Isaiah 8:12ff – What to Fear?

Much of current political debate focuses on fear. Each party preaches that if the other party gets or maintains power, certain disaster will result. While I have my own opinion as to which party comes closer to being correct, I bristle at the use of fear to prompt a vote.

Why do the politicians try to use fear as a motivator? It is because we all have fear. Fear is a consequence of being fallen and living in a fallen world.

For believers the solution is not to eliminate fear, but focus it correctly. Isaiah was told by God

Do not call conspiracy
everything that these people call conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,
and do not dread it.
13 The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
he is the one you are to fear,
he is the one you are to dread,
14 and he will be a sanctuary (Isaiah 8:12-14a).

The best way for the Church to impact culture is to be the Church and not part of any political party or movement. I am reminded that every time the church has gotten political power, it has gone badly for the church and for the world in which she functions.

To be the Church is to be focused on Jesus Christ and take Jesus at his word that our mission is to make disciples. The best hope for our country lies in the true Church rising up from within the organized church to live out the calling found in Scripture.

Impressions from Isaiah

In reading the opening chapters of Isaiah, I am struck by the similarities between my culture and Israel as described by Isaiah. The things that God condemns are commonplace in American society.

I suppose that in every culture in every age since the writing of Isaiah, readers have been able to identify some similarities between their culture and Isaiah’s. Yet I see an increasing drive in my culture to live without a prophetic voice. There is an increasing desire for spirituality as long as that spirituality does not include a transcendent Creator God who makes any demands.

For believers, the reading of Isaiah should provoke a need for repentance and at the same time draw us into the arms of the God who wants to “reason together” with us (Isaiah 1:18).

What should be striking is that if God condemned Israel and punished her for the perpetration of these sins, how can America hope to escape punishment? We have seen the fall of cultures more dominant than ours due to the internal weakness that these sins create. The breakdown of the family, the oppression of the poor (in the guise of helping them), sexual decadence and a failure to recognize absolute truth are all indicators of societal decline.

The only hope for our nation as a nation is for God to pour out his Spirit in a great revival. Our prayer must be focused on revival, starting with us individually, our churches and then our nation.

Isaiah 2:8 – Idols and Ayn Rand

I recently listened to a podcast that talked about the resurgence of the ideas of Ayn Rand in light of recent governmental decisions. Not that long ago I read again (or listened to) both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

In Isaiah 2:8, Israel was condemned for having a land full of idols to which they bow down. In her books, Ayn Rand seems to suggest that we should bow down to those who create visible objects such as great works of art or skyscrapers.

It is one thing to acknowledge that man, being in the image of God, is called to create in imitation of our creator. It is another thing entirely to worship that man or his creation. In the former case, we can worship God who gives gifts to men. In the latter case we are doing what the Apostle Paul condemns in Romans 1:25.

We live in a culture that offers many potential objects of worship. My worship can be drawn away from God almost without a conscious choice on my part. Yet, I am constantly reminded that in the end, it is only my relationship with God that will bring any lasting satisfaction. There is no person, experience or thing that will provide lasting fulfillment.

Isaiah 1:19 – Willing and Obedient

I am struck by the combination and the order of these words found in Isaiah 1:19, willing before obedient.

I have read parts of The God Delusion and quickly figured out that Dawkins’ largest problem is an unwillingness to believe. His is not an intellectual issue, nor an evidence issue, it is a will issue. He does not desire or choose to be open to the existence of a creator God.

There is an old saying that I heard long ago. “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” To back someone into a corner in argument may not change his opinion.

It is only the Holy Spirit who can muck around in a person’s will. I cannot change someone’s mind if they are unwilling to believe. God, however, can do exactly that as is evidenced by C. S. Lewis in his autobiography. I believe it was in Surprised by Joy that he acknowledged himself to have been the most unwilling convert.

May we all be willing to hear God’s voice as we seek to move forward in an increasingly hostile culture. It is only when we are willing that we can then become obedient.

Isaiah 1:13 – Meaningless Offerings

God commands the people of Israel to “stop bringing meaningless offerings.” I have always taken that to mean stop bringing offerings since you don’t really want to obey.

What struck me this morning is that it is only meaningless offerings that are to be stopped. The offerings become meaningless when there is inherent dishonesty in the bringing of them.

I take this to mean that in coming to worship, I should not be pretending to be something other than what I am through the week. And all through the week I should be offering my life in sacrifice to God.

In the text in Isaiah, God tells them what they should be about throughout the week in Isaiah 1:17. They should “seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

In Luke 6:46, Jesus asked why they call him lord yet do not do what he says. The same question should be asked today.

Technorati Tags: Isaiah,Offering,Sacrifice

John Donne – Holy Sonnet XIV

One of the benefits of having an English major in the family is that one gets exposed to authors and genres otherwise not encountered.

I am not one naturally given to the enjoyment of poetry. For me the small amount of poetry that I can appreciate has been an acquired taste. Often when I read poetry, I am like a farmer evaluating a Ferrari based on how many bales of hay it can carry. I cannot grasp the intent of the author.

So, when encouraged to read John Donne’s Holy Sonnets, I was pleasantly surprised by Sonnet number 14.

During a recent period of struggle, I saw Donne on the shelf and pulled it down to p. 252 where resides this Sonnet. Lines 3 and 4 jumped out at me:

That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow mee, and bend
Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.

Donne captures some of the essence of Romans 8:28. I was reminded that even in the unpleasantness of life, God is still there, using the circumstances I am now in to shape me into a tool fit for his hand, if I allow the shaping.

These words make me think of the blacksmith shaping the metal through heat and blows, adding strength while shaping the object into usefulness. We live life between the hammer and the anvil.

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 – Mourning is Better than Pleasure

2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Jesus offers us a similar thought in the Beatitude found in Matthew 5:4 where he tells us that we are blessed if we mourn.

I suppose that it would not be healthy to go around dwelling on all the bad things that happen to me, my family, my community, my nation or my world. What I learn from these verses, is that it is just as bad to refuse to acknowledge that there are bad things to which the proper response is to mourn.

Jesus wept at the grave of his friend Lazarus (John 11:35). I believe that Jesus was weeping not only because of Lazarus’ untimely death, but for death that was not supposed to be. We were not designed to die, have disease and sickness, be harassed by “natural” disasters or in any other way experience pain and suffering.

Yet, for now, we are to experience all of these with the realization that this is not our permanent state. We are to mourn over the way things are with the hope that in Jesus we and our world can be redeemed.

Chesterton on Tyranny

Here is another quote that I gleaned from Eugenics and Other Evils by G. K. Chesterton:

The wisest thing in the world is to cry out before you are hurt. It is no good to cry out after you are hurt; especially after you are mortally hurt. People talk about the impatience of the populace ; but sound historians know that most tyrannies have been possible because men moved too late. It is often essential to resist a tyranny before it exists. It is no answer to say, with a distant optimism, that the scheme is only in the air. A blow from a hatchet can only be parried while it is in the air.

We are watching our freedoms erode. I am by nature somewhat apolitical, but I am reminded in this quote that action must be taken before the tyranny is fully developed. I am beginning to pray to seek God for what I am to do with regard to maintaining the freedoms that we currently enjoy.

While the Church is not called to drive political movements, we are called to be salt and light in our communities. I think that we can do a better job of living out our beliefs and speaking out when we see freedom being taken away without succumbing to the titillation of political power.

Every time the church has gotten political power, it has been bad for both the church and the community.

James 3:1 – The Responsibility of Leadership

I read this quote in a book by G. K. Chesterton entitled Eugenics and Other Evils:

I know that [eugenics] numbers many disciples whose intentions are entirely innocent and humane; and who would be sincerely astonished at my describing it as I do. But that is only because evil always wins through the strength of its splendid dupes; and there has in all ages been a disastrous alliance between abnormal innocence and abnormal sin. Of these who are deceived I shall speak of course as we all do of such instruments; judging them by the good they think they are doing, and not by the evil which they really do.

The point that struck me is that whenever a tyranny has been perpetrated, there are many who support the tyranny without understanding the consequences. We saw this in 1930’s Germany and we see this in the “politically correct” movement in the United States.


