Called by His Name

Jud 11-13

Psa 140-141

Pro 10

Eze 7

Acts 15

I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD! O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle (Psalm 140:6-7).

Today is 10-10-10. Over the last 40 days, my church put forth great effort to reach people who need the Lord. Two outreach projects per week-end planned by various leaders in the church ministered to the needs of our city in different ways. Our senior pastor put together a DVD series for the lifegroups that included three evangelical messages to be shared with friends, neighbors, relatives, and co-workers in need of the gospel. Life groups support people within the church and spread the gospel to others by creating a place of sanctuary within the home, an inviting small group environment where believers can be edified and the lost can be saved. Hundreds of salvations were seen within the life groups and through the outreach projects, and last week-end, many of those were water baptized to proclaim their rebirth in Christ. It’s exciting to be part of a church that works so hard to bring people into relationship with Jesus. The forty days of harvest celebrate the great commission, but the effort is year-round. Other evangelical and edification DVD series are offered throughout the year, and leadership training sessions are held to facilitate the expansion of life groups. Every Sunday evening, a Bible Study class is available where a meal is served, and praise and fellowship occur before a brief message that reveals our need for the Lord, teaches a lesson from the Word, and shows how to apply the Word to everyday life. The classes, a continually rotating 10 week series, are available to anyone who shows up at the door. It’s a huge endeavor, and having particpated in the class or assisted with registration at two different campuses over the last year, I see people arrive eager to receive from the Lord and know each session is an opportunity for someone to receive ministry on a personal level. Back in September, I was moved to post a blog entry based on my daily reading instead of using twitter to share the Word. Previously, that was something I did on Saturday mornings, preferably when my daughter was away at the grandparents. I enjoyed the writing so much, my zealous streak kicked in with the thought to keep it up for 40 days. I can see in my blog stats that the site is not well trafficked, but I fully believe the scripture included and the word of my testimony will be found by who can benefit from it at the time it is needed. As an outreach, it doesn’t compare to individually sharing the love of Jesus, but I receive much from reading, so I am confident others will, too. If nothing else, my spirit has been built, my relationship with the Lord has grown, and I’m hopeful that a lesson both in committment and in sharing my love for Jesus will spill over to a ministry that is more interpersonal. Today’s readings remind me evangelism is a battle, and that I must be ever careful to put seeking the Lord before a zealous streak.

In Judges, Jephthah the Gileadite, mighty warrior and son of a prostitute, is asked by his brothers to fight against the Ammonites with them. He first attempts to reason with the Ammonite king, but at their refusal to listen, he leads his people to victory in twenty cities. Before the victory, he promises the Lord, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31). Upon his return, his daughter, his only child, bounds out the door with tambourines and dances. She knows he will have to uphold his vow, and only requests some time of mourning in the mountains with her companions. Lord, I know my child, the life group member you’ve entrusted to my care, is a gift from you. I thank you that you minister to her needs. She is so sweet and full of love. Holy Spirit, remind me when a zealous streak takes its own course that my primary service to you is to love her, protect her, discipline her, and build her into a vessel for you such that her work in your kingdom brings you great glory.

The apostles heated discussion on whether or not circumcision should be required for Gentiles foreshadows the obstacles and setbacks we experience starting out in any ministry effort. Peter said to those promoting the law, “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will” (Acts 15:10-11). Holy Spirit, help me to never pollute your will with what I think is important. I thank-you that you’ve filled me with such a love that I form convictions, but when in discussion of any kind with someone whose eternity lies in the balance, help me filter my words to remove yokes that needlessly trouble people. Their letter to the Gentiles who rejoiced at its encouragement (Acts 15:31) read, “For it has seemed good…to lay on you no greater burden than these…abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, …blood, …what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well” (Acts 15:28-29). Let my words neither deny you, Lord Jesus, nor your magnificent purpose. “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3)

The Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel, “Forge a chain! For the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence. I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses. I will put an end to the pride of the strong, and their holy places shall be profaned” (Ezekiel 7:23-24). Evangelism is a battle! The moment when a contrite humbled person is ready to give up their heart to Jesus may be the result of much ministry poured into them but seemingly ignored. Let me always seek ways to diminish the significance of today’s idols and give credit to God for all things good. David wrote, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!” (Psalm 141:2) Hear my prayers for those who are in distress and still blind to their need for you, deaf to your knocking. Lord, I know by the promises fullfilled in my life already that you break strongholds. Give me a strategic word for someone in my day to day at the time it will be received and lead to victory.

“I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD! O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle (Psalm 141:6-7).

Bramble Fire

Judges 9-10

Psalm 139

Proverbs 9

Ezekiel 6

Acts 14

When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:21-22).

Early in my Christian walk, a Christian counselor and his wife helped me sort through some things that interfered with my peace. I think just about any newly saved individual, particularly older ones, struggling to live in the world but not be of the world could benefit from talking to a Christian counseling team. In this country, at least, most of us have heard and rejected the full truth of the gospel a time or few before settling into a journey of faith. This means we’re probably carrying around some ideas that seriously interfere with our peace.Where we don’t have peace, we have faith in the enemy. One of the most enlightening things my counseling team taught me was that we are not often innocent bystanders. I was venting and complaining about a mock-reality situation where others do seemingly pointless things and then interpret reactions. Most likely, a lot of eye-rolling and sarcasm illuminated my not so Jesus-like attitude about such shenanigans. The counselor told me my argument that I was not doing anything was false, that because we all have our thing we do, my refusal to participate was my participation. When I rejected that response, he told me again. And again. A string of dominoes 36 years long or so started falling down very slowly. When we readily grasp a correction, the momentum of our agreement will often yeild a rapid change of heart. My distaste for that answer meant a bunch of those dominos stood awaiting further meditation. Imagine the actions and choices that stemmed from each domino all those years. My readings today remind me we reap what we sow. That doesn’t mean there are no inncoent bystanders by any means. The prince of this world is at large looking for anyone who will listen to his lies and act on them. Just today, I praise God for mercy that no act of stupidity on my part resulted in harm to my daughter. It may be that the Lord allows one tragic circumstance to avoid another, but we at least know He can turn anything around for good in His time. Regarding day to day testing of sorts, I am glad to see interactions from my counselor’s perspective. It doesn’t matter whether or not I agree with the underlying theory. By the grace of God and the love of Christ Jesus, I have peace.

In Judges 9 and in Acts 14, blood is shed against persons who shed blood. In Judges, Gideon (Jerubbaal), chosen by the Lord as the warrior to free Israelites from oppression, has 70 sons through his many wives and one, Abimelech, through a servant girl from Shechem. Abimelech garners support from the Shechem residents to overtake Gideon’s seventy sons. He murders all but one who escapes, is appointed king, and uses the same brute tactics against others who oppose him later. Jerubbaal’s surviving son Jotham issues a warning to Shechem before fleeing: “if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech” (Judges 9:19-20). Fire is what happens. When Abimelech is informed someone new threatened his position, he kills that person and their followers and the next day, he kills those who went out to see the massacre. When the Schechem leaders gather to discuss, Abimelech burns the building with them inside. When he moves on to the next town, a woman drops a rock on his head from the tower where she and others have gathered. “And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal (Judges 9:55-57). It’s interesting that Abimelech, the son of a concubine, destroyed Gideon’s family. Also Shechem happens to be where Simeon and Levi killed all the males, freshly circumcised, to avenge the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34). Later, it will become a holy city to the Samaritans and is where Jesus tells the woman at the well that with His coming, worship is no longer tied to a particular mountain or city but to people who worship in spirit and in truth (John 4).

In Acts, Paul and Barnabus preach the gospel to many in Galatia generating much criticism and belief. Paul heals a man crippled from birth. “And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, ‘The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!’” (Acts 14:11). Paul and Barnabus tear their robes, proclaim the name of Jesus, and urge them to turn from vain things to the Living God. Little momentum in agreement takes effect, however, and the people are easily swayed by the apostles’ critics. “But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead” (Acts 14:19). Without suggesting that Paul is anything less than a class of his own as an apostle with impeccable faith, Paul (Saul) persecuted and approved the stoning of Christians before his conversion. Many of us never aspire to the rank of Christian that attracts the devils attention, but certainly the apostles were targets of the enemy. Paul being stoned is almost an opportunity to wipe clean the slate to his accuser. His sins were already forgiven, but whatever the effect, a huge declaration is seen when Paul, revived from the stoning, goes back into the city: “But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe (Acts 14:20). The people who stoned him left him for dead, but Paul, faithful servant to Christ Jesus, returns to his work. What can his accuser say now?

The Lord tells the prophet Ezekiel to prophesy against the mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys of Israel: “Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain before your idols (Ezekiel 6:3-4). Idolatry is an act of betrayal against the Lord. Paul spoke of the Living God to the Galatians saying once nations were allowed to walk in their own ways, “yet He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). The betrayal is particularly shameful where a relationship with the Father exists already because we, in some manner, already accepted Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. Growing up, I prayed nightly for stretches here and there. I would say the Lord’s Prayer, say my own prayer, then repeat the Lord’s Prayer. My prayer may have been done poorly and without sufficient reverence, but it was a conversation. When I later chose to go my own way, disregarding the warnings of the prophets/parents in my life, it was like saying, “all those talks meant nothing. Lord, the comfort you brought me, your faithfulness in hearing me, I don’t need because I believe my successes are my own and there are these other things out there that soothe my ego on demand. I’m going to pursue them now.” The Lord said through Ezekiel, “Clap your hands and stamp your foot and say, Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, for they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. He who is far off shall die of pestilence, and he who is near shall fall by the sword, and he who is left and is preserved shall die of famine (Ezekiel 6:11-12). Praise God Jesus has changed everything for us. Jesus’ sacrifice allows us to recieve forgiveness for all these shenanigans. His Holy Spirit gives us strength, wisom, revelation, and comfort. He drew Paul back into the city after being stoned, dragged outside, and left for dead. When Jotham, surviving son of Gideon, issued a warning to the people of Shechem, he said, “The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’” (Judges 9:8) The trees received the same response from the fig tree and the vine, so it went to the bramble. The bramble said, “If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon” (Judges 9:15). Christ Jesus is by no means bramble, but some of us try all manner of things before we go to the Lord. When we finally go, we might find ourselves being asked, “Are you sure?” Like Wily E Coyote never gives up chasing the road runner, the flesh is never ready to succomb to the spirit. Our spirit has be be built up to bring other pursuits into alignment. Prayer, reading the Word, and worshipping in spirit and in truth are the efforts we can take to show Him, yes, I am sure. Lord God Almighty, there’s much I don’t understand, some dominos are still standing, but accept these choices and actions as evidence my invitation to Jesus is sincere and in good faith. I want to take refuge in His shade.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24).

Torches in Jars and Trumpets

Judges 6-8

Psalm 137-138

Proverbs 8

Ezekiel 4-5

Acts 13

Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors (Proverbs 8:34).

Reading the Word is so encouraging. Today, I see how personal and how all powerful the Lord our God is. In Judges, Gideon’s battle against the Midianites shows the Lord Almighty walking Gideon through a task He assigns to him. During the attack, Gideon’s men blow their trumpets, break jars carrying torches, and see the Lord create mayhem in the enemy camp. The result of Gideon’s obedience is 40 years of peace for the Israelites. This band-aid fix demonstrates the glory of the Lord for all to see. In Ezekiel, the Lord puts His prophet to work in a most unnusual fashion, again to fuel belief in a room of non-believers. In Acts, Paul silences a magician who seeks to draw a preconsul away from the gospel. Paul takes authority over the enemy presence in the magician, and at Paul’s declaration, the magician’s sight is stripped from him.

Paul and Barnabus later continue their travels to find a synagogue of brothers eager to receive forgiveness through Jesus. The word Paul and Barnabus have for the city of Antioch is salvation for all. The people there receive the good news joyfully. What God is this who desires their heart to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? The Lord our God isn’t looking for proper sacrifices from a chosen representative? He wants each one of us to demonstrate our belief. This same almighty and powerful God can and does offer forgiveness with eternal life in return. What’s so amazing about the Word is how it pulls us in towards the Lord. Paul and Barnabus deliver a message on God’s work in the nation of Israel, our need for a Savior, and the promise of Jesus. They say the Lord told them to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48-49). He invited us! Let us in gratitude choose Him!

The Lord’s interaction with Gideon shows how personal our God is. He selects Gideon and patiently heeds Gideon’s multiple requests for confirmation that he is to lead the people against the Midianites. The Lord reveals Himself as Abba Father in coaching Gideon, but His sovereign unlimited power is seen when He tells Gideon to trim down the army from 32,000 men to 300 men. Let there be no question as to who wins this battle When the Lord tells Gideon the time to attack is the following morning, He anticipates Gideon’s uncertainty. The Lord instructs Gideon to take his servant to listen in on a conversation in the enemy camp. The conversation predicts Gideon’s success. Personal and all-powerful! Lord, we know there is nothing you can’t do. He gives us peace through confirmations of His promises. Gideon and his servant overhear a Midianite telling his comrade about a strange dream wherein their tent was flattened. “And his comrade answered, ‘This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp’” (Judges 7:14). Gideon received the encouragement he needed to lead his 300 men into battle where the Lord gives him victory.

