Mark 6:42
42 They all ate and were satisfied,
How fitting a scripture given the current holiday season. With the Thanksgiving feast only a day behind us, I’m sure we can relate to this verse. The turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes, cranberry, rolls, cakes, and pies, are probably still sloshing around in our stomachs and have surely left us feeling satisfied. Perhaps, as in my case, even over filled.
What is it about the Thanksgiving feast that causes us to eat so much? We usually aren’t like that, are we? I know that I don’t normally eat 3 pounds of meat at a single serving and chase it with ½ of a pie! There’s something about the overabundance of food on the table that triggers our desire to consume until we are stuffed. This isn’t an American tradition, or the product of a gluttonous society. It’s because we see all that there is and know that no matter how much we eat there will still be leftovers!! This is a physical manifestation of the natural desire that God has put in us all to gorge on His overabundance of grace.
As evidenced in the Bible, this insane need to eat our fill isn’t just an American tradition. When Jesus fed the 5000 (not including women and children) their reaction to His feast was consumption. He had been given 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, but they saw an endless buffet. He sat them down, blessed the food, and allowed them to take and eat until they were satisfied. When they were finished He had the disciples collect the leftovers and there were 12 baskets full.
Like the host of our Thanksgiving dinner, Jesus has prepared well in advance far more than we could ever consume. He’s invited us to His table and offered us the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation. More than that, He’s laid out an endless buffet of His blessings for us. His desire to give far outweighs our effort to digest. Jesus wants us to take from Him until we are full; full of His grace, His love, His Spirit, His kindness, His riches, His righteousness, and His glory. When we have eaten our fill and are ready to burst, there will still be more. Satisfaction, guaranteed. There will be grace leftovers! So relax, enjoy, indulge, and consume. Loosen your spiritual belt a couple of notches; gorge yourself on the supernatural buffet of God’s grace.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Bitter? Sweet!!
Exodus 15:25
So Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw the tree into the water, the water became good to drink. There the Lord gave the people a rule and a law to live by, and there he tested their loyalty to him.
I honestly don’t know why God did the things He did for the Israelites. A reasonable person would think that God would get annoyed and walk away from this band of whining, complaining, ungrateful people, but He didn’t. I guess we have only one thing to consider in God’s dealings with the nation of Israel: grace!
It was grace that brought them to Egypt in the first place. It was the grace of God, through Joseph, that provided for Israel in a time of famine. It was the grace of God that kept the Hebrew men, women, and children from the ten plagues sent upon Pharaoh and his people. It was the grace of God that provided a cloud of leadership by day and fire to light the way at night. It was the grace of God that parted the Red Sea and swallowed up the army of Pharaoh as they pursued the Israelites. And it was the grace of God that continually tolerated the groaning and complaining as He led them through the wilderness.
So I suppose, then, that it was the grace of God that heard them in Marah, where the waters were bitter and undrinkable. It was God who placed a tree before Moses. It was God who laid it on Moses’ heart to toss the tree into the waters. It was God who caused the tree to make the waters not only potable, but sweet! It was God who, through His grace, continued to provide for the people.
It’s understood by most scholars that, in areas of prophesy, the term “waters” typically means people. (Revelation 13 is an example of this.) It’s also thought that the “Tree of Life” found in Genesis and again in Revelation is a representation of Jesus. (Genesis 3:22/Revelation 22:1) Jesus even refers to Himself as the “true vine” in John 15:1, implying that He is the Tree of Life. So in reading this verse, I began to ponder what it means on an eternal plane.
We, the waters, are bitter and undrinkable; our sin has made us this way. God cannot have fellowship with us knowing that we have sinned. He sees past our works and our deeds and is so holy that He can not tolerate our bitterness. So God, thirsty and desperate for a true relationship with us, cast into the waters a Tree. This Tree, Jesus, became a person. He walked among us, lived with us, and died for us. Because He was tossed into the bitter waters, they became sweet. Because of the innocent sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Tree of Life, we have been made not only drinkable, but sweet to the taste of God the Father. As we read in Hebrews 10, we are given to Him, holy and acceptable, by the blood of Christ!
So Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw the tree into the water, the water became good to drink. There the Lord gave the people a rule and a law to live by, and there he tested their loyalty to him.
I honestly don’t know why God did the things He did for the Israelites. A reasonable person would think that God would get annoyed and walk away from this band of whining, complaining, ungrateful people, but He didn’t. I guess we have only one thing to consider in God’s dealings with the nation of Israel: grace!
It was grace that brought them to Egypt in the first place. It was the grace of God, through Joseph, that provided for Israel in a time of famine. It was the grace of God that kept the Hebrew men, women, and children from the ten plagues sent upon Pharaoh and his people. It was the grace of God that provided a cloud of leadership by day and fire to light the way at night. It was the grace of God that parted the Red Sea and swallowed up the army of Pharaoh as they pursued the Israelites. And it was the grace of God that continually tolerated the groaning and complaining as He led them through the wilderness.
So I suppose, then, that it was the grace of God that heard them in Marah, where the waters were bitter and undrinkable. It was God who placed a tree before Moses. It was God who laid it on Moses’ heart to toss the tree into the waters. It was God who caused the tree to make the waters not only potable, but sweet! It was God who, through His grace, continued to provide for the people.
It’s understood by most scholars that, in areas of prophesy, the term “waters” typically means people. (Revelation 13 is an example of this.) It’s also thought that the “Tree of Life” found in Genesis and again in Revelation is a representation of Jesus. (Genesis 3:22/Revelation 22:1) Jesus even refers to Himself as the “true vine” in John 15:1, implying that He is the Tree of Life. So in reading this verse, I began to ponder what it means on an eternal plane.
