More to the Story - Chapte 13
Solomon

It's All Meaningless, a "Chasing After the Wind" 

"I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 1:13-14(NIV)

Reflection

When I turned to Christ in my early 30’s one of the first books of the Bible that I read was Ecclesiastes, the authorship of which is attributed to Solomon. It’s contents hit me hard and true. I identified with almost entirely with it’s basic premise, which is that life apart from God is completely meaningless. Solomon uses the word “meaningless” 35 times. At the time I read the book I was at the end of my rope, depressed and hopeless and everything he wrote rang true for me.  

I remember thinking that Ecclesiastes could be a manifesto for the mid twentieth century existentialists (maybe you’ve read some of things that Albert Camus or Franz Kafka wrote about the hopelessness of life).  

However, for me the really big thing was (and I am convinced that this can only come from God) the conviction that meaninglessness cannot be all there is, that there has to be more. And indeed there is. If you read Ecclesiastes’ final 2 verses you may not be overwhelmed by joyful hope. I wasn’t, but I knew that Solomon was telling me that I was right, that meaninglessness is not all there is, not by a long shot. 

Prayer
 
Lord, prevent me from entering 2012 with no new hopes and dreams. Protect me from living out the “same old, same old”. Although Solomon tells us that “there is nothing new under sun”, yet it is also true that what remains undiscovered under the sun is immense and good and available. Lord, please reveal more of yourself and your Grace to me and my family than we can ever deserve. In the name of Jesus whose resurrection makes all things possible. Amen” 

More to the Story - Chapter 13
Solomon, the author of Proverbs

The “Wisdom of Solomon"

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight”. Proverbs 3:5-6

Reflection

Proverbs are pithy wise sayings attributed to Solomon who compiled these teachings for his son.The above is maybe the most widely quoted of them. In fact I recommend reading all of Chapter 3. It’s great and full of practical wisdom (wisdom is the ability to put knowledge into practice).
 
The Proverbs are a terrific time tested way for father and son to spend practical time “doing life” together. (Don’t read 21:9 though)
 
It is also noteworthy that the wisdom of Solomon did not prevent him from slowly drifting into exactly that against which he warned his sons. Knowing the truth is never enough. There is no substitute for the disciplined obedience which holds itself accountable to a third party or two, something Solomon did not have.  Because of that he drifted away from all that he knew to be true and instead opted for the things that perish. And perish they did, as they always do.
 
Prayer

Lord, please help me in 2012 to trust, to actually trust rather than trying to “force fit” life into a mold of my own making. You are the potter and all else, including me and my dreams, are the clay. Shape my life and my world into your great purposes today and throughout 2012. Amen”

THE KING WHO HAD IT ALL

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this . . I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings." 1 Kings 3:10-14 (NIV)


AND THEN LOST IT

The Lord had told Solomon not to be lead astray by pride and passion for women. Yet this verse tells it well, “Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love”. 1 Kings 11:2 (NIV)

PRAYER

“He built God’s Temple, was admired from afar, was gifted beyond all his peers. Yet in the end he didn’t finish. Lord, prevent me from being the frog in the kettle. Yank me out of the comfort of the slow and numbing warmth of the complacency that tolerates my sinful indulgences. . . . . .so that I do not incur the fate of this once great man. In Christ’s Name merciful Name, I ask this. Amen”

More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament

JESUS’ BIRTH IN REVELATION

As you read the following passage from Revelation you will be reading what the apostle John, “saw” in the heavenly realm. He is seeing glimpses of Genesis 3:15, the actual birth of Jesus to Mary, the pursuit of Jesus by Herod, and perhaps even the killing of the children under two in Bethlehem.
 
It seems that there is way in which what happens on earth mirrors what is happening unseen by most of us in the spiritual realm. And it also seems that Christianity, as opposed the Greeks and their mythologies, affirm that what happens on earth has an impact on what happens in the realm of the “heavens”.
 
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Revelation 12:13-17(NIV)

More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament

JESUS’ BIRTH IN LUKE

The Birth Stories in Luke are full of singing! This passage is called the “Magnificat” Latin for the first Greek words of the song. You may have heard it sung in church services at Christmas.
 
As you read, notice two things: First Mary is really, really happy. She builds what she says on Hanna’s song, which she must have know very well. She feels loved, cared for, blessed and she wants others to know they can feel this way too.
 
Second what she sings is revolutionary. She predicts the overturning of everything this world is about. The rich will be humbled and the humble will be lifted up. The world will be turned upside down. There is a new world coming and those who inherit it will not be those who exploit this one.
 
Mary said: With all my heart I praise the Lord,
and I am glad because of God my Savior.
He cares for me, his humble servant. From now on, all people will say God has blessed me.
God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
He always shows mercy to everyone who worships him.
The Lord has used his powerful arm to scatter those who are proud.
He drags strong rulers from their thrones and puts humble people in places of power.
God gives the hungry good things to eat, and sends the rich away with nothing.
He helps his servant Israel and is always merciful to his people.
The Lord made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his family forever!   Luke 1:46-55(CEV)

More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament

JESUS’ BIRTH IN MATTHEW - CHAPTER ONE

Matthew records God’s “upper story” of setting the world to rights by providing a family tree of “lower story” people. Matthew “truncates the tree” organizing it neatly into three groups, as if to say “God brings orders out the chaos of ordinary life." Take note of the names and the stories behind them. You, too, have a name that God knows, the best of the story behind it is “Immanuel”, God having been at work in your life.  

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father  . . . . Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was  . . . . the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. . . . . . 

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus."

More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament


JESUS’ BIRTH IN ISAIAH (again!) 

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6(NIV)

This is Isaiah’s most direct prediction of the coming Messiah. Verse one of this chapter indicates he will come from Galilee (Nazareth is in Galilee). In the New Testament the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus is called a counselor in John 14. Jesus refers to God as Father, as does Paul, a designation personal and profound, one not given to deities of other religions. And he is one who defeats the powers of darkness destruction and despair. He is the Prince of peace. It is through Him that the Lion will befriend the lamb (Isaiah 11:6).

From a 21st century AD standpoint Christians believe that Messiah has come. Already. He has already brought peace and defeated evil through his death and resurrection. Already but not yet. Believers live in both realms. We know salvation has come to the world, but we have only glimpses, forshadowings, hints. Yet those hints and tastes of the coming salvation are so powerful that Christians can rejoice in the already and enjoy ahead of time the day when God’s salvation coming into its fullness. As Christmas eve approaches is it not true that the anticipation is the best part? Yet, and this is so awesome, Christianity claims that the reality of the new creation will exceed by light years the joy of our anticipation of it.

More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament


JESUS’ BIRTH IN GENESIS
 
“I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15(NIV)
 
This one little verse tucked away in the account of how things went wrong in the universe, is a hint, a prophecy, an explanation of the future, a prediction, and a hope.
 
“You” refers to the satan, the adversarial power that is at work in the universe to destroy the things of God. “The woman” refers to Eve. “Your offspring” refers to those who inadvertently or intentionally align themselves with the purposes of the satan. “Hers” refers to the single offspring of Eve who will triumph over the enemies of God. Her single offspring will deliver a fatal and final blow to satan and those who have aligned themselves with him. However, before his demise, satan will deliver a painful but in-the-end-not-lethal blow to the woman’s single offspring (Jesus, who was crucified, died, but then rose from the dead).
 
You can read the birth story of Jesus, which elaborates on Genesis 3:15, in Revelation 12:13-17. 

The word “hers” is the prediction that one day a human descendant of Eve would be born who would set the world aright. And He, Jesus, has done exactly that – already but not yet. It is now the job of each believer to live into that reality.
 