The Lord’s personal nature is seen again in Ezekiel while the Lord tells Ezekiel how to demonstrate God’s anger to the exiled nation. The Lord told him to bake barley cakes over human dung within site of the exiles. Ezekiel protests that he’s never defiled himself with tainted meat.Ezekiel’s extreme obedience is seen in this one argument. Ezekiel accepts laying on his side for 390 days with cords placed on him so he cannot turn from one side to the other. Ezekiel’s only concern is that the Lord’s assignment for him breaks laws he’s faithfully obeyed all his life. The Lord accepts this argument and says he should use cow dung instead. Ezekiel’s annointing, his execution of these uncomfortable taks, point to God’s righteousness and mercy. The Lord knows the people are stubborn, but His warning must be displayed in full force. The visual scenes He prescribes are much more intricate than the yoke He had Jeremiah wear before the exile. Yokes are suitable for exile, but the consequences our God predicts now are more severe. His words to the people through Ezekiel are: You have not obeyed my rules or the rules of the nations around you (Ezekiel 5:7). “Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers. And I will execute judgments on you, and any of you who survive I will scatter to all the winds” (Ezekiel 5:10). Our God, creator of heavens and earth, goes through much trouble to warn His people of a fiery outcome. His love is personal; His righteousness is all powerful. Proverbs 8 reads, “All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them” (Proverbs 8:8). Praise God for the complete truth of the Living Word. This is the baseline for relationship with my Almighty God.

When Paul meets the magician while trying to minister to the preconsul, Sergius Paulus, he calls out the magician’s wickedness: “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time” (Acts 13:10-11). The magician is blinded as surely as people today are locked in deception after turning away from the Lord: in bondage, unable to see the light for a time. Through the faithful, the infinite power of God is displayed to Midianites, magicians, and stubborn rebels. As with Gideon and Ezekiel, the Lord assigned one of His servants a voice and demonstrated His glory. In the Old Testament, under the law, some 40 years of peace is the reward to Gideon, but the gift to us is the faith building testimony brought on by miracles that scatter the gospel to the ends of the earth. Praise God for visuals demonstrating the holiness of our God and His awesome love. Ezekiel’s witness also is for all who come later to see, hear, and believe. The Holy Spirit in us confirms the truth of His Word. The Holy Spirit is pleased when we prayerfully read the Holy Bible. He enables us to act as Paul with the magician when something seeks to turn us away from the Lord or the promises in the Word. I rebuke you, devil, full of deciet and villainy! You will not make my path crooked! Our Counselor says, “I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just…I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me” (Proverbs 8:14-15,17). Our God, powerful and personal created us for relationship with Him. Because of Jesus, we don’t have to wait for visions (as Ezekiel received) or be selected to lead an army into battle. We only need to believe Christ Jesus is the Son of God and ask Him to receive us. Lord Jesus came down from heaven to the earth to disciple us and be sacrificed to atone for our sin. Our Almighty God raised Jesus from the dead to defeat the threat of the grave. Asking Jesus for forgiveness leaves our sin at the cross, so we too can be raised as a holy spirit to rejoin our Creator. Hallelujia! God is good.

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39).

Wild Goats Waiting and Praying

Judges 4-5

Psalm 136

Proverbs 7

Ezekiel 2-3

Acts 12

When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting” (Acts 12:11).

In Judges 4 and 5, known as “Deborah Saves the Day” in the Arch Books series, Barak son of Abinoam loses his opportunity to fullfill his destiny as a fearless warrior. The Canaanite armies, under commander Sisera, have been opressing Israel for 20 years. Deborah, a prophetess and judge, summons Barak and questions him, “Has not the LORD…commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor…And I will draw out Sisera…and I will give him into your hand’?” (Judges 4:6-7) Barak responds that he will go if she goes with him. Deborah agrees to go and replies that his decision will cost him: “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (Judges 4:9). Following their triumphant battle, Sisera hides in the tent of Jael, a relative of Moses’ father-in-law. Jael makes him comfortable and drives a peg into his temple, killing him (Judgers 4:18-21). Deborah knew the Lord commissioned Barak; the warrior role could have been his. The name Barak means “lightening” while Jael means “wild goat.” It’s interesting that Jael, a non-Israelite, was given the opportunity to slay their oppressor. In the New Testament, after so many Jews reject the gospel of Christ, the message is taken to the Gentiles, the wild goats. The plans of our Almighty God are always bigger than what we can see in our own camp. As I struggle to stay awake and far from the fridge, I can’t help but ponder, “what do I bring to the battle that leads me away from glory I could receive from the Lord?” Doubt? Rituals? Ego? Our God’s infinite power will be revealed. He, “by understanding made the heavens…spread out the earth above the waters…made the great lights…the sun to rule over the day…the moon and stars to rule over the night” (Psalm 136:5-9). How can I break free from those ties that keep me from running the course set for me by the Lord?

In Acts 12, James brother of John is killed by Herod and Peter is imprisoned. The apostles gather together to pray for Peter, but when an angel of the Lord releases him from his shackles and leads him away from the jail, the apostles don’t believe the servant who tells them Peter is knocking on their door. “They said to her, “You are out of your mind” (Acts 12:15). I’ve been reminded of another message related to the Simeon the magician passage from earlier this week. The Word says the people pay attention to Simon, but they believe Philip, disciple of Christ. I hear a preacher challenging our faith, rebuking doubters and skeptics with the question, “Christians, do you believe? Or are you just paying attention?” “But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed” (Acts 12:16). In the Israelites battle against the Canaanites, “the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword…and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left” (Judges 4:15-16). One of the amazing things about the Living God is that He’s just so full of surprises. Spirit-filled Christians say, “God’s gonna do something,” and “wait on the Lord.” It’s not jargon. His means and methods are without bounds and beyond our scope of thought. The Lord tells Ezekiel, chosen to be His mouthpiece, “And whether they hear or refuse to hear…they will know that a prophet has been among them” (Ezekiel 2:5). He works through people, His creations. When we’re unsure of what will happen in any given situation, we can pray and have peace knowing God’s gonna do something. When He does, if we believe, we’ll know it’s the Lord. His signature of perfection will be all over it.

Doubt is a huge obstacle to fullfilling the destiny God has for us, but confidence in our own devices hinders us also. Rituals are those things in our day to day life that we must do to be comfortable. It might be something specific like soymilk or half in half in tea or something general like reading early morning vs late at night. The Lord tells Ezekiel, “all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears. And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them…whether they hear or refuse to hear” (Ezekiel 3:10-11). Ezekiel was plucked up by Abba Father, shown a vision of His glory, and assigned a mission. The task of lying on his side for 390 days did not allow for Ezekiel to maintain his personal habits. He couldn’t say, “I need three 15 minute breaks a day, and Wednesday night with my peeps.” After Ezekiel received his instructions, the Spirit carried him to the exiles where Ezekiel sat overwhelmed for seven days (Ezekiel 3:14-15). My ego interferes with receiving from the Lord when I can’t stop adding my personal touch to whatever task I believe the Lord has set before me. Pray and wait keeps me on point, but the ego doesn’t know how to pray. Ezekiel sat for seven days overwhelmed. He saw the Lord of Lords and ate His Word, but Ezekiel didn’t paint his office, order new cards, and upgrade his wardrobe to glorify himself in his divinely assigned role. He sat and waited. Holy Spirit, overwhelm me with conviction. Remind me to always pray and wait so my manner becomes more like Ezekiel’s! Herod is the far extreme. Herod doesn’t know his position is assigned by the Lord. “On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes…and delivered an oration…And the people were shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not of a man!’” (Acts 12:21-22). That ego is like a helium balloon. It gets inflated and sets off on its own course at the least burst of gas. My personal peace has grown so much since I’ve learned (mostly) to be grateful for that which bruises my ego. It’s not self-deprecating. I am a righteous daughter of the King through the cross of Christ Jesus. As such, I want to eliminate what can poison my thought processes and confuse my heart. “Immediately an angel of the Lord struck (Herod) down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last” (Acts 12:23). Praise Jesus, most of us will not be eaten by worms, but self glorification also breeds doubt in the Holy One. When we rely on our own understanding, we lose faith in what can be accomplished by the God of heaven who alone does great wonders (Psalm 136:26,4). Holy Spirit, if I am given opportunity to be lightening, let me not pass that invitation to wild goats. I want to be secure in my knowledge of God’s infinite power. I thank-you Lord, that you have a mission for each of us. I pray that all over our nation, Ezekiels are delivering your Word to exiles of the Kingdom. I pray that word arrives at the moment they are ready to hear and react. Praise Jesus for our invitation to your glorious presence!

But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”" (Ezekiel 2:8).

Visions and DVDs

Judges 1-3

Psalm 135

Proverbs 6

Ezekiel 1

Acts 11

Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses (Psalm 135:6-7).

I confess to running the television too often in our house, but at home, since I am not usually in the same room as the TV, my daughter usually plays with her toys, draws pictures or follows me around most of the time instead of fixating on the movies. All she sees are the DVDs I’ve selected for her. We have no cable or antenna for her to view anything else. We will evenutally, I’m sure, but right now it is one less bill and one less hassle. Besides, I love our DVD collection. With few exceptions, Saturdays are the only days we watch Disney or other non-Bible centric movies. As a single mom, I find saturating her in Biblical principles in movies, music, and reading helps us tremendously. We initiated this practice sometime around the age of 3 when I reacted to a strong conviction that Dora the Explorer had to go; over the last year or so, I’ve been so joyful over how sweet her disposition has become. Our movies acknowledge God and cite scripture, and the Word does not return void. The Creation Celebration series worried me at first because the only female figure in Episode 1 is an antiquated maid serving her master, the professor. In episodes 2 & 3, though, the professor’s attractive intelligent daughter returns from her latest pilot adventure to intermingle with the rest of the crew. Adventures in Truth, Faith, and Honesty have a series of stories that are based on historical figures and folk tales in addition to Bible stories. They are very well done despite the talking animals, and my daughter enjoys them. The talking animals are mentors; I suppose this could be comforting to any child that might receive most guidance from someone outside the home. Gigi, God’s Little Princess, is just darling, and unlike Dora, she has parents, authority figures actively involved in her life. The Friends and Heroes series incorporates stories from the Bible into a short story about children growing up in early AD. Again, parents exist, but often the Bible story is told by the son to the father as a means of persuasion. Today, I let my daughter watch her Strawberry Shortcake DVD since we hadn’t seen it in awhile, and I was on the phone with a work situation during the day. This is one I might have to get rid of though, because we barely see the parents, and in the second story, the adult figure is a foolish teacher. Not only that, but the theme of the episode celebrates “just being me.” I had to tell my sweetie God does not want us to just be us; He wants us to be like Jesus. My daughter sees Disney movies at her Christian school; I’m not trying to shelter her from all worldly elementary aged ideas. I just want her foundation in Christ to be as rock solid as possible. I want her to have a vision of who the Lord is to her. I am so blessed when she gets excited for days about Ben Hur expected in the mail this week or when she says, “Can we watch this one?” pointing to a God Rocks or 100 Bible Stories and Songs DVD and tells me which parts are her favorites. Today’s readings show three calls to action from the Lord: to the Israelites, to Ezekiel, and to the apostles. We see in their responses symptoms of their faith, strong and weak.

Judges 1 lists various groups of inhabitants not driven out of the promise land by the Israelites. An angel delivered a word from the Lord to them: “I said, ‘…you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice…So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you’” (Judges 2:1-3). This failure shows well the futility of living under the law. Who had a stronger foundation in the law than the new breed of Israelites who were trained by Moses and, by the hand of God, crossed the Jordan river to conquer walled cities? For whatever reasons, they abandoned their relentless pursuit of the promise land and allowed some groups to remain. I can think of so many reasons why they would prefer this course of action, but all of them negate the authority of our sovereign God. The Lord said to drive them out. “As soon as the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept” (Judges 2:4). As many times as they witnessed the power of God, while living in near isolation from other nations, Joshua’s generation is not obedient to the direct command of the Lord. The next generation acknowledges the Lord even less: “And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel (Judges 2:10). By not driving out the inhabitants, the older generation weakens the foundation for their children and grandchildren, exposing them to pagean worship rituals and societies not chosen by Yahweh to be His people. What is the expected result? “They abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them…They abandoned the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth” (Judges 2:12-13). If the parents whose walk was in a more pure environment can’t obey the Lord’s command for settling in this beautiful new land, how can their children acknowledge their Lord and Savior wholeheartedly? I want my daughter to have as much of the Word funneled into her mind and heart as possible. I am certain that her developing character will be safeguarded by our Almighty God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and her ability to make good decisions will grow right alongside her elementary education skills.

While the Israelites were possibly intimidated by their assignment, the apostles in Acts 11 are commanded to break precedent entirely and draw the Gentiles into the church. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, obeys, but he is astounded. He has a vision wherein he sees a sheet floating down with animals unfit for the Jewish people to eat and hears a voice saying, “‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth’” (Acts 11:7-8). By no means, Lord? It sounds like Peter had reason to prefer a different course of action that negates the authority of our sovereign God. The Lord rebukes him: “What God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts 10:9), but the Bible says this happened three times. In our vernacular, it sounds like Peter is denying the Lord’s authority. Of course, this is a vision; Peter is in a trance, but his words might then be drawn from what is in his heart. Peter obeyed the spirit who instructed him to visit Cornelius. Later, the brothers in Jerusalem confront Peter about his sharing the gospel with Gentiles. Peter tells them while he was talking, the Holy Spirit fell on the whole family. “If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:17) The brothers agree and glorify God, concluding, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18). Praise Jesus! The Holy Spirit alive in us drives us to break precedent to satisfy God’s will. Without the Holy Spirit, we would not only be in the grips of the law but doomed to fail as the Israelites were. Maybe it seems overboard to some, but I believe the Lord gave me some instruction for our little family. The vision wasn’t as clear as a sheet full of animals, birds, and reptiles, but I have a great amount of peace with it. I pray that parents not well rooted in a church environment, isolated in their belief in the Lord, are unafraid to break precedent, change some things in thier household, and draw nearer to His authority. It is so rewarding!

