Job 13

 Job asks his friends in verse 9 if they could deceive God if He examined them. Job is pointing out that though his friends are good at saying how he must be disobeying God that they couldn't stand before God any better. We will see later in the book that this is true. God will examine them and find them wanting. For me, it is a reminder that instead of criticizing others we should focus more on our own lives. Complaining and pointing out how others fail will not erase our sins. It is only when we go to God and let Him examine us can we be made pure. 

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Luke 17

Luke 17:1-4 warns that temptations to sin will come. Things that cause people to fall are bound to take place. However, Jesus makes it clear that we need to be on guard not to be the people that cause this to happen. We shouldn't do things that will draw people to sin, hold on to bitterness, or participate in something wrong. In fact, if we are involved in these things then according to Jesus it may be better to drown yourself. I don't believe that Jesus wants us to commit suicide, what he wants is for us not to be involved in these activities or to repent if we have. 

Along with this warning that the opportunity to sin will come, Jesus also says that we need to help our brothers (and sisters) in Christ who are caught in sin. This includes if he sins against you. "That church did me wrong" may be an accurate saying but the question you need to ask yourself is have you forgiven them? There are sometimes good reasons to move away from a group of people who are in a church to protect yourself from their immaturity (or maybe their hypocrisy) but there is never an excuse to hold on to hard feelings. To quit going to church altogether is like saying a restaurant served you bad food so you will never go out to eat. It's like saying, Walmart did me wrong so I won't shop anywhere again! Jesus warned that things were going to happen. He warned people who did them would be in trouble. He also said when your brother (or sister) in Christ does something to forgive, again and again. 

It would be easy to look at this scripture and say, yes so and so, or that church should listen. However, Scripture isn't there for us to sit in judgment of others, but to have it judge our own hearts. What does this Scripture say to you?

Luke 17:1-4 NIV Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

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Psalm 14

 

The fool has denied God, but according to this Scripture, everyone is messed up. No one is really good. So what hope do we have? Verse seven lays it out, "Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad." What can make things better? When God restores his people. 

The children of Israel thought that this was when God would put a king on the throne and restore their earthly kingdom. However, the salvation that mankind needs isn't an earthly kingdom but the kingdom that Jesus came to establish in the hearts of men. The good news for us is that Salvation has come out of Zion. It came through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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Genesis 37

"We didn't lie?"

The brothers didn't lie to their father. They didn't say that Joseph was dead. They only asked leading questions. Does this mean they are innocent? Absolutely not. They were being deceptive even if they technically didn't lie. 

What they did do was bear a false witness. Their words might not have been a lie but what they were carrying, as it were, was false. 

What does this have to do with us? We have to make sure that we don't try and justify ourselves with half-truths and misrepresentations so we can tell ourselves we are innocent when we aren't. Let's be honest with ourselves, with others, and with God. One day, we are going to stand before God and we won't be able to mislead him or ourselves. Let's practice being honest now.  

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Genesis 36

 

We see in verses 6-7 that the land could not handle the flocks of both Esau and Jacob. Like Abraham and Lot they went separate ways so there wouldn't be problems. We aren't told why Esau left Canaan, but I have to think it had to do with the covenant God made with Abraham that was passed down to Jacob. Whatever the reason we see two groups which could have fought for resources finding a different direction. 

Isaiah 17

"But though they thunder like breakers on a beach, God will silence them, and they will run away. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind, like a tumbleweed whirling before a storm" (vers 13 NLT). The people may rage and roar but when faced with God they become as nothing. We need to remember this when the voice of the world seems so loud that it wants to deafen us. Right now the words of God's distractors sound loud, however, God's turn is coming, and once he really speaks all other voices will fade. Hold on to the one who will outlast the rest. Hold onto God. 

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Job 12

 Here is my paraphrase of how Job is responding to Zophar. I know God can do what he wants and no matter how powerful someone thinks they are God can bring them low or raise them up. I know this, I'm not as dumb or as clueless as you think I am. But...(that's the next chapter).