Chesterton is talking about Eugenics, but the same process is involved in every mass movement which perpetrates evil.

Those who choose to follow bear responsibility for their ignorance, willful or not. But the leaders who pursue evil and perpetrate evil bear a greater responsibility. This is why we are warned in James 3:1 that those who abuse their power will be judged more strictly.

Watch for another Chesterton quote tomorrow.

Psalm 46:10 – Be Still

We love to be busy. We are bombarded with so many things that need our attention. We get news and email on computers and hand held devices and have multiple ways to stay connected to people and events.

The church often increases our need to be busy. In many churches there are multiple programs that require staffing and pleas for additional help are frequent. Even those who are not desirous of being busy are bombarded with requests to become so.

Some of the busyness is fueled by pressure to make things happen. “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done” is often the reasoning. Some is fueled by expectations of employers and family members who are not reluctant to place demands on us.

Since the New Year holiday is a time for reflection and resolution, perhaps it is a good time to evaluate how much of what we take on is necessary. How much of my busyness is caused by a lack of trust in God? How much of my busyness is done to please men rather than God? What is my motive for the things I take on? How much of my business is in avoidance of what is really important?

In the midst of this, God speaks to us in a “gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12 NIV) and tells us to “be still” (Psalm 46:10) in the knowledge that He is God and is in control. I choose to take time to be still before God so that I am able to hear his gentle whisper as I read and reflect upon Scripture.

My experience has been that when I take the time to listen, I do hear and it becomes easier to differentiate what is important and what is not.

Leviticus 4 – There is a cost

As I read through Leviticus, one of the things that hit me is the high cost of compliance to the regulations. To sacrifice an animal to atone for every sin would consume a lot of resources when a proper understanding of sin and righteousness has been internalized.

The good news is that 1 John 1:9 tells us that we can confess our sins to God and obtain forgiveness, not based on a sacrifice we have provided but one that has been provided for us by God. Jesus is that perfect sacrifice, once for all.

Perhaps we have lost something since the Temple has been destroyed. To bring an animal to the Temple and participate in the ritual killing reinforces the gravity of sin. We, if we are not careful (and under the influence of the Holy Spirit), can fall into the trap of not heeding Paul’s advice to Timothy to flee sin, thinking that it is easy to get forgiveness. Yet that forgiveness cost Jesus his life. It is a serious business.

Exodus 40:34-35 – The Glory of the LORD

In Exodus 40:34-35 we are told that the Glory of the LORD so filled the tent of meeting that Moses could not enter the tent.

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:16 that as believers, we are the Temple of God.

My prayer for today and for the coming year is that I might be so filled with the Spirit of God that all the junk that I normally let in will be displaced and prevented from entering. Hopefully, the process will included displacement of pride and envy and the other sins of the flesh that so easily mar the image of God in me.

Exodus 34:12 – No Compromise

Exodus 34:12 warns the Nation of Israel that they are not to make treaties with the nations they are to displace in the promised land. To do so would make the nations a snare to Israel.

As believers, we have the same challenge in dealing with the culture around us. To modify our beliefs to increase our acceptance by the community is to take on the wound that will cause our death. The “main line” denominations are an example of this. We must take our beliefs from Scripture without compromise.

What is more difficult is in sorting out what parts of the surrounding culture I ingest without thought. There is danger in emulation of the underlying attitudes of the culture. For example, a prevailing distrust of authority will effect how I view God. Movies and television can jade my thoughts about violence and crime. I can take on a “Christianized” hedonism by simply avoiding some obvious sins as drunkenness and sexual transgressions yet living for my comfort. I can function as a materialist while proclaiming a perfect doctrinal stand.

I suppose the antidote to this is a healthy distrust of myself and the culture in which I grew up combined with an unfettered love of God. Fixing our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and seeking God’s wisdom (James 1:5) I can then begin to see where my own attitudes and thinking are deficient and can choose to change.

Exodus 33:1 – Leave

In Exodus 33:1 God commands Moses to leave the mountain to go to the promised land.

It seems to be a theme in Scripture that we are not to be so comfortable in our current circumstances that we miss the opportunity to move forward in God’s program.

Paul speaks of pressing on in Philippians 3:12-14. The idea is to keep moving forward toward the goal of being with Jesus and not letting the past or the present keep us from that goal.

Too often, my focus is on comfort and imagined security when I make life decisions. When I am rational, I know that the only real security is to be found in being in the center of God’s will. But my flesh can willfully distort my perceptions so that I am less focused on God and more focused on pampering my flesh.

Give me eyes to see your plan and the fortitude to follow it.

Exodus 24:17 – Consuming Fire

In Exodus 24:17, Moses records the Israelite’s description of God as a “consuming fire”, an image that intrigues me.

A consuming fire seems to be a dangerous thing. I am reminded of Mrs. Beaver’s comment in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe about Aslan which is something to the effect of: “Safe? No, he’s not safe, but he’s good.”

To enter the Consuming Fire does not cause one to loose his identity; the self is not consumed. Entrance into the Consuming Fire begins the process of repairing the parts of the self that have been damaged by my sin and the sin of others. What gets burned away are the notions that are not of God.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 that transformation comes as a result of having our minds renewed. This renewal includes the destruction of ideas that are false and dangerous. Only the Consuming Fire can accomplish this burning away of the false and impartation of the true.

Exodus 31:6 – Whence the skills?

In Exodus 31:6, God tells Moses that he gave skills to the craftsmen to accomplish the work of constructing the Tabernacle.

God has given and continues to give skills to men to enrich our heritage and build the things necessary for society to function. The skills are operative even when those who possess them do not acknowledge their source.

We, as believers, though can appreciate the skills and acknowledge the Skill Giver. I can worship God when I see an incredible athletic feat even though the one who performs it lives an immoral life style. In every discipline whether music, art, athletics, architecture, etc. we can find reasons to thank God for the way he has gifted humans with skills.

Perhaps one day, all who posses such skills will acknowledge the Skill Giver. While we are thanking God, perhaps we can intercede on their behalf.

Merry Christmas

I wish you the very best this Christmas Day. It is my hope that as my fellow Americans become increasingly disillusioned with our government that they will turn to the King of Kings whose birth we celebrate today.

BTW, if anyone is actually reading this blog, please drop me a line at mhmcintyre@gmail.com to let me know. Comments and discussion are welcome.

Exodus 23:2 – Don’t Follow the Masses

Specifically Exodus 23:2 says that we should not “follow the masses in doing evil.”

I suppose it is because we were created social beings that we want to have commonality with our fellows. Yet, this drive for commonality tends to gravitate to the lowest common denominator.

We follow trends in fashion, books, political philosophy, etc., often without stopping to consider what Scripture says on the subject.

When we are following the masses without being informed by Scripture, it will end up moving toward evil. May we become so attuned to Scripture that we can spot the evil or counterfeit right away.

2 Peter 3:7 – Reserved for Fire

Based on 2 Peter 3:7, I have to admit that Al Gore is right, the polar ice caps will melt at some point in the future. However, Al Gore should consider this prophecy before proclaiming his ecological message.

Perhaps God will burn the Earth to show those who worship it that it is a created thing and not a giver of life. In the Old Testament, the only fitting response to an idol was to burn it or melt it down. The burning of the Earth will be the same thing on a much larger scale.

I’m glad I won’t be here when it happens.

Matthew 12:10 – Pharisees

Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

It is really easy to criticize others when things are going well for the critic. It is easy to condemn those who struggle in areas where I do not struggle. Remember the beam and speck in Luke 6:42?

In thinking about legalism and Pharisees, the thought came to me that if the Pharisee had experienced a family member who had a disability, he might be less willing to be critical. He might rather be longing for the very healing that took place.

The point is that no matter what the deficiency in others, I have the same potential for depravity and my ability to resist the deficiency says more about God’s grace than it does about my spirituality.

Exodus 16:3 – If Only

The Israelites did their fair share of complaining. Many of the complaints began with “If only . . .” as in Exodus 16:3.

Two responses come to mind. One is that there is danger in getting so comfortable with my current situation that I am not available to make the changes that God has ordained for me. In other words, comfort can increase my resistance to needed change.