We, the waters, are bitter and undrinkable; our sin has made us this way. God cannot have fellowship with us knowing that we have sinned. He sees past our works and our deeds and is so holy that He can not tolerate our bitterness. So God, thirsty and desperate for a true relationship with us, cast into the waters a Tree. This Tree, Jesus, became a person. He walked among us, lived with us, and died for us. Because He was tossed into the bitter waters, they became sweet. Because of the innocent sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Tree of Life, we have been made not only drinkable, but sweet to the taste of God the Father. As we read in Hebrews 10, we are given to Him, holy and acceptable, by the blood of Christ!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Passage
Exodus 14:29
29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
It’s amazing how God provided everything for Israel after she fled from Egypt. He not only got them sent out of the country, but He also caused the Egyptians to give all their silver, gold, clothes, and livestock to the Israelites as they went. It wasn’t long after they left, however, that Pharaoh decided to pursue them and kill them all.
God had a plan for this. He led them out to the Red Sea, where they were seemingly trapped between the raging waters and Pharaoh’s army. The people were mad. They directed their anger at Moses and Aaron for leading them out. They griped and complained that life would have been better in Egypt. They bellyached about the supposed fact that they would be killed in the wilderness. They completely forgot about God and all He had already done for them. But that didn’t stop God from remembering them, and providing a way to get out of their situation.
God instructed Moses to hold out his hands over the sea and then He caused the waters to separate. God provided dry land for the Israelites to cross. He held back the sea as a wall on either side so that they wouldn’t be overcome by the waters. He brought every last one of them to safety before commanding Moses to close the waters over the Egyptian army.
If we look just a bit deeper into this story, we can see the awesome picture it paints, not only of God’s desire to protect us, but of Jesus’ ultimate holiness. If the sea were our sin and Heaven on the other side, how would we get there? How could we cross without supernatural assistance? God, through His Son Jesus, parted our sins. He prepared a safe path for us to cross to the promised land. He’s continually holding back our sins, through His power, so that they don’t come crashing down upon us. He gave us divine redemption through Jesus Christ, who knew no sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus walks above the sins of man, not through them. (“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.” Matthew 14:25) Because He is, He is able to hold back our sins. It is only through the awesome power of Jesus’ outstretched hands on the cross that our sins are walled up to our left and to our right. It is only through His sacrifice that we are given security and firm ground on which to walk.
29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
It’s amazing how God provided everything for Israel after she fled from Egypt. He not only got them sent out of the country, but He also caused the Egyptians to give all their silver, gold, clothes, and livestock to the Israelites as they went. It wasn’t long after they left, however, that Pharaoh decided to pursue them and kill them all.
God had a plan for this. He led them out to the Red Sea, where they were seemingly trapped between the raging waters and Pharaoh’s army. The people were mad. They directed their anger at Moses and Aaron for leading them out. They griped and complained that life would have been better in Egypt. They bellyached about the supposed fact that they would be killed in the wilderness. They completely forgot about God and all He had already done for them. But that didn’t stop God from remembering them, and providing a way to get out of their situation.
God instructed Moses to hold out his hands over the sea and then He caused the waters to separate. God provided dry land for the Israelites to cross. He held back the sea as a wall on either side so that they wouldn’t be overcome by the waters. He brought every last one of them to safety before commanding Moses to close the waters over the Egyptian army.
If we look just a bit deeper into this story, we can see the awesome picture it paints, not only of God’s desire to protect us, but of Jesus’ ultimate holiness. If the sea were our sin and Heaven on the other side, how would we get there? How could we cross without supernatural assistance? God, through His Son Jesus, parted our sins. He prepared a safe path for us to cross to the promised land. He’s continually holding back our sins, through His power, so that they don’t come crashing down upon us. He gave us divine redemption through Jesus Christ, who knew no sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus walks above the sins of man, not through them. (“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.” Matthew 14:25) Because He is, He is able to hold back our sins. It is only through the awesome power of Jesus’ outstretched hands on the cross that our sins are walled up to our left and to our right. It is only through His sacrifice that we are given security and firm ground on which to walk.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Flies
Exodus 8:23
23 ‘I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.’
With so many translations of the Bible circulating around the world today, is it any wonder why so many people don’t truly understand God’s grace and ultimate message? It’s hard to discern the Truth when the Message has been adapted and changed for culture, language, age, or gender. For example, I read from a New King James version of the Bible. Some people read from an Amplified Bible and others choose to read Eugene Peterson’s translation, The Message. No matter which text you choose, nothing compares to the original and nothing speaks like God’s language, love.
Take this verse above for an example. This is from the New King James version of the Bible. It’s a quote from God Himself talking to Moses about how He is going to keep His people separate and protected from this upcoming plague of flies. I suppose I could go on for a page or two about how flies eat dead flesh and that’s why God was going to keep them from His people. Because Jesus, the Christ, brings life eternal and all those who choose not to follow Him are choosing death, the flies are only going to bother the Egyptians. There is this hidden metaphor of God’s redemption and grace in there, if you’re looking for it. But, that’s not what I’m writing about. (That was a freebie.)