PRAYER

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Lord, that right in the middle of everything going wrong, you have informed us in writing that everything will made right. I choose this day to live in that certain hope. I believe. Amen”

More to The Story
Christmas in The Old Testament

JESUS’ BIRTH IN 2 SAMUEL 

“'The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you (King David): When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.'" 2 Samuel 7:11-16(NIV) 

This is another of the “double prophecies” found in the Old Testament. It prophecies that David’s son, Solomon, will build the Temple and also that a descendent of King David will rule over God’s People forever, referring to Jesus.
 
In 586 BC Israel’s sovereignty was lost when it was destroyed and taken captive by Babylon. Israel did not regain its sovereignty until 1948 AD. And even so there is not a descendent of David on “Israel’s throne”. Christians believe, however, that the descendent of David did come to rule over God’s people 2,000 years ago, that he now sits at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1) and that he not only rules God’s people, Israel, and rules not only God’s people Gentile believers, but that he also rules the world.
 
“in Him all things hold together” Colossians 1:17

PRAYER

“Lord, I believe that You as Jesus and Jesus as Your Son, the fully human descendant of David, crucified but risen from the dead, are currently ruling the universe. I believe. I trust your leadership this day and thereafter. In my home, in my car, when alone, when with others, when at work, in hardship or comfort, I will bend my will to your will. Amen”

More to The Story
Christmas in the Old Testament

JESUS’ BIRTH IN ISAIAH 

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel”. Isaiah 7:14(NIV)
 
There is much debate as to whether the correct translation is “virgin” or “young woman”. Actually the latter is probably more correct, yet those who translated the Hebrew Bible into in the 2nd century BC choose a Greek word that specifically means virgin. Following is a helpful note from the Life Application Bible:

"Virgin" is translated from a Hebrew word used for an unmarried woman who is old enough to be married, one who is sexually mature.  Some have compared this young woman to Isaiah's young wife and newborn son (8:1-4). This is not likely because she had a child, Shear-jashub, and her second child was not named Immanuel. Some believe that Isaiah's first wife may have died, and so this is his second wife. It is more likely that this prophecy had a double fulfillment. (1) A young woman from the house of Ahaz who was not married would marry and have a son. Before three years passed (one year for pregnancy and two for the child to be old enough to talk), the two invading kings would be destroyed. (2) Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 to show a further fulfillment of this prophecy in that a virgin named Mary conceived and bore a son, Immanuel, the Christ.

Many Old Testament prophecies have both an immediately applicable understanding applying to the time of their writing and one that points to Christ. This is one of them.

There is always the pull to remain purely objective so that one can get the facts as accurately as possible and then base one’s beliefs on what is objectively true. Those who think this way choose “young woman”. Yet, the Bible itself doesn’t allow anyone to get to perfect objectivity in a pure and perfect sense. What the Bible gives us is lots of evidence (as opposed to irrefutable truth in a scientific or historical sense).

In short, following Christ will always require belief and faith . I find it ironic that those who bet their lives on science apart from God often say to those who ask what they do with what science cannot explain say something like, “one day science will find out”, which is kind of a “science of the gaps” faith. In other words, Christians and non theistic evolutionists stand on the same ground, that of faith.

More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament

JESUS' BIRTH IN MICAH

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Micah 5:2(NIV)
 
This verse and the verses surrounding it come from the prophet Micah who lived as early as the 8th century BC. Amazing, isn’t it? How could this be? The biblical record of God’s healing a broken world contains so many ahead-of-time hints, prophecies and predictions.
 
This one is exacting beyond belief. All the Jewish leaders at the time of Jesus knew of this prophecy and expected that this is where the Messiah would come from. Even more interesting, to me at least, is that God used Caesar, the most powerful man on planet earth, as a pawn, causing him to call a census which got Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem just in time for Jesus to born there.
 
God is the Grand Weaver, who finds nothing, absolutely nothing in the all of creation, to be beyond his control or redemption. 

PRAYER

Lord, I believe. I believe that you are the Grand Weaver. I believe that right now you are working out every detail of the universe, including every detail of my little world, for good. Though I may not see it now, yet I believe. Amen.”

More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament


JESUS' BIRTH IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS

"I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel." Numbers 24:17(NIV)

Balaam, a prophet of the nation of Moab, enemies of Israel and very fearful of them, was commissioned by his king to prophesy evil over Israel. Balaam just couldn’t do it though. The Spirit of the God of Israel compelled him to prophesy good about Israel. Among the many things said in his five pro Israel oracles was the above verse. He spoke of a star and a scepter coming out of Jacob (Jacob = Israel and scepter=dominant power affirming Genesis 49:10.) He also spoke of a star.  

Could it be that this 1400 year old prophecy made it into Mesopotamian folklore, and was retold often enough that it made its way down to a few Persian astrologers who were seeking truth in its purest form? Could it be that to these “students of truth” (the wise men of the Christmas story) was revealed some kind of a light that guided them west, and along with study of the Hebrew scriptures, led them on a very, very long journey to Herod and ultimately Bethlehem? 

It seems to me that God works every angle to reach every person with knowledge of Himself and of Jesus, the one hope of the world. How have you seen God “working the angles” to reach you?
 
PRAYER 

Lord, I do not deserve your tireless pursuit of me. Yet I believe you find me worth it even when I don’t. Your Grace and Love are incomprehensible. I believe. I love you Lord. Amen”

More to The Story - Chapter 12

WHAT DOES A PERSON WHO IS ACCEPTED BY GOD LOOK LIKE?

PSALM 51

A Psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

This prayer, when sincerely prayed.....this attitude, when sincerely embraced, is what opens the floodgates of Heaven.

"Have mercy on me,
O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop,
and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me......
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

More to The Story - Chapter 12

YOUR GREATEST HEALTH RISK

"When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

Selah”    Psalm 32:3-4(NIV)

DAVID AND BATHSHEBA

When did David write these words?
 
I am certain it was after having been confronted by Nathan about his having slept with Bathsheba and then having her husband killed. At that point his sin overwhelmed him and he could no longer live with himself. 

However this has me wondering. Was his sin eating him up only after being confronted? Or is it possible that he was being destroyed from the inside out even while he thought he was getting away with adultery and murder?
 
My guess is that a believer gets away with nothing. Even before being found out, God’s Spirit is at odds with your spirit and that conflict plays itself out in physically in the body – even causing serious disease. My guess is that this is true even when the believer feels he’s “gotten away with murder”. 

Are you carrying around unconfessed sin? Is it possible that it is taking an emotional and physical toll on you even though you are feeling no guilt?
 
Have you tried Biblical healing?

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD"—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

Selah" Psalm 32:5 (NIV)

More to The Story - Chapter 11 - 1st & 2nd Samuel

YOU CAN'T BE SOMEONE ELSE

“I cannot go in these." (1 Samuel 17:39)


5 SMOOTH STONES

I have been a Christian for 32 years. I have tried to pray as the great “prayer warriors” have prayed. I have tried to preach as the great preachers have preached. I have tried to behave and talk and live as the “greats” in the Christian world. Every attempt at trying to be someone else has been a wreck. Even when it “worked”, it didn’t work because it wasn’t me.  

You and I need to be you and I, not someone else. God wants you to grow into the you that God intends, and that may look nothing like the “great” Christians you admire. 

David volunteered to take on Goliath one on one, mano e mano. Winner take all. King Saul, impressed with David’s bravado, gave David his armor to put on. It didn’t fit. It was awkward, It got in the way. It was Saul’s battle suit, not his. David was a shepherd who could handle himself against predators. David took off the armor, went to the stream, found five smooth stones, put them in his pouch, relied on what he knew, and had practiced a million times.  

Had David tried to be Saul, we would not be reading about David 3,000 years later.
 
