Luke 9

 John Chrysostom was an  Early Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He pointed out that "Christ had the power to set the human race free from all these evils -- not only the Romans but also the Persians and simply every race of barbarians. He succeeded in doing this with no force of arms, nor expenditure of money, not by starting wars of conquest, nor by inflaming men to battle. He had only eleven men to start with who were undistinguished, without learning. ill-informed, destitute, poorly clad, without weapons, or sandals, me who had but a single tunic to wear." These are the men Jesus sends out at the beginning of this chapter and what a difference they would make, but in the eyes of the world, what a group of misfits and losers. 

Even as Jesus sent them out here they weren't ready for all that would happen but Jesus is getting them there and this sending out was just the beginning of what He would do through them. God can do great things through you too, if you'll let him. 

Life in the Negative World- What to do?

I have been reading Aaron Renn’s book Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture. One might argue with some of his assumptions but personally, I haven’t found anything substantial I can argue with. Rather than look at the past I want to highlight the responses we need to implement in our lives today taken from his book and then elaborate on them a bit myself.

1. Becoming obedient- Seems straightforward but how many in the church have in the past not lived into what Christ taught. Sure, they lived out what they liked in the Bible, but harder, deeper issues went ignored. This won’t work anymore, and it never did but it was easier to hide it in the past.

2. Become Excellent- So we can show who we are and make a difference in the world. Also, in the past when minorities entered a workplace, they had a negative against them. They were expected to not just be good but great if they were to even be accepted let alone respected. One could say it wasn’t fair and you would be right, but it is the truth. When you come in with a negative in your balance sheet you have to do more than others to be even. Today, the ones who carry a cultural negative is the Christians. You can rail against it (which adds another negative) or you can deal with it. To say it another way, if you live in Texas you have to know there are scorpions and rattlesnakes so you better shake out your boot before putting them on or you will get bit/stung. We don’t have to do that in Indiana but guess what, we culturally don’t live in Indiana anymore.

3. Become Resilient- Things aren’t going to be easy and there are things we have to accept, some things that seem random. We have to understand bad things will happen. Prepare to be anti-fragile. Don’t overextend yourself or be too dependent on one. Be financially secure.  Build strong relationships.

4. Pursue Institutional Integrity- Retain your shape when things are hard. Be competent. Be trustworthy/transparent. Prepare the next generation.

5. Pursue Community – We are a minority. We have to create institutions/plans to sustain our communities without hiding away. We can’t expect the culture around us to teach our children and support what we believe.

6. Ownership – Own our own businesses and platforms so we can continue to provide places where we can prosper and resist social pressure. If we depend on YouTube, for example, to reach our community and they decide to ban us then we have lost that community. If we have strong Christian businesses we can give jobs to those who have been fired because they refused to bend to the demands of businesses that demand that their employees adopt an unbiblical stance. 

7. Be a light – Clearly speak and live the truth. This seems like what we should be doing as Christians anyway but sometimes we have by our attempt to be relevant and accepting aren’t clear. 

These are just the highlights and thoughts that this book made me consider. Read it for yourself to see what it says to you. At the end of the day, there are no easy answers and God can still do the miraculous, but the world we knew is gone and we need to adapt while holding to the truth. 

Psalm 8

 This psalm begins and ends with the acknowledgment that God's name is majestic in all the earth. When I consider this I am hit with two ideas. One is that it is majestic or greater than all other names whether people know it or not. It doesn't matter what someone wants to believe God is greater. It is said of the name of Jesus that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess (Philippians 2:11). They might not right now but they will. The second is do we act like it? Do we take the name of Jesus and all that is attached (his authority and power) and live like it? Are we not just hearers but doers? 

Genesis 21

 

Why didn't you tell me?

I find it typical that Abraham reproved Abimelech for something his servants did without asking first about it. It was as if Abraham assumed he knew what all his servants did. Yet, today people do this stuff all the time. People assume and get it wrong. If Abraham had gone to him before now, it seems to me the king would have made it right. 

The take away is don't assume without all the facts.

I have to wonder what kind of man Abimelech was to still show kindness to  Abraham after nearly losing his life after taking Abraham's wife and now to accept criticism for something he had no knowledge of. 

