Snippets from David

2007-01-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

Count the Cost of Your Solutions

Life in this physical existence is full of problems. We are constantly searching for solutions. Far too often our “solution” to a problem is either a problem itself or the seed for a future problem. The “solution” looks wonderful from the perspective of “now” circumstances, but it fails miserably to address the real reason for the problem existing.

Samuel was a wonderful spiritual leader in Israel his entire life. From his childhood he listened to God. He never spoke for God until he listened to God—not to himself! As Samuel’s life neared its end, Israel faced three immediate problems. (1) Samuel was old. Age passes the usefulness of experience. (2) However, Samuel’s sons were wicked men. They made lousy judges because they were nothing like their father. Whereas Samuel powerfully led Israel in God’s direction, his sons sought dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice (1 Samuel 8:3). (3) The nation needed leadership and guidance that made them secure. The king’s principal work was to serve as his people’s judge. God was the judge through the person He appointed. The problem was not God. The problem was having a person who listened to God. Samuel did. His sons did not.

As a nation, Israel was different. Leadership in every other nation was provided by a physical king. They had no physical king. Their solution to their leadership dilemma: (1) be like everyone else. (2) Appoint a physical king.

The primary problem with their solution was this: their leadership problem resulted from a lack of faith in God. True, they were different. Yet, in that difference was a real potential for good not available to any other nation. Appointing a physical king was not a real solution! At best it was an expensive, temporary “fix” that resulted in increased problems and eventual ruin. Their solution was actually a new problem!
Samuel was deeply grieved by the nation’s request. When Samuel brought the matter to God, God said, “They have not rejected you. They have rejected Me as their king! Give them what they want, but explain to them in plain terms the cost of their request.”

Samuel explained to the nation the oppressive physical burden supporting a king would place on everyone. However, the people would not listen to him. Their solution was THE solution, the ONLY solution! A distressed Samuel again took the matter to God. God’s response: “Give them what they want” (1 Samuel 8:22).

Words of caution to all of us: First, when we (1) put our words in God’s mouth to make Him say what we wish to hear, or (2) think our solution is so good that we can refuse to listen to God, we are in serious trouble. Even when we do not think so, God (1) knows what we need, and (2) knows what He speaks about.

Always, in the church or in personal matters, we need to listen before we decide. We need to make certain our solution is not a problem in disguise. This is not an admonition to procrastinate [which is a problem, not a solution]. It is the encouragement to know God’s full thinking before we champion our solution.
The second caution: Never forget that God will let us do as we please. It takes more than the prayer, “God, do not let us do something we should not do,” to avoid ungodly decisions. The attitude of that prayer is excellent if we first listen to God’s guidance.

The realization that God will let His people do as they insist on doing is frightening! A personal agenda has no place in God’s purposes!

It is okay to speak for yourself. You are entitled to your opinion! Just do not pretend to speak for God when you are speaking for you! We cannot uphold God’s purposes unless we know and understand God’s purposes.

Someone Had To Be The First

2006-10-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

In Joshua 24, Joshua gave his final address to Israel’s leaders. He began his address in God’s voice with a striking declaration. Israel’s earliest ancestors served idols. There was a time when Israel’s ancestors did not know the God Israel followed. He specifically mentioned Terah, Abraham’s father.

Someone has to be the beginning. It is never popular to be the beginning. Only in the distant future when people see the good fruit of your courage do they admire and praise your courage. By then the courageous one has long been dead. By then all his/her warts and flaws have been noted and examined numerous times. By then his/her loneliness, questions, and grief long have been history. By then no one ever considers the struggles surrounding his/her being the first. By then, he/she is a hero and not a human.

Too often we think of great heroes in scripture as being so outstanding and strong that they are not human. We place them high on a pedestal to collect dust while we occasionally admire them. We make such “super saints” out of them that we likely miss their most valuable lessons to us. The lessons: God works through (a) the small and (b) the weak. What is achieved is not the result of the “bigness” of the person but the result of the “bigness” of God. Divine grace exists as a part of God’s character because inevitable flaws created by the weakness of fear exists as a part of human character.

Abraham was an incredible man. His faith in God exceeds the faith of many (if not all of us). Yet, Abraham was a man who knew fear and made mistakes just as we do. God was able to make great use of him because of his great faith, not his great achievements. In the same manner, God’s use of us is dependent on our faith in Him, not our achievements.

There is so much to be wondered concerning Abraham. Wonder how he felt the first time God spoke to him? Wonder if he immediately understood what was happening? Wonder when and where that moment occurred? To deepen your sense of wonder, realize Abraham was no more accustomed to having God speak verbally to him than you are. Yet, he had the faith to listen seriously rather than find a reason to dismiss the event and occasion.

Can you begin to imagine how much faith he had? When God told him to leave his extended family and depend on the God who spoke to him, he did it. When God told him that a nation would descend from him, he believed it—though he did not even have a son at that moment. When God told him Canaan would belong to his descendants, he believed it. Because there was an Abraham, there was a Moses, and a Samuel, and a David, and an Elijah, and a Daniel, and a Nehemiah.

Yes, it was God’s intent to send a Jesus so all families of the earth could be blessed. Yet, it had to begin with God finding a man who trusted Him. God could do marvelous things through a man who trusted him.

God can still do marvelous things through a person who trusts Him. Are you such a person?

Joy Turned to Sorrow

2006-10-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

The gateway to Canaan fell! The vulnerability of the territory to become Israel’s land increased! Before Jericho fell, the area trembled at the thought of war with Israel [not because of the strength of Israel’s army, but because of the way God acted on Israel’s behalf] (Joshua 2:9-11). After Jericho fell to Israel, the terror of the people who lived in Canaan intensified (Joshua 6:27).

Among God’s instruction concerning Jericho was this: everything captured in that city is under ban (Joshua 6:17-21, 24; 7:1). In ancient Israel the ban usually meant more than one thing: (1) no Israelite was to take anything from the destroyed city for personal benefit; (2) all living things in the city were to be killed; (3) anything taken from the fallen city [usually metal objects] was to be devoted to God by placing them in the tabernacle. The ban was a flexible instrument used in some form to honor God. It was a way to dedicate a victory to God as the power behind the victory, to honor God in the defeat of an enemy, and to declare dependence on God. It also was a means of funding the work of the Holy Site of national worship [ancient Israel’s form of national worship was expensive to maintain]. Thus, in ancient Israel, the fall of an important idolatrous city accomplished two things through a ban: (1) it did not have an adverse spiritual influence on Israel by encouraging idolatry, and (2) it honored God as the power enabling the blessing of victory.

The concept of the ban was not restricted to the conquest of Jericho. In ancient sources outside Old Testament records, it is known to exist in other ancient cultures also. It was seen in ancient Israel on several occasions even generations later. For example, one of the reasons God rejected King Saul was his failure to observe God’s ban when conquering the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15).

Jericho was an important city that guarded Canaan against invaders coming from the “other side” of the Jordan River near a convenient crossing. Ai, compared to Jericho, was a small city. While both had strategic significance, Ai likely did not have the symbolic significance of Jericho. While both were significant cities, it was true that if Israel could defeat Jericho, defeating Ai should be simple.

However, a warrior named Achan broke God’s ban in Jericho and angered God. When Achan saw a beautiful mantle, two hundred pieces of silver, and a gold bar, greed caused him to forget God’s instructions. He took those objects and buried them in his tent.

Joshua was told Ai would be easily defeated. The whole Israelite army was not needed. So Joshua sent only 3000 men to capture Ai. However, those men fled from the defenders of Ai, and a few were killed.

The defeat caused Joshua to be extremely distraught. After a time of grief before the ark of the Lord, he asked God, “Why did You let us cross the Jordan River to be destroyed? We should never have crossed the river!” (Joshua 7:7) His concern was that the people living in Canaan would lose their fear of Israel and become bold. In Joshua’s mind, it was this fear, not God, that was the key to Israel’s victory. God told Joshua and those that mourned with him, “Get up! The problem is not the defeat, but the fact there is sin among you.”

God said the man who defied His ban and all that belonged to him should be destroyed (Joshua 7:15). He was, and as a result his family and his livestock were killed, and his possessions were destroyed. A stoning, burning, and burial under a mound of stones were all a part of Achan’s destruction. Before his execution, Joshua referred to him as the one who brought trouble to Israel.

Give attention to four lessons. (1) The key to success—in success or tragedy—is God [and certainly not greed in any form!]. (2) What we hide is never hidden from God. (3) Too often we fail to see the actual problem. (4) Our moral failures can affect or destroy a lot of lives who did not participate in our initial immoral act.

If life is not what you want or like, do not waste “now” because of what you fear in the future. If you do, you will not change the future, and you will waste “now.” As you choose a direction for your life, take care to focus on real problems, not fear problems.

The Lord of Rules and Regulations

2006-10-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

War was eminent! The attack was so near one could feel the anxiety in the air! Several ‘some ones’ would die! Soon there would be widows lonely for their husbands and orphans wanting their father!

This was in an age before gun powder, shells, and bombs. Thick, high walls around a city and strong, bolted gates composed a formidable defense system. Joshua 6:1 said the city of Jericho was tightly shut up. No one was allowed to go in or out of that city. As long as the people of Jericho could keep Israel’s army “out there,” the people of Jericho could preserve their lives and defend their city. As long as they could keep Israel’s army “out there,” they were in control of their destiny.

God told Joshua to do a very strange thing in Joshua 6. It was the kind of instruction that could make Joshua respond by saying, “Lord, you could not possibly want us to do that because it violates Your rules and regulations.” Presumably from the time of Exodus 20:8-11, Israel did nothing on the Sabbath. From that occasion forward, God’s Ten Commandments, given with Moses as God’s spokesman, were the core of God’s Law in Israel. Certainly the statement in Exodus 31:12-17 and the incident in Numbers 15:32-36 strongly suggest Israel kept the Sabbath even in the wilderness.

Yet, God’s instructions to Joshua concerning the first city in Canaan they were to conquer did not observe the Sabbath. “For six (6) days, Joshua, you are to have Israel’s army march around the city once led by seven (7) priests carrying trumpets made of rams’ horns and priests carrying the ark of the Lord. The priests with the trumpets are to blow them continuously, but the entire army is to march in silence. On the seventh (7th) day, the army with the priests carrying trumpets and the ark are to march around the city six (6) times in silence. On the seventh (7th) time, the priests are to blow their trumpets, the army shout, and Jericho’s wall will fall.”

If they marched for seven (7) consecutive days, they violated the Sabbath. If the first day of the march was Sunday, their beginning of the week, the army of Israel fought and won a major battle on the Sabbath, or seventh (7th) day of the week. Either way, the Sabbath was not observed as instructed in Exodus 20. If gathering wood was a violation of the Sabbath, marching around Jericho’s walls in battle gear was surely a violation of the Sabbath!

The issue needs an accurate understanding. Is God bigger than the Law He gave? Or is God subject to the Law He gave? Is God Himself the ultimate authority, or are the “rules and regulations” the ultimate authority? If you are tempted to say that is an irrelevant point without any application to us of today, consider that God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace are in violation of “rules and regulations.”

We are all sinners! None of us are worthy to be in God’s presence. Though we all justly are condemned by our own mistakes and failures, God forgives. In spite of our indefensible violation of the “rules and regulations,” God forgives because He is full of mercy and grace. Our hope is not in the “rules and regulations” because that would place our hope in human perfection, an impossibility. Our hope is in the God Who is bigger than justice, bigger than “rules and regulations.”

Generations later, God’s son declared, “…Something greater than the temple is here. … For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:6, 8). Thank You, God!

Rejoice Before The Lord!

2006-09-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

The common tradition in Christian worship is to worship God in a somber, solemn manner. Praise is solemn (“Do you not understand the Lord is to be feared?”). Prayer is solemn (“To approach God with quietness is to show God dignity!”) Communion is solemn (“Do you not realize this is about death—not victory!”) Preachers who make people laugh do not take God’s word seriously! From Christian worship one might get the impression that God always has been offended by any worship approach that was less than solemn.

In Deuteronomy 16:9-12, Moses wrote worship instructions for the Feast of Weeks. It was to be celebrated seven weeks from the beginning of harvest. It was to be an occasion when they gave God freewill offerings of their harvest. It was one of the three assemblies of the year in which all the men of Israel were to gather in one place and worship God as a nation (Deuteronomy 16:16).

Hopefully everyone (including males, females, and servants) could gather on this occasion. It was to be a happy occasion when everyone rejoiced before the Lord. They were to rejoice for two reasons: (1) God blessed them in harvest! (2) God delivered them from slavery!

Why do we assume that any tribute to God must be a solemn occasion? From the origins of worship in Israel, God was not offended by the joy of His people. Instead, He was honored that His people found reason for joy in Him. God’s blessings call for celebration! Celebration calls for expressions of joy! Only the person who credits himself or herself for God’s blessings finds no reason to rejoice before the Lord.

After the first baptisms into Christ, Jewish Christians were together daily expressing gladness and sincerity (or simplicity) of heart. To suggest that people who knew for generations how to “rejoice before the Lord,” who expressed gladness daily were solemn in all worship gatherings is quite a stretch! If ever there was a generation who had reason to rejoice before the Lord, they were it! They knew forgiveness as it had never been known before! They existed in the assurance of resurrection! That is the knowledge of joy!

The hope of the gospel (good news) is NOT found in this statement: “Are you miserable as a sinner? Come to Christ and we will show how to live a life of greater misery!” Instead, it IS found in this understanding: “In Christ, your sin is a solved problem and your forgiveness is continuing (1 John 1:5-10)! In Christ, Your resurrection is certain! Rejoice in the Lord! Be happy, and express your joy to God!

Are you in Christ? Do you find joy in that? Is it a joy the opposition of ungodliness cannot destroy? Have you expressed your happiness to God?

If you are a Christian, let your joy be evident — even to God!

With God, Tragedy Is Opportunity!

2006-09-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

Moses was dead! The man that God commissioned to lead Israel out of Egypt was dead. The man who confronted the Egyptian ruler with the plagues was dead. The man God used to part the sea was dead. The man through whom God worked to provide manna, meat, and water was dead. The man through whom God gave the Law was dead. The man who received God’s pattern for the tabernacle was dead. The man whose face was bright because he was in God’s presence was dead. The man who communicated with God as did no one else was dead. The man who rescued Israel numerous times when they angered God was dead. The man who was the only leader Israel had ever known was dead.

What a “tough act” to follow! No one would ever be as distinct a leader as was Moses! No one would ever have the opportunity to do for God the things Moses did. Being Israel’s first leader provided Moses a unique blend of circumstances and opportunities. There would never be another Moses — just like with Americans there could never be another George Washington. Moses cast too big a shadow to be filled by anyone else.

Now Joshua was to take his place. While we might think, “What an incredible opportunity,” he might think, “What an impossible challenge!” Joshua had endured battles before under Moses’ leadership. However, his leadership would be different. Under Moses there had been battles. Under Joshua, there was to be an era filled with the war of conquest. In war there is death. In time, death gets old. War may begin as a glorious sacrifice, but prolonged war brings the unacceptable expense of unnecessary dying.

God gave Joshua incredible challenges and promises. Both are found in Joshua 1:1-9. The challenges: be strong and courageous.
The promises:
(1) I will give this entire area to Israel just as I promised their forefathers.
(2) I will be with you just like I was with Moses.
(3) No one can defeat you because I am with you.
(4) Follow my Law and do exactly as I direct.

Some things stand out in this scripture. First, God intended to give Israel more than Israel’s faith in God allowed.

Appreciation and Dependence

2006-09-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

We are big in our understanding of appreciation. We, as people in most ages and cultures, associate the expression of appreciation with gifts. We are not big in our understanding of dependence. In the American society, dependence is virtually a social taboo. We hate to have our driver’s license denied or our car keys taken from us. Most of us despise the thought of living in a nursing home – never mind how nice the place is. When we get to an age or health condition that we must have assistance to continue living at home, we appreciate dependable people who check on us or serve us, but we despise our need to depend on someone else. We commonly delay living with someone else [even a loved family member] as long as possible.

Israel was to appreciate God and what He did for them. They began their new year by remembering God’s deliverance when He removed them from slavery (Deuteronomy 16:1, 2). That memorial feast [the Passover meal] was followed by a week in which they suspended the ordinary use of leaven bread and ate unleavened bread. By eating such bread for a week, they remembered the suddenness of their departure from Egypt (Deuteronomy 16:3-8).

They further commemorated God’s deliverance by giving God the firstborn male born to their livestock (Deuteronomy 15:19, 20). When it was time to give God this sacrifice, they would not give Him the undesirable (the lame, the blind, or the defective). All sacrifices to God came from the best. They were not to give God an animal that they would consider an expression of contempt if it were given to them. God was to be honored in their sacrificial acts!

Why? In an agricultural society and culture that often counted wealth in livestock, why sacrifice one of your best lambs on Passover or give an often needed firstborn male animal in sacrifice? Many who were struggling might justify not giving such valuable gifts by the reality of the fact that they struggled.

People who genuinely belong to God always have differed (1) to people who are rule keepers, (2) to people who serve God only when they find it convenient, or (3) to people who do not know God or chose to ignore God. The difference always has been found in two attitudes, not one.

First, in a true awareness of what God did for them, they were grateful. And they wished to show their gratitude! They gave the valuable to God because they appreciated God!

Second, with genuine insight, such people knew they depended on God. They gave in the trust of dependence! They were comfortable being dependent! They trusted God to care for them! In the tradition of Abraham, they were blessed to be a blessing.

Christians have their own memorial given by Jesus Christ himself. It is called communion. As they remember with joy that God freed them from the slavery of sin by allowing Jesus to die for them, they feel both appreciation and dependence. They appreciate God sending His son to die for us. They appreciate God acting to redeem us while we were still His enemies (Romans 5:8-11; 8:1). They depend on God to resurrect them just as He resurrected Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 4:14).

If you belong to God through Christ, show your gratitude and express your dependence. If belonging to God through Christ has not yet occurred in your life, find your reasons for being grateful and indebted.

Ancient Teamwork

2006-09-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

Life is filled with complications! When you are an adolescent, life and the world is a super simple consideration in most determinations. A matter is either right or wrong. Everything with simplicity can be classified as right or wrong. “A” criteria is right, and “B” criteria is wrong. Thus determining right and wrong is simply a matter of applying the correct criteria—which just happens to be “my” criteria.

As a person enters into his or her twenties, a gray area begins to emerge. Usually it emerges when a person’s experience presents him or her with a complication that defies his or her simple criteria of right and wrong. The situation involves some right values and some wrong values. Suddenly, there emerges a deep consciousness of a right, a wrong, and a neither right or wrong—a condition in which both good and bad values are present.

As one grows older, the gray area typically increases. Increasingly with age there are matters that are easily decided [the primary values obviously are either right or wrong] and matters that involve situations too complex to decide easily.

The issue is rarely a matter of what to do when matters are obviously right or wrong, good or bad [unless personalities or emotions “cloud the issue”]. The issue is what should be done when a matter is too complex to decide. It is in those moments that the wisdom of a team is needed. That is when personal ego must not overshadow wisdom. That is when wisdom is found in a team approach rather than a strong willed or charismatic individual.

Any system of justice creates numerous opportunities for injustice. There are always “loop holes” in a justice system. Life situations are too complex to be oversimplified by regulations. Justice is a difficult state of affairs to reach when people seek vindication for unjust behaviors.

Deuteronomy 17:2-7 is quite clear about the fact that idolatrous influences were not to be tolerated in Israel. However, Deuteronomy 17:8-13 readily and quickly admitted that there were cases too difficult for the justice system in ancient Israel. If a situation was obvious, that ancient justice system should render a verdict without calling on the religious community. However, if the matter was too complex for the justice system, then the religious community was called upon to inquire of God what should be done. In that event, God’s verdict was to be respected and implemented. The wise course of action was determined by Israel’s courts and religious leadership.

Today Christians surrender to the compassionate God Who send His son to die for us, Who is delighted to forgive. Frequently seeing human behavior in simplistic terms with no gray results in neither God’s justice nor His compassion. The challenge of the Christian is found not God’s justice, but in God’s compassion.

Leave justice in God’s hand. God will take care of the rebellious and the cooperative (Romans 14:12 and 1 Peter 4:5). He knows hearts and motives. We do not. We can be moved by His compassion. We have seen and experienced His compassion. Compassion is within our capability. Read Ephesians 4:31, 32 lately?

Experience As A Teacher

2006-08-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

Experience serves numerous roles in our lives. None is more powerful or has farther reaching significance than does its role as teacher. In that role, experience even has spiritual significance.

Israel in Egypt lived as poor, oppressed slaves. From their slavery past, they were to remember many things. Slavery experiences were to shape their future behavior. For example, in Israel, Jewish people were to hold other Jewish people in high regard.

The instructions concerning the way Jewish people treated Jewish people are (to us gentiles) almost beyond the point of belief. In this early age, they were to create social conditions that had the goal of eliminating poverty in their society (Deuteronomy 15:4). Though poverty would be one of those "forever problems" (Deuteronomy 15:11), Jewish people were to attack the poverty problem as though it could be solved.

How?

Every seven years they were to give a Jewish debtor a fresh start by forgiving his debt. This is one of the ways those who were not endebted would demonstrate their dependence on God (Deuteronomy 15:4, 6). The Jewish people were to do two things: (1) avoid debt, and (2) help Jewish people who were in debt. The first declared they should not enter the problem. The second said they should be compassionate toward their brothers who were trapped by the problem.

That may sound like a contradiction. Yet, consider this. Often the consequences of poverty are so severe that one will do most anything [including borrow money] to escape the clutches of poverty. One might think [and still often does] that the key to a fresh start is using debt to finance the fresh start. However, often a person lacks the judgment and skills to create the circumstances that produce a fresh start. As important as hard work is, too often hard work is not enough to create the fresh start. As a result, the poor who owed what they could not repay found themselves only poorer when their fresh start turned to dust.

The key to a fresh start in early Israel was escaping impossible indebtedness. In their society Jewish people created that possibility by forgiving the indebtedness of Jewish brothers every seven years. What were they to do to make this escape possible?

1. They would not harden their hearts to the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7).
2. They would not close their hands to the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7).
3. They would be generous in lending to meet the needs of the poor (Deuteronomy 15:8).
4. In their lending, they would not calculate how close the seventh year was (Deuteronomy 15:9).
5. They would give joyfully as they helped the person in need, not in grief, because they depended on the Lord's blessing (Deuteronomy 15:10).
6. Because the problem was a "forever problem" would not keep them from doing what was right.

Some observations: (1) they would not evade responsibility by saying, "It is your fault that you are in this situation!" (2) They would help the poor in order to demonstrate their own dependence on God. (3) They would help their brothers for the joy of helping their brothers. (4) They would not excuse inactivity by saying, "This is a problem that cannot be fixed." The criteria for failing to responsd MUST NOT BE, "This response will not do any good!" They responded to what was right in God's eyes!

One of the things that commonly keeps the church from becoming a universal community often is found in our attitudes toward and our actions in that matter of poverty. Admittedly, it is a complex problem, and its complexities vary from society to society. Money often is not the answer, but money is sometimes the answer. Effectiveness often involves the messiness of personal involvement. That is why the response is primarily to God. It is by loving God that we learn how to love people who constantly need the kindness of grace.

A New Direction

2006-08-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

It is extremely difficult for people to change their way of doing things. In many instances, people are quite predictable. We like to do things the same way! To most of us, repetition has "the feel" of "rightness" about it. We enjoy traditions! Following a tradition cannot be in error! (That certainly is not the suggestion that all traditions are wrong.) If most of us have a choice of following a tradition or thinking, we will chose the tradition. If asked, "Why do you do that and do it in that manner?" we likely will shrug and reply, "That is the way it is supposed to be done!"

For generations Israelites lived in Egypt. For a significant portion of that time they were slaves. Egypt was a land of idolatry! Many gods were worshipped! Slaves had little or no voice! It did not take long for those born in Egypt to become quite accustomed to idolatrous celebrations and worship. When you have no voice, you accept status quo.

In less than a year from the moment of release from slavery, God was direct and plain regarding His prohibition of idolatry. When God gave Israel the Ten Commandments at Sinai, at the top of those commands was the prohibition against idolatry--before the Sabbath instructions, before the instructions regarding moral behavior including the rejection of murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting! (Exodus 20:2-17)

He and He alone was responsible for delivering Israel from Egyptian slavery! He would not tolerate the competition of other gods! They would not make idols! They would not worship idols! They would not serve idols! He alone was God, and Israel should know it! They depended on Him and Him only! God was very clear and direct with Israel concerning idolatry.

In Deuteronomy 13 God was quite clear about the fact he had not changed His mind about idolatry. If someone exercised spiritual leadership to entice them away from God, that person was to be killed, not believed! Even if it was a family member or a dear friend who tried to entice you, the Israelite was not to listen to him, pity him, or hide what he tried to do. Verse 11 classified such acts as "wicked things." The retribution to encouragement to endorse idolatry was intended to make Israelites fearful of worshipping idols.

For centuries, prior to the Southern Kingdom's Babylonian captivity, the Jewish people had a continuing love affair with idolatry. For example, read Deuteronomy 31:16; Judges 2:6-14; 1 Kings 12:25-33; 1 Kings 18:16-19; and Jeremiah 2:9-13. Frequently through the generations of early Isreal, God was shunned and idolaty was embraced.

It is extremely difficult for people to change their way of doing things!

Our gods have changed forms, but we still worship idols. Do we trust and serve our materialism more than our God? Do we trust and adore our pleasure more than our God? Do we trust and treasure our success more than our God? Do we serve God only when it is convenient to do so, or do we devote ourselves to Him when it is inconvenient as well?

Will he strike us down? Does he seek our redirection by terror? No. Just as with the Israelite people in Hosea (the entire book, and especially note 11:8-11 to notice the internal conflict within God when His love of Judah clashed with their rebellious behavior), God seeks our recovery. Read Romans 5:1-11 and 1 Timothy 1:12-16.