Your children, your parents, your spouse, your church, your friends, your community, the world, need you, not someone else. God growing in and through who you were created to be is a person who is is loveable and who will be seen by someone, probably many someones, as a person in whom Christ lives and that will be a compelling life, a joyful life and an eternal life. Go to the stream and find your smooth stones.

PRAYER

"Lord, forgive me for trying be that which I am not intended to be. Lead me to become the best me, the one you chose to create before the beginning of time. Amen"

More to The Story - Chapter 11 - 1st & 2nd Samuel

THE KIND OF PERSON WHO LIKES GOD AND WILL LIKE HEAVEN

“The LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height . . . .The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

GOD JUDGES THE HEART

Legalistically “following the rules” is not the path to God, God’s Kingdom or Heaven. Trying to be good enough almost always turns a person into something bad or disappointing. The apostle Paul tried the “being good” route and he jettisoned it in favor of casting his fate on trusting and following Jesus.
 
Relying on good works leads to bad things like spiritual pride (absolutely the worst kind of Christian), or to giving up on the project of trying to make it as a Christian and then dropping out and then even disliking Christianity because of all the hypocrisy they feel they see. Or it can lead to living a double life, being one thing in church and another outside of it. Being good and trying harder is all too often a dead end street. 

King David is the one person in the entire Bible who is described as a “man after God’s own heart”. He was not good.   But he loved God. Ezekiel 36:26 applied to him. Today’s scripture is written about him. Psalm 51 describes how David, a murder and adulterer, can have a heart that loves God, receives God’s love, and will be at home with God in heaven. Please read these passages. What is in them that applies to David and all those who spend eternity with God? Can you see the forgiveness of Jesus on the cross working backwards to move David to be a “man after God’s own heart?”

PRAYER

"Lord, I want so much to just love you and love people. I have so much trouble with what this means. Loving you must be and is so different from everything 21st century America says love is. Lord, give me your heart, one that leads into a Christian faith that brings me joy and peace and confidence and leads me to deep breaths of the freedom from all of that which stands between me and You. I love you Lord.”

Pastor's Reflection - December 2, 2011

More to The Story - Chapter 12 - David

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR "THIRD WEEK OF MARCH"

When Pope John Paul died, a man named Rogers Cadenhead quickly registered the web address www.BenedictXVI.com, thinking this might be the name chosen by the new pope. When Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope, he did choose the name Pope Benedict XVI, causing some to question what the Vatican would do to get the rights to that domain name.

Cadenhead didn't ask the Vatican for money. Instead, in a humorous manner on his blog he suggested a few things he would trade for:
1. Three days, two nights at the Vatican hotel.
2. One of those hats (referring to the bishop's hat).
3. Complete absolution, no questions asked, for the third week of March 1987.

Wonder what Rogers did the third week of March in 1987? Me too, but does it really matter? Most of us have at least a week for which we'd love to have total forgiveness.

We discover in The Story that David did. One day when the army is at war, David, who is the commander of the nation's military, neglects his duties and stays behind. He sees Bathsheba, seduces her, gets her pregnant, murders her husband, and tries to cover up his actions by deceiving his general and soldiers. Then he marries Bathsheba and she bears their child.

It looks as if David will get away with all of this. But he doesn't. God sends his prophet Nathan to confront David by telling him a story about a poor man with one lamb. David knows something about sheep and shepherds, so he listens. Nathan says that the poor man has a rich neighbor who needs to slaughter a lamb to feed a guest, but instead of taking one of his many sheep he steals the poor man's one lamb.

David is incensed and says that man should be put to death. Nathan then declares, "You are the man!" At that moment David must have wished he had bought a domain name that he could swap for absolution. He may have wanted to make excuses. Explain things away. Blame it on Bathsheba for taking a bath in broad daylight where he could see. But instead of making excuses, David confesses, "I have sinned against the Lord." (2 Samuel 12:13)

And God did with David's sin what he will do with yours and mine. He put it away (Psalm 103:12-13).

You can do what David did. Whatever your "third week of March" might be, sit down with it, yourself and God. Confess your sin. And then let another shepherd from Bethlehem forgive it. That's better than any domain name you might secure.

You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 11 - David

FACING YOUR GIANTS WHEN YOU FEEL SMALL
 
Imagine the scene: a scrawny sixteen year old shepherd boy takes out a 9’9” tall giant with one rock and a sling. You may not have a gigantic giant taunting you to come out and fight. But you are probably facing a few giants of your own. Giants like the stack of past-due bills glaring at you. Like the divorce papers waiting on your signature. Or the depression that looms over you like the Hulk. It could be low self-esteem or insecurity or child abuse in your past. But you have your giants. And so do I. And we would do well to learn from David. 

He could face his “giant” because he had spent time in the quiet with God. When he arrived at the place of the standoff between the Israelites and the Philistines, he talked about God. He told Saul that “TheLORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine”
(I Samuel 17:37). He did not hesitate to confront Goliath, saying he came “in the name of the Lord of host, the God of the armies of Israel.” 

David was God-focused instead of giant-focused. He mentions Goliath two times and God nine times.He knew the giant was there and recognized his presence. But his thoughts were twice as much on God.
 
That focus led him to confront his giant rather than run away. For forty days Goliath continued to challenge Israel’s army. And for forty days everyone hoped he would just go away. But giants don’t typically go away until we face them. So David stepped into the gap and slung one well-aimed stone at him.
 
It helps to have someone in your corner that believes in you. David had his Jonathan. You need yours.You need at least one person who believes in you and that also believes in God. Someone who can encourage your faith — give you courage — when you most need it. 

And you will need it. Because after you slay one giant, there will be more. You may wonder why Davidpicked up five stones from the river bed. Was he afraid he might miss? Not likely. He was skilled in his use of the sling. 

Samuel 21:18-22 hints that Goliath may have had four brothers. David was ready. He could take onone giant. You might say knew how to get ahead of his giant. And then he was ready for more. 

And you can too. Follow the shepherd from Bethlehem


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 10 - 1 Samuel


HOW DOES GOD JUDGE?
 
“The LORD said to Samuel, 'Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.' the LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. " I Samuel 16:7(NLT)

REFLECTION

God doesn’t see things the way you and I see them. Each us succumbs to superficial judgments. We must be diligent to repent when we do and seek to avoid them whenever possible. God judges the heart. Far, far too many times I have said or thought things like, “if his heart were right, he wouldn’t act like that”. Well, how do I know? How do I know what kind of life he’s had, perhaps including tragedy, abuse, abandonment, with no one to love him. Maybe he, in all his apparent shortcomings has come light years further toward God in Christ than I, with all my advantages in life, have.

PRAYER

“Lord, please help me to see others with your eyes. Help me to be less impressed with outward things, especially when superficial, and more impressed with others’ heart toward you. Amen”


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 10 - 1 Samuel

HOW NOT TO VOTE FOR A PRESIDENT  

“Saul was the most handsome man in Israel — head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.He went out looking for his father’s donkeys”
I Samuel 9:2,3)

“Everyone asked the LORD, 'Where is our new King?' And the LORD replied, 'He is hiding among the baggage.' " (I Samuel 10:22-23)

REFLECTION

If you’re a republican, who will you vote for in the PA primary? If you use 1 Samuel 9 as your guide, you will choose the tallest, best looking male who is looking for his donkeys and is hiding among the baggage during new conferences.
 
Israel did accept these qualifications and the Lord did allow them to do so as in , ‘okay, if this is what you insist on, this is what you get.’
 
Beware of the “is ought” fallacy. Just because something is described in the Bible doesn’t mean we should do it. Choosing Saul was a misadventure we must avoid. We need God, not shallow, superficial, quick fix “heroes”.  
So what it is that God IS looking for? Check tomorrow’s email.
 