Genesis 20

 

Why? This is the question I ask when we come to this chapter. Why did Abraham lie again? Didn't he learn last time? Maybe not, but when we operate out of fear it is easy to repeat past mistakes. To keep from following Abraham's example here, we have to operate in faith not fear.

 God however protects his plan and Sarah once again. Yes, there was a long period of waiting going from taking a wife and consummation in those days but the scripture says God protect both the king and Sarah.

Isaiah 9

I see again in this chapter that God uses the evil of man to fulfill His purpose. In verses 18-19, it speaks of the wildfire of wickedness and then the fire of God's wrath. Are they the same? Yes and No. Yes in that they are doing what God wants in cleansing the land of its evil and no in the motive. God wants justice but the wicked just want to consume and feed their own passions (20-21). God is letting them, as it were, fall down into their own trap. However, this isn't the Coluseam or the Hunger Games where the survivor wins. In fact, God has forced these people into this arena of destruction but they have entered it themselves. God's wrath isn't done because unlike in those tales, the winner/survivor isn't rewarded but faces judgment still for their actions. Yes, God will let evil do what it will but in the end, God will judge. There is no winning doing things the way the rest of the world does it, the only way to win is to be on God's side. 

Job 4

 No lie is more effective than one that is closest to the truth. I don't know who said this but it has been repeated often in many ways and the reason it is so is because it is true. Consider modern political commercials that take a clip of what someone says and turn it into someone far more than they meant or maybe take it further than it was intended. This is what I see in the responses from Job and his friends and is something that I will point out often in looking at what they say. What they say may be true, but... 

The first thing I see is that Eliphaz does admit that in the past Job comforted others. Then Eliphaz turns that same action against Job saying you told others to look up during trouble but you can't handle it, can you? Ouch! What an attack. I doubt that anyone that Job had comforted in the past had faced exactly what Job did but even if they had I have to think Job handled it differently than we are going to see Eliphaz doing.

There was also something I had never noticed before in this chapter but I will wait to comment until I do more research.

Luke 8

 I'm always amazed in this chapter that even though the people saw the man healed they asked Jesus to go. We could try to guess the reason but this side of heaven we won't know all they were thinking. What is clear is that a miracle is rarely the answer to people's unbelief. In fact, as we see with the scribes and Pharisees that miracles no matter how amazing and undeniable won't change those who have chosen to refuse to believe. What Jesus did do which would make a difference was to have the delivered man return to his people and testify to what God had done. This witness would take time and not bring instant results but that is most often how we are to have to do if we are going to see people brought to Christ and changed.

Photo by Kimberly Lake on Unsplash

Psalm 7

 

According to Verse 11, God is a righteous judge and he displays his wrath every day. These two things seem like they can't go together Righteousness and wrath. In man, they most certainly can't. We get angry and stay angry it is awful. God however isn't like us. He is the only one in the Bible who can handle it. Why, because he is righteous also because he is love. He sees more than we do and according to this Psalm, he deals that justice daily. We may not see it but God does give the evil person what they deserve, but not always on our timetable and it happens more often than you realize. 

Genesis 19

 I just saw something that Lot said to the angels God sent to Sodom, “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning." Why was Lot so interested in sending these ones on their way? We don't know the answer but truly he was concerned for their safety. This shows that Lot still had compassion for others, later when he agreed to leave he also showed faith. Unfortunately, the rest of the chapter shows a Lot who wasn't believed by those he tried to warn, who was slow leaving, questioned God's directions, left the village in fear that he asked God to save, and got so drunk he didn't realize that his daughters had sex with him. 

One could criticize all of these things but yet there was something in Lot that God saw worthy of saving. May God also have mercy on us in our Lot moments. 

Genesis 18

This is the chapter where God basically tells Abraham and Sarah that in the next year, they will have a child. It is a beautiful promise. Despite the impossibility and Sarah's doubt (yes, I know some say she laughed in joy, but I can't see it), God would do it. It is a confirmation that God will fulfill His promises but in His time. It is also a picture of God's mercy. 

In this chapter, Abraham stands tall as the man of God we have heard that he is. He recognizes God, intercedes for the innocent, and shows trust in God. This is one of the times He shines. Yes, there are times he really, really goofs, but God is merciful, and Abraham seems to learn eventually. He is not a perfect example but clearly a good human example to learn from. 