Ezekiel, one of God’s two prophets in Babylon, receives a powerful vision of the Lord, one that reveals His awesome facets in images recognizable to us: “As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually…And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures…each had four faces, and each of them had four wings” (Ezekiel 1:4-6)..Ray Stedman, in Adventuring Through the Bible, describes the four faces as the four gospel’s portrayal of Christ:

He appears first in the gospel of Matthew as a lion, as the sovereign king. He appears in the gospel of Mark as the servant, the ox. In the gospel of Luke, He is man in His intelligence, in His insight, in His understanding of life. And in the gospel of John, He is a diety, depicted here as an eagle. These four symbols, taken together, reflect the character of Jesus Christ (p344).

Ezekiel’s vision is complex and magestic. The Lord commands him in later chapters to do things such as eating bread baked over cow dung and lying on his one side for 390 days and on the other for 40 to represent the years the Lord warned the Israelites to turn to Him. He obeys completely. How is it that the prophets, particularly Ezekiel, can be so obedient? They do not necessarily have a strong foundation, so maybe it’s something in the vision. Any argument with the Lord suggests we haven’t seen Him as a cloud of fire. Peter spent some time with the Lord, eating, walking, talking. The Lord didn’t give His disciple a fresh vision of His glory, just a sheet with some reptiles, animals, and birds atop it. Ezekiel’s vision of the Lord’s power is so strong, he accepts the loss of his precious wife without mourning her at the Lord’s command. I am grateful to have the Holy Spirit, but how often do I sound more like Peter than Ezekiel? My readings today suggest I need a fresh vision of the Lord’s power and glory. Praise God, I can find it by prayerfully reading the Word where He lives as the lion, the King of Kings, the ox who gave Himself for us, man, for we were made in His image, and the eagle, divine in power and glory. I can seek a stronger vision of my Lord and Savior through worship and praise. Our amazing Almighty God will renew my understanding of who He is simply by pouring His Spirit on me. When my obedience approaches Ezekiel’s, I will be closer to Him, rejoicing in His presence. Thank-you, Jesus!

My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you (Proverbs 6:20-22).

Costume Change! Praise Jesus.

Joshua 23-24

Psalm 132-134

Proverbs 5

Lamentations 5

Acts 10

“And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you” (Joshua 23:3).

While I was taking a series of discipleship classes through my church, my teacher advised us to write down our testimony, what we would say to share Jesus with someone, on one side of a sheet of paper. She might have suggested using the investigative questions who, what, when, where, why, how as a basic format, but I can’t recall. I’m pretty sure I never completed that task though. I don’t know why exactly since I love to write, but I’ve had occasion to wish I had it in my hands. It’s not difficult to approach someone smoking and start talking about my deliverance; often their responses fuel an interactive discussion. Sometimes, though, we have opportunity to talk to people who are willing enough to listen but not speak. Silence can be so intimidating. It’s terrible to feel a prompt to share the gospel only to stumble over the words. Today’s readings are full of the promise of Christ Jesus. Joshua, before his homegoing, reminds the Israelites of all the Lord has done for them to bring them from slavery in Egypt to a land of their own. Jeremiah declares the misery of the exiled nation and asks God to restore them to His good will. Peter, in Acts 10, is told to abandon the law by spreading the gospel to gentiles. Psalms 132 centers on the Lord’s covenant with David and foretells the coming of Jesus: “There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on Him His crown will shine” (Psalm 132:17-18). Today, while having a my swollen eyelid examined, a nurse saw in my chart that some years ago, I sat in that chair for an addiction related problem. She mentioned the history to me in questioning me about the purpose of my visit. I asked her if I could post a “What is The 99?” ministry poster in the office somewhere. She replied only things of a medical nature could be posted and slipped out the door. I could have insisted that this was of a medical nature. I was healed, set free, and delivered by the blood of the Lamb. As it is, my lack of interest in prescriptions will have to speak for itself.

Who? “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). You know, Nurse Betty, it’s so amazing that you questioned me about that drug from way back when after already asking me what medications I currently take. It’s always good to double-check, and I am just so glad to be living proof of the saving power of Jesus. Do you know the Lord? Because I’d been on something or another most of my adult life, but after my daughter was born, the Lord simply removed that problem from my baggage. I’d tried to change my life my own way before as you can see in that chart, but none of that had any effect. When Christ Jesus delivered me, it was like a disconnect occured between my thinking and my acting with regards to drugs. While I was in bondage, thinking drugs usually meant using drugs. Once I was set free, I would think, initially, but there was no reaction. Like when a Dr taps your knee to check your reflexes, my knee suddenly no longer responded. I did not even know Christ Jesus at the time, but now that I do, He gives me revelation about how He was right there beside me so often all those years. Nurse, I know you’re not an addict. I’m glad you never had those issues, but I also know you’ve seen others fail over and over again, so please try to see the miracle here.

What? “But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations (Lamentations 5:19). Christ Jesus is about so much more than deliverance from self-induced misery. Do you know that you are a spiritual being? You are not just an advanced bumble-bee. You have the same breath of life in you that God breathed into Adam and Eve. Our God who is a Holy Spirit wants to have a relationship with your spirit. He is already in your life. Cornelius, the gentile Peter visits in Acts 10, worshipped the Lord faithfully, and one day, the Lord sent an angel to him: “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4). Yes, the Lord sees and hears all we do whether or not we are aware of it day to day. Cornelius, a gentile who under the law of Moses had no dealings with the Jews, received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Lord hears your prayers. When we start listening to Him instead of just talking, He reveals to us how He answers those prayers in ways we can’t readily see.

When? “The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned! (Lamentations 5:16). Sometimes we lose touch with our spiritual side, but don’t you know even if you don’t pay much attention to your belly button, it doesn’t go away? Our spirits are ever present, and they will not be locked in the coffin or burned in the fire of cremation when we die a physical death. Our spirits will live for eternity, but our God who gave us free-will wants us to choose to spend eternity with Him. Because man chose sin from the beginning, we must be redeemed to enter into His presence again just like a naughty child has to apologize before they can leave their room to rejoin the family. It’s our choice, and we have to choose before we die.

Where? Jesus said at the end times, He will send His angels who will “gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace…Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Acts 10:41-43). Law-breakers are not just societal misfits. When asked which is the greatest command in the law, Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).

How? Before Jesus, worshippers of the Living God sacrificed animals to atone for sin. Blood is our life source. It is precious, but the blood of animals is not holy enough to account for all our wrongs. It’s not that everything we do is bad; its just that most of the time we are following our own will and not listening to the Lord to learn His will. In an elementary class, a child cannot be permitted to just play quietly all day doing things they can do at home without disturbing anyone else. There is a divine purpose to our presence here! When that child is told to participate and refuses, said child is in rebellion even without acting out. Peter talks about Jesus with Cornelius and his family: “They put Him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day and made him to appear…to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses…And He commanded us…to testify that He is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name” (Acts 10:39-43). The blood of Jesus is holy enough to account for all sin of the world. Jesus restores us to the Father despite our natural state of rebellion. We don’t receive this precious gift without asking, though, and we can’t ask for what we don’t believe is true. Belief is a choice. If you say, well I just don’t know how I can believe that, it’s like love. It is simply a decision that you make. As much as Jesus did for me, for nearly two years, I didn’t really believe He saved me. I didn’t even know what that meant. Once I re-entered the house of the Lord, praised, prayed, and read the Word a little bit, the choice to believe became much easier. I still make that decision occasionally when the devil tries to tell me it’s all just a marketing hoax. At such times, I don’t mind my shady past. I rebuke you devil. I am saved, set free, and delivered by the cross of Christ Jesus, Lord and Savior, King of Kings.

Why? David writes in Psalm 134, “Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD!” (v1-2) David was a man after the Lord’s heart from his childhood, communing with Him among the sheep, to His reign as king, dancing unashamedly when the ark is brought back to the temple. Psalm 132 reminds us how precious David was to the Lord. A son of David was kept on the throne of Judah through many generations of idolators and sinners of every kind. Our Father desires relationship with us. He is good and worthy of all praise. He created us for His pleasure. Joshua tells the Israelites before he dies, “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness” (Joshua 23:14). This is why we are here. Believing, declaring belief, in Christ Jesus as the Son of God and asking Him to forgive our sin is a good start. The Holy Spirit birthed in us helps us find the next step. It’s not a mountain to jump over. The God who made us knows what we can and can’t do better than we. “Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might” (Psalm 132:8). Because of the cross of Jesus, the Spirit of the Lord rests in us. Cornelius received the gift of the Holy Spirit. We too are vessels of the Lord and the ark of His might. Almighty God, “Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy” (Psalm 132:9)! God is good!

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 23:15)

Tinseltown Showdown

Joshua 21-22

Psalm 129-131

Proverbs 4

Lamentations 4

Acts 9

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed (Act 9:20-21).

I am so excited The 99 ministry is in Baton Rouge this month. From their website, the 99 is “a walkthrough theater that graphically reenacts the five leading causes of death in teenagers and young adults.” It is a “state-of-the-art production designed to portray the very real consequences of poor decisions that claim almost 37,000 young lives every year.” When the lives of young people are taken, the promises and the purpose the Lord had for each one is left unfulfilled. In one lifetime, we have many opportunities to be a friend, mentor, or blessing in some way to other people. We each have an assignment from the Lord to discover and tackle. None of us are born with a spare. So much is lost when a young person’s talents and giftings are suddenly unavailable because they are no longer in the race. Our world becomes less of a florishing forest with each death. The 99 is a way to startle as many as possible into a close walk with God that will protect them and guide their choices. Young people serving the Lord can often best minister to other troubled youth, so a few solid success stories can reach untold numbers of others. The 99 is also a way to affect parents who are maybe too comfortable that their teenagers will raise themselves. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is not an appropriate parenting tactic. Youth need their parents to interfere in their lives to learn as much as possible while they are most teachable. Small issues hidden under the surface can quickly become a pit of wrong choices and unforeseen consequences. The sinkhole image might accurately represent the surprise and wonder young adults feel when they are first locked behind bars or lose their first home. What happened? How did I get here? Praise God for a ministry that awakens people to the potential outcomes of our choices and leads them to better choices and salvation for eternity through an understanding of and desire for Jesus.

Graphic detail in a ministry environment leaves less room for speculation and compromise. The Lord had His prophets act out various messages before the exile of the Israelites. One went naked and barefoot; another wore bars. As detailed as some of the scriptures are, each prophet was just one man opposing an establishment. Jeremiah wrote after the exile, “The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem” (Lamentations 4:12). So many of us, particularly young people in experimental mode, don’t see the reality of consequences. Many more have no revelation of relationship with the Lord as the truest answer for all of our needs. In Joshua 22, the tribes on the east of the Jordan build an altar facing their brethren across the river as evidence of their brotherhood in case someone in a later generation said the East Jordan tribes had no business going to the temple. The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, ‘For,’ they said, ‘it is a witness between us that the LORD is God’” (Joshua 22:34).Young people might be in church and still not know the role of Jesus as Lord and Savior in our lives. Parents, likewise, may have set up an altar to remind themselves and others that they are Christians. The altar might be Sunday morninig church occasionally with no discussion of the Lord ever among them as a family. Graphic detail, when not overdone on a daily basis in every manner of entertainment, stretches our knowledge of life as a temporary place forcing the question of “what next?” Am I ready to meet my Maker? What is this sorrow and pain I have? Jesus? How does He fit into this picture? Maybe I’ll try to figure this out for a minute while my heart is stirred.

David wrote, “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning” (Psalm 130:5-6). Praise God, today because of the cross of Jesus, we don’t need an altar to remind us that we are Christians. The Holy Spirit is birthed in us when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. His Spirit is more to us than watchmen in the morning. The Holy Spirit presence is the operating force in an environment such as The 99, where ministry teams prayerfully seek the Lord’s guidance to reach as many people as possible, where the production exists in the first place because someone received a vision from God and followed through with making it a reality. In Acts 9, Saul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus and undergoes an extreme conversion from a persecutor of Jesus’ followers to a person with great passion for spreading the gospel. His life is threatened early on, but his purpose and promise have not yet been fullfilled. The Lord provides a means of escape for us as needed to allow us to accomplish our earthly mission. “They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket (Acts 9:24-25). Young people need to know, whatever their situation is, the Lord knows where we are and how to rescue us, but we must turn to Him for help and wait for His action. Jesus told His disciples if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. On a day to day basis, our faith should be strong enough to know the Lord will provide a hole in the wall if necessary to overcome whatever puts its foot in our way if our purpose is to bring Him glory. Holy Spirit, strengthen the faith of believers to survive attacks of the enemy that seek to kill, steal, and destroy the spreading of the gospel.

Psalm 130 reads, “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared” (Psalm 130:3-4). Thank-you, Jesus, that through your sacrifice, we have good news to offer in lieu of tragic outcomes: forgiveness and life everlasting. Without the blood of Jesus, His death and resurrection, the gruesome reality presented in graphic reenactments of death would be the only message. Regardless of how we passed, our eternity would be horrible separated from God. The Holy Spirit birthed in believers will be moving on many people over the next few weeks. The experience will be vastly different than watching the evening news with the presence of the Lord invited into the tent through obedience, praise, and prayer. Lord God Almighty, bless this work done in your name for your glory. Bless each participant with salvation for their own loved ones. Soften the heart of each visitor approaching. Awaken counselors to their needs. Let each soul leave knowing they are forever changed. Give them strength and courage to continue their pursuit of Jesus in the days and weeks to come. We praise you that this holiday season will be the first Christmas as a reborn Christian for people all over our city and state.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied (Acts 9:31).