PRAYER

“Lord, as the PA primaries approach,  please provide us with insight about which candidates will best represent your will for America. Help me to discern and cast my ballot wisely. In Jesus’ name. Amen”


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 10 - 1 Samuel

THREE THINGS YOU WANT FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN  

“Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
 
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, "Here I am!" and ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down.  

And the LORD called again, "Samuel!" and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me. "But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.  

And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the young man. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears." (I Samuel 3:1-10)

Prayer

“Lord, these three things I pray; that my home may be an environment conducive to hearing your voice; that our home be an environment which creates a desire to obey you; that our home be an environment in which your presence elicits actual trust in and obedience of You. Amen"  Comment  


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 10 - 1 Samuel

THE SONG OF HANNA  

Following is the song of Hannah at the news that Samuel was to be born. It is so Messianic that Mary incorporated this song into her song at the conception and birth of Jesus. I encourage you to read it slowly and think carefully about everything 1Samuel 2. 

Hannah prayed: 
"I'm bursting with GOD-news! I'm walking on air.
 I'm laughing at my rivals. I'm dancing my salvation.
2-5 Nothing and no one is holy like GOD,
no rock mountain like our God.
 Don't dare talk pretentiously—
 not a word of boasting, ever!
 For GOD knows what's going on.
 He takes the measure of everything that happens.
 The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces,
 while the weak are infused with fresh strength.
The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts,
 while the hungry are getting second helpings.
 The barren woman has a houseful of children,
 while the mother of many is bereft.
6-10 GOD brings death and GOD brings life,
 brings down to the grave and raises up.
 GOD brings poverty and GOD brings wealth;
 he lowers, he also lifts up.
 He puts poor people on their feet again;
 he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope,
 Restoring dignity and respect to their lives—
 a place in the sun!
 For the very structures of earth are GOD 's;
 he has laid out his operations on a firm foundation.
 He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step,
 but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark.
 No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle!
 GOD 's enemies will be blasted out of the sky,
 crashed in a heap and burned.
 GOD will set things right all over the earth,
 he'll give strength to his king,
 he'll set his anointed on top of the world!”

This, however, is only the beginning of their story. As you will discover, the harvest is beginning when life is at its lowest.  


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 10 - Samuel and Saul

Giving an Undistorted View of God
 
Ever since Peter Stuyvesant visited the Palace of Versailles the world has had a distorted view of itself. Peter was the governor of New Amsterdam—later to be renamed New York City—beginning in 1647. He was visiting France to discuss colonial land agreements. While at Versailles he was awed by the Hall of Mirrors. 

Peter was determined to bring a similarly amazing showcase to his city. In 1651 he founded the Peter Stuyvesant’s House of Mirrors. He charged one Dutch gulden for admission. 

This house of mirrors eventually morphed into what we know as a Fun House of Mirrors seen at many carnivals. For a few tickets the fun begins by walking into a maze of mirrors, both convex and concave. We amuse ourselves by looking at distorted images of our figure. 

Today you don’t even have to go to the carnival for this experience. A laptop with a webcam and a silly photo feature will allow you to take a picture of yourself that you can manipulate to look odd. It’s all fun. But sometimes distorted pictures can cause trouble. It did in Israel during the time of the prophet Samuel. One of the major distortions was found at the Tabernacle, that portable place of praise for God’s people. 

It was parked at Shiloh and was meant to be a clear picture of God’s holiness and grace. A system of sacrifices had been established that foreshadowed the coming sacrifice of the Messiah. Yet anything but holiness was found there.  

Eli the priest had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who dishonored God in their treatment of the sacrifices and also engaged in immoral sexual activity with women at the Tabernacle (I Samuel 2:16, 22) Because the picture of God they were giving was distorted, these two were killed in battle against the Philistines. When news of their death reached Eli, he fell over in his chair, broke his neck, and also died. 

Just like Eli and his sons we are representatives of God. We represent Jesus to others. You may have heard it said that you may be the only Bible those around you will ever ‘read.’ The question is, “Are you giving a clear or distorted picture of the One True God?”

Prayer

“Lord, I have learned from reading The Story that no human being can ever give a perfectly clear picture of God. Yet I have also learned that, “man looks at the outward appearance, but You look at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). Lord, help me to monitor my attitudes and words this day. Amen”  

You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 9 - Ruth

WHY ARE RAHAB AND RUTH IN THE STORY?
 
"Naomi (told Ruth), "Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today."   Ruth 3:18(NIV)

“So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife.  . . . and she gave birth to a son. The women living there said, 'Naomi has a (grand)son.' And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.  This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed,
Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David." Ruth 4:13-22

“Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father,. . . of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." Matthew 1:6-16  


REFLECTION

Naomi told Ruth to wait. She did and true to her hope, Boaz did not fail her. Boaz and Ruth married. They became parents and Naomi and a grandmother. God used this mixed family with a faithful foreigner to continue the family line into which Jesus was born.
 
Did you notice Rahab of Jericho in Matthew’s genealogy? What a mix. Israelites, foreigners, sinners and saints. Maybe God actually does use little people like us in ways that are beyond our comprehension.

Prayer

“Lord, thank you for Ruth’s story, which is actually, once again, Your story, the story of You, the One who redeems the unredeemable . . . . . people like me . . . .and of all things, you use me in the process of redeeming others. You are beyond amazing. Amen.”  

You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 9 - Ruth

BOAZ THE "KINSMAN REDEEMER"
 
"The LORD bless him!" Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. "He (Boaz) has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead." She added, "That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers." Ruth 2:20(NIV)

REFLECTION

In a tribal culture like Israel, family members were expected to take care of relatives. The next of kin, a male, played an especially important role in Israel, that of “kinsman-redeemer”. He could be called upon to fulfill three specific duties: 
1. To redeem property and or relatives. In Israel all property was a family possession, an inheritance that dated back to the time of Joshua. If land or a relative was sold to pay off debt, it was the kinsman-redeemer’s job to pay off the debt, thereby redeeming the land or relative (Lev. 25:24-30, 47-55, Jer. 32:6-15)2.

2. To provide an heir through marriage. If a man died without an heir, it was the surviving brother’s duty to marry the widow and provide an heir to carry on his inheritance. (Deut. 25:5-10)3.

3. To avenge the unlawful death of a family member.  

Boaz sought to fulfill this role for Ruth, not because he had to (another man was first in line) but out of love, because he wanted to. He felt it a privilege to marry Ruth.
 
Since the time of Jesus, Christians have seen Jesus foreshadowed in the Kinsman-Redeemer, Boaz. Can you see the parallels?

Prayer

“Lord, thank you for “buying me back” from the world of shattered dreams, false starts and bad endings. As wonderful a man as Boaz was, as much as he gave to Ruth and Naomi, his generosity pales in comparison to Yours. Lord I am grateful to You. Thank You.   Amen”


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 9 - Ruth


"AS IT TURNED OUT"

"So, (at the insistence of Naomi, Ruth) went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech." (Naomi’s clan)   Ruth 2:3

REFLECTION

Coincidences are far underrated. “It’s just a coincidence” we say.

Naomi and Ruth returned to Israel and they needed food. Because Jewish law provided for foreigners to be able glean left over crops, Ruth went out to the field to gather some grain. It just so happened that the field belonged to Boaz, a male relative of Naomi.

We have seen that Naomi’s and Ruth’s shattered dream of family had introduced Ruth to the God of Israel and had brought them into a deep and unparalleled friendship. Now hope was beginning to introduce itself as well.

Often the greatest gifts of God can only be seen, perhaps even only received in the midst of pain.


