Rule of Three

2 When the days of your siege come to an end, burn a third of the hair inside the city. Take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city. And scatter a third to the wind. For I will pursue them with drawn sword.  Ezekiel 5

A little later on is the explanation behind these actions.  A third of Jerusalem will perish due to plague and famine, a third will die by the sword, and the final third will be scattered.

I still remember my pastor from 20 years ago saying, "When God says something twice, he wants you to pay attention.  When he says it three times, you REALLY need to pay attention."  That's what's happening here.  The punishment is coming in a set of three, to show the city of Jerusalem that they REALLY messed up.

Is this rule-of-three really used any more?  I think that it is.  One weekend this past winter, my husband and I were going to take the family out to visit his parents.  The day before we were to leave, our toddler gets a cold.  He was in a good mood, but if you haven't been around a toddler with a cold, let me sum it up for you: SNOT EVERYWHERE!  We were still planning on making the trip, but packing lots of tissues.  When my husband got home from work, he said he was having some problems with his car so we'd need to take my car out.  I was due for an oil change, so I wasn't thrilled about putting 200 more miles on my car, but I agreed.  Then, we checked the weather.  A huge blizzard was due to hit right at the time we were planning on leaving.

Ok... I think I'm starting to get the message here.  My husband thought I was being superstitious about it, but I really did (and still do) believe that God was trying to send us a message.  We stayed home that weekend and his parents came to visit two weeks later.  Did we avoid a crisis by not traveling out to Cleveland?  I don't know.  Looking back though, I can see that I needed to see his parents just at that specific time, two weeks after we had originally intended.

I was dealing with post-partum depression.  I didn't have any problems with depression after our first child, but this second one was rough on me.  The worst of it hit shortly after we canceled the trip to Cleveland, which is when I finally shared with my husband the struggles I was going through.  It was a huge blessing that we had already rescheduled to have his parents come visit us because I was able to have some good time talking with my mother-in-law about what was going on with me.  She's a pastor, so we were able to discuss this on many levels (mothers, family, pastoral) and she really helped me through that struggle.

When you think God is speaking to you, listen!  It may not be that he's trying to make you avoid a certain peril that you don't know about, but he may be putting the pieces in place so that things will be in a better position to help you when you need it.  When you start to listen, he may send other things your way to make sure you're paying attention.

Thurs Devo: Response to Opposition

Being involved in church work can be messy. I can think of two different instances when I felt attacked by someone at church after doing what I thought was the right thing. One time was when I represented the pastor search committee and announced to the congregation that we were rescinding our nomination of a potential pastor. One person in our congregation immediately stood up and made some angry and critical remarks in front of the whole church because he had liked the guy. I tried to be diplomatic without giving all the details (since we discovered some apparent character flaws while checking references). Of course, inside, I wanted to defend myself and the rest of the committee and share all the dirty details.  

This was a very tiny attack compared to what Moses and Aaron experienced in our reading last week. Plus, this wasn’t the only time Moses had been opposed for doing what God had commanded him to do. Pharaoh, the Israelite elders, his own siblings, and the Israelite people (many times) had all opposed him. In fact, the time before this, the whole assembly talked about stoning Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:10)!

So, how does Moses respond?

Numbers 16:4-7          ⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. ⁵ Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him. ⁶ You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers ⁷ and tomorrow put burning coals and incense in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!”           

Moses responds with humility. He doesn’t lash back with a list of all their failures. He doesn’t defend himself or try to explain his position. In fact, he puts the responsibility on God, where it belongs. God called him to this job and upheld him time and time again in the past. So, Moses could confidently trust that He would do the same again.

How do you and I respond when we are attacked?

Do we attack back? Do we make excuses?

Do we try and explain our position? Do we give up or run away?

Or, do we humbly go to God first before responding to ask Him exactly how He wants us to respond?

If we are doing what God has asked us to do, then we can leave it to God to defend our actions and position.

Alice

From Beginning to End

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”  Revelation 1:8

(This is Pt 6 of 8 – Turning the Tide – Representing God to a World that Misrepresents Him)

One can never truly understand the worth of the end of a journey unless they know where the journey truly began.  For example, my youngest daughter has a positive magnetic personality with her classmates, and is a bundle of joy in my life.  But in the beginning, I was unsure if she would ever fit in with children her age because of a learning disability.  There were days she was in tears trying to understand how to say a word, and my wife and I would be frustrated trying to teach her things.  I tear up just thinking about those days because today she speaks as well as I do.  Understanding where she started gives me a much greater appreciation for where she is now.