Magicians and Eunuchs

Joshua 19-20

Psalm 126-128

Proverbs 3

Lam 3

Acts 8

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! (Acts 3:18-20).

Some years ago, a vendor associated with my job held their annual conference in New Orleans. We were told that we could register for the conference if we took one of the free certification exams available to registrants. I had some relevant experience with that vendor by then and was familiar with maybe half the material, so I registered with big plans to study, study, study. As I got started, I found the pill habit I’d been working on for the previous two years or so interferred with my ability to focus. I created calendars of wean-off plans using a weaker version of my drug of choice, intending to be pill free in time to cram for the exam. As the date grew closer, I grew more frantic until two or three weeks before, I decided to just go with the real deal as much as necessary to concentrate for hours. The economy was good in the circle I ran in then, so it was no problem to get an advance. I reasoned to myself, and my lender, that test success might result in a one time bonus to cover the cost. I passed the exam with a good score, but there was no bonus, so my debt and tolerance just reached a new high. Every year, the company holds a big bash of a party the night before the last day where they might give everyone a hat of some kind to wear. I was too exhausted to go, both because the side effect of the drugs wearing off and lack of sleep. My co-worker attended and brought back just the cutest, softest, colorful cloth joker’s hat you’ve ever seen. It sits to this day on her cubicle wall, square in my face when I stand up at my desk. I don’t covet the hat, but now with an enlightened understanding of the Lord’s sense of humor, I find it ironic that it is a joker’s hat. The following year I was allowed to go to the same conference in Las Vegas. I didn’t pass the free certification exam there, but I was many miles away that week when my companion and lender were arrested, quite possibly in response to my parents’ prayers. During the arrest, my lender was instructed to take calls as normal so more people arrived on the scene to be arrested. My companion stayed in jail for the next 3 and a half years. The hat at the Las Vegas bash was a cheap flimsy black and white top hat.

Simon was a magician in Samaria who amazed people with tricks. I like this passage because his reaction to the apostles shows a respite from twisted thinking that suggests hope exists in retraining. Peter tells him, “You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God” (Acts 3:21). Simon is kind of an extreme example since most lost souls who find Jesus never amazed people with magic tricks or commanded attention from the least to the greatest with godlike powers. Acts reads that people paid attention to Simon but they believed Philip and were water-baptized. When we come out of the world, our minds are geared to pay attention without believing. Sometimes people don’t discriminate between the two. Many Sunday believers pay attention to the message their preacher offers and pay attention to a little reading of the Word here or there, but believing is when we meditate on an idea, experience the doubt, and reject naysayers opposition to a truth we can’t fully explain. We might pay attention to the Simons, the big talkers and clever conversationalists, but who do we believe? King Solomon wrote, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Simon believed and was water baptized (3:13), but the Holy Spirit still seemed like something that could be purchased to him. There’s a wire crossed in this thinking, and it’s seen in Simon’s humble reaction to Peter’s later rebuke. Before my exam, I knew the pangs of addiction and chose that option over blowing off the test. In my wean-off calendars, I paid attention to my problem, but I didn’t believe it was there.

Peter told Simon, “Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you” (Acts 3:22). Seriously? Can the intent of our hearts really be forgiven? Christ Jesus delivered me from any and all substance abuse, but old ideas etched in our minds aren’t necessarily extinguished when our spirit undergoes a change. The task of guarding our hearts against much of what we esteemed or relied upon for making decisions begins when we accept Christ. Peter said, “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 3:22). We cannot accept Christ without changing our tool set any more than I could escape the bondage of addiction with the same chains that bound me. Soloman’s words continue, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:6). In all our ways acknowledge Him: wow! That’s like changing an auto-biography to a biography. Imagine if someone who passed away had a set of memoirs written in the first person, and someone agreed to publish it if it were changed to a work in the 3rd person. We couldn’t just modify the first paragraph or the first chapter and be done. Every paragraph and sentence would have to be examined. Some pronouns would need modification to avoid confusion with the principle character. In some parts, the entire word flow might need editing so the higher truth being conveyed isn’t lost in the he’s and she’s. The Lord will make straight our paths when we acknowledge Him in ALL our ways. Hallelujah, He, the Lord, is merciful and mighty.

In Acts 3, Simon is, by proximity, compared to the Ethiopian eunuch Philip meets while traveling: “So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him” (Acts 3:30-31). The Eunuch knows what he’s encountered is not something he can purchase. His highest stated desire is for revelation, not the power and glory in laying hands on someone for infilling of the Holy Spirit. After the eunuch received the good news of the gospel, he said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 3:37). “What is the next step for me to have relationship with our Almighty God through Christ Jesus. That is all I want to know.” The eunuch goes off rejoicing as Philip is carried away by the Spirit of the Lord (Acts 3:39). My personal hunch, is that Simon the magician’s spiritual growth path was a rockier climb. At Peter’s rebuke, “Simon answered, ‘Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me’” (Acts 3:24). “You’re right! I don’t quite get it, but I want to. I could just move my show down the road, but I’ve been exposed to the power of God, so what else can I do but chase it?” My joy in this passage is in Peter’s admonition, repent therefore and pray to the Lord. Proverbs 3 reads, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones” (3:7-8). Healing becomes ours more and more as we swap out those old tools for what we can do to honor the Lord. Crossed wires that seem destined to plague our thought processes forever will be repaired or forgiven as we change our “I”s to “He”s, draft after draft. The cross of Jesus exists for humble eunuchs and self-serving magicians. Praise Jesus for your love and obedience to the Father. I thank-you for your blood, sacrificed for my sin. Holy Father, your faithfulness and compassion amaze me. I will not pay attention to magicians. I choose to believe in your magesty and glory. I rejoice in having a new toolset, Lord, one of prayer, worship, and the Living Word to rebuild daily my relationship with you.

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1-2).

Smack in the Middle of Judah

Joshua 16-18

Psalm 123-125

Proverbs 2

Lamentations 1-2

Acts 7

The readings the last few weeks in Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Jeremiah have been working together like book-ends for the Israelite empire: Moses prepares the fledgling nation and Jeremiah warns the people of catastrophic change. Today, while Joshua maps out the inheritances of the 12 tribes, Jeremiah laments Jerusalem’s desolation. Most of the territory the Israelites conquer in Joshua was already under new authority many years before Jeremiah (623 BC); around 703 BC, the Assyrian army carried out the prophecies of Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Micah for Samaria’s judgement. The Assyrians, called by the Lord “”the rod of My anger” (Isaiah 10:5) scatter many Israelites in Samaria to various remote locations and also repopulate the land with their own. Intermarriage produces a new breed of Yahweh believers. Jeremiah’s warnings to Jerusalem are ignored, and in Lamentations, Jeremiah artistically expresses the sorrow of their condition. Four of the five chapters have an acrostic structure in the Hebrew language where the first letter of each verse runs through the alphabet. (See article describing acrostic structure in Lamentations.) Poetry conveys grief so well if only because the love for what is lost is seen in the effort taken to describe it. To better appreciate Lamentations, I read part of Ray Stedman’s commentary in Adventuring Through the Bible. He titled the chapter, “God’s Therapy” and notes that we often reject the Lord’s teachings through pain and suffereing:

“”But is God unfair? The apostle Paul states the truth of the matter: “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Rom 3:4). It is impossible for God to be wrong. It is impossible for human beings to be more just than God, because our very sense of justice is derived from Him! If not for God, we wouldn’t even know what justice and fairness are! It is impossible for human beings to be more compassionate than God, for our feelings of compassion come from Him” (Ray Stedman).

This agrees with King Soloman’s writing in Proverbs: “yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:3-6). Jeremiah’s prophecies spanned 40 years or more. In Lamenations, his life’s work has come to fruition. What few believed could happen is done: Jerusalem is fallen. Jeremiah writes, “Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude; she dwells now among the nations, but finds no resting place; her pursuers have all overtaken her in the midst of her distress” (Lamentations 1:3).

Looking at the map of the twelve tribes’ inheritances, I googled Simeon, smack in the middle of Judah. I found conflicting opinions about Simeon’s outcome: whether they, at least in part, migrated north or were absorbed by Judah. A great article by Steven King, Dominion Camp Ministries, suggests Simeon was integrated into Judah over time with a powerful word on all Christians as tribal Simeons. He summarizes Simeon’s history as the brother who, against Jacob’s will, took revenge on sister Dinah’s assailants and notes Jacob’s prophecy for them as a wanderer is fullfilled in Simeon’s lacking for their own territory. King points to the passage in Judges as evidence of hope for the Simeonites:

Judges 1:3: And Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and likewise I will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

Judah asks Simeon to come with him to help fight his enemies. In other words, here we have the most blessed tribe in Israel (Judah) reaching down to the most cursed tribe in Israel (Simeon) and basically saying “Come with me.” Judah, the tribe of great kings and the coming messiah, reaches out to Simeon, the tribe of cursed and fallen nobodies destined for oblivion. Simeon’s only hope for salvation and restoration was to partner and become a co-laborer with the tribe of the king…Judah. Sound familiar? ….Simeon’s only hope of ever amounting to anything now lies in his willingness to follow Judah…When Simeon partnered with Judah, Judah’s power became Simeon’s power, and Judah’s inheritance became Simeon’s inheritance…Over time though, because the Simeonites lived with the people of Judah, they began intermarrying until eventually the Simeonites were absorbed and completely assimilated by Judah. This too should be a similar picture to us. After we’ve partnered with Christ, we should allow ourselves to be assimilated until eventually we can no longer be seen, instead Christ is all that remains visible.

If we are to glean anything from our readings in the Holy Bible, part of the Christ-likeness assimilation process is pain and suffering. Ray Stedman points to verses within Lamentations that foreshadow Christ’s suffering while describing Jerusalem’s plight: “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me” (Lamentations 1:12). Zechariah prophesied this vision of Christ on the cross when the Lord promised through him to pour a spirit of grace upon us “when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced” (Zec 12:10). “All who pass along the way clap their hands at you;they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem” (Lamentations 2:15). Christ Jesus endured mockery from the cross as He gasped for breath asking the Father to forgive us.

Looking at the map of the twelve tribes, I see the merciful plan of our Father to build up a nation only to further reveal His glory by tearing it back down. I see the painstaking love in His sorrow over our suffering in His poetic words through Jeremiah in Lamentations. I see His heart wrapped around Jesus in Simeon’s rejection and redemption. When our love is strong, we simply can’t stop pointing to the source. The entire Holy Bible points to our salvation through Christ Jesus. What God is this who loves us so much? You, Holy Father, are the sole source of my strength. I thank you for every gift. I praise you for the blessed life I lead, but whatever lamentation I may suffer, take not your Holy Spirit from me! All vanity, all pride, any false sense of security, Lord, let it be extracted from this vessel so I may no longer be seen. Your will be done, not mine! Teacher, thank-you for bringing me into your Kingdom. Forgive me for my failures! Let me not remain idle! Show me how to use the gifts you’ve assigned me for your glory. Hallelujia, Jesus is alive!

Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 124:6-8).

Angels Smiling

Joshua 14-15

Psalm 120-122

Proverbs 1

Jeremiah 52

Acts 6

And he burned the house of the LORD…And…carried away captive some of…the rest…who were left in the city…And they took away the pots..shovels..snuffers..basins..dishes for incense..vessels of bronze used in the temple service..fire pans..lampstands..and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver (Jeremiah 52:13-19).

Reading in Jeremiah 52 about the Babylonians carting off the treasures of the Jerusalem temple and burning the city brought to mind a scene in the movie Empire of the Sun. Residents of Japan from Allied nations were living in detention facilities until after the war when they had to hike back to civilization. The movie shows the freed prisoners walking through fields of merchandise removed from their homes: displaced sofas, tables, trunks, lamps, and other ornaments litter the ground, but to many who are starving, its of little interest. The movie centers around a young boy separated from his parents during the chaos of an attack, so coping with abrubt change is a major theme. In today’s readings, Joshua parcels out land to the Israelite tribes, planting the nation in their new homeland as promised by the Lord. The remnant in Jerusalem during Nebuchadnezzar’s rule witness their city’s destruction. The apostles handle business unaware that their brother Stephen will soon become a martyr in their following. The young boy in Empire of the Sun, fascinated with the planes, salutes the Japanese pilots and sings for them as they board their P-51 cadillac of the skies. The song is Suo Gan, A Welsh Lullaby (alternate version). According to Wikipedia, the translation ends as follows:

Sleep child mine, there’s nothing here, While in slumber at my breast
Angels smiling, have no fear, Holy angels guard your rest.

What beautiful words for the Israelites who’ve been driven by slaughter and destruction but are now ready to build their societies. Would they remember 800 years later when they see their temple burnt and their sacred vessels stolen? How well Stephen’s peace in the love of Jesus is described here; the Word reads after he is seized for interrogation, “all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). When I went to Honduras for a year after college, I bought my ticket, packed, and day dreamed about foolish things, but when I got on the airplane, a huge wave of fear settled on me. Why was I leaving home? What was I thinking? Fortunately it was too late to deboard. I drank too much wine during the trip but managed to get to the right place thanks to the kind person who met me at the airport. The next morning, when I awoke, I was completely at peace. By the mercy of our Lord, angels guarded my rest. I was so blessed by the sun shining in my new temporary home, I wouldn’t have wanted to be anyplace else. Even minor changes in our lives can seem traumatic without knowledge and love of God. Praise Jesus for making a way for me!