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Luke 16

 This parable of the unjust Stewart is one of the harder parables of Jesus to understand. God seems to praise the character of a person who by all other understanding of scripture will stand under God's judgment. So what is going on here? Augustine points out that even the wicked plan ahead when things are looking bad, but there are times when the children of light are really, kind of, clueless (my word not Augustine's). Jesus isn't in favor of cheating. Jesus is in favor of us preparing for what is to come. Jesus wants us to realize the best use of wealth is to make friends but untimely that won't help us. We need to prepare for eternity. As Augustine says, "Would you not insure yourself for eternal life?"(Sermon 359AD).

So how do we prepare? Not by trusting in wealth (verse 13, 25) and not by trusting in yourself (verse 15) but by trusting in the good news of the kingdom (verse 16). If you trust in wealth you will be eternally bankrupt (verses 19-31).

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Psalm 13

 

The psalmist asks "How long must I wrestle with my thoughts." I realize this is often my greatest issue. It isn't as much the words of those around me as the words that come from in me. It is the battle that most of us face, the battle of the mind. The answer is partly found in Romans 12 and Ephesians 4. It comes from putting on the mind of Christ and having His spirit change us. It comes from engaging in the Word of God. How long will we wrestle? Maybe until we see Jesus, but we won't have to do it as often if we put His word in our hearts and minds and be led by His Spirit.  

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Genesis 35

"Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob" 

Didn't God already say this? Yes but God is reminding Jacob of it. Perhaps it is because of all that took place that Jacob/Israel didn't take on his new name? We don't know but God is reminding him. God reminds us too. We are broken and messed up people but we are to be called something else. Here is the interesting fact, what you call yourself is what you will become. God knew this and therefore, I think, He reminded Israel/Jacob what he was supposed to be calling himself. By calling himself the Prince of God, it would hope he would start acting like it. 

So what is your name? If you have accepted Jesus it is "Child of God." Let's live into it. 

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Genesis 34

 Why be circumcised? I can understand doing it as an adult to obey God, but just to make a buck? However, this is how Shechem and Hamor convinced their men to join with them in this act. 

The plan was simple. Do this one thing and then absorb Jacob's clan and his wealth into their families by marriage. Theft by marriage, something nobles would do for millennium. When we see this we realize that as horrible as the act of Levi and Simeon was the people they killed weren't innocent either. They were willing to ignore the rape and accept circumcision* just to gain wealth. 

At the end of the chapter, the only innocent person I see here is Dinah.  

*Circumcision was to be an act supposed to symbolize a commitment to God.  As I see it, doing it for their reasons was blasphemous.

Isaiah 16

 "As the Years of a Hireling" (vs 14)

I have had jobs where I worked when I didn't need to. Jobs where I worked because of the mission of the organization. I did it for a reason. I have also worked at jobs where I was just a hireling, a person to only do a job. In these later jobs, it wasn't that I had the attitude of a hireling but my employer looked at me and everyone in their hire as just bodies to do a job. When the end of the day came in the hireling job, I didn't stick around, I took as it were my money and left. God is saying when the time is up for Moab, God is going to say, as it were, I'm out of here just try and do this without me. Unlike, the places I worked, without God's blessing and protection, everything was going to fall apart. 

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Job 11

But sometimes it seems to...

 Zophar here starts off with the assumption that Job is a liar. How did Zophar go from a man who would sit with his friend in mourning to calling him a liar is amazing. However, as we have mentioned before Zophar responded without seeking God and used the wisdom he had obtained. As mentioned before and with this week's reading in Proverbs bears out, Zophar seems right. Most of what Zophar is saying sounds, as if, it was put directly into the book of Proverbs (remember this was written first). We see in Job life lived out in a broken world, in a world where Proverbs fail and good people see bad happen. 

Let's not be quick to judge. 

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Luke 15 The Lost Son

 The parable of the prodigal son is a favorite for most people. The son goes off and lives the worst possible life and then comes home to be welcomed by his father. It is a great story of God's love and redemption. However, here in Luke chapter 15, the story is being told for the sake of the truly lost son. This son was not the prodigal. The prodigal was redeemed and received back into his Father's house. The Lost Son in this story was the older brother.  Jesus was trying to redeem not the prodigals with these parables in Luke 15, he was trying to reach the "obedient" son who chose not to enter his father's house. Jesus was trying to reach him by giving him/them a new perspective on life. Some did get it, but most didn't.