Anyway, I digress. The point that I was trying to make before was that this great translation of the original text leaves something out. The word “difference” in the verse was translated from a term which literally meant “set a ransom”. I don’t know why it was changed to difference; there’s really nothing spectacular about making a difference between two groups of people. You’re skinny, I’m fat. There, it’s a difference, but is it significant? When the term “set a ransom” is put in, the meaning changes. It’s not just a minor difference; it’s a purchase of redemption. God is telling Moses that He’s going to purchase His people. He’s going to pay a price for them. God isn’t going to just make them different, He’s going to sacrifice something of His to give them freedom. That “ransom” that has been omitted from every text but the original (at least all the ones that I can find) is Jesus Christ. “For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a RANSOM for many.” (Mark 10:45) Jesus is quoted as saying He is the Ransom. He is, He was, and He will be. That’s the nature of God.
I’ve wondered about all the division in the church: the different doctrines, theologies, and styles of worship. I’ve wondered what’s right and what’s wrong with today’s church. I’ve come to this conclusion: The church is struggling because we don’t know the Truth. We’ve watered down even the very words that God spoke into a more palatable version. We’ve made light, in almost every aspect, of what God’s purpose was in everything that He did and said. That purpose was to reveal to us His Son, Jesus, the Savior of man. The Ransom for sinners. Jesus Messiah, Lord of all!
23 ‘I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.’
With so many translations of the Bible circulating around the world today, is it any wonder why so many people don’t truly understand God’s grace and ultimate message? It’s hard to discern the Truth when the Message has been adapted and changed for culture, language, age, or gender. For example, I read from a New King James version of the Bible. Some people read from an Amplified Bible and others choose to read Eugene Peterson’s translation, The Message. No matter which text you choose, nothing compares to the original and nothing speaks like God’s language, love.
Take this verse above for an example. This is from the New King James version of the Bible. It’s a quote from God Himself talking to Moses about how He is going to keep His people separate and protected from this upcoming plague of flies. I suppose I could go on for a page or two about how flies eat dead flesh and that’s why God was going to keep them from His people. Because Jesus, the Christ, brings life eternal and all those who choose not to follow Him are choosing death, the flies are only going to bother the Egyptians. There is this hidden metaphor of God’s redemption and grace in there, if you’re looking for it. But, that’s not what I’m writing about. (That was a freebie.)
Anyway, I digress. The point that I was trying to make before was that this great translation of the original text leaves something out. The word “difference” in the verse was translated from a term which literally meant “set a ransom”. I don’t know why it was changed to difference; there’s really nothing spectacular about making a difference between two groups of people. You’re skinny, I’m fat. There, it’s a difference, but is it significant? When the term “set a ransom” is put in, the meaning changes. It’s not just a minor difference; it’s a purchase of redemption. God is telling Moses that He’s going to purchase His people. He’s going to pay a price for them. God isn’t going to just make them different, He’s going to sacrifice something of His to give them freedom. That “ransom” that has been omitted from every text but the original (at least all the ones that I can find) is Jesus Christ. “For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a RANSOM for many.” (Mark 10:45) Jesus is quoted as saying He is the Ransom. He is, He was, and He will be. That’s the nature of God.
I’ve wondered about all the division in the church: the different doctrines, theologies, and styles of worship. I’ve wondered what’s right and what’s wrong with today’s church. I’ve come to this conclusion: The church is struggling because we don’t know the Truth. We’ve watered down even the very words that God spoke into a more palatable version. We’ve made light, in almost every aspect, of what God’s purpose was in everything that He did and said. That purpose was to reveal to us His Son, Jesus, the Savior of man. The Ransom for sinners. Jesus Messiah, Lord of all!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Snake in the grass....
Exodus 4:4
4 Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
I’ve read this story a lot of times. Moses and God on the mountain together talking about the future of the Hebrews. Burning bushes, holy ground, and orders from God; it’s the stuff that movies are made of! Sometimes it just seems like another Bible story, but today, something different stuck out to me.
God told Moses to use his rod, the staff that he carried. He said that by laying it down and taking it up again the Hebrew people would recognize that the Lord, their God had sent Moses. In laying it down it would turn into a snake, and in picking it up it would become a staff again. How would that show the power of God, the true nature of the Creator and Redeemer that the Hebrews had been begging for?
God chose Moses to demonstrate the entire history of the world with a stick. He knew that the Hebrews would make the connection. He knew that someday I would make the connection.
In the beginning God created everything. Angels, stars, galaxies, earth, plants, animals, and people were all part of His design. Satan, an angel, rebelled and decided that He could be God. He was cast out of Heaven and roams on earth. He deceives and manipulates, enslaves and tortures all of mankind. He is cursed and he is a snake!
Everything that the Devil, Satan, does and can do was being poured out on the Hebrew nation while they were in bondage in Egypt. God, through the staff of Moses, was getting ready to show them that though it seemed He had laid down control, that wasn’t the case. He was getting ready to grab the Devil by the tail and make him useless once again. This was something that His chosen people would recognize. This is also something that we, as Christians, should recognize.
Jesus’ death on the cross rendered Satan, that serpent of old, a useless stick. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we are free from the bondage of sin. The Devil has no power over us. We are royalty; made righteous in the healing blood of Christ. Recognize your authority. You are a solider in the army of God! If you recoil in fear because of the snake in the grass, remember Moses. He let go of the staff and it turned into a snake. He jumped back in fear and ran from it! But God said, GRAB IT!! Take hold of the serpent; MY power will render it a useless stick in your hands! The same is true for us. If we hold Satan by the tail, if we bind him with the Word, under the authority of Jesus Christ, we can render him useless!!!
4 Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
I’ve read this story a lot of times. Moses and God on the mountain together talking about the future of the Hebrews. Burning bushes, holy ground, and orders from God; it’s the stuff that movies are made of! Sometimes it just seems like another Bible story, but today, something different stuck out to me.
