Studying

Ezekiel is a tough one for me!

I've been in Ezekiel 23 this week.  Yet another really tough chapter to digest.  It sounded horrible when I first read it, and I had a tough time with it.  I listen to it on audio book on the way to work throughout the week, so it was again particularly difficult to read (go read it yourself and you'll see that certain verses stand out as being rather explicit).

It's about two sisters and their depravity.  I kept listening to it, and finally I found the bit I was looking for.  

4 The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

It's a parable!  While that made it slightly easier to read, it was still pretty difficult.  Take this verse for example: 

48 “So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.

Had I posted only verse 48 without verse 4, people would read it and think that God warning women, when really, he is warning Samaria, Jerusalem, and the surrounding cities.  This is the importance of context.  One verse may not be enough to understand what is going on, and you need to delve deeper.  God didn't make it easy to figure out, he wants us to search for him, to maintain that relationship.  We are encouraged to constantly study the Bible.  When I was in school, my studying consisted of reading the chapter and highlighting a few important formulas or words.  That's not really studying.  Studying is to go beyond the text.  To look at other things related to it.  To test applications of the theories.  To practice.

We're starting up a new Bible study series at our church and I'm very excited about it.  We all need to find what works best for each of us to study God's word.  There's so much depth there and I'm always finding new things to take and put into practice.

Thurs Devo: Venomous Snakes

After mourning Aaron’s death and a victorious deliverance from the Canaanites in Arad (Numbers 21:1-3), the Israelites continued their travels. However, they still haven't learned their lesson about complaining.

Numbers 21:4-7  ⁴ They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; ⁵ they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

⁶ Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. ⁷ The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The Israelites seem to always be focusing on the negative and not the positive. They didn’t have bread but they did have manna. They were traveling in the wilderness desert that didn’t have much water, but God always provided water for them in miraculous ways. And, I’m guessing God had been protecting them from all the wild desert animals, up until this point! 

Like the Israelites, we don’t see all the ways God provides for us and protects us. Plus, we tend to focus on what we think we lack. We even get upset with God and/or others when things don’t go our way. However, when tragedy strikes, we often do go to God, because we know He’s the only one that can do the impossible.

The Israelites did acknowledge their sin and did turn to God. You and I can do the same. And the next time you and I want to complain about a hardship or get upset with God over it, let’s stop and count 5 other blessings God has provided. As hard as our situation might be, it could always be worse (like venomous snakes)!

Alice

Tues Devo: Finding Forgiveness, Part 2

Colossians 3:12-15 “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (NASB)

Hello,

(Yes, part 2….from 2 weeks ago!)

Last time on this topic, I mentioned the ingredients it takes to execute forgiveness (compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness & patience). The area I wanted to focus on for today is our need to not discriminate. We are called to forgive each other – “whoever has a complaint against anyone”. If we want to find it in ourselves to forgive, we cannot pre-select who we are willing to forgive – we just need to be ready to execute the forgiveness. Why? Because that is the model set by Jesus – who forgave us. We were not discriminately selected, but rather His forgiveness is open to all who seek it. So ought our forgiveness be that easy to access.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

You are loved & valued!

Do you have a go to Bible verse in times when you are just down?  I know that I do! 

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This is always my reminder that the Lord made me in his image, He wants me to follow Him, live for Him and serve Him.  Even at times that I may be down or feel like I can’t do right by others, God has a purpose for me.  He has big plans for me and values me.  He has since I was in my mother’s womb. 

The same is true for you.  He knew you before you were formed and has counted the hairs on your head.  He knows you, loves you and has a plan and purpose for you.  If you are feeling down, know that you are loved and valued!

What's Dross?

18 “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.  Ezekiel 22

I read a lot.  I typically average around fifty books a year.  These are a variety of "modern fluff" as I like to call them, and historical literature.  The historical lit, while dense, is something that I'll read in conjunction with an online synopsis.  There's many times where I don't get the "jokes" or cultural references because those have been lost over time.  Other times, I don't get modern day phrases until I read the historical lit and have my sudden "Ah-ha!" moment.  My most recent one was reading the phrase, "Thar she blows!" in Moby Dick.  