The church is filled with people who want to save the prodigal, but Jesus wants to save the older brother too (non-prodigal/religious).

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Proverbs 3

 At the beginning of chapter three, we see a promise that is repeated through most of Proverbs, that wisdom will give long life. The promise of long life is a feature of wisdom and following God. However, we have the record of Scriptures, history, and life which says this isn't always the case. So what is the deal?

There is a popular song that says, "Only the good die young." I, being a little cynical, want to ask good at what? However, the idea does seem to have a large following, but is it true? First, I think first we do have to answer the question who or what is good? Biblically speaking none of us are truly good, only God is. If you are thinking of good people according to our relative definition then, yes, good people die young.  

So what is the truth? I have to say from my own observations that by in large, those who apply the wisdom of God do live longer and are by average do better. However, we live in a fallen and broken world where bad things happen and selfish people do things that can and do hurt those who are doing right. The principle is true, but the application is often broken when people interfere. The one promise we do have is ultimately God will make all things right. 

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Genesis 33

 Jacob went before his wives and children to meet Esau. However, I am not impressed with the obvious favoritism displayed in the order in which Jacob put his family if Esau had attacked. So like with most of us, we do good but we also fail in other areas. Jacob, like us, is a work in progress. 

Genesis 32

 Ronald Reagan was famous for saying "Trust but verify." This is what I see Jacob doing here. He is trusting God and going forward but he is also verifying that Esau isn't coming with a murderous rage. As I see it God told Jacob to return but God didn't say that he would never face difficulties or loss. Esau is coming out with four hundred men and that doesn't seem like a welcoming party to Jacob or to me either. What was Esau's plan when he loaded up four hundred fighting men? We don't know. Maybe, he knew the dangers of the area and wanted to protect his brother? Maybe his plans didn't include the well-being of Jacob? What I see is Jacob did what he could to prepare for the worst and then trusted God for the rest. This isn't a bad strategy and actually, I think it is a Biblical approach to much of our life. Trust God but prepare.

Side note: Preparing to the point where you are depending on yourself rather than God isn't what I'm talking about.  

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No Post?

 Sorry about no posts this week for the Bible Reflections. I have been sick but will get caught up later. 

Isaiah 15

 

In one night God tells Isaiah that these two cities will be destroyed. Ar may be the old capital and to see it wiped out in one night would be decimating. As it relates to me/us, this is a good reminder that things happen that we may not imagine and we could see everything changed. Three weeks ago a tornado came through and destroyed houses not four blocks from where we lived. It was close. It could have been us. For me, it is a reminder that my confidence needs to always be centered on God, not things that can quickly change. 

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Job 10

 I don't get this, why is this happening God. This is what Job says in this chapter. It is the question that many ask and it is a very real feeling. It doesn't seem strange that God would create us only to let us sin, only to let us fall into judgment. The truth is that for those in pain, the truth of how God responds in the world won't help. Love is what is needed. It is compassion and sympathy, the very things Job's friends at this point won't be giving.  

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Luke 14

 Count the cost.

Things are pretty good for me right now. Far from perfect and financially nowhere near what is recommended for having at my age for retirement, but still, it's okay. For me, ministry has never been a way to get wealth or to get ahead as most, no, all of my moves further into ministry have cost me financially. That being said, compared to other people I feel mostly secure. The danger for me and maybe for you is that when you are in a place like this are you willing to let it go if it is required to so that you may follow God? 

If you or I aren't then we aren't ready for the kingdom of God. These aren't my words. These are Jesus' and they are uncomfortable. I pray that I am. Sometimes I know I am, other times I hope I am. What I do have to do, all of us need to do, is to ask God to test our hearts and see if we are. I pray that nothing I have will I consider worth more than God. 

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Psalm 12

 Things aren't like they used to be. People aren't honest like they were once. I have heard this many, many times. I may have even said something like it before. However, the world ebbs and flows. There are times when people are more godly and there are times when it seems people are moving actively away from scriptural norms. This was true in David's time also. At the beginning of the chapter David seems to make the same comment, Things aren't like they used to be. It's kind of comforting to know that others have seen times of degrees, but as the Psalmist points out God will judge rightly. 