The second response is that when things get difficult, it is easy to remember only the good things about my previous situation. Rather than focusing on where I am and where God wants me to go, the trap is in focusing on where I’ve been and why it was better than where I am now.

The Apostle Paul gives us the antidote to this in Philippians 3:113-14. Forgetting the past and pressing on is his recommendation. This makes sense in that no matter how good or bad the past was, it is past and cannot be changed or relived.

The future, however, is a different story. If I really believe that I am in relationship with the God that could so powerfully free Israel from bondage, why would I be anything other than optimistic about the future? Jesus’ promise to always be with us will offset any difficulty that I may encounter. I am not alone, no matter how difficult it may become.

Exodus 13:14 – With a Mighty Hand

Moses commands the people to explain the meaning of the Passover celebration to their sons and daughters. In Exodus 13:14, he reminds them, “With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

This is the same Mighty Hand who defeated sin and death. This is the same mighty hand who has raised up a Church that has never been crushed or exterminated even when kings and governments have sought to do so. This is the same mighty hand who is able to raise up Church leaders from among people the world has thrown away. This is the same mighty hand that will one day take up the scepter and rule the nations.

Too often I read the headlines and get overwhelmed by the insanity that seems to flourish in the leaders of this world. I’m thinking of the insanity of acting as though man and government can fix the problems of the world without acknowledging that God exists or that we need any intervention from him.

At this time of year, I am reminded that the one who possessed this mighty hand, also subjected himself to the limitation (and perhaps humiliation) of becoming a baby in the greatest covert operation in history. Coming as a baby, in all the apparent weakness, was not an afterthought, it was planned from eternity.

Nothing in the news comes as a surprise to my God and not one bit of that news can thwart his plan. He has been, is and always will be in control, with a might hand.

Exodus 11:7 – A distinction

In Exodus 11:7, God tells Moses, “Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.”

God makes the distinction between his people and the surrounding culture. Our job is to follow God no matter what he asks us to do and allow God to make the distinction. Too often, the focus has been on making ourselves look distinct in externals such as dress and music. This results in only making us look odd.

For the believer, the real distinction should be internal. We should be loving when the world expects revenge. We should be peaceful when the world is in turmoil. We should be focused on eternity when the world is focused on now. We need to live out what we claim to believe and bear the aroma of Jesus into the stench of the world (2 Corinthians 2:15).

Exodus 5:22 – Return to the LORD

Moses obeyed God and went to Pharaoh and demanded the release of the Israelites. As a result, Pharaoh made the work more difficult for the Israelites. This difficulty brought Moses into conflict with the Israeli leaders.

Moses responded by doing the right thing, he brought it all to the LORD as recorded in Exodus 5:22.

I am reminded in this that I do not have sufficient perspective to accurately interpret my circumstances. If I am having difficulties, it may be because I have strayed from God’s plan. But in this case, Moses was doing exactly what God wanted him to do and there were still difficulties.

So what better to do than to check back with the one who does have sufficient perspective to understand what is happening? If I look to God for direction then I can have my direction altered if I have strayed off course, or I can be reassured when I have stayed the course.

How grateful I am that I am not left on my own to figure it out.

Exodus 1:17 – Who or what do you fear?

I am no expert, but it seems to me that a total lack of fear is a sign of mental illness. Therefore, it is not a question of if I will have fear, it is a question of who or what I will fear.

In Exodus 1:17 we are told that the Israelite midwives chose to fear God rather than Pharaoh. This is the correct choice, but choosing to fear God more than men may have unpleasant consequences in this life.

In Matthew 10:28, Jesus tells us, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in [Gehenna].” (NIV)

Obedience to God may require that I endure consequences at the hands of men but obedience to God is the right choice and pays off in the end. God give me the strength and wisdom to follow through on my choice to fear you only.

Genesis 49:8-10 – The Obedience of the Nations

Genesis 49:8, 10: “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you . . . The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.”

This prophecy has been partially fulfilled in King David, but is yet to be completely fulfilled. When I see the turmoil in the world, especially that between Israel and her enemies, the contrast to how things will be when Jesus reigns is startling.

Barring a major revival like the Great Awakening, it seems as though things will get worse before Jesus returns. But, we can rest in the knowledge that no matter when it happens, it will be glorious.

Revelation 5:13 – Every Creature Praises God

I ran across Rev. 5:13 tonight while reading a commentary on Ephesians. The thought that struck me is that in the end, every living creature will proclaim blessing upon God. This praise will come from the same creation that now works hard at avoiding association with God. Richard Dawkins can rant all he wants, but in the end, the truth wins out.

Perhaps this will help when I feel somewhat overwhelmed at the craziness that seems to be holding sway right now in our national, state and local politics. Eventually, God will be acknowledged and eventually Jesus will reign and things will make sense.

Until that time, the true Church, must take up the responsibility to offer up this praise in our words AND our actions. We must proclaim the truth and be willing to live it out.

Perhaps knowing that everyone praises God in the end will embolden us in our witness right now.

Genesis 47:9 – Few and Unpleasant

When I read Genesis 47:9, I am tempted to call Jacob a whiner. Few and unpleasant indeed! At the time he makes this statement, Jacob is 130 years old.

Jacob left home with nothing and came back with incredible wealth. On the way home, he wrestles with God and gets a new name. He fathers 12 sons, one of them being the one who would be responsible for preparing for the famine that brings Jacob to Egypt. From my perspective, this is quite a list of accomplishments.

Yet, perhaps Jacob is not comparing himself to his peers when he calls his days unpleasant. Perhaps after Peniel, life on this rock looses some of its luster. Perhaps at 130 he is looking forward to his rest and to reestablish the face-to-face interaction with God. Perhaps Jacob at 130 knows something I have yet to learn.

Genesis 45:9 – The Truth Comes Out

In Genesis 45:9, Joseph tells his brothers, to whom he has revealed himself, “now hurry back to my father and say to him . . .”

Can you imagine how fun that ride back to Canaan was? I can hear the brothers rehearsing how they were going to reveal the news to Jacob. Basically, they had to admit that they lied about Joseph and hope that Jacob's joy at hearing that Joseph is alive eclipses his wrath at having a lie told to him.

I once heard a story about how a father taught his son an object lesson about lying. He had him hammer a nail into each board on their fence and then go back and remove all the nails. Afterward, the father explained to the son that even though he removed the nails there is still a hole. In the same way, every lie has a lingering effect.

May my speech be such that I say nothing that I will later regret . . .

Genesis 42:36 – Get A Little Perspective

In Genesis 42:36, Israel (formerly Jacob) proclaims, “Everything is against me!”

We know this to be not true, but the statment was an honest expression of how Jacob felt at the time.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 that he is with us always. Paul tells us in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who is against us?” From this I conclude that even when it seems as though everything is aligned to thwart me in my endeavors, it is not the case that “everything is against me.”

Genesis 28:8-9 – Life as a contrarian

Genesis 28:8-9 records the response of Esau to his parents' abhorrence of Canaanite women. Since he was angry with Isaac, Rebekah and Jacob, Esau decided to do exactly what was contrary to Isaac's wishes.

Let's be honest here, I assume that Esau and I are not the only ones that have ever reacted in this way. Sure, by God's grace and fear of doing the wrong thing, I have not done anything so overtly contrarian as Esau.

Yet, there is still a good bit of “I may be sitting on the outside, but I’m standing on the inside” in me.

History provides many examples of this behavior; the French Revolution comes to mind. So I know that I am not alone. I take comfort in Paul’s promise in Philippians 1:6. God will complete his will in me . . . eventually.

Genesis 39 – With Joseph in Prison

In Genesis 39, Moses tells us four times that God was with Joseph (Gen 39:2, Gen 39:3, Gen 39:21, Gen 39:23).

I wonder if Joseph realized that the LORD was with him while he was in prison (for doing the right thing). Having our Bibles, we know the end of the story and realize that indeed God was with Joseph. But Joseph did not know how it would end while he was going through it. Do you think that when the baker was hanged, that Joseph might have gotten a little worried?