David wrote of Jerusalem built as a city, bound firmly together (Psalm 122:3). “Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” (Psalm 122:7) When we are starting fresh as were the Israelites under Joshua, we need peace and security. In new places, we are often not comfortable with our footing. Excitement even without fear can become stressful after a while. We may be proud of or haunted by what we got through to get here; the Israelite men were separating families, killing, and burning as directed by the Lord. How do we retrain our humility to become proficient in a new way of life? Peace and security within the walls will enable us to examine ourselves closely and gain strength and revelation from the Lord. “For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” (Psalm 122:8) Holy Spirit, let us not be in a continual battle. Even if our surroundings are burnt down around us or when our sacred vessels carted off, remind us our only need is you. Help us show our love for the Father by being a blessing to our brothers and companions and hoping for their success in your name. Joshua reads “no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their substance” (Joshua 14:4). Lord, forgive me when I dwell on my portion more than caring for my livestock, the blessings I have today and anyone you’ve place in my arena to serve. Help me be a leader pleased by the accomplishments of all in your flock. “For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good” (Psalm 122:9). Lord, I desire to be as Stephen proclaiming your holy name to his accusers. Whatever seeks to weaken my faith and spoil my favor, let it become muscle in my devotion to your will. Holy Spirit, let all my activities recognize the Lord’s authority and prioritize the building of your church. Your glory is first, O Lord!

The LORD will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore (Psalm 121:7-8).

31 Kings Gone Astray

Joshua 11-13

Psalm 119:161-176

Proverbs 30

Jeremiah 51

Acts 5

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

Paul’s words to the Ephesians above precede his beautiful passage on putting on the full armor of God “to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). Today’s readings remind me of the spiritual nature of our battles in many ways. I was puzzling over Joshua 12, a list of 31 kingdoms conquered by the Israelites, wondering why each was described as “the king of” and “one”: “the king of Dor in Naphath-dor, one; the king of Goiim in Galilee, one; the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings (Joshua 12:23). Possibly, noting “one” just means the name is insignificant, maybe because their empowerment as king was brought on by events not blessed by the Lord. Maybe the repeated “one” is to emphasize the total number removed to make way for God’s chosen people. But each place is named, and what is Tirzah to the Lord? Cities are man-made, so why does the Word address them here and so often in the prophets’ writings as living beings? Certainly, cities are comprised of people, but the Lord counts the hairs on our heads. He is the God who sees me in the words of Haggai. Is He addressing the belated kings or the spiritual forces that dominate each city? The Word says of the kings, “For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed (Joshua 11:20). Our Almighty God manipulates us so easily; why not just give them a longing to relocate? If some bugs congregate around some food on my carport, I don’t want those bugs to just move away from the house. I’m going to erradicate some bugs and whatever is drawing them to my space. Spirits are drawn to people, and spirits not of God are like parasites looking for a host that will allow them to survive and thrive. The Lord built up the nation of Isreal to reject such spirits and erradicate anything that drew their presence. They burnt the walled cities. The Lord speaks to Babylon through Jeremiah foretelling her complete demise: “Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you” (Jeremiah 51:14). Our God says He will fill Babylon with men; He surely is not speaking to sidewalks and sewers but to the parasitic spiritual forces that lie within seeking human hosts. The men He promises will defeat their forces as Joshua and his men defeat 31 kings. In Acts 5, Peter asks Ananias why he would sell his own property and claim to donate all profits to the church while holding some back for himself. “Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5:4). When Ananias and his wife die because of their folly, “great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard” (Acts 5:11). Prizing the favor of men over our Creator leads to death; that is why we put on the full armor of God every day through prayer and reading of the Word.

Paul declares we wrestle against the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers over this present darkness. It is darkness because Satan is the prince of this world, and it is present because Satan has already been defeated by Christ’s death and resurrection. In the words of a preacher, he is simply completing his term in office until Jesus returns. An embittered spirit who hates God, Satan is frantically working to cause as much damage as possible before he is cast out for good. In Jeremiah, the Lord says, “I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen” (Jeremiah 51:44). Bel, meaning Lord, may refer to any number of Babylonian gods of underworld oceans, arts & crafts, the air between the earth and sky. Many faiths exist to put men in a godly place where their personal opinions become sacred, worthy of praise. The Holy Bible tells us the Living God is loving and merciful, but He disciplines too. The rulers and authorities over this present darkness are crafty enough to blend into what pleases people, trapping them in spiritual death when they pass from this world. Our Almighty God promises, for His chosen people, that wall will fall. Nations will no longer flow to him. The souls who don’t serve Jesus believers diligently pray for may be freed. Jeremiah continues, “then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 51:48). Babylon is often referred to as a place away from the Lord. No unnamed king or polluted water could threaten all that is in the heavens and the earth. Darkness in the form of principalities and cosmic powers will be defeated by destroyers sent by our Almighty God. The Lord said through Jeremiah, “Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth” (Jeremiah 51:49). Princes of darkness steal our faith through false promises, like the kid who gets votes because he’s everybody’s best friend for five minutes. That is not God! Let us not be slain by lies that soothe us occasionally rather than draw us to the Lord.

We also wrestle against spiritial forces of evil in the heavenly places. Peter asks Ananias, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?” Most of what we wrestle with is a product of the minds and emotions we encounter every day, our own and others. Satan is real, though, and leading his forces to keep people away from God in any way he can. He is unbiased towards addiction, deception, spiritual blindness, or any other means. He may be the master mind behind any infrastructure that builds itself up to oppose the Lord, such as the 31 kings Joshua defeated. Praise God for the Living Word that keeps hearts and minds directed towards Jesus. David said in Psalm 119, “I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil” (Psalm 119:162). We find spoil when we are victorious over what preys on our commitment to Jesus. The Word sheds light on the lies embedded in day to day life, commercials telling us we need this or that to be satisfied and enough distractions to fool people into believing they don’t need God. The Word brings victory over any temptation that might draw us into sin. “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Whatever faults and weaknesses we possess, we are safe from he who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy. King Solomon wrote, “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). We are vessels, spiritual and physical. If we drink contaminated water, we get sick. If we absorb and celebrate ideas that contradict the teachings of Jesus, our spirits are corrupted. Meditating on the truth of the Word helps restore us through communion with the Lord. After news of the apostles activity circulated, people were drawn to them for healing. “The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed” (Acts 5:16). The Word of God, the name of Jesus, and the testimony of the saved draws people to the Lord. We are spiritual beings. We will be drawn to something of a spiritual nature. Let it be the Spirit that offers eternal life. There is only one, the Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus.

When the apostles are arrested for their talk of Jesus, an angel sets them free. They are told, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life” (Acts 5:20). Speak the words of Jesus! His teachings alone have power to set people free from addictions, deception, and all manner of grief. That is why we call it the Living Word. It becomes the voice inside that guides our decisions. Other secular voices will try to crowd out the Holy Spirit, but only the still small voice of Jesus leads to life with the Father. After his conquest of the 31 kings, the Lord told Joshua, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess” (Joshua 13:1). The rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this present darkness persist. They lost the election, but their term is not over. We can ask the Lord in reverent prayer to knock down the walls of Babylon, the source of every lie and bondage that keeps people we love separated from Christ. Let her cities become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes (Jeremiah 51:43). A Pharisee named Gamaliel told the other Pharisees to leave the apostles alone because if they weren’t of God, they would fizzle out on their own. “if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them” (Acts 5:38). Lord Jesus, I pray your will is strengthened in each of your followers. Let the undertakings of man that contradict and oppose your Word fizzle out while anything that glorifies you is magnified. Let our cities be purified by the salvation of souls coming forward to repent of sin and accept you as Lord and Savior. Wash us in your blood, for the glory of God.

“The God of our fathers raised Jesus…exalted him at His right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32).

Cutters of Wood and Drawers of Water

Joshua 9-10

Psalm 119:137-160

Proverbs 29

Jeremiah 50

Acts 3-4

If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever (Proverbs 29:14).
 
Being a vessel for the Lord can easily lead to errors in judgement. If I hand my young daughter scissors, paper, and glue and ask her to make an envelope, chances are I will get something resembling an envelope plus a variety of other artwork on the table, on the floor, and brought to me. People, likewise, might be given a burden for another or receive a word of correction for them and rather than simply delivering the holy message from the Lord, add their own flare, see who wants to help, and do a trial run or two before carrying out the assigned task. Joshua, Moses’ successor, is assigned the awesome responsibility of leading the men through battle in the lands they will inhabit. In chapter 9, surrounding kingdoms are beginning to conspire against the Israelites following Jericho’s and Ai’s defeat. Joshua and his men don’t know it, but they are on the outskirts of a huge victory over five more local kingdoms. Before the Lord allows this, though, He tests them through the people of Gibeon who determine the Israelite’s mission is from the Lord and unstoppable; they ask for peace while pretending they are from a distant land since the Israelites seem intent on destruction for all in the surrounding area. Joshua and the leaders accept their story and make a covenant with the Gibeonites to ensure their safety. Joshua is soon dismayed to learn the Gibeon cities are closeby, but he honors the covenant he made with them in the Lord’s name. His reward? While pursuing the other nations that banded together against Gibeon and the Israelites, Joshua asked the Lord to let the sun stand still while their battle continued, and the Lord obliged. King Soloman wrote, “the refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tries the hearts” (Proverbs 17: 3). Our God is righteous and merciful, and His chosen vessel Joshua represents Him well enough to carve out the foundation of Israel.

Mercy appears when the men from Gibeon approach Joshua in rags with worn-out provisions. The Israelites have obliterated many people on both sides of the Jordan River. Their hearts must have hardened somewhat to desperate cries for help, tears, and fearful screams. They’ve had to put their own brethren to death for threatening their favor with the Lord. Yet, Joshua and his leaders are merciful towards the Gibeonites. Many years later, the Lord speaks through Jeremiah to the Babylonians full of wrath because they added their own flare to the task assigned by the Lord. “All who found them have devoured them, and their enemies have said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the LORD’” (Jeremiah 50:7). The Lord’s response is that they went too far and will be punished: “O plunderers of my heritage, though you frolic like a heifer in the pasture, and neigh like stallions, your mother shall be utterly shamed, and she who bore you shall be disgraced” (Jeremiah 50:11-12). Joshua might have been within the will of God to refuse the Gibeonites plea for their lives, but his demonstration of mercy is a gift. There is no pride or rebellion in it since the Gibeonites pointed to God as their source of strength (Joshua 9:9-10). God is so good to me. Can I show Him I see His goodness with goodness towards others? What do I show Him when I lack mercy? That I don’t treasure all He has done for me.

Joshua reveals the Lord’s righteousness by honoring the covenant of peace after learning he was decieved. “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them” (Joshua 9:19-20). King David wrote, “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth” (Psalm 119:142). Joshua and his leaders feared God enough to not slight His name with a false promise. His law is truth. That is a definition. God’s law is equivalent to truth. The Creator of the world is not false in any way. He permits things to happen, such as the Gibeonites lies and pretense, knowing we are flawed vessels, liable to flavor His work with our own style and find others to help before completing our task. When we act in an unrighteous manner, we don’t change who our God is, only our relationship with Him. The Gibeonites survive but not necessarily blessed. Joshua asked them why the deception. “Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God” (Joshua 9:23). Praise Jesus for His cleansing blood, mercifully given to restore us to the Father. After the Pentecost, Peter and John heal a lame man at the temple. to the amazed onlookers, Peter tells them the healing power is not his but Christ Jesus’. He says, “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord’” (Acts 3:19-20). Joshua behaved righteously, but our rightousness is as filthy rags before the Lord. Praise God, Jesus forgives and implants His righteous Spirit in us when we believe He is the Son of God. “God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness” (Acts 3:26).

Joshua’s mercy and righteous upholding of a promise made in the name of the Lord is followed by a one-time ever recorded event. The kings of other nations thought together they could defeat the Israelites because their eyes only saw men. Joshua’s knowledge of God as his strength was so deep he asked the Lord to keep the sun held high. “And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies” (Joshua 10:13). Joshua might have thought he failed miserably believing the Gibeonite’s story and not waiting for confirmation from the Lord before sealing their existance in the nation the Lord said was to be thiers. Maybe it was a test, or maybe it was the enemy trying to put a wedge between Joshua and the Everlasting Father. By His love and grace, our God can turn anything around for good, though. Simply following directions might bring five sequential victories, but after displaying, even at a human level, the awesome qualities of the Living God, the sun stood still. Jeremiah told the nation of Babylon, “The people of Israel are oppressed…All who took them captive have held them fast; they refuse to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name.He will surely plead their cause, that He may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon” (Jeremiah 50:33-34). The five kings who conspired against Gideon hid in a cave where they were trapped and later killed by Joshua’s men. There is no hiding our flaws from the Lord. We simply must come to Him earnestly and ask for mercy. Our redeemer is Christ Jesus. His death on the cross pays for our sins. His wounds heal our disease. His righteousness and mercy are everlasting. His Word is the truth.

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12).

Stones and Fire and Holy Ghost Power

Joshua 7-8

Psalm 119:113-136

Proverbs 28

Jeremiah 49

Acts 1-2

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. (Acts 1:6-7)

Before Jesus ascends to heaven, the disciples ask when their nation will be restored to its former glory. This is their expectation of God’s promise fulfilled. We often forget how great our God is when thinking about our wants and needs. We set our minds on what we think we lack based on the options we’ve seen. From God’s perspective, all knowing in the present, past, and future, the picture of what completes us at any given time might be quite different. Jesus tells His disciples not to ask when but to wait for the Holy Spirit to empower them to be His witnesses. Clear direction keeps them focused and together. In Joshua 7, Achan’s mind was set on treasure he saw in Jericho. The Lord told them not to keep anything for themselves, but Achan confessed: “when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them” (Joshua 7:21). The scene that unfolds is terrible to imagine. Joshua and the Israelites bring Achan, his sons & daughters, his animals, and all other posessions to the Valley of Achor (Joshua 7:24). “And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones” (Joshua 7:25). Joshua’s words to him were unsympathetic: “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today” (Joshua 7:25). The Lord showed Joshua Achan’s wrongdoing after allowing the Israelites defeat in battle with Ai and the loss of 36 men. We might think, why didn’t the Lord call out Achan’s sin before the battle? Then, Joshua’s leaders would be forever digging in the dirt underneath tents looking for contraband. To establish the nation of Israel in lands already inhabited, the Lord desired a people who would consecrate themselves. How will other nations fear Him if the children of Israel don’t?

