due honor and glory.

So, we don't know much about Abram, his qualities or his qualifications to be chosen of God. We do know that the important thing was his response to God's calling and overtures. "Leave your country...and I will..." What a great step of faith Abraham must have made. At 75 years old. At an age where, if many of us are fortunate to make it one day, we would be content to sit on the porch and watch grandkids, Abram picked up his tent pegs, family and possessions and followed.

In the end, I don't know why God chose Abram but I guess it really doesn't matter. What matters is Abram's response to following God's call for his life.

May all of us have the same faith...

Next blog: The promise unpacked...

The Calling of Abram; the Beginning of a New Model of God's Kingdom on Earth...

2010-01-06T04:23:00.000-08:00

In Genesis chapter 12, the story of Abram (later Abraham) and his descendants begins. It is a story of God calling out a people, a community, a model of His Kingdom on earth, for Himself. It is the same love story God had with Adam and creation; a people to be set apart for Himself, to love Him with all their hearts, souls and minds.

God calls Abram (Genesis 12:1-3) to leave his country, his people and his father's household and to go to a land that God would show him. Abram didn't know where that land was. He didn't know what that land looked liked. But he knew God and knew that God was good and choosing anything else would be foolish. Here is a Kingdom truth that we have already pointed out but is worthy of repeating: choose God's way, you choose life; choose your own way, and you choose something much less than what God has planned for you.

I have often wondered about Abram's father, Terah. The Bible says (Genesis 11:31-32) that Terah took his whole family and "set out from Ur in the land of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran."

Did God call Terah to go to Canaan? We don't know but it seems that for some reason, Terah had his heart set on going to Canaan. But the Bible tells us that when they came to Haran they settled there.

I'm not sure what kind of life Terah had. He obviously was a good man. He seems to have taken care of his grandson, Lot, after Lot's father, Nahor, died. He also raised a pretty good son in Abram. But it seems sad to me that the set out for the promised land but settled on Haran. There could be many reasons why: sickness, old age, he was tired, or maybe Terah just found that he liked Haran. I hesitate to think that maybe, for whatever reason, he settled for less than the best: God's plan.

In our lives, it is easy to go through the motions. It is also easy to make the comfortable choices. It is too easy to rely on our own understanding and interpretation of things. I think that sometimes I settle for Haran when Canaan is really where God wants me to be.

To quit looking and judging just with my own eyes, my own values and seeing things through eternity and God's Kingdom, wouldn't that be radical? Maybe I would then quit deciding to settle in Haran and move on to God's promised land...

Next, the promise to Abram...

Interlude #1 - It's not sacred vs secular but eternal vs temporal

2010-01-05T04:29:00.000-08:00

Permit me to digress a bit (blogger's prerogative) and return to the choice of Adam and Even in the garden. When they chose to disobey God and choose their own way (at the prompting of the Adversary), whether they knew it or not, they were choosing for themselves (and consequently us) the temporal over the eternal. You see, the choice to take that forbidden fruit was in reality the temporal or temporary things to take priority in their lives.

Think about this. The knowledge of good and evil is a temporal concept. It is something that will pass away and become irrelevant when the Kingdom of God comes in full. Just like sin and death will be no more, just as there will be no more pain or suffering, just like the need for evangelism will cease, the knowledge of good and evil will become obsolete. For we know that in His Kingdom coming these things will have no standing.

I have preached the idea that there is a huge separation in our lives today between the sacred and secular. I have even made the statement at times that we should live our lives as if it were all sacred. But I think I have been wrong.There is nothing sacred about a child that dies of hunger. There is nothing sacred about a community that is 80% HIV positive. And there is nothing sacred about genocide, hatred and enmity between brothers.

I think Satan likes to keep us thinking and discussing the divide between secular and sacred because he knows the true issue at hand is the eternal and temporal. In truth, if we saw our lives, our relationships, our possessions, our positions, etc., in the light of eternity, I think it would make a tremendous difference and the secular/sacred debate would be a moot point.

What if I started living my life tomorrow with asking the question of everything I do, "is this eternal?" I think the Enemy of Old would shudder and heaven would rejoice! Maybe I would be a little closer to the Kingdom of God as well...

The Battle is On…God’s way versus man’s way

2010-01-04T03:30:00.000-08:00

After chapter 3 of Genesis and the banishing of Adam and Eve from the garden, the great battle begins that will take us through the rest of the Bible. It is a battle for the heart of man. It is a battle of absolute good pitted against absolute evil. It is a battle of the Kingdom of God coming in full and His will being done.

The battle will manifest itself in story after story. It is seen in the constant struggle of God’s way versus man’s way. God has chosen and provided a way, the way for us to live. It is life in fellowship with Him. It is life according to His laws, His precepts and His plans. It is a life that surrenders and submits to His way forsaking all others. It is the way of being a part of His coming Kingdom.

Man’s way constantly struggles and fights against God’s way. It is the way of our own choices living life as if God did not exist. Or even worse, God is real but irrelevant. It is a way that the evil one, Satan, urges us to live by using temptation, doubt, and lies. Satan will constantly ask, “Did God really say?” He will consistently contradict God and God’s plan for our lives. He will enjoy seeing us choose our ways, our thoughts and our reason over God’s perfect plans and law.

Make no mistake. The battle is a kingdom struggle. There can be only one king and one kingdom in our lives. We cannot serve two masters.

In the next few chapters of Genesis (chapter 4 and following), we see this Kingdom battle unfold as brother kills brother (Cain and Abel, chapter 4), God sends a great flood but saves Noah and his family (chapter 6-9), and man tries to exalt himself on par with God (the Tower of Babel, chapter 11). The message is clear: choose God and His Kingdom and live; choose any other way and suffer the consequences.

One truth that emerges throughout this Kingdom epic is that there are no doubt hardships as well as joys when we commit to follow the way of the King. However, the consequences of choosing not to follow, of not becoming a part of His plan and His way for our lives, yield much worse consequences.

So, how will God begin making His Kingdom known and visible on the earth? Next time, we begin to answer this with the story of the call of a man named Abram…

Paradise lost...

2010-01-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

As you might guess from these first posts, I am taking a little more time to get through the first few chapters of the Bible in my 2010 quest. Things will speed up as I go along but these first chapters of Genesis are so foundational to the story of God's Kingdom coming that I feel the need to camp here a bit before moving on.