Isaiah 8

 Well, If you read the Bible Reflections book you will find a mistake. I said the Assyrians were going to be destroyed and it was the Samaria that was to be. It was the Assyrians who would do it. Sorry for the mistake I will get it corrected in future books.

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What I do want to look at today is found in verse 12. God tells Isaiah not to fear what men fear, only fear God. In today's world people are full of fear. They fear the liberal agenda or the right-wing militia depending on your leanings and if you watch NBC or FOX. God tells Isaiah and us that God is the only person we need to fear. 

The good news is if we are serving God then we don't even have to be afraid. Is electricity dangerous, depends, if it's not being used correctly then it can kill you. Used correctly, it is a friend that helps us, it is even letting you read this. So let's not worry come on into His presence. Now if you aren't serving God, be afraid, be very afraid.  

Job 3

Why is life given to those who feel trapped without hope? This is the cry of someone who feels that there is nothing to live for. This is the question that many people face. Why go on living? The truth is we aren't always given the answers. We know that afterward Job is given a new life and many blessings but he doesn't know that in chapter 3. This is the truth. We don't know. We may think we do? Job did and he thought he saw only misery. I know it's easy to say don't give up when you aren't the one trapped and you feel you have no hope, but that doesn't make it less true. On the other hand, we don't want to dismiss the heartbreak that those who feel this are going through. It isn't easy to comfort or sometimes to receive comfort but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. There is hope, but the pain you feel or you will feel it if you aren't now or haven't yet is very real and can feel overwhelming. What we face now isn't the end of your story if you have faith in Christ. 

Luke 7

I have heard the story of the sinful woman in Luke 7 to prove that since I grew up as a Christian I can't love someone like a lifelong sinner can. There is a problem. The correct question might be? Who believes they are the greater sinner? We all have the cancer of sin and it like cancer will consume and destroy the person who has it. Who is more appreciative of cancer or sin being forgiven? The one who is worse off? That is often the case but the real answer can be the one who realizes what they have and knows they need help. Yes, the woman here was a "sinner" by the standards of the Pharisees but we don't know what was going on inside the heart and mind of the Pharisees. Could it be, and I think it was, that they who judged might have had a deeper or to use the medical term more aggressive sin problem? In the end, it's the one who realizes what Jesus does will be the ones who love the most, not the ones who have done one or another sin.  

Ash Wednesday Reflection

 

Quiet Reflection

Selma Christ Global Methodist Church

 

Palms on the ground

Forgotten, trampled.

Reminder of triumphant praise

Swallowed in rejections chant,

 

CRUCIFY, CRUCIFY,

We reject this king.

 

Palms on the ground

Forgotten, forsaken.

Reminder of devotion’s praise

Swallowed in rebellion’s sin,

 

Actions, Attitudes

We rejected this king.

 

Palms on the ground

Remembered, burned.

Reminder of Wednesday’s return

Swallowed in repenting cry,

 

Forgive, Forgive,

We need this king.

 

Traditionally, Palm Sunday’s palms are gathered, dried, and burned. The ashes that remain are used during Ash Wednesday Services.  Receive today in an attitude of repentance and gratitude for all Jesus suffered so that we may have salvation.

 

Psalm 6

 Here in this Psalm David is crying out for forgiveness. What catches my attention is that he admits his own weakness, repents with tears(sincerity), and wishes nothing to do with evildoers. These three things are what is required if one is to truly repent. To repent, turn away, from sin in Christian terms means we have to admit we can't save ourselves, we have to really and truly feel remorse, and be willing to turn from evil and evildoers. David is doing that in this Psalm and it serves as an example to us as well. 

On this Ash Wednesday, let us turn to God with hearts truly broken, repent, and begin this season of Lent seeking the will of the God who saves us. 

Genesis 17

When looking at Abram's pleading in Genesis 17 one might ask why wouldn't God use Ismael? Was he less? Ismael wasn't less and the fact that God said He would bless him says as much, but Ismael was the result of Abram and Sarai trying in their own wisdom to fulfill God's promise. God wasn't going to fulfill his promise and eventually bring the Messiah through human planning and scheming. God was going to be the only one who could take credit for what was coming.

 There are times I think in our lives when we try to do things and then ask God to bless them. We may be surprised when it doesn't happen that way. I believe that though God does promise to work all things together for good for those who trust Him, but He won't bring his miracles through our planning and scheming.  