Genesis 31

 Jacob hasn't always been the most honorable but here in the beginning of the chapter, we see Jacob in a different light. Jacob listens to Go, and Jacob gives God praise for all his increase. He realizes his danger, yes but it is the command of God that causes him to work with his wives (good to see) to leave the land. 

Rachel however doesn't leave well enough alone. She goes in and steals the family gods of her father. These gods weren't just idols but in that area, they also served as deeds to property or proof of ownership. There are also other reasons she might have taken them but they served as a danger which holding on to idols always does. Ultimately, Jacob buries them and any other false God near Bethel (Genesis 35:4), thus making a clean break with all idolatry in his home. 

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Genesis 30

 

What about the mandrakes? Mandrakes were considered at this time a help for women to get pregnant. Leah was upset that her sister wanted them when she already had the affection of her husband and now saw this as her trying to take something else from her. God however used this incident to show that it wasn't medicine, superstition, or human manipulation that was their provision.

Here again, we see people trying to get what they want by manipulation but God is faithful to his covenant in spite of it. Yes, there comes a time when God expects his people to grow up, as it were, but the frequency of Gis mercy is amazing. 

Isaiah 14

 

You thought you were so important and now look at you!

This sums up this chapter rather well. God is saying that Babylon will fall just like those who have gone before. There is a humility to this chapter when we realize that whatever we do will one day come to nothing in this world. Yes, even if something we create lasts everything around it will eventually be forgotten. We live in a world where it seems everything is recorded and backed up but even with all these updates they will eventually be forgotten. 

The one hope we have is when we are in Christ, something not mentioned in this chapter, we have a hope that God remembers and that what we have done for him will endure. 

This is the tension in life, humility, because all will fail, and hope, because what is done in Christ will endure. 

Luke 13

 The sadness for those who should have known and should have accepted but did not. Jesus speaks of the people who are there seeing the things he does and yet choose not to accept him. I sense a sadness in Jesus' words. He didn't want the people to reject him. He didn't want the people of Jerusalem to face destruction but their rejection of Him left them to go down a path that would lead to their destruction. 

The danger isn't just for the people of that time but also for the societies of today which have had the good news of the gospel and yet chose to reject it. If you reject long enough disaster comes. 

This being said Jesus also made it clear that the kingdom of God would grow and spread (verses 18-21). 

Psalm 11

 Looking at verse three the psalmist's advisor seems to be asking what can you do when the foundations (moral and spiritual basis of society) have fallen? The advisor is saying again to David, get out of here while the getting is good. It's dangerous out there and you can't fix it.

This call of the advisor to run away, and keep yourself safe is probably meant in the best motive. It may be given to David by a friend who loves David. For me, it is the cry coming from in me. It's dangerous, keep safe, don't risk it. Most of the time, I don't have trouble saying, I'm going to trust God and keep going, but there are times it isn't easy. As I write this today, it is one of those days when running to the wilderness and fleeing sounds really, really appealing. It might have to do with my concerns or my lack of sleep, but it is there. 

I share this not to get sympathy (but if you want to buy me a week's vacation I'll take it), but to let others know they are not alone. Others struggle and question and I'm one of them who asks, is it time to quit. It isn't for me. I don't have the answer to the question what do we do when the foundations fall. I know this, God is faithful and he will lead us. We may not see revival, we may see chaos and death but God is greater than all of this. God will make it all right and because of that, I want to be faithful in what I have been given. Yes, I will take time off, I will do what I should to take a sabbath and rest, but I will not retreat from what God has called me to do. 

Come join me, let's keep moving forward in the mission God has given us. "Once more unto the breach...*"   

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*Henry V Act 3 Scene 1

Genesis 29

 Here I do want to look at the dysfunction in the relationship between Rachel and Leah. One might think if you only look at what is happening in this chapter that God isn't being fair. However, when we look further in the story it appears that the relationship between these two sisters is very adversarial. We could try and rationalize it but God knew that the situation wasn't right. God therefore chose to step in and it isn't until much later that we see He allows Rachel to have a child. What follows in the meantime is two sisters trying to one-up each other and Jacob never trying to make peace between them.  