As Chapter 3 of Genesis begins, God has created everything. He has created man and woman and placed them in a specially prepared Garden for them. (Genesis 2:15) He has given them everything they need...food, water, fellowship with Himself. The only requirement He gives Adam and Eve is that they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for if they did, they would surely die. (Genesis 2:17)

Here's where the enemy, Satan, enters the story. Satan is a part of God's creation as well but from an older time. Satan was one of the angels who has chosen evil as his way. He was originally good but fell because of his pride. He even took a good number of angels along with him in his fall and now they serve him as his demons, fallen angels. His sole purpose is to defeat the divine plans of grace of God towards mankind. He is the ruler of a powerful kingdom in his own right but is still subject to God's rule and reign. He is frustrated and anxious because he knows that his time is short and he will be defeated. He and his followers will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity. But, for the meantime, he is the great adversary, the father of all lies, the deceiver; and his greatest pleasure is to keep you and I from entering and living in God's kingdom.

Taking the form of a serpent, Satan asked Eve, "Did God really say..." to which Eve replied, "...but God did say that we must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die." (Genesis 3:1-3) But Satan, the adversarial deceiver said, "You will not surely die...For God knows that wen you eat of it...you will be like God..." (Genesis 3:4-5)

Eve listens to Satan, sees that the fruit is good and pleasing (and desirable for gaining wisdom) so she took some and ate it. She also gave some to Adam who with her and he also ate it. (Genesis 3:6)

Paradise lost...Life as God had designed for the first man and first woman gone with the bite of disobedience. Why did God allow this to happen? Why in the first place was there a tree placed in the garden that would force them one day to make a choice? A choice that could bring about sin, death and separation from the Lover-Creator? What was God thinking?

The Lover-Creator in His infinite wisdom knows that love cannot be true love unless one chooses to love. It is only the choices to love or not to love that makes our love genuine and strong. Angels created with no choice to worship or not worship God would be simple slaves. Adam and Eve in a garden with no choice would be no more than robots obligated to their Creator.

Was it risky for God to create us this way? Yes. Does it even seem crazy or counterintuitive that this would be God's way? Maybe (at least to me). For whatever reason (that is far beyond my finite mind), God the Lover-Creator has made his Kingdom a Kingdom of choice: to love and follow Him and His plan and way for our lives or to love and follow our own selves and plans.

God wants us to find His Kingdom here and now and for all eternity. Satan wants us to deny God's Kingdom and follow the ways of the world, our own choosing. Satan would like nothing more than to drag you and I down to his level, literally.

In the last part of the fall story (Genesis 3:21-24), we see a picture of God's love and care for His first man and woman creation. He makes garments of skin for them and clothes them. He then drives them out of the garden away from the tree of life so that they won't eat of it and live forever. He knows that man and woman in their fallen state need to die in a physical sense so that the true self, the soul, has the opportunity to live with Him forever.

Round 1 - Paradise lost. However round 2 and the follow rounds are the story of how paradise can be regained! It is all about His Kingdom coming and His will being done! And our choice to regain the Kingdom in our hearts and lives.

It is an story of epic proportions...

It is not good for the man to be alone...

2010-01-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

In Genesis 2, when God had created everything and proclaimed that it was very good, he "rested from all His work" on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). Then the Bible tells us that "the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15) And when God saw man in the garden, He said that it was not good for man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18)

This was the making of "the helper", Eve. A woman from the bone of Adam's bones and flesh from the flesh of Adam's flesh. But God's decision not to leave man alone was deeper than even the need of man for a helper companion. For from the very heart of God, no part of His creation is complete in and of itself; it all belongs in community.

From God's proclamation of, "let us make man in our own image" (Genesis 1:26), we see His plan and even nature in and for community. John Eldrege says in "Epic", "How wonderful to discover that God has never been alone. He has always been Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God has always been a fellowship. This whole Story (about you and me) began with something relational."

Here's some good news about God's Kingdom. You and I were never meant to have to find it out on our own. Our very natures are created in, for and through community...the perfect community found in our one and only God! He created us for Himself, for one another and for the blessing of His overall creation. We are in the middle of a great adventure, a great love story, in which God Himself is the hero and, believe it or not, we are the sought after beloved! And it is not just you or I as individuals being sought by God. It is all of us that God seeks like a red-hot lover...the race of man, called out and sought out by the great Creator God. The creation being pursued by the Creator! Amazing!

This is what the story we are in is all about. God's Kingdom coming and His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. This present earth, this present heaven, this present body, is passing and will pass away. Yet during this time of passing, we are being offered even wooed to find the true meaning to this life and even into eternity! The Kingdom of God.

I have heard it said from psychology that there are three basic inherent needs in all people: the need to belong, the need for significance, and the need for security. Though these are classified by science of human nature, they ring true and can only be truly fulfilled when we return to the Creator God's plan for our lives: to find these things by finding our place in His Kingdom!

In the beginning, God...

2009-12-31T20:02:00.000-08:00

With these four words of great expectation we begin our 2010 Blog through the Bible with a special focus on the Kingdom of God...

1. In the beginning,...There is a beginning for everything we know except for God Himself. Angels have a beginning. Principalities have a beginning. You and I have a beginning. But not God. Even the Kingdom has a beginning for in the beginning, there was the King but no subjects, no hearts to rule in and through. In His perfectness and wisdom, the King created everything and thus established a place and people for His Kingdom to come forth!

2. In the beginning, God...We know that God is community in the beginning in that he was Father, Son and Spirit; the perfect three in one yet one. And we know His desire to create out of love, for love and in love, a creation that would come from His deepest heart, which He would love and woo for it to love Him back. In His divine wisdom, He would endow the pinnacle of His creation with a free will to choose to have a relationship and community with Himself or not.

3. In the beginning, God created...In truth, the genesis of God's Kingdom, His rule and reign, definitely begins in the heart of God. But it is manifested and made possible by the creative love of God. From the Eternal with no beginning or end, flows the creation of both eternal and temporal. The eternal created are the unseen but true things such as angels, principalities, the true Kingdom of God and you and I, our souls. The temporal are the things seen such as our bodies, this present earth, and heavens. The eternal created things (angels, you, the true Kingdom) have this in common: they have a beginning but no end. The Eternal God, with no beginning or end, gives a beginning from His creative heart, His very self, to the true things that also will have no end. He also creates the temporal (things with a beginning and end) to serve as a model, a perfecting stage and even a battleground, in His longing for a race of beings who love Him with all their hearts, souls and minds.

Thus, with the first four word of Genesis, we have the setting for the Kingdom of God coming forth in the world. God is the King with no beginning or end. Yet He creates a race of beings for His Kingdom to come forth in. He creates them to be eternal and temporal whereby the temporal is the place He will use beauty, trials, and truth, among other things, to draw His creation back into the realm of His Kingdom, His rule.