Jesus promised to be always with me, yet sometimes I forget and allow myself to feel alone. Just as God never abandoned Joseph, he will not abandon any of his children. If we trust Jesus for salvation, we should be able to trust that he never leaves us. This is true even when we are going through difficulties and have no clue how it could possibly work out.

Genesis 32:31 - Got limp?

As a result of wrestling with God, Jacob had his name changed and he thereafter walked with a limp as recorded in Genesis 32:22-32.

The people I have know who are most deeply connected to God have been changed in a similar way. When we come into relationship with Jesus we are given a new name. We have the opportunity to go from being a lost sinner to becoming a child and friend of God.

Jesus tells us that in the world we will have tribulation (I don't have my computer with Bible Software and I can't remember the reference). The tribulation will wound us and perhaps make us limp (metaphorically or otherwise). We are to bear the marks of having drawn closer to God.

Genesis 16:2 - The Path of Least Resistance

In Genesis 16:2 it says, "Abram agreed to what Sarai said." Abram went with the flow; he took the path of least resistance. Granted, he could not have known the outcome of this decision. He was within the social norms and this choice was perfectly acceptable in his culture. So let's not be too hard on Abram (or Sarai).

I certainly am in no position to condemn Abram's choice since I have a long track record of taking the path of least resistance. Take the easy choice as long as it is not clearly immoral. Go for the easier major in college with little or no thought as to calling. Take the higher paying job even though the work may be less rewarding with regard to growth and satisfaction. Do the thing that is easiest and makes the fewest waves.

I am reminded by Abram that choices have consequences. Perhaps there is no perfect choice other than to accept Jesus.

I can either refuse to make choices (this is the path of addiction or mental illness) or trust that God can work it out even when my choices are less than perfect. Thankfully, we have the promise of Jesus that he will be always with us. Perhaps at the end of life, rather than being based on accomplishment, satisfaction will be gained by seeing the way that Jesus walked with me all the way, even when my choices led me into difficulties.

Genesis 12:3 - Bless Israel

In Genesis 12:3 God tells Abram, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Unless I missed it, this promise has never been rescinded by God; it is still in effect. It is my sincere hope that our President and Congress do not abandon Israel. If we do so then the terrorists have won. To support Israel does not mean we have to agree with everything she does. It does mean, however, that we assert her right to existence and self-rule. Those nations that are allied against Israel do not support her right to exist as a nation.

Job 40:8 - Questioning God's Justice

"I cannot believe in a god who would allow _______" is one reason given by atheists in support of their animosity toward God. When this is the line of reasoning, the atheist is questioning the justice of God. This is precisely what Job did in Job 19:6 when he said, "God has wronged me."

In Job 40:8, God asks Job, "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?" Job's problem was that he did not have enough perspective to see his circumstances from the perspective of eternity. There were things behind the scenes that he did no know about and from his limited perspective he came to conclusion that God was the cause of Job's suffering. Job's line of reasoning was:

I have done nothing to deserve this suffering
God has caused or allowed me to suffer
Therefore God is unjust

Many atheists use a similar line of reasoning.

When Job is addressed by God, thus giving Job a wider perspective, he draws a very different conclusion. When he comes in contact with God, he says in 42:6, "Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

I keep coming back to what we see in Jesus as the manifestation of God to us. Jesus reveals God's loving nature. If I am suffering (and I have been blessed to have very little of this) it is not because God does not love me or care for me. There must be a different reason. It could be for my purification. It could be as a testimony to those around me. It just could be the result of bad choices by others which effect me. Yet, God is in control and his purpose cannot be thwarted. I must keep sight of the fact that there will come a time when I will be beyond suffering, when death or the Lord's return overtake me. 

Job 33:6-7 - Elihu Speaks

In these verses, Elihu says to Job, "I am just like you before God; I too have been taken from clay. No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy upon you."

What strikes me in this is the word fear. I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 10:26-28 where we are told not to fear man but to fear God.

Yet too often I find myself in the fear of men. I fear criticism or rejection from those I love and respect.

What I have found through the years is that this is precisely the trait that enables bullies to exist. While I am no longer in danger of the bully that will beat me up to take my lunch money, there are yet bullies with which I have to contend.

The airwaves are full of such bullies; the political pundits are prone to becoming bullies. Whether they lean left or right, the bullies force their opinion on others and for the most part real substantive discussion is lacking. Less dangerous, but still using the same M.O., are the sports radio personalities. They are less dangerous because sports do not determine the direction of our government.

Then there are the corporate bullies who force themselves and their opinions on others while climbing the ladder. The force behind the bully's opinion lies in his political skill and not in the merit of the idea. Often the bully forces an idea through that is detrimental to the company and hurts the people with which he works. By the majority of his coworkers not wanting to make waves or risk the displeasure of those higher up in the chain, the bully gets his way.

To avoid the fear of man, I must fear God. Not cower-in-the-corner fear but a fear that holds God in respect and awe. Fortunately, while he is a God to be feared, he has also demonstrated himself to be loving and approachable. He is to be approached with respect and honor, but he is to be approached. When I allow myself to be focused on God, then I am able to set aside my fear of man. If I am in the center of God's will, if I am confident in his pleasure in my walk, then it is easier to let the opinions of others go past with little impact.

Job 31:4 - God Sees

In Job 31:4, Job says, "Does he not see my ways and count my every step?

The implied answer is yes, God does see. Not only does God see what we do, he knows our thoughts and attitudes.

Two thoughts come to mind in response to this.

First, God sees when we do the right thing even if no-one else does. Am I doing things for God's approval or for man's?

The second thought is that it is not enough to refrain from acting on my evil thought, the thoughts must be brought into submission to God through the transforming of my mind. (Romans 12:2).

Seeking God

I was recently asked the question, "can people seek God for the wrong reasons." My answer is below:

Jeremiah tells us, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV). Other verses that encourage us to seek God are: Deut. 4:29, Psalm 105:4, Isaiah 55:6, Hosea 10:12, Luke 11:10 and Acts 17:27

To one extent or another, we all seek God for the wrong reasons. Our sinful nature is deceptive and we all struggle with pride and selfishness. Because of this, we often seek God for what he can do for us. None of us seeks God from a pure motive. If you have any doubt of this, read Romans 7 where the Apostle Paul outlines his struggle against the flesh.

The good news is that God has shown us the way that we will find him. We must approach God in humility and repentance through the work of Jesus on the Cross. Jesus is the only way to God (see John 14:6). As we approach a Holy God, our perspective on what we really need gets changed. As we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us, the seeking becomes more about who God is and less about getting my needs met.

So, while one may begin to search for God for the wrong reasons, he will find that during the search his heart is changed and he begins to seek God for the right reasons. We may start seeking because we feel incomplete or damaged, but we progress toward seeking God for who he is. We may begin to seek God for what he can do for us, but we progress to seeking God to be near him. We begin to understand that we are created to be in fellowship with God, a fellowship that was broken by the sin of Adam. We progress toward seeking God to have that fellowship restored. It is a love relationship that seeks the other because of the value of the other, not because of what the other does for him.

Those who do not have their hearts changed in this way during the seeking, will not find God. To submit to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the only means of coming into fellowship with God. Those who refuse to submit to Jesus may find religion, but they will not find God.

Job 24: 23-24 - God is Watching

The most difficult question to answer is, "why does God allow _________?" Bad things happen and it is difficult or impossible, in our limited view, to accurately determine why God allowed that event and how it fits into God's plan for humanity.

A related question is why God seems to turn a blind eye toward those who perpetrate evil. In Job 24:23-24, Job tells us that while it seems as though evil men are getting away with it, they will eventually come face to face with the God we worship and seek to obey. God's "eyes are on their ways (v. 23)" and in the end, "they are gathered up like all others (v. 24)."

They don't get away with it. God sees. Perhaps this is why we should pray for our enemies. They are our enemies because they do not know the God we worship. They are also enemies of God and as such we should pray that they repent and seek God's forgiveness and become friends of God.

Job 16:16-17 - My prayer is pure?

How many of us can claim with Job, "my face is red from weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes; yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure"?