Genesis 28

 What gets my attention here is Isaac's blessing on Jacob after being deceived by him. Most of us might be tempted to say something mean or to withhold any further blessing. Isaac takes it for granted as it were that Jacob is to be the blessed one and continues to bless him. This is a great example for us that there are times to move on and accept that things are not as we had planned. It is in these moments where we can demonstrate real character. Someone else got the promotion, your child was cut from the play to give someone else the role, and your plan for the church was voted down, in all of these we could become bitter but a mature person moves past it and becomes better. 

Isaiah 13

In this chapter, there is a prophecy that no Arab (NIV) will pitch his tent in what was the city of Babylon. One would think that this certainly couldn't hold for long, but sure enough, the city of Babylon has been considered by people of that region as a cursed land, and thus people will not live there, even millenniums later. God's word stands true. 

Job 8

Not happening in this chapter...

 

I mentioned when talking about this chapter before that everything Bildad says is true. I have to qualify that statement. Verses two and four wouldn't fall into the category of true but not for this situation. In verse two Bildad says basically that Job is full of "hot air." He is saying that Job's words are useless. Then in verse four, Bildad says to Job that his kids deserved to die. Ouch! Even if this was true, and we don't know about their lives, it is cruel to say this to a grieving parent. In the New Testament, Paul would admonish us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). These words are not that. 

Here are examples of what not to do in comforting the grieving.  

Luke 12

I was reading some of the work of Cyprian, a third-century bishop and martyr, "If he crowns the faith that has conquered, he must punish the treachery that has been conquered.*" We wish sometimes this wasn't the case and that God/Jesus would reward those who are good and overlook those who aren't but justice doesn't work that way. You can't truly be just if you only deal with one side of the equation. To be truly just God has to both reward and punish. The beauty of God is that he has given us a way to accept the work of Christ so that we don't have to face His eternal justice as Christ has already taken it. 

*Ancient Christian Commentary on  Scripture, edited by A.A. Just Jr., Intervarsity Press 2003

Psalm 10

 What is the wicked man like? This Psalm looks at that and is a prayer that God will deal with those who do evil and even those who do it when people don't see it. When he concludes this psalm he gives a reason he wants God to be seen making things right, it is so that men will stop doing what is wrong (verse 18).

Genesis 27

 

Two brothers and two lies are found in this chapter. In verse twenty, Jacob lies and says God has given him success in hunting and it was his mother who hatched this plan to deceive Issac and it had nothing to do with God's plan. Esau isn't going to receive praise either as he says that Jacob has deceived him twice when the truth is he despised his birthright and sold it and here it was Issac that was deceived not him. 

Both brothers are looking to say it wasn't their fault for what has taken place. Esau was right about there being deception the second time but was wrong that he was the one deceived. Esau was just lied outright about losing his birthright because of deception. Both brothers are seen here as being very human. Both actions are seen lived out today in the world around us. The good news is that Jesus can change us and keep us from following in either of these two brothers' shadows. 

Genesis 26

 For Abraham, the two big commands were to leave your father's country and to offer Issac to the Lord. We see here the big command for Issac was to stay in the land even when there was a famine. On this Issac obeyed and God blessed him. 

On the other hand, Issac fell into the same error as his father and lied about his wife to save his own skin. Here as with Abraham, both were chastised by pagan kings, though thankfully, Issac didn't have the disgrace of having his wife almost married to a king. 

It's amazing how often the sins of the fathers are repeated by the children. This doesn't have to be the case, but the effect of the lives of parents even without intention affects the children. Let's live our lives wisely so that we don't pass on to our children the sins of our fathers and mothers.   

Isaiah 12

 I mentioned in another entry that the song of praise written in this chapter could be sung now by believers and it could. However, there is coming a day when a song of praise will be sung all over the earth. It will be when Jesus returns and makes all things right. What a day that will be! 

We can draw water (that which brings life) from the wells of salvation. The interesting thing about a well is the water is there if you are willing to draw it. Today, what we really need for life is there for us if we are willing to accept it from Jesus. 