As we walk through the Bible and God's revelation of His Kingdom, we will never find the King forcing Himself upon His creation/His subjects but gently calling, sometimes sharply punishing and in many cases truthfully confronting them in order to bring about His eternal Kingdom in their hearts and lives.

Stay tuned....

A Foundation for Kingdom Studies...

2009-12-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

The idea or concept of the Kingdom of God in the Bible originates in the heart of God. God has no beginning and has no end. He has always been: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. From the creation of the angels, who were the first subjects of His Kingdom, to the creation of heaven, earth and man, and ultimately the coming of the new heaven and earth, God's Kingdom is one of the scarlet threads that run as a theme of the whole of history.

The word "kingdom" comes from the Hebrew 'basileia', a noun, denoting "sovereignty, royal power, dominion; the territory or people over whom a king rules. Thus the Kingdom of God is the sphere of God's rule and sphere in which, at any given time, His rule is acknowledged."

According to Conner in his classic work 'Christian Doctrine', there are five stages of Biblical thought and development:

1. The universal sovereignty of God. God is creator of all and sovereign to all. He is sovereign over creation and particularly mankind. There is only one true God and He is sovereign over the entire universe. He reigns supremely over all nations and all individuals and each is subject to Him and His judgment. There is nothing or no one that is exempt from His sovereign rule.

2. The theocratic Kingdom of Israel. God selected Abraham, entered into a covenant relationship with he and his descendants and promised to give them a land as well as make them a great nation which in turn would be a blessing to the whole world. God chose and had a purpose for the people of Israel to be His chosen, peculiar people.

3. The spiritual Kingdom founded by Jesus. God promised David that a descendant of his would reign on the throne forever. He fulfilled this promise in the person of Jesus Christ even though He was not recognized by his chosen people Israel. Jesus, in establishing His spiritual Kingdom, gave relevance and fulfillment to the theocracy of the Old Testament. Jesus came to earth as the "Savior-King". He initiated the Kingdom of God on earth ushering in a reign of peace and righteousness not understood by the world. In His Kingdom, He saves men from sin and reconciles them to God as well as to one another.

4. His Kingdom as a progressive power in the world. The Kingdom has come in power with Jesus. However, as the mustard seed must develop so must the Kingdom of God in this world. This is accomplished primarily through the preaching and demonstration of the good news of the Kingdom.

5. The eternal Kingdom of God. The final stage of the Kingdom is the eternal Kingdom. It is to be finally established at the second coming of the King, Jesus Christ. It will consummate all of history and usher in God's planned rule since the beginning of time.

So, our journey this coming year, walking through the Bible and looking at the theme of God's Kingdom, will hopefully be a discovery of the foundational story of God's Word: His Kingdom coming and His will being done.

Blessings....

Plans for 2010 Blog

2009-12-09T22:09:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me apologize to everyone. It has been a couple of months since my last blog. I came to a natural end of a topic being discussed and then got busy in travel and work and thus dropped our pursuit of seeing what the Kingdom of God looks like in our everyday lives. After reflecting over what has been written and thinking about next year, I have an idea of where I want to go next. I would like to hear from you and what you think about it.

Ever since my freshman year in college, I have read through the Bible at least one time each year. After my 33rd birthday, I felt led to read through the Bible (as a discipline) two times per year. Combined with my prayer time and other devotional reading, this "walking through the Bible" has become a cornerstone of my daily devotional life. By my reckoning, I have now read through the Bible 49 times. Since the 50th year in the Bible is the Year of Jubilee, I sense God leading me to do something a little different this year.

Here's what I propose. I am feeling led to walk through the Bible this year and journal what I see that relates to the Kingdom of God in each day's passage. I plan to read and pray over about 5 pages (5 to 7 chapters) of the Bible each day. I will start with Genesis chapter 1:1 and read/pray straight through to Revelation 22:21. Then, I will journal/blog each Sunday or Monday and share with you what I see God saying in regards to His Kingdom.

If God's Kingdom is the central theme of His word, then it should be a thread that runs through His whole word. And I believe it so here's a chance to prove or disprove my bias and impression of what God is saying (and doing) through His word.

I would appreciate your thoughts, reflections, encouragements along this line. I am planning for my first post to be shortly after the first of the new year.

Blessings to all! I would love to hear you thoughts...

Timing: The sixth tool of Reconciliation

2009-10-03T04:33:00.000-07:00

Truth, Touch, Transparency, Tenderness and Toughness: all tools that Jesus used in brining the message and fact or reconciliation to those who were need of a Savior. The sixth and final installment of these tools is "Timing".

I think that the timing of Jesus in the way and the approach in which he applied the first five tools was critical to the one in need of reconciliation. As Jesus met people, he was always about proclaiming the Kingdom whether in word or in deed. Being God incarnate, he was also constantly alternating between the method he used based upon the situation at hand and particularly the present need in the life of those he encountered. When he encountered the demon possessed, he spoke a word o truth and authority into their lives bringing about healing and restoration. In many cases, he was able to immediately return these people to their families, restored, healed and whole.

At other times he encountered those with great ailment of heart. He spoke words of tenderness and compassion to them giving them hope and encouragement to face the day and their tomorrows. Still at other times, he reached out and touched the physical ailments of the sick, the diseased, the disfigured, the lepers and proclaimed to them the Kingdom. While still at other times, he confronted the proud and the hypocrites with the stark truth of their shortcomings and need for a born again heart, mind and soul.

It intrigues me that Jesus seemed to know the exact approach to use at the exact moment an opportunity for ministry arose. And I could dismiss this and say, "sure, He was God and had an insight that I don't have (which is true)". But I can't escape the nagging feeling that through submission to him, walking in his spirit and the fact that he lives in my heart through his Holy Spirit, that he gives me more insight and abilities to apply these different tools or reconciliation than I actually acknowledge or attempt to use.

Jesus said through Luke the doctor that the Kingdom of God is within us. Paul said it as the great mystery being revealed which is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

I believe that if we walk in the spirit as he is in the spirit, God will bring to mind and forefront all of these tools of reconciliation if only we will listen, follow and apply. If we will live in a way that we never again see people as mere people but eternal souls with struggles, joys, victories, defeats and a keen need for a reconciliation with God, with others, with nature and with their own selves, we will be more proactive in seeing God in our situations/relationships and finding the appropriate timing for utilizing Jesus's tools of reconciliation.

The problem is not that we haven't been given the tools and even the ability to use the tools. The problem that I have found is within me: walking with God and actively seeking and promoting reconciled relationships (on all levels) in everything I do.