To keep our hands free of violence, we must keep our thoughts free of violence. When I am affronted, do my thoughts turn to getting even by putting the other in his place? In Luke 6:28, Jesus tells us to bless those who curse us. Paul provides a similar command in Romans 12:14.

If that were not difficult enough, in Matthew 5:44, Jesus also tells us to pray for those who hurt us.

My take-away is that no matter what happens, I am to control my thoughts, actions and prayers, keeping in mind the eternal perspective and having an earnest desire for the salvation of the one doing the persecuting. In myself I do not have the strength to do this, yet, if I focus on Jesus, as it says in Hebrews 12:1-3, then perhaps, I may get it right.

Perfect Love and Omniscience

The thought struck me this morning, that it is a good thing that in God omniscience is coupled with perfect love.

To know all things without being perfect in love would result in Hell. There have been stories about what it would be like to read minds. Usually, the one who is given this ability figures out pretty quickly that it is a curse rather than a blessing.

It is only perfect love which can provide a means of dealing with all the knowledge about people. I rest in the belief that even though God knows the darkest parts of me, his perfect love (coupled with infinite wisdom) provides a path for this darkness to be exposed to the light of his grace.

For me to know all the darkest parts of people would either overwhelm me or provide an opportunity for my flesh to gain an advantage.

Thank God that as believers, who are indwelt by the living God, we can love others with God's love and not rely on our own ability to love. We also have the promise in James 1:5 that God will provide wisdom when we lack it. 1 Peter 4:8 tells us that love covers a multiple of sins. Let us love one another.

Job's Friends

In Job 8:6, Bildad the Shuhite reveals the core of his argument. His reasoning goes something like this:

1. God is righteous and will always act righteously
2. God rewards those who follow him in acting righteously
3. Job is being punished, not rewarded
4. Therefore, Job must not be righteous

Yet we know from a reading of the entire book that this logic is faulty. Job is righteous and is not being punished.

This is a challenge to me because it is too easy to judge people without knowing the whole story. Sure, since we are all imperfect, we contribute to our own misery in some ways, but when I see someone in a really difficult situation, I should not immediately assume that it was because of bad choices that they are suffering.

Job - 1:1 - Fear and Shun

The description of Job begins with "he feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1). In James 4:7 we are told to submit to God and resist the devil.

It strikes me that the order of these actions is important. Without a proper fear and submission to God, there is no point in trying to resist the devil or shun evil. Without God I am powerless over sin, evil and certainly cannot resist the devil.

Submission to God implies a cross. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24, NIV) Submission to God requires that my flesh be mortified, as in killed, as in dead. I must surrender control to God. It is only when God is in control that the devil can be resisted and evil can be shunned.

I like the line from the movie Luther. When he felt himself to be under attack and failing, Luthor's mentor taught him to repeat the prayer, "I am yours, save me." This is a good prayer for us all.

The Methodist Church's Stand on Homosexuality

I recently was given a copy of a paper written by one who presumes to speak for the United Methodist Church on the issue of homosexuality and the Bible. I was not shocked or surprised to see that his conclusion was that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality.

I will not do a point-by-point rebuttal of the arguments used in the paper, but suffice it to say that to reach this conclusion, the author ignored three things:

1. He ignored the plain reading of the texts. The very term arsenokoitas found in 1 Cor. 6:9 and 1 Tim. 1:10 (arsen - man, koitas - sexual intercourse) is graphic and describes the homosexual act. Also, a plain reading of Rom. 1:26-27 would bring the conclusion that God condemns the homosexual act.

2. He ignored 3000 years of Jewish Tradition concerning the interpretation of OT regulations concerning sexuality. No conservative Jewish scholar was cited in the paper.

3. He ignored almost 2000 years of church tradition. No conservative Christian scholar (by conservative I mean one who holds a high view of Scripture and takes Scripture to be the ultimate authority) was cited.

To come to the conclusion that same sex union is acceptable to God, the author does some incredible exegetical gymnastics. His method of interpretation shows a disregard for the inspiration and authority of Scripture. He seeks to find justification for something that he wants validated but does so in a way that results in exegetical dishonesty. I am reminded of the words of the serpant in Genesis 3:1 "did God really say?"

So what should the church do in response to the homosexual community? We should interract with the homosexual as we would any other lost person. We need to demonstrate the love of God to him/her with the goal of introducing him/her to Jesus.

Apart from Christ, we all have a predisposition toward sin. We each choose different means of expressing our sin. Homosexuality is one such expression. We need to be gracious to all sinners and not condemn the sin of homosexuality louder than any other, nor should we show any animosity toward homosexuals.

It is possible to love the homosexual without validating his/her homosexuality.

Genesis 3:17 - PAINFUL Toil

When I have read this verse in the past, the emphasis always seemed to be on the word toil. Beginning with Adam, mankind would have to toil to get his daily sustenance.

This morning, the thought struck me that the emphasis should be on the adjective "painful." Before the Fall, Adam was charged with keeping the garden; he was to tend it, which implies work. From this I conclude that toil is not a product of the Fall, painful toil is.

The reason it would be painful is that the toil would be less productive than it was before the fall. Adam would now have to contend with weeds (thorns and thistles) and he would have to contend with disease of the crops. He would have to work harder than ever before to realize less produce. This would result in physical pain, the pain of hard labor.

I can imagine that as Adam worked in the fields, seeking to overcome these handicaps, he would remember what it was like before the Fall. He would remember how well the plants grew, how every small effort he invested provided a perfect result. He would remember the vitality he felt in tending the Garden. He would remember that God was present with him while he worked.

Jesus said, in Matthew 5:4, that those who mourn are blessed. In some sense we are all longing for the Garden, longing for the effects of sin to be removed from ourselves and our world. We have painful toil because we know it could have been different and will eventually be different. But not yet.

Joshua 14:10-12 - A Positive Attitude

How can you not like Caleb, son of Jephunneh as recorded in Joshua 14:10-12? He is 85 years old and ready to take on the Anakites so that he can claim the inheritance that God has promised him.

A couple of things that I note in this. First, he put himself in the position of claiming this inheritance because he followed God wholeheartedly. He stood against the other 10 spies who gave a bad report. At 40 years old, he was ready to enter the promised land and rely on the promise of God to drive out the Canaanites before them.

The second observation is that action is required on his part to get the inheritance. It is not just a matter of believing, it is a matter of taking that belief and putting it to action. At 85, Caleb had the same belief as at 40 and had the same drive to live out that belief in action.

In my mind, I hear Johnny Cash singing his version of "I won't back down." "Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out. Hey baby, but I won't back down . . . . I will stand my ground"

Deuteronomy 31:8 - Do Not Be Afraid

I am struck by how often the command, "do not be afraid" is found in Scripture. In Deuteronomy 31:8 we have this command with the promise that the LORD "will never leave you nor forsake you."

Why do we need to hear this promise? I think it is because God knows how often we feel left or forsaken. I know that I need this reassurance. I see the world around me in confusion and rebellion. The truth is suppressed and insanity seems often to prevail.

There are times when I think that if only God would make his presence more tangible then things would be different in the world. Then I remember that Jesus came and did make God tangible yet the world went on its own way. Those who did not wish to see Jesus as God were able to ignore his challenge and go blindly on.

There were some who were impacted by Jesus, yet even the disciples still had moments of doubt. They still questioned and struggled to understand. This was especially true following Jesus' death.

Yet, when I stop and prayfully consider my circumstances and history, I can see God's hand in so many events, both in my life and the lives of the people around me. When I pause for reflection, I can see that I have never been left or forsaken.

Deuteronomy 11:12 - Watch the Land

I remember an old Larry Norman song which had a phrase that went "if you're truly wise, you'll keep your eyes on Palestine." This seems to be really good advice in light of Deuteronomy 11:12.

In this verse, Moses tells us that God's eyes are on the land that Israel now occupies. He says it is a land that God cares for. God also gave it to the nation of Israel.

I know of no verse in Scripture where either of these statements have been rescinded. So if God's eye is on the land and if He has designated the descendants of Israel as the legal owners, it doesn't seem likely that any Muslim nation will succeed in wiping Israel off the map.

Deuteronomy 4:39 - What if?