God told Moses to use his rod, the staff that he carried. He said that by laying it down and taking it up again the Hebrew people would recognize that the Lord, their God had sent Moses. In laying it down it would turn into a snake, and in picking it up it would become a staff again. How would that show the power of God, the true nature of the Creator and Redeemer that the Hebrews had been begging for?
God chose Moses to demonstrate the entire history of the world with a stick. He knew that the Hebrews would make the connection. He knew that someday I would make the connection.
In the beginning God created everything. Angels, stars, galaxies, earth, plants, animals, and people were all part of His design. Satan, an angel, rebelled and decided that He could be God. He was cast out of Heaven and roams on earth. He deceives and manipulates, enslaves and tortures all of mankind. He is cursed and he is a snake!
Everything that the Devil, Satan, does and can do was being poured out on the Hebrew nation while they were in bondage in Egypt. God, through the staff of Moses, was getting ready to show them that though it seemed He had laid down control, that wasn’t the case. He was getting ready to grab the Devil by the tail and make him useless once again. This was something that His chosen people would recognize. This is also something that we, as Christians, should recognize.
Jesus’ death on the cross rendered Satan, that serpent of old, a useless stick. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we are free from the bondage of sin. The Devil has no power over us. We are royalty; made righteous in the healing blood of Christ. Recognize your authority. You are a solider in the army of God! If you recoil in fear because of the snake in the grass, remember Moses. He let go of the staff and it turned into a snake. He jumped back in fear and ran from it! But God said, GRAB IT!! Take hold of the serpent; MY power will render it a useless stick in your hands! The same is true for us. If we hold Satan by the tail, if we bind him with the Word, under the authority of Jesus Christ, we can render him useless!!!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Wake Up.
41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
What happened to the Disciples in the Garden that night? Were they laying back on their fluffy Serta sleepers with down filled pillows, covered with Ralph Lauren comforters? Certainly not! They were in a Garden outside the city. They were fearful and confused as to what was going to happen to this man, Jesus, who had been leading them for the past three years. Certainly they weren’t in any state of mind, or comfortable position to fall asleep. So what was Jesus worried about?
Jesus was worried about their spirituality. He wasn’t concerned that they’d fall asleep and get some physical rest. He was concerned that they’d close their mind’s eye to what His purpose was and miss the point! “Watch and pray”: there is so much to that. He told them to watch, but what? Watch Him! Pray! Pray against temptation. Jesus wanted them to see Him praying for His Father’s will to be done. He wanted them to see the struggle within His fleshly body and understand fully the burden He was about to carry. He wanted them to pray against the temptation that He knew would come. The temptation to take the easy road. The temptation to avoid hard times. The temptation to avoid the will of the Father when it hurts or gets tough.
One sentence was a rebuke to Peter, John, and James. The next sentence described what He was going through. Perhaps He wasn’t speaking of their spirit and flesh. Maybe he was talking about His own! Jesus, 100% man and 100% God, could very well have been telling them that His spirit was willing, but His flesh was weak.
His command was to watch and pray. Am I doing that today? Are you? Is anyone? Are we looking to Jesus for our example and then praying to the Father that we don’t fall into temptation? Are we watching the world around us, keeping our eyes open and our minds ready for the enemy’s imminent attack? Are we trying to be like Jesus? Are we looking to Jesus for leadership? Or are we spiritually asleep, living as the world, blind and completely unaware of the spiritual war around us!
I recently heard a pastor preach a sermon on “Keeping the Morning Watch”. How appropriate that he chose the word “watch” and not “prayer time”. Sometimes prayer time can become legalistic and ritual. We write lists and keep to them, praying for Billy, Jane, and our country, but we forget to keep our eyes open and hearts open to the Spirit of God and what He is doing. Keeping watch implies being a solider, being vigilant, searching and scanning for the enemy. That’s our job as Christians; to keep watch over the King’s property and to pray that we don’t fall into temptation.
I can’t say it any better than Jesus did; “Watch AND pray!”
What happened to the Disciples in the Garden that night? Were they laying back on their fluffy Serta sleepers with down filled pillows, covered with Ralph Lauren comforters? Certainly not! They were in a Garden outside the city. They were fearful and confused as to what was going to happen to this man, Jesus, who had been leading them for the past three years. Certainly they weren’t in any state of mind, or comfortable position to fall asleep. So what was Jesus worried about?
Jesus was worried about their spirituality. He wasn’t concerned that they’d fall asleep and get some physical rest. He was concerned that they’d close their mind’s eye to what His purpose was and miss the point! “Watch and pray”: there is so much to that. He told them to watch, but what? Watch Him! Pray! Pray against temptation. Jesus wanted them to see Him praying for His Father’s will to be done. He wanted them to see the struggle within His fleshly body and understand fully the burden He was about to carry. He wanted them to pray against the temptation that He knew would come. The temptation to take the easy road. The temptation to avoid hard times. The temptation to avoid the will of the Father when it hurts or gets tough.
One sentence was a rebuke to Peter, John, and James. The next sentence described what He was going through. Perhaps He wasn’t speaking of their spirit and flesh. Maybe he was talking about His own! Jesus, 100% man and 100% God, could very well have been telling them that His spirit was willing, but His flesh was weak.
His command was to watch and pray. Am I doing that today? Are you? Is anyone? Are we looking to Jesus for our example and then praying to the Father that we don’t fall into temptation? Are we watching the world around us, keeping our eyes open and our minds ready for the enemy’s imminent attack? Are we trying to be like Jesus? Are we looking to Jesus for leadership? Or are we spiritually asleep, living as the world, blind and completely unaware of the spiritual war around us!