What would our world around us look like if we took seriously the role of being reconcilers on all levels discussed? What would our relationships look like if reconciliation was in the forefront of our hearts, minds and actions each moment? What if our annual work plans were thrown out the window and we we simply strived to promote right relationships with all we meet/work with/come in contact with?

Would it look more like the Kingdom of God?

Blessings...

Toughness: The Fifth Tool of Reconciliation

2009-09-25T01:08:00.000-07:00

Jesus used truth to bring people into a right relationship with the Father. He also touched them and healed them to point them in the same direction. At times, he was utterly transparent in telling people the way to God. While at other times, he was totally tender, having compassion on the lost, the least and the helpless. But there was another side to Jesus. In many situations, he was tough or used what we call today, “tough love”.

There is a role for tough love in the ministry of reconciliation. While some of us tenderhearted may shy away from this approach (while others might gravitate towards it), it definitely a method that Jesus used.

He was especially tough on the religious leaders of His time. He used terms for them such as “wicked and adulterous generation” and “brood of vipers.” (Matthew 12:39; 12:34) He pronounced upon the teachers of the law and Pharisees the seven woes (Matthew 23). He was constantly confronting them on issues such as healing on the Sabbath (Luke 5:17-6:11), right action in God’s temple (John 2:16), or the clean/unclean debate. (Matthew 15:1-20)

He was hard on the wealthy. He proclaimed, “blessed are the poor” (Luke 20) and then confronted a rich young man who expressed desire to follow after him. (Matthew 19:16-20) And, at times He was tough on the poor as well. When a Canaanite woman approached Him for help for her daughter, Jesus answered, “I only sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15:21-28)

But Jesus was also tough on those who loved Him and followed Him. When his mother and brothers wanted to speak with Him, he said, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? Here (they) are…whoever does the will of my Father in heaven…” (Matthew 12:46-50) He even seemed to reserve the especially “tough love” for his disciples, His closest followers.

He chastised them for having too little faith. (Matthew 16:5-12) He rebuked His chief disciple, Peter, by saying, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:21-28) He taught the “toughness” of following Him by saying, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me…” He constantly reminded His listeners to “count the cost” if they so wished to follow Him. (Luke 9:57-62)In fact, His teaching was so blunt and hard, that many of His followers turned back. (John 6:66)

There was no ill will in Jesus’ tough approaches to reconciliation. If anything, Jesus knew the consequences of people who were non-reconcilers. He knew the heart and the need for “tough love” at particular points in people’s lives. And He effectively used it as a tool of reconciliation.

Next topic: Timing as the sixth tool for reconciliation…

Until then, Shalom!

Tenderness: The Fourth Tool of Reconciliation

2009-09-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

We’ve talked about the first three tools Jesus used in His ministry of reconciling others to Himself: truth, touch, and transparency. Now it is time to talk about tenderness, the fourth tool of reconciliation.

There are times in the gospel where Jesus is amazingly tender to those in need of His touch. Matthew tells us that once when Jesus was teaching, preaching and healing, we was filled with compassion for the crowds, “…because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 22:36) Once when the disciples tried to protect Jesus by shooing away people who were bringing their little children for Jesus to touch, Jesus became indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them,…” (Mark 10:14)

Another time, as Jesus was teaching on a mountainside, great crowds had come bringing, “the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others.” It was getting late and Jesus said to His disciples, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hunger, or they may collapse on the way.” And he promptly used what was on hand to feed four thousand. (Matthew 15:32).

And, when Jesus saw where they had buried his friend Lazarus, he wept. (John 11:35)

Time and again we see the tenderness of Jesus coming through to minister to those in need and point them to the everlasting Father who cares for all. Never should we make the mistake to believe that Jesus’ display of compassion was in any form a weakness. His tenderness for those broken, those in need, and those in need of reconciliation, was a perfect picture of God the Father and his love for His creation.

Some people of the world serve a terrible and angry God. And while our God is just, awesome, holy and righteous beyond righteousness, He is also a tender, loving God who aggressively seeks those who have lost their way. He is unequivocally on the side of the poor and the needy ready to tenderly call out and reach out to those who need Him and will respond to his overtures of love.

This is good news: God of all creation reaches out to us in tenderness to reconcile us to Himself.

Pretty amazing stuff!

Transparency: The Third Tool of Reconciliation

2009-09-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

By far, the first two tools of reconiliation already discussed (truth and touch) are the most employed and modeled in the life of Jesus. The next four tools that we will discuss (transparency, tenderness, toughness, and timing) are minor in comparison and in number of occurences/uses in the scriptures. However, they are models nevertheless and are worth mentioning and exploring.

Perhaps the best example of Jesus' use of transparency for reconciliation occurs in John chapter 4. It is the story of his encounter with the Samaritan woman whom he met at the well. He and his disciples had left Judea and were on their way back to Galilee and so they passed through Samaria. Coming to the town of Sychar, Jesus decided to take a rest by Jacob's well. His disciples had gone ahead into the town to buy food but Jesus stayed behind because he was tired from the journey.

As he was resting, a Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink. She responded by saying he would not ask of her if he knew who she was because she was Samaritan and he was a Jew.

Jesus first confronts her in the process of reconciliation with a truth encounter. Of course he knew who she was. He knew everything about her. He even knew about her five previous husbands and the man she was currently living with. And when she acknowledged that he was a prophet (her words), she also confronted him with a question about where and how to worship.

Jesus' response was to tell her that a time was coming when all true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. To which she says, "I know that Messiah...is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." To which Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." Transparency with a capital "T".

As to why Jesus chose at this moment, in this particular place, to this particular woman to be transparent and boldly proclaim that he was the Messiah, we can only speculate. However, we can know without a shadow of a doubt that he was employing utter transparency in this act and it has an astonishing affect in the woman's life. Later on in the chapter, we are told that "many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. "He told me everything I ever did."

So, the Samaritans went for themselves to see Jesus and he stayed with them 2 days because of their urging. And because of his words many more became believers. To show the strength of his transparent ministry of reconciliation first to the woman, the people of the town said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this many really is the Savior of the world."

There were times that Jesus was very tranparent with people in order to lead them into right relationships with God the Father. This story is but one example.

Next time: tenderness as a tool of reconciliation.

Blessings....

Touch - The Second Tool of Reconciliation

2009-08-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

Continuing our discussion about the tools of reconciliation found in the Bible, we discussed truth as the first tool. This brings us to the second tool: touch.

