Exodus 31

 

In chapter 20 God begins his discussion with Moses about how Israel is to live by saying that they are to worship him alone and never make another god to worship alongside God. Now we get to the end of God's commands in this section and God ends with the command to Keep the Sabbath. God is so intent on this command that he repeats it 3 times in a very short section (5 verses). There are several reasons God gives Israel to keep the sabbath but the one here is so they will be holy. Why? Because they will be doing what God did.

So what do I see in this beginning and end? The first is not to add any other gods to their lives. They are to trust God alone. On keeping the sabbath they are first trying to look like God but also it is so they won't trust themselves as the source of their provision or make themselves gods. Taking a sabbath takes faith, faith that the work will get done, and that you don't have to keep busy. God begins and ends by telling Israel to look to and live like God.  

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The Hedgehog Church

 I know, "The What?" It sounds strange, but I think that there are business principles that can apply to the church. The principle that I'm looking at is the Hedgehog principle from Jim Collin's book Good to Great. The principle is that the great companies in his book focused on one thing (product or process) and strived to do it better than everyone else. What was observed is when you try to do too many things you don't do any of them great. Now before you dismiss me, I'm not saying that we should only have one program at church like great music, great youth services, or dazzling preaching (I do my best but I don't put the 20-30 hours a week into the messages and staff to help critique it), but I do think that sometimes we focus on what we can't do and then falter in what we do well or maybe even great.   

First, we need to take a look and see what we do well and encourage it. We have all heard or maybe even been the child who gets all A's and one C. What is talked about? The one C, even when that is the subject that we just don't "get." People often do not talk about the things excelled at. There are some things children, adults, business, and, yes, even church will never do well at. A tone-deaf person won't ever be able to sing professionally, except maybe in a comedy group. A small church in southern rural Texas will probably never be able to have an ice fishing ministry let alone a church orchestra. A church full of introverts won't have a great street ministry, just as a church full of extroverts won't have a thriving prayer closet ministry. Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians we are a body of different parts, let's accept that and focus on the parts we have. 

Second, we need to quit trying to do what we have failed or will fail at. Unless God does something wild, and let's admit sometimes he does, a small community of retired people isn't going to have a thriving youth ministry. Neither is a church surrounded by poverty going to have a million-dollar mission budget. Yet, I have seen pastors and church leaders try to get churches in those situations to do both. I have seen guilt trips laid on and people quit trying to do anything for God. They are asking the nose to be an eye and can't see the problem if we use the Apostle Paul's term. 

I hope this gets you thinking but I had to ask what does this have to do with me and the churches I'm at? I have had only the opportunity to talk with someone in leadership at Selma Christ (Sorry or Congrats, New Burlington you're being thought of but not commented on). What is it that we do better? I confess that I try to make the preaching the best I can but I'm not Charles Swindoll. We don't have the personnel to be the best musical church though I'm pleased with what we have. What does Selma Christ do that I/we need to recognize and continue to strengthen? I have to say it's hospitality (not the word I originally thought of but it's correct). The church is welcoming, and helping, any time there's an offering to meet a need they are generous, they give encouragement to the downtrodden, and they support their pastor (I'm not talking money here though they are generous there too but in so many ways I can't write about). Selma Christ is a church filled with people who have the gift of hospitality, and they use it.  

So, Selma Christ, I think you are the best church in the area when it comes to hospitality. Do you do other things? Yes, but even those come from a heart that is filled with compassion. Keep it up, and keep being what God made you because you may not be the eye of the body but I think if you're not the heart you're pretty close to it.  

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Isaiah 39

 One might ask why Hezekiah showed the envoys from Babylon everything he had. A wise king wouldn't show someone they thought might be tempted to attack everything, so why did Hezekiah do it? I am assuming that Hezekiah wasn't a fool so I have to say he probably did the same thing I just did, ASSUME. He assumed that these people from far away could never be a threat. He assumed that by showing them everything they would be impressed by him. I might be wrong in my assumption however Hezekiah was absolutely wrong in his. We should be very careful when we make assumptions and cover our decisions in prayer so we can give God permission to correct our assumptions. 

