Thursday Devotional - Driveway Encouragement

A couple week’s ago my sister, Mary, in CT wrote “Jesus loves you!” on her driveway for hundreds of neighbors to see as they walked, biked or jogged by her house. It inspired my son, James, to do something similar on our driveway. He decided to reference his memory verse from Bible study, I Corinthians 15:20, and summarized it with “He has risen!” Then, Sarah decided to write what she could spell – “LOVE GOD.” (see the pictures of both) Since then, we’ve all done different messages after the rain washed them away, including Palm Sunday!

My sister was trying to be a witness and offer encouragement to others by writing the messages. God gave her encouragement in return, though, by having someone leave 2 boxes of chalk on her rock wall out front! She doesn’t know who they were from! It was like God said, “keep doing what you’re doing!”

At times like this, people are more open to hear the truths about:

God (Creator, Sustainer, and Judge of all)

Sin (separates us from God and results in destruction and death)

Jesus Christ (God’s Son, who paid for our sin and offers eternal life)

And the need to surrender our lives to Him because He’s in control anyway!

I Corinthians 15:20-26  ²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. ²⁴ Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Will you join me in praying about how else God wants to use us right now to encourage others and point them to Him?

Alice 

Yes and No

Are there contradictions in the Bible? Well, it was inspired by a Creator who put contradictions into His creation. We call them paradoxes, but in essence they are still contradictions. They exist all around us, and we are in the habit of creating and using them ourselves.

In Hebrews 9, the writer makes a case that blood was used under the law of Moses on everything, in order to sanctify it (make it holy). And he makes this statement:

And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:21-22 NASB

The assertion is that forgiveness comes through the shedding of blood, and the assertion is attributed to the law which God gave to Moses. So, it is God saying that forgiveness requires the shedding of blood. But there's a problem, or seems to be:

For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 10:1-4 NASB

Let's start with the first verse of chapter 10, because it, alone, holds several...conundrums. First off, the goal of the process of the law seems to be perfection of those who worship. I don't know that I would have drawn that conclusion from within the process, as one of the worshipers. It's true in the sense that holiness (purity) is necessary to approach our Holy Creator. But, as he points out, this ritual purity was not "durable".

So the problem is that the process didn't stop the worshiper from sinning, and, therefore, becoming profane again. And that necessitated the repetition of the process regularly, daily in one sense, annually in another. The lack of durability, and that as the stated goal of the process is probably our first paradox: The solution provided by our Savior through Moses didn't do the trick, but it alluded to the solution to come.

But, my question is, does "Jesus stop me from sinning? Am I 'perfect' now that Jesus is my Savior?" Paul doesn't seem to think so (Romans 7), and neither does John (1 John 1). But they both claim there is a "freedom" from sin (Romans 8, 1 John 2), said in different ways at different places within their writings.

Perhaps a reminder of the problem being fixed is in order: access to our Creator. Nothing "unholy" or "profane" can approach our Creator. We, in our natural state, are unholy profane creatures, and it's our own fault. The process of worship prescribed in the Law of Moses brought access through an intermediary (sort of, lots of "exceptions"). Jesus provides perfect access without dependence upon our holiness. Or, said another way, the holiness He provides is durable.

The writer of Hebrews has made a case for this durable holiness using the Law of Moses in contrast to the work of Jesus, on the cross and in heaven. And, within the argument He comes upon this paradox: There is no forgiveness without blood (Heb. 9:22), but the blood of bulls and goats is insufficient (Heb. 10:4).

Keep in mind that part of his argument relies on the various exceptions, David, Abraham, Jacob, even Moses. The following quotes from Psalms in the remainder of chapter 10 are allusions to the "Role Call of Faith" to come in the next chapter. These exceptions clue us in to the holiness enjoyed by us through Jesus. It's not our own holiness, it's His. His holiness is as durable as He is!

So, yes, we are forgiven through the shedding of blood, not our own, and not the blood of bulls or goats. We are forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus, shed by Him on our behalf. That forgiveness and sanctification is durable, having been done once and for all time, backwards and forwards from the point in time when it was shed. 