Is human redirection impossible? No--difficult, but not impossible! How is it possible? It is possible when we have the courage to love Him who sacrificially loves us. When the courage of the love of appreciation responds to love of selfless sacrifice, human redirection occurs.

An Interesting Commentary On Worship

2006-08-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 12:1-14 provides an interesting insight into worship. Israel was given instructions by God through Moses for building a tabernacle in Exodus 25-27. The priesthood to serve in the tabernacle was declared in Exodus 28, 29. Some of the procedures to be followed were given in Exodus 30. The craftsmen in charge of producing the tabernacle were announced in Exodus 31. The construction of the tabernacle was discussed in Exodus 35-39. The tabernacle was errected and placed into service in Exodus 40:34-38. This portable structure with it furnishings and priesthood was to be a spiritual guide for them throughout their journeys in the wilderness. At least portions of it (1 Samuel 4:1-11) were significant in Israelite worship until Solomon built the temple. In that temple many of the furnishings [including the ark of covenant] played a prominent role in Israel's worship.

Interestingly, Deuterononmy 12:1-14 makes no mention of the tabernacle, or its altar of incense, or its tables for the bread of presence, or its lamps and lampstand, or even the ark of the covenant. It focuses entirely on the "where" of worship in Canaan. In the worship instructions concerning Canaan are these:

1. God will select the place where He is to be sought (verse 5).
2. The place God designates will be the only site of national worship in the matter of sacrificial worship, reception of tithes, gifts to God, and redemptive acts (verses 6, 7).
3. Be sensitive to God's selection (verses 11, 12).
4. Do not choose the sites of idol worship to worship God--honor only His selection (verses 13, 14)!

Should one conclude that God did not care how Israel worshipped Him? No! Should one conclude that if the place is correct that nothing else matters to God? No! Centuries later Jesus said the time was coming when the place a person worshipped would be insignificant (John 4:21).

Then what should a person conclude? Two suggestions are given about what a person should conclude concerning the core [heart] of worship. (1) Worship must be about respecting God. (2) Worship must be about declaring a separation from devotion to God to a mere devotion to being religious. Those who worship God declare He deserves greatness! He only is the One Who is superior to personal existence! He is not to be confused with other things people worship!

It is fascinating that the emphasis was not on worship impliments, procedures, and worship directors previously stressed. The ultimate source of worship of the God Who created must spring from (1) a recognition of God's deservedness and (2) from the understanding that praising God in worship is distinct from the mere attempt to be religious. Without those two realizations, the procedures of worship and the who leads worship is insignificant. It is too easy to make worship about us and not about God.

The Choice Is Yours

2006-07-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 11 begins with an emphasis on the importance of loving God. It continues with an emphasis on showing love for God by obeying God. Then Moses said to this second generation of Israel, "You saw what I did. Do not let what lives in your memory die with your generation! Teach what you saw and learned to your sons so that your memories of My acts will continue to live in their lives!

Moses emphasisized the fact that the land was good. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the land Israel was to receive! The problem lay in the people who lived on the land, not the land. The key to having a good people possess a good land was this: "Remember I am God, love Me, and obey Me. Do not be deceived by their worship! Do not turn to their gods! If you allow that deceit to govern you, you will be wicked like them and abhorred by Me!"

People are incurably religious! We will worship something! Without doubt, we could generate long discussions of why peoples throughout history [including today] feel a deep need to worship. I make two observations: (1) we commonly acknowledge the need to worship something greater than ourselves when we are reminded that we are temporary and inadequate. (2) The more selfish we become, the more distracted we are from our temporary, inadequate status and the less worshipful we become. The greatest deceit that blinds us is seen in the human arrogance arising from our sense of self importance!

One of the curious realities in the human desire to worship is found in the fact that we rather worship something or someone we create [or can explain] than worship He Who created us. Even in acknowledging the existence of something or someone superior to us, we seek to be in control and to manipulate. Thus, if we are not careful, even in worshipping the God Who created, we seek to control or manipulate. Rather than praise Someone superior to self, we often seek to deceive Someone superior to self [and by our attempt to deceive that Someone declare we are either equal to or superior to that which we worship]. So, we seek to "bind" the Creator to "arrangements" we make with a "take it or leave it" attitude as though we were in the position of making deals with God. The irony is that God allows us to declare such arrogance!

Deuteronomy 11 ends by declaring, "It is your choice. God through me gives you a choice. Before you are blessings and curses. What you worship is your choice. Just be aware that there are consequences to your choice. You can worship Him Who you know. You can worship gods you do not know. If you worship Him, it will be from an obedient love that appreciates Him for what He has done for you."

What do you worship? Why do you worship?

Relationship With God: Both Internal and External

2006-07-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

Early Israel easily could have said, "All we have to do to maintain our relationship with God is just keep our identity as Israel." They easily could look at all God did and would do for them and say, "It is enough for us just to be us." After all, God powerfully delivered them from Egypt, powerfully delivered them from the Egyptian army, powerfully preserved them in the hostile wilderness, and promised He powerfully would give them Canaan. All that being true, all they needed to do was just be them. They just needed to trust their identity, and God would be delighted to maintain relationship with them!

However, in Deuteronomy 10:12-22 Moses declared maintaining their identity was not enough. He said, even though God did what He did for them, He had some expectations that Moses said were requirements. There were four of them.

(1) They would hold God in a deep sense of reverence. Though a relationship with God is what God wanted, it would not be a "buddy-buddy" or peer relationship. It would be a dependent relationship in which the inferior held the vastly superior in profound awe. Though they valued the relationship, they would never diminish God!

(2)They would walk in His ways because they loved Him. They would not be controlled by mere terror! In deep respect and profound appreciation, they desirously and willingly would allow Him to lead while they followed. They in sincere gratitude would follow knowing they were hopelessly lost without Him.

(3)They would willingly [not begrudgingly!] serve Him with everything they were. They would put their heart, their existence into serving God. It was serving God that made their life worthwhile! It was serving God that gave their life its ultimate purpose! They did not want to be in control of their lives--they wanted God to be in control of them!

(4) They would be obedient! They would not declare the terms of obedience. They would not declare the values that produced obedience. They would listen, learn, and understand. Their best interest would not be achieved by placing themselves in charge of them. Their best interest would be achieved by placing God in charge of them.

Astoundingly, Moses said they were being blessed because of the love their ancestors had for God. It was their forefathers' love for God that created their opportunity. He Who is the source and ultimate owner of everything blessed second generation Israel because of Abraham's love for God! [Wonder what future generations will be blessed by our love for God?]

The external sign of God's covenant with Abraham was given in Genesis 17 [circumcision]. It was given because Abraham's trusting heart belonged to God. Now, generations later, Moses asked second generation Israel also to give their hearts to God. Circumision was much more than an external mark of identification. Israelites were to belong to God both inwardly and outwardly. If they circumcised their hearts, they would no longer continue to be a stubborn, rebellious people.

Why would they internally circumcise the heart? They knew Who the impartial, awesome, mighty God was! They knew He sought fairness even for the disadvantaged! Therefore, they would reflect Him! They would profoundly reverence Him, serve Him, cling to Him, and swear by Him. To them, He was the praiseworthy everything! He had turned a family into a nation! They were that nation because of what He had done!

This should remind Christians of 1 Peter 2:9-12!

All we are is the result of God's action in our behalf. We are not self-made. We are God-made!

God Being With Me Is Not About My Goodness

2006-07-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

Among the greatest deceptions of righteous people is the conviction that "we are good." The righteous develop a set of personal values because of their association with God. People left to themselves, their own motives, and their own goals never develop values compatible with God's values.

By our own current nature, left to ourselves, we become an increasingly selfish, self-centered, greedy people motivated by our own physical desires who exist to gratify our own preceived physical needs. We never say we have achieved enough. There simply is not 'too much' when it comes to power, money, possessions, and lifestyle. Even when we have more than we can use, we still want to acquire yet more.

The more we pursue security, the more threatened we feel. The more we pursue invulnerabilty, the more insecure we feel. The harder we strive to 'get to the top,' the more enslaved we become to 'our position.' We so easily feel invaluable and irreplacible. If we do fall, we prefer to live in the land of 'who I was' rather than in the land of 'where I am.' Too often 'my good opinion of myself' depends on your view of me and your evaluation of 'what I do.'

In Deuteronomy 9:1-6 Moses said to second generation Israel, "Listen to me! Soon you will enter Canaan inhabited by people stronger than you, who are fearsome in physique, and who live in cities so well forified that those cities seem beyond destruction."

"Never forget two things."

"First, as you approach this physically impossible situation, do not trust in yourselves. Instead, think about Me. Remember what I did to give you your freedom. You are free because of what I did, not because of what you did. I was the unstoppable power that acquired your release. Just as I released you from Egypt, I will relentlessly destroy the enemies you confront."

"Second, do not say this is happening because you are so good. Understand this is happening because the people who oppose you are so wicked. They will suffer the consequences of their evil. I will work through you, but not because of you. Never forget that I will establish you in Canaan (1) because the people who inhabit Canaan are an extremely wicked people and (2) I am keeping my promise to your ancestors."

"I will give you this land to be yours just as I promised your ancestors long ago. However, I know who you are, and you should never forget what you are. You are not extremely righteous because you completely surrender to Me. Your are extremely stubborn, thinking more about yourself rather than Me. You are the focus of your attention, not Me."

When we wish to verify our goodness, we commonly compare ourselves to other people we [or others] find objectionable. If someone else does not measure up to our standards, we must be 'good' because they are so 'bad.' Yet, in decaring ourselves good, we never compare ourselves to the kindness seen in God's forgiveness, mercy, grace, atonement, or redemption. When we compare our acts to God's values, we are horribly deficient.

To me, there is no doubt that God is at work in our world. Perhaps His works do not verify our goodness, but the extreme wickedness of others. Perhaps God works through us, not because we are so worthwhile, but because others are so wicked in resisting His purposes. Never forget His purposes are not seen in our self-centered ideals.

The Deceit of Self-Reliance: The Spear

2006-06-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Those who are part of the upper middle class and the wealthy often fall prey to two deceptions that especially lure them. Those two social segements live daily life in 'a world' surrounded by 'people achievements'. Human technology touches their lives at almost every point of existence. They dream of yet greater human achievements. As they dream, they are convinced that, given time and resources, there is no problem humanity cannot solve, no challenge humanity cannot meet.

What are the two common deceptions? The first is a deep skepticism of 'little people' who fail to see the world as 'I do.' They see humanity that is afflicted by poverty, a lack of education, and a lack of technological resources as 'contributors' to the world's problems. Rarely do they see those people as those who can make a meaningful contribution to significant solutions. Those who are forced to struggle because of adversities and the greed of people often not only see reality differently, but see real problems 'in a completely different light.' They need to be heard, not manipulated.

The second is the conviction that people of themselves [especially priviledged people] are the masters of their own existence and world. The arrogance that produces the conviction that we are bigger than we actually are is very deceptive and horribly destructive. When any human or group of humans think, "We know what is best for the world," everyone needs to beware! That is not a new conclusion! In the past it consistently produced tragedy!

Moses' ancient warning to Israel in Deuteronony 8:11-20 is relevant! It began with the simple warning: "Beware!" Beware of what? Beware of self-sufficiency! Beware of forgetting that human effort did not produce your blessings and advantages!

Moses warned Israel of a time that was certain to come. "Beware of the time when you have all you want to eat! Beware of the time when you are wealthy! Beware of the time when you forget your past's dependency. Beware of the time when you forget past blessings were received because they were given, not because you produced them! Beware of the time when you forget God's involvement in your past!"

Why? "For this reason: you will say in your heart, 'I alone am responsible for what I have. My wealth is the result of my ingenuinty and hard work!'"

When you think from that perspective you will conclude with certainty that you made God! He (idolatry) is the product of your mind and artistry! What 'I' consider deity depends on 'me', not 'me' on 'it'. 'I' certainly in no way am the product of deity!"

When that moment comes God will abandon you and leave you to your own devices. You will certainly perish because in your lack of acknowledgement of His existence He will leave you to your own weakness.

Is it not amazing that in all our great human wisdom we have not learned how to replace war with peace, or greed with compassion, or skepticism with hope. Is it not amazing that our greatest technological advances are quickly applied to killing those who disagree with us? Is it not amazing that our best answers for resolving conflict involve control and fear? Is it not amazing that solutions to human vices always involve the death of those who oppose us? We justify horrible behavior to end horrible behavior!

He or she who places hope in humanity leans on a spear--point upward! As Israel was told thousands of years ago, 'Beware!'

Your Heart Belongs To You

2006-06-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

A thought provoking statement is found in Deuteronomy 8:1-10. As Moses talked to second generation Israel to prepare them to enter Canaan, the country God promised them, Moses said:

"...that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not" (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Moses declaration is simple: God did not know what they would decide until they made the decision.

The context is striking! Moses said they would possess Canaan because of a promise God made their ancestors. God was honoring a commitment He made generations previously. [God keeps His promises!] As a reminder to them of God's faithfulness in His commitments, Moses asked these people to recall their experiences with God. God had been faithful to them in providing wilderness leadership for them for forty years!

Then Moses said a curious thing. "God humbled you." God did not let Israel exaggerate their personal importance. He prevented them from feeling like they were in control. He make them depend on Him in a manner obvious to them. How did God humble them? "I let you be hungry, and fed you in a unique manner with manna." God, why did you do that? "That He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord." Moses also declared in this same forty years their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

There was something they were to know beyond question. They were to know the experiences in the wilderness were intended by God to discipline them. By this discipline, they would know beyond question (1) the importance of obeying God and (2) the importance of holding God in a profound sense of honor.

God affirmed the land that would be theirs. It was everything He promised! (1)It had an excellent water supply. (2) It had fertile land that produced wonderful crops which provided an excellent food source. (3) It even had wonderful mineral deposits that would satisfy their future metal needs.

Their basic responsibility: when they enjoyed the blessings of that country, bless the God Who gave it to them.

While God knows all your decisions before you express them, those decisions are yours. Your heart is your own! While God knows you, you decide who you are. As He taught Israel, He teaches us the same truth: there is more to life than good food and enduring clothes. Do not be deceived into believing that you can measure your life by what you have and own. [Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 and 6:19-34?]

In how many ways has God blessed you? In how many ways have you expressed gratitude to God for those blessings?

Remembering Can Be Horrible Or Wonderful

2006-06-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Last week we noted the possible arrogance generated in Israel through thinking they were unique and special. After all, merely consider all the wonderful things God did for them! This week we consider the opposite reaction--the reaction of fear when they realized what was facing them.

If Israel focused on all God did for them in their deliverance, they risked arrogance. If Israel focused on the fact that "everyone we will face is bigger than we are," they risked the paralysis of fear. Commonly, arrogance expresses itself in external behavior. Fear can hide itself internally in the deepest part of the person as unspoken concerns become inner question marks.

The Lord said, "If you consider that the nations you confront are bigger than you are; if you wonder within yourself how are we going militarily to chase them from their homes; do not let fear control you! Remember what I, God, did to Pharaoh! Remember what I did in Egypt! Then remember I am on your side! What you cannot destroy, I will destroy with hornets. Instead of you dreading them, they will dread you. Do not forget! Of all people, you should know I am a great an awesome God!"

"I want you to understand My plan. You will not be able to destroy all these nations who oppose you at one time. I will gradually make you victorious. Do not expect to drive these nations out quickly! That would not benefit you! If you defeated all of them at one time, the wild animals would take over the deserted areas. In time those wild animals would pose a greater risk to you than the nations who now oppose you!"

"Their kings will fall to you and not even be a memory. No one will be able to withstand you. Your responsibility is to destroy these wicked people and burn the idols they leave behind. Do not greedily covet the silver and gold on their idols because it will become a deceptive trap to you. Do not attribute religious significance to the precious metals they devoted to their gods! I, God, hate the silver and gold they devoted to their idols! Do not bring it into your homes! If you do, you will consider something devoted to their gods sacred and become hated by Me! Instead, hate it like I hate it, and do not be deceived by it."

There are three things to note and remember. (1) Remember God had a plan. His plan and Israel's understanding or desire may have differed, but God did not proceed in a haphazard manner. God has reasons for what He does even if we do not understand them. (2) Remember our responsibility is to eliminate the influence of evil in our lives. We will not eliminate evil from the world. We just refuse to let evil influence us. (3) Remember that which rivals or opposes God is hated by God. If we fall under the influence of something hated by God we also become a part of what God dispises.

Evil will continue to exist in this world. [We do need to be careful not to blame God for the acts of Satan. We do need to remember evil is never defeated by resorting to evil (Romans 12:21)] Our decision is two fold: (1) Will we be on God's side or oppose God? (2) Will we be a part of evil or refuse to knowingly allow our lives to be influenced by evil?

Who Do You Think You Are?

2006-06-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Self concept is a powerful force in anyone's life. If I think I have no ability, I will act as a person without ability--no matter what abilities I have. If I think I am invincible, I will act like a person who is invincible--until a human weakness destroys me. If I think I am part of an important family or people, I will act like I am a part of an important family or people.

Self concept can be both good and bad. For example, if I view myself as a bad person who does harm to others, I will act as I see myself. Or if I view myself as a good person who seeks to be kind to others, I will still act as I see myself. Self concept is such a powerful force within us that Christianity often challenges us to see ourselves differently. Consider the contrast in Romans 6:4-11; Ephesians 2:1-12; 4:17-24; and Colossian 3:1-11. Paul often made use of the 'before conversion, after conversion' contrast.

In Deuteronomy 7:4-11, Moses made significant use of a self concept directive. Not only did ancient Israel leave slavery when they left Egypt, but they also entered [Moses hoped] a new, concious relationship with God. They were to no longer see themselves as slaves who existed to do the bidding of another people. They were to see themselves as God's choosen people who existed as a people for an entirely new reason. They were to be God's possession to serve His purposes. Whereas being slaves destroyed their humanity and made them property to be exploited, they were freed to claim the highest form of humanity known. They were free to bring blessings on themselves by serving the purposes of the God who would not exploit them. They must make the transition from dehumanization by people who exploited them to the freedom of blessings of the God who did not exploit them.

That is heady stuff! To go from an existence of slavery to an existence of God's people could be a foundation of arrogance! "Look who we are! God thought so much of us that He did all these extraordinary things to make us His people! If God did so much to rescue us, we must be important! We must be significant!"

Moses said, "Not so! Do not have that view of yourself! This is not about your importance but about God's faithfulness to His promises! All that has and is transpiring in your lives is not about you, but about God. It is about His love, not about your importance!"

There were two things Moses said Israel must know and not forget about God. (1) "God keeps His promises, His agreements. That is who He is! He by nature is faithful and loving. To those who love Him and keep His commandments, He will never fail to be kind, and He will never forget."

(2) "However, to the rebellious that which is a blessing to those who honor Him is a curse to those who hate Him. He will not fail to repay them for their hate. The consequences of their hate for Him is inescapable! They will as certainly know His wrath for their hatred as those who honor Him will know His blessings."

"Israel, to assure yourself of God's blessings, be very careful to honor God by obeying Him."

God is not and never has been impressed with 'lip service.' 'Lip service' occurs when people speak well of God when they think He is present, but speak against Him when they think He is absent. In such people's minds, they think serving God is merely about words and has nothing to do with actions. God surely wishes to be honored by our words, but He wants good words to flow from godly behavior.

Do you think you belong to God because of your importance or His nature? Do you seek to honor God with empty words or with words that flow from obedient behavior?

The Importance of Influence

2006-06-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

Israel stood on the edge of possessing their own land, their own country. They were in that situation for a reason. The reason had much more to do with the nature of God than it did the desire of people. Hundreds of years previously, God promised the land Israel was poised to possess to Abraham's descendents because of the incredible faith Abraham placed in God. See Genesis 13:14-18 and 17:1-8.

The purpose of the land of Canaan becoming the land of Israel was much bigger than Israel having a permanent homeland. Most every nation had a homeland--both then and now. It is common for people to want a place that is theirs, a place to belong--for confirmation of that truth, just listen to inviews of displaced people. We all want a homeland! We all want to live unthreaten in our own land! We all want homes, and food, and futures for our children and their children and their descendants. We all want a territory that bears the name of our people. Those are common human concerns.

However, the land of Canaan had to do with much more than human concerns. It had to do with divine concerns! Human concerns are absorbed by bigger human concerns. "My" territory of "my" people too easily becomes a part of someone else's territory that consumes "us." Too often "my" culture disappears by being assimilated into another culture. Too often "my" people lose their identity by disappearing as "my" descendants become part of another people who consume "us."

Ancient Israel became a nation for a purpose much more signficant than themselves. When God told the childless Abraham that he would become a nation, God announced His purposes in the descendants of Abraham in the words, ". . . in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3). The joys of ancient Israel being a nation were a mere benefit of God's purposes and intents. God was determined to bring to the world a blessing to benefit all people. Ancient Israel was merely the vehicle God would use.

Two things were critical to God's intent. First, ancient Israel must remain Israel. Second, ancient Israel must follow and reflect the living God, not the idolatry common to the world. In ancient Israel, God's influence was to be real, must be ever present, and must be continuing. It was not enough for God's influence in Israel to be powerful for a generation or for a few generations. God's influence must be enduring in every generation!

For some time it has been common to speak of the fearful God of the Old Testament and the God of grace in the New Testament. In this view, God used to be "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" God, but now He is a "love your enemies" God. One problem with that view is the failure to consider the wickedness of people in those times.

Read Deuteronomy 9:4, 5. In no way did such people reflect God or the values of God. If God was to achieve His purposes in ancient Israel as a people, they must live under the restored divine values rather than the values of peoples who worshipped idols by endulging human vices, by placing too little value on the lives of others, and by being motivated by hate and viciousness.

For the sake of His influence in a corrupt world, God commanded Israel to never forget their relationship to Him. He alone was their Deliverer. They existed because of His love for and promise to Abraham. They were His people, and as His people, they were to be distinct.

They were to prevent horrible influences among themselves by destroying and making no covenant with the people whose lands became their lands. They were not to intermarry with the people about them. They were to destroy all evidence of the worship of those who did not know God.

Ancient Israel was simply too weak morally to withstand the evil influences around them. If they were to serve God's purpose, they had to be influenced by God and God only. To preserve God's influence in their lives, they must not indulge in nor preserve influences that resisted God and His values.

What do you do to preserve God's influence in your life? If you are to be a part of God's objectives in Jesus Christ, God and God alone must be your influence.

The Importance of Understanding Why

2006-06-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

A parent explains with great patience a simple, understandable answer to his/her child's question asked by the simple word, "Why?" After the child receives the explanation he/she responds with another "Why?" The process continues endlessly: the parent explains and the child responds with "Why?" In the process the parents answers become less and less patient as he/she anticipates another "Why?" response. Perhaps that is the reason parents often respond to a "why" from a child with the generic answer, "Because I said so!"

Without a doubt, some children's "why" responses are little more than an evasion tactic. The child intends the "why" to be an effective means of (a) avoiding responsibility, (b) proclaiming personal innocence, (c) frustrating his/her parent, or (d) all three.

Yet, not all "whys" from children involve some evasion tactic. Some "whys" provide a teaching opportunity of incredible value. Wise is the parent that can discern between a "why" that seeks to evade and a "why" to offers a golden opportunity to teach. Teaching a valuable lesson is as fulfilling as dealing with an evasion is frustrating!

Answering "whys" to spiritual practices is extremely important. "Whys" are golden opportunities to convey spiritual values, to reinforce spiritual principles, or to reveal critical spiritual motives that explain acts. Moses, in his way, emphasized this truth in Deuteronomy 6:20-25. It is understanding "why" in spiritual behavior that allows the person to prevent meaningful obedience produced by profound gratitude from becoming meaningless ritual produced from a sense of necessity.

Consider a couple of illustrations. On the third day after Passover, a devout Israelite mother (four or five generations removed from the original Passover) places unleaven bread on her table to be eaten with the family meal. A collective groan arises from the children at the prospect of eating yet another meal with bread containing no yeast. One child works up the courage to ask, "Why do we have to eat this bread with our meal?"

Answering that "why" provided an Israelite parent the opportunity to explain the core reason for Israelites being a free people rather than a slave people. The parent could explain how things used to be when their ancestors were slaves. He/she could explain how quickly their ancestors had to leave Egypt (Exodus 12:34). It could be explaned that it was by eating that bread during that week that an Israelite (a) thanked God for deliverance and (b) remembered that it was only an act of God that permitted them to be free rather than slaves. Read Exodus 13:3-10.

A Jewish boy from a poor family followed his father to watch as Dad assisted their only female donkey give birth to its first colt. The colt was a much needed male donkey. Without a word, the father quickly broke the colt's neck. Immediately, the boy asked, "Why did you do that?" The father had an excellent opporunity to explain that their ancestors left Egypt when all the first born Egyptian males died. It was that occurence initiated by God Himself that caused Pharaoh (the king) to urge the Israelites to leave Egypt at once.

From that moment, all first born males in Israel, whether livestock or people, belonged to God (Exodus 13:11-16). Since they were too poor to redeem the new born donkey with a lamb, it was killed to express thanks to God for the kindness of His deliverance. It was a lesson the boy would remember as long as he lived!

Obedience to God is not a matter of control. It is a matter of gratitude. Spiritual behavior is not some "magic rite of protection." Spiritual behavior is a declaration of commitment to God. However, gratitude and commitment are understood only if the next generation understands motives. When a child asks a serious "why" to a spiritual ocurrence, it is an excellent opportunity to teach values and motives.

Prevent meaningful acts of obedience from degenerating into meaningless acts of ritual without reason. Make certain your children correctly understand "why."

Testing The Boundaries

2006-05-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Strong willed children often "test" the "boundaries" placed on them. There are children who are eager to please, and there are children who resent any form of control. Thankfully, there are lots of children whose attitudes fall somewhere between eager compliance and rebellion against any form of control.

Children who resent control commonly test the boundaries of any control placed on them. "Will I really be in trouble when my parent counts to three, or can I push him [or her] to four, five, or six? Will a temper tantrum control the situation by putting me in charge by embarassing my parents? Can I defy my teacher's instructions because he/she is afraid of my parents who are certain to rescue me and be on my side?" Etc.