I recently heard a pastor preach a sermon on “Keeping the Morning Watch”. How appropriate that he chose the word “watch” and not “prayer time”. Sometimes prayer time can become legalistic and ritual. We write lists and keep to them, praying for Billy, Jane, and our country, but we forget to keep our eyes open and hearts open to the Spirit of God and what He is doing. Keeping watch implies being a solider, being vigilant, searching and scanning for the enemy. That’s our job as Christians; to keep watch over the King’s property and to pray that we don’t fall into temptation.
I can’t say it any better than Jesus did; “Watch AND pray!”
Friday, November 12, 2010
Eat only what GOD has prepared.
Daniel 1:15
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.
Israel was captured. The whole nation of God’s people was now subject to King Nebuchadnezzar. Everything that he said, they had to do. He was their new master. He even renamed them to show his power. King Nebuchadnezzar even had control over the food that they would eat. But there were four men of God who stood by their Lord and would not subject themselves to eating the diet of the king. We know them as Belteshazzar (Daniel), Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael), and Abednego (Azariah).
These four men were willing to risk punishment over eating the king’s diet. The food the king was providing wasn’t clean for the Israelites to eat. So they asked to have only vegetables. They requested to eat only the natural food that God had created. They wouldn’t eat the prepared, unclean foods, and they refused to drink the fermented wines. This frightened the guards because the men would be weakened and frail, and the king would know that his orders weren’t being upheld. But that’s not what happened. Instead, the four men gained weight. They gained muscle. They gained knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to interpret dreams. They ended up looking healthier and better nourished than all of the other men!!
So what of it? In today’s world there are lots of different doctrines (foods) being served by lots of different people. Man, in his own wisdom, can teach how to control your temper, your budget, and your career path. Man can teach out of his own knowledge how to have a better marriage or be a good parent. Only God, however, can do it for you! When you consume the doctrine of man, the how-to’s of society, the work is your responsibility. There are even churches that will proclaim these same teachings. But, when you consume the doctrine of Jesus Christ the work is completed. “IT IS FINISHED!” He’s the Bread of Life, the Manna from Heaven. He is the nourishment for the soul that will bring peace, joy, and happiness. He will bring it to you because His work is final and our works are futile.
Belteshazzar and his three friends only ate the vegetables that were raw and straight from God’s creation. They didn’t eat the food that had been prepared and handled by man. And as a result, without work or toil, they were stronger, smarter, and blessed more than all of the other men! We need to do the same. We need to eat the Word of God. We need to eat it unadulterated by man, by religion, and by society. We need to consume Jesus Christ, our passover lamb, and let Him do the work inside us. In the end, we will receive the strength, knowledge, and blessings through Him, to fill our lives with happiness!
It’s not at all about the words that you preach; it’s all about the Word that you teach, Jesus Christ!
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.
Israel was captured. The whole nation of God’s people was now subject to King Nebuchadnezzar. Everything that he said, they had to do. He was their new master. He even renamed them to show his power. King Nebuchadnezzar even had control over the food that they would eat. But there were four men of God who stood by their Lord and would not subject themselves to eating the diet of the king. We know them as Belteshazzar (Daniel), Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael), and Abednego (Azariah).
These four men were willing to risk punishment over eating the king’s diet. The food the king was providing wasn’t clean for the Israelites to eat. So they asked to have only vegetables. They requested to eat only the natural food that God had created. They wouldn’t eat the prepared, unclean foods, and they refused to drink the fermented wines. This frightened the guards because the men would be weakened and frail, and the king would know that his orders weren’t being upheld. But that’s not what happened. Instead, the four men gained weight. They gained muscle. They gained knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to interpret dreams. They ended up looking healthier and better nourished than all of the other men!!
So what of it? In today’s world there are lots of different doctrines (foods) being served by lots of different people. Man, in his own wisdom, can teach how to control your temper, your budget, and your career path. Man can teach out of his own knowledge how to have a better marriage or be a good parent. Only God, however, can do it for you! When you consume the doctrine of man, the how-to’s of society, the work is your responsibility. There are even churches that will proclaim these same teachings. But, when you consume the doctrine of Jesus Christ the work is completed. “IT IS FINISHED!” He’s the Bread of Life, the Manna from Heaven. He is the nourishment for the soul that will bring peace, joy, and happiness. He will bring it to you because His work is final and our works are futile.
Belteshazzar and his three friends only ate the vegetables that were raw and straight from God’s creation. They didn’t eat the food that had been prepared and handled by man. And as a result, without work or toil, they were stronger, smarter, and blessed more than all of the other men! We need to do the same. We need to eat the Word of God. We need to eat it unadulterated by man, by religion, and by society. We need to consume Jesus Christ, our passover lamb, and let Him do the work inside us. In the end, we will receive the strength, knowledge, and blessings through Him, to fill our lives with happiness!
It’s not at all about the words that you preach; it’s all about the Word that you teach, Jesus Christ!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Accountability
John 13:15
15 “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Today it struck me. What was the example that Jesus was setting for His disciples? Was it that the Master is to be the servant? Surely this is the truth, but it’s surface truth. What Jesus was doing was completely beneath Him as a Rabbi, and certainly as the Son of God, but He chose to do it anyway. He received some push-back from His disciples, but nonetheless He washed their feet.