What if I followed the command of Deuteronomy 4:39 and acknowledged and took to heart this day that the LORD is God . . . There is no other?

Would my life be different if I followed this completely? For me, the answer to this is yes. From what I read of the saints that have gone before me, they came to the same conclusion.

Two questions come to my mind. The first has to do with what I do and the second (and more important) question has to do with why I do it.

1. Am I doing what God wants me to do?
2. Am I doing it for His glory or for mine?
   

Numbers 20:13 - Grumbling and Quarreling

I'm reading through the book of Numbers right now. Numbers 20:13 caught my eye this morning.

While I would not go so far to say that my personal life is difficult, I have had some difficulties along the way. My job (and soon to be lack thereof) being one of the larger ones.

As I read this, I am convicted that I have done a lot of grumbling along the way, sometimes to God, sometimes to others. It is one thing to be honest with God about our difficulties, it is quite another thing to grumble. I think that the difference is in the degree to which I allow God to be in control.

For example, most of my grumbling is a veiled attempt to give give God advice on how I should be treated. My pride would like my talent and effort to be recognized and praised. When they are not I perceive this as an injustice. Like the Sons of Thunder, I am then ready to call down fire from Heaven on those who disregard me.

It is quite another thing to be honest with God about my circumstances, acknowledge that He is in control and ask for wisdom and grace to respond appropriately.

The difference is that one response stems from pride (I want to be in control) and the other stems from humility (I want God to be in control).

Gen 2:9 - Pleasing to the Eye

In Gen 2:9, Moses describes the trees God planted in the Garden as "pleasing to the sight and good for food" (ESV).

Creation was designed to be pleasing to man and man was designed to enjoy creation. Why would you not want to worship a God who provides such opportunity to experience delight in Him and His creation?

1 John 1:1 - Eyewitness News

" That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." (1 John 1:1, NIV)

This Apostle, writing at the end of the First Century, makes the claim to have been an eyewitness to something life changing. That something was none other than Jesus, the Christ, or Messiah.

Look at what John is claiming in this verse. There is an eternal being ("from the beginning") who John and the other Apostles had the chance to hear, see and touch. On top of this, he claims that this eternal being is also the Word of life. This is clarified in John 14:6 where Jesus says, "I am the way."

As with all eyewitnesses, you have the choice to believe or not believe the claims the Apostles make. You have several options in response to them.

1. You can believe the claims and move toward belief in Jesus
2. You can deny that these men believed these claims but broadcast them anyway to propagate a new religion
3. You can assume that the claims were false but the Apostles believed them, having been duped by Jesus
   

By the time that this letter was written, the other 10 Apostles (Judas killed himself leaving 11) were all martyred for the beliefs that John states in this verse. The Apostle Paul has also been killed for the same beliefs by this time. Not one of them recanted the claims about Jesus prior to being killed. It is doubtful that all of them would have been willing to go to their death on account of a lie. Option #2 falls apart on the basis of this.

Option #3 falls apart on the basis of the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Either he did or did not appear to the Apostles. If he did not, then we are back to Option 2 because they all claimed he did. It would be difficult to maintain that all of the Apostles had the same hallucination when they thought they saw Jesus. So Option #3 would be difficult to maintain.

It seems to me that Option #1 is the best choice in response to the claims of John and the other Apostles as recorded in the New Testament of the Bible.

Mark 4:11 - Ya gotta choose

"He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables" (Mark 4:11, NIV)

In this statement, Jesus clearly indicates that there is a line to be crossed. Some are inside and some are outside.

The question is how do you determine the line of demarcation? Perhaps there is a clue in Chapter 3 of Mark and Chapter 12 of Matthew. Jesus' enemies ascribed his supernatural power to Satan. Clearly they could not deny that Jesus was doing miracles but they were unwilling to ascribe them to the power of God.

In the 21st Century, enough time has passed that some attempt to get away with ascribing all of the miracles recorded in the Gospels as being in the category of myth, something that smart people know could not happen and must be made up.

The line of demarcation seems to be a decision around who Jesus is. Those who accept him as coming from God and doing God's work are in and those who reject Jesus as coming from God are out.

It doesn't matter if you ascribe Jesus' miracles to Satan or to myth, denial of who Jesus is and what he came to accomplish carries serious consequences. To misunderstand Jesus is to put your soul in jeopardy.

Acts 6:2 - The priority

"So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables." (Acts 6:2, NIV)

What struck me when I read this is that while the physical needs of the widows are considered, priority is given to the spiritual needs. In other words, it is a good thing to feed the people but it is a better thing to bring them the word of God.

This is relevant to my recent encounters with the emergent church movement. To me, it seems as though this movement has reversed this priority, making the message secondary to the physical well being of the community.

Jesus told Satan that man does not live by bread alone, but his existence depends on "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God".

What I take away from this is that I cannot go wrong is giving priority to reading and studying Scripture.

John 12:43 - Where should I look for praise?

"for they loved praise from men more than praise from God." (John 12:43, NIV)

"Hello, my name is Mark McIntyre and I love praise from men more than I love praise from God." This would be my opening statement at a 12 Step meeting for Praiseaholics.

I must own that this is true of me more often that I would like to admit. I see from the record of Christendom that I am not alone.

Perhaps this is a question that we should ask when making decisions. "Am I doing this to get praise from men, or am I doing this as an act of worship?" Is my motivation to please God or to get a pat on the back?

To have the pleasure of God as my motivation requires that I am yielded to the leading of the Holy Spirit. So not only is this an issue of motivation, it is also an issue of who is in control.

The problem is that I like being in control. Or, more correctly, my flesh, my sinful nature, likes being in control. This too, is something that I share with the rest of humanity going all the way back to our first parents and the choice they made in the Garden.

So, do I yield myself to God and allow myself to be used for his glory or do I pursue my own ends? I choose the former but often fall into the latter. As I have grown the ratio has shifted toward yielding, but I am a long way from where God or I would like me to be. May today provide more evidence of the shift toward yieldedness.

John 6:68 - We're out of options

"Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68, NIV)

This is one of my most treasured verses in the Bible.

The problem with the Christianity of my childhood was that there was an answer for every question. Or, more correctly, it seemed as though only questions that could be answered were allowed to be asked. As a result, it was a belief system which was very tidy, but often very shallow.

Sooner or later, we run across the questions that cannot be answered. They often begin with "why" such as "Why did God allow . . .?"

It is when I run into the brick wall of unanswerable questions that I return to this verse and find that I am comforted. I am comforted that while I cannot answer all the hard questions, I find that Jesus Christ and the belief system that bears his name offer better answers than any other belief.

Atheism has nothing to offer other than an excuse to party while you're still able. Other religions offer a set of tasks that I will not be able to accomplish which will provide me with an uncertain future. Governments and human leaders are rife with failure and compromise, no help will come from that quarter.

Like the disciples, I have no where else to go but to Jesus. Specifically, I can go to the Cross to find help in dealing with these problems. At the Cross, I find a fellow sufferer, one who experienced the pain of fallen humanity. There I find one who paid the price for my failure and gives me a new day to do better. There I find one who tells me that no matter what happens, I will not be alone, he will be with me.

There is only one option, but it is a really, really good one.

Luke 19:27 - You're not gonna like this . . .

"But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’ " (Luke 19:27, NIV)

Jesus told the parable of the minas to those who criticized him for being the guest of Zacchaeus. This verse is found at the end of this parable.

The hearers are those who should have been able to recognize who Jesus was and receive him gladly. Yet, they rejected him as their Messiah and King.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made a similar statement, although before today I never put these two together. In Matthew 7:23 Jesus states that in the final judgment there will be some to whom he says "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (NIV) Again this will be said not to overt sinners but to religious people who did things in Jesus' name.

Two questions come to mind. First, do I accept Jesus' right and authority to be King and act accordingly? Second, are the things I do in response to my relationship with Jesus or am I out doing my own thing in Jesus' name?

Honesty demands that I acknowledge that while I do seek relationship and seek to respond based upon that relationship, my fallen self asserts itself more often than I would like. These verses serve as a reminder to the result that giving self free rein will bring. Self brings heartache and separation. Selflessness brings relationship. "The first shall be last . . . "

Luke 13:17 - Do they understand the implications?