So, this paradox having been resolved, leaves the question, what will you do? Will you, by faith, rely on the durable holiness of our Creator? Or will you seek another route, perhaps to bypass the requirement of life-blood altogether? That is the nature of rebellion, attempting to bypass the design of our Creator. I don't recommend it. It creates its own set of deadly paradoxes (Matt. 6:25-34, 16:24-26, Mark 8:34-37, Luke 9:23-25, James 4:4).

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation

Boldness

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication

in the Spirit. . .for me, that utterance may be

given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly

to make known the mystery of the gospel,

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that

in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

     Ephesians 6:18-19 (NKJV)

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the

things which happened to me have actually

turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,

. . .and most of the brethren in the Lord, having

become more confident by my chains, are much

more bold to speak the word without fear.”

     Philippians 1:12, 14 (NKJV)

God really seems to be shaking things up! (Not that God created this pandemic, but He has allowed it and is using it for His purposes.) The world has shut down in many ways, our routines are disrupted and we now live in very restricted circumstances. Yet despite those restrictions, this crisis is a unique opportunity for believers. "Stay at home" does not mean we should just hunker down and wait it out. Instead, we should be bold to make the most of these unusual days. Paul asked for prayer to continue speaking the gospel boldly.  Paul also noted the importance of being a strong witness for Christ in difficult circumstances and said that by doing so, the brethren will be more bold to speak God’s truth without fear.  That applies to us today too.  

Boldness to speak.  Social distancing does not mean that conversations are cancelled or that relationships are on hold; instead, they have taken on new importance.  Paul says he "ought to" speak with boldness and so should we. With the blurring of lines in this limbo state we're in, I feel a new freedom to speak of God and my faith to people and in venues that did not seem open before.  I’m out of my comfort zone, yet I feel God’s strong presence with me. There are many different ways we can bring words of hope and encouragement to those within our sphere of influence. And that sphere may be enlarging during this window of crisis.  

Boldness to give. These are desperate times for many, and many in the world are stepping up to meet physical needs with kindness and generosity. As Christ followers, we should be helping to meet such needs as well, giving with compassionate and cheerful hearts. There are many ways we can give of our time, talent and treasure, to minister to others. But ultimately, people's greatest need is spiritual and in that respect, we have something to give that the world cannot offer: salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  

Boldness in prayer.  These days there seem to be more opportunities to pray for people and more people to pray for. My intercessory prayer list seems to grow longer each day, but it is a blessing to have additional fellowship with God during my prayer times. This crisis should motivate us to spend more time on our knees before the throne of God fervently praying for the lost, the needy, our leaders, etc., praying that the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts and lives. For our words and actions can only do so much; it is He who does the real work.

Pray for boldness; pray for opportunities.  Then step out as the Lord leads you, without fear, trusting in His guidance.

Thursday Devotional - Confidence in Uncertainty

How have the last few week’s been for you? Has your life flipped upside down?

I doubt any of us dreamed we would be living life like we are now. Life doesn’t always

go as expected, but God is still in control, and Sovereign over all!

Paul’s life didn’t go the way he thought, either. I’ve been studying Paul in the book of

Acts in Bible study (which has been moved totally online the last few weeks). All the

uncertainties Paul faced has really helped me put my challenges in perspective. My

challenges are very tiny compared to his challenges. Yet, he wasn’t frozen in fear.

In fact, at the end of Paul’s third missionary journey he was told by the Holy Spirit and

Prophets that hardships and prison awaited him in Jerusalem.

Acts 20:22-24           ²² “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. ²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Wow, Paul was focused on his task of testifying about the good news of God’s grace. He wasn’t shocked, disheartened, or discouraged by what he faced. He continued to boldly speak for God, confident in God’s plan for his life.

How confident are you and I in God’s plan for our lives? He’s in control. He has a plan. We don’t need to worry, but just do what He’s called us to do, take up our cross, trust Him and follow Him!  

Alice

Godly Accountable

If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox must be stoned, and its flesh may not be eaten. In such a case, however, the owner will not be held liable.  But suppose the ox had a reputation for goring, and the owner had been informed but failed to keep it under control. If the ox then kills someone, it must be stoned, and the owner must also be put to death.  Exodus 21:28-29

I was watching a movie about being a father in tough circumstances.  The father had been involved with gangs most of his life, and rehabilitated himself with the help of an older mentor.  In the final scene, there is a confrontation between the father and the gang leader over who ultimately would determine the boy’s future.  As the gang leader threatens to kill the father, the father tries to teach his son, who was in the middle, a lesson by offering his own life to help him see the wrongfulness of gang life.  The father says:

Jimmie... son... if you hit a man in his face, in time, his wounds will heal. And later on, you can apologize to that man. If you steal his goods, later on, you can return those goods, or you can repay him equal value. But if you kill... there is no later on. There's no way to repair it with that man. There's no way to make it right with him or his family. His life is gone forever. You never come back from that.