Many in the world question when the world truly began and whether God created it.  In my life, I was once one of them.  However through experiences and circumstances, I know with certainty God is real, and furthermore, I know He has been there watching over me even before I was born.  While many around us question whether He exists, it is the fact they ask the question that should remind them of His very existence because it is deep inside their very fabric (i.e. The Holy Spirit).  How do we awaken the Holy Spirit within others to realize this very fact?

God has always been there, and it is that which we begin to chip away at the belief that He does not exist.  Revelation 1:8 is the very statement of God’s power.  He was here before we were thought of, and will be here to rule again someday.  We say this in our head trying to make sense of it, but yet, that is not what makes it real.  We do not know of God’s existence because of imagery or actual recollection of Him.  However, there were always things that happened in our lives that remind us someone was always there with us.  It is like that sense when we are about to do something wrong that says within us, “Don’t do that!”  It is those unexplainable things that have happened in our lives that when we put God in the equation suddenly makes sense.  The truth is that everyone has those moments.  Everyone has the Holy Spirit already within them, and if someone (insert you) is willing to simply say, “Yes, there is an answer to what is going on in your life,” one by one the world when know the truth; God has been there all along.

There is such comfort in knowing that we serve a God who is always there for us.  While none of us knows what our future holds, we boldly move forward knowing that whatever happens, God will take care of us.  In a world that questions His existence, we know better, and if we are willing to share that with them, they too will believe as well.  How can you help remind others of God’s existence?  What experiences assure you of God’s sovereignty today and beyond?  My prayer is that we remind others of their life’s journey to know that God has been there all along . . . from beginning to end.  Amen.

Tues Devo: The little(r) things

Titus 2:6-8 “Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” (NASB)

Hello,

There is no doubt – we all mess up. Emotions run high, stress pressures us, disappointment slows us down. But we are asked to maintain our life and example of what Christ has taught us through all of it. The little things feel small, the littler things seem inconsequential. But there are no timeouts in this life. Things keep moving –the enemy keeps looking for an opening. Don’t give him that chance. While it is difficult, the long run is worth it. While it is tiring, Christ’s death compels us to keep going.

Perfection? Unlikely! But as we keep walking with our Jesus and learning to rely on Him, and paying attention to even the little things, we will see growth and improvement in these areas.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Run with Perseverance

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Ten years ago tomorrow, I said good-bye to my Grandfather!  When someone dies, it seems everyone tries to comfort those that grieve by saying they are in a better place.  I am thankful that I do believe my Grandfather is in a better place, however I question when people say this because not everyone that dies has heaven to look forward to. 

This world is not an easy place to live and profess your faith without being tested, growing weary and losing heart.  At the same time, everything that we face, Christ had it much worse!  He endured the cross, for you and for me.  He was tempted, mocked, and pushed to the limit. Yet he is the perfecter of faith!

My hope today is that when the race is over for each of us, that the world will be able to honestly say that we are in a better place.  Fix your eyes on Jesus and do not grow weary or lose heart!

Belief Until...

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1

Taking a slight detour out of Ezekiel this week.

I was struggling with what to write from Ezekiel.  I was doing my normal poking about online when I came across a friend's Facebook post.

Apparently there are Christians that believe that if scientists find conclusive proof of life on other planets, then that somehow disproves God's existence. Ummm...why is it impossible to believe that God created us and aliens?

Well, this led to a lengthy discussion between them and their friends about God creating the universe and the possibility of aliens.  Here's my take on it:

I don't care.

There's something really important in the post though, that people didn't key in on.  It's the unwritten, "but" or "until" that isn't there that's the biggest flaw in the beliefs of the Christians the post is about.

I'll believe in God until he is disproven.

Wait a minute.  Read that again.  Read it over and over again until you realize what it's saying.  If you're saying that you'll believe until something else happens, did you ever really believe in the first place?  

There is nothing that can happen that would alter my belief.  No huge discovery from science or another religion or politics or anything can change that.  I believe.  Period.  End of sentence.

God created the heavens and the earth.  Nothing will change my belief in that.

He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  Nothing will change my belief in that either.

Thurs Devo: Opposition Continues

Not only did Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses, as we saw the last few weeks, but later a fellow Levite led a large opposition.

Numbers 16:1-3 Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent ² and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. ³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”

Had Moses chosen to be their leader? Had he set himself up above them? No. In fact, when God chose Moses for this task, Moses refused (Exodus 4:13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”). God didn’t take no for an answer, but He did give Aaron as Moses’ assistant (see Exodus 4:14-16). So, Moses and Aaron had neither chosen nor earned this huge responsibility.  

Besides, was the whole community really holy? Not at all. Throughout Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers they sinned over and over again. God was with them, but it wasn’t because of their own holiness or the holiness of Moses and Aaron. It was because God made a covenant with their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and He would keep His promise. 