"When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing." (Luke 13:17 , NIV)

Perhaps this thought struck me as a result of this being toward the end of the election season. I have seen video of crowds roaring approval for candidates that are throwing out promises that they will be unable to fulfill due to the economic reality that there is no free lunch, someone has got to pay. I get the sense that there is a lot of emotion and very little thought which is driving the response of the crowd.

In the same way, I doubt that many understood the implications of what they were seeing when Jesus performed miracles. I assume that some who viewed these events came to faith as a result of the miracles. I also assume that some, hearing the preaching of the Apostles following Pentecost, then understood what they had seen and came to faith. Yet, my guess is that there were others, perhaps a majority, who enjoyed the spectacle of the miracles, and pursued no further reflection as to the implications of what they were seeing.

I am reminded of Paul's words to Timothy:

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3, NIV)

Too often, we are willingly duped by those who make us promises. We want to believe that our political party has the answers, that the one promising us full bellies and economic security is the one to lead us. We need to look past the spectacle and the promises to see what the implications are.

Jesus made no promises of prosperity or ease in this life. He does promise grace to endure. He does promise to be with us. He promises rewards for obedience. Yet, often His way is the harder one and it is easy to be drawn away.

In all the clamor of this election season, I pray we hear God's voice calling us to repentance which leads to relationship. I pray that we understand that human government cannot fix what is wrong with our society. I pray that we understand that no matter who wins in the elections, God's plan cannot be thwarted and that the Messiah who was rejected some 2000 years ago will indeed reign one day. This election is one event in the process leading up to that culmination.

Luke 8:53 - We won't be laughing then

"They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead." (Luke 8:53, NIV)

We know how the story ends. We know that the girl is raised up by Jesus. We know that the laughter was undeserved. So, we, or maybe it's just me, stand in judgment of these people for their laughter.

Yet, how many promises in Scripture do I fail to believe and take literally? Why do I get caught up in stressing about things over which I have no control? Why do I fail to trust that God loves me and is watching out for my well being? Why am I hesitant to step out in faith when I am prompted to do something? Why do I remain in fear when Jesus commands me to fear not?

By not taking the commands and promises seriously, there is a sense that I am laughing at Jesus. I don't like it or want to do it, but it is true; I have to own it. I fall back on the prayer of the father in Mark 9:24, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NIV)

When I get to Heaven, I wonder if I will have a sense of how many opportunities to excercise faith I missed. I won't be laughing then.

Luke 6:26 - Focus on the message

"Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets." (Luke 6:26, NIV)

"Blessed are thsoe who are persecuted because of righteousness . . ." (Matthew 5:10a, NIV)

Perhaps I am oversimplifying when I write this, but much of the driving force behind the emergent church seems to be the desire to have people like and respect Christians and Christianity.

My largest concern with the emergent church concept is not their methods, or their desires. My biggest question and concern is their priorities. If you value relationship over truth, then there will be pressure to compromise the message , which some in the emergent church have clearly done.

To be fair, I should point out that too often the orthodox (I use this in the generic sense, not a particular denomination) Church has been out of balance the other way, using truth as a means of dividing and separating rather than bringing together.

Yet we see Jesus never compromising on his message AND loving people into the Kingdom. John tells us that Jesus was "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). It is possible to be loving and orthodox at the same time. It is not an either / or, but a both/and. We should be orthodox and loving.

What then should we learn from the verses above? I take from these that not everyone will embrace or appreciate the message or the messenger. Secondly, I learn that we should not focus on being liked. I am reminded of the words of Paul to the Ephesians:

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:14-15, NIV)

Titus 2:15 - Stay in the fight

"Do not let anyone despise you." (Titus 1:15b, NIV)

The word here carries the idea of setting to the side, or dismissal. In other words, Paul is saying to Titus don't let anyone brush you off and ignore you.

Those of you who like conflict perhaps cannot understand this command. You are thinking, "of course I won't let anyone ignore me." But as I read Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus, there are various places where Paul encourages them to engage the battle. I take from this that Timothy and Titus are naturally inclined to avoid conflict.

The really important question is what issues are worth having conflict about. Christendom provides many stories of silly debates and church splits over trivialities. Yet, there are issues that are important enough that to give ground on them requires a compromise on the message of the Gospel.

From this verse I gather that once an issue is deemed important, it is vital that the leader stand his ground. I think of Martin Luther's words, "here I stand, I can do no other . . . "

Luke 2:39 - Back to the "real" world

"When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth." (Luke 2:39, NIV)

Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, just experienced some amazing things in Jerusalem. They are the parents of the Messiah! If any family was entitled to support and privilege it was theirs.

Yet, when the hoopla is over, what happens? They go back to their home town and settle back into their old lifestyle.

What strikes me about this is that too often in the church we put full time ministry personnel into a different spiritual category than the rest of the folks in the fellowship. Since the reformation, we have taught against this, but still we gravitate back to this attitude like moths to a porch light.

Yet, here we see the holy family going back to Nazareth and doing what they did before the birth of Jesus.

Certainly, there would be a different attitude in their work. Watching Jesus grow up would have brought a unique set of joys and challenges. Can you imagine the challenge of having a perfectly behaved child? Can you imagine being in a relationship when you are always the one that needs forgiving?

But the point is that they did not assume the pastorate of the local synagogue. They did not go on national TV, or start a web site (or a blog). They went back to their old work and old lifestyle. They did, however, accomplish the task that God set before them which was to rear the Messiah of the Jews and the Savior of the world.

May we all be willing to play the role that God has given us for His glory, trusting that the final result will be better than anything we could have planned.

Mark 15:15 - Crowd (self) Control

"Wanting to satisfy the crowd . . ." (Mark 15:15, NIV)

Pilate made a bad decision in order to satisfy the crowd. Does this sound familiar to you? It certainly does for me.

I have left things unsaid which should have been said. I have said things that were best left unsaid. I have allowed the people around me influence my behavior. Too often, I have allowed my chief concern to be people liking and accepting me.

It is God, and God alone that I should seek to please. For, in the end, it is God and God alone who will be the judge.

Now, to be fair, Pilate was close to having a riot on his hands. As a very unpopular Roman Governor, he had a difficult issue to address in his handling of Jesus. But, like you and I, he had the opportunity to hear the truth and respond to it.

May I hear God's voice above the din of the crowd and follow it today.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27, NIV)

Mark 14:3 - Nobody here but us lepers

"While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper . . ." (Mark 14:3a, NIV)

Perhaps you catch on more quickly than I, but the many times that I have read this story, it never dawned on me until now that no-one, not even Jesus, would dine in the house of a leper. That is, no-one would dine in the house of one that currently has leprosy.

The conclusion is that Simon had been cured of his leprosy by Jesus.

Leprosy is used in Scripture as a picture of sin in the life of men and women. Like leprosy, it permeates our lives and effects the way we live. But, by faith in Jesus, we can be changed and forgiven of our sin.

Here we see Simon, formerly an outcast from society, throwing a party for Jesus. He is cured of the disease that brought separation and now revels in the ability to be in relationship. One would think that the mood at this event would be very upbeat, at least Simon's mood would have been.

This should be, and sometimes is, a description of what happens in worship on Sundays. All of us who have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus come together to share in worship of the one who did the cleansing. We come together to fellowship with the God who makes possible our fellowship with each other.

Would our worship be different if we took the viewpoint of Simon the (former) Leper?

Mark 13:2 - It's all gonna burn

“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2, NIV)

I worship at a fellowship that meets in a strip mall. No-one would argue that the building is magnificent, awe inspiring or beautiful. As a result, the Pharisee in me points to the disciple to whom Jesus directed these remarks and I think "I'm glad I'm not as confused as that guy."

Yet, how much of my resources do I spend on acquiring and maintaining things that have no value for the Kingdom of God? How much time do I spend on activities that entertain but do not enlighten or encourage growth? I am reminded of Paul's words in Ephesians:

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV)

May God grant you and I eyes to see from His perspective, wisdom to understand how we should walk and courage to take the next step.