I was never a member of a gang or desired to be part of one.  But the story hit me hard because I was a young father of two children, and it helped me realize how much they needed me. In a place where single moms had often carried the load far too often, I had an opportunity to be the father to them many other children did not have.  I had to be accountable.  To them.  To their mother who became my wife.  And ultimately, to God.

Accountability to God extends beyond us.  After the Ten Commandments, Moses was provided additional instructions to give to God’s people.  They focused on the treatment and injustices of others.  In today’s verses, it covered situations where an ox kills another.  There was forgiveness for the initial accident, but if that happened again, it now became an issue where the owner of the ox was negligent because there was a history.  As such, the owner would be held accountable.  There are numerous situations where we are held accountable for our actions.  What is noteworthy here is the expectation that we are also to be accountable for those who we are responsible for.  Whether it be an ox who gores, a dog who bites, or a child who damages, God holds us to a higher level of accountability than we might ourselves hold to.  As such, accountability requires us to both prepare ourselves to do right and teach righteousness to those we are responsible for.

We are to be generous to others for God is a giving God.  He gave His only Son to die on the cross for our sins, and has given so much that we may at times take it for granted.  He is a provider and lover of us as His children.  For His provisions, we are not only grateful but also accountable to uphold His word including His laws and teachings.  Jesus in His famous Sermon on the Mount said:

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.  If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.  Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.”  Matthew 5:38-42

Accountability to God is sacrificing even when we think we shouldn’t.  So when necessary, let us all be willing to go one step above serving others to profess the love we have for Him.  How accountable are you to God?  Who have you possibly wronged that today you can go above and beyond to make right?  My prayer is that we look to God and in all we do find ourselves 100% accountable.  Amen.

A Bible Pun

The book of Hebrews in the Christian Scriptures is probably more challenging and controversial than even Revelation, or it was when it was first written. There are a lot of "only in Hebrews" sorts of assertions and arguments. For instance, Jesus is called our High Priest only in Hebrews. Yet, we think of the three roles of Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King. King makes sense as He is the descendant of David. Prophet was what everyone figured He was, and He spoke for the Father, so he was the Prophet. But priests were descendant from Aaron, they were from the tribe of Levi, not Judah. So, that role is only defined in Hebrews. And that is only one of many elements we know of Jesus only found in Hebrews.

One of the unique perspectives in Hebrews can be found in chapter 9. In English, it's very strange, and probably causes more questions than it answers. It's found in the three verses below:

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. (Hebrews 9:15-17 ESV)

You may have missed the author's switch between "covenant" and "will" (as in "last will and testament"). Read that again. Now, who died? The obvious answer is Jesus. But look at the first sentence, especially the final phrase. Now, in the first covenant, who died? Do you sort of feel peculiar, even asking the question? That's not my point, to make you feel peculiar. It may help to notice in your own version that most of the time, this change from "covenant" to "will" has a footnote, where the translators explain something. Those are good things to read.

In this instance, the Greek word behind "covenant" in verse 15, and "will" in verses 16 and 17 are the same. The writer has used some "elasticity" in the meaning of the Greek word to highlight something, or rather Someone. All along through this book, the writer has been building an argument brick by brick. It's all led to this point. Jesus is superior to everything, angels, Moses, the law, the priesthood, and because of all that, He has a superior ministry. Everything done under the law of Moses was a shadow of the real ministry in heaven, the tabernacle, the furniture, the process, all to get to the Throne of our Creator.

But now, Jesus has done something huge. In fact it is so massive, it boggles the imagination. He has offered the perfect sacrifice, so perfect that no more sacrifices need be made, and in fact, it is effective for all time, present, future and past. The thing is, He's not "Levitical". There were exceptions to the Levites conducting the sacrifices, Samuel did it, and David. David even had some of his sons function as priests, although it's not necessarily clear in what way. But the law that God gave to Moses said that only Levites were to offer the sin offering. Only the High Priest, a descendant of Aaron, was to go into the Holy of Holies once a year to sprinkle blood on the ark of the covenant, atoning for the sins of all Israel for the year. But Jesus does this amazing thing, this new covenant mentioned by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 31.