All limiting instructions are a game. The object of this game is to determine who is in control. To find out the limits of "my" control, I deliberately "push the edge" to see how far I can go and what I can "get away with."

There are adults with that same attitude. Two sets of rules exist. One set for "me," and the other set for everyone else. This person operates on the attitude and thesis-in-life that "rules are made for me to break! If the speed limit is 30, I will go 45. If I am suppose to be thoughtful of my spouse on this occasion, I will ignore my spouse. If I am suppose to do things "Y" way in my work, I will do them "X" way.

No one is allowed to tell me no, and no one is allowed to restrict me! I know what I am doing, so just get out of my way! If you cross me, I guarantee you, you will regret it!" Life is always about "me," "my" pleasure, "my" ambitions, and "my" objectives. "You" exist to please "me," and don't "you" forget that fact!

Such attitudes have no desire to know God in any genuine sense, because God always is viewed inwardly as a rivil Who places restrictions on people. In Deuteronomy 6:16-19 Moses warned Israel not to put God to the test. God does not bless us for us to "push His boundaries" in our relationship with Him.

To illustrate the point, Moses referred to the incident at Massah. The incident is recorded in Exodus 17:1-7. It was there that the thirsty people of Israel asked, "Is the Lord among us, or not?"

The question was needless. The issue was self-evident. God delivered them from slavery. God rescued them from a hostle army by deliverance across a sea. God made the waters at Marah drinkable. God gave them quail and manna to eat. Why should they doubt God would provide them water? Yet, instead of a faith reaction, they demanded for God to perform once again.

Moses made the point that Israel should obey God because they had confidence in God, not because God performed as they wished. He said if they obeyed God, (1) it would be well with them, and (2) they would possess the good land God promised them. Good things happening to them depended on their confidence in God!

Life is filled with undesirable circumstances and undersirable happenings. Each time the undersirable occurs, our issue remains the same: do I or do I not trust God? Does God truly know what is best for me? Will He in actuality keep His promises to me?

In each undesirable occurance, the temptation remains the same: the temptation to demand that God perform in the manner we desire. Instead of trusting Him in the face of the frightening, we too often demand that "God do something immediately about this" regardless of what He has done for us in the past. Thus instead of the crisis becoming a time of confidence in God, it becomes a time to doubt God. In our arrogance, our importance constantly escalates as God's importance constantly diminishes.

Perhaps no conviction lies at the heart of faith in God more than does this conviction: God has my best interest on His heart!

Careful! Beware! Look Out!

2006-05-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

Most of us know danger signs! When we see red or blue lights flashing in the distance, we commonly go on alert. When we hear stationary sirens wailing nearby, we know either danger is close or something terrible happened. When an orange caution sign warns us, we immediately become cautious.

While we may know the danger signs, we often make stupid decisions in spite of the warnings. We may gawk as we pass the flashing lights to see "what happened." We may look toward or travel to the sound of the sirens to try to determine "what is going on." We may disregard the caution sign and travel through the high water blocking our view of the road.

We do not intend to become a part of the tragedy. Too often curiosity is more enticing than the warning is powerful. In the moment of curiosity, we forget the danger confronting us. In our false sense of self-suffiency, we act as if we are always more powerful than any form of danger we confront.

Years ago I lived near the foot of a vocanic mountain obscured by clouds most of the time. As I lived there, I foolishly thought, "How neat it would be to be so close to a volcanic eruption! I hope this mountain erupts while I live here!" Later by film or video images I witnessed the power of a volcanic eruption. After I no longer lived near the foot of that mountain, I knew just how foolish I had been. What I innocently thought would be a harmless but spectacular view would have been extremely dangerous if not diasterous.

Deuteronomy 6:10-15 warns that a seemingly harmless situation could be disasterous. To slaves who had so little in the past, having a lot seemed a wonderful opportunity to replace a harsh life with a good life. Moses warned, "When you become a people who have a land with incredible cities you did not build, houses filled with good things that you did not earn, a reliable personal water system you did not dig, and vineyards and orchards you did not plant, beware lest your blessings become your tragedy."

How could material blessings become a tragedy? You become so satisfied with your life that (1) you forget the God Who made your blessings possible, and (2) you forget who you used to be. As a result, you stop reverencing God. You surround yourself with gods you made who please you and depend on you. You religiously become just like the people you replaced.

The God who gave you all you have will destroy you as surely as He established you. When you worship what you have instead of the God Who gave, you insult God and make Him very angry. The issue is never self-sufficiency. The issue is always gratitude.

Ouch!

In our society we count on having so much we did not earn. In fact, we often feel deprived if we do not receive things we made no effort to produce. We are entitled to such things! Such things are not blessings! We have a 'right' to them because "we are who we are."

If someone suggests we have been blessed, we just may stare at them harshly as if to say, "What does blessings have to do with what I have? I have what I am entitled to have!" In that view, God is involved in our lives only as a last resort when it was absolutely impossible for me to be in charge of me.

Often the most dangerous situations are produced by circumstances that deceive us with their aire of innocence. It is in that circumstance that blessings easily can become curses.

Human Love Has Always Been Important To God

2006-04-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

God is grossly misrepresented in far too many instances! Were you to be asked about the emphasis of Deuteronomy as an Old Testament book, many would respond, "It is a book about obedience." If you were asked about the role of God's law in Deuteronomy, many would respond, "Deuteronomy's stress on the God's Law is a stress on obedience." If you were asked if Deuteronomy contained an emphasis on love, many would say rather quickly, "No!"

Unfortunately, too many associate Deuteronomy with behavioral control with or without [mostly without] heart control. Unfortuately, the impression has been created and persists that God is delighted with correct behavior regardless of why the person behaves correctly. Unfortunately, the concept persists that God is primarily concerned about controlling behavior regardless of the motives of the person.

Deuteronomy 6 begins an emphasis on Moses' instructions to Israel. The main focus on the preceeding 5 chapters place the stress more on Israel's reasons for being obedient than on instructions to be obeyed. [Though in those 5 chapters, instructions certainly exist--such as the instruction to establish cities of refuge and the declaration of the ten commandments.] Chapter 6 begins with this statement: Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it . . . (Deuteronomy 6:1).

In verses 4, 5 these statements follow: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one! And thou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your might. Moses began an emphasis on God's commandment, statutes, and judgments by including the importance of Israel loving God with all their heart. This is part of one of the statements devout Jews placed in their phylacteries.

This is not some quirk of wording in Deuteronomy. In fact, this heart concern in Deuteronomy is seen earlier in 5:29. Moses speaking in God's words said, Oh, that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandsments always, that it may be well with them and their sons forever! This love relationship between God and Israel is stressed from God's side of the relationship in Deuteronmy 7. Listen to verses 7 and 8: The Lord did not set His love on you or choose you because your were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Read Deuteronomy 10:12-22 and note the role of love in the God-Israel relationship. Especially note verse 16: Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen your neck no more. Physical circumcision of the body was not enough! If a love relationship was to exist between God and Israel, that relationship must begin with Israel's circumcised hearts. The type of obedience that would win God's favor began with love, not a mere control expressed in behaviorial compliance.

There is no competition between love and obedience! The core motivation for obedience comes from the heart. Obedience that touches God is the compliance of love.

Jew or non-Jew, we all need to learn three basic lessons about the relationship between obedience and love [they are inseparable!]. Lesson one: fearing God begins with loving God. Lesson two: loving God is based on learning and remembering what God has done and continues to do for us. Lesson three: obedience is much more than a declaration of "who is in charge." Obedience is an expression of appreciation voiced in love's voice.

If you wish to obey God, learn to love God. If you wish to love God, appreciate what He did and does for us.

The Importance of Remembering

2006-04-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

In the first part of Deuteronomy 5, Moses called together all Israel to remind them of the critical importance of God's instructions. Moses wanted to declare those instructions to them again to stress the importance of Israel carefully keeping them.

Moses reminded them that God had done something with them that He had not done before. The covenant God gave them at Horeb [Sinai] previously had not been given to anyone else. God spoke to them face to face from the fire on Sinai. Moses stood between God and Israel to affirm God's word to them because they were afraid of God and the situation.

Following was another presentation of the ten commandments that God gave Israel. Three things are called to your attention. First, there was emphasis on the 'cause' or reason for their obedience. God had 'the right' to make this agreement with Israel to obey Him because God brought them out of Egypt and destroyed their slavery. They were not responsible for their departure from Egypt. Yes, they left when they were told to leave. However, permission for them to leave was obtained by God! They were not responsible for ending their slavery. God was! They literally owed their existance to God's acts! Yes, they must learn how to stop thinking like slaves [the slave mentality caused the death of all those who were men when they left Egypt {except Joshua and Caleb}]. Yet, slavery had not ended among them because of anything they achieved. They must never forget, "We are a nation of people instead of a mass of slaves because God acted on our behalf." They literally owed their existance to God! God earned the right to instruct them, and they were not to forget their dependence on God.

Second, they were to hold God in profound respect. Among them, He was never to be one of many gods. He was to be their only God. He alone was the living God! They were to have a profound respect for His name. They would declare their dependence on Him weekly by observing the Sabbath. God demonstrated why they should honor Him. Love for Him in appreciation of what He had done could do nothing less!

Third, a profound respect for Him would be demonstrated in a profound respect for other Israelites. If God valued those people enough to make them a nation, they should value each other enough to show respect and appreciation for each another.

The parallel is obvious. We exist as Christians because of what God did for us in Jesus' death and resurrection. Had God not acted in that death and resurrection, we would not be His people. Regardless of our heritage, we live in that form of mercy, grace, and forgiveness because of what He did for us. We are who and what we are in Christ because of His love for us, not because of our love for Him. He acted on our behalf before we knew enough even to ask Him for help.

Thus we use our entire existence to honor Him. One of the ways we honor Him is by respecting and honoring people. He deserves our obedience! Properly motivated obedience is never an attempt to earn anything. It is an expression of appreciation for God as we declare our dependence on Him. Obedience always has been an expression of appreciation.

A Basic Contrast

2006-04-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

As Moses urged Israel to obedience, he predicted a time would come when Israel would forget the God Who delivered them. That time would come when future generations (1) had been in Canaan a long time and (2) began to worship idols again as their ancestors had in Egypt (Deuteronomy 4:25).

Moses asked heaven and earth to serve as witnesses regarding His prophesy. When that time came, Israel would not continue living in Canaan as though everything was okay and nothing had happened. Destruction would consume ancient Israel because they provoked God to anger (Deuteronomy 4:26). As a result of their insult to God, Israel would be scattered among the nations. In those nations, they would be forced to serve other gods. These gods would be represented by idols made by men. These idols would be human art work made from stone or wood that could neither hear, eat, nor smell (Deuteronomy 4:28).

Moses noted the enormous contrast between the living God that brought them out of Egypt and idolatry. Moses' contrast likely meant much more to them than it does to us because Moses dealt with ancient Israel's "now" which in no way is our "now". This contrast between God and idols would be quite visible to Israel when they served other gods in other nations.

The contrast would be so stark that ancient Israel's scattered future generations would seek the God they abused and deserted. They would search for the God they left with all their heart and soul. Inwardly, they would yearn for the God they left. They would want to return to Him and obey Him. They would know two things. (1) The God they deserted was a compassionate God [the idols they had to serve were not compassionate]. (2) He was dependable rather than fickle (Deuteronomy 4:30. 31).

Moses called upon their personal experiences to verify the contrast between their living God and idols. Had they ever heard of any god who did what God did for them? Had they ever heard of a god who spoke from the midst of a fire [Sinai] and the people survived? [In that time, hearing the voice of a god was associated with death and disaster.] Had any other god posessed such power that he or she could form a nation from within a nation? [Had slaves ever before been collected into a nation by the actions of a god?]

All these things happened in order for Israel to know that God was truly unique among all that was worshipped. They were able to hear Him in order to allow Him to discipline them. [If they were to be God's people, some attitudes, emotions, and behavior definitely needed to change!] They existed as a nation because of God's love for their early forefathers. He made them a nation and would give them a land in order to win their hearts. Because Israel's hearts belonged to God, they would obey Him. Obeying Him would produce their blessings (Deuteronomy 4:35-40).

Of all the lessons we need to learn from this contrast between the living God and idols produced by human superstitions, these two are core. (1) The living God who created [and creates] is distinct. (2) The living God who created [and creates] seeks obedience from men and women who seek Him with all their hearts and souls.

God does not seek the opportunity to control, but the opportunity to bless. Obedient control comes from the person's heart and soul, not an intimidataton before God's power.

No one has ever had as much reason to follow God as do we. Christians exist to be His new creation--a creation that reflects God's intent in the first creation.

A View For Your Consideration

2006-04-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

The view of the writer: The Old Testament is not a total record of all God did in the world prior to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It quickly but briefly declares that sin [evil] became the human reality that humans could not resolve. Then in steady pace, it shows how God worked through the centuries to send Jesus and solve to human delimma of sin [evil].

If you are tempted to disregard that view with the simple declaration, "Where did that come from?" consider some statements from the early chapters of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy declares it is the words of Moses to Israel. It declares itself to be the written record of a speech [or several speeches??] Moses gave Israel prior to the nation crossing the Jordan into Canaan. The early part of the book is a series of historical reminders that were common knowledge among the Israelites.

In Deuteronomy 2:4, 5 Israel was instructed as they passed through the territory of Edom to be very careful. They were not to provoke the descendants of Esau. The Israelites would not be given any of their land, not even a step, because God had given Mount Seir to the descendants of Esau for a possesion. Verse 12 stated the descendants of Esau displaced the Horites just as Israel would displace the Canaanites.

Then in Deuteronomy 2:9 Moses reminded them that they [Israel] were informed they should not harass Moab or provoke them to war. Again, God said he would not give Israel any of their land as a possession. Why? Moses said because God gave Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.

Deuteronomy 2:19 states the same thing about the Ammonites. Israel was not to harass or provoke them. God would not give Israel any of their land as a possession because God had given it to the descendants of Lot for a possession.

Question: Where is the record of these things happening? Moses clearly said these things happened as acts of God. Moses said these acts happened through acts of displacement in a manner simlar to Israel displacing the Canaanites. Yet, God clearly indicated that these territories were not [at this time] to become Israel's land. So, where is the Biblical narrative of the descendants of Esau conquering their territory with God's help or the descendants of Lot [Moabites and Ammonites] conquering their territory with God's help.

The Old Testament record declared that God keeps His promises in spite of Israel's faults and failures. God promised a solution to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 ["in you all families of the earth shall be blessed"], and God kept His promise when Jesus died and was resurrected. God kept His promise in spite of Israel's making and worshipping the golden calf (Exodus 32), in spite of the atrocious conditions of Judges 18-21, in spite of the failures of King Saul, in spite of King David's failure in the matters of Bathsheba and Uriah, in spite of the idolatry of Solomon's wives, in spite of the divided kingdom of united Israel, in spite of the Assyrian captivity, in spite of the Babylonian captivity, and in spite of the New Testament rejection of Jesus.

Even in the New Testament, we do not have a record of all of God's work. We have no biblically documented record of where most of the apostles went or what work they did. Basically we know a little about God's work through the resurrected Jesus among the Jewish people (Acts 2-9) and God's work among the gentiles in Paul's work. Even those accounts are fairly brief.

Because of what God did in Jesus Christ, we can know (1) God keeps His word, (2) any human who comes to God through Christ can receive divine forgiveness, and (3) in Christ sin [evil] is a solved problem for forgiven humans.

The Bible is a partial record of God's acts. It declares God's promise and God's determination to do what He said He would do. It declares how determined God was prior to Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, and it declares God's intent after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.

We certainly know enough about the sovereign God to yield to His will and purposes.

Transferring Leadership

2006-04-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

Perhaps Moses best illustrated the substance of his inner person after God informed him to prepare to die (Numbers 27:12-14). Moses did not plead to continue physical life, nor complaint about the Lord's sense of justice, nor cite all the Lord's request he complied with from God's commissioning of him at the burning bush. Characteristic of the Moses, he again was concerned about the welfare of Israel rather than his own welfare.

In Moses' death, there is a powerful example for us. Certainly there are times when those who have the courage to represent God before a complaining people are frustrated. In such moments it is quite tempting to think of self rather than thinking of God. Stated another way, it is quite tempting to become arrogant. When we are tempted to compare our "faithful" leadership to the "faithless" complaining of others, we easily are challenged to feel superior. Unless we deliberately take care in such moments, we will think more about ourselves than we will think about God.

We must realize that we do not control others' mentality and spirituality which produce the anxiety of complaining. We cannot 'fix' the faithlessness of others! However, we always are in control of our own personal choices and are thereby accountable for our personal decisions. Frustration is no excuse for arrogance! To take personal credit for God's work is a horrible insult to God in His holiness. The foundation of humility is found in exalting God's holiness rather than exalting oneself!

Interesting, Moses saw his leadership in terms of a shepherd with Israel as the flock. That image continues to this day as God's leaders in the church are to be shepherds (1 Peter 5:1, 2). Moses invested a lot of himself in Israel--he led them in Egypt, he led them out of Egypt, he led them in the wilderness, he led them at Sinai, he pled for them when they built and worshipped the golden calf, he pled for them when they refused to enter Canaan the first time, and he watched the first generation of accountable men [with the exceptions of Joshua and Caleb] die in the wilderness, never entering Canaan. Moses did not want Israel to become "like sheep which have no shepherd."

Thus God had Moses publicly to confer on Joshua the leadership of Israel as he publicly was appointed to be Moses' successor. He had Eleazar the priest sanction [as God's representative] this transitioning of leadership in front of the congregation of Israel by charging Joshua to provide God's leadership in Israel. Eleazar would inquire of God for Joshua as Joshua provided leadership for the nation. Eleazar would advise Joshua, and Joshua would direct Israel's movements.

Moses publicly laid his hands on Joshua and publicly comissioned Joshua as his successor. In this way leadership was publicly conferred so all Israel understood who their leader was. The one who was to lead publicly understood and acknowledged his responsibility to lead according to God's will.

Godly leadership was never to be a matter of personal arrogance. It was to be an investment in God's people.

For about 4,000 years, that has not changed in leading God's people.

Exalt God! Let the glory be God's!

2006-03-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Not all consequences produced by evil rebellion against God occur the next day! In this society we want swift justice. We definitely want fair treatment of the accused, yet we want evil's consequences inflicted quickly.

How quick is quickly? We are rather inconsistent. Sometimes we want justice to move slowly [if it involves "me" or someone "I" love], and sometimes we want justice to occur 'tomorrow'.

God is not like us. It is not unusual with God for the consequences for evil acts to be a long time coming! For example, there was a long time between God's promise to destroy the Amelikites in Exodus 17:8-6 and God's instructions to King Saul to destroy the Amelikites in 1 Samuel 15:1-3. However, God does not forget His promises--whether those promises be rewards for good or for consequences produced by rebellion against Him and His purposes.

A long time occurred between Numbers 20:8-12 when Moses and Aaron failed to honor the holiness of God and Numbers 27:12-14 when God prepared Moses to pay the consequences. In Numbers 20:10 Moses' emphasis was on what he and Aaron were doing, not on what God did. Even though Moses and Aaron failed to exalt the holiness of God, God still provided the water Israel needed.

However, God was quite aware that Moses and Aaron were taking credit for the act of the Holy God. God was very displeased with Moses and Aaron! His displeasure was declared in these words: "Because you have not believed in Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them" (Numbers 20:12).

Note their failure to hold up God's holiness in Israel was considered by God to be a failure to trust Him. They exalted themselves rather than God! They took credit for something God did! God still acted even though Moses and Aaron [not God!] were honored for providing the water!

If you were to be asked, "What are the truly 'bad' sins?" how would you answer? Would you give this response: murder, or adultery, or preying upon the weak or the helpless? Would you be more perceptive and reply, "The 'bad' sins are those the involve a lack of compassion, mercy, grace, or forgiveness." Would you associate all murder, all adultery, all exploitation of the helpless, all lack of compassion, all lack of mercy and grace, or all refusal to forgive as a lack of faith in God? Probably not!

The truly 'bad' sin is that sin [regardless of the sin's nature] which fails to honor God's holiness. That is the sin which is the ultimate expression of a lack of faith in God! A certain way to commit that sin is to take credit for God's work in order to honor self instead of honoring God!

Among God's followers, that likely is the most common way that we offend God! Among God's followers, that likely is the most common way we show faithlessness! It is so easy, so natural to accept praise that should be given to God. It is so easy, so natural to take credit ourselves for God's actions! It is so easy, so natural to allow God's holiness to magnify us!

Compared to God, we are never holy. We never deserve praise! God always deserves praise! That is among the reasons that God exalts the humble--on His own time schedule, eternally.

Remember, God does not forget human acts that fail to honor His holiness--no matter who commits such acts! Also remember, God does not forget sacrifical acts that honor him (Hebrews 10:35-39).

Two things God's followers must remember: (1) God forgives the penitent, but He never forgets arogance. (2) Not all consequences of arogant detraction from God's holiness occur tomorrow.

Honor God! He deserves the glory!

Satan's Motto: Try, Try Again

2006-03-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

Satan never gives up as he seeks to deceive those who are committed to God! Even with Jesus, the tempter was persistent. The gospel of Luke 4:13 notes after Satan failed in his efforts to tempt Jesus that he [Satan] departed from Jesus "until a more opportune time." Jesus' temptations were not over! Satan merely would wait until Jesus was [in Satan's thinking] more vulnerable.

He or she who believes that Satan gives up by ending his temptation attacks gives Satan the advantage! Satan's use of fear in the king of Moab's thoughts about Israel involved more than the king's fears. Satan's appeals to Balaam's greed involved more than one man's weakness generated by greed. Satan had multiple objectives in his temptations. The highest was to destroy [delay?] God's purposes in Israel to achieve God's purposes. If Satan could alienate Israel from God, Satan concluded he could stop [or significantly delay] God's purposes. Satan's ultimate objective in King Balak's fears was alienating God from Israel. Satan's ultimate objective in Balaam's greed was alienating God from Israel.

Satan's use of temptation is not one dimensional in its thrust. If he failed in his use of King Balak's fear and Balaan's greed, he would use another approach. The other approach was to appeal to Israel's early love of idolatery. Israel was released from slavery in a land addicted to devotion to idols. When Moses was absent too long at Sinai, the people of Israel built and worshipped a golden calf. Early Israel's first consideration in divine leadership seemed naturally
to turn to idolatery.

Once again near Moab, the men of Israel turned to idolatery when the Moabites invited the Israelites to their sacrifices and feasts to their god (Numbers 25). Not only did the Israelites accept the invitation, but they also bowed down to their gods. To make this idolatrous worship even more appealing, the Israelite men engaged in sexual acts with the harlots devoted to Baal-Peor.

What Satan could not do through King Balak's fear and Balaam's greed, he succeeded in accomplishing [temporarily] through Israel's love of idolatery and lust for sexual worship. The result was God's fierce angry with those who engaged in this form of idolatery.

The consequences were horrible! To stop a plague that killed 24,000 Israelites, an Israelite priest [Phineas] thrust a spear through an Israelite man and a Midianite woman (Numbers 25:6-9). The man, in the sight of Moses and the Israelite congregation, brought the woman into his tent to his relatives. Israel's defiance of God was open and brazen! Remember Exodus 20:1-6?

Never underestimate Satan's cunning in seeking our destruction! He simply refuses to give up! He never ceases seeking our vulnerable weakness!

Are we so vulnerable that we are helpless? No! Remember James encouragment: "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7) and John's encouragement: ". . . Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

Do not follow your lusts. Follow your God.

If You Ask For God's Help, Take It!

2006-03-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

In Numbers 22-24 is the incident of Balak, the King of Moab, and Balaam, a non-Jewish spokesman for God. Balak was deeply fearful of Israel. He noted their number. He saw what Israel did to the Amorites. He, along with the other residents of the area, saw that Israel had a special relationship with their God. Not only were the Moabites threatened by a numerous people, but they were also threatened by a divine force who favored Israel.

After acknowledging the obvious to the leadership of the Midianites, Balak decided to become proactive in preventing an impending disaster rather than just letting disaster befall his kingdom. He would ask Balaam to interven on his [and his kingdom's] behalf by alienating Israel from God. With Balaam's help, King Balak would turn God against Israel.

The plan was to have Balaam offer sacrifices to God, turn God's favor away from Israel, and have God curse Israel. Note the approach to Jehovah God is very similar to the approach King Balak would make to a man-made idolatrous god.

The divination fee offered to Balaam by the elders of Moab and Midian should not be viewed as an attempted bribe. It was common and appropriate seek a prophet's help by offering him a gift. True, this was a attractive gift, but Balaam's intial response was quite appropriate. He told the king's representatives to spend the night and allow him time to inquire of God. As attractive as this gift was, the response would be determined by God, not by greed.

God's response was clear and quite simple. "Do not go. Do not seek to curse Israel because they are my blessed people."

The next morning Balaam told the king's representatives, "Go home. God told me not to go with you." Balaam clearly understood God's wishes.

Balaam asked God to help him in providing his response. God gave Balaam the help he requested. There was no doubt in Balaam about God's response. There is no indication that Balaam hesitated in his answer when he understood God's wishes.

Soon after that incident, King Balak sent a more numerous, more distinguished group of representatives with the offer to do anything Balaam requested if he would come curse Israel. Balaam was impressed! He also asked this delegation to spend the night while he found out what ELSE God would say about King Bakak's request.

Consider the situation. With God, nothing had changed! God indicated no hesitation about the situation the first time. God did not give Balaam an "I am not really sure about this" answer the first time. God's feelings for Israel were based on Abraham's response to God. Nothing had happened to allienate God from the Israelites.

Balaam went to God the first time because he was concerned about God's desires. Balaam went to God the second time because he was concerned about Balaam's desires. His faith in God's desire the first time was admirable. His greed the second time almost cost him his life.

Balaam finally went, but only after God made it quite clear that Balaam would say only what God told him to say. The result: Balaam blessed Israel everytime he attempted to curse them. King Balak was extremely angry with Balaam, and Balaam went home with nothing.