King David wrote in Psalm 119, “Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law” (Psalm 119:135-136). The events in my life, the beauty of God’s creations, and the cross of Jesus tell me my God is good. No other love matches the love of our God. The gruesome Valley of Anchor shows me the horror of separation from our God. Parents teach their children harsh lessons when the consequences of their behavior threaten their well-being. If my daughter goes into the street when I tell her to stay in the yard, she will get a spanking; if she had younger siblings watching her behavior, the spanking would be even worse because of her influence on them.Achan and his family were punished, but they will be resurrected one day. The nation of Israel had to be established for the promise of Jesus to be fullfilled. Imagine if you designed a school or a hospital in a needy area, acquired all the materials, and then discovered the foundation could not be laid because a contractor was collecting parts and peices for his own trophy case instead of getting the concrete poured. We wouldn’t permit that contractor to halt progress, and we wouldn’t want others mimicing his behavior. The hope of healing for the sick and maturing and equipping for the children would assure us harsh consequences were necessary. This simple analogy is just what figures into my realm of understanding. Knowing the Lord is the Lord is the Lord is enough for Joshua. Following the annihilation of Ai, he renews their covenant with the Lord by reading all of Moses’ commandments to the assembly of Israel.

In Acts 1, Peter mentions the disciple who coveted what was visible to him: “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled…concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus…Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out” (Acts 1:16,18): another picture of separation from God. Peter’s mention of the prophesy suggest they are grieved by Judas’ choice to destroy their family chasing after something akin to a pre-teen dream – enough silver to buy a field. Jeremiah tells the Edomites, “the horror you inspire has deceived you, and the pride of your heart…Though you make your nest as high as the eagle’s, I will bring you down from there” (Jeremiah 49:16). Few of us find it easy to confess, as Achan did, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD” (Joshua 7:20). We can almost always justify our own actions and reject responsibility for influencing others. Acknowleging our lowliness before God is a good way to combat this tendancy; we have to always be prepared to confess our sins and our shortcomings. David said, “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me” (Psalm 119:133). Yes Lord, we are susceptable to sin, but you protect us. Our greatest protection is in the Holy Spirit received first by Peter and the disciples on the day of Pentecost. Peter addressed the onlookers in Jerusalem, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself” (Acts 2:38-39). Praise Jesus! We may not know the times and seasons fixed by the authority of our God, but we have nothing to fear with the Spirit of Jesus alive in us. Let us find evidence of His great love embedded in our lives. My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of His righteous promise (Psalm 119:123). Jesus is that fullfillment, and He will return for His believers. Glory to God!

And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)

Good-bye Jericho!

Joshua 4-6

Psalm 119:89-112

Proverbs 27

Jeremiah 48

John 21

Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish (John 21:5-6).

Not quite ten years ago, my sister sent an email to my parents & I with the subject line “Keep Adrianne Rolling”. I was driving a Ford Escort stationwagon that was starting to demand a higher maintenance allowance in addition to being an eyesore with the rear bumper skillfully wired to the body of the car. Sis, then a writer for a finance company, was becoming an expert in money management. She emailed a suggestion to our parents to encourage and assist me as neccesary in buying a new vehicle while the market was favorable. I don’t recall if it was then or later that I finally did fiancne my first new car, but “keep rolling” is what I keep hearing in today’s readings. When I did buy one, I suddenly had car payments for the first time and since my insurance on the old car was liability only, my premium increased significantly also. The change required some faith that I could manage the new responsibility, and it cost me a bundle, but the reward was a prize to behold. Jesus found His disciples working together. He called out to them to do something: cast the net on the right side. They listened, acted on His words, and saw His promise fullfilled. Reading about Jericho in particular, I am moved to get in position, listen for the voice of the Lord, and keep rolling.

Get in position! David wrote in Psalm 119, “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (v89). Unlike the economy, the Word of God is forever fixed. We are not to pursue Jesus a little here or a little there to balance out our changing agenda. We are to be ready, waiting, like the five wise bridesmaids who brought extra oil for their lamps (Matthew 25:1-13). In Joshua 4-6, the Israelites get in position to form a nation out of enslavement that will continue until we all meet the King of Kings. The Lord instructs the Israelites to set up memorials in and out of the Jordan River of twelve rocks each to represent each tribe and mark the place where the Lord held back the water for them to cross. He then instructed the new generation to circumcise themselves.and burn down Jericho with no survivors other than Rahab and her family who assisted the Israelite spies. Of the circumcision, the Lord said through Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you” (Joshua 5:9). The Lord who established the earth (Psalm 119:90) created a nation accountable to Him. The Israelites position is clearly seen in the victory over Jericho, not with chariots of steel but seven trumpets of rams’ horns to declare His glory. He could have just given them great strength as Samson or skill as David against Goliath, but then they would not be in position to revere and serve Him. Our great God has a plan that spans ages beyond our comprehension and a purpose for every participant.

When Jesus called our to His disciples on the boat, they were in position working together. “Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord” (John 21:12). Having followed Jesus for several years, they were attentive to His voice. David wrote, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:103-104). It’s easy to love God, but we require understanding to hate every false way and not veer off course when following Jesus presents us with difficult choices. While Jesus sat with His disciples on the shore, He asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him. Each “Yes” response from Peter was followed by instruction from Jesus: “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15). “Tend my sheep” (John 21:16). “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Maybe the slight variation of words indicates the path of growth and maturity we take as Christians. Nourish the little ones. Care for all my peeps. Pour into others. For certain, the repeated question put the conversation close to his heart. If the Lord wanted us confident in our own abilities, the battle plan at Jericho would have been drastically different than marching around the wall for seven days and shouting for it to fall. The Lord wants us broken and yeilded to Him because what He can do through us is so much better than a mark-down and a low interest rate. “Peter was grieved” (John 21:17), but I would imagine that conversation was replayed many times throughout His life. The disciples were saying goodbye to Jesus in the flesh but were about to begin a new relationship with Him in the Spirit soon to experience His love in new and amazing ways as healers of the sick. Our love for our teachers grows much when we start putting what they teach us into practice. How heartbreaking when hindsight reveals their wisdom, and we know they tried to reach, but we were not attentive to their voice. King Solomon wrote, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:6). Peter was grieved, but how he must have cherished those words later in times of joy and sorrow. Blessed be the word that prompts us to change! Let us hear your voice O Lord!

Finally, we keep rolling. As long as I am rooted in the Word, seeking God in prayer and praise, and accountable to another Spirit filled Christian, let me never allow questions or doubts to frustrate my principle desire to fullfill the Lord’s will for my life. Psalm 119 reads, “Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart” (v111). Other versions read “your statutes” or “your laws”, but truly, the interpersonal teachings of the Lord experienced by revelation are what form the aspects of our character never despised, the seeds we tirelessly plant in our children. Rahab, the prostitute who negotiated safety for her family with Joshua’s spies has testimony concerning the Holy One of Israel that becomes her heritage forever. She marries into the tribe of Judah to birth Boaz, grandfather of King David. She was in position when the Israelites entered Jericho to scout the land. Her home was on the border of the gate. She heard about the Red Sea and the destruction of other cities. She listened for the voice of the Lord in the spies and accepted their promise of protection without guarantee. She watched her city burn and undoubtedly survived some difficult times scratching out a new career as the Israelites continued their path through other cities. Following the attack, Joshua said, “Cursed before the LORD be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates” (Joshua 6:26). Glory hallelujia! When we are reborn in Christ, the temptation to see our salvation as a whitewash and rebuild what brought us success in the world is strong. Joshua’s army, following the direction of the Lord, “devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword” (Joshua 6:21) except for Rahab’s clan. “”And they burned the city with fire…Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD” (Joshua 6:24). What we keep should have a purpose in the Kingdom. Identifying non-perishables can be confusing, but that is why Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to live in us and activate the God-breathed spirit we received at conception. Learning to trust God and rely on the Holy Spirit is how we keep rolling. The God who delivers me from grief and bondage and blesses me with all I have can surely manage my day to day. Whatever I struggle with, I know ultimately the lesson will be one I’ll cherish forever, and the final picture will be one of His design. Like Rahab, we have to look past the city of corpses burnt to the ground to see the birth of a King, one who changes the heritage of all peoples.

Jesus told Peter, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). Wow, carried where you do not want to go. There is nothing false in the promise of God. His love is not the kiss of the enemy. We are not reborn because the market is favorable or for a cash-back incentive. When we accept Jesus, truth is revealed. Peter healed many and suffered much. Jesus’ words to him guarantee the Word of God will never lie. Trust in God, and keep rolling! The Lord speaks through Jeremiah to the people of Moab: “Flee! Save yourselves! You will be like a juniper in the desert! For, because you trusted in your works and your treasures, you also shall be taken” (Jeremiah 48:6-7). We cannot be in position, listening for the Lord’s voice, and pursuing relationship with the Lord without burning something in our worldly life. The Holy Spirit does not adorn our current business. He brings us new favor and life everlasting when we believe Christ Jesus is the Son of God, ask Him for forgiveness, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. (Psalm 90-91).

In the Heavens Above and On the Earth Beneath

Joshua 1-3

Psalm 119:65-88

Proverbs 26

Jeremiah 46-47

John 20

Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word (Psalm 119:74).

The Arch Books “Learning Bible Stories is Fun” series is awesome. A great variety exists in reading comprehension level, number words per page, and comical or real to life illustrations. We can’t have too many because my Pre-K ages daughter will benefit from and enjoy them for years. The more well-known stories of the Bible are under several different titles but less commonly taught passages are represented, too including Ezra 3-6 (Zerubbabel Rebuilds the Temple) and 2 Kings 22-23 (King Josiah and God’s Book) where the young king rediscovers the law and demands changes. Deborah Saves the Day is from Judges 4-5 where Deborah and Barak defeat Sisera, a Canaanite who was oppressing the Israelites.The story concludes with a reference to Jesus as our source of strength:

          Through Deborah, God gave strength and faith in Barak’s time of doubt
          God also does the same for you! You’ll never go without.
          God gave to you the Christ, your Lord, forgiving all your sins
          He also gives you strength and faith and brand-new life within.

Rahab’s Red Thread was one of my daughter’s favorites for a few days a while back such that when I didn’t see it where our others are kept and asked her where it was, she not only knew but corrected me on the title: Rahab’s Red Thread, not String. We’ve read Thomas the Doubting Disciples many times, too, but I might have chosen that one for the fewer words per page and corny cute illustrations. In today’s readings, Rahab and Thomas are polar opposites in the realm of faith. Rahab, a non-Israelite, is blessed by her fear of the Lord and a meeting with Joshua’s men who enter Jericho to view the land in preparation for their attack. Rahab tells Joshua’s spies the people know the Lord has given the Israelites the land and are terrified. “Our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). Rahab hides Joshua’s men and sends the king’s soldiers in the wrong direction when they demand she release them. In return, she asks the Israelites to spare her family when they attack the city. Joshu’a men agree and instruct her to keep her family inside the house and tie a scarlett cord outside her window when their army arrives. A scarlett cord? From two men, strangers in an army of thousands? Thomas saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead and many many other miracles, but when his brethren of several years tell him Jesus is alive, Thomas responds: “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe” (John 20:25). Jesus’ frequently quoted response is, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). The king in Jericho sent soldiers to Rahab’s house to stop the Israelite scouting mission. How many would have chosen to kill the spies rather than trust their God? Did she trust Joshua’s men and the God of Israel or did she just know her situation was hopeless, that no king or army in Jericho could help them? Rahab told the spies, “we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites” (Joshua 2:10). Blessed is she who has not seen and yet believed! Rahab’s family members who choose the power of God over the strength of men, who show their belief by gathering in her house, are safe on the day of destruction (Joshua 6:24-25). Rahab and her family are protected by the walls of righteousness and glory, sealed in by an unbreakable promise of the Lord.

Rahab’s New Testament counterpart could be the Canaanite woman who begged Jesus to heal her demon possessed daughter as he was walking along the road with his disciples. She ran after Him: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David” (Matthew 15:22). Jesus responded that He was sent to help the Israelites. “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26).. The Canaanite woman has heard of the miracles of Jesus, and she knows her situation is hopeless. No king, army, doctor, lawyer, IT guru, or logical thinker can help her. She doesn’t ask to see His resume or get contact info for the last 5 people He’s healed. She says, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” (Matthew 15:27). Her daughter is healed. Jesus’ words are: “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire” (Matthew 15:28). Rahab and the Canaanite woman are driven by their desire for life, for themselves and for their loved ones. Rahab risked her life by protecting the men in defiance of the king’s orders. Who knows if some of her family even said she was wrong to trust the Israelites and accused her of foolishness. A scarlett cord? Are you serious? The Canaanite woman left her society and humbled herself completely before Jesus and His disciples. Like Rahab and her family, she trusted the blessing of the Lord over any other option. Unless we are surrendered to the Lord, our flesh will answer for us. “No, that scarlett cord is not enough!” Thomas is not convinced of the power of God despite all he has seen. He doesn’t understand his situation is also hopeless. His doubt says, in his mind, other alternatives exist. The Lord speaks to Egypt through Jeremiah: “In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you. The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for warrior has stumbled against warrior; they have both fallen together” (Jeremiah 46:11-12). Warriors seeking alternatives to Jesus stumble and fall together. It may not be as visible as the destruction of Jericho, but what in your life is falling apart despite the many medicines used in vain? I praise God I know my situation without Jesus is hopeless. I am blessed to fear God and am safe within the walls of His righteousness. He is great and powerful, the only Living God.