At this point in his argument, the writer of Hebrews takes the Greek word used throughout the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures to refer to a covenant, and suddenly uses it like most of the common Greek-speaking world used it, to refer to a will. That was unexpected. But he does it to pull his audience into his main point. Referring to the New Covenant as a "will" highlights the amazing role that Jesus has within this New Covenant. In this will, Jesus dies to bring it into effect (verses 16 and 17), but then rises from the dead to be the executor as well (verse 15). The boomerang effect in the brains of his audience caused by using the "flexibility" in the word they were already used to hearing used both ways jolts them into the startling realization that Jesus' ministry of intercession was truly unique. And nothing can replace Jesus' role, not even adhering to the sacrifices of the temple and tabernacle. That doesn't rattle us today, but it was absolutely shocking when written.

Where Paul envisions a court room, lopsided in our favor (Romans 8), the writer of Hebrews envisions the temple/throne room of heaven with Jesus interceding on our behalf, but from the right-hand of the Father. Both roles of Jesus are intercession, one as our Defense Attorney, the other as our High Priest. Both are made possible because Jesus paid the price of our sin Himself. Both place our ability to approach our Creator entirely in our Savior. But one is an educational appropriation of common life, and the other is the reality underlying the mere shadows of this world. Yet both display the compassion and mercy of our Creator for His wayward creatures. Such compassion from a deity is shocking in the ancient world. And in our day, such mercy is still unexpected, and hopefully redemptive. What holds us back from experiencing it today? What holds us back from sharing it?

Necessary Food

Jesus said, “It is written, ‘man shall not live

by bread alone, but by every word that

proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

    Matthew 4:4 (NKJV)

“I have not departed from the commandment

of His lips; I have treasured the words of

His mouth more than my necessary food.”

    Job 23:12 (NKJV)

I have been challenged lately not to become anxious when I see people at the store with their carts heaping full and some of the shelves bare, and to resist the temptation to buy more than I need for myself. We are living in challenging times to be sure. But I dare say none of us lived through the Great Depression or during wartime rationing and shortages.  Instead, we’re used to having plenty and many of our “needs” are actually luxuries according to some standards.  I hope and pray that God will fill us with gratitude for what we have, rather than concern over what we don’t have, and help us to trust in our gracious Lord to provide for all our true needs.

Also, our priorities may need to be re-ordered.  For as Jesus notes, we do not live by bread alone, but by God’s word.  Food sustains our bodies but we need to hear from God in order to be fed spiritually. Yet how many of us can say, as Job did, that we treasure God’s word more than our necessary food?  My hope and prayer is that we will use a portion of our extra time at home to grow spiritually by feeding on Scripture, studying and meditating on it.  There is help and hope, encouragement and comfort, in God’s word; be sure to feast on some today and every day.

It is good to remember that we have all we need in Christ, for He is the bread of life (John 6:48). Why not share this truth with someone who is anxious and fearful today?

Thursday Devotional - A Different Sunday, Part II

Well, our “different Sunday” may be our new normal for a while. We did get to watch the live-stream of our worship and sermon again. We also got to watch the live-stream of one of my sister’s services, where she was playing most of the music.

We did several additional prayer/Scripture/song times spread out throughout the day, similar to last Sunday (although, not as many ☹).

We started with praising God for who He is, then a thanksgiving session for all His provisions and blessings, and then prayers for how we could help others during this difficult time. It was encouraging to hear all the attributes of God that James and Sarah thought of for which to praise God, all the blessings they appreciated and their own creative ideas on helping others.

1. Praise God

Holy Holy Holy

Acts 4:23-31

2. Thanksgiving

At the Cross

Acts 12:21-24

3. How we can help others

God Will Take Care of You

Acts 22:30-23:22

Acts 4:23-24, 29-30     ²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them… ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

We can pray for safety and health during this time, but notice what Peter and John prayed during their time of crisis. They first praised God for who He is and then asked for boldness to continue spreading His message. We can do the same! The biggest need of people right now is to know their Creator, whether they end up seeing Him soon or not for many more years.  