Prayer

“Lord, throughout scripture you reveal to us that help comes from very different directions. Thank you Lord, that you are working on my behalf even when I am most blinded to it.   Amen”  


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to the Story - Chapter 9 - Ruth


WHEN DREAMS ARE SHATTERED
 
"Ruth insisted to her mother-in-law, Naomi, 'Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.' " Ruth 1:16-17

"Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.  I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me." Ruth 1:20-12

REFLECTION

During a famine during the reign of Gideon Naomi and her husband left Israel and settled in Moab, enemy territory. There they had two sons who married and life was good. However, Naomi’s husband and two sons died and she returned to Israel with one of her daughters-in-law, Ruth.

Notice in the passages above how each handles their pain.

This, however, is only the beginning of their story. As you will discover, the harvest is beginning when life is at its lowest.

How would you describe your reactions when you were in the midst of a shattered dream?

Prayer

“Lord, Jesus told us clearly that ‘the rain falls on the just and the unjust and the sun shines on the evil and the good.’ Help me to be incredibly grateful for the good moments you give and to be persistently hopeful in the bad. In the name of Jesus, our Redeemer.  Amen”


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 9 - Ruth


YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO BE ACCEPTED

Anyone with college-aged kids knows the inundating routine that is college applications. Visit campuses. Choose a few schools to focus on. Make applications. Fill out forms. Write essays.
 
For anyone who hasn’t “been there, done that,” the filing of the application and financial aid forms is nothing compared to the waiting. It’s like the first time you look at your girlfriend or boyfriend and say, ‘I love you.” You’ve made the first move. And then you wait. You wait to see if they respond in turn. 

For the college applicant, the end of the waiting is signaled with a letter in the mailbox – hopefully saying “You have been accepted.”
 
We all have a desire to be accepted, don’t we? In fact, that desire made it into Maslow’s well-known hierarchy of needs. He theorized that acceptance is basic to our nature and to our psychological health. 

Ruth had the same need as we do. She was a Moabite living in Bethlehem who we meet in The Story. She ended up there with her mother-in-law Naomi when her husband died. And she found herself picking up the leftovers after the harvest in a field owned by Boaz. 

Boaz discovered she was an outsider—a Moabite—the same people who would oppress his nation for eighteen years. You’d expect fireworks when they met. Instead, Boaz tells Ruth, “May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
 
His acceptance of Ruth goes a step further. Ruth finds him asleep on the threshing floor and lies down at his feet. When he awakens, Ruth asks him to “spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a family guardian.” The word for “garment” is the same Hebrew word for “wings” in the blessing Boaz had pronounced over Ruth. God’s acceptance came to Ruth through Boaz.
 
Your acceptance did too. You see, Boaz and Ruth had a son named Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David. In Matthew’s genealogy the lineage of Jesus is traced through David. Boaz is there too along with his mother Rahab (Matt. 1:5). Yes, that Rahab. The prostitute that lived in Canaan and sheltered the two spies Joshua sent into the land.

More to The Story - Chapter 8 - Judges


GIDEON 

“Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites” Judges 6:1(NIV)

“One time when the People of Israel had cried out to GOD because of Midian, GOD sent them a prophet with this message: "GOD, the God of Israel, says, I delivered you from Egypt, I freed you from a life of slavery; I rescued you from Egypt's brutality and then from every oppressor; I pushed them out of your way and gave you their land. And I said to you, 'I am GOD, your God. Don't for a minute be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living.' But you didn't listen to me."
"Then an Angel of the Lord Appeared to Gideon who was hiding in a wine press. “the Lord is with you mighty warrior!” Judges 6:7-12

REFLECTION

While Gideon is hiding in a wine press from the Midianite raiders, the angel appeared to him and called him a “mighty warrior”.
 
Yet Gideon is far from being a mighty warrior for the Lord. He and his family worship Baal. He has paralyzing fears, even on the eve of his battle. In the face of God’s clear direction, he sputters, demands repeated signs, uses delaying tactics and worships at night to avoid detection. And finally, after success against his enemy, he leads his people back into idol worship. And THIS is a hero of the Bible? 

It seems to me that the bigger lesson is that God works with what he’s got, including you and me. Do you sometimes wonder if your sin is too great for God to forgive and use you? 

Prayer

“Lord, thank you for the reminder that you see in me what I can become, not what I am. Lord, I give myself to you as raw material for you to use for your purposes, knowing I am no better, and probably a lot less to work with than Gideon.”

More to The Story - Chapter 8 - Judges


DO YOU FIND THIS PATTERN FAMILIAR?

"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals."   Judges 2:10-11
 
"In his anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist." Judges 2:14

"Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders." Judges 2:16

Prayer

“Lord, the cycle of Judges makes me think of the cycles of my own life. I experience spiritual renewal and then fade. However, I thank you so much for your Word, the Church, and godly friends and family who come into my life, just at the right time to put me back on track with you.” Amen”

More to The Story - Chapter 8 - Judges

A GOD OF LOVE BRINGING JUDGMENT ON THOUSANDS? Part 2

"Behold then the kindness and severity of God"   Romans 11:22 


Reflection

The following is a second quote (see yesterday’s reflection for more) from the writings of Yale theologian Miroslav Volf. I hope it helps your thinking about God as it did me.
 
“My thesis is that the practice of non violence requires a belief in divine vengeance. My thesis will be unpopular with many in the West. But imagine speaking to people (as I have) whose cities and villages have been first plundered, then burned, and leveled to the ground, whose daughters and sisters have been raped, whose fathers and brothers have had their throats slit. Your point to them ---- we should not retaliate??? Why not? I say – the only means of prohibiting violence by us is to insist that violence is only legitimate when comes from God . . .Violence thrives today, secretly nourished by the belief that God refuses to take the sword . . it takes the quiet of a suburb for the birth of the thesis that human nonviolence is a result of a God who refuses to judge." (Italics mine)“ 

In a scorched land -- soaked in the blood of the innocent, this idea will invariably die, like other pleasant captivities of the liberal mind . . . if God were NOT angry at injustice and deception and did NOT make a final end of violence, that God would not be worthy of our worship”. (See his book “Exlusion and Embrace”)

This next quote comes from theologian H Richard Niebuhr in 1934 as his critique of the liberal, social gospel of his day;

“A God without wrath brought men without sin into a Kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a Cross.”

Prayer

“Lord, once again I am reminded of the cross. You experienced the worst of human violence, exposing its horror. I deserve this, not you. Forgive me Lord. Amen”

More to The Story - Chapter 8 - Judges

HOW CAN A GOD WHO IS LOVE ORDER THE DESTRUCTION OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE?

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?"   JUDGES 1:1(NIV)

Reflection

The following is quoted from the writing of Yale theologian Miroslav Volf. I hope it helps your thinking about God as it did me.

“I used to think that wrath was unworthy of God. Isn’t God love? Shouldn’t divine love be beyond wrath. God is love, and God loves every person and very creature. That’s exactly why God is wrathful against some of them. My last resistance to the idea of God’s wrath was a casualty of the war in the in the former Yugoslavia, the region from which I come. According to some estimates 200,000 people were killed and over 3,000,000 were displaced. My village and cities were destroyed, my people shelled day in and day out, some of them brutalized beyond imagination, and I could not imagine God not being angry. Or think of Rwanda in the last decade of the past century, where 800,000 people were hacked to death in one hundred days! How did God react to the carnage? Doting on the perpetrators in a grandfatherly fashion by refusing to condemn the bloodbath but instead affirming the perpetrators’ basic goodness? Wasn’t God fiercely angry with them? Though I used to complain about the indecency of the idea of God’s wrath, I came to think that I would have to rebel against a God who wasn’t wrathful at the sight of the world of evil. God isn’t wrathful in spite of being love. God is wrathful because God is love."    