Job 7

This chapter reminds me of the words of Ecclesiastes that life is but a breath and soon gone. Job does ask why is God interested in man (verse 17). When all you see is the bad in life it is easy to understand the logic of Job. Job wonders why if he had sinned God had not forgiven him and since he didn't believe he did why God was targeting him for so much trouble. Seeing where Job is at and having felt, at times, deserted by God I can understand what he is feeling. Job isn't rebelling against God, but he seems discouraged and disillusioned. These feelings are very human and very understandable. How do we handle them? Focusing on God and listening to him. How do we help someone in this place? Clearly not the way his "comforters" did. 

Luke 11

 There is a lot in this chapter but what hit me today was the teacher of the law who said, "What you say insults us too" (verse 45). When I read that I wondered at the old saying, "If the shoe fits wear it." Perhaps the reason it insulted them is because it should have? This person might have not been as bad as some of the others but if what Jesus said felt like it was true then maybe it should insult or at least convict him. Jesus of course went on and pointed out some of the ways the experts in the law didn't help the people around them. 

Was this Jesus being mean? Some seem to think Jesus was letting them have it, but I don't believe it. Jesus was trying to point out their issues so they could do right. The problem was most of the religious experts thought they were right and didn't need help. However, Jesus was being harsh, I believe, because they wouldn't have heard the truth any other way. Fortunately, some did and changed, others, the majority didn't and looked for ways to discredit Jesus. 

Why discredit Jesus? If they discredited him they could dismiss his word and then they could return to feeling self-righteous. They could throw out the mirror Jesus held up to their souls. 

Psalms 9

 This psalm of David praises God for his deliverance from the enemies he has faced and looks forward to the time that God will deal with those enemies who remain. The final verse to me was not just a prayer
that David's enemies would remember that they are men/mortal but it was a reminder to me that I am just mortal. I have to trust in God who is more. Those who don't realize this can never receive help from God. So when I pray this verse I pray not for others to be humiliated but for them to realize they need God and hopefully, they will call out to him.  

Genesis 25

 Abraham took another wife. I was reading Charles Swindoll's book on Abraham and I appreciated his thought on this part of Abraham's life. First, he was able to find love again. Second was that this time when he sent these sons away he made sure to be generous with them. How much of his sending Hagar away with nothing was his doing and how much was the influence of Sarah who said that Ismael should get nothing of Issac's, we don't know. However, what we see here is that Abraham did right this time. Why did he send them away? My thought is because he knew that Issac's descendants would inherit the land they were in and by sending them away he could try to ensure that future generations of his descendants wouldn't be in conflict. Whatever the reason Abraham did better
this time. 

Genesis 24

Here again, we see the bigotry of the Bible? That is what some would like us to believe. It has been argued that the refusal to allow intermarriage was a matter of racism and though I am sure there was some of that in some people the real reason it was looked down on was religion and not race. When you read the Bible without a predetermined decision you will see marriage between races and different people groups happening all the time and with God's blessing or at least without his disapproval. When it comes to marriage to someone of a different religion God is very clear, don't do it (2 Corinthians 6:14, Ezra 9:2, Exodus 34:16). The Bible speaks that the peoples of the land had not gotten to the place where God would judge them but they were heading that way. Abraham didn't want Issac to be influenced by it. 

So why say the Bible is full of bigotry? My thought is that when you label something as bad, you justify ignoring all of it. Most people want permission to ignore what the Bible says because it will expose the truth about you and what you cling to. 

Isaiah 11

 "There'll be no sorrows there

No more burdens to bear
No more sickness and no more pain
No more parting over there
But forever I will be
With the one who died for me

What a day, glorious day that will be"

This song by Jim Hill flowed into my mind as I read this chapter. Jesus has started the work of changing and preparing his people. Showing mercy to the poor and weak and strengthening those who are downtrodden. However, there is coming a day when Jesus will finish the work. What a day that will be. Until then we have hope and something to work toward.  