I think it’s safe to say that any doctrine that preaches Jesus wanted us to learn a valuable lesson about service is accurate. I think that the lesson taught about no one being greater than the least is true as well. But I think that there is more to this than just the simple physical act of washing feet. Just before bending down to wash His disciples’ feet, Jesus spoke to the 12 about the need to be clean. He first spoke in physical terms: Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean...” John 13:10(a) This was typical of the Christ, talking in easy to understand terms so that everyone would understand and get a clear mental picture. He then, halfway through His thought, switches to the spiritual realm: “...and you are clean, though not every one of you.” John 13:10(b)
Of course we all know that He was referring to Judas who was going to go off and betray Him that evening, but why the connection between foot washing, total cleanliness, and spirituality? Why did He link these together?
I think that a lesson to be taken from Jesus is this: we are to hold one another accountable. Jesus reminded the disciples first that they were clean; they only needed their feet dusted off. This was true; they were walking on dusty roads. His message is hidden, though. We are all made clean by His blood that was spilled on the cross. Sometimes, though, we’re going to get our feet dirty. It’s not going to change our eternal destination or whether God loves us more or less. It’s just dust on our feet. Jesus was expressing to us that we have a responsibility to each other, as believers, to wash one another’s feet. We aren’t just to physically serve each other and our community, but we are called to hold each other accountable. When a brother or sister in Christ steps in the dirt, we have a responsibility, a command, from Christ to wash his or her feet.
Note that Jesus did not make His disciples feel dirty because their feet were dirty. In fact, He told them they were clean, they just need to be dusted off. We need to be Christ-like in our efforts to hold one another accountable. First we need to remind each other that we are CLEAN and righteous in Christ. Then we can point out that some feet need to be washed!
15 “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Today it struck me. What was the example that Jesus was setting for His disciples? Was it that the Master is to be the servant? Surely this is the truth, but it’s surface truth. What Jesus was doing was completely beneath Him as a Rabbi, and certainly as the Son of God, but He chose to do it anyway. He received some push-back from His disciples, but nonetheless He washed their feet.
I think it’s safe to say that any doctrine that preaches Jesus wanted us to learn a valuable lesson about service is accurate. I think that the lesson taught about no one being greater than the least is true as well. But I think that there is more to this than just the simple physical act of washing feet. Just before bending down to wash His disciples’ feet, Jesus spoke to the 12 about the need to be clean. He first spoke in physical terms: Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean...” John 13:10(a) This was typical of the Christ, talking in easy to understand terms so that everyone would understand and get a clear mental picture. He then, halfway through His thought, switches to the spiritual realm: “...and you are clean, though not every one of you.” John 13:10(b)
Of course we all know that He was referring to Judas who was going to go off and betray Him that evening, but why the connection between foot washing, total cleanliness, and spirituality? Why did He link these together?
I think that a lesson to be taken from Jesus is this: we are to hold one another accountable. Jesus reminded the disciples first that they were clean; they only needed their feet dusted off. This was true; they were walking on dusty roads. His message is hidden, though. We are all made clean by His blood that was spilled on the cross. Sometimes, though, we’re going to get our feet dirty. It’s not going to change our eternal destination or whether God loves us more or less. It’s just dust on our feet. Jesus was expressing to us that we have a responsibility to each other, as believers, to wash one another’s feet. We aren’t just to physically serve each other and our community, but we are called to hold each other accountable. When a brother or sister in Christ steps in the dirt, we have a responsibility, a command, from Christ to wash his or her feet.
Note that Jesus did not make His disciples feel dirty because their feet were dirty. In fact, He told them they were clean, they just need to be dusted off. We need to be Christ-like in our efforts to hold one another accountable. First we need to remind each other that we are CLEAN and righteous in Christ. Then we can point out that some feet need to be washed!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Hey Goat!
Leviticus 16:10
10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.
“The Day of Atonement” That’s what this chapter of Leviticus has been labeled. What is atonement? It’s a payment for wrongdoings. It’s making amends. On this day, the high priest over Israel was to meet with God. He was to bring with him bulls, goats, rams, and incense for offerings. Some were for sins, some were to provide a cover, some were burnt offerings to the Lord. It was a day of sacrifice, of bloodshed and of payment.
There was an interesting part of this day, though. The high priest, who at the time was Aaron, was to bring two goats to the Lord. He was to cast lots for the goats. One was to be sacrificed as a sin offering for the people, and the other was to be set free. Something interesting is going to happen to the second goat before it is released. Prior to being set free in the wilderness, the goat is to be led in to the Most Holy Place, into the very presence of God. In that hidden, sacred area, behind the veil of the temple, the high priest is to lay his hands upon the goat. There, in the presence of God, he will confess out loud all of the sins of Israel. The wickedness and rebellion of the people will be placed upon the head of the goat. Afterward the goat will be led outside the city and set free. The scapegoat carries away the sins of the people from that year. He takes them away into the wilderness.
Interestingly enough, there’s a passage in the New Testament about Jesus that sounds remarkably like this goat. John the Baptist says in John 1:29 “Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” Huh! (Of course John says “Lamb” but I think you can make the connection.) On the Day of Atonement, Jesus was taken before the high priest. They laid hands on Him. They rebelled against, cursed, and mocked Him. They led Him before Pilate, who had Him crucified. Jesus was led outside the city, carrying on His back the burdens of our sins in the form of a cross. He died outside the city gates in the wilderness.
Jesus is the Lamb of God, as John stated. Jesus, the scapegoat, who carried away the sins of the world, not just for the year but once for all time!
10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.
“The Day of Atonement” That’s what this chapter of Leviticus has been labeled. What is atonement? It’s a payment for wrongdoings. It’s making amends. On this day, the high priest over Israel was to meet with God. He was to bring with him bulls, goats, rams, and incense for offerings. Some were for sins, some were to provide a cover, some were burnt offerings to the Lord. It was a day of sacrifice, of bloodshed and of payment.