Why circumcision? It has been shown that for women there is less chance of cancer. There are also other health reasons. It also requires a deliberate choice that could never be hidden except of course by clothes, but when the act of procreation takes place it absolutely isn't. For now, that's all I want to consider on this subject. 

Genesis 16

 When I consider Hagar, I'm torn. I don't see the scenario that some claim that Hagar was raped, but I do see a choice that though culturally acceptable at the time was a horrible idea. Perhaps this is the lesson. They didn't ask God they just did what they thought was right to see God's promise take place. According to the culture of their time, they did nothing wrong. However, what came about was nothing but sad. A child who would be cast out. A woman mistreated and a woman feeling scorned. All of this was a result of not asking God how He wanted to fulfill his promise. 

A reminder that just because it's culturally acceptable doesn't make it right. A reminder we need to seek God and not come up with our own plan and ask God to bless it. A reminder that God sees, even those who aren't the heroes of our story. God cares for people we may not.  

Isaiah 7

 

What was he thinking?

 Imagine if you will that everyone in your family is sick and is going to die, but there is a cure. The cost to get them all well is far above anything you or anyone you know afford. You're desperate. Now let's suppose the richest person in the world came up and said, "I want to prove to you and everyone around you that money doesn't rule my life. So, I want to give you anything that it is possible for me to give, even if you want all the money I have."

What would you do? 

You would look at the person and say, "Thanks, but I'm pretty sure, I know what kind of person you are. I don't want anything from you."

NO! Only if you're an idiot.

Yet, this is exactly what King Ahaz does when Isaiah comes to him (Isaiah 7). God offers to give Ahaz a sign to prove God will bring deliverance to Judah. Yes, Ahaz couches the refusal in spiritual words, but in reality, he is saying I don't want any proof you are God. 

God said ask anything? 

What could he have asked? The king of Babylon to come kneel to him? His enemies offering reparations for war crimes? Everyone in his kingdom to become their equivalents of millionaires? All sickness be cleansed from the world (God did say anything)? Hair on my head rather than just on my back? Okay, the last one was more personal. 

Ahaz could have been selfish or hugely generous at this moment, but he would rather reject God than receive any proof that God is real. How sad and how crazy is that. 

The question we might want to ask ourselves is, "Are we being just as crazy?" Are we refusing to trust God and see His works, because we want to do things our own way?

God however did give a sign, and eventually, that sign when it came was Jesus. Jesus truly is God's ultimate sign. 

P.S. If you're the richest person in the world or even close. You are free to give me the offer mentioned above. I won't refuse. lol

Job 2

 In this chapter, Job asks his wife if we should accept good from God and not evil? Now understand the evil Job is talking about is bad things happening, not evil as in evil or demonic powers. The question is good because let's consider this is a husband or wife only supposed to stay with a spouse if everything is going good and they are perfectly behaved? No! Someone who jumps ship the first time something doesn't go their way isn't committed at all, they are there for selfish reasons. Job isn't forsaking God because things aren't going good right now. He is staying faithful to the God he trusts, the God he loves. Job doesn't understand and he's not happy about what is happening but he's staying committed. Anything less is selfishness and that's what Satan was saying (and others do in some of our lives) that Job was like. He wasn't and neither should we.

Luke 6

 Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked" NIV. Some may ask how is God kind to the ungrateful and wicked. First, he hasn't just wiped them out, but first and foremost God wants to see them saved. Romans 5:8 Says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 

Yes, God does and will judge the wicked and ungrateful, but before then he wants to see them saved and changed. God offers mercy even to those that He knows will never accept Him. Now Jesus is telling us to do the same. Love them without expecting to get anything out of it. Yes, it's hard but when we do we imitate God. Also, when we do there are times we will get something in return, a changed heart. 

Psalm 5

 

In this chapter, the psalmist speaks of God hating wrongdoers and despising others. How can this be? Isn't God a God of love? God is love but God is also a God of Justice. 

For myself, I don't have a harder time understanding this. I can love someone yet despise the things they do and maybe in some ways hate it. I would want them to be better but yet I know that they're not therefore I hate what they do. If I was a judge I would have to obey the laws and have them punished for the good of all. A horrible example might be a horror movie where a loved one is taken over by a monster, disease, parasite, etc and to save everyone else you have to stop them or kill them. The person is loved but what they've become makes them hated.