Have you noticed in the Bible what Jesus did in most of his encounters with people in need? He touched them where they hurt. With the lepers, he touched them when no one else would go near them (Mark 1:41). With the blind, he touched their eyes (John 9:6). For the crippled, he touched the place they suffered (Luke 13:13). When Simon Peter's mother in law lay sick in bed, he took her by the hand and she was able to arise and begin serving him (Matthew 8:15). A woman sick for 12 years simply touched the hem of his cloak and was healed (Matthew 9:18). And a father, whose daughter had just died, came to Jesus and cried, "...But if you come and put your hand on her,...she will live!" And Jesus did go, took her by the hand and she lived. (Matthew 9:25)

We live in a world that needs to hear the truth about Jesus. We also live in a world that needs to see and feel the touch of Jesus as well. Time and time again, Jesus touched people at their deepest need and he used that opportunity to speak truth in their lives. His proclamation of God's truth was validated in his demontration of God's love. Moreover, his demonstration of God's love through his healing touch was a visible sign of his proclamation of the Kingdom of God coming.

I see no evidence in the Bible of Jesus choosing one over the other: preaching or healing. I see plenty of evidence that he did these simultaneously, based on the need at hand and saw both of these as means to the same end: proclaiming and showing that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.

We often fondly quote Isaiah 55:11 as, "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."

I think it proper to acknowledget that the touch of God through the Name of Jesus does not return back empty as well. In a world where 3 out of every 4 lost persons alive today live in the 10/40 window and considering that 4 out of every 5 of the poorest of the poor, those affected by war and conflict and those living on less than 2 dollars per day, live in that same window, we dare not overlook the touch aspect of the ministry of reconciliation.

We do speak truth to the nations and to lives that are in need of a Saviour, Jesus. We also are to touch those lives in the same Name, demonstrating God's love and His plan for individuals, communities and nations.

Selah!

Interlude - A New Song "The Power of Your Name" by Lincoln Brewster

2009-08-26T17:33:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, I had the privilege to share at Faith Methodist here in Singapore. They are in a month long focus on international minsitry opportunities and I delivered messages about transforming communities on Sunday morning to the youth and then to one of the adult congregations. In the afternoon, a colleague and I shared about practical, holistic ministry tools that they could use in their international missions efforts.

During the Sunday morning worship, we heard the worship leader share the theme song that they have chosen for their ministry month and it was the first time I had heard it. It is called, "The Power of Your Name" and is written by Lincoln Brewster. It goes...

"Surely children were not made for the streets
And fathers were not made to leave
Surely this isn't how it should be
Let Your Kingdom come!"

"Surely nations were not made for war
Or the broken meant to be ignored
Surely this just can't be what you saw
Let Your Kingdom come...here in my heart!"

"I will live, To carry Your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be Your hands and feet
I will give, With the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion
To see the world be changed
By the power of Your name"

"Surely life wasn't made to forget
And the lost were not made to forget
Surely faith without action is dead
By the power of Your name"

What a great song demonstrating the truth that God's desire for us is goodness and wholeness; not the brokeness and heartache that we see in the pattern of the world.

We are called to be ambassadors: ambassadors of compassion, ambassadors of wholeness, and, most assuredly, ambassadors of the ever loving and ever seeking God!

Yes, Lord! Let Your Kingdom come!

More On Truth as a Tool of Reconciliation

2009-08-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

Let me expound a little more about the concept of truth as a tool in the ministry of reconciliation before we move on to the second tool.

In the great story of God, there is a deciever, Satan, who constantly works to discredit God's truth. In fact, "when he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) The truth is that God has created us and everything for himself. He desires for us to be in fellowship with himself and one another. His desire for us is an abundant life whereby we hear and respond to the voice of his son, Jesus, the good shepherd.

We live in a fallen world which is entangled in a web of lies. The enemy, Satan, is happy to have people believing in false gods, in no god or even in an incorrect view of who god actually and truthfully is. He is happy to have people accept less than the truth that God desires for our relationships with others. He delights in the falsehood that there cannot be happy marriages, godly families, communities where people care for one another and respectfully care for creation. And he is estatic to lead people to a marred self-image of who they are and how valuable they are to God the Father. In short, Satan is a weaver of the web of lies and uses this web as his main mode of operations to keep people and even nations in darkness.

This is why we stress truth as the first tool of our efforts at reconciliation. Speaking and living truth about who God is and who we are in relation to him is critical to break the web of lies that would so readily entangle us.

And it is not just any truth that we speak. It is the truth that God reveals through his word, the basis for all truth. His word is a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105) It is the truth that is "living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividng soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

Speaking and living truth to a lost and dying world blindly tangled in a web of lies...the first tool of reconciliation...

Next tool of reconciliation - touch...

The Tools of Reconciliation: Truth

2009-08-25T01:33:00.000-07:00

Picking up from our last blog, I would like to begin talking about the tools of reconciliation modeled by Jesus. The first is truth.

Jesus had a unique way of always bringing back the conversation at hand to the truth of the matter. Not only did he speak the truth but he was actually the truth in flesh. He told his disciples that if they would hold to his teaching, "then you will now the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)He also proclaimed to them that, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Time and time again, he used truth to confront those who spoke and thought errantly. Sometimes it was the religious leaders of his day. "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58) Other times it was to his own disciples. When Peter swore his undying allegiance to Jesus and pledged to lay down his life for him, Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!" (John 13:38)

Truth and speaking the truth into situations can be a powerful tool in our efforts at reconciliation to all levels of relationships that we deal with daily.

1. Man to God - So many people today have an incorrect view of who God is, if there is a God or if there is a whole pantheon of gods. To many, God or "the gods" are far removed from humans if he/they exist at all. To others, they have bought into the postmodern idea that we can basically make God who we want him to be or even can become our own god thus finding the salvation to all our needs within our own selves. The truth of who God is in the Bible cries out for us to speak truth in our efforts at reconciliation. God is sovereign, creator and ruler over everything. He is all powerful, all knowing and ever compassionate. He is merciful but just. He is holy and awesome yet personable and approachable. He is good and loving and righteous by nature. He has created us for his own good pleasure and our lives are fulfilled as we live to obey and please him. In a world with so many differing views of who God is, we should speak (and live) the truth as his "ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us...be reconciled to God!" (2 Corinthians 5:20) Jesus came to show us, beyond a shadow of a doubt, who God is and how he truly loves us. He was God in flesh. Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father..." to which Jesus replied, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." Pointing others to who God really is, Jesus, is truth reconciliation.