Prayer
 
“Lord, thank you for the reminder that anger and love are not necessarily opposites, rather two aspects of the same passion to see others experience the best life possible. Help me Lord to recognize that Your love is not beyond wrath. Amen”

More to the Story - Chapter 8

WHEN YOUR MISTAKES LAND YOU BEFORE A JUDGE

Have you ever had to own up for something you did wrong? Maybe you remember sneaking out to see an R-rated movie and then confessing the truth to your seething parents after you crept in the house past curfew. Or maybe, more recently, you lied to your boss and had to face the consequences once you were found out.  

We have all had to come face-to-face with an authority and own up to what we’ve done wrong. Palms sweat, stomach twists and turns. It can feel like you’re going before the judge in a court martial. 

Judges elicit a sense of fear, don’t they? They never call you in for something you have done right. We think of them as someone who harshly tells us what we did wrong. And they seem to be everywhere these days on television. There’s Judge Judy and Hatchett.  Mathis and Christina.  Judge Brown.  

Then there are some judges you may not know. They even have a book in the Bible with their name on it. Judges. These judges appeared on the scene to help sort out right and wrong. They also helped people get out of trouble. 

God’s people kept putting themselves into a never ending cycle of disobedience, discipline, declaration of wrong, and deliverance. Judges like Deborah and Gideon and Samson helped them find their way back to God.  

What did the people do that was so bad they needed judges? Two things. First, they failed to put God first in their lives   (JUDGES 1:28). And secondly, they did not teach their children to know God (JUDGES 2:10). These two “sins” led to their downfall and ruin.  

Are you making the same mistakes they made? If so, you have a judge that can help you––Jesus. The good news is that when he “calls” you into his office after you’ve messed up, you will look up to see your judge’s face and see your savior there. 

Prayer

“Lord, as I read the Story this week, help me to see your message for me in the stories of these men and women who were far, far from perfect, yet allowed themselves to say yes to you and therefore were people who lived lives of consequence. Amen”  


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to the Story - Chapter 7


"AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE"

“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." 
Joshua 24:14-15(NIV)
 
REFLECTION

The excerpt is from the Life Application Bible notes: I hope it helps.
   
“In taking a definite stand for the Lord, Joshua again displayed his spiritual leadership. Regardless of what others decided, because Joshua had made a commitment to God, he was determined to set an example of living by that decision."

“The way we live shows others the strength of our commitment to serving God. The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven his trustworthiness, or obey the local gods, which were only hand-made idols. It's easy to slip into a quiet rebellion—going about life in your own way. But the time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you. The choice is yours. Will it be God, your own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? Once you have chosen to be controlled by God's Spirit, reaffirm your choice every day."

Prayer

“Lord, all around me are people, teachings, temptations, distractions, which draw me away from you into coveting, even worshiping other things, other gods. Lord help me with the focus and discipline I need to stay in your Word, to say yes to the things which honor You and no what dishonors you."


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to The Story - Chapter 7


DID GOD COMMAND GENOCIDE?

Jericho
“They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it -- men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys." Joshua 6:20-21(NIV)

Southern Canaan
"Joshua subdued the whole region . . . He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded." Joshua 10:40-42(NIV)

HOW TO READ THE BIBLE FOR UNDERSTANDING

The Bible is not easy to understand. Try to remember that the Bible means what the author of a particular section of it intends it to mean. Attempt to put yourself in the shoes of the original readers, understanding what they would have understood. A good study Bible will help with this.

For example conservative scholars, who believe the entire Bible to be God’s Words to us, teach us how to read the above passage as it was intended to be read and heard. The writing reflects conventional Near Eastern hyperbolic (as in the eagles “slaughtered” the Cowboys) warfare rhetoric used also by the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians and Hittites. So, when you read the rest of Deuteronomy, Joshua and Judges you will discover that (even according to Joshua himself) there were many survivors. Terms of peace were typically offered, and the Canaanites were supposed to have been driven out little by little, while women and children were protected. Indeed the word “city” may refer to military outposts and the word for thousand can also refer to a (much smaller) “unit of people”

YET, God did initiate the destruction of people groups as a judgment on them. And the Israelites themselves were not exempt. I am therefore forced to ask myself as a middle class Christian American, “Am I any less deserving of God’s judgment. Am I complicit and therefore culpable in the sins of 21st century American culture." My answer is yes. Could America (and me with it) find itself experiencing God’s harshest judgment? What’s your answer?

For further study read;

God Behaving Badly, David T Lamb, IVP Books 2011 (the simpler of the two)

Is God a Moral Monster? (Making sense of the Old Testament God), Paul Copan, Baker Books 2011 (this is the more thorough of the two)

Prayer

“Lord, thank for the men and women who continually persist until we can all read your Word as it was written with the intent with which it is written. Help me also to be a hungry student of your Word as well. Amen”


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to the Story - Chapter 7

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” Joshua 1:8(NIV)

REFLECTION  

I spent much of this weekend with a man who has been reading the Bible with more depth and insight than I have seen in a very long time. His antennae were “up”, meaning that he was discovering passage after passage which applied directly to his life. He would then quote many of those verses from memory, not because he tried to memorize them, but because they were so pertinent to his life. He also recalled the reference.  

This wasn’t just incredibly impressive to me, it also reminded me not only how relevant God’s Word is, but also how important it is. Each of us can get off track so very easily. Yet we have the written record of men and women who have trusted (and mistrusted!) God with their finances, calling, relationships, attitude, words, future and so much more.  

God’s words to Joshua are as timely for you and me today as they were for Joshua 3,400 years ago.

Prayer

“Lord, I do want to get back into Your Word in a deeper, more attentive, reflective and life altering way. Thank you for the gift of the written Word. Please, Lord, direct me to practices that will bring Your Word alive in new ways. . . . beginning today. Amen”


You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to the Story - Chapter 7


IT TAKES COURAGE TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

After the death of Moses  . . . the LORD said to Joshua  . . "Moses my servant is dead. Now then . . .  get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land . . . No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.  
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."Joshua 1:1-9(NIV)

REFLECTION
 
Did you notice that God repeated “strong and courageous” three times? Why is that? It is because Joshua was being asked by God to do something very difficult.
 
General MacArthur, commander of the American Forces in the Pacific in WW2, called Joshua the greatest military leader who ever lived.
 
Yet even he, Joshua,  needed encouragement. He needed cheered on. He had fear. He needed to know that the Lord was with Him.
 
Jesus’ last words for us are encouraging. “I will be with you always”. 

The only thing more dangerous than following God’s call is not following it. The former usually looks frightening. The latter looks safer and easier. Do you remember the previous generation who died going in circles? They were safe but they died going in circles. What is God calling you to? 

Prayer

“Lord, I have fears that prevent me from following you into the “promised land”. Thank you for reminding me that when I go, you are with me. With you help, Lord, I will go. Amen”

You can follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter @jefflampl

More to the Story, Chapter 7

FACE YOUR BATTLES WITH STRENGTH AND COURAGE

When someone keeps telling you to “be strong and courageous,” you might suspect you are up against something big. And the Israelites were. 

About to enter the land that had been promised them 600 years before, they had a giant-sized task awaiting them. Literally. Forty years earlier ten spies had come back and told the Israelites that the inhabitants of the land were so big they felt like they were the size of a grasshopper in comparison. Fear took them captive without a battle and sent them off as a group to wander around in a wilderness where they took their chances against wild animals rather than face their giants. 

They wandered so long that those who had grasshopper-sized faith died out. Forty years later their children were ready to take the land. They were physically no taller than their parents had been. The enemies in the land were no smaller than before. But the Israelites’ faith muscles had grown.
There were two spies who had reported the land was theirs for the taking. One of them, Joshua, is now the Israelites’ leader. He was courageous. And God wanted to keep him that way. So God tells him three times in the first nine verses of the first chapter of Joshua: “Be strong and courageous.” He also remind him “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

My guess is you have a few giants in your life too. Some uphill battles that appear insurmountable. A task demanding more than you think you have to give. One too many things on your “to do” list than you have the time or energy to do. Unemployment is staring you down. Depression has a grip on you. Bills have raided your bank account and left it empty. An illness hovers in your life like a threatening storm. You’d rather just run and wander. 