In this chapter of Ezekiel, a new word popped up that I hadn't seen before, "Dross."  Well, I had to go look it up to find out some more meaning behind it.  Metalworkers would work on their various mediums, and there would be some waste product.  That waste was dross.  However, not all dross was complete waste, and some could be used to forge something new.  The useless waste was thrown away, but dross that could be used again was thrown back into the furnace.

While the verses initially gave me yet another feeling of dread, after understanding the concept of dross, it wasn't so bad.  I actually take this as a metaphor for the fall in the Garden of Eden.  

Adam and Eve were good, they were the silver.  Then, they ate of the forbidden fruit and were cast out, becoming dross.  Why do we want God to be angry with us and melt us?  

I've spoken before how God is our Father, our parent.  Those of you that are parents will know that you can get angry with your children.  It happens, and it's ok!  When you're angry, you know your child could do better.  You're not hateful or spiteful.  It's the same with God.  He may be angry, but he's not hateful.  When he puts the people of Israel (the dross) into the furnace to melt them again - which means he's trying to make something new with them!  He's not doing this to destroy them, he's doing it to rebuild them.  

Even though the book of Ezekiel sounds like God is giving up on his people and wants nothing to do with them because of the horrible acts they have committed, he doesn't give up on them.  The story doesn't end there.  The story continues, years after that book is over, to show that God has mercy and love for us, even when we greatly mess up.  He sent his son to die for us, he hasn't given up on us.

Thurs Devo: Death Planned

Most of us will not know ahead of time the exact time and place of our death, but Aaron did.

Numbers 20:22-29       ²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. ²³ At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵ Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. ²⁶ Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.

God blessed Aaron by telling him ahead of time when and where he would die. God also told Aaron how to prepare and who would take his place as high priest. Moses and Eleazer weren’t left to try to figure it out on their own.

A relative of a friend of mine died in a bicycle accident last year. As sad as it was, the whole family saw God’s hand preparing them ahead of time. The guy who died had recently told his wife that he thought something might happen soon, so he made sure she knew what all their passwords and accounts were, etc. That was just one of several ways God prepared them.

As sad as death is in this life, we can look to God for direction on how to prepare for and/or handle death, whether our own or someone else’s. God is Sovereign over life and death.   

Alice

The Prompting of Discomfort

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:8-9

No one likes to feel uncomfortable. There are words and phrases such as ‘Pro-Life,’ ‘Gay Marriage,’ ‘Black Lives Matter,’ or ‘Homeless’ that would immediately evoke feelings or emotions that would make many of us uncomfortable. These are parts of the social war that we as Christians encounter each and every day. However, many of us will choose to live with this discomfort by doing what God would not charge us to do; ignore it. The arguments would range from the reality of it being incredibly difficult to navigate to the very callous ‘it is not my problem’ approach. If you are navigating through these very difficult waters, the answer to this discomfort is quite simple. You need to start dealing with it.

God asks us to stand firm in our faith to deal with the many issues that come up in our lives.  In the beginning reign of Joshua as the leader of Israel, the Lord spoke directly to him as encouragement for the many trials he would soon face.  God knew of the discomfort that would come from his leading the Israelites across Jordan River to ‘The Promised Land.’  There would be many battles to be fought, and many a betrayals to be addressed.  But Joshua stayed faithful dealing with each challenge trusting in God.  As a result, Joshua was favored in all of those situations because he remembered to keep following God’s law and His commanding of him to ‘be strong and courageous.’  Many times, we feel discomfort in situations because they are messy or challenge us to deal with feeling and emotions we struggle with.  However if we direct our struggles and challenges of the situation to God and trust in His word, we will find clarity and direction.  In other words, are feelings of discomfort are signs that we need to reach out to God, and then trust in the direction He sets forth for us because His word is true and we ‘will be prosperous and successful’ should we follow His instruction.

God wants us to be active participants in the world but not of this world. The intro to Romans 12 says we are to offer ourselves as a sacrifice to God transformed to being born again to test and approve what God’s will is for us. Thus, our discomfort is an opportunity to understand God’s will for our lives. It may not feel good to start, but to embrace it brings us closer to God. Ultimately, isn’t that where we want to be? What issues of discomfort are you challenged with today? What is God prompting you to get involved in something you are not comfortable with? How can you respond prayerfully to them? My prayer is that we are responsive to God’s prompting through discomfort. Amen. 