Arch Books Rahab’s Red Thread ends with a reminder that we were also given a sign much more powerful than a scarlett cord. Accepting Jesus as Lord cleanses us from sin, empowers the Holy Spirit’s operation in us, and offers eternal life with the Father.

          Your sign is water joined to the Word. Baptism is its name.
          This sign will keep you firm in faith, like Rahab, just the same.
          Like Rahab’s thread, your Baptism will help you when you fear.
          It ties you to your risen Lord, who faithfully stays near.

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:21-22).

I recieve!

Let the Veil Down Let the Praise Go Up (Judy Jacobs)

Deuteronomy 33-34

Psalm 119:41-64

Proverbs 25

Jeremiah 44-45

John 19

“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out” (Proverbs 25:2)

I love week-ends. Today three little girls played with my daughter at home. My fridge was non-operational this morning, and shortly after I ordered a replacement, one of the little girl’s daddies repaired it. Why would I ever take the back cover off a refridgerator? I should be more curious. But Praise God whose strength is made perfect in my weakness for new testimony to add to what was stirring in my heart early this morning before I stopped writing to address household issues. I prefer to start fresh in the morning and post before I move on to the day’s events, but at least a couple TMIs here were done at night. Reading in John about the crucifixion of Jesus brought to mind my first understanding of salvation. In May 2008, I started attending a church, one I’d visited in the past, accompanied by a new friend. I liked the church, and though I thought I was saved, a minor panic attack one week-end provoked me to recommit myself at the altar a month or so later. Sometime in June, after the friend and I ate dinner with my family, I confessed in the car that I didn’t really know what salvation through Jesus meant: how does that work? I went to church and was involved with a youth group growing up, but between my flighty nature and wide mood swings associated with asthma medication, I was often not tuned in to what would benefit me. I told my friend I believed in Jesus but I didn’t understand how His death and resurrection offer me salvation. It is said that the mind cannot store what is revealed to the spirit, so we should always be careful to write down revelation. As I listened to my friend’s explanation, I was captivated. I know I was glad the pieces of the puzzle were finally fitting together and maybe I even felt a new personal need and love for the Lord. I do recall that not long after we talked, I remarked to him that I listened and something clicked for me, but I could hardly remember a word he said. He might have responded that we can’t remember revelation, but that would have gone right over my head as jargon.

I do recall a conversation later wherein I learned about the veil, an aspect of the crucifixion not mentioned in John. Matthew 27 reads, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split” (v50-51). The veil is thick woven material, not something that could be ripped like a sheet of paper. The instructions to make the veil are given to Moses in Exodus: “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it” (Exodus 26:31,33). The veil showed our separation from God. His presence rested on the mercy seat, and only His appointed priests at a time specified in the law, could enter into the Lord’s presence. “And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. And you shall set the table outside the veil” (Exodus 26:33-35).

Moses, whose earthly life ends in today’s Deuteronomy reading, spoke to God on a mountain away from the rest of the Israelites and through a burning bush. From his time on the mountain, his face became so glorified the Israelites couldn’t look at him so Moses wore a veil (Exo 34:29-33). The Lord also hovered over the tabernacle as a cloud not approachable by man. “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34-35). The Lord’s presence in the tabernacle guided the Israelites through the wilderness to the promise land. “Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up” (Exodus 40:36-37).

This amazing presence of the Lord dwelt in the Most Holy Place behind the veil. A nice article at The-Tabernacle-Place.com entitled “The Holy of Holies and the Veil” also describes the veil noting it was ripped top down, an act from God above necessarily because man could not accomplish this due to the veil’s height and thickness. The author writes:

“The torn veil illustrated Jesus’ body broken for us, opening the way for us to come to God. As Jesus cried out “It is finished!” on the cross, He was indeed proclaiming that God’s redemptive plan was now complete. The age of animal offerings was over. The ultimate offering had been sacrificed. We can now boldly enter into God’s presence, ‘the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.’ (Hebrews 6:19-20)”

Praise God the mystery is revealed, and it’s in writing! Our God is an awesome God! He, a perfect holy spirit, could not walk among us after we followed Satan’s call in the Garden of Eden, but He created us for His pleasure and He loves us. On our own, in our flesh, however closely we study the law, however often we offer praise and seek forgiveness through sacrifice, we will ultimately choose wrong. In Jeremiah 44, the Israelite women in Egypt reject his message from the Lord: “we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did…in the cities of Judah…For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster” (Jeremiah 44:17). Their refusal makes no mention of the rest of their nation’s exile and the fall of Jerusalem. Like me, thinking I believed in Jesus but not knowing what He did for me, the Israelites were blind to divine authority in their lives; they didn’t see the connection. When we are cold, we don’t carry a coat, we put it on gratefully. The Lord’s plan was not for us to forever carry His presence in the tabernacle but to wear His presence as a holy garment. We can today because Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, came down from heaven, lived a sinless life in the flesh, died to atone for our sin, and sent His Spirit to inhabit and redeem our souls. All we have to do is believe. Then we allow the Holy Spirit work in us to make us worthy of His glory.

As the soldiers divied up and cast lots for Jesus’ garments and tunic, Jesus voiced from the cross a change in relationship. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ Jesus is entering into His glory. Who is mother to the Author and Finisher of our Faith? Mary’s role has been fullfilled, but Jesus, whipped to shreds and nailed to the cross with thorns piercing His head, has compassion for her heartache. Woman, behold your son! Through the blood of Christ, we are restored to the Father, so John becomes a brother in Christ, a son to Mother Mary. Hallelujia, revelation and understanding never cease as we seek the Lord! Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection offer me relationship with a Holy God, whose presence might set me aflame if He did not channel it to me through the cross of our Savior Christ Jesus. I praise you Father that you chose to restore us to you, that you made a way for a stubborn people. Lord Jesus, I praise your name forever grateful that you suffered among us and tied yourself to the altar to complete God’s redemptive plan. Holy Spirit, never leave me!

“Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life” (Psalm 119:49-50).

Healed in the Garden with Jesus

Deuteronomy 32

Psalm 119:25-40

Proverbs 24

Jeremiah 43

John 18

Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said” (John 18:21)

Today, in the gospel according to John, the glory of God appears through Jesus Prince of Peace as He reacts to His betrayer, a group of soldiers, Peter, the priests, and Pontius Pilate. Examining the interactions of Jesus is one way to know our Savior. I can also know Him through prayer, worship, and by continuing His work, but I still won’t really know what it will be like to one day stand before Him. Studying Jesus in the Word doesn’t create a relationship with Him in itself, but it is an opportunity to explore His majesty and mystery. Moses, in Deuteronomy 32, writes a song to stand as a witness against the Israelites when their lives are in crisis. He warns them of their rebellious nature (31:27) and tells them to take the words to heart, “For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land” (Deu 32:47). Just as the law reveals our sin and rebellious nature, Jesus reveals the supremacy of God, His holiness and righteousness.

Moses song begins by declaring the greatness of God: “The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he” (Deu 32:4). In the garden on the evening of His arrest, Jesus asks the soldiers who appear with Judas who they seek. The soldiers respond, Jesus of Nazareth. “When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:6). The presence of God will knock us to the ground. They didn’t receive a vision and remain blind for three days as will Saul a few years later, but they fell to the ground. It should not surprise us, as humans, that they simply carry on with their mission, but Jesus’ authority has been established. After they respond to Jesus’ question a second time, Jesus says, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go” (John 18:8). Jesus, our redeemer, protects His followers fulfilling a prophecy, “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one” (John 18:9). All soldiers, priests, slaves, servants, and disciples in the garden witness the authority of Jesus and know He gave His own life. The prophet Isaiah said of the Messiah, “Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples” (Isaiah 55:4). Jesus’ leadership threatens the priests, but even at His arrest, His command is clear.

Malachi said of the Messiah, “But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap” (Malachi 3:2). The enforcers of the law are not prepared to be purified and cleansed. When the priests interrogate Jesus about His teaching, Jesus responds, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret” (John 18:20). When Jesus suggests they question His listeners, the officers are offended and strike Jesus (John 18:22). Jesus answers, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” (John 18:23) After the exile to Babylon, Jeremiah tells the remnant of Israelites the Word of the Lord is to stay in Judah. Jeremiah was proven right about their captivity and the fall of Jerusalem, yet again, the people refuse to believe. “Azariah…and Johanan…and all the insolent men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are telling a lie. The LORD our God did not send you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to live there’” (Jeremiah 43:2). The rebellious leaders claim Jeremiah is working with the Chaldeans, “they may kill us or take us into exile in Babylon” (Jeremiah 43:3). The remnant ignores the power of God evident in the temple’s destruction and the absence of their nation after years of warning. The priests won’t acknowledge the miracles of Jesus as evidence He is of God. David wrote in Psalm 119, “Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works” (Psalm 119:27). Jesus is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap when we meditate on His wondrous works. Today, because of His blood and the gift of the cross, we can be purified and cleansed.

Micah wrote of Bethlehem “from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). Pontius Pilate is in the new administration. He acknowledges the Jewish culture and works to maintain peace within their sector, but he has no understanding of the Holy One of Israel. He simply asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews. “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews’” (John 18:36). Pilate’s only response is, “So you are a king?” He completely disregards the “of this world” part as not relevant to his dominion. Psalm 119 reads, “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways” (Psalm 119:36-37). Pilate’s eyes are attuned to the world. When Jesus tells him “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37), Pilate asks, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) The Roman appointed governor knows Jesus is not guilty though. Jesus’ interaction with Pilate shows us evil intentions are not all that separate us from Christ. Pilate knows Jesus is not guilty, and coaxes the people to release him (John 18:39). When the people demand a robber be release instead of Jesus, Pilate favors his appointment over his conscience. King Soloman wrote, “If you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?” (Pro 24:12) Jesus with Pilate reveals the sovereignty of our God, the eternal value of His promise. He is from of old and will not favor appointments over the new covenant made in Christ Jesus. How our selves are contrasted here against Jesus boldly stepping forward to accept the cross. When our concerns are dominated by temporal things, let us remember Jesus came forth from ancient days to sacrifice His life for us. Glory to God!

Isaiah also wrote of Jesus, “his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). When the disciple Simon Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant in the garden, Jesus said, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (John 18:11) The gospel according to Luke states, “But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him” (Luke 22:51). Our Savior’s mercy is so great. He is of the Father. In His teachings, He told the people the Son does only what He sees the Father doing. Jesus reveals God’s glory with the soldiers, the priests, Pilate, Peter and in healing Malchus the servant’s ear. His words for Judas His betrayer are few. The glory of God is to create while the enemy’s tactic is to destroy. Holy Spirit, let my words reveal your glory. Let your scripture accomplish its purpose, drop as the rain and distill as the dew like gentle rain upon the tender grass and like showers upon the herb. “For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!” (Deu 32:3)

Local News vs the Promise of Heaven

Deuteronomy 29-31

Psalm 119:1-24

Proverbs 23

Jeremiah 41-42

John 17

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:10-11).

Today, I am assured of and confident in the promise of the Word. In Deuteronomy, Moses spoke of the Lord’s covenant, Jeremiah advised survivors of an attack to stay in their land under the care of the Lord, and Jesus prayed to the Father on behalf of believers asking Him to keep us from the evil one. A scan of a few depressing local news stories enforces my hope in the Lord with a longing for more people to draw their strength from Him. A homeless man was murdered in a neighborhood where residents appreciated him for doing odd jobs and being non-bothersome and pleasant. Another man lost his 20 year old son and best friend to murder. An underweight 11 year old shackled to a desk at home is now in the care of social services along with her siblings. For the two men who were killed, the most important question is, did they know Jesus? The Bible doesn’t say “all who accept Jesus as Savior and victims of foul play” see the Father. Jesus said, “the one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge” (John 17:48). This is hard to accept when we’ve lost family and friends who may not have known Jesus. Our minds tend to blot out things that are too horrible for us to consider. It’s easier for the mind to deny Jesus is the Son of God altogether than to acknowledge hell as a real place where people who reject Jesus spend eternity. In moments where the heartbreak for suffering souls starts to overwhelm me, I remind myself that nobody knows what happens in a person’s heart in the moments before death. We might not see them run down to the altar to give their hearts to the Lord but seeds of faith planted by Christians throughout their lives can take root enough to encourage a weary fearful soul to beg Jesus for mercy as did the thief on the cross. The heart is a mysterious being. We won’t lock ourselves in our homes or never trust another parent again because two men were murdered and another was charged with abuse this week. We can’t turn from Jesus because we fear for loved ones who have passed. Moses told the Israelites preparing to invade other nations, “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deu 31:8). We master our faith in God so we can be the Christians planting seeds for people less blessed than we are instead of scraping into heaven with only hours to spare like the thief on the cross.