Instead, be strong and courageous. You have a Joshua that will lead the way. The New Testament equivalent of the name “Joshua” is “Jesus.” And he has promised to be with you always  (Matthew 28:20).

Jesus knows how to lead you through battles. He had a few of his own while he was on this earth. Enemies attacking him with accusations Mark 3:22). No home and no bed (Luke 9:58). Crowds and expectations pressing in on him Luke 8:45). The religious establishment eventually insuring he was sentenced to a brutal death. (Mark 15:14). 

Yet he took on the most barbaric giant there is, death, and lived to tell about it. He can help you do the same. You need only be strong and courageous in your faith. 

Prayer

“Lord today I will face my fears directly . . . with courage and strength . . . with your help. Amen”

To follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter use "jefflampl"

More to the Story, Chapter 6

A GREAT LEGACY IS NOT A PERFECT LEGACY

“Moses went up to Mount Nebo and the Lord said  . . "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have now allowed you to see it with your own eyes, but you will not enter the land.”
 
So Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab. . . Moses was 120years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. The people of Israel mourned for Moses on the plains of Moab for thirty days, until the customary period of mourning was over.

Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the LORD had commanded Moses”    Deuteronomy 34:1-2 (NLT)

Last week the Martin Luther King memorial was erected in our nation’s capital. The nation is a better place because of the legacy he has left. The same can be said of Lincoln and Jefferson, Washington and so many others who have been memorialized.

Like Moses these men were men, not gods. None was perfect. Nor is the legacy of any of them perfect. There is negative as well as positive fallout from the lives of the best of us.

Yet , there is one legacy that stands above all others. When one life leaves behind another life which follows God, that is a life which has been well lived. What is the verse for which Joshua is so famous? “As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord” (Joshua 24:15)

Prayer

“Lord, help me to see, imagine, plan for, want, hope for, make myself available to someone that you want me to influence for you. Lord, I want the Moses Legacy, one person who will have come to know you because of this brief life you have given me. Amen”


To follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter use "jefflampl"

More to the Story, Chapter 6

BUT I CAN'T

"Caleb . . . stood before Moses. “Let’s take the land,” he said. “We can conquer it!”  But the others said . . “We can’t. . .the inhabitants are too strong . . . We even saw giants there, all the people we saw were huge. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers in their sight ”     Numbers 13:30-33

Sometimes it is impossible to see how something good can arise from the facts before you. Israel had come to the edge of the Promised Land. God told them to enter, do battle and win. But the facts on the ground told them it was impossible. Caleb and Joshua said, “we can”. The other 10 spies said “we can’t.”  

Outvoted, the Hebrew nation wandered in the Sinai for 40 years. An entire generation died without experiencing God’s promise. Why? They didn’t trust God and therefore they didn’t obey God.  

And it cost their entire families. Because  the parents didn’t trust God the children lost out.  

Prayer
 
“Lord, I now realize that my choices about following or not following you affect more people than just me. Help me today to obey you, follow you, respond to your gentle nudges, regardless of the inadequacy I feel. I know now that others are relying on my response to you. Amen”

To follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter use "jefflampl"

More to the Story, Chapter 6

WANDERING

“The Israelites stood around their tents complaining. Moses heard them and was upset that they had made the LORD angry.  He prayed:

“I am your servant, LORD, so why are you doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this? You've made me responsible for all these people, but they're not my children. You told me to nurse them along and to carry them to the land you promised their ancestors. They keep whining for meat, but where can I get meat for them? This job is too much for me. How can I take care of all these people by myself? If this is the way you're going to treat me, just kill me now and end my miserable life!" Numbers 11:10-15(CEV)

What are the differences and similarities between the people Moses is leading, Moses himself as expressed in his prayer and the cowboys at this link?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8  

What is your attitude?

Prayer 

"Lord, today, regardless of my challenges, I will be grateful that you have entrusted me with responsibility and I will exercise it with gratitude, energy and purpose. In Christ’s Name. Amen”

To follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter use "jefflampl"

More to the Story, Chapter 6

WHEN TO GO, WHEN TO STAY

"Whenever the cloud moved from the tent, the people would break camp and follow; then they would set up camp and stay there, until it moved again. when it moved, they moved." Exodus 40:35-37

Some say that timing is everything.

But how do you know when the right time for anything is? God made it simple, visible and easy for the Israelites. If the cloud leaves, you leave. If the cloud stays, you stay. God gave them a GPS. When the cloud stopped it would “say”, “You have reached your “short term” destination."

God has given you a GPS. It is the Holy Spirit in residence within you. This GPS, He, The Holy Spirit, has one ultimate destination and many, many short term destinations for you.

The way to know its leading is by discerning the short term destination within its long term destination. In the long run God’s GPS is directing you toward His Kingdom. That trajectory always feels right. Other trajectories leave you with a sense of emptiness, disillusionment, disappointment, lack of fulfillment and transitory-ness.

When I go home, regardless of the day’s job, if I pay attention, I can know which trajectory my short term destinations that day were on.

Prayer

“Lord, today help me stop when I sense the “cloud” has stopped and to go when I sense the “cloud” is going. I want to follow you, not me. Amen”


To follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter use "jefflampl"

More to the Story, Chapter 6

DECISIONS YOU MAKE AFFECT THOSE TRAVELING WITH YOU

Every parent has been there. The trip ahead is long. The travel schedule is tight. You hit the road with a full tank, confident the plan you have crafted beats anything AAA could muster. But twenty minutes down the highway you hear a small, squeaky voice from the backseat. The artillery begins to bombard you. The questions.

Some you expected. Are we there yet? How much longer? Can we get something to eat?


The next barrage is unexpected. Who was the first person to decide to squeeze those things on a cow and drink whatever came out? Why does our dog get mad at us when we blow in his face but when we take him on a car ride he sticks his head out of the window?

Every parent has been there. Questions from the backseat. You come to expect them. Every journey to a destination includes them. The same is true for the journey of faith.

Just like kids on a trip we get tired of the journey. We want to know when we can stop. We get tired of serving. We get tired of waiting. We get tired of the people we’re traveling with.  

And we grumble. The Israelites did. They complained about the food, about the place they were traveling, and about their ‘driver’ Moses.

Grumbling does not set well with God. In fact, our grumbling can lead to our wandering. When offered the chance to leave Kadesh and enter the Promised Land, the Israelites listened to the fear-filled report from ten spies instead of the faith-full report of Joshua and Caleb.

Kadesh means “Spring of Decision” and it was time for one. They were in the right place to make the right decision. But the majority made the wrong one. The people wished they had died in the desert. So God told them they would get their wish. They would wander until the unbelieving generation died out.
 
And they did. They wandered in the Wilderness for forty years. And their children were impacted by their decisions. The decisions you make affect those around you, just like the decisions the Israelites made at Kadesh. You can decide to grumble or be thankful. You can decide to turn away from God or turn toward God. You can decide to wander without purpose through life or follow God’s vision for your life.  

Just don’t forget that those in the backseat will be affected by your decisions.

To follow Pastor Jeff on Twitter use "jefflampl"

THE STORY, Chapter 5
Exodus 19-20; 24-25; 32-34; 40
New Commands and a New Covenant

The Temple - A Place for God to Dwell
 
“the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle." Exodus 40:34-35(NLT)

Reflection
 
In Genesis 2 God dwelt on earth among people in Eden. Thereafter , however,  human beings, having chosen to separate themselves from submission to God’s love and provision, became untethered to their Master. I was once taught that “as the glory of a kite is to be tethered to the one flying it, so the glory of a human is to be tethered to his or her Master. It is the tethering that causes us ‘to fly’”.