Never ask God for His help to satisfy your own ambitions! When you need God's help, surely ask for it. However, ask for it to glorify God, not yourself. Make sure you are guided by faith, not by the greed of personal ambition.

Each of us will live and die--not matter what happens! God's purposes are eternal and will never die! It is most significant if our physical life blesses God's purposes.

The greatest honor we can have in this physical world is to have God make use of us in achieving His objectives. Faith declares the honor is God's. Greed declares the honor is ours. Faith is not deceptive. Greed is.

If you ask God for help, accept His guidance--even when it does not coincide with your ambitions!

A Visual Reminder

2006-02-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

There are times when a visual reminder can serve a powerful purpose. That is why we often use a stone for a memorial. Some of the most profound lessons one learns comes from memorial stones. Such stones are commonly used so forgetting does not occur.

Once when the author was in Hamilton, Canada, the Christian family hosting him took him and his wife to see the sights of the area. One of those sights was a tribute stone honoring a woman who warned the area that American Revoluntary War forces were prepared to launch a suprise attack on the region. That region was home to several former Americans who fled the America colonies in loyalty to Britian. The woman very much filled the role on that occassion that Paul Revere served when he warned of an impending British attack on American colonists. Her warning prevented a disaster prepared to happen.

At times we need visual reminders to recall our endebtedness to past occurences. The fringes or tassels in the hem of a Jewish outer garment served as visible reminders of God's teachings and commands to Israel (Numbers 15:37-41). Such fringes or tassels continued to be a part of Jewish clothing in the first century. Jesus wore such tassels (consult a study Bible). At times when the English text speaks of people of faith touching the hem of Jesus' garment, it is speaking of those people touching the tassels he wore on the hem of his garment (Matthew 9:20; 14:36).

The tassels were a visible reminder to Jewish people to keep God's commandments.

There are moments all of us need reminders. An objective of many forms of temptation is to distract us. If the temptation to do evil by rebeling against God's instructions can change our focus, the temptation has a significant chance of succeeding. Those who seriously belong to God do not willingly sin quickly. For Satan to get the devout to do evil, he must distract them. The most powerful form of temptation is that form which causes a godly man or woman to stop thinking about God for a moment.

If such moments of inattention can be returned to a focus on God's will quickly, the godly are unlikely to rebel against God's desires. Many things are capable of returning our focus to God. Among them is the visible reminder. Jewish tassels on ancient Jewish garments were intended to remind those who wore them of God's ways and expectations.

Such tassels did not need to be ostentatious. They were not worn to be "showy" or attract others' attention (see Matthew 23:5,11,12). They were worn to remind the wearer that he belonged to God. Tassels were not worn to impress others. Tassels were worn to remind the wearer, "Since I belong to God, I must conduct myself as someone who belongs to God!"

Do you belong to God? In times of temptation's concerted effort to distract you from God, what is the constant reminder that you belong to God and no one or anything else? What powerfully, quickly restores your focus on God? What quickly captures your straying focus and returns it to God?

Repentance is a wonderful gift accepted by God. However, repentance occurs when failure already has occurred. It is even more wonderful when a Christian remembers, "I belong to God!" before he or she wanders from God!

When God says, "Do it!" Do it! He Knows What He Is Talking About!

2006-02-20T09:34:00.000-08:00

The incident you are asked to consider today is recorded in Numbers 13:17-14:45. Twelve spies from Israel were sent into Canaan to examine the land of Canaan. These spies were to examine what the land was like [fertile or infertile], what the people were like [strong or weak, many or few], what the cities were like [walled (fortified) or open camps], were there trees, and how well does the fruit grow?

The spies returned forty days later. A single cluster of grapes was carried on a pole between two men! In some ways their report was glowing! The land was as fertile as God said it would be! It flowed with "milk and honey" just as God said it would!

However, some of the report was not as expected by the vast majority. The people who lived in the land were strong. The cities were large [many people] and fortified [prepared for potential conflict]. The entire land was inhabited by capable warriors.

Only two men of the twelve spies [Joshua and Caleb] believed Israel could take the land. Caleb said, "We should conquer the land immediately!" However, ten of the spies said, "We cannot possibly conquer the land." Then the ten began to give a "bad report" concerning the area. The land ate up the people who lived there [it was a difficult place to live] and the inhabitants of the land were enormous. "Physically, we were grasshoppers when compared to them. We looked like grasshoppers to ourselves and to them."

What Israel expected is not declared, but it certainly was not that report! Evidently they learned nothing about God when He delivered them from Egypt, or let them escape across the Red Sea, or cared for them in the wilderness. They left Egypt strictly because God acted. They crossed the Red Sea strictly because God acted. They survived in the wilderness strictly because God acted. They would take Canaan strictly because God would act.

Even from Israel's departure from Egypt, God expected them to show their faith in Him by accepting responsibility. Canaan was theirs. God promised it to them. However, just as they had to leave Egypt, walk across the dry land provided at the Red Sea, and travel through the wilderness, they also would have to trust God enough to fight for Canaan.

People do not mind demonstrating a faith that depends [by their definition]. Yet, they want blessings dumped in their laps while they sit. We more easily depend than we assume responsibility as we depend!

The whole nation cried that night. There was serious talk of mutany against Moses and Aaron and appointing their own leader to guide them back to Egypt! The nation said to Moses, "I wish we had died in Egypt instead of this wilderness! All us men will die fighting while our wives and children become slaves ['plunder'] to the inhabitants of Canaan."

Joshua and Caleb, in grief, tried to convince the people that (1) the land was a good land, (2) if God fought with them, the land was surely theirs, and, (3) because God was on their side, they had nothing to fear. In response to the pleas of these two men, the people wanted to kill them--and likely would have had God's presence not come to the tent.

God was disgusted with the nation of Israel. Once again they rejected God because they had no faith in His promises. It was His intent to kill all of them and begin again. Had it not been for Moses' pleading on the people's behalf [by appealing to God's character and His best interest among His enemies], God would have acted against those who did not believe.

There were consequences to the people's lack of faith, and the consequences were severe. For each day the spies were in Canaan [40], the nation of Israel would wander a year in the wilderness. In the wandering, every man twenty years old or older when they left Egypt would die--the only two exceptions would be Joshua and Caleb. The children whom the nation said would be prey would inhabit the land. The ten spies who caused the people to grumble died of a plague sent by God.

What followed was one of those "whoops" moments--the hindsight that shouts, "We goofed big time!" Despite Moses' warning, the nation tried to attack Canaan, only to suffer a resounding defeat. Without God's presence and help, the disaster they imagined became their reality. There was no escape from their lack of faith in God and His promises.

When God promises, believe it! When God challenges, accept it! When God calls for trust, trust! We fail God, but God does not fail us. We may have "whoops" moments, but God does not. He keep His promises. He does not lie to us. All He expects of us is what we are capable of giving--being responsible.

God Understands The Weariness Of The Righteous

2006-02-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

When I was a child, there were a number of taboos in my Christian community. One of those taboos was this: A Christian must never, under any circumstance, complain against God! I have little doubt that the origin of that concept was Israel's griping in the wilderness. That griping resulted in tragic consequences for the Israelite adults who left Egypt!

In those specific circumstances, a definite distinction was made between the frustration of a righteous person and the complaints of faithless people. Read Numbers 11:4-34.

There always seems to be a group among God's people whose primary motivation is personal greed instead of faith in God. It is this group who calls people to focus on the discontent of the moment. They never challenge people to trust God. Instead they use the discontent of the moment to challenge people to doubt God, to revert rather than to trust.

When a person or a people forget God's purposes for His people, that person or people easily focus on discontentment. God's people always have lived in hostile societies, environments, or cultures. The conflict between the purpose and lifestyles of people who exist by faith in the God of the Bible and those who do not exist by faith in the God of the Bible is real. The values and criteria of those dedicated to doing good inevitably conflict with the values and criteria even of those dedicated to justice. When a group among followers of God are dedicated to purposes that are less than the purposes of faith in God, they are powerfully discouraging. These people focus everyone on the fantasies of "remember our experiences back in the good old days."

Such a group in Israel successfully motivated everyone to "remember back in the good old days" when everyone had all the meat and fresh vegetables they wanted. Even if we forget about the embelishment of having "all the meat and fresh vegetables" they wanted, there still remains the inescapable burdens of a slave's life.

The influence of the "rabble" with "greedy desires" was such that all the men were standing at the door of their tents weeping. What a sound! Can you imagine tens of thousands of people crying as they vented the sounds of "homesick despair"?

When Moses heard that sound, he went to God and said [paraphrased], "Lord, I have had it with these people! Why did you burden me with this bunch of faithless gripers? Are they my children born from my wife? Am I responsible for bringing them into existence? Was I the one who made them promises? Where would I get meat to give them? Their expectations and demands are just too much! If You want to be nice to me, kill me now quickly so I will not constantly have to face my inadequacy as a leader!"

My reaction in my early years would have been, "How dare Moses talk to God that way! He needed to 'suck it up' and not let faithless people discourage him so much!"

However, that was not God's reaction. God provided Moses help by supplying him (1) more manpower and (2) meat to be eaten every day for a month. The people would eat meat until they were sick of eating meat.

The people's complaint arose because they were weary of God's blessing. In Exodus 16 Israel was moved to complain because they did not have all the bread they wanted to eat. Their grumbling was serious! They said they wished they had died by God's hand in Egypt rather than be hungry for bread.

In response to that complaint, God gave them manna daily. It was white, and it tasted like wafers with honey. Every day God provided manna for them to eat except on the Sabbath [on Friday they gathered enough to care for the hunger needs of the Sabbath].

In Numbers 11 they complained because all they had to eat was the manna God provided. Even though manna was versatile and could be used for food in a number of ways, they were sick of the taste of manna. They wanted variety in their diet!

Moses was burdened with the weight of trying to care for a people who could not be pleased. The sound of a whole nation weeping was just too much for the weary man. Death was preferrable to continuing to listen to the complaints of a people who could not be pleased!

Of the numerous lessons in this incident, remember this one. Our compassionate God is not offended by the weariness of the righteous. Moses' assessment of the situation was not correct. God taught him that God's responses to human dilemmas are not limited to the human imaginations. However, God did not get upset with Moses for being burdened.

If you are a righteous person, there will be moments in your weariness you will feel burdened. That situation happens commonly when the righteous place their attention on the wrong thing. Yet, our compassionate God hears and responds to the anguish of the burdened righteous. He is only angered by the griping of the greedy.

Seek God's righteousness, not human greed.

A Special Commitment to God

2006-02-06T08:04:00.000-08:00

To many gentile American Christians, the concept of vows is a strange concept. Basically, a vow was [is] a promise to God. There was a vow a Jew could take voluntarily because he or she made the personal decision to take it [typically as an act of repentance or an act of dedication]. It was called the Nazarite vow. Typically [there were exceptions], not only was it a voluntary vow taken by the Jewish individual, but that Jewish individual personally decided the length of the vow. By the first century there is evidence that the minimum time the vow could be taken was thirty days.

To many gentile Christians of today, that vow required some unusual provisions declared in Numbers 6:2-21. This was a vow in which a person dedicated himself or herself exclusively to the Lord for the time period he or she specified. During the specified period, the Jewish person [or proselyte] did not drink any wine or strong drink. He or she ate nothing that was a product of grapes [whether fresh or old {old including rasins or vinegar}].

If it was a man taking the vow, during the duration of the vow he could not shave or cut his hair. In this period of voluntary "separation to the Lord," the hair of his head was not to be cut.

Nor should the person under this vow go near a dead person even if the dead person was an immediate family member.

Provisions were made for an accidental violation of the vow [like a person standing beside you falling dead]. The vow concluded with an offering of a specified sacrifice, shaving the head, and burning the hair with the offering.

This is probably the vow the Jewish Christian Paul observed in Acts 18:18. In the first century it was typical for the person under this vow to shave his head at the conclusion of the vow and take the hair to the temple to be burned. This is also likely the vow the Jewish Christian Paul oversaw in Acts 21:20-26.

The principle of foregoing personal rights as an expression of dedication to and appreciation of the Lord was decalared by Paul. Consider 1 Corinthians 9. In verse 4 he affirmed the personal right to eat and drink; in verse 5 the right to have a believing wife and for such a person to be a traveling companion; and in verse 6 the right to forego work.

He gave insight into his personal motivation for abandoning his "rights" in verses 15-18. He was not saying others must follow his example in this matter (verse 15). This was strictly a personal decision that was not to be cheapened! Two responsibilities required Paul to preach. The first was compulsion--that is why God called Paul to Jesus Christ (consider Acts 26:16-18 and 1 Timothy 1:12-16). To rebell against God's purposes for him personally would be disasterous. Even if he did not wish to preach [which he did!], there was the matter of stewardship. God entrusted him with an understanding others needed--Jesus Christ is God's outreach to Jews and gentiles, not merely to Jews. No God fearing, conscienious Jew could reject a stewardship confired by God Himself!

That resticted Paul's personal expression of appreciation for what God did for him. To show his personal appreciation to God, Paul [of his own choice] shared the gospel without charge.

From all of the above, remember this point. When you make a promise to God, keep it--regardless of what happens to you personally! To make a promise to God is extremely serious! To break a promise to God is also extremely serious! Never make frivilous promises to God!

A Conscious Separation From Sin/Evil

2006-01-30T08:21:00.000-08:00

Leviticus 16 contains the instructions given to ancient Israel for the annual worship on the Day of Atonement. This was a somber national day of worship (1) that reminded the people they had sinned and (2) that made the people aware that continuing a relationship with sin/evil and relationship with God [simutaneously] was not an option.

On this day there was a curious practice. Leviticus 16:7-10 declares two goats were presented to the high priest [Aaron being the first high priest]. Lots were cast by the high priest regarding the two goats. [The casting of lots was a common way of determining God's decision in ancient Israel]. The goat on whom the Lord's lot fell became a sacrifice. The other goat became the scapegoat. Both goats were an essential part of the Day of Atonement.

To us, the curious concept is the concept of the scapegoat. Aaron, at the appropriate time, placed both his hands on the head of the scapegoat and confessed all the inquities and transgessions of the nation. This was one factor in transferring of the sins of the nation away from Israel. The scapegoat carried the iniquities and transgressions away from the nation.

This was not the perfunctory declaration that "we have sinned, so please forgive us." This not only acknowledged that iniquity and transgression occurred, but declared the forms of the inquity and transgression. It was a much higher sense of conscious accountability than most of us are willing to acknowledge today. Most of us are willing to acknowledge in general that we are sinners, but most of us perfer not to acknowledge what made us sinners.

When the high priest completed his task of confessing the nation's iniquities and transgressions, the scapegoat was led out into wilderness by a man waiting in readiness. The scapegoat was freed in the wilderness to bare the sins of the nation to "a solitary land."

If you focus on the "primitive ceremony" or the "naive concept," you miss the point. The point was twofold: (1) there was a conscious separation from sin/iniquity/transgression if they as a nation were to be God's people, and (2) they of themselves were not the solution to or means of atonement before God.

There is an enormous failure among far too many who profess themselves to be Christians. It is the failure to realize that if we are to be among God's people, we must commit ourselves to a conscious separation from sin/evil/iniquity/transgression. Among many there seems to be a prevailing concept that Christian existence is primarily concerned with "declaration" [in favorable circumstances] and "worship" [in convenient circumstances], but not with "lifestye" [the values and concepts that determine daily focus, behavior, and attitude]. Thus a person can "declare" himself/herself to be a Christian, "worship" with a group when it is convenient, and "be" a Christian while rarely concerning himself/herself with "how I live on a daily basis."

Biblical Israel had a day once a year that reminded them of a truth: "to exist as God's people, we must separate ourselves from evil." Year by year they were reminded of the specific ways they failed to maintain that separation. They were reminded in graphic, specific terms!

The objective of our initial response to God [faith, repentance, baptism] is to separate us from sin (Acts 2:37-40). The result: an individual commitment to a lifestyle that pursues an existence which does not wish to incorporate evil into one's daily lifestyle (Romans 6--the entire chapter).

While conversion to Jesus Christ most definitely runs from evil by accepting divine forgiveness, it just as certainly runs to God in appreciation of what He did for us in Jesus' death and resurrection. He or she who runs to God through Jesus' cross and empty tomb chooses a daily existence which seeks to maintain separation from evil. The separation granted him/her when he/she received God's initial forgiveness is maintained on a continuing daily basis.

God's "Means" To His "End" Is Not His Objective, But Just Part Of The Divine Process

2006-01-23T07:19:00.000-08:00

There is a common form of children's rivilry that some adults never seem to outgrow. "Mom likes me best!" "Dad likes me best!" "My best friend likes me more than your best friend likes you!" "My teacher likes me more than your teacher likes you!" On and on this childhood rivalry goes. We childishly seek to demonstrate our significance by deliberately attempting to destroy someone else's significance.

There are at least three times when this childhood rivalry includes itself in adult existence: (1) when an adult never stops being a child--he/she chronologically is an adult but emotionally is still quite childish; (2) when an adult battles feelings of insecurity; and (3) when an adult substitues a dedication to a religious movement for faith in God.

Quite early biblical Israel decided God liked them more than He liked anyone else. That was quite a strange conclusion for biblical Israel to reach! God make it quite clear that His objective was inclusiveness, not exclusiveness. The original promise given by God to Abraham is declared in Gensis 12:1-3. In verse 3 God stated His objective included "all families of the earth," not just Abraham's descendants. Moses underscored that truth in a statement in Deuteronomy 9:4, 5. God intended to drive the Canaanites out of that land because of their wickness, not because of Israel's righteousness or uprightness of heart. He also said to Israel in Deuteronomy 7:6-8 that Israel was not selected by God for their size, but because of their forefathers' love of God.

With time, biblical Israel felt increasingly exclusive. Had not God delivered them from Egypt? Had not God preserved them in the wilderness? Had not God delivered given them Canaan? Had not God rescued a remnant of them from Babylonian captivity? Who else received God's law? Did not God send them prophets and angels?

Tragically, as is all too common with humans of all religious experiences, biblical Israel decided, "God likes us best." They decided that they as a people were God's objective, not God's means to His objective. Thus, instead of communicating to all others what it meant to be God's people, they designed themselves to be the instrument of condemnation of others. The only hope of coming to God extended to others was to come to them.

As an example consider Leviticus 11 with its emphasis on clean and unclean foods. Centuries later Jesus told the descendants of those who received this law that they and their ancestors missed the point. It is not what a person ingests but what comes from within him/her that is defiling (Matthew 15:11). While it was true that loyalty to God determined their ancestors' food, loyalty to God could not be reduced to what a person did or did not eat. The keys to genine purity before God were attitudes and words, not food laws and food traditions.

The Jewish converts with a message of hope in Jesus Christ to gentiles literally were few in number (Acts 15:1-5). When these few Jewish converts to the resurrected Jesus understood Jesus Christ belonged to "all families of the earth," most Jews including Jewish Christians were offended. How could former idol worshippers who ate anything and everything be accepted by God without first being indoctrinated as Jewish proselytes? If gentile converts ate ham and catfish they could not possibly belong to God! God could not possibly accept such people unless they first became part of physical Israel! (Consider the message of Romans 14 to Jewish and gentile Christians.)

It was a classic case of "God likes me best!" That attitude misrepresented God, God's concern, and God's objective.

Today too many congregations follow in biblical Israel's flawed example. Too often we exist to exclude, not include. Too often we pass the sentence of condemnation on each other rather than show the world how to be God's people. Too often we declare that "we" are God's objective rather than the means to God's objective that allows all families of the earth the blessing of being God's people.

The joyous result of repentance in Jesus Christ is not just for "us," but for everyone! May we be as patient with others and God is with us!

The Unholly Cannot Approach The Holy

2006-01-16T12:17:00.000-08:00

Leviticus 8 is an account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons to their function as priests of Israel. Their consecration ended with them staying in the tent of meeting for seven days and nights. Leviticus 9 states on the eighth day Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel together to allow Aaron and his sons to begin their function as Israel's priests.

It is interesting to note that Aaron and his sons were set apart from the rest of the nation and committed to their task (Leviticus 8) and were also purified for their task (Leviticus 9:7). It seems a distinction was made between being comitted to God's tasks and being purified for God's tasks.

Nadab and Abihu, two of Aarons sons, (Leviticus 10:1,2) are an excellent example. While they were consecrated (committed) to the tasks of honoring God in the tabernacle, they were not pure. In their impurity, they knowingly rebeled against God by offering "strange fire" which did not heed a divine commandment. As a consequence of their impure rebellion, they died. While carrying out a task of their commitment, they knowingly rebeled against a specific directive from God.

Priests served as intermediaries between unholy people and the holy God. To serve in that role, though they were unholy humans, they purified themselves prior to approaching the holy God (Leviticus 9:8-11). Before they represented the unholy people of Israel before the holy God, they first had to atone for the own sins. They who had sin could not come before the sinless God.
This was a common understanding, and it is illustrated in a number of ways. Genesis 32:24-32 records the incident of Jacob wresting with a man understood to be a divine messenger.
As a result of the wrestling match, Jacob named the place Peniel ( the face of God). The blessing pronounced upon Jacob near daybreak was this: "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." In verse 30 Jacob said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." Jacob understood in ordinary circumstances immediate contact with God produced death.

Jacob was not alone in this understanding. In speaking of the uniqueness of Israael's relationship with God, Moses made this statement in Deuteronomy 5:26, "For who is there of all flesh, who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?" This declared the same concept: immediate contact with God ordinarily produced death.

God, as He frequently did, sent an angel to Gideon to give Gideon a mission (Judges 6:11-24). As Gideon confirmed the identy of his messenger, he prepared a meal that became a spontaneous sacrifice. The angel which brought the message disappeared when the sacrifice was offered. Gideon expected to die "because I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face." The Lord assured him, "Peace to you, do not fear, you shall not die." Again we see the concept that immediate contact with God ordinarily produced death.

Still again, Judges 13 records God's contact with Samuel's parents through an angel announcing Sampson's conception. When Manoah, Sampson's father, verified an angel spoke to his wife, he declared to his wife, "We shall surely die, for we have seen God."

Why was this reaction so commonly understood? Perhaps Isaiah 6:1-5 provides the best insight. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on the throne with the train of his robe filling the temple. Isaiah had this vision in the place God's presence dwelled. The insight is provided by Isaiah's reaction: "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

Unholiness came into contact with holiness! Nothing so starkly exposes unholiness as exposure to absolute holiness! There is no greater contrast!

That which is unholy has no right to approach He Who is absolute holiness!

Before priests could represent unholy people to God, they must atone for their sins so they could approach the holy God.

We can approach God only because of what He did for us in Jesus Christ. In Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1:30, ". . . by His [God's] doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteous and sancitification, and redemption . . ." Or, "And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11). The only reason that we can approach God's throne confidently expecting grace and mercy in our time of need is because Jesus Christ is our high priest representing us to God (Hebrews 4:14-16). He who is holy represents us who are unholy.

When the unholy approaches the holy, we must be sanctified (made holy through atonement).

Finish God's Work

2006-01-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

When all the skilled people finished preparing all the things that composed the tabernacle outside and inside, the completed structure and its furnishings were put together. Moses was in charge of the final inspection and of the assembling. That included the veil, the lampstand with its lamps, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering, the laver, the surrounding screen, and the annointing of everything including those who were to serve as priests. It also included the ark, the table of the bread of presence, the arrangement of the furnishings, and the washing of the priests. [Is it not interesting that the man who built the golden calf was annointed to be high priest?] See Exodus 40:1-33.

Two statements stand out to the writer. The first is found in 40:19. Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

God had a preferrence in the assembly and arrangement of the tabernacle. Moses understood God's desire. Moses did not create God's desire. Moses surrendered to God's desire. Moses' personal preferrence did not determine how the tabernacle was arranged and errected. God's direction determined how the tabernacle was assembled and arranged. When God has a desire, we need to listen and surrender. Obedience focuses on listening to God's desires and surrendering. Obedience is NOT focused on pursuing personal preferrences. It is much too easy to mistake our preferrences for God's desires.

The second statement is equally simple. It is found in Exodus 40:33. "Thus Moses finished the work." The building, assembling, and arranging of the tabernacle in Israel was a huge undertaking. This is at the center of Exodus 35-40. Those tasks would not be easy in any environment, but it had to be a major undertaking in a wilderness environment!

God's instructions are "doable," but not necessarily easy or convenient. God's instructions can be achieved only if the efforts made are based on faith in Him.

Peter used the analogy of the tabernacle/temple in 1 Peter 2:1-10 declaring that God's presence no longer inhabits a structure, but a people. As a people, Christians exist to demonstrate "the excellencies of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9, NAS).

Is it easy to represent God's presence to the world? No! Is it doable? Yes! What does it require in a wilderess of evil? Faith enough to repent, to turn one's life around! All other responses are meaningless unless there is enough faith to repent (Acts 2:37-42). The renewal of baptism occurs only if there is repentance.

Is it easy to redirect life in the desert created by evil? No! Is it possible? Yes! Does it occur with a single act? No! Does it occur with a life time of commitment? Yes! What is involved in that life time of commitment? It involves (1) a willingness to listen to God and (2) a willingness to seek God's desires rather than our personal preferrences. That occurs when we are willing to listen, to understand, to make constant corrections, and to look internally as well as externally.

Reflecting God's light to a world filled with darkness is no small task! Such reflections begin with individuals willing to let God be represented in them by lifestyle, values, and worship. Just as Moses, may we finish the task! How we end is as important as how we began!

For Self Or For God?

2006-01-03T06:50:00.000-08:00

Those who were slaves in Egypt left Egypt as people of wealth! Before the last of God's ten wondrous deeds was performed in Egypt, Moses sent instructions to the Israelites to ask the Egyptians for artilces of silver, gold, and clothing. By God's influence, the Egyptians responded favorably to the Israelites' requests (Exodus 11:2, 3). In fact, the Egyptians responded so well to the Israelites, that the author of Exodus said the Israelites "plundered" the Egyptians upon their departure (Exodus 12:35, 36).