Deuteronomy this morning includes another of my favorite verses: “If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will take you” (Deu 30:4). This is still more incentive to fuel my faith as much as I can. In the gosepel, Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son returning to his father to show our Father’s mercy is great. The promise our Almighty God made to the Israelites is that He will gather our outcasts from the uttermost parts of heaven. Some people I love may never visibly open their hearts to the Lord; these are my outcasts, and they might not be on another believer’s list. In any case, I want that rope to be strong! Moses told the Israelites, “It is not with you alone that I am making this sworn covenant, but with whoever is standing here with us today before the LORD our God, and with whoever is not here with us today” (Deu 29:14-15). Whoever is not here with us today! My ascendents may never have followed Moses’ law, but I am a daughter of the King by the blood of Christ. Jesus said, while praying on behalf of His disciples, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (John 17:20). Who will believe: glory to God! My Savior prayed for me before I was born and while I was lost in sin and self satisfaction before I was saved.

The remnant of Israelites in Judah after the forced exile were attacked by a group who opposed the governor selected by the Chaldeans. With threats from within and without adequate protection from the Chaldeans, the people discussed finding safety in Egypt. They asked Jeremiah to seek the Lord’s will for them. Jeremiah, after 10 days of prayer, gave the Lord’s response: “If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you” (Jer 42:11). Again, our Father is merciful, but we must seek mercy from Him and not from men or the enemy. A prince of this world exists. He was cast down from heaven for rebellion and he seeks his own army. Our righteous God, a Holy Spirit of love and truth, does not choose His way for us. He warns the remnant, “If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there…and the famine…shall follow close after you” (Jer 42:16). Evidence of God exists. The choice to believe in Jesus as our Redeemer, the only way to the Father as written in the Holy Bible, is ours. We mustn’t allow fear of hell to bring us there as fear of Judah brought some of the remnant to Egypt (Jeremiah 43).

Believers share their faith and testimony to weaken the pull of Egypt. David wrote, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). I have to remind myself of the reality of hell to never think people who don’t know Jesus are “just that way.” Hope exists. Their eyes may be opened. Psalm 119 also reads, “”How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psalm 119:9). A young man is only beginning his walk of faith. He will often find himself at the crossroads for Judah and Egypt. David just said a young man, not a young man given a spiritual sense by grace or a young man who is on the worship team at a spirit filled church.A young man who guards his way according to the Word may keep his way pure. We are all God’s creations. Jesus asked the Father to “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). King Solomon wrote, “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off” (Probers 23:17-18). Fear of the Lord means recognizing His awesome unlimited power and trusting His Word over the anything that contradicts it. The Lord said He will relent of disaster when we turn to Him. There is no greater disaster than walking through life without knowing Jesus destined for an eternity in hell.

Jesus said in His prayer to the Father, “For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me” (John 17:8). There is no comparison between nobles ideas and the Word of God. By mercy and grace, the Lord brought me to a church that speaks the Word, shows the Word, and reveals the Word by pursuing the Lord with integrity and love. Proverbs 23 reads, “My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right” (Proverbs 23:16). By accepting Jesus and prayerfully reading the Bible, my spirit soars when fed by the Word. The mind can respond intelligently to thought provoking discussion, but we cannot think our way into heaven for eternity. Lord, my prayer today is to break free anyone who doesn’t acknowledge Jesus as Savior whether because their minds reject the authority of the spirit or to protect their hearts by blotting out the possibility someone they love might not have believed. Let the a seed of faith take root in their heart to combat fear of the sword and fear of famine. Let them be included in the prayer of Jesus, “for those who will believe” through the testimony of Christians and the Word of God given in the gospel. Let your Word settle on fertile ground today. I praise you Lord for mercy and grace and the strength to draw all to you when your name is lifted high. Glory hallelujia!

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:25-26).

Rejoicing in the Delivery Room

Deuteronomy 28

Psalm 118

Proverbs 22

Jeremiah 39-40

John 16

The LORD is God, and He has made His light to shine upon us (Psalm 118:27).

Hallelujia, as of early early this morning, I am an Aunt to Baby Ryan Jeremy. I just have the one picture above; the other below is of my newborn daughter with me. This long awaited nephew, first born son to my beloved sister, seals us together as a family. My baby girl has a cousin, my sister and I are mommies and aunts together, and my parents have both a grandson and a granddaughter through two joyful daughters. “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it!” (Proverbs 10:22)

When Jesus tells His disciples He will be leaving for awhile to join the Father, He says their sorrow will turn into joy. “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world” (John 16:21). The birth of a baby changes our identity and the world around us. Pregnancy is uncomfortable and exciting as preparations are made, but when the first baby is delivered, suddenly we are parents. Our activities and environment are instantly changed. Out of the depths of our hearts emerges a capacity to love completely in a whole new way, and like moving to a new place or starting a new job, a world of opportunity for fresh starts is before us. We hold the miracle of life in our arms, looking into the babys’ eyes and blessing their every move as just the cutest thing that could ever be. Praise God for the delivery of a healthy baby boy to my sister who I love so much. I am so happy she’s a mommy because I know her heart full of love is just going to keep growing.

Being reborn as a follower of Christ Jesus is much like the transformation to parenthood in a more gradual way. Our activities and environment change and out of the depths of our hearts emerges a capacity to love completely in a whole new way. Moses, in Deuteronomy 28, offers a beautiful blessing on the Israelites who obey the voice of the Lord our God. I pray this blessing over Baby Ryan and parents as the miracle of life unfolds before them: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field” (Deu 28:3). Whether we are surrounded by busyness and distractions or seemingly alone in a place where our choices are few, God is with us. He breathed life into the womb, He brought the seed to full term, and the amazing little infant successfully delivered is made in God’s image. “Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb…Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl” (Deu 28:3,5). The Lord is our provider. If we consult Him daily, we will have what we need. We won’t have to buy one of everything in the store just in case when we habitually and prayerfully seek the Lord because He sees our tomorrow while we are sleeping. He will guide our choices when we ask Him for help. Our basket will be full, and the tools we need will be available. “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways” (Deu 28:7). The Lord doesn’t want us to fret and worry. He will resolve problems for us. Trusting in God doesn’t mean no enemy will rise against us. Don’t lose faith because something unexpected happens. The Lord allows us to try things our way, but when we turn to Him in faith saying “Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success” (Psalm 118:25), the problems we face flee before us seven ways. “The LORD will open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (Deu 28:2). The Lord wants to bless us so we may bless others and glorify Him. When we glorify God, others are drawn to Him to receive life through Christ Jesus and find the peace that passes all understanding. Gracious Lord, Almighty King, let Baby Ryan discover the treasury of your loving care. Pour your Spirit upon this family so they grow in your perfect way.

David wrote in Psalm 118, “The LORD is God, and he has made His light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!” (Psalm 118:27) A lifestyle of trusting in the Lord is as new and different as a new born baby. Years of lessons from what we do wrong and theories about what we did right that don’t include God cloud our thinking. All the “I”s without any “He”s give us an inaccurate perspective. Spiritual retraining is needed to habitually pray, trust, and wait. Adonijah, David’s son, defied authority and listened to advisors who wanted him to succeed David as king. When his plan to steal the throne from Solomon failed, Adonijah ran to the temple and clung to the horns of the altar in a plea for mercy. Sacrificing our will for faith in God might defy what promotes our ego, but let us see the miracles of life God creates in every tiny face, bind our self will with cords to the horns of the altar to burn and beg for mercy for not consulting our God and our Savior before moving forward with our own plans. David said, “The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death” (Psalm 118:17-18). In Jeremiah 39, after the Babylonians trample Jerusalem’s palace, the Lord tells Jeremiah to assure the servant who spoke to Zedekiah on Jeremiah’s behalf : “I will deliver you on that day…you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the LORD’” (Jeremiah 39:16-18). Ebed-melech the Ethiopian received the blessings Moses wrote by trusting in the Lord enough to approach Zedekiah king of Judah to ask for Jeremiah’s rescue. We, too, have not been given over for death. Our merciful God delivered a promise to us in His only son. Jesus said, “for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God” (John 16:27). Christ Jesus is our rescuer. Obeying His commands in the gospel, to believe He is the Son of God, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, brings to life the beautiful blessings Moses offers. When our self will attempts to circumvent our faith, let us remember the words of Jesus, before He tied Himself to the cross of our salvation: “Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:32-33). Whether we are parents or not, we each are blessed in some way just to be alive, free, educated, and prosperous. Whatever our troubles, Jesus will help us overcome them to bring us to heaven with our Father. A pregnant woman knows a baby is alive in her. Reborn Christians know the Holy Spirit is alive in us. Rejoice! “This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:23-24).

Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, He will give it to you…Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23-24).

On the Vine, Rooted in the Church

Deuteronomy 26-27

Psalm 116-117

Proverbs 21

Jeremiah 38

John 15

What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all His people (Psalm 116:12-14).

This morning’s readings poke me with the question, “What are you doing for the church?” I used to attend a weekly corporate prayer service, but I’ve missed since my daughter changed schools and several weeks before that for various reasons. Life groups within my church organized Saturday outreaches all over the city this month, but I have yet to relinquish a Saturday morning to join the troops. My daughter enjoys that time at home, and of course, so do I, so I’ve made the excuse that I do other things on Sunday. I don’t know know if any non-believers read this blog, but I justify the hours I pour into it lately with the Word of the Lord through Isaiah:

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth…So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, But it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Praise God, one of the easy things we can do is tithe although being fiscally responsible aside from that is still a duty. The Lord commands the Israelites through Moses, “When you have finished paying all the tithe…then you shall say before the LORD your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion out of my house’” (Deu 26:12). There is nothing sacred about my job or the money I spend, but ten percent of my paycheck belongs to the Lord. That portion is sacred. I am glad to bring it His house even if I occasionally slip into overspending. When I seek mercy from the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit for help, I will suddenly no longer want to run over to the mall or need those pricey flavored waters. The Word on the tithe continues, “‘and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me’” (Deu 26:13). Before Jesus, there was no gospel to spread. The Israelites weren’t given a great commission to convert surrounding nations to Judaism. The command to tithe includes instuction to help the needy. In the New Testament world, the needy are those who don’t know Jesus. The devil would have us spend all our money making people comfortable on earth in a secular way so they can spend an eternity in hell. Belief in Jesus means belief in a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. The sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow in our society are souls who don’t live knowing Christ Jesus is their Savior.

Jesus tells His disciples, “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide” (John 15:16). We know people are often drawn to the church by a friend, not by commercials or fliers and pamplets. Jesus also said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The branch that is separated from the vine will die. As much as Christians need Jesus, lost souls and new believers need the church. Ministering to someone individually is wonderful, but hallelujia for the day that person once destined for hell commits themselves to the Lord by building relationships within the house of God. The prophets of the Old Testament suffered much to speak the word of the Lord, but without the backing of the divinely appointed king or the priests in the temple, the prophets had little success. Jeremiah walked freely through the city preaching the need to submit to authority: “He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live” (Jeremiah 38:2). Several of the officials demands Jeremiah’s life “for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city” (Jeremiah 38:4). These are souls engrossed in the daily news, who sees the words, inspired only by man, printed on the page at that moment, subject to change in the next five minutes, as more worthy and significant than the Word of God that has stood for hundreds, now thousands, of years. Often such people won’t believe anything they can’t explain; limited to their own thinking, they are blind and deaf to the Word that breathes new life into people everyday. Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). People who are trapped in the world need the church more than anyone. The power of the Holy Ghost that manifests in a house of God led by people who revere the Lord in their daily walk can change a heart forever in one altar call. How do we get the world into the church? The power of coporate prayer within a church heals the sick, increases prosperity, and breaks strongholds. David wrote, “You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Psalm 116:16-17). Let the power of God within church services, small groups, and outreach programs loose bonds to draw fresh praise for Jesus from today’s sojourners, fatherless, and widows.

In the news, we see wretched situations that desperately need help, but we can funnel our assistance through groups that promote the gospel. Project Rescue serves women in slavery in other countries by ministering to them and encouraging them to release their children to a help center run by the foundation so the children don’t become enslaved also. This work requires an incredible amount of time and love to build relationships with victims whose trust has been shattered by their captivity. Zedekiah, king of Judah let his accusers put Jeremiah into the cistern, but someone who fears God more than the king or his officials asks him to take action on Jeremiah’s behalf. Zedekiah demonstrates more fear of God than Jeremiah’s accusers by ordering Jeremiah pulled out by 30 men of the court, but when Jeremiah advises the king to submit to the Chaldeans, the king shows he fears man more than God: “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me” (Jeremiah 38:19). We fear God because we know His awesome power; He has the power both to punish and to deliver. Like Zedekiah, many souls are trapped in the world for lack of trust in the church. Believers have to support the church as much as possible to show lost loved ones their trust in the house of God. Jesus said, “A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him who sent me’” (John 15:20-21). It was only ten years ago that many people, particularly of older generations, didn’t the internet that much, or if they did, it was for a particular task rather than for pleasure. Today, my nearly blind grandmother has a facebook account she uses to keep up with family and friends. She orders shoes off ebay. Her first computer was an old hand-me down with a dial up account. Now she’s got a relatively new one with Vista and a cable connection. She initially succombed to requests to get an email account, and now she is a full participant in the 21st century. Praise God for churches that promote the gospel, as stated in the Holy Bible, with zeal and passion.

Psalm 116 reads, “I suffered distress and anguish.Then I called on the name of the LORD: ‘O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!’” (Psalm 116:3-4). My Christian walk was birthed by a desperate cry and strongly encouraged by a Christian friend, but as David concludes, the house of the Lord is essential to my growth. The Christian friend who led me back into the church likewise had love for the house of the Lord and was also saved, years before, by a group of Christians whose church promoted the Word of God with zeal and passion. David continues Psalm 116, “I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 116:18-19). Let us not be Zedekiah, subjecting servants of the Lord to the cistern and having more faith in men than the power of God. Let us clap our hands in joy over what the Lord has done in our lives. Holy Spirit, awaken the call in me to invite my neighbor to visit the Father at my church. Eternity is forever.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2)