In Exodus God told Moses to build a locale, a tabernacle (a special tent), in which His presence would dwell. It was placed in the center of the immense Hebrew community. It was a visible reminder of the necessity of their being “tethered” to God. As long as it was God among them who led, they would flourish.

In the New Testament, the locale of God, the place of his residence, is each believer. The body of of believer in Jesus Christ is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

In what ways are you conscious of being “tethered” to the leading of the Holy Spirit? Do you respond to the Spirit’s tugs and pulls?

Prayer

“Lord, this day I will be attentive to your "tugs and pulls". Rather than busily pursuing my tasks, I will slow down a bit, listen more, sense your leading and as I do, Lord, help me to follow your lead at each moment, not mine. In the name of Jesus, Amen."

THE STORY, Chapter 5
Exodus 19-20; 24-25; 32-34; 40
New Commands and a New Covenant

Adultery on the Honeymoon

“When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. 'Come on,' they said, 'make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.'All the people took the gold rings from their ears  . . .melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, 'O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!' ”Exodus 32:1-4(NLT)

Reflection
 
Imagine getting married and while on your Honeymoon you find your spouse in bed with one of the Hotel employees. How would you feel? Would it hurt? Would it make you angry? Jealous? Feel betrayed? Would it be grounds for divorce?

Immediately after the (“wedding”) covenant “ceremony” at Sinai, the people broke the first commandment, the most fundamental of all of them. They went after another lover.

God’s anger “burned” against his people. Perhaps this way of reading the events of Exodus 20 and 32 help us to understand the intensity of God’s love. It is a fiercely committed love which expects reciprocation.

Prayer

“Lord, one of my favorite hymns is 'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing' in which we sing the line 'prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the one I love.' I confess, Lord, that that's me. Forgive me Lord, and give me strength to stay true to you daily. Amen"

THE STORY, Chapter 5
Exodus 19-20; 24-25; 32-34; 40
New Commands and a New Covenant


The Next 6 Commandments Teach Us How to Love Others 

5. "Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land
the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12
6. "You must not murder." Exodus 20:13
7. "You must not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14
8. "You must not steal" Exodus 20:15
9. "You must not testify falsely against your neighbor." Exodus 20:16
10."You must not covet your neighbor's house. You must not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17

Reflection 

Each of these commandments is huge. #5 is daily training which prepares us to obey the first commandment. Jesus gives us the depth of numbers 6 and 7 in Matthew 5:20-30. All six are practical ways to love and honor others. When asked, Jesus summarized all the commands of the Bible with these words: “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Prayer

“Lord, please open the eyes of my heart so that I can see your boundless love for me, a love that penetrates my heart such that it gives me the capacity that only you can give so that I can love you back. And Lord help me love others today as well. In Christ's name. Amen"

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

THE STORY, Chapter 5
Exodus 19-20; 24-25; 32-34; 40
New Commands and a New Covenant
The First Four Commandments Teach Us How to Love God
 
1. “You must not have any other god but me." Exodus 20:3
2. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea." Exodus 20:4
3. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name." Exodus 20:7
4. “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Exodus 20:8    

Reflection 

The first 4 commandments can be summed by Jesus’ statement “the most important commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind and strength” (Matt. 22)

In the Bible the words love, believe, trust, obey are different ways to view the same thing. If you think you have one of them without the others, then you don’t have the one. They’re a package deal.   Loving God means never to use God or Jesus or Christ in a profane way, nor to swear by him, nor talk of Him in any way that diminishes His Holiness.

The most important of the four is the first. What other gods do you rely on for your “salvation?”. Identify them, apologize to God and reassert to him the first lines of the Lord’s Prayer. Then ask his help in living it.

Prayer

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . . . Amen”

THE STORY, Chapter 5
Exodus 19-20; 24-25; 32-34, 40
New Commands and a New Covenant  

God's Covenant with Believers

"You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth." Exodus 19:4-5(NLT)

Reflection

Before issuing the 10 commandments in Exodus 20, God set the conditions of his Covenant with His people. His part was to rescue them and their part was to obey. It was like a wedding ceremony. God committed Himself to the Hebrews and the Hebrews were to reciprocate.

Can you see how obedience is more like keeping one's wedding vows than obeying the law? It's not about law, crime and punishment, rather it's about faithfulness to the one who loves you and is committed to you.
It's like seeking to honor your spouse. Do you do it because you have to or because you want to?

Prayer

“Lord,  thank you for your love and forgiveness and grace and faithfulness even when I keep my end of the vows so poorly. Thank you for loving me. Help me love you back. Amen"

THE STORY, Chapter 4
Exodus 1-7, 10-14
Deliverance

These Ten Commandments (the first four are vertical -- they honor God -- the next six concern love of others) give us the fundamental structure of how to live well. They are not a bunch of joy killing don'ts, rather they represent the protection of a loving Father for his children. They also imply provision. God provides what we need when we restrict our appetites in favor of God's provision. Protection and Provision of our gracious God and Father.

2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:2-17 (NIV)


Prayer

“Lord, I accept the 10 commandments as a pathway, not to sinlessness, but to life. They protect me from evil and they lead me to life within the confines of life as you built it to be experienced. Amen."

THE STORY, Chapter 4
Exodus 1-7, 10-14
Deliverance

You are a Minister of Jesus Christ

"I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Exodus 19:4-6(NIV)

"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10(NIV)

You are a Minister of Jesus Christ

God promised to make every man, woman and child of Israel a priest, a minister, a connector of God and people. But that promise was contingent on their obedience. They did not obey and therefore did not live out the promise.  

However, in the New Testament all those who trust in Jesus are declared the very same “kingdom of Priests” which God had proclaimed for the Israelites at Sinai. How?  Through the obedience of Jesus.  

This is not optional. If you are a follower of Jesus and are therefore “saved” your are automatically enrolled with God as a minister of Jesus Christ. Christians serve. There is no such thing as a Christian who is not on active duty in God’s “Salvation army”. Remember God’s job description of all in Abraham’s family tree (including all who are adopted into that family tree through Jesus)? That job description, life purpose was and is “Blessed to be a blessing”.   

Prayer

“Lord, lead me this day to someone whom you want me to bless and serve. Thank you, Lord. Amen."

THE STORY, Chapter 3
Exodus 1-7, 10-14
Deliverance

The Passover

"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn -- both men and animals -- and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt." Exodus 12:12-13(NIV)

"Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us." I Corinthians 5:7

The Only Way to Heaven is . . . .

Jesus’ death on the cross, the sacrifice of His life as a substitute for our death, the blood of Jesus “over the doorpost of my soul”.

Yahweh brought 10 plagues on Egypt convincing Pharaoh to allow Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery. The 10th plague was the death of the firstborn of all families except for those families who had put the blood of an innocent, first born, perfect, sacrificial lamb on the doorframe their house. The Angel of death “passed over” those houses and they were thereby saved. In the New Testament Jesus is the “lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

There is no other way to be freed from your sin. There is no other provision of God to enable your entrance into heaven. Without Jesus we die in our sin. When I meet God face to face one day and if he were to ask me “why should I let you into heaven” I have only one answer. “because of what Your Son Jesus did for me on the cross 2,000 years ago, (as foreshadowed by Passover)

Prayer

“Lord, I recognize that your death on the cross 2,000 years ago opened the gates of heaven to every person who ever lived. I also recognized that only those who trust, receive, follow, believe and enter your love are those who actually enter heaven. Lord, I choose to be among the latter by following you today. Amen."