Mark 9:29 - Thoughts on Prayer

"He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”" (Mark 9:29, NIV)

A coworker told me about the bumper sticker on her husband's car which reads, "If you don't pray in my school, I won't think in your church."

While this may be considered to be clever or offensive, it does highlight something that I often take for granted. Whether the writer of the phrase knows it or not, he is highlighting the power of prayer.

I actually think it amusing to consider the fact that self proclaimed atheists, who claim there is no God, get so upset about someone praying. If there is no God, what is the harm is sending words into the cosmos? How is the atheist damaged by meaningless expression? I think that atheists fear prayer because there is a part of them which feels that there might be something to it.

So, as a believer, the challenge is to give prayer its proper place in my life. Prayer is feared because it is powerful. Prayer is effective because it is God's will for me to pray.

And, oh by the way, we can pray and the atheists will never know that we are doing it. If you really want to mess with their atheism, pray that they acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Someday they might thank you for it.

Mark 9:6 - Better to keep your mouth shut

"He did not know what to say, they were so frightened." (Mark 9:6, NIV)

I have often had the experience of walking away from a conversation thinking "why did I say that?" Sometimes I say stupid things because the silence is awkward. Sometimes the stupid things are an attempt at making myself look good (and doing the exact opposite). But there are times when, like Peter, I am in a nerve wracking position and I talk to relieve my tension.

If I remember my New Testament history correctly, Mark used Peter as a source for much of the material for the Gospel that bears his name. Can you imagine Peter relating this story to Mark? "There we were, we were confronted with the Glory of God, scared almost to death, and you know what I said? . . . can you believe I said that?"

There is a proverb that I'm fond of but often fail to implement. "It is better to keep quiet and let them think you a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NIV)

Matthew 7:21-23 - Relationship Matters

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"(Matthew 7:21-23, NIV)

I had the opportunity to attend a conference on "Missional" theology at Biblical Seminary yesterday. The good news is that there was emphasis on taking the gospel into the post modern culture that surrounds us. There was a challenge for the Church to have a sense of mission. There was much emphasis on the development of relationships for the spread of the gospel. So far so good.

Here is the bad news. There seems to be little agreement in this movement on what the gospel is. I heard nothing about the fallenness of man. I heard nothing about a sin nature that is in open rebellion against God. I heard nothing about the eternal destiny of those who have not responded to the Gospel.

I do not have any statistics handy (and I'm too lazy to go look them up at the moment), but it seems to me that the Gospels record more words of Jesus about Hell than Heaven. Hell is a very real place and we should be very, very concerned that people we know are destined to go there without intervention.

The desire to address the issues of poverty and live in an eco-friendly manner is good. I think that good stewardship of the planet's resources has been a weakness of western Christendom. Using these issues to bridge the communication gap between the church and the world makes sense to me. Where I really, really get frustrated is when this desire to bridge the gap ignores the fact that Jesus gives us propositional truth about God, Man, Sin, Salvation, the Church and the culmination of history. It is this propositional truth that was largely ignored in the conference yesterday.

In Matthew 7, Jesus posits that he will say to many, "I never knew you." Two things come to mind. To know someone is to know the truth about them and to respond accordingly. Secondly, relationship very much matters. The "missional" movement seems to largely ignore the uncomfortable aspects of being in relationship with a Holy God. It is uncomfortable to know that my sin nature continues to be at war with God and will not ultimately be conquered until I am with Jesus. It is uncomfortable to have the responsibility to tell people that their current path leads to eternal damnation. Yet, these uncomfortable truths are part of the communication that the Church is required to present and a requirement for being in relationship with God. The Church cannot say more than what Jesus said to the culture, but it certainly should not say less.

I am grateful for the emphasis in the conference on relationship. I am grateful for the fervor surrounding the desire to be a light to a lost culture. I am grateful that there is the desire to bring salvation to the members of our community. At the end of it all, though, I was saddened that there was not clear articulation of what salvation looks like other than providing a safe environment and feeding the hungry.

Paul says "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1 Corinthians 15:19, NIV). The "gospel" presented in the conference yesterday, the gospel of full bellies and lack of conflict, is inadequate. If it only gives hope for this life, we are to be pitied.

Matthew 24:38-39 - They knew nothing?

"For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." (Matthew 24:38-39, NIV)

Noah built an ark that was 450 ft long. It was really big, took a long time to build and it was not hidden. So, the people around Noah had some cause to ask, "watcha doing?"

If they were ignorant of the coming flood it was because they chose to be. They had plenty of evidence that it was on its way.

In the same way, people choose to ignorant of the fact that they will have to give an account of how they lived their lives. Choosing to ignore God does not cause him to cease to exist.

Our society portrays those who speak of the end of the world as religions fanatics at best and delusional at worst. We've all seen comic strip figures carrying sandwich boards with the message, "Repent - The End is Near." Most choose to believe that society will go on indefinitely.

Yet, it is our job as believers to be witnesses to the fact that there is a coming judgment. I am reminded of what Paul presented to Governor Felix; he discoursed on "righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come." (Acts 24:25) Good words for this society in this day.

Matthew 21:10 - Who is this?

"When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”" (Matthew 21:10, NIV)

The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is recorded in all four Gospels, indicating that it is a significant event in the ministry of Jesus. Matthew is the only one to record the statement in 21:10 quoted above.

When he writes the "whole city," is Matthew using hyperbole? Perhaps he is, but it is not hard to imagine that the events as described by the Evangelists would grab most, if not all, of the people's attention.

Is our attention not drawn to the flashing lights and sirens of emergency vehicles? Whenever I hear a siren, I am curious to know what is happening. My guess is that when people started shouting in Jerusalem, others would want to know what was going on.

Here is the thought that captured me this morning. I began thinking about the different reactions of the people in Jerusalem. Some were excited and hopeful that this was indeed the long promised Messiah. Others were just caught up in the spectacle and drama of the thing (such as the Pharisees going apoplectic). Others were probably annoyed at the disruption of their daily routine (who likes traffic jams?). We know from the Gospels that others were plotting to kill Jesus. But, few, if any, were not asking the question "what is going on?"

We see similar reactions to Jesus today. Militant atheists want all vestiges of Christianity removed from society. Others view religion as an annoyance when Christians argue against "progressive" ideas such as abortion or legalized drugs. Another group likes the trappings of religion and the idea of spirituality but resist the responsibilities associated with acknowledging absolute truth. Some of us understand that without Jesus, there is little hope that things can be different than the mess we currently see in ourselves and in our society.

Proverbs 24:19-20 - Putting Things in Perspective

"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out." (Proverbs 24:19-20, NIV)

This morning I was catching up on my email. One daily list I subscribe to sends a quotation from a Christian author which is tied to a portion of Scripture.

One of them I read this morning was tied to these verses. I did not find the quotation to be very helpful but the verses captured my attention.

I get upset when men who are clearly acting out of self interest get rewarded for their selfish behavior. I have seen this in corporate America and in our political system. There is good reason to be angry at this, but often my anger is because of how it effects me rather than that it violates what is right.

These verses again point to the need to have an eternal perspective. I often struggle to see beyond the here and now. I pray with the hymn writer, "Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me."

Matthew 8:26 - Little Faith

"He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”." (Matthew 8:26a, NIV)

One of the things I appreciate about the Bible is that the "heroes" of the faith are not portrayed as being anything other than regular men and women who have yielded themselves to be used by God. They have the same struggles and make the same moment by moment decisions that we are called to make. Like us, they also make bad choices from time to time.

In one of these moments, the disciples yielded to fear and woke Jesus while he was sleeping. His response is curious and challenging. He points out that they had insufficient faith on this occasion.

I sometimes ask myself, do I miss opportunities to be of service simply because I lack faith? I am sure that the answer to this is yes. My guess is that when I get to Heaven there will gain understanding into how different things could have been had I exercised more faith. Too often I give in to fear and miss out.

Now the good news. As I write this, I can see how my faith has grown. While I have a long way to go, I can look back and see how far I've come. God has arranged my circumstances and my failures to show me that He is faithful, even when I am not. This has resulted in growth of both understanding and of faith.