This was one of God's original promises to Israel when He sent Moses from the wilderness back to Egypt (Exodus 3:21, 22). The Egyptian people--including Pharoah's servants (Exodus 10:7)--were ready for the Israelite people to leave Egypt before the stubborn Pharaoh was! Yet, after the last of God's incredible deeds, even the stubborn Pharoah would "drive" the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 11:1). The Egyptian people in their desperation would become incredibly generous. They could not wait for the Israelites to leave! (Exodus 12:33-36)

Were the requests of the Israelites "pay back," personal greed, or godly purpose? Probably, depending on the person, their requests were all three. For some, it likely was "pay back." "You showed me no consideration as your slave! You were impatient with me and constantly demanding! In your sight I was a nothing, a non-human, and object to be used for your pleasure and at your desire! (Remember Genesis 39:7-18?) Now you will endure poverty because of me! Serves you right! I hope you never forget what I did to you when I left! Until the day you die, I hope you remember how I took advantage of you as I left! The only joyful memory I will take with me from Egypt is exploiting you!"

What does one do with gold, silver, and fancy clothing in the desert? Especially what do you do with gold, silver, and fancy clothing when everyone else around you also has gold, silver, and fancy clothing? Who are you going to impress? If you try to impress those around you, likely all you will succeed in doing is to make yourself look ridiculous and foolish! In Egypt the wealthy did not wear clothing for the desert environment! They wore clothing for the settled Egyptian environment! To wear clothing that was "striking" among the Egyptians in a desert environment would be ridiculous and likely harmful.

Those who saw godly purpose in what they did in "plundering" the Egyptians as they left likely were few. In every age, those who see God at work when the unusual occurs are a distinct minority. At such moments, people are far more likely to be selfishly greedy rather than to consider that God may be at work. They are far more likely to think about "MY opportunity" instead of God's purposes.

In Exodus 35:4-9 Moses requested of the Israelites a contribution that would enable this new nation to undertake a massive building program to honor the God Who delivered them from Egypt. It seems there were two issues at stake. (1) Would these same people give as much to honor God as they gave to build an idol? (See again Exodus 32:1-4 and note the contribution of gold jewelry they gave to build the golden calf.) Had Israel's recent past taught them a memorable lesson about Who guided them? (2) Would selfish greed rule the Israelites, or would an appreciation of God rule them?

The contribution was to be given from willing hearts, not a sense of obligation. It would include many of the things taken when the Israelites "plundered" the Egyptians. Those whose hearts were "stirred" (literally, "lifted up") and whose spirits moved them made a contribution of what they had--brooches, rings, braclets, gifts of gold, precious material, skills, precious stones, and spices. All of this was a free-will offering to the Lord from people whose hearts moved them.

Giving to the contribution to construct the tabernacle and its furnishings was ongoing (Exodus 36:3). Finally the skilled artisans constructing the sanctuary and its furnishings told Moses that the people had contributed more than enough (Exodus 36:5). Moses commanded the Israelites not to give any more (Exodus 36:6, 7).

No society is ideal for God's work and purposes. Most societies oppose God's work and purposes. Opposition is not always loud and overt. Some of the most effective opposition is quiet and internal. When a society convicts its people to turn inward to self, the values that had the potential to make the people great are destroyed. Call it "good economics," or "preparing for one's future years," or "good business," or "seeking the good life"--it does not matter. When a people are encouraged by their society to be selfish and greedy, given sufficient time they will destroy themselves.

People who belong to God do not look at life, the world, the future, or opportunity as do people who do not belong to God. Godly people have a distinctly different world view. One of the horriby things that has happened to many Christians is found in the fact that they allow society to teach them how to look at life, the world, the future, and opportunity.

When people belong to God, greed does not form opportunity. Glorifying God forms opportunity. Glorifying God never exploits people. Glorifying God serves people.

Guided By God

2005-12-27T13:19:00.000-08:00

At times, God functions in an unusual, unexpected manner. Following God often is not comfortably predictable!

When all the preparation for the tabernacle and its furnishings were completed, the tabernacle was erected and began to function as the site of Israel's sacrificial worship. Exodus 40:34-38 declares that "the cloud" covered the tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled it. The cloud's covering and God's glory were so intense that not even Moses could enter the tabernacle at that time.

This seems to be the same cloud that guided Israel from Egypt (Exodus 13:21, 22); that separated the Egyptian army from the Israelites (Exodus 14:19, 20); and that provided guidence for Israel in the wilderness (Numbers 9:15-23). It was a visible reminder of God's presence (Exodus 33:9, 10; 40:38).

It was this cloud over the tabernacle that provided the nation of Israel guidence throughout their wilderness journey. When the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, Israel was to break camp and follow the cloud to a new location. When the cloud remained in place over the tabernacle, Israel was to remain camped at that location.

What a strange, unusual way to provide guidence! Not through a person's oracle, not through a prophet's message, not through a priest, but through the movements of a cloud!

The person who never searches for God never sees His work and manifestation. The person who searches for God is aware of His hand everywhere. God never has been restricted to one mode of expression.

Perhaps that is one of the wondrous things about Jesus Christ. In his earthly ministery, Jesus spoke for God in many ways--compassion, mercy, kindness, unselfishness, patience, helpfulness to the unworthy, a life that illustrated his message.

Every expression of God points to Jesus Christ (Genesis 12:3; Luke 2:25-38). All expressions of Jesus Christ point to God (John 14:6). Human faith in the fullness of its expressions shown in a life surrendered to God as revealed through Jesus Christ is the avenue to God--not human achievements and accomplishments. The purpose of obedience is to express gratitude for God's blessings in Jesus Christ. The purpose of obedience has never been placing God in debt to humans so humans can attempt to manipulate Him!

When obedience is anything less or more than an expression of gratitude declared in a "Thank you" to God who blesses us immeasurably through Jesus Christ, it is the futile attempt for humans to become their own god!

Faith in God follows the ways and values of God even when guidence is provided by a cloud.

Does Closeness To God Terrify Or Encourage You?

2005-12-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

Moses had a unique relationship with God. That relationship was demonstrated when God spoke to Moses. As noted in a previous snippet, God spoke to Moses "face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11). A typical practice was for Moses to go to a tent to speak with God. A cloud [the presence of God] visibly descended to the entrance of the tent. The Israelites saw that situation and worshipped God from their tents. Moses went to the tent on such occasions to talk with God (Exodus 33:7-10). Obviously, Moses approached God and spoke to Him as no other Israelite could.

However, there was a consequence to Moses being in God's immediate presence. The skin on Moses' face shined after such encounters. Initially, when God gave Moses commandments for him to deliver to the Israelites (see Exodus 20:19), Moses spoke to Israel without an awareness that his face was shining. The result: Israelites were afraid of Moses when his face shined--including priests! These people, including Aaron [Moses' brother and spokesman], initially did not wish to be close to Moses (read Exodus 34: 29-35).

Thus, Moses developed the practice of wearing a veil after delivering God's commands to the sons of Israel through Aaron. As he walked and lived among the Israelites in their camp, he had no desire for them to be afraid of him!

Paul used Moses' shining face to illustrate a first century problem at Corinth [and likely much more widespread than that one place] in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18. The basic problem: first century Israelites were unable to see God's intent and purposes in Jesus. There was much confrontation even in the church of the first century that focused on this debate.

When it is a person's objective to come to God, to spend a lifetime getting closer and closer to God, that journey changes the person. While the person may not even be aware of the changes, those changes are quite obvious to those who know him or her.

Closeness to God changes a man or a woman! How? It changes the focus of his or her life. Things that were important become increasingly unimportant until those things fade completely out of his or her focus. If materialism was important, it becomes unimportant. If greed was important, it becomes unimportant. If the self-centered pursuit of fun was important, it becomes unimportant. In fact, all forms of selfishness fade into insignificance.

Why? God is not materialistic, greedy, pleasure centered, or selfish. Those things in no way declare God's character or nature! Thus as a person moves closer to God, he or she moves further from those things. In the analogy of a world with no kerosene or "modern" forms of power that could be transformed into light, those are the things of "darkness." God is the purity and holiness of "absolute light" (see 1 John 1:5). The man or woman who pursues such things is headed away from God! If closeness to God is his or her interest, he or she is going in the wrong direction!

Personal values change in the man or woman who wishes to be close God. The purpose of an individual's life is viewed differently. The objectives of time and ability are seen through a new understanding. Commonly what those who have a distant relationship with God regard to be sacrifice is seen by one close to God as opportunity. The person who belongs to God defines individual purpose quite differently when compared to the person who does not seek God.

Being close to God makes an obvious difference! That difference may not be evident to the one who reflects God's influence in his or her life! Yet, it is evident to those who have no relationship with God or seek only a shallow relationship with God.

Do not be afraid to seek God with your whole self! Do not fear God's influnence on your life! God's influence brings out the best in people!

What Is God's Character And Nature?

2005-12-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

The character and nature of God always has figured prominently in the religious concepts and religious expectations of people. That still has religious prominence to this day. One does not listen long to religious broadcasts and declarations before he or she is told "what God wants" based on a presentation of God's nature or character.

We may be told God "wants" us to have health. Or, we may be told that God "wants" us to have wealth. Or, we may be told that God "wants" our dreams to become reality--we just need to dream bigger and to trust God more!

Having lived among people outside of the United States of America, I am impressed with this fact: Many lessons/sermons shared in this country would never be shared among the common people in other societies or countries. Christianity is not and has never been the export of material expectations. Christianity shares a Savior who owned nothing and died as a sacifice.

We Americans have material options that are not available to the common person in many socieities of other nations. It is a serious mistake to link spirituality in Christ with the materialistic expectations or desires of people! Genuine spirituality is about rightfully honoring God for Who He is, not about us achieving our material expectations.

Moses had many encounters with God [the burning bush--Exodus 3:1-4:23; the comission-- Exodus 4:22-31; the encounters with Pharoah at God's direction--Exodus 5:1-11; the Red Sea incident--Exodus 14:5-31; etc.] God spoke to Moses as to no one else (Exodus 32:11). Only Moses went into the tent when the cloud of God's presence covered that tent.

Though Moses had spoken to and heard from God directly many times, Moses never actually saw God. After Moses pled with God to be among the Israelites [after Israel's enormous insult to God], God agreed to comply with Moses' request because of God's respect for Moses (Exodus 33:17). Moses, because of God's respect for him, won two enormous concessions from God: God would not destroy Israel for their insult (Exodus 32:9-14); God would continue to be present with Israel as they traveled (Exodus 33:17).

Moses made one more request at this time: "Let me see You!" (Exodus 33:18-23). God said, "That is not possible--if you looked upon Me, My holiness would kill you." Even the best of people whom God respects have [has] evil in them. God has no evil in him. Humanity's unholiness at its best cannot look directly at God's holiness. Those touched by evil cannot look at Him in Whom evil is completely absent.

Moses asked for something impossible--even for God! If Moses was to continue as God's agent in leading Israel to Canaan, he [as a human] could not look upon God. Moses could behold God's glory by seeing where He passed, but not look directly on God.

When God passed, God described Himself: "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth (also translated faithfulness); who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives inquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the inquity of the fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

What an unusual, unhuman-like description! It is a blending of mercy and justice in equal proportions. God is compassionate and filled with grace. He overflows with mercy. He keeps His promises. All because that is His nature [not His debt!].

Out of His nature flows a slowness to anger [it takes terrible offenses to make God angry] and forgiveness. Yet, for those who refuse to take responsibility for their failures through the redirection of repentance, God in justice will not forget their offenses. The influence of the unrepentant has long arms that touch those the unrepentant would love the most--long after they die.

When the holy God passed, Moses was not impressed with himself or his righteousness. He was impressed with the holiness of God. Moses bowed to the earth and worshipped God (Exodus 34:8). Does that not remind you of Isaiah's initial encounter with God's presence in Isaiah 6:5?

"Woe is me, for I am ruined,
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

Consider an irony: the closer "good" people get to God, the more impressed they are with the evil in them. Human "goodness" is woeful when contrasted to God's purity and holiness. He or she who has been close to God's presence never places faith in self or in any human act he or she performed or performs. Nothing human compares to the compassionate, merciful God.

The Power Of The Pleas Of The Righteous

2005-12-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

The ability of wicked humans to anger God cannot be exaggerated. The ability of righteous humans to plea with God cannot be exaggerated. The plea of one righteous person can be more significant to God than the evil deeds of many wicked persons.

When Israel insulted God by attributing to their golden calf their deliverance from Egypt and their divine guidance, they insulted God's kindness and compassion. God patently let them complain. God kindly let them doubt. God compassionately let them gripe. God did this to allow Israel to form an understanding of Who He is and experience His graciousness toward them. From Exodus 11 to Exodus 32, Israel had access to the understanding produced through experiences that should have resulted in profound appreciation for God. Yet, their experiences produced zero appreciation for God's kindness, patience, and mercy! Instead of being grateful toward God, they insulted Him!

The impact of Israel's deed on the kind God is evident in Exodus 32:9, 10. (1) "I now accept these people for who they are--an obstinate people! Nothing I do for them will change who they are!" (2) "I am a God Who angers slowly (Exodus 34:6), but they have made Me extremely angy! Moses, leave Me alone, and let Me be angry at them! They deserve My anger!" (3) "I will destroy them and start over with you to fulfill My promise to Abraham."

Please note something. The righteous Moses did not plead with God on the basis of the deservedness of Israel--there was no deservedness! The righteous Moses pled with God on the basis of God's character. (1) You have been extraordinarily patient with these people up to this moment. Do not cease being patient with them now! (2) Why should the Egyptians misrepresent You now? The Egyptians will not fault the rebelliousness of the people--they will not even recognize the reality of the people's rebelliousness! The Egyptians will blame You! They will say You had an evil intent from the beginning. They will misrepresent You by saying You brought them out here for the purpose of killing them. They will say you wanted to eliminate Israelites from the face of the earth! (3) Because You are Who You are, abandon Your anger and change Your mind about doing these Israelites harm. (4) Focus on Your promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel [see Genesis 35:10]. Think about Your promise, and not these people's insult.

God listened to Moses! God accepted the plea of a righteous human and changed His mind and intent!

Later Moses approached God again. Moses did not minimize the people's sin. He loved God and these people so much that this righteous man asked God to forgive the great sin of the people or take his name out of the book God wrote. God refused Moses request. God said, (1) The person who is guilty of sin will be removed from My book." (2) "If I am near these people I will destroy them!" (3) "The time will come when they will receive the full consequence of their rebellion!"

Moses through faith cultivated a unique relationship with God. He and God spoke face to face as friends (see Exodus 33:11). God did not speak to Moses in visions or through messengers. He spoke to Moses directly as friends speak.

In this incident we see two extraordinary realities. First, we see the power of the plea of a righteous person. Almost 2000 years later, James wrote, "The effective prayer (literally, supplication) of a righteous man can accomplish much" (James 5:16). Never underestimate the power of being a righteous man or woman!

Second, we see what an exceptional thing God did for the man or woman who dares to be Christian. In Hebrews 4:14-16 are found these statements, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

For the man or woman in Christ, forgiveness at their weakest moment is assured because of God's mercy and grace. In Christ, we have access to the throne of grace. Do you have the courage to be a person of righteousness?

Turning Loose Of The Past Is Not Easy Or Simple

2005-12-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

God did a lot for Israel as He rescued them from their Egyptian slavery. The ten incredible acts of God in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the preservation in the desert wilderness [water, food, protection from enemy attacks], the journey to Mount Sinai, and God's voice declaring in their hearing [and understanding] the ten commandments were powerful evidences. Evidences of what? (1) Evidences of the existence of the living God who made promises to Abraham, and (2) proof that the living God could and would care for and provide for them.

Some of the deepest hurts that human beings endure in life are the wounds produced when kindness is repaid with an insult. Even God is deeply distressed when those who receive His kindnesses respond with an insult.

Israel insulted God! Though God used Moses as His agent in communication or in expressing His actions [Moses stretched out the rod to divide the Red Sea, but God without the agency of Moses placed the manna on the ground for Israel to gather], Israel looked upon Moses as the source of power, not the agent of God. People bond with people much more easily than they bond with God! Too often people rather follow a charismatic person then a deserving, mysterious God!

After God gave the ten commandments, Moses spent over a month on Mount Sinai receiving instructions from God for Israel. The people of Israel grew restless--they were in the middle of nowhere in a harsh environment and their charismatic leader was gone! Israel's solution: "Come, make us a god who will go before us . . ." To them after all of God's revelations of Himself, divine leadership could be produced by (1) a human made object that (2) was dependent on humans to receive personal care.

Why? They reverted to the Egyptian concept of deity! For more than a generation these people were accustomed to a concept of deity that depended on (1) human made objects (2) whose power was dependent on humans. They were more comfortable with a former concept than a new reality! Even if the new reality provided them incredible blessings, they were still more comfortable with a former concept!

They approached Aaron, Moses' brother and spokesman. They asked him to make them this god who would provide their leadership. Aaron commanded them to bring him the gold jewlery worn by the wives and children (remember Exodus 12:35, 36?). From this gold, Aaron fashioned a golden calf with a graving tool.

Think about it! "Our" gold made "our" god which "we" acknowledge because "we" are in control. Often people would rather control their deity than be controled by their diety. There is a lot of difference between, "God would not want me to do that!" and "Speak, Lord, because Your servant is listening!"

The golden calf was presented to Israel with the words, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." With Aaron's blessings, an altar was built before the golden calf and a religious feast proclaimed to honor this idol the next day.

When Moses returned to the Israelite camp, he saw a people out of control (Exodus 32:25). These people were honoring the golden calf in the manner in keeping with their experiences in idolatrous Egypt (Exodus 32:19).

The same verse declares that Moses' anger burned. No one knew more perfectly the debt these people owed the living God than did Moses! No one better understood that Israel's returning to a pagan concept of deity was an insult to the living God who delivered Israel!

In any age, if a person is to follow the living God two things are essential. (1) He or she who would follow God must change his or her concept of deity. (2) He or she who would follow God must constantly guard against returning to the familiar past.

We must follow God, not make a god!

God Asked For A Response To His Acts

2005-11-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

Among the more familiar statements in the Old Testament are the ten commandments. These commandments were first given from God to Israel. Because of what God did for Israel, the commands declared how God expected Israel to respond as they committed to being His people. These commandments were given to Israel before that nation entered into Canaan. In a specfic way, they defined what it meant to be God's people. In many ways, these commands reached into the Christian age hundreds of years later.

In Romans 12-15 Paul described what a gentile Christian who lived in Rome would "look like." The description Paul gave was quite a contrast to the typical resident of Rome. In that description, in Romans 13:9, Paul stressed the value God places on His concept of love by citing the ten commandments. A Christian loves his/her neighbor as he/she loves himself/herself. Because of love for another person, he/she will not use others for adultery, he/she will not murder, he/she will not victimize people by theft, nor will he/she use other people as an opportunity to pursue greed.

Paul's stress on the value of love certainly was not new. Long before Paul's words, Jesus' declared an understanding long accepted by perceptive Jews concerning God and His values. When Jesus was asked about God's greatest commandment [a frequent discussion among devout Israelites], he responded by declaring the greatest command was to love God with all one's being (Mark 12:29, 30; Deuteronomy 6:4). The second greatest command was to love people as you love yourself (Mark 12:31; Leviticus 19:18 quoted frequently in the New Testament--Matthew 19:19; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8).

Consider some obvious emphases in the ten commandments. Those ten instructions can naturally be divided between responses toward God and responses toward people. The first four of the ten focused on delivered Israel's response to God: (1) You will not allow other gods to compete with Me or replace Me; (2) you will not make idols; (3) you will honor My name and hold My name in high esteem; and (4) you will worship Me by doing no work on the Sabbath (Saturday, the last day of the week).

God was not to be looked upon as other gods Israel had known (primarily in Egypt). God was the living, Creator God, not some form of Egyptian or idolatrous deity. God's name was to hold a special position among Israelites. Their worship declared their total dependence on God, the Provider. Unlike other peoples, the Israelites would refuse to work one day a week as they honored their God in their confidence that He would care for them.

Six of those commandments focused on their treatment of fellow Israelites. (1) They would provide for the physical needs of aging parents. (2) They would not murder. (3) They would not seduce another person's wife. Or, they would respect the marriage of another rather than violate the marriage of another. (4) They would not take the property of another. (5) They would not falsely accuse someone else or provide deceitful testimony. (6) They would not allow personal greed to rule them. They would not allow greedy desires to make them envious of another person's possessions or relationships.

Why? Why would these ten restrictions/requirements be placed on Israelites? The ten commandments are prefaced with these words from God: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2). The people of Israel should accept these responsibilities because of what God did for them in providing redemption from slavery.

If your impression is that God can be pleased through rote, feelingless obedience, you need to consider Deuteronomy. After recapping God's deliverance in chapters 1-4, after verbally stressing the ten commandments again in chapter 5, chapter 6 began an emphasis on the importance of loving God. It began with the words, "Hear, O Israel!" (6:4). Israel was told they should love the Lord God with all their being (6:5). The commandments God gave them "shall be on your heart" (6:6). These commands were to be diligently taught to their children (6:7). The same teachings were to be constantly before them (6:8, 9). They were never to forget what God did for them (6:12). In their future, they were to make specific connection between God's deliverance and their continuing obedience (6:20-25).

Deuteronony makes a powerful connection between obedience to commands and the heart response of love for God. Consider Deuteronomy 7:9; 10:12; 11:1; 11:13; 11:22; 13:3; 19:9; 30:6; 30:16; 30:19,20. Consider 10:16. It would be extremely difficult to read Deuteronomy with an open mind and not see the deliberate connection made between loving God and obeying God.

Obedience must come from the heart, not merely from the compulsion of necessity. By choice let your obedience to God flow from a heart of love.

(For a list of the ten commands see Exodus 20:1-17.)

I Gave You Reason To Trust Me! Did You See It?

2005-11-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

Prior to giving Israel the Ten Commandments, God instructed Moses to make the following statements to that nation:

Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19:3-6, NAS)

God said, "I am about to give you some unbreakable instructions which will define you as a people. In fact, these commandments will set you apart from all other people. I merely could give you these instructions just because of Who I am. However, I am not going to do that. Before I give you these commandments, I want you to remember what I have done for you."

God did something for these descendants of Abraham through Jacob that they could not do for themselves. Nothing could release these slaves from their Egyptian slavery! They certainly could not cause their release to happen! They had neither weapons nor military training! A revolt instantly would be confronted by the well armed, well trained Egyptian army. All a revolt would accomplish would be the bloodshed and deaths of Israelite slaves. They would still be slaves, but with fewer people to do the same work.

God did something for them they could not do for themselves! All they did was watch the mighty acts of God until the ruler of Egypt asked the slaves to leave. With ten mighty acts God secured their release. They did not leave like slaves! They left like wealthy people! (Exodus 12:35, 36)

Then God irreversibly separated them from the Egyptian army. By an act of God, a sea was placed between these former slaves and Egypt. By the same act of God at the same time, a horrible blow was struck against the Egyptian army.

Every step they took into the wilderness separated them even further from their existence as slaves. God provided them water. God provided them quail for meat. God provided them manna for bread. By acts of God their clothes and their sandals did not wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5). In every way God provided for them--He released them; He separated them from Egypt; He provide food, drink, clothes, and sandals.

Certainly they had reason to respect God's instructions. While those instructions may seem simple and obvious to many of us, they did not seem so to them. Those instructions would result in a much more humane, respectful people than existed in that age. Respect for people would be based on respect for God.

The crucile point to be seen: Israel had reason to respect these instructions through obedient acts because God had first acted on their behalf. God acted first! Israel had reason to obey God because of what God had done for them! God asked them to act as witnesses to His kindness. "You have seen what I did for you! Obey Me because you saw what I did and because you appreciate My kindness toward you!"

This is a critical principle in the God-human relationship. God acts first. Then God expects us to respond to His kindness. Paul wrote in Romans 5:6,

"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."

He wrote this statement in Romans 5:8,

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. "

It is not what we obediently do for God. It is what God did for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus. God acted. All we can do is respond to His kindness.

Serving God May Cause Bruises, But Do Not Unnecessarily Bruise Yourself!

2005-11-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

It is often amazing that truly intelligent people fail to think about some matters! Confidence in God does not require a person to express a faith act the hard way. We do not need to create an artifical test to prove we trust God--we just need to function in a manner that confirms we trust God! Amazingly, sometimes the most 'spiritual' fail to see the obvious!

Moses was truly a very intelligent person and a genuinely spiritual person. He had learned you cannot do things on your own. He had seen God's incredible power in delivering Israel from Egypt. He was a part of God's remarkable ability to preserve Israel in the wilderness. It is certainly understandable that Moses wished to depend on God 100% and on himself 0%. However, such dependence did not mean doing things in an impossible manner.

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, became Moses' teacher! Moses saw God's power! Jethro only heard about God's power! Yet, it was Jethro who called Moses' attention to the obvious in Exodus 18:13-23. Permit me to paraphrase. Jethro spent a day witnessing Moses work throughout the day (from morning to evening) judging disputes regarding the Israelite people. Three things are obvious. (a) The fact that the nation had been delivered from slavery did not end personal disputes between people. Even with faith, people are still people. (b) If those in a dispute wanted to know what God thought about a situation, they came to Moses. (c) Moses made himself an unnecessary martyr by deciding he was indispensible in every situation.

Jethro's reaction: "What are you doing? And why do you do it this way?" Moses response: "The people want God to resolve a matter, and they come to me to see what God thinks. I tell them God's statutes and laws as I judge the dispute."

Jethro responded: "Moses, you have created an impossible situation! In the intent of doing good, you are not doing good. You expect too much of yourself. This is not a 'one-man-job'. If you go on treating it like a 'one-man-job' you will destroy yourself. You must realize that you cannot do this alone!"

Consider Jethro's solution: (a) teach the people God's law. Help them learn how God's people live and how God's people treat others. (b) After this is done, select men who have a deep faith in and a deep respect for God. Select men who wish to honor God just as you do. (c) These men you select must be recognized even by the insignificant and poor as just men. These must be men who cannot be bribed! (d) Then let these men resolve disputes in a role equal to their ability--some over thousands, some over hundreds, some over fifties, and some over tens.