There is another reason I think Hezekiah did what he did and it was probably the beginning of his downfall and that was pride. Hezekiah showed them everything but we have no record that he gave God the praise for his health or wealth. When we allow pride to drive our decisions then it always leads us into trouble. 

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Being the White Knight

Being the White Right Knight

Every day I put on a necklace that contains a ring my youngest daughter gave me. When I put it on and when I take it off I pray for all of my kids and grandkids. Most of the time it is just a prayer that God would take care of them and bring them into the kingdom of God. other times they are more specific; I ask for healing, wisdom, protection, and wisdom for me to help them. The last one is very selfish when I think about it. God, I want to come in like the white knight and save the day, I want to be my children's hero. 

Some of that could be noble but I know not all of it is. I have to ask myself if I am willing to let God use someone else to help my kids, solve their problems, and be their hero. Yet, I want that, but what if I shouldn't be that person. What if trying to be the hero I would actually be like Hezekiah asking for something that would have horrible consequences. What if my desire would cause me to act on my wisdom rather than wait on God? I don't want to become the villain even if it was mostly innocent. What should I do?

Thinking about it has caused me to add a new prayer, which I hope to pray more often. "God, show me how to love my children like you would and help me be okay with just that." I want my kids to know God loves them and I do too. I want to be available if God wants to use me but I want them in the kingdom more than I want to be the hero. I think, I hope at least, I am even willing to be forgotten by them now so that we could meet together in that kingdom where we will never die.  

Thinking about it, maybe that should be my prayer for the world? Now that I think about it I think I have read a prayer like that before. John Wesley wrote it and now I am looking at it again in a new light.

I am no longer my own by yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

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Job 34

 

As Elihu sees it Job doesn't believe that following God has brought any profit. If profit means that life is always easy and there is never any suffering then no one in the Bible has ever seen any profit, except maybe Adam and Eve before the fall. Since the fall, following God has required surrender, work, and sacrifice. We see it in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament Jesus repeatedly says following will be hard bringing persecution and sacrifice. Where is the profit in this? The answer is first now in that our sins are forgiven and our lives can be made free. The final profit is found in eternity. However, if profit means doing your own thing and being a slave to sin then following God won't bring you what you want. If you want something of greater worth then following Jesus brings the greatest profit the world can know. 

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Acts 14

 

How to choose one?

"Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust" (verse 14). Paul and Barabas felt it was important to have leaders in each church. There are disagreements over how this might have been carried out but the one thing I want to notice is that it wasn't done without much prayer and fasting. These elders may have been chosen by the apostles or voted on but whichever way it was done it was done while consulting God and asking his direction. At the end of the day, it ultimately doesn't matter how they were appointed but that God did the choosing. 

Also in this chapter Paul and Barabas confess that persecution and suffering are part of the Christian life. We might wish otherwise and some of us were taught otherwise, but that isn't what Jesus or the Apostles taught or lived. I will admit I don't want persecution and I don't like suffering, but if that is what I must face I ask God to give me the strength. I want to choose God no matter what.  

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Psalm 31

 

It is great to have a place of refuge. The psalmist here and throughout the Psalms speaks of God being a refuge, a strong tower or fortress, and a place of strength. All these are true but there is a problem. A sanctuary is only useful if you are in it. We may say God is our refuge and strength, but if we aren't putting ourselves under his protection, then it doesn't matter how strong He is. I have read a number of fictional accounts and a few historical ones where there is a place of safety but the people don't go there because they are trusting their own or someone else's strength to win the day. Of course, they lose and what made it a sad story is there was a place of safety if only they would have used it. 

The great thing about God is that though he is a refuge and a place of safety, this doesn't mean that we are to hide away. God is a personal force field, to use a Science Fiction reference. We can go out and still be safe. As I have said before in God, we win even if we "lose." The key is to stay in God. Thankfully God gives us the strength to stay in Him. 

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