Alice

You Don't Want None Of This!

You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.  You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.  But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.  Exodus 20:4-6

How often have you heard the danger signs that told you not to do something?  Growing up, I loved and respected both of my parents.  With my mom, she was tough minded.  You never wanted to get on her bad side.  I spent a good portion of a summer in my teen years being reminded of that.  Despite all that, nothing compared to the fear I had of my Dad.  No, he neither abused me nor hurt me.  He loved me with all his heart, and I have nothing but fond memories of him.  But there were a couple of memories that reminded me this was no man to mess with.  Think of a prize fight, and as one fighter tries to hype themselves up, they say to their opponent, “You don’t want none of this!”  I felt like that opponent facing my Dad, but I REALLY didn’t want any of that!  Watching my oldest brother being dealt with once, that was more than enough for me.  Eventually, I did get some of that.  Thankfully, it was only that once!

While we know God is loving, we must always remember that He is the leader of our lives, and we face peril should we put other things ahead of Him.  As God was giving the Ten Commandments to Moses and His people, our focus today is on the 2^nd commandment.  While the tendency is to view idols as something physical, most of us are spiritually mature enough to understand that idols are not always something you can touch.  Very early in my walk of faith, I went to a church new member’s class the day of a big football game.  Of course, I was torn because I’ve been a football fan all my life, but I knew going to the class was the right choice.  It was a testament of my decision to follow Christ.  That was easy to give up as an idol, but what about that idol that you sometimes never see coming?  For me, it’s the man in the mirror.  At times, my own needs and wants will supersede God’s, and I will put them before God.  To fight this tendency, I try to remember to be humble.  My focus is on God being an abundant giver which I do not deserve His provisions.  It’s the main reason Paul talked about humility in such a glowing way saying:

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV)

In viewing the words of Paul, we can feel the gravity of our own actions for as written in this commandment, the gravity of our placing things before God goes beyond just us.  It goes to our next generations.  This is not to condemn us for through Jesus Christ, we are indeed redeemed.  But it is a direct reminder of how our placing God first in our lives can have exponential rewards or devastating consequences.  If you question God’s seriousness, note that God later said to Moses, “Remember, you must not make any idols of silver or gold to rival me.” (Exodus 20:23) #settingthestage

While God’s love is unconditional, it does not mean our following Him is without expectations.  Jesus was perfect not because He took on our sins.  It was because He did what our Heavenly Father would ask of Him without fail or hesitation.  Thus, today’s verses are about following through on what God would ask of us.  Let us take up our crosses, and live for God as if our next generation depended on it.  Because it does.  How can we appreciate the gifts God has given us?  What idols may be blocking you from a closer relationship with God?  My prayer is that we follow Him less God have to tell us, “You don’t want none of this.”  Amen.

Ministering Gifts

“As each one has received a gift,

minister it to one another, as

good stewards of the manifold

grace of God.”

    1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV)

I love the older hymns and the stories behind them.  Recently, at church we sang a hymn that I was not familiar with called  Jesus, I am Resting, Resting.  I thought I’d pass on to you what I learned about the hymn because it illustrates how God entwines our lives to bring us comfort and encouragement.    

Jean Piggott composed this hymn in 1876 and a few years later, her brother Thomas Piggott went to China as a missionary.  In a letter while there, Thomas wrote: “I am, I can truly say, more grateful every day for the opportunity of serving Christ, and I believe this to be the only true and sober view of life’s realities. The work pressed home now, will make all the difference a few years hence.” In 1901, Thomas was executed at the age of 53, along with a number of other Christian missionaries, in the Boxer Rebellion. J. Hudson Taylor was greatly saddened at the loss of his friend and fellow missionaries and apparently, “Jesus, I am Resting, Resting” was a great comfort to him during this time.

It’s wonderful how God used the writing of this song by one Christian to minister to missionaries and other Christians over the years.  Because Jean Piggott was faithful to use her God-given talent of composing, others were comforted and encouraged in difficult circumstances, and God was glorified. We have each been given different gifts and God expects us to use them to minister to others.  Even if what we do seems small and unimportant, the important thing is to stay faithful and we may later find out that it had an impact on someone else.