In terms common to us in the American justice system, there is an appeals process. If the matter can be solved at the level of a judge over tens, fine! If it must be referred to a higher judge, fine! However, you [Moses] hear only major disputes that cannot be resolved by someone else. In this manner God's purposes are preserved and these people will go to their destination in peace.

Moses did as Jethro suggested. A system of fair resolution of disputes was put in place in Israel. Every person--regardless of position in Israelite society--had a much more rapid opportunity to have a fair resolution to a dispute. Can you imagine what a 'bottle neck' it was to have only one man hear every situation?

Strikingly, this is the immediate prelude to God giving Israel the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. This stucture was not suggested to circumvent God or His purposes. It was presented to help achieve God's purposes.

Perhaps Jethro's suggestion could be summarized in this manner: share the responsibility!

It is much too easy for a person to grasp responsibility as if "no one can do this right but me." It is sadly amazing to see how frequently godly people suffer because someone in a congregation has an exaggerated sense of his or her importance. In such matters, there are two keys to achieving God's purposes [not our objectives, but God's purposes]. (a) Select only godly people who have a deep faith in and profound respect for God. (b) Select only people who truly care about what is fair to others.

As God's people, may we (a) see the obvious and (b) care about others. Think more highly of God than you think of yourself. Serve--fairly and with real concern for people.

The Love Of Food

2005-10-31T07:45:00.000-08:00

People like to eat! I once lived in a place where three or four families would buy a live cow [there was no refrigeration available to the average person] just before Christmas day, slaughter the cow, and prepare the meat for a feast. They could imagine nothing better than for everyone in those families to have all he or she wished to eat for one day!

People commonly measure wealth and status to this day by food. How many people can you invite to your eating occasions? What is the menu? Will there be more than enough? In what will the food be served? How will the food be "presented"? What will the guests use as they eat the food--china plates, silverware, crystal glasses? What commentary will the food and its "presentation" make regarding the host and hostess?

Even among the Israelite slaves who had just received their freedom, food was a major consideration. Less than two full months after leaving Egypt (Exodus 16:3), these newly freed people began to gripe about being hungry. "Wish God had killed us in Egypt while we sat by the meat pots and had all the bread we wanted to eat. That would have been better than starving to death out here!"

God said, "Moses, I will provide them bread from heaven." They would not grow or buy the grain. They would not grind the grain to flour. They would not bake the flour into bread. They would merely gather what God provided.

However, God would use the occasion of providing bread to test them to see if they yet trusted Him enough to do as He said. Early every morning a heavy dew would fall around the Isrealite camp. When the dew evaporated, it would leave behind flakes that tasted like a honey waffer. I doubt slaves ate honey waffers often! Yet, the freed people were now to have honey waffers every day!

The first time it appeared, the people did not know what it was. "When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, 'It is bread which the Lord has given you to eat" (Exodus 16:15, NAS).

The provision was wonderful! Every person was to have all he or she wanted to eat! An omer ( mentioned in Exodus 16 only--most ancient measurements were local standards and are hard to define in terms of today's international units) likely was just a little over a quart as a dry measurement. One omar of manna was to be collected each morning for each family member (see Exodus 16:16-18), and every person in Israel was to have enough to meet his or her need.

The restrictions were specific. In Exodus 20 in the ten commandments, Israel was to keep the Sabbath (Saturday) holy by doing no work (Exodus 20:8-11). Among other things, the Israelite demonstrated (a) his/her total confidence in God and (b) his/her complete trust that God would care for his/her physical needs by doing no work on Saturday. Every morning they had to trust God to again provide the dew and the manna. Sunday through Thursday they were only to gather enough for the day. If they gathered more to save until the next day, it was unfit to eat (see Exodus 16:19, 21). However, on Friday they were to gather twice their needs, and the manna was not spoiled on Saturday (Exodus 16:5, 21-30).

To a people accustomed to God providing them manna every morning, Moses declared, "And he humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know that he might make you understand that men do not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:3, NAS). [God gave you bread, but there is far more to life than having your physical needs met. Food is not the source of life! God is the source of life!]

Jesus used Deuteronomy 8:3 as he encountered temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:4). Hundreds of years later the descendants of these Israelites unsuccessfully tried to manipulate Jesus into using his power to provide them food as Moses provided their ancestors food. Jesus gave two responses, "First, you need to realize it was not Moses but God who provided the bread from heaven (John 6:32, 33). Second, you need to realize God is providing you bread from heaven this moment because I came from God and I am God's bread of life!" (John 6:35-40).

We do not like anyone who changes our food! In fact, just like those slaves, we may not recognize better food when we see it! Have you realized that life is about much more then physical need? Have you recognized Jesus as God's food from heaven? Would you change your diet if you were given the food that provided life? Do you waste life grumbling, or do you trust the God who cares for you?

The Ability To See God At Work

2005-10-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

When Moses went to Egypt, he left his wife and two sons with his father-in-law, Jethro (Exodus 18:1-12). Though Jethro was a priest in Midian (presumably a pagan priest), he clearly saw God at work independently and in Moses. He rejoiced at God's acts. He did not say, "Why did Moses burdened me with his family as he went to Egypt?" He did not demand a gift from Moses before returning his daughter with Moses' children. Instead, Jethro promptly returned Moses' family to him. Moses' return was a time to praise God, not a time to complain.

Jethro's reactions to Moses' return are remarkable! (1) He accompanied his daughter and grandsons in their return to Moses. (2) He honored Moses, and Moses honored him. (3) When Moses reported (a) all that happened, (b) the hardships of the journey, and (c) God's deliverance in each hardship, Jethro rejoiced at God's goodness toward Israel. Jethro's words:

Blessed be the Lord who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharoah, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people." (NAS translation)

Jethro saw and gave God credit for His deeds. He was delighted for what God did for Israel. He was delighted God gave Israel freedom. He saw and acknowledged God's greatness and superiority.

Such honesty is rare! Pharoah experienced God's greatness and superority, but Jethro only saw God's greatness and superority. Pharoah stubbornly refused to acknowledge God's greatness and superiority. Jethro rejoiced in it. Pharoah regarded God's acts as unjust and evil because God's acts opposed him. Jethro saw the same acts of God as just and redemptive as they expressed kindness to an oppressed people. One saw God's acts as the opposition of an enemy. The other saw God's acts as a compassionate liberation of an oppressed people. Each saw the very same acts of God from a completely different perspective!

Why? Pharoah saw God's acts only from Pharoah's selfish perspective. Jehro saw God's acts unsefishly in the terms of what those acts achieved. Neither were accustomed to seeing God act. Neither knew God. One could not see honestly because his sight was distorted by his selfishness. The other saw what God achieved clearly and honestly. One resisted God in every possible way. The other praised God.

Note Moses declared to Jethro the "hardship that had befallen them on the journey." What hardship? Perhaps the dilemma when Israel was between the Egyptian army and the Dead Sea. Perhaps the bitter water at Marah. Perhaps the lack of food. Perhaps the lack of drinking water at Rephidim. Perhaps the attack of the Amelikites. Perhaps all of these. In all these hardships, Jethro saw only God's goodness because God delivered.

There can be no divine act of deliverance unless it is preceded with a situation of suffering!

In every life there are hardships! Are your hardships challenges to your selfishness, or acts of God's goodness. If God is your strength to persevere or be delivered, your hardship shows you God's goodness. If your hardship is a barrier to your selfishness, you resist God in every way you can.

The same hardship can be a blessing or a cure. When you see God's goodness, it is a blessing. When you see God as your enemy, it is a curse.

The Process Of Conversion Means Change

2005-10-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

The word "conversion" means many things to different people. For some, it is a wonderful word. For others, it is a horrible word. Most regard that word to be somewhere between wonderful and horrible. The primary practical concern involved in the conversion process is reflected in this question: "How do you feel about personal change?" "Conversion" is based on commitment. "Joining" is based on association.

"Conversion" involves a commitment to personal change that begins in the core of oneself. "Joining" involves no such commitment. Did the slaves who left Egypt want to commit themselves to a change that resulted in being God's people? Or, did the slaves who left Egypt merely want to "go along for the ride" to a much improved existence--without having to change?

There was a direct route to Palestine (Exodus 13:17). God knew the direct way quickly would become the discouraging way. Fast is not neccessarily better! Discouragement (the failure to meet human expectation) easily could result in these delivered slaves deciding to return to Egypt and a discouragement they knew--continued slavery!

Everyone wants to escape from the horrors of the past! Few want to accept the responsilibity of an improved future! Accepting responsibility involves change!

The delivered slaves watched as God destroyed the pursuing army of Pharoah by drowning. The walls of water that provided the slaves escape became the source of death for the Egyptian army. The delivered slaves stood on dry ground and watched in wonder as God separated them from their Egyptian existence.

Exodus 14:30, 31 states, "Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the sea shore. And when Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared (revered) the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses" (NAS).

It is one thing to believe in what the Lord has done. It is quite another thing to trust in what God will yet do. Exodus 15 records the enormous jubilation when these slaves realized they were delivered and a sea stood between them and Egyptian slavery. They were free! Egypt was a part of their past! Did they ever feel relieved and good! Standing at the sea shore (1) knowing Egyptian slavery was now a part of their past and (2) looking at the dead bodies of the army who enslaved them, they felt invincible. They had that same feeling a football team has when (1) it has only scrimmaged itself and (2) has never tested itself against another team! They were high and confident, but neither feeling lasted long.

They left Egypt and the sea behind as they entered the wilderness and engaged a new foe--themselves! Soon there was no water. Finally when water was available, it was undrinkable. The people who were delivered from Egypt, the army, and the sea by the powerful, living God grumbled. God could miraculously deliver them from Egypt, miraculously deliver them from the Egyptian army, and do the impossible in allowing them to cross the sea, but God could not give them water! God tested their trust in Him, and they failed miserably!

Their journey to their promised land was not a paved highway built of gold. Neither is ours! Their journey certainly led to a promised land, but it went through a wilderness. So does ours! They had reason to trust God based on God's past acts. So do we!

The foundation of trust is constructed on what God has done. Trust projects into the future and the unknown. It says, "If God made that happen, God will make this happen. I did not know how God did it then. I do not know how God will do it in the future. The key is not knowing how God will do it. The key is knowing God will do it."

We call that trust faith. Because of that trust, we are more than willing to change who we are.

Then Was Then And Now Is Now!

2005-10-03T13:47:00.000-07:00

The impossible happened! The Egyptians who owned Hebrew slaves were begging the slaves to leave--even giving them gifts to encourage them to go! (Exodus 3:21,22)

It all happened because God acted. There were ten incredible miracles from God: the waters of the Nile turned to blood; frogs were everywhere; dust turned to irritating insects; swarms of flying insects invaded; cattle died; people suffered with boils (sores); destuctive thunder storms ruined crops; a swarm of locusts devoured remaining crops; prolonged darkness halted people from daily affairs; and the oldest son of each Egyptian family died.

While the Egyptians wanted the king to release the Hebrews before the Egyptians suffered more devastation (Exodus 10:7), the king was an arrogant, stubborn man. It was just not in the king's nature to yield to anyone! Not until the last miracle when every Egyptian household was in mourning (Exodus 12:30) did the king finally acknowledge that he had met his match.

Suddenly the unbelievable was reality! The Hebrews were free! They had placed the lamb's or kid's blood (Exodus 12:3--consult the margins of a study Bible) on the door frame. They had eaten the roasted lamb or kid in a state of readiness to leave at night (Exodus 12:11-14). Death came to every Egyptian household. The king called Moses and Aaron and told the Hebrews to leave immediately (Exodus 12:31-34).

Thus without the aid of batteries, flashlights, transport trucks, or people carriers, this massive migration of Hebrew people began their journey to freedom at night as Egyptians begged them to leave. They left so quickly that their bread did not even have time to rise--they just took their dough with them!

God through Moses directed them to the Red Sea. Suddenly, the arrogant, stubborn king who released the Hebrews had a change of heart (Exodus 14:5-9). He took a readied army to pursue and recapture the Hebrews.

Listen to the reaction of the Hebrews when they realized that they were trapped between the angry Egyptian King's army and the merciless Red Sea.

... Behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness" (Exodus 1410-12, NASV).

"Hebrews, could you release yourselves?" No. "Was it God who aquired your freedom?" Yes. "Did God release you through His powerful acts or through your powerful acts?" Definitely through His powerful acts. "And you accepted the freedom, leaving in all the inconvenience of night?" We did. "And now you think the only reason God freed you was to kill you?" Ah-h-h.

Fear does crazy things to our perspective. It is amazing what fear makes us forget! It is equally amazing how selfish fear makes us! When fear rules us, we see only the immediate danger as we look at our past through rose-tinted glasses.

Just listen to the escaping Hebrews! "Moses, why did you bring us out here to die? (As if they had no part in the personal decisions to put blood on the door frames, eat the Passover, be prepared to go, and leave when given permission?) Did we not tell you to leave well enough alone! (Really???) It is better to be an abused slave in Egypt than a dead person in this horrible wilderness! (That was not what you said when God's powerful acts did a number on the Egyptians!)

Do not shake your head at the distressed Hebrews. Rather, identify with them. This is true of all of us. (1) As long as God is championing our cause in ways that meet our approval, we are delighted. (2) When we substitute our fears for God's purposes, we neither need nor want God's help anymore.

Even when they were afraid, God was giving them life instead of slavery. They did not trust God. They were a people ruled by fear rather than inspired by faith.

Are you ruled by fear or inspired by faith? Do you see only your immediate dangers, or do you see God's continuing acts?

God, This Is What I Expect!

2005-10-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

Among the greatest temptations to God's people is the godly person's tendency to fall prey to his or her expectations! This great temptation rests on two feet. The first foot is the person's conclusion about what God wants to accomplish. (Too easily, godly people decide for God what He really wants.) The second foot is "our" decision of "how" to achieve "God's purposes." We expect to make something happen for God! (Godly people too easily leave the impression that God cannot take care of Himself.)

We "know" we have fulfilled God's objectives when "our" expectations are met! Too often godly people are too likely to substitute their expectations for God's purposes! "This is what will happen. This is the way it will happen. This will be the results." Then something happens we did not expect. Then matters begin to go in directions that we did not consider. Then the results are not at all what we anticipated.

Suddenly, we have a faith crisis because our expectations were not met. Suddenly, we are confronted with the reality that our expectations had more to do with us than with God. Why? "This is the specific manner in which we expected God to act." We easily assume God promised us something He never promised. We hear things God did not say, or we do not hear things God did say.

God presented His plan to Moses and answered Moses' objections. God had some things to prove to specific people. (1) He would prove to the Egyptian King Who had the true power. (2) He would prove to the Egyptians who the Hebrews truly were (not slaves to be used, but God's people to be freed). (3) He would prove to the Hebrews Who God actually was (not the idolatrous concept of deity, but the Eternal One Who would care for them). God's objective in these initial lessons: teaching, not speed. Humans are far more concerned with speed than God is! God is into faith building! Humans are into accomplishment!

God said to Moses, (1) "You will go to the leaders of the Hebrews." (2) "You will tell them God sent you, and they will believe you." (3) "However, the king of Egypt will not honor your request." (4) "He will let you go only when he has no other choice." (5) "After I complete all My miraculous acts, then he will turn you loose." (Read Exodus 3:18-20.)

Though God was clear with Moses about how things would go, Moses had his own concern and agenda. Moses would complete what Moses failed to do in his first attempt. Now the Hebrew people would listen to him! Now he would deliver the Hebrew people from their burdens! Now he would quickly bring relief to a suffering people!

Listening is such a problem--in families, at work, in the church, in politics, etc.! I am always amazed at "what I said" when someone hears me speak! I often am eager to read an interview to see what the interviewer heard me say! No one is harder to listen to than God. Our small human minds race ahead of God to reach our expectations. What we thought we heard and what God actually said far too often have little in common.

Moses with Aaron went to the Hebrews' leaders just as God told them to. The Hebrew leaders believed their message just like God said they would. The Egyptian King was approached with God's request. The Egyptian King refused the request just like God said he would. However, the Egyptian King said "no" with an exclamation point. Moses did not expect the king's reactions.

The king said, "The reason this silly request was made is because these slaves have too little to do!" Life instantly became harder for the Hebrews. The Hebrew foreman complained to the king because his demands were harsh and impossible. When they failed to convince the king to relieve their impossible burden, the foremen said to Moses and Aaron, "We hope you are satisfied--we are going to die because of you!"

Suddenly, for Moses, it was like reliving his failure again. He intended to make the situation better, but it got worse. Just like before, Moses was unappreciated and held in contempt. The result: Moses complained to God. "Lord, why did You send me? I came to be helpful, and the situation is worse! I went to the Egyptian King just as You requested. Your name meant nothing to him! Your people are not delivered! Their lives are worse than ever!"

God's answer to Moses (Exodus 6:1): "Get out of the way, and let Me do what I intended to do."

The problem was not God's intent. The problem was Moses' expectation. Is that not always the problem? We want it "fixed," and we want it "fixed" now! We want it "solved," and we want it "solved" now! We want it "corrected," and we want it "corrected" yesterday!

Thus we tell God Who is the origin of life and Who produced time that "life is too short" and "time is of the essence." We humans learn an essential, increadibile realilty when we allow our minds to grasp this truth: God's purposes are not bound by human expectations.

Sometimes The Past Cannot Be Escaped

2005-09-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

All of us have a healthy respect [if not an outright fear] of our past. We even have sayings about our past: "You cannot run from your past;" "Your past will catch up with you;" "Your past cannot be ignored or forgotten;" "If your past is forgotten, you are the only one who forgets it."

Our true choice focuses on the blessing of remembering. It is by remembering that we learn. It is by sharing that we bless. Blessed is the person (1) who places his or her past in God's hands and (2) who uses his or her experiences to benefit those who are struggling.

Moses likely thought he escaped his past. The man who lived in a palace as part of the royal family in one of the most advanced countries of ancient time ran from that existence. In a wilderness region too remote to be chased by the King of Egypt, Moses married, settled down, and became a shepherd for his father-in-law. Moses went from an existence of high profile to a life of no profile. He went from an existence concerned about the affairs of people to an existence concerned about the well being of sheep.

One day when he was alone in a removed area in this remote region, he saw a strange, compelling sight. In the middle of nowhere a bush burned, but the bush was not consumed by its flames. The event was so curious that he had to investigate the situation more closely. As he approached this incredible happening, curiosity turned to terror. God spoke to him from the bush, and identified Himself as the God of Moses' forefathers, the God of Moses' roots.

God planned to use Moses to keep a promise made to Abraham generations ago. It was time to take a major step in bringing a blessing to "all families of the earth" (Genesis 12:3). The next step in that process was to produce a great nation from Abraham (Genesis 12:2). For that to occur, Moses was to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites to freedom.

God's plan was wonderful to God and horrible to Moses. To God, the plan had no flaws. To Moses, the plan was filled with flaws. Flaw #1: It required Moses to return to the place from which he escaped. The last place Moses ever wished to see again was Egypt! For Moses, Egypt was nothing but trouble!

Flaw # 2: Returning required Moses to attempt again what he failed to do the first time. "God, been there, done that, and DO NOT wish to try it again!" The last few months of his Egyptian life was something he wished buried forever! If anyone knew God's plan would not work, Moses knew it would not work! Moses gained his insight the hard way--through the personal experience of failing!

The plan was simple. "Moses, first you will go to the elders of Israel. Tell them I sent you to deliver the Israelites. They will listen to you. Then you and the Israelite elders will go to the King of Egypt with a request to worship Me in the wilderness. The King will refuse your request. I will perform miracles against Egypt. Finally the Egyptians will beg the Israelites to leave and will shower them with gifts as they leave" (read Exodus 3:16-22).

Does that sound interesting to you if you were given that responsibility after already failing? I do not regard most of Moses' questions as excuses. I regard them as legitimate inquiries from a man who knew from experience that this would be a complex undertaking.

"What is Your name? What God will I say sent me?" Egypt was filled with idolatrous gods. They all had names. Being slaves to the Egyptians, the Israelites knew all of those gods by name. It was no small claim to say, "God sent me."

"What if they do not believe You sent me?" Moses' efforts certainly were not well received the first time! If a Israelite worker did not regard him with respect, why should Israel's elders listen to him? Moses was given the ability to perform the signs of staff-to-snake, leprosy, and water-to-blood to convince the Israelites.

"Lord, I never was a persuasive speaker nor a quick thinker. I obviously am not the man for this task!" Quickly the situation degenerated from a failure's concerns to a man's lack of faith. God was patient with the man who failed, but angry with the man who had no faith. For Moses' sake, God gave him Aaron, his brother, to serve as his spokesman. God would inform Moses, and Aaron would speak for Moses.

If God chooses to use you for His purposes, He surely can! God used Isaac, and Isaac certainly was no symbol of spiritual success. God used Jacob, and he was a deceiver. God used David, and he committed adultery with Bathsheba. God used Peter, and his arrogance often questioned Jesus. God used Paul, and Paul persecuted Christians.

God can use you. The issue is not what you did in the past. The issue is the role you will allow God to assume in your life now. If you can place your confidence in God NOW, God can use you and your past to achieve His purposes.

Question: because of what God did in Jesus' death and resurrection, do you have the courage to use your past to benefit those who struggle? God CAN use you if you WILL be used.

Just Whose Hands Is This In?

2005-09-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

In our human arrogance, we are convinced we are so capable! Look at our common attitudes! "All I need is a chance!" "I am very capable--I could do that!" "Well, if I had been in charge, we would not be in this mess!" We Americans are so full of ME--ME, ME, ME! Our society has stressed the value of the individual so much that the majority are intoxicated on the "power of ME."

It can be quite humbling when one who is intoxicated on the "power of ME" is destroyed by the powerless of ME. To believe "I" can make things happen only to discover that "I" cannot make anything happen is a most humbling experience!

The king of Egypt issued a decree to Hebrew parents: "Drown your newborn sons in the Nile River!" Under this order, a man descended from Levi married a woman descended from Levi. They had a son. Rather than kill him, for three months they hid him.

When the child could be concealed no longer, his mother decided to trust the compassion of the king's daugher. It worked! Rather than kill the infant, the princess adopted the infant.

No Hebrew could have grown up in such fortunate circumstances! The infant's sister suggested to the princess that she find a nurse maid for the child. The princess thought that was an excellent idea. So Moses had his own mother as a nurse maid until he was weaned. Then he was given to the princess to grow up in the Egyptian king's palace. Moses had the best of everything--the Hebrew influence of his birth mother until he was weaned, and the Egyptian advantages of the king's household thereafter.

Moses never forgot who he was. He never stopped caring about the misfortune of his people. He refused to ignore responsibility by saying, "How fortunate I am--I escaped the plight of the Hebrew people. I am not a Hebrew slave--I am Egyptian royalty!" Instead, when he was grown, he made himself witness the burdens of his people. With all the things Moses could look at, he choose to look at the suffering of his people.

One day as Moses witnessed the Hebrews' burdens, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. When Moses made sure there were no witnesses, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. No doubt, he was certain that the Hebrew would be filled with gratitude!

The next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting each other. He asked them, "Why?" The abuser said, "Who made you the judge in this matter? Are you planning to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?"

Rather than being a hero to the Hebrews, Moses was a resented subject of gossip. In killing the Egyptian, he accomplished nothing and risked everything! Instantly, he was afraid! If the Hebrews were gossiping about "the high and mighty Moses" it would only be a matter of time until the king heard what Moses did. When that happened, he was a dead man!

In fear, the priviledged Moses fled as a failure to become a shepherd in a remote, difficult region. The man who enjoyed the best the world had to offer was reduced to a solitary occupation in a no-man's land. Truly, he quickly went from the top to the bottom.

Moses learned quickly it is not easy to help people you love who are in need. Many people in need resent one of them who escapes the need. It is easier to resent than to rejoice.

Scripture says nothing of Moses' early dreams. Perhaps he envisoned destroying the Hebrews' burdens (or at least ligthening those burdens) if there was some combination of his position with the Hebrews' respect and appreciation. Moses likely thought he could make good things happen!

But he could not! With all his advantages, human resentment destroyed opportunity! It was not enough to envision! It was not even enough to act discretely! The man who at least witnessed people with power make things happen could do nothing. Much more was involved than just knowing how to make things happen.

The man with all the advantages became a failure in his own eyes.

Interestingly, God could not use Moses and his ability until Moses depended on God rather than himself. Human failure is no obsticle to God's purposes. Human failure can be the great foundation to an enormous faith in God.

When we have the faith to place matters in God's hands and serve, God can use us powerfully in ways that exceed our imagination. When we take matters into our own hands, we typically fail in miserable ways. Do you tell God, "I can take it from here, Lord." Or do you say, "Lead, Lord, and let me serve as I follow Your lead. For of myself, I can do nothing."

Increasing Misery By Adding To Misery

2005-09-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

Nothing ever stays the same. Older people hate change. Yet, they are among the first to declare that change is certain. Younger people have never known a world that did not change. They grew up in a single parent home, or they grew up in a blended family, or they moved a lot, or their adult family members found it necessary to change jobs frequently.

No matter what you do, the time will come when you are not even a memory. Joseph did some incredible things for Egypt. He rose from the status of slave to the second most powerful man in Egypt. He saved that nation from the decimation of starvation. Egypt would have been a very different civilization had Joseph not used the wisdom and foresight God gave him to benefit that nation!

However, inevitably, there came a time when there was a Pharoah [a king of Egypt] who "did not know Joseph" (Exodus 1:8). Rather than seeing Egypt's great indebtedness to Joseph, the new king saw only the danger of "what if."

This new king's "what if" was a war. He asked, "What if" Israel fought against us Egyptians. He asked, "What if" they joined the enemy in a desire to leave Egypt?

He was sure the way to avoid his imagined consequences of "what if" was through control. It is amazing to note how frequently people conclude the way to eliminate an imagined or real problem is by establishing control! Families are destoyed when one person wishes to exert control, and so are congregations and nations! The common characteristic of control is abuse! Abuse always is justified by control because control is certain it is the solution to the problem. However, abuse typically generates anger and hatred! Commonly anger and hatred live much longer than imagined or real problems!