Encouraged and Motivated

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.  Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.  So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

Yesterday, my wife tells me that I do not want to spend time with her.  I look incredulous.  This is the woman I have spent over thirty years my life getting to know, and I absolutely have so much fun talking and being with her.  But I must have done something wrong that I need to address, right?  Then, my daughter decides she does not want to talk to me about school.  Parents, you might know this drill very well.  Kent asks, “How was school today?”  Daughter answers, “Fine.”  Kent asks, “What happened?”  Daughter responds, “Nothing.”  Great!  She is in ‘one word answer’ mode.  This sounds like fun!  So I am now coming home to a wife who feels unloved and a daughter who looks at me like I’m Hannah Montana now converted into Miley Cyrus.  And now I’m supposed to write a devotional?  What could I possibly write about?  Let’s try . . . encouragement and motivation?

We are to be both encouraged and motivated always knowing that we have been given this most precious gift of eternal life.  Some of us might ask ourselves why life is not fair or why we are dealing with such anguish and strife.  However as Paul points out, it could be far worse.  God did not choose to pour out His wrath on us like the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, the floods of Noah’s time, the fall of Israel at the hands of Babylon, or other possibilities.  In fact, he chose to offer His son so that we might be able to live up to the hope that He has for each and every one of us; that our faith and love might be on fire like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for Him sharing the message of Christ and encouraging others.  So while we may lament in the troubles of this world, we serve a most awesome and almighty God, who would look at each of us and say, “I believe in you even if you might not yet believe in yourself.”  How can one not be encouraged knowing this?

It is incredibly difficult to be enthusiastic when there are so many things working against us, but we should not be discouraged.  Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows, But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b).  So while you may have trials and sorrows, I would encourage you saying God is with you every step of the way.  He is true to His word, and will never either leave or forsake you.  Furthermore as Paul says, be encouraging to others for God may be prompting you for His purpose.  How can God’s undying love and faith in you be of encouragement today?  Who can you encourage with the message of Good News?  My prayer is that God’s faithfulness be of both encouragement to you and motivation for you.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Feeling unworthy

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (NASB)

Hello,

Do you ever feel like this: Something good starts to happen – you begin to see a cool path taking shape in front, then wham – something happens and you suddenly don’t feel worthy of what seems to be set in motion. You hesitate, should you push on or give in to the feeling of inadequacy and slow down? We need to have the mindset of Paul. No, we aren’t perfect – but we cannot let that past (even if those items are recent) stop us from pushing forward to what God has for us. Now, depending on the circumstance it may very well be that part of moving forward involves confession and requesting forgiveness – but even if that is the case, we need to still move forward. Satan loves to get us stuck in neutral….thinking about the past and doubting if we are worthy to keep pushing forward. In those times, this scripture may be a great encouragement to you.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Do Not Judge

Matthew 7:1-5

Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

I’m sure all of you have heard these verses many times and possibly have even used them.  They were brought to my mind over the past couple of weeks as I have dealt with a couple of deaths of two people that not everyone would quickly point to as strong Christians.  The one person was a very giving person however I don’t know where her heart was with God.  I wasn’t all that close to her, she was a friend of a couple of my siblings.  I do pray that she was right with God.

The second person a lot of people spent a lot of time judging and I would be guilty of judging him at times as well.  He was my grandfather.  He spent most of my life in prison.  He made some very poor choices in life and paid for those mistakes.  Yet he also did a lot of good in life and his mistakes made people forget about all of the good he did.  He served in the Korean War, was even honored with the Purple Heart for being wounded twice.  After serving his time in prison, he would continue to be judged for the rest of his life by many who knew about what he had done. 

On May 5, 2002, he was baptized and gave his life to Christ.  He spent the rest of his years living for God and doing his best to be a Godly man. 

We all sin.  It is not our place to decide what sin is greater than another.  Today, let’s each focus on what it is that we need to work on to be less hypocritical.