Job 6

In the beginning of Job chapter six, Job asks if livestock complain when there is plenty of food? The answer is no. Job is saying that what he is complaining about isn't from a place of plenty and safety but a place of real pain. There are many times when a person's problems are deep and emotional and it feels that others don't appreciate it. Job's friends have seen the pain and sat with him for six days but now they are trying to give their answers from their knowledge of what Job needs to do. Job as I see it is saying, I've got real problems and you don't seem to get it. If this is Job's thought, I think he is wrong, they do see the real problem, their issue is they haven't asked God what to do but are trying to fix the problem they think is there. 

Luke 10

"Go and do likewise." These word of Jesus ends his teaching on the Good Samaritan. However, I have noticed that in today's world, many people are good about telling others they need to go and do likewise (help those in need) but don't do it themselves or do it for everyone to see which according to Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is equally as worthless (Matthew 6:1-4). When it comes to helping those in need what we see in this parable is helping those who cross our path and can help. It's not about being seen or looking for those in need but those who come across our path. Some will and it is up to us as Christians to help those with real needs and not to judge how others do it.  

Proverbs 2

Do you want to know what is good, right, fair, and just? The answer is given in the first part of Proverbs 2 and it is filling ourselves with God's wisdom and His law. Seems simple and in one sense it is, but unfortunately it is easy to allow ourselves to be filled with all the things that go on around us. It's easy to be filled with anger, filled with pride, lust, and everything else that fills this world. The problem is it won't give us insight into what is right and just, let alone what is good and right. But when we fill ourselves with the one who is good, just, fair, and right, then that is what will come out of us. 

Genesis 23

 I just finished Charles Swindoll's book about Abraham. I was reminded of something that changed how I look at this chapter. First was the reminder that Abraham was a wonder in this land. He was a great prince as it were but had no land to call his own. Second was the possible reason Abraham didn't want to bury Sara in someone else's tomb. The people of that time believed that if you were buried together you would spend the afterlife together. Abraham probably didn't want his family to be associated with the pagan life and practices of the people of the land, not even in death. To say it another way, Abraham didn't want anyone to think he wanted his wife in Vahalla but in heaven with his God. 

Genesis 22

 This passage of Scripture seems most contrary to the character of God. God tells Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. It also seems that God rewards Abraham for almost killing his child so what is this?

To understand this scripture one needs a little history in the Hebrew language. The word God uses when he tells Abraham to offer us Isaac is not a burnt offering but a raised offering. A raised offering was usually burnt so the essences of the sacrifice raised as it were to the heavens. However, most Hebrew rabbis believe that Abraham misunderstood God's command and interpreted it in light of the culture that was surrounding him. In a sense, Abraham had the right attitude but was doing the wrong thing. 

We see how this can be true by reading in Jeremiah 19:5 "They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind." God said it never entered my mind that you should kill your kids and that also applies to Abraham. One may ask why did God allow it to go on so long? I don't have the answer but what we know is God didn't allow the sacrifice and also by doing so tried to teach, according to the Rabbis, that human sacrifice was something God NEVER wanted. 

How does this apply to us today? Make sure we don't live out what we think is a command of God if it doesn't match the character of God. Sometimes this means there are things we don't understand at the time but if we ask God and keep studying his word he will lead us into the truth. 

Isaiah 10

 God has said before that he was using the Assyrians to punish the nations but the problem was that Assyria itself wasn't a Godly nation and thus because of its cruelty, God was going to judge them as well. This is another reminder that even if it seems that God is on your side if you aren't following Him and His principles then judgment will fall on you as well. One day, if not in this life then in the world to come God will, as it were, balance all the books, even the ones you try to hide. 

Photo by Piret Ilver on Unsplash

Job 5

 Eliphaz again is saying that Job deserves what is happening to him and thus has no one he can call on for relief or answers. In one sense, this is absolutely true. If God had ordained this as a punishment there isn't anyone whose position can argue against it. The problem of course is that though this is true as I have said before this isn't 100% true for Job. Job was innocent and God wasn't punishing Job. God was allowing Job to be tested. We will see later that God does come and answer Job, but not in the way Job expected and absolutely not the way Eliphaz expected. 

As we will see over and over, Job's friends thought they understood everything, but they didn't. Let's learn from this and not assume we have everything figured out on our own. 

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?