The new king made Jacob's descendants slaves and used them for his purposes as a slave labor force (Exodus 1:11). However, control did not work! No matter how difficult he made their lives, these people experienced incredible growth. Even though the king made them miserable, he did not succeed in reducing his "what if" danger (Exodus 1:13, 14).

Those who use control as a solution to imagined or real problems do not re-evaluate when control does not work--they just resort to increased control. Thus the new king instructed the mid-wives who assisted the Hebrew women at birth to kill infant sons and allow infant daughters to live. However, the mid-wives had too much respect for God to kill the sons at birth. The result: the Hebrews continued to grow in number. Again, control did not work!

The new king then ordered the Hebrews to kill their own infant sons by drowning them in Egypt's Nile River. It was that order that produced the person who became [in time] the Hebrews' savior and the new king's nightmare. The king's attempt to gain control actually guaranteed his failure.

Genesis 1:26 declares the source of human life is God. It declares that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. Thousands of years later, James wrote regarding the human tongue, "With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way" (James 3:9, 10). To exploit or disrespect a human is to insult God!

The person who brings misery on other humans or adds to their misery is guilty of a special insult--an insult against God Himself! God is not a physical being, so the human "likeness" and "image" of God involves something deeper, more significant than physical suffering.

The person who arrogantly brings misery on people ultimately guarantees his or her own misery. Arrogant attempts to control people to serve our own purposes eventually fail. Kindness expressed in consideration for others lives eternally. People may forget you, but God will not!

It Is Just Not Fair!

2005-09-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Life is filled with injustices.

Even a good existence often encounters too many unjust experiences. People living in poverty in third world countries often spend 80% (or more) of all earnings on food. This "lavish spending" is not in an attempt to buy the family the finest food. Instead, they simply try to keep their hungry family from becoming a starving family. Ask such people if it is "fair" that many in developed countries spend less than 30% of their income on fine food for their well fed families. People in third world countries quickly respond, "It is not fair! Our goal is to fight starvation! Their goal is to improve their standard of living!"

In Joseph's family, rivalry became jealousy. Jealousy became resentment. Resentment became hatred. Hatred became unthinkable injustice.

Joseph, the dreamer, became Joseph, the slave. Though he was committed to (1) faithfulness to God and (2) loyalty or kindness to others, he encountered gross injustice. He suffered the injustice of Potiphar's wife's lies (Genesis 39). He suffered the injustice of the forgetfulness of the Pharoah's cup bearer (Genesis 40:1-15).

However, despite the injustices he endured (which placed him in prison without cause), God worked through his injustices to make Joseph second in command in all Egypt (Genesis 41:37-45). Because (1) God worked through injustice and (2) Joseph honored God and was kind to people in spite of injustice, the unthinkable happened.

Joseph's brothers were forced by need to come to Egypt and beg Joseph for food. Joseph recognized his brothers, but the brothers did not recognize Joseph (Genesis 42:38). Joseph remembered his dreams. He was secretly kind but openly harsh to his brothers. Joseph created an opportunity to test his brothers to see if the old attitudes of jealousy and hatred remained in them.

When Joseph saw how his brothers had changed, he revealed himself to them (Genesis 45:1-8). Incredibly, Joseph saw the work of God in his ordeal, not the hatred of his brothers. This man who was subjected to so much injustice wanted a loving family reunion, not vengeance! He detroyed evil with good (remember Romans 12:21?). Jealousy and hatred may have sold Joseph into slavery, but God used his unjust slavery experiences to provide life to Abraham's descendants (Genesis 45:7).

Years later Joseph's father died in Egypt. When the father died, the brothers were afraid. Even though Joseph had treated them with nothing but kindness, vengeance made more sense to them than forgiveness. The brothers feared Joseph was kind to them in Egypt because he did not wish to grieve his father. Since the father was dead, Joseph was free to retaliate.

The brothers decided it was appropriate and wise to plead with Joseph for forgiveness for their sin. When they pled for forgiveness, Joseph cried and gave this response:

But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

What an attitude! What an example of good defeating evil! However, it could happen only because Joseph saw God working in injustice. The distinction between the evils of hatred and incredible kindness lay in the ability to see God at work.

Injustices will occur in your life! You can count on it! The true issue is this: will you hate, or will you allow God to work in the injustices you experience?

When Our Presence Is A Blessing

2005-08-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Jacob struggled often as a result of being the husband of two sisters. Had it had been his decision, he would have chosen only one wife. However, just as he deceived his father and took advantage of his brother, Laban deceived and took advantage of him.

Jacob loved Rachel. He pledged to Laban seven years of work if Laban would allow him (at the end of the seven years) to marry Rachel, Laban's youngest daughter (Genesis 29:18). Those seven years flew by because of Jacob's great love for Rachel (Genesis 29:20). On the night of the wedding, Laban was able (because of their marriage customs) to present Jacob with Leah, Rachel's older sister, as his wife. It was not until the next morning (remember, there was no electrical power) that Jacob realized the deception.

Jacob was married to a woman he did not love and never wanted (Genesis 29:21-30)! A week later, Laban permitted Rachel also to become Jacob's wife. Then Jacob had the wife he wanted, and a wife he did not want. From the moment of his marriage to Rachel, Jacob's life began a life time of rivalry between two jealous sisters with the same husband!

Leah presented Jacob with several sons. She thought that presenting Jacob with sons would result in his loving her (Genesis 29:31-35). She thought this even more so since Rachel did not even conceive! However, Leah was wrong!

Years later, when Jacob was an older man, Rachel finally conceived and gave Jacob a son she named Joseph (Genesis 30:22-24). More years passed, and Joseph became a teenager with some less than admirable qualities.

On occasion, he went to the pastures with his older brothers as a shepherd. Some of his older brothers were men with their own families. This "know-it-all" teenager (is that not a typical characteristic of many teens?) brought a bad report to his father about his older brothers.

Because Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons (Genesis 37:3), he showed Joseph favoritism. The result of Joseph's bad report and Jacob's favoritism produced two highly undersirable results. First, the older brothers hated Joseph. Second, Joseph flaunted his special bond with his father.

On one occasion, Joseph had a dream that indicated his brothers would serve him (Genesis 37:5-8). Given their hatred for Joseph, he made an unwise decision in revealing his dream to his brothers. The fact he had such a dream only irritated them more! This dream only gave the brothers reason to hate Joseph more! In that culture, how dare a younger brother suggest to older brothers that they would serve him? What arrogance!

Joseph had another dream that declared not only would his brothers bow to him, but also his father and mother would bow to him. This impertinent teenager dared relate this dream to his father and brothers. His own father who showed him favoritism stated it was inappropriate for Jacob to suggest that possibility (Genesis 37:10)!

The dreams were an enormous frustration to his brothers. Had not God communicated in dreams to their great grandfather, their grand father, and their father? The thought that they willingly must bow to Joseph was unthinkable! Thus when the older brothers were presented with opportunity to get rid of this "dreamer," they sold Joseph into slavery. They reported to their father that Joseph was killed by a wild animal (Genesis 37:12-36).

Quickly, a teenager who was the favored son of a wealthy man became a slave with little (if any) evident future. In a powerful, significant statement, Genesis 39:3 said of Joseph, "Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and how the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand."

Potiphar, who bought the slave, Joseph, was blessed because of Joseph's presence. To Joseph's honor and credit, he made an incredible adjustment. The self-centered teenager became the man who let the Lord lead. As a result, many were blessed! Even though he suffered many injustices, he was the source of blessing to many.

Though you may endure many injustices and disadvantages in life, never doubt the Lord can work through injustice and disadvantage. Let the Lord lead! May others always be blessed because of your presence!

God Works Through The Imperfect

2005-08-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

One thing is obvious from the earliest part of the Bible's account of God's activities: In the divine-human interaction, God works through the imperfect. To recognize the full force of this statement, understand that God does not merely work through human imperfections, but God can and has worked through people guilty of major moral failure.

Humans often reason that "God works through the best." Therefore, those who follow God can be deceived into trying to become/be "the best" in a human attempt to obligate God to accept them and to work through them. Certainly, those who belong to God seek to learn and to embrace God's higher level of morality declared through their behavior. They willingly accept God's moral views as the standards for their motives and their behavior.

However, those who follow God have no illusions about their personal dependence on God. It is God's grace that allows them to belong to God, not their own personal goodness. Following God is not an attempt to obligate God, but an acknowledgement of one's own unworthiness. The person who belongs to God can come boldly to God's throne confidently seeking God's grace (Hebrews 4:16) not because of his or her worthiness, but because of God's goodness. Those who belong to God seek to be a good example, but they do so to reflect God's true goodness, not their own pseudo goodness (Matthew 5:16).

One important realization Christians need to grasp is this: it always has been about God's greatness and His honorable Name, not about elevating the status of bad humans into incredible humans. In the context of each situation, consider these statements: Exodus 32:9-14; Numbers 14:13-19; Psalm 25:11; and Jeremiah 14:7, 21. God acts because of Who God is to reveal His honorable nature. Christians exist to declare Who God is (Acts 17:16-31; 1 Peter 2:9, 10).

Jacob was not God's ideal "poster person." Jacob was a liar, a deceiver, and an untrustworthy schemer. Consider Genesis 27:9-29; 30:27-42; and 31:17-28. He often schemed deceptively to achieve his purposes. He lived up to his birth name in Genesis 25:21-26--the one who takes by the heel or surplants.

However, he suffered and endured many things because of his untrustworhy character. He endured the hatred of his twin brother; separation from his immediate family; being deceived by his father-in-law; being married to two wives who were jealous sisters; the rivalry of his sons; the horrible judgment of his sons; and deception by some sons concerning their declaration that the son he most loved died. Jacob' life was a life of distress and unpleasantness throughout most of his adult years.

Late in his adult life Jacob was introduced to the ruler of Egypt. The ruler of Egypt was impressed by Jacob's long life. When the ruler inquired how old Jacob was, Jacob responded with these words:

"The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant (literally, evil) have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning" (Genesis 47:9, NAS).

Jacob lived a long life, but not an enjoyable life.

God used Jacob to accomplish His purposes and fulfill His promises. Jacob was not the ideal follower of God nor a wonderful example of moral integrity. God achieved His purposes through Jacob because of Who God is, not because Jacob was an incredible man of righteousness.

May God achieve His purposes through you with your full cooperation and devotion, not in spite of your weakness and poor character.

Some Family Member Must Break the Cycle!

2005-08-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

Isaac, the son promised to Abraham and Sarah, became an adult. However, Abraham was a nomad. Long ago he left his people. For his son to marry one of the local idolatrous women was totally unacceptable! Abraham must have a wife for Isaac from his own people! Thus Abraham went to extraordinary lengths to acquire a wife for Isaac.

The young lady who agreed to travel to the land of Canaan to be Isaac's wife [though she never had seen Isaac] was named Rebecca. Scripture says simply: "Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." (Genesis 24:67).

That one brief verse can be the source of a lot of speculation. Was Isaac drawn to a close relationship with Sarah after Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah? Was Sarah's death especially traumatic for Isaac? Was Isaac's life a directionless and purposeless existence after his mother's death? Precisely what role did Rebecca fill for Isaac when she became his wife?

Two things are confirmed by this brief verse: (1) Isaac loved Rebecca when he took her to be his wife. (2) This new marriage comforted Isaac after his mother's death.

Genesis 27 records an enormous conflict between Isaac and Rebecca. The conflict involved Isaac's enormous love for Esau [his son by Rebecca] and Rebecca's enormous love for Jacob [her son by Isaac]. The two sons were twins, but a different parent championed each son. The parental rivalry included blantant disrespect and deliberate deceit!

How could that be? How could this marriage begin with Rebecca leaving her family far behind to go to a strange land and people to be married to Isaac? How could this marriage begin with Isaac loving Rebecca? How could THIS marriage turn into a relationship where Isaac had no regard for Rebecca and Rebecca had no hesitation in deceiving Isaac? Each preferred the family blessing for the son he/she championed--regardless of cost to the spouse!

Might the answer to the "how" be in Genesis 26:1-11? Isaac feared the men of Gerar would kill him to marry the beautiful Rebecca. Therefore when the men of Gerar inquired from him about Rebecca, he said, "She is my sister." Later the king observed Isaac's treatment of Rebecca in a private moment and knew Rebecca was Isaac's wife.

Sound familiar? Is that not what Isaac's father [Abraham] did in Genesis 12:10-20? However, there are two critical differences. (1) Abraham asked Sarah's permission before he declared Sarah to be his sister. Genesis 26 says nothing of Isaac informing Rebecca before he said, "She is my sister." (2) Sarah was Abraham's half sister. Rebecca was in no sense Isaac's sister.

Could it be that Isaac did what his father did? Could it be that Isaac understood through family environment how a husband preserved his life when he felt threatened because he married a beautiful wife? Could it be that family history taught him to say, "She is my sister"? Could it be that Rebecca lost profound respect for Isaac when he thought only of his life? Could it be that Rebecca become the champion of a son rather than the champion of her husband?

Today two of the great tragedies of the American culture is the abuse of spouses and the abuse of children. There are multiple reasons for such tragedies, not a single cause. However, among the leading causes is junivile development in a family that allows him or her to observe spouse abuse or him or her to endure child abuse.

Too often the child from that environment says, "I will never treat my spouse that way!" or, "I will never treat my child that way!" The child growing up in such an environment means what he or she says! However, when, as a adult, he or she faces a seemingly endless frustration, he or she abuses! Why? That is the only way he or she knows how to respond to continuing frustration!

Thus we understand that poor treatment of others often is a cycle. Someone must have the courage and insight to break the cycle! If someone does not have the courage and insight to break the cycle, tragedy will be piled on tragedy generation after generation!

It is not enough to vow not to do something! It is only enough to learn how to do something differently!

God's Weird Request of Abraham

2005-08-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

The longer a person follows God, the more spiritually mature he or she becomes. The more spiritually mature he or she becomes, the more certain a realization becomes. The realization: God does not reason like humans reason, nor does God act [function] as humans act [function] (remember Isaiah 55:8,9?). Many of God's primary attributes are declared through emotional expressions rather than human logic based on "facts" (attributes such as forgiveness, mercy, grace, compassion, kindness, anger, wrath, etc.)

When childless Abraham was 75, God promised him descendants. Later God told him, "No, it will not be Eliezer." When Ishmael was born to 86 year old Abraham and Hagar, God said, "This is not the child I promised." When Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90, Isaac--through God's promise and act--was born. It was twenty-five long years before Isaac was born! That birth followed promises, covenants, assurances, and encouragements. God repeatedly gave Abraham encouragements to trust His assurances!

Then one day (likely more than 40 years past the original promise made to childless Abraham when he was 75) in a simple, direct statement (Genesis 22:2), God told Abraham to take Isaac to Moriah and offer him to God as a burnt offering. No explanation! No encouragement! No assurance! Just a cold, hard request: "In tribute to Me, go kill your son, the son I gave you!"

Did God's request make sense? It surely did not at the moment God announced it to Abraham! "This is the child you promised me and Sarah! Kill him in sacrifice to You? If I sacrifice Isaac, how will You give me descendants through him? From where will the nation come? the descendants too numerous to count? the promised kings and queens?"

God's request was completely out of character! Never before had God requested human sacrifice! At this time, how would a human sacrifice accomplish God's promises and objectives?

The impressive matter was Abraham's actions. No argument. No request for God to justify His actions. No demand for God to explain His intent. In fact, Abraham's response was prompt. He got up "early" the next morning, took a donkey to travel even more quickly, took young men to assistant him, split the wood for the sacrifice before leaving rather than gathering wood after arrival (Genesis 22:3).

It was a long journey, at least 3 days (Genesis 22:4). Abraham traveled with Isaac for a few days knowing he was taking his child to his death! When Abraham saw the destination in the distance, he left the young men and the donkey behind--there would be no interference and no temptation to flee his mission! He even answered his son's question about the sacrifice itself by merely replying, "God will provide the lamb."

In all these events, there is a point that must not be missed: Was Abraham's faith founded on God or on God's gift? Would all of God's promises to Abraham be fulfilled because God is God, or because Abraham had Isaac through Sarah? Did he trust the Giver, or did he trust the gift?

Abraham trusted to Giver. If the Giver could give the gift in the face of the impossible (a 90 year old wife having her first child, and having a son), then the Giver (1) knew what He was doing and (2) could keep His promises. The promises would come true, not because Isaac lived, but because God promised. Faith was in God, not in God's gifts.

Abraham to this day is known as the man of faith (though he obediently did some incredible things) because his trust was in God, not God's gifts. That is quite relevant to the American Christian. God does things in His ways. Because God's actions do not initially make sense to human logic does not mean His actions have no purpose. (Do not be tempted to place God on a "time deadine.")

It is too easy for Christians in many cultures to trust the gifts instead of trusting the Giver.

Are you a Christian? Is your trust in the gift or the Giver?

When We Substitute Human Answers For God's Promises

2005-08-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

God promised Abraham a child and descendants when he was childless and 75. Time passed. He and Sarah had no children. He asked God to work through a recognized custom--let Eliezer (his chief servant) be the promised heir. God said no--the heir would be his child from Sarah. God refused Abraham's request, and Abraham believed God's promise.

Time continued to pass. Since Sarah was to be an intregal part of the fulfillment of God's promise, the time arrived for her to take matters in her own hands. She did not approach God. She approached Abraham. Abraham did not approach God with her solution. He deferred to Sarah.

Sarah's solution was quite acceptable in their culture (remember Bilah in Genesis 30:3-5 and Zilpah in Genesis 30:9,10?). Let Sarah's Egyptian maid, Hagar, have a child by her husband. The child would then be considered Sarah's child. In this manner, Sarah and Abraham would supply God a person through whom to work. After all, there could be no descendants, no nation, no kings if the process did not begin with a descendant.

Abraham agreed. Sarah gave Abraham Hagar as a wife. Hagar conceived. Even before she gave birth, problems arose. When Hagar conceived, she despised Sarah. Sarah knew and felt the disrespect, and blamed Abraham. Abraham told Sarah to handle the situation as she saw fit. Thus Sarah made Hagar's life so miserable that Hagar fled.

An angel interrupted Hagar's escape, instructed her to return and submit, told her she would have a son to be named Ishmael (God hears), and he would become the source of many descendants.

Hagar returned to Sarah. When Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, Abraham was 86 years old. From the time of conception, this human solution to God's promise produced problem after problem.

Isaac was born to Abraham through Sarah when Abraham was 100. When Isaac was weaned, a feast was given in his honor. Sarah was offended by Ishmael's actions at the feast. She insisted that Abraham drive Hagar and her son away. She would not have Ishmael existing as a co-heir with Isaac!

The matter distresed Abraham greatly [was very grievous in Abraham's sight] (Genesis 21:11). Only with God's assurances did Abraham let Hagar and Ishmael leave. The problem was Sarah's, not Abraham's. Abraham loved his son Ishmael.

A broken hearted father had to separate himself from a loved teenage son because he participated in a horrible decision. Humans tried to provide a solution for God's promise. When humans try to supply answers to God's promises, they are not acting by faith in God. They are acting by faith in themselves. God can and will do what He promises. The human who is convinced he or she can provide God solutions to His promises only guarantees himself or herself heartache.

Trusting God: The Road To Righteousness

2005-07-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

When God promised the 75 year old Abraham descendants, God did not mean the process would begin "day after tomorrow." In many ways, people have not changed. There is too much of the wrong kind of childishness in all of us. While the innocence and willingness to trust can be a wonderful asset in children, their demand for immediate gratification is a terrible flaw. Unfortunately, it is a flaw shared by too many adults.

As with all of us, time marched on quickly. Soon the 75 year old Abraham was much older than 75. Though he trusted God enough to live as a nomad in a strange land separated from his extended family, no child came to him and his wife. In fact, Abraham and Sarah experienced a series of bad events. The trip into Egypt because of the famine in Canaan was in no sense a wonderful venture! Lot being caught in the middle of a war was trying! Abraham's rescue of Lot was both wonderful and frightening. It was wonderful to secure Lot's freedom. The prospect of the local rulers declaring their spoil made Abraham who he was, was truly frightening.

After years of having no child and experiencing frightening incidents, God communicated with Abraham and encouraged him not to be afraid (Genesis 15:1). God's promise contained two assurances: (1) God would protect him from harm, and (2) Abraham would receive an enormous reward.

The issue: did Abraham trust God's promises, or did Abraham trust himself? It seems to be human nature for people to trust what they can see and understand. All of us prefer to trust "what makes sense" to us. If God's promises coincide with "what makes sense" to us, wonderful! If not, what "makes sense" to us is considered superior to what God promises. To us it is wonderful if our ideas and actions cause God's promises to come into existence!

In such an attitude, Abraham had a suggestion for God: "Let Eliezer, the coordinator of all my servants, be my heir." First, that was a culturally acceptable solution. It was acceptable for the chief slave of a childless, wealthy family to be declared that family's heir. Second, to Abraham, this was a pragmatic solution. (1) He and Sarah would not have to have a child. (2) God would have a means of giving them everything He promised. (3) Abraham and Sarah could begin working with the results of God's promises instead of anticipating God's promises. (4) The impossible (from past experiences) immediately became the possible.

However, this transition from impossible to possible would not occur because of God's acts. It would occur because of Abraham's idea. Solution did not lie in an act of God, but in a human idea. Though Abraham likely did not realize it at the moment of suggestion, the faith required for his idea to come to pass was decidedly inferior to the faith that trusted God to act. Glory would rest on Abraham's idea, not on God's act.

In no uncertain words, God said Abraham's idea was not the solution to His promises. The child would come from Abraham and Sarah's bodies, not from their servants. That child would be the source of uncountable descendants. The fulfillment of God's promise would come as a direct result of God's act, not as a result of Abraham's idea.

At God's statement, the faith that was born when Abraham left Haran began growing to maturity. In one of the most significant statements made in scripture, Genesis 15:6 declared of Abraham these words: "Then he believed in the Lord; and He (God) reckoned it to him (Abraham) as righteousness." Centuries latter, after Jesus' death and resurrection, Paul quoted this same statement to declare human salvation is the result of God's work in the cross and empty tomb, not the achievement of human obedience.

Paul was not making an anti-obedience declaration. He was writing to those who placed their confidence in who they were and what they had done. Obedience is the responsible expression of love for God in appreciation of what He did. It is not an arrogant exaltation of the person's achievements. Salvation is the result of God's grace in His promises, not the result of human achievements.

The issue has not changed. Do you trust what God did in the Christ? Or do you trust yourself? Abraham answered the question resoundingly by placing his trust in God. Where do you place your trust?

A Blessing Or A Curse?

2005-07-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

Lot's father, Haran, died in Ur of the Chaldeans before his grandfather, Terah, died (Genesis11:28). After Terah died (Terah was the head of the extended family), Abraham seemed to take Lot "under his wing" into Abraham's immediate family (Genesis 13:1). At some point in their relationship when they were in the southern area of Canaan, Lot's livestock and servants were in direct competion with Abraham's flocks and servants.

In fact, the region in which the two men lived near each other could not sustain both of them. At that time the two men's flocks were in competion for both grass and water. The demand for grazing and water was enormous! The herdsmen of each man were in direct competion, and that competition grew increasingly confrontational. Not only did these men have needs for their master's flocks, but the local people who lived in that area had the same needs. The entire situation was rapidly becoming unmanageable and unlivable.

Abraham made the first move to address the tension and seek peace. "Lot, we are members of the same family! Our herdsmen should not be competing with each other! We do not need to live in an atmosphere of confrontation that could produce conflict! We need to create an environment of peace! Each of us can go anywhere we wish. You choose the direction you wish to go, and I will go the other direction."

Lot's selfishness controlled his perspective. Even though Lot should have deferred to Abraham's choice, Lot took advantage of Abraham's offer only in view of his personal, immediate needs. He examined the Jordan River valley. He noted water would never be a problem. Plenty of water also meant plenty of grazing. At that moment, the Jordan River valley appeared to provide a wonderful solution to his needs. He could even live in the cities, have a settled life, and his herdsmen would not have to work hard to keep his flocks in excellent condition.

The decision Lot made about where to go was the worst decision he ever made. True enough, there was lots of water. True enough, there was good grazing for his flocks. True enough, he could settle in one of the cities and cease living the life of a nomad. All of that appears to be a profitable, good decision.

Never did he dream this decision had horrible consequences as he began his journey to the Jordan River valley. In his future lay a war, a captivity, the death of his wife, calculated acts of incest by both his daughters, and the loss of all his possessions (see Genesis 14:1-16; Genesis 19).

Lot went to the Jordan River valley because it offered everything for my "right now" needs. He left the Jordan River valley literally fleeing for his life as that valley took everything. The last we hear of Lot in Genesis, he did not even have his dignity left. He was living in a cave with his two daughters, both of whom deceived and used him.

Life is filled with decisions. While no one sees the future, some decisions scream consequences are inevitable. When you make your decisions, consider the obvious future consequences of your chosen course, not merely the immediate benefits of "now." That which may seem of great benefit "now," may actually be the poorest choice to occur in your existence.

Faith and Fear Are Enemies!

2005-07-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

Abraham expressed his faith in God in an incredible manner after God's call in Genesis 12:1-3--he left his extended family and went to Canaan! If that had been any of us, we personally would like to stop the story of our lives at God's promises to us. However, with Abraham those promises were just the beginning of his story.

With Abraham, incredible failure would immediately follow incredible faith. He left his extended family and went to Canaan [success!] (see Genesis 12:4-6). After Abraham toured the land, God gave him yet another promise--the people who descended from this childless seventy-five year old man would own everything he saw! (See Genesis 12:7.)

At some point in his first tour of Canaan, a severe famine occurred (Genesis 12:10). There was no food! That is a significant problem for the people who belong to the area, but it is even more of a problem for a nomad who does not belong to area and does not have an extended family to rely on!

Abraham's solution: go to Egypt. Thus began a long series of problems between Abraham and his descendants and the successive generations of Egyptians.