2. Man to fellow man - The truth that we should speak here is that God's plan for our relationship with others is wholesome and mutually nurturing. God does not desire broken families. God finds no delight in people addicted to drugs, alcolhol, pornography, etc. Poverty, sickness and pain is not in God's heart for people. The reconciliation truth is that all of these things have come about because of mans' choices. See what Jesus did when he came in contact with people in need. He touched them where they hurt. To the blind, he touched their eyes. To the lame, he touched their legs. He took the sick by the hand. He spoke with authority to those demon possessed and touched their souls. The reconciliation truth is that God desires abundance in our relationship with others through the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

3. Man to creation - The truth that we speak and live here is that everything created by God has a special place in his heart. And we have been given the great and precious privlege of being assigned the task of stewardship of creation. To "care for" creation. Thus natural resources are not something we are to conquer, subdue and abuse, but rather something to be honored and cared for in a way that gives glory back to the owner creator. Jesus recognized the significance of God's creation. He was constantly using the simple illustrations of nature to communicate eternal principles to his followers. He urged them to, "Look at the birds of the air..." and "see how the lilies of the field grow". (Matthew 6:26, 28)

4. Man to himself - Those entrapped in sin and struggling in the multiple untruths of life, often have marred identities in regards to themselves. Poverty can convince a person that they are nothing and cannot help themselves. A life trapped in the evils of drugs, prostitution, or any dozen traps spiraling out of control, can convince a person that they are worthless, unloveable and beyond help. The reconciliation truth to those who have lost hope is that they, like all of us, have a divine spark in our lives in that we all are created in the image of God. The world tells a down and outter that they are nothing, that they are worthless. God truth says that they are somebody, created in his image, worthy to the point that God gave his only begotten son to die for them. The reconciliation truth we speak to those who are mired in the world is that God sees them in a whole different light than they see themselves and who they are at the moment is not the true person God has created them to be. With his help, they can become a new creation.

The ministry of reconciliation; the tool of truth...

Next blog, the tool of touch...

The Ministry of Reconciliation

2009-08-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

So, entrusted to us is the ministry of reconciliation. Since reconciliation basically means to change from enmity to friendship, i.e. resorting relationships to their rightful place, we should look closer at this word and concept in the Bible.

Reconciliation is something God accomplishes through grace on our behalf. God invites you and I, through His Son Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, to be reconciled unto Himself. It is something God has done for us and something we have to be willing to receive.

Never is God in need of reconciliation to us. He has no enmity towards us. The enmity is solely on our part and is a result of the orignal fall and choices made by our forefathers, Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Make no mistake, first and foremost, it is us that are in need of reconciliation to God.

Hand in hand with this concept of the fall and the breaking of man's vertical relationship with God, are the horizontal relationships that were broken at the fall and are in need of the touch of reconciliation: man to fellow man, man to creation and man to himself. As reconciled creatures ourselves, as we begin to experience the grace and love of God through Jesus, we are entrusted then with the great and awesome task of becoming God's ambassadors of reconciliation to others, to creation and to ourselves.

But what are the tools are reconciliation that we are to use as we approach others in need of being reconciled to God, to creation and even to themselves? To me, we need look no further than the life and ministry of Jesus Christ while He was here on earth.

I propose and would like to show you in subsequent posts that there are a number of reconciliation tools that Jesus used. These include...

1. Truth
2. Touch
3. Transparency
4. Tenderness
5. Toughness
6. Timing

How do these six things apply to our call to the ministry of reconciliation?

Stay tuned for the truth topic with our next post...

Poverty Alleviation: The Ministry of Reconciliation Approach

2009-08-13T01:44:00.000-07:00

Therefore, if poverty is the result of relationships that fail, what should be our ministy approach to alleviate poverty? Many of my contemporaries would say that we should have a ministry of transformation. However, I tend to disagree. Not that I do not want to see transformation of individuals and communities. I just believe that we do not have the power for transforming people. That power only lies with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. What I do believe is that our ministry approach in regards to addressing poverty should be the ministry of reconciliation.

The two New Testament root words for "forming" are "schema" and "morphoo". "Schema" forming refers more to the outside form of an object or individual. It's where we get the word "schematics" and is a diagram or representation of the inner workings of something or someone. "Morphoo" forming has more to do with the inner workings and a deep seated change of the essential nature of a thing or individual that expresses itself outwardly as that thing or person being a whole new entity.

Let me illustrate. Growing up, we made "seed" pictures in Sunday School by gluing seeds onto a tracing of an object. One time, we used corn seed to glue onto the outline of a corn plant. When it was finished, if you held it up and looked at it from a distance, it somewhat resembled a corn plant. It was a good "schema" of a corn plant.

However, if I had taken that same seed (which was actually corn) and planted in good soil, watered it and cared for it, eventually, that seed would have formed a young seedling. With more care and attention, it would have grown into a tall, healthy, and most importantly, actual corn plant capable of producing thousands of other seeds and plants. My point is anyone can glue seeds on a drawing and make a corn plant, but only God can make the living plant happen. This is the difference between "schema" forming and "morphoo" forming.

I propose that if we really want to see transformation, we had better concentrate on the ministry of reconciliation: man to God, man to fellow man, man to creation and man to himself. God doesn't expect us to transform anything; He does call us to be reconcilers...

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Chrsit and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)

Transformation - the goal...

Reconciliation - the task entrusted to us...

The Four Failed Relationships of Poverty

2009-08-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

In my last blog (apology given for the time gap between then and now), I ended the discussion with the four relationships in our lives which, which when broken, lead to poverty. Now I'll try and connect these specific relationship breaks and the type of poverty they lead to. Much of the skeleton for this idea is taken from Bryant Myers's "Walking with the Poor" but garnished with my own thoughts born out of experiences.

1. Man's broken relationship to God leads to poverty of spirit - When this relationship is not as God planned in the Bible, a person reaps spiritual. True, there are many "spiritual" people in the world today. There are also many ways and religions which attempt to help man find a way to God or spiritual satisfaction. From a Biblical perspective, however, every person is spiritually poor or, even worse, spiritually dead unless they have a faith-based relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Jesus said it best himself when talking to a teacher of the law, Nicodemus, and said, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

2. Man's broken relationship with his fellow man leads to poverty of community - When this relationship is not as God planned, a person reaps community poverty. We have seen from previous blogs that God has created us for not only Himself but also for community with one another. And His plan for community is not any ordinary community but community in the way that it was meant to be; where He is the chief and most glorious head and there is true koinonea fellowship and participation in the lives of our fellow beings. This is the basic reason that our efforts at community development with a Kingdom focus can be an effective tool in evangelism and discipleship. Our efforts at the ministry of reconciliation between brothers can be a beautiful picture of what God has done through His Son Jesus in reconcling us to Himself.