There was an interesting part of this day, though. The high priest, who at the time was Aaron, was to bring two goats to the Lord. He was to cast lots for the goats. One was to be sacrificed as a sin offering for the people, and the other was to be set free. Something interesting is going to happen to the second goat before it is released. Prior to being set free in the wilderness, the goat is to be led in to the Most Holy Place, into the very presence of God. In that hidden, sacred area, behind the veil of the temple, the high priest is to lay his hands upon the goat. There, in the presence of God, he will confess out loud all of the sins of Israel. The wickedness and rebellion of the people will be placed upon the head of the goat. Afterward the goat will be led outside the city and set free. The scapegoat carries away the sins of the people from that year. He takes them away into the wilderness.
Interestingly enough, there’s a passage in the New Testament about Jesus that sounds remarkably like this goat. John the Baptist says in John 1:29 “Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” Huh! (Of course John says “Lamb” but I think you can make the connection.) On the Day of Atonement, Jesus was taken before the high priest. They laid hands on Him. They rebelled against, cursed, and mocked Him. They led Him before Pilate, who had Him crucified. Jesus was led outside the city, carrying on His back the burdens of our sins in the form of a cross. He died outside the city gates in the wilderness.
Jesus is the Lamb of God, as John stated. Jesus, the scapegoat, who carried away the sins of the world, not just for the year but once for all time!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Are you bribing?
Genesis 32:5
“I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.’”
Have you ever been so fearful of God that you didn’t want to go before Him? Have you ever sent your offerings, your pleas, your gifts, and your bribes out ahead of you to appease Him? Have you ever thought that all the wrong you’ve done in the past will surely catch up to you someday and the punishment will be harsh? Have you ever been taught that you need to show God your faith? If you have, you’re not alone.
Take Jacob’s story. Here’s a man who robbed his older brother of his birthright for a cup of stew. After manipulating him out of his inheritance, he tricked his father, Isaac, into giving him his brother’s blessing. Poor Esau; he was destined to be duped! After stealing his brother’s future, Jacob fled for fear of his life. One day, however, he’d have to meet his brother again. Jacob was terrified. What if he hates me? What if he wants to kill me? What if.....? Fear consumed his thoughts, to the point that he stopped even believing God for the promise He had given through Abraham and Isaac. (Read Genesis 32:22-32 for that story)
So what did he do? He acted out of guilt. He began to organize all of his wealth and possessions so he could attempt to appease Esau before they met. He sent his offerings out to Esau in waves. His hope was that the gifts would win him favor in the eyes of his brother. He thought that if he sent offerings of money, people, animals, and stuff to Esau, that his deceit would be forgiven. What he hadn’t realized was that Esau had already forgiven him.
Does this sound like us? Isn’t this just a picture of what we have done to God? We have cheated Him of what is rightfully His: worship. We have robbed Him of His blessing, that is, to care and provide for us through His means. Thankfully, our God has already forgiven us. Just like Esau, God forgave us before we came to Him. His Son, Jesus, on the cross became our forgiveness. We don’t have to send ahead all that we have in order to gain favor in the eyes of our Lord. We have gained His favor already. He loves us. He cherishes us.
In the end Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself!” Genesis 33:9 Then he followed that up with, “Let us take our journey; let us go and I will go before you.” Genesis 33:12
Look, God has enough. He made it all; He doesn’t need your bribes. Keep what you have; Jesus was more then enough to satisfy God! Just trust Him, hold on, and believe that He will go before you.
“I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.’”
Have you ever been so fearful of God that you didn’t want to go before Him? Have you ever sent your offerings, your pleas, your gifts, and your bribes out ahead of you to appease Him? Have you ever thought that all the wrong you’ve done in the past will surely catch up to you someday and the punishment will be harsh? Have you ever been taught that you need to show God your faith? If you have, you’re not alone.
Take Jacob’s story. Here’s a man who robbed his older brother of his birthright for a cup of stew. After manipulating him out of his inheritance, he tricked his father, Isaac, into giving him his brother’s blessing. Poor Esau; he was destined to be duped! After stealing his brother’s future, Jacob fled for fear of his life. One day, however, he’d have to meet his brother again. Jacob was terrified. What if he hates me? What if he wants to kill me? What if.....? Fear consumed his thoughts, to the point that he stopped even believing God for the promise He had given through Abraham and Isaac. (Read Genesis 32:22-32 for that story)
So what did he do? He acted out of guilt. He began to organize all of his wealth and possessions so he could attempt to appease Esau before they met. He sent his offerings out to Esau in waves. His hope was that the gifts would win him favor in the eyes of his brother. He thought that if he sent offerings of money, people, animals, and stuff to Esau, that his deceit would be forgiven. What he hadn’t realized was that Esau had already forgiven him.
Does this sound like us? Isn’t this just a picture of what we have done to God? We have cheated Him of what is rightfully His: worship. We have robbed Him of His blessing, that is, to care and provide for us through His means. Thankfully, our God has already forgiven us. Just like Esau, God forgave us before we came to Him. His Son, Jesus, on the cross became our forgiveness. We don’t have to send ahead all that we have in order to gain favor in the eyes of our Lord. We have gained His favor already. He loves us. He cherishes us.
In the end Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself!” Genesis 33:9 Then he followed that up with, “Let us take our journey; let us go and I will go before you.” Genesis 33:12
Look, God has enough. He made it all; He doesn’t need your bribes. Keep what you have; Jesus was more then enough to satisfy God! Just trust Him, hold on, and believe that He will go before you.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Do what now?