We also need to understand that God's anger or hate as the psalmist puts it, isn't the same as ours. God is at both times far more merciful than we could believe and far more strict than we conceive. To say it another way, if you're counting on God to let you slide by and you will be surprised by his judgment. However, if you understand your own weakness, your sinfulness, and cry out in humility God's mercy and love will be greater than you could ever believe.

If what I'm saying doesn't make sense to you, don't worry about it. Just listen to the scriptures and have it teach you.

Genesis 15

 

Why does God ask Abraham what he wants? We know that God knows everything so why would God ask something he already knows? 

For me, I think it has to do in part with us. If we want something but don't say anything and get it then we feel fortunate or maybe just blessed but if it's something we ask for then we know we have been answered. 

Also there is the fact that God cares about us to ask what we want. If someone asks do you like for your birthday or if your boss would say what would you like for your bonus and they got that it would mean something special. Even if somebody can't get you what you would like the fact that they would ask means for most of us that they care.

God knows what Abram desires and he is going to give it to him but it's not coming yet. Like I'm telling him he's going to answer the prayer he's giving him hope and he's letting him know that it's coming. 

Genesis 14

 

Who is this man Melchizedek and where does he come from? 

Melchizedek is the king of Salem. Salem is a place that will eventually be called Jerusalem. Jerusalem the place where God will allow his Temple to be built, the place that will be called The eternal City, and in eternity there will be a New Jerusalem. We aren't told why God chose this place but for me I wonder if it didn't have something to do with Melchizedek and the people of the city of Salem.

Melchizedek is clearly a picture of Christ. It is the first time bread and wine are seeing together as they will be used in the Passover and later in the communion. The book of Hebrews speaks of Christ being a priest of the order of Melchizedek. And many biblical scholars believe that Melchizedek is actually Christ. I don't necessarily believe that but if it's true I don't have a problem with that either. My thought of why I believe because it was a regular human actually goes back to the the city of Jerusalem itself and the fact that it was chosen. I tend to lean to the idea that Melchizedek and his people were devoted to God and therefore God gave them or at least their City a special place in his salvation history.

Isaiah 6

 

I've heard it said that perhaps Isaiah had a problem with foul language. This is taken from Isaiah's confession that he was a man of unclean lips and living amongst people of unclean lips. 

However, when one understands that in the law those who had leprosy were supposed to cover their lips one can see a deeper confession. Leprosy was the worst condition that could befall on human being at that time. For many, it was a living death and was a picture of sin in the life of people. Some who had leprosy didn't look very sick, and others would have been reminiscent of a horror movie. The truth was no matter how good you looked at the time death was always coming and eventually, everyone would become the most vile-looking creatures.

Isaiah was the prophet of God but as he stood in the presence of almighty God whatever view he had of himself was blown away. Isaiah saw himself as he really was a person filled with sin a person condemned by the leprosy of the soul a person who needed mercy but deserved to be condemned. Thankfully God gave and is still giving forgiveness to those who recognize their own sinfulness and come to God in humility.

Job 1

 

"Job sinned not - He expressed just the feelings and manifested just the submission which he ought to do" This is a quote from Barnes* that sums up this last verse. God knows what we feel He knows our concerns and he is not offended when we express them to him. 

How does Job understand God's sovereignty, free will, and his affairs with man? We don't know but he does understand God has the final say and at this point is submitting to it. 

For those who want easy answers or sometimes answers at all, you won't find them in the book of Job. However it is a great book that reminds us good people suffer, people misunderstand, and there are times when God doesn't give us the answer. The other thing we can learn is how not to be like Job's comforters.

*https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/job/1.htm

Luke 5

 Jesus said he came to call sinners. I have heard people take this comment of Jesus and use it to classify the down and out, the hard-working guy or gal, even the drunkard as the people Jesus came to save. 

Yes, Jesus did come to reach these but he actually came to reach everyone. The difference isn't there social status but the state of their heart. If a rich socialite realizes they are a sinner, Jesus came to save them. The same if it's a drunk. However, if a drunker or a rich person believe they aren't sinners then both are not in a place to receive Christ. It's the realization of sin that prepares people for Jesus.

Of course, if you're down and out then it's often a lot easier to see that you're trapped in sin. Jesus does not love the poor more, but he's often there for them more, because they need him more.