3. Man's borken relationship with creation leads to poverty of stewardship - When nature and creation are not viewed as having a special place in the heart of the Creator and simply viewed as existing for our exploitation without stewardship, a person reaps stewardship poverty. God is Creator and Owner of all. He has given us the ministry of stewardship of His creation. Genesis 2:15 says, "The Lord god took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Man was even given the charge to "rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Gen 1:28b). And our model/pattern for 'ruling' should be that of the King of Kings, the Creator and Owner of all that we were given rule over. Thus, our correct 'rule' should be a position of stewardship; not as owners, but faithful stewards of the true owner.

4. Man's broken relationship with himself leads to poverty of self - We all are created in the image of God. As C. S. Lewis says, "you have never met a mere mortal." The problem with the world today is that it tries to convince us that we are nobodies. We are not worthy of being loved so how can we love? We are not valued so how can we value ourselves and others? A part of the fall is that we are now living with marred identities. The world wants to tell us that we are no good, unloveable, worthless. God wants to tell us that we are His beloved and that He will do almost anything to seek us out and call us to Himself. In fact, He loves us so much that while we were yet sinners, He sent His beloved, only begotten Son to die for us (Rom 5:8).

So, if these four primary relationships and the broken state that can exist lead us to true poverty, what is the answer for us who want to be freed from poverty?

The one word is "reconciliation."

That is our next topic...

The Sixth Key Thread in Biblical Communities

2009-06-21T04:54:00.000-07:00

In my last blog post (I apologize for the time between that one and this one), I talked of five common threads that tie together the Biblical models of Kingdom communities. Namely,

1. God is the foundation of each
2. He is the Chief and most glorious inhabitant
3. Communities suffer or are not fully realizing their potential if God is not held in His proper place
4. The earthly models of community given to us by God are to serve as "crucibles" to us becoming the community He desires for us
5. In God's communities, lived according to God's way, He brings about wholeness

There is also a sixth and probably more pronounced yet subtle thread that runs through each of these communities and that is the thread of right relationships. Community, lived out and expressed as God desires, is always about living in right relationships. It is about living in right relationships in regards to our vertical relationship (us to God) and our horizontal relationships (us to our fellow man, us to nature and us to even ourselves).

When God calls us to be a part of His community, His fellowship, He calls us to righteousness in our relationships. This righteousness is defined to us in both the written and living Word and imparted to us under the New Covenant through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, it is something that we also have to "work out" in each of our own lives, in our relationships and in our standing in God's community.

I have often quoted myself (a dangerous thing!) in something that God placed on my heart in my early Christian pilgrimage saying, "There can be no right way of living without right relationships." What I mean is that there are no "lone ranger" Christians; a call to Christ is not just an individual thing but rather and invitation to community, God's community! In addition, our horizontal relationships (to our fellow man, to creation and to ourselves) say much and show even more the status of our vertical relationship to God.

So, in summary, here are the four basic relationships that God calls us to when He calls us to His glorious salvation...

1. Ourselves to God Himself (vertical) - Recognizing God as sovereign and Lord of all yet intimately seeking fellowship/relationship with each of us.
2. Ourselves to our fellow man/woman (horizontal) - Loving our neighbor as ourself.
3. Ourselves to creation, His creation (horizontal) - A love for the Creator and a love and respect for His creation (of which we ourselves are a part)
4. Ourselves to, well, ourselves (horizontal) - Loving ourselves in a way that respects and honors God as He created us. This one has to do very much with God's view of ourselves and is a foundation for our other horizontal relationships.

Next post, I will begin discussing each of these "community threads" and what they mean to us as individuals and, more importantly, a community in God.

Until then...

Six Biblical Models of Community - The Tie that Binds

2009-06-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

So far, we've seen the six models of community in the Bible:

6. The new heaven and earth
5. The new testament church
4. The people of Israel
3. The family
2. The garden of eden
1. God Himself

If you haven't noticed, I have them in reverse order chronologically as they appear in the Bible. It may be a little corny but I do so because it puts God Himself as the foundation to all of the models. In fact, when we look at the model communities, a number of commonalities become apparent...

1. God is the foundation of each of these communities. When we find community like it is supposed to be in the Bible and anywhere else, we will find at the heart of that model community God Himself. Sure, there are some pretty good communities out there where God is not the center. Yes, there are some amazing places and people in the world who do not acknowledge or ever follow the God we know through the Bible and through His Son, Jesus. But no matter how "good" or how "amazing" these communities, places and people are, they are just not complete, from a Biblical sense, unless the foundation is built upon God.

2. Not only is God the foundation of each of these communities, He is the chief and most glorious inhabitant of the community. He is the focus of the community. He is worthy of all praise, adoration and attention of that community. And ironically, the more we love and focus on Him as the head of community, the more He blesses with His everlasting love, grace and peace.

3. When God is not held in His proper place in community, when people/communities choose their own ways and not God's, community suffers and thus the people of that community suffer the consequences.

4. The earthly models of community given to us in God and by God are to serve as "crucibles" of our becoming the community/people who God wants us to be.

5. The "wholeness" that God brings about in community has much to say and teach us about things such as pain, death, sickness, poverty, injustice, etc.

Well, this is much for one blog. Next blog, I will begin to take on the commonalities of God's model communities one by one.

Until then...

Six Model Communities - Number 1 "God Himself"

2009-06-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

So what is the sixth model of community in the Bible (number 1 in chronological order as it appears)? It is, amazingly, God Himself!

In Genesis 1:26, during the great creation time, God said...'Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness...' Thus, here is the perfect model of community; God Himself. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. From the beginning (and even before the beginning because there is no beginning with God), God is in community and God is community. Thus, from creation to eternity, God desires community for it is His very nature!

He knows that the best for us is found in community. But not just any community. We are only fulfilled and made complete when we participate or "community" with Him through His Son Jesus Christ and with the body of Christ, the Church. In this, we are being prepared and made perfect for an eternity in community as God has designed and will bring about.

John Eldgredge says in his book Epic, "How wonderful to discover that God has never been alone. He has always been Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God has always been a fellowship." In other words, one could say that God has always been "koinonea" and at the very heart of God, is the 'common-ness' and 'participation' in the lives of those He loves namely you and me!

So far, we've seen the six models of community in the Bible:

6. The new heaven and earth
5. The new testament church
4. The people of Israel
3. The family
2. The garden of eden
1. God Himself

Next blog, I would like to begin discussing why I have them in reverse order and the common things that I see in each expression of community. Then, later on, I would like to talk more about this should affect our lives and the way we do ministry...