Genesis 22:8
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Abraham was asked by God to bring his only son up the mountain and lay him on the altar for a sacrifice. Abraham had begged God for a son for years. He loved his son. He cherished him and expected that through him all of the world would be blessed. So when God said to bring Isaac to Me as a sacrifice, Abraham must have been devastated. He must have asked the questions in his mind, “Why Isaac? Why would you ask this of me? How can I do this? What will I tell my son?” Outwardly, however, he acted.
Some say it was Abraham’s great faith in God that enabled him to respond with a “Yes.” Some may say it was fear. They say that Abraham knew he had to obey God or else. I don’t claim to know why Abraham said okay to this “unreasonable” assignment; I just know he did.
The parallels in the story of Abraham and Isaac and God and Jesus are way too obvious. Abraham, the father of many nations, has one son. God, the creator of all nations, has one Son. Abraham is told that God will bless all nations through his son Isaac. God tells us that all nations will be blessed through His Son, Jesus. Isaac was innocent. Jesus was innocent. Isaac was forced to carry the wood for the fire and sacrifice up the mountain on his back. Jesus was forced to carry the wooden altar, His cross, up the mountain on His back. It’s just too clear of a connection, there has to be something more.
What’s missing from this story? Grace! Where is the grace that is a representation of Jesus? It’s not found in Isaac. It’s not found in Abraham. It’s not in the wood, the mountain, or the altar. The Grace of Jesus can only be found outside of the works of man. Abraham was faithful to the word of God. He was willing to do whatever God asked; however, God wasn’t looking only for obedience, but for the chance to provide His grace. Had God not provided a ram in the bushes, Abraham would have received God’s blessings for the works of his hands. This would be contrary to the entire message of Jesus’ mission and ultimate crucifixion.
The Bible says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6 It also says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
God had to put His grace into the story. Without God’s grace, Abraham would have sacrificed his son that day. If the ram hadn’t been there, Abraham would have worked his way into good standing with God and set the pattern for all of society in the future. Without God’s grace, we would live under a different set of rules. We would be constantly working and striving to prove our faithfulness and worth to God. We would be constantly straining to gain His blessings. We would be so focused on OUR works that we would forget to do His work! So God provided a Ram. He made acceptance so easy for us that we’d forget about working for it and focus on working for Him.
It seems that the ram is always the aside to this story. It’s always a footnote at the end. “Oh--and uh--God provided a ram in the bushes. See, God will provide for you too, if you’re faithful! If you do what God asks of you, He’ll provide for you.” NO! That’s not the point. The point of the story IS the Ram! The Ram is Jesus. Jesus is the entire reason for everything. Jesus is the sacrifice that is greater then all of our works and faithfulness. He is greater. Jesus is the Grace of God that was provided. He’s not the result of faithfulness, He’s the fulfillment of it!
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Abraham was asked by God to bring his only son up the mountain and lay him on the altar for a sacrifice. Abraham had begged God for a son for years. He loved his son. He cherished him and expected that through him all of the world would be blessed. So when God said to bring Isaac to Me as a sacrifice, Abraham must have been devastated. He must have asked the questions in his mind, “Why Isaac? Why would you ask this of me? How can I do this? What will I tell my son?” Outwardly, however, he acted.
Some say it was Abraham’s great faith in God that enabled him to respond with a “Yes.” Some may say it was fear. They say that Abraham knew he had to obey God or else. I don’t claim to know why Abraham said okay to this “unreasonable” assignment; I just know he did.
The parallels in the story of Abraham and Isaac and God and Jesus are way too obvious. Abraham, the father of many nations, has one son. God, the creator of all nations, has one Son. Abraham is told that God will bless all nations through his son Isaac. God tells us that all nations will be blessed through His Son, Jesus. Isaac was innocent. Jesus was innocent. Isaac was forced to carry the wood for the fire and sacrifice up the mountain on his back. Jesus was forced to carry the wooden altar, His cross, up the mountain on His back. It’s just too clear of a connection, there has to be something more.
What’s missing from this story? Grace! Where is the grace that is a representation of Jesus? It’s not found in Isaac. It’s not found in Abraham. It’s not in the wood, the mountain, or the altar. The Grace of Jesus can only be found outside of the works of man. Abraham was faithful to the word of God. He was willing to do whatever God asked; however, God wasn’t looking only for obedience, but for the chance to provide His grace. Had God not provided a ram in the bushes, Abraham would have received God’s blessings for the works of his hands. This would be contrary to the entire message of Jesus’ mission and ultimate crucifixion.
The Bible says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6 It also says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
God had to put His grace into the story. Without God’s grace, Abraham would have sacrificed his son that day. If the ram hadn’t been there, Abraham would have worked his way into good standing with God and set the pattern for all of society in the future. Without God’s grace, we would live under a different set of rules. We would be constantly working and striving to prove our faithfulness and worth to God. We would be constantly straining to gain His blessings. We would be so focused on OUR works that we would forget to do His work! So God provided a Ram. He made acceptance so easy for us that we’d forget about working for it and focus on working for Him.
It seems that the ram is always the aside to this story. It’s always a footnote at the end. “Oh--and uh--God provided a ram in the bushes. See, God will provide for you too, if you’re faithful! If you do what God asks of you, He’ll provide for you.” NO! That’s not the point. The point of the story IS the Ram! The Ram is Jesus. Jesus is the entire reason for everything. Jesus is the sacrifice that is greater then all of our works and faithfulness. He is greater. Jesus is the Grace of God that was provided. He’s not the result of faithfulness, He’s the fulfillment of it!
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