Human-based solutions always seem to generate unanticipated problems. Abraham found himself in Egypt with an attractive wife. Solution: ask his wife (also his half sister) to declare only the brother-sister relationship between them [wonder how that made her feel]. The problem Abraham thought he solved: "the Egyptians will not kill me in order to take my beautiful wife."

Then Abraham's fear solution produced an unanticipated problem! Pharoah's [Pharaoh is the word the Egyptians used for king] attention was directed to Sarah. The Egyptian king did two things. (1) He took Sarah to his palace with the intention of making her his wife. (2) He treated Abraham, his brother-in-law to be, with exceptional generosity and kindness. (Again, wonder how Sarah felt in all this? It was not acceptable for Abraham to run the risk of death, but it was acceptable for Sarah to become a stranger's wife!)

Then the totally unanticipated problem occurred. God struck the Egyptian king's household with plagues. When the king determined the reason for the plagues, he was upset with Abraham. "Why did you treat me this way? Why did you not tell me she was your wife? Why did you deceive me? Here she is! Take her back and leave my country!"

Often believers exhibit great faith until fear from an eveyday reality reveals itself. Faith is wonderful as a concept! However, fear is powerful when presented by life's realities. Here was a man willing to leave his extended family and their securities to live as a nomad in a strange region. Yet, when faced with the immediate potential of a life-threatening situation, he became a man ruled by fear. Ruled by faith if death is not an immediate part of the situation! Ruled by fear if death was a immediate part of the situation!

When faith was the dominant force, fear had no power. When fear was the dominant force, faith had no power! Sounds like us! God could give a seventy-five year old childless man descendants, but God could not preserve him if someone wanted the mother of his promised descendants.

Want to drive destructive fear out of your life? Learn to be a person who trusts God! Where faith is, destructive fear is absent. Where destructive fear controls, faith is absent.

Blessed To Bless

2005-07-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

When God promised Abraham great personal blessings in Genesis 12:2, 3 (NASV), this statement is found at the close of verse 2: "And so you shall be a blessing." What an insight! God does not bless a person for him or her to gratify personal ambitions! God blesses a person so he or she can function as a conduit of God's blessings to others!

The promises God made to Abraham were significant! (1) "I will make you a great nation." (2) "I will bless you and make your name great." (3) "I will protect you." (4) "I will bring a blessing to all people on earth through you."

Those are "heady" promises for God to make to any person. Those are the kind of promises that can make a person arrogant and selfish. "Look at what God thinks of me!" "Look at how valuable I am to God!" "God chose me for these astounding purposes!" "I have God's protection!" "You are going to benefit because I exist--you are indebted to me!"

When a man or woman resorts to such arrogance and selfishness, he or she places his or her value on "me," not on God. He or she seeks to glorify self, not God. Though this person has nothing more than that which he or she received, he or she views self as the giver rather than the receiver. The emphasis is not on the God who gave, but on "me" who received. "I am significant; God is secondary."

Abraham clearly was to understand a reality: he was blessed for the purpose of becoming a blessing. In other words, God blessed him in order for him to be a source of blessings to others. God could work through Abraham and would work through him. He was not to be the end of God's blessing, but the beginning of God's blessing. God's blessings to others merely began with His blessings to Abraham. The focus was not to be on what Abraham would do, but on what God would do through Abraham. The blessings promised Abraham were intended to glorify God--not Abraham!

No people have been blessed more than Americans. Unless we focus on God, it is easy for us to give the rest of the world the idea "it is all about us." Somehow we communicate by the way we act and live that we "deserve" God's blessing. Our lifestyle dares suggest that we naively think we are blessed to be selfish.

"After all, we have because we deserve." Really? Do we have more faith than others? Are we more godly than others? Are we more righteous, or kind, or compassionate, or just than others? We may not be "ugly" in our own sight, but the rest of the world clearly understands the meaning of "ugly American."

The great Achilles heel of godly people is selfishness. God does not bless us because He is dependent on us, or because we are indispensable. God blesses us because He can use us. God blesses us to glorify Himself.

The challenge of American Christians is this: take the "ugly" out of the "ugly American." May we help the world see God when they look at us! How fortunate is the man or woman who understands that God blesses to enable His servants to be a blessing.

Why Him?

2005-06-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

The man named Abraham is the symbol of faith throughout the Bible. That is quite something! A man who lived in what we would regard a primitive existence in the period covered by the Bible's first book became the symbol of faith for every generation thereafter.

The Bible speaks of many persons' enormous faith in God. Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Samuel, David, Elijah, Mary, Peter, and Paul were among them. Biblically speaking, that is an impressive group of men and women. All of them were people of great faith in God. Yet, none of them surpassed Abraham's trust God.

Why is Abraham the symbol of faith? What was so impressive about his confidence in God? Why did no one surpass the quality of faith found in his relationship with God?

First, before he followed God, he previously existed in an idolatrous family environment. Joshua 24:2 included Abraham with his father and brother ("they") as being people who "served" other gods prior to God's calling Abraham. Abraham did not know God, had not talked with God, and had not received instructions from God prior to God's first "call." This "new" God was distinctively different from any form of deity Abraham served or worshipped. Yet, when God talked to Abraham, he listened attentively to this new, strange God.

Second, when God called him, He gave Abraham some strange, unheard of instructions for that age. Those instructions included leaving his extended family. For that time, this was an enormous, unheard of request. In that day there were no social safety nets--nothing comparable to Medicare programs, emergency rooms, or Social Security programs. If you were sick, accidentally hurt, or elderly, your extended family cared for you. The only institution or program you had "to fall back on" was your extended family. To deliberately leave your extended family meant you left that age's security and safety. That is no small request! The only protection provided him would be the protection of this strange, new God Who revealed Himself to Abraham.

Third, God gave him some promises that seemed unreasonable. When God called Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, he was 75 years old. His wife, who was also his half-sister, was 65 years old. The two of them had no children. Yet, this new God promised Abraham (1) that He would make Abraham the beginning of a nation and (2) through him would bring a blessing to all people on earth.

Both those promises were dependent upon him having a child, a son. Though he and his wife has been married for years, there were no children. He could not be the father of a nation without a son. A blessing could not flow from him to all people if he did not have a son. This new God promised him something that nothing in his past produced--the birth of a son and many descendants.

Fourth, Abraham was to go to a destination that would be revealed to him. Though he and his extended family had "settled" in Haran (Genesis 11:31, NASV), God requested Abraham to become a nomad and travel to an area unknown to him. A risky venture! In fact, many of us would reject that request! Yet, Abraham did as he was instructed.

Because Abraham trusted God, he became (1) the beginning of the nation of Israel [and Edom and Moab and Ammon] (Deuteronomy 2:5, 9, 19), and he (2)through the nation of Israel brought the blessing of Jesus Christ to the people of the world (see Hebrews 1:1,2).

The essence of great faith in God: (1) listen when He speaks; (2) allow Him to instruct you; (3) trust His promises even when those promises seem unrealistic; and (4) depend on Him to do more for you than family or social arrangement can provide.

Because Abraham trusted God in unusual circumstances, we are blessed. Because he was a man of faith, we can be a people of faith. See Galatians 3:28, 29.

Try, Try Again!

2005-06-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

Every parent understands the principle of "try, try again." First there is a loving mother and father. They love each other so much that they decide they would be blessed and the world would be benefited if they brought into existence a part of themselves. With great expectation in a love filled environment, a child is born. The child is neither his mother or father, but a self.

The mother expected the child to be "like me" or "like his/her father." Mom expected the child to bring into existence "our best traits." The father expected the child to be "like me" or "like his/her mother." The father was quite confident the child would reflect the best of both mom and dad.

During pregnancy, they both envisioned only wonderful things happening through the child's existence. "He/she will have such potential!" At birth and in early infancy, both mom and dad have these incredible expectations and futuristic visions for "our child."

As the child grows older, it becomes increasingly evident that, all parental expectations and visions aside, the child is a self. He/she is not exactly his/her mother, not exactly his/her father, and not exactly all the best in both mother and father. The older the child grows, the more complex the child becomes as he/she increasingly is an independent thinking self. This complexity does not end at elementary school age, or as a teenager, or at graduation from high school or college.

Most loving parents make many different kinds of efforts to mature their child by sharing their values and insights. When one approach proves ineffective, they try another approach. The objective is always the same: to provide useful help.

However, providing useful help to an independent self is far more difficult than the parents realized at the time of pregnancy and early infancy. Their wisdom, love, care and concern, and self-sacrificing do not simplify the challenge! What is "perfectly obvious" to them from their values and insights is not "perfectly obvious" to the independent self they brought into this world.

As a result, they "try, try again." Their effectiveness in their different approaches will not be determined by their concern or effort, but by the response of the independent self.

God also knows and understands the "try, try again" concept. In the garden of Eden there was full disclosure of this fact: "If you make wrong choices, your decisions will result in horrible consequences." An honest warning coupled with the awareness of disastrous consequences did not work!

When people became so evil that they had no [zero!] good intents (Genesis 6:5), God attempted to begin again with Noah. People as a group were passed salvaging!

Noah knew the value of listening to God. Noah knew the destructiveness of evil. Noah understood the consequences of rebellion. His knowledge was not based on hypotheticals and abstract thinking! It was based on experience! Yet, Noah resurrected irresponsible choices with their consequences. God tried yet again, and it did not work!

It was obvious that a permanent solution would never arise from human understanding or human experience. A permanent solution would arise only from self-sacrifice made by the Holy God in Whom good exists.

God began still another effort with the man we know as Abraham. What God would do through him would produce a potential blessing to all people (Genesis 12:3). People, regardless of ancestry or race, could respond positively to God's outreach produced by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16, 26-29).

As in the beginning, once again choice is given to all of us. As in the beginning, we as individuals will make a choice. As God intended from the beginning, our choice determines who we are and what will happen.

God's Resources Are Not Limited To Our Imagination

2005-06-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

When someone is suggested for a task, frequently this question is asked: "Can he/she do the job?" Almost always, regardless of how experienced or capable the nominee is, someone says, "I just cannot see him/her doing that." Or, paraphrased, "His/her abilities are limited by my imagination."

From 1970 to 1974 I had the privilege of living [with my family] in a rural area of a West African country. Almost everything was done by manpower--from producing wooden planks to cutting the lawn. Where I lived in that country, neither sawmills nor lawn mowers existed--just huge trees and grass that grew most of the year.

They figured out ways to do what needed doing. Someone always determined a means that allowed people to use human muscle to do most jobs--from carrying incredibly heavy loads to transporting freshly killed beef to their open market.

People in that area had not seen a chain saw, a washing machine, or a television. Try to explain how a chain can cut a huge tree down, or how a machine can clean clothes, or how a box can show scenes from all over the world. To those who see those things and think about it, they are incredible! To people who have never seen a chain saw, a washing machine, or a television, those things are impossible! Their imagination is limited by their experiences! They never saw a chain cut trees, or a machine wash clothes, or a box show scenes from around the world!

Once a teenager begged me to allow him travel with me to a large city. He heard that city had lights that could stop cars! He struggled to believe such! He saw cars daily. He knew cars were more powerful than lights. A traffic light was beyond his comprehension!

Please, do not think them stupid. I frequently marveled at their ingenuity and creativity. Never have I witnessed people who did so much with so little! Most of us could not survive in their environment!

Consider a critical understanding concerning God: God's resources are not determined by human imagination. Genesis 7:11 says the huge flood was generated when "the fountains of the great deep" and "the floodgates [windows] of the sky" were unleashed.

God had resources available that their human minds could not comprehend. If God had explained to them how a flood of such unbelievable portion was possible, they might have responded, "You're kidding us, aren't you?"

A healthy knee joint can function without producing extreme pain because it has cartilage. Among other things, cartilage is the necessary cushion between abrasive forces. The cartilage between the known fact and the unimaginable is faith. Faith is the cushion that prohibits human imagination from restricting God's resources.

Faith exists in people who do not limit God's acts by human imagination. The person who tries to limit God by human imagination based on human experience never can be a person of faith. Just as a healthy knee joint must have cartilage to function in the blessing of movement instead of the curse of pain, facts must have faith to function as a blessing instead of a curse.

Sometimes God's Purposes Do Not Match My Desires

2005-06-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

Both boats and ships have been a part of my past--several boats and two ships. Most of my boat experiences usually were focused around fishing. My two ship experiences occurred when Joyce and I were on cruises. Whether a small boat or a big ship, my desires are the same: lots of sunshine, clear sky, warm temperature, and calm water.

I much rather run the risk of sunburn than the risk of goosebumps. In the past I have done warm and hot well. I have done cool and cold poorly. My attitude: boats and ships are for fun, not for suffering.

I love sunshine. When the sun shines in a clear sky, there are lots of options. When clouds fill the sky, options decline quickly. Fortunately, when in a small boat fishing, those who owned and controlled the boat shared my philosophy: the biggest fish is not worth one large wave. So when fishing, if clouds appeared on the horizon, we quickly headed for the boat ramp.

A few times the storm moved toward us faster than the boat could make the shore. Those few experiences taught me two things quickly: turbulent water in lake sized quantities is scary, and stable, steady ground is a wonderful thing.

Even on a ship, I am amazed at the power of water and wind. Docked the ship looks enormous--much too big to be pushed about by any force of nature. Yet, if the ship is in a storm and you see nothing but water in every direction, it is amazing how quickly a huge ship becomes small. Can you ever feel the waves!

Genesis' account of Noah's experiences with a ship is brief. Obviously, just as with the brief account of creation, the experience is a declaration of God's power even in unusual circumstances. Numerous miracles occurred to make that adventure possible.

I never gave Noah the credit he is due for enduring that experience. He did not come from a sailing history. Yet, he trusted God enough to build a ship without power tools, trusted God enough to get in that untested ship, trusted God enough to take a trip with no form of power or control, and trusted God enough to float in that vessel with a bunch of actual animals. His ship experience was basically limited to cloudy days, a continuous storm, lots of waves (without Dramamine), and lots of odors! Do not book me on that cruise! It was not a pleasure cruise!

In those circumstances, I doubt God's purposes and Noah's expectations were identical. Rarely do human expectations match divine purposes! That truth is in the foundation of many human faith crises!

Noah's experience and deliverance tell me two powerful truths. (1) New beginnings require large prices. (2) The problem of evil lies in humanity even if we eliminate circumstance and peer pressure.

In Jesus Christ God gives us all opportunity to begin again. However, we must want a new beginning [faith and repentance focus on us as surely as they focus on God]. We do not "begin anew" because we are forced to, but because we want to. So (1) expect to pay the price and (2) realize the problem lies in you. God is more than able to help us recover and redirect if we will accept the responsibility to trust Him to work in us for us.

Where Did I Get My Understanding of God?

2005-06-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

Inheritance can be a wonderful thing! Inheritance can be a horrible thing! If inheritance elevates my life to a higher level, inheritance is a blessing. If inheritance becomes an avenue to self-indulgence, self-justification, and blindness, inheritance is a curse.

Likely the most important "thing" you will inherit is your view of God. That inheritance may come from your culture, your parents' religion, your family, or your own unquestioned, unexplored concepts. Ask most anyone, "What are God's basic characteristics, and he or she will give you an answer. The answer is more likely to be an inherited view than a researched, studied conclusion.

Even the simplest questions concerning God are complex. For example, if you ask a person about the basic characteristics of God, you are likely to be told "God knows everything." If you press desiring to know the meaning of that statement, you likely will be told, "God's knows the future." If you continue to press seeking additional meaning, you likely will be told, "God knows what will take place in your life before it happens."

From the unquestioned view that God knows everything come numerous conclusions. (1) Insurance refers to horrible things that happen uniformly to all as "acts of God." Thus God is responsible for all the horrors and devastation brought by things like earthquakes and violent wind storms. (2) Someone dies in a horrible accident, and people say, "It was just his or her time to go." Or, someone survives a horrible accident, and people say, "It is a miracle! God rescued that person!" Rarely do people struggle aloud with the divine significance of one dying and another living. (3) People approach a significant decision by declaring to all, "I just want to understand what God wants me to do." Even if the choice is between two truly good options, the person is certain God has a detailed blueprint for his or her life to follow. He or she does not seek wisdom or insight; he or she seeks specific direction in the God-approved direction.

The results often are anything but pretty or consoling. Someone loses faith because God did not react to an emergency as expected. Someone gets extremely angry because God allowed something undesirable and destructive to occur. Someone is enraged because matters are not going as expected since God is in charge.

Genesis made early declarations about God's character. It declares humanity is made in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). Since God is unknowable in every detail to humanity, could that include as fact that humanity is unknowable in every detail to God? Genesis 6:6 declared, "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and he was grieved in His heart." If God "knew" that humanity would sink to such levels of evil before it occurred, why the sorrow and grief?

Deuteronomy 8:2 made this unusual statement to Israel: "And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." The wilderness was a test from God to Israel? The test was to enable God to know what was in their hearts? Their responses would reveal an intent to be obedient or an intent to be rebellious--either of which were unknown to God?

This is not intended as an attempt to trivialize a complex matter or discussion. It is an urging. You are urged to form your understanding of God's character on the basis of a searching, inquiring study, not on the basis of an inherited view.

God did an incredible thing when He created us with the powers of decision and choice. Rather than blaming God for the undesirable, seek to appreciate God for the capacities He gives us. Because of God, we have unlimited potential for good. God is not the origin of the evil we experience. God is the origin of our challenge to goodness. The source of our problems do not lie in God, but in humanity. See James 1:12-18.

It Is WHO You Know

2005-06-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

In virtually every culture, "who you know" is fundamentally significant to every accomplishment or enterprise effort. It is amazing how often the seemingly "impossible" can happen if you "know the right people." It is equally amazing how often the obviously "possible" does not occur because the person does not know "the right people."

Nothing is as powerful as mercy. Nothing can make the impossible happen as can grace. The ultimate source of mercy and grace is God Himself. Nothing in a person's knowledge and understanding is as important as correctly knowing and understanding God. A correct knowledge and understanding of God allows us to travel the interstate highway to God's mercy and grace as we boldly approach God through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:16).

Genesis 4 shares a fascinating contrast. After Cain's encounter with God regarding Abel's murder, the writer says simply, "Then Cain went out from the presence of God..." (Genesis 4:16). Following that statement is a list of some of Cain's descendants. In that brief list, Lamech married two wives and bragged of his murders that arose from his selfishness. He even declared he was more wicked than Cain ever claimed to be! Cain was not the headwaters of a healing stream!

The second part of the contrast is seen in Cain's younger brother, Seth. With Seth's son the writer says, "Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:26). These were people who sought God's presence.

Among those people, there were two primary groups. One group wanted nothing to do with God. They did not want God around. It was their preference not to be in God's presence. The other group sought God. They wanted to be in God's presence. They regarded God's name to be the source of their blessing.

It would appear that the focus of these groups made them mutually exclusive! Their basic focus in life had nothing in common. One regarded the presence of God a curse! The other regarded the presence of God a blessing! One wished to distance themselves from God! The other wanted to be as close to God as possible! One never had a kind word to say about God! The other called upon God's name!

Genesis 6:1, 2 suggests physical appeal led to intermarriage. After only two more verses the writer states, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5) When those who seek to go out from the presence of the Lord and those who call upon the name of the Lord marry, the potential for wickedness is enormous! The God-designed objective of marriage is relationship, not evangelism.

People are wise to remember that the foundation of godly relationships is not the hormones of the moment, but the continuing character and qualilty of the person. There is no substitute for knowing God!

Selfishness: A Cancer of Human Attitudes and Emotions

2005-05-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

Cancer is a horrible disease! It takes so many forms. It attacks in so many places in one's body. Initially it is so silent--it needs to be detected before it makes its presence known.

A basic oversimplification: cancer is merely good body cells gone bad. Cells which had the power to contribute to the life of the body become cells that attack the life of a body. Left alone, cancer cells destroy the life of the body that sustains them!

Selfishness is a cancer of human emotions and attitudes that destroys the person who sustains the selfishness. It takes many forms. It attacks in many places within the person's relationships and interactions. Often the selfish person does not notice his or her selfishness until it becomes obviously destructive in horrible, unacceptable ways. Often, when selfishness becomes noticeable to the host person, it is too late. The damage is irreversible.

A classic example of a totally selfish person is Cain. He held God's acceptance of Abel's sacrifice responsible for God's rejection of his sacrifice. "If it had not been for Abel, my sacrifice would have been fine." His imagined injustice of the situation made him angry. He was depressed because he felt unnecessarily rejected. Consider Genesis 4:4,5. Not even God could redirect Cain's perspective! (Genesis 4:6, 7) Cain's solution: destroy the person "I know is to blame" (Genesis 4:8).

Please note Cain's total preoccupation with Cain. In spite of numerous opportunities, never did Cain express regret for his murder of his brother. He just continued his journey into totally self-absorption! When God asked him, "Where is Abel?" (Genesis 4:9), Cain knew where Abel was (so did God). What a golden opportunity for repentance! What an appropriate moment for Cain to regretfully say, "What have I done to my own brother? What have I done as I permitted my anger and depression to rule me? " What a marvelous time to begin repentance by accepting personal responsibility!

Not Cain! Unrepentant Cain responded, "How should I know? Abel is not my responsibility!"

God asked, "What have you done?" and pronounced upon Cain the consequences of his attitudes and act (Genesis 4:9-12). Note Cain was only concerned about Cain. "Forget Abel! My punishment is too severe! (Genesis 4:9) As I wander, someone will find me and kill me!" (Genesis 4:14)

Though God spared Cain's life and protected Cain from attack, Cain wanted nothing to do with God. He "went out from the presence of the Lord" (Genesis 4:16). Never did he perceive God's kindness! He was only concerned about himself and his self-perceived sense of injustice in the certainty he was not to blame for his actions.

Cain's worst enemy was Cain! Selfishness possessed and destroyed him! It determined his basic perception in life, his attitude toward God and his brother, his emotions, his motivations, and his acts.

Wisdom includes the personal ability and willingness to accept responsibility by learning from mistakes rather than running from responsibility by blaming others for personal decisions and actions.

Please, always be willing to distinguish between the pain of a mistake and a selfish preoccupation with escaping personal responsibility by blaming those who are not responsible.

Me Assuming Responsibility For Me

2005-05-24T06:57:00.000-07:00

There is no question that a human being is a composite of many influences--childhood home environment, childhood role models, educational opportunities, social environment, cultural impacts, peer pressures, encouraged aspirations, etc. Among the many influences that contribute to who and what we are looms the power of personal choice.

Sometimes you witness a person who had every disadvantage in life, yet triumphed to be truly worthwhile. Sometimes you witness a person who endured the same set of severe disadvantages and became worthless and intended to benefit no one. Each time you view two such people, you wonder how one could be triumphant and one be worthless. From the same family, situation, and environment arises a person who encourages and blesses people AND an addict who is determined to squander his or her life.

Regardless of our circumstances, we never cease to be a person of choice. Consequential choices are rarely easily made. Consequential choices often result in hardships to be endured. No one develops a life that blesses others at no cost to himself or herself. Many are the moments of questioning, and many are the moments of doubt. Yet, in the face of costs, hardships, questions, and doubts the person who is a blessing makes choices and refuses to be paralyzed by circumstances.

It seems a key question for a person to ask himself or herself is this: "What is the purpose of my life?" Some approach the answer to that question with the realization that "my life is a part of something much bigger than me." He or she approaches life searching for meaning. He or she searches for opportunity, sees it, and sacrificially responds to it. He or she accepts responsibility, even when he or she makes mistakes. There is nothing to prove, only the challenge to be.

Others approach the answer to the same question with the conviction "life is about me--and nothing else!" He or she approaches life searching for excuses. If he or she "fails," it is always someone else's or something else's fault. He or she searches for ways to place blame on someone or some thing else. No matter what occurs, it is never "my fault." Responsibility is a foe to be avoided, not a friend to be embraced. At every turn on life's road, there is something to prove "about me"--life is never about what "I am becoming."

Cain was angry when his sacrifice did not please God (Genesis 4:5,6) From what followed it seems that even in his sacrifice, Cain was more interested in Cain's success than God's honor. God Himself wondered why Cain reacted with anger.

God's statement is quite insightful. "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted [or surely you will be accepted]. And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and it's desire is for you, but you must master it" (Genesis 4:7, NASV).

Note Cain is angry, not God. Note in the rejected sacrifice, Cain is upset and incensed, not God. Note sin had not yet devoured Cain, but it was prepared to. Whether sin would triumph in this matter or God would triumph depended on Cain's choice. It was not too late! He could be angry and provide evil opportunity, or he could learn from the displeasing sacrifice and understand. It was his choice!

Those who accept the responsibility to choose wisely grow in character. Those who replace the responsibility to choose wisely by seeking to blame others for their irresponsible behavior and attitudes destroy character. Character begins by assuming responsibility for our choices.

The Ultimate Generation Gap

2005-05-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Among the greatest frustrations of being a parent is the dreaded generation gap! When a baby is born into a family, the common reaction is, "This is incredible! This is marvelous! This is wonderful!" In awe, grandparents and parents look at this new life in joyful astonishment.

Sixteen short [or long!] years later, parents often look at the same child and say, "Did this person really come from me?" This child's music of choice sounds strange. This child's values are strange. This child's definition of responsibility definitely does not fit the parent's concept of responsibility. Many nights the child goes to bed wondering, "Why did I have to be born into this family?" On the same nights the stressed parents go to bed muttering aloud, "This child simply does not belong in this household!"

Ah! Wondrous generation gap!

Parents, when you feel sorry for yourselves on a particularly stressful parenting day, think about Adam and Eve. They experienced the Garden of Eden, but could not convey the experience to their children. They unquestionably knew realities about good and evil they could not share with their kids. They understood realities about the consequences of choices that no other human has ever known. Quite realistically they understood the costs of evil in every day terms. Truly their experiences were unique! No one ever understood quite as they that evil is never a blessing--no matter how the situation appears!

And, yet, they could not share what they knew with their own children! Wonder how they felt when one of their sons became a selfish, unapologetically murder!

Parents, tell what you can tell. Share what you can share. Above all, be what you can be. Words are powerful, but examples are unforgettable! Use both--every day!