Until then...

Six Model Communities - Number 2 "The Garden of Eden"

2009-05-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

The Garden of Eden is the fifth (actually 2nd if you go in chronolgical order) model community we see in the Bible. Like the New Heaven and Earth, the New Testament Church, the nation/community of Israel and the family, the Garden gives us a glimpse, a foresight if you will, of what God intends for us in regards to community.

According to Genesis 2:8-17, it is eeriely striking how similar the Garden of Eden in Genesis is with the New Heaven and Earth revealed in the book of Revelation. The Garden was created for man and provided with all the things that he would need. There was no pain, sickness, hunger, poverty, etc., in the Garden just like we see in the vision of eternity in Revelation 21 and 22.

In the Garden was placed the tree of life. The only other place we see this tree in the Bible is in the New Heaven and Earth as well. A river flowed down the middle of the Garden such as the one from the throne of God in Revelation. Talk about coming to a full circle!

Man was given dominion in the Garden under the Lordship of the Creator God. God's presence was there and God Himself would walk in the cool of the day with man (Adam) and talk with him in perfect communion. What a great picture of community as it was meant to be!

So, we have discussed 5 model communities thus far. These communities have been in reverse order as they appear in the Bible. Next blog, we'll look at the first model community in the Bible which occurs even before the Garden. And this model is the basis of all that we seek to be as community here on earth and as Kingdom community development workers, it is the foundation for our strategies.

Until then...

Six Model Communities - Number 3 "The Family"

2009-05-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of creation, God saw that everything in the world He created had community except for the first man, Adam. No suitable helper was found for him among the other created entities. Therefore, God formed woman from the side of man to which man proclaimed, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of man." (Genesis 2:18-25). Thus a man, in due time, will leave his birth family/community and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh and in essence, the beginning of a new community.

And this is not any ordinary community. Biblically, it is to be a community where God is exalted, honored and followed first by the head of the community (the man). In turn, the man is to be the head of the family and the wife. The NT commands us to "Submit to one another out of revernce for Christ" and more specifically for, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." (Ephesian 5:22-24)

The husband, being the "head" of this community, finds his inspiration and model in Christ. "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy...In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." (Ephesians 5: 25, 28)

Thus, here you have another model of community as God meant it to be: God, a man and a woman, together in unity, loving one another and raising up a new generation and a new community which they call their family...

So, where are we going with all these models of community and what in the world do they have to do with Kingdom and community development? The new heaven and earth, the church, Israel, the family...

Next blog, model community number 5 (or number 2 going in reverse order as they occur in the Bible)...

Six Model Communities - Number 4 "The Community of Israel"

2009-05-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

Continuing with sharing the six model communities that I see in the Bible, number 4 (again in reverse order) is the community of Israel. If you haven't done it lately, go back and read the book of Deuteronomy especially chapters 10 through 26. God calls and sets apart a tiny people, not because of any merit they have, to be His blessing and mouthpiece to all other nations. He starts with "father" Abraham and a promise to make his descendants into a great nation and that "all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Gen 12:2-3). God is to be their God, King and supreme ruler. They are to be His people to declare His praises and glory among the nations.

Isaac, Abraham's son and Jacob, Abraham's grandson, are given basically the same promise that God gave Abraham. Jacob, even with all his faults, is given this honor and given a new name, "Israel", which ironically means "he struggles with God". What a foreshadow of events to come for this nation!

Through a series of shady events that has the makings of a modern soap opera, one of Israel's youngest sons, Joseph, leads his fathers' household down to Egypt. They are 70 in number when they go down. And God uses the Nile valley as a crucible to form His Israel, His beloved people into a nation of over 600,000 men (probably around 3 to 4 million people) in a period of 430 years!

Thus the "community" of Israel comes out of its captivity in Egypt and begins to head towards the promised land, Canaan. Not a small, insignificant tribe but a people of millions. As they went, God, through His servant Moses, gave them His plan for community and said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians..." (Exodus 15:26). And the people agreed! They affirmed before Moses and priests and elders of Israel, "Everything the Lord has said we will do." (Exodus 24:3)

Israel was the model community called to be set apart from all other nations. They were to proclaim that the Lord is God and the only one and true God. They were a community called to love God with all their heart, soul strength. They were to be holy and set apart; a blessing to all nations.

Biblical models of community...The New Heaven and New Earth, the New Testament Church, Israel...

Next blog, the Biblical model of community number 3...

Six Model Communities - Number 5 "The Church"

2009-05-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

The fifth model (again in reverse order) of community in the Bible is the church. It is the body of Christ, His community on earth. His community is, "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God..." They are called so and set apart in order that they might "declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light."

This community is characterized by devotion to God's teachings, fellowhsip with one another, communion and prayer. They are described as having all things in common and taking care of those who have needs. They meet together daily and praise God with glad and sincere hearts. Christ is the head and they are one in heart and in the Spirit. They are a model of what God desires for his people now and to come. They are also a "contagious" community "praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." And, they are a growing community as, "...the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42-47)

The great power of God was experessed among them. "Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles." (Acts 2:43). Moreover, "with great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33)

There was a caring community. "There was no needy person among them." (Acts 4:34) "All believers were in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." (Acts 2:44-45).

Biblical model of community number 5 - The church as God meant it to be...

Next post, model community number 4 from the Bible. Until then...

Six Model Communities from the Bible - Number 6

2009-05-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

There are six (6) models of Kingdom community that I find in the Bible. Maybe there are more but these are the six which jump out at me and give an insight into life as God means it to be. With your permission, I will start with number six and work my way back to number one. This is in reverse order as they occur in the Bible and, again with your permission, I'll explain later as to why I list numbers 6 to 1 instead of starting with number 1.

The first model of community in the Bible (or number six, I should say) is the new heaven and new earth found in Revelation chapters 21 and 22. Other words for this are eternity or simply "heaven." Here we find community as one day it will be. In fact, all of history is moving towards this everlasting and glorious community. It is a community where God dwells with man and He is the supreme ruler and focus of the community. He is theirs and they are his people forever and ever. There will be no death, no mourning, no crying and no pain. There is no need for a temple or even a church, for God is with His people. There is no need for a sun or moon to light the way, for God is the everlasting light. God's glory fills the whole realm!

There is nothing impure or unclean here and there is a river of life, clear and clean, flowing from he throne of God, lined by the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. Community doesn't get any better than this for it cannot! This is the final and eternal community of God!

Anybody interested in living here? This is the destination for those who enter into "community" with God here on earth...

Next post...Kingdom community model number 5...