From Numbers 16:8-14 it appears Korah and his followers were discontent with their own privileged position and wanted to take over Moses and Aaron’s positions to get what they wanted.

You and I may not have led a rebellion against authority, but I’m guessing we have all criticized or complained against authority. The next time you and I want to complain about someone else in authority, let’s ask ourselves why we want to complain? Is it because we want their position and think we could do a better job? Or are we upset because we aren’t getting what we want when we want it? Or, is it a legitimate concern over injustice?  

In the future, we’ll see some interesting ways Moses and God respond to this opposition! Stay tuned…

Alice

Humble and Gentle

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.  James 4:7-10

(This is Pt 5 of 8 – Turning the Tide – Representing God to a World that Misrepresents Him)

In the United States, we talk about certain unalienable rights.  Of which, there are none more fundamental than life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  I like how it says ‘pursuit of happiness’ because that does not guarantee that one should be happy.  Now most people would say that I am a fairly happy guy.  However as I wrote this devotion, I found myself asking if I am too happy.  Perhaps, all I have and been given is not really deserved.  It was given by the grace of God.  In spite of the things I have done wrong and how I did not get it right before God, He has yet chosen to give me so much in this life.  Because of such, I am both saddened and humbled.  Maybe that is the difference between happiness and humility.  Happiness is the feeling you have when something good is going on.  Humility is the feeling of goodness you have when God is with you even when bad things are going on in your life.  In a world that in many cases feels entitled to have ‘Happiness,’ what can we do to find humility even when things like suffering, depression, and even isolation come.

As Christians, we find humility through God’s love and grace.  I love today’s verses because it not only draws on what humility looks like but also notes a clear line of the battle for our soul; it’s God and the world. The verses speak of sorrow, grief,  sadness, and gloom.  The world is full of not only good but also sorrow, grief, and other problematic things.  Furthermore, we know that there are numerous trials and tests where there is no happiness or joy to be found.  In spite of all that, we have been given so much.  We may have worked or earned much of it, but if we look to the standard of Jesus Christ, we do not deserve any of it.  In our understanding of this (humility), God gains the glory, and elevates us above all of our past transgressions and failures!  Thus, all that we have becomes all we were given by God.

We find joy in our lives through Jesus Christ for even when we deserve death for our sins, He interceded for us to give us eternal life.  We should feel incredibly humbled for this most gracious gift.  So in our sadness and remorse, we find the love God has for us.  In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Where can you humble yourselves before God?  How you can more appreciative of the gifts that God has given you?  My prayer is that we learn from Jesus’ teachings, and be both humble and gentle at heart for all He has given us. Amen.

Tues Devo: Um...

Romans 8:26 “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning’s too deep for words.” (NASB)

Hello,

Been there? You think to yourself “I have tried everything in the book” – you feel stuck and just can’t get it. You get so frustrated that you don’t even know how to string words together properly. Suddenly you start thinking about two things: Have been trying things from the wrong book? Maybe “I” am trying too much – and not putting it in God’s hands.

But how do you start? You start with the verse above. You don’t have to have the words figured out – go to Him with a truly open heart, talk – but listen – and then respond. He is strong enough. He is resourceful enough. He is smart enough. Trust Him, let Him.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

The Sweetness

3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.  Ezekiel 3

This is not the only instance in the bible of scroll-eating.  If you look in the previous chapter, the words are described as bitter.  God is telling Ezekiel of Jerusalem's impending destruction.  This isn't really joyful news, nor is it sweet to hear of.

Yet, the scroll tasted sweet, just as the scrolls do in the other instances.  (I apparently need to take up scroll-eating to satisfy my sweet tooth)  Why are these scrolls so sweet and tasty?  They contain the word of God, and no matter what the message is, the word of God is the sweetest thing for us to hear.

I often hear people criticize the bible because of its destructive stories.  How can people people follow a God that punishes and hurts their followers so frequently and severely?  Look at Exodus, which I just finished going through.  That's not an entirely happy story!  The Israelites rebelled against God and were punished by walking in the desert for forty years, until an entire generation had died!

Yet, the word of God is described as sweet.  Not some of it, but all of it.  Everything that comes directly from God is good to hear.  We may not like to hear it at the time, but given some time, we can also see the sweetness in his words.  I can think of plenty instances in my life where I couldn't make sense of the way things were going and I would ask God, "Why?  This doesn't make sense!"  

If you came back to me days, months, and sometimes years after, then I could see the part of the larger purpose that played.  I could see that God was with me during all those tumultuous times.  I could hear the soft voice, the sweetness, telling me to trust him and he would get me trough, because he had a purpose for me.

Sweet!