Learning Contentment

We don’t have to be taught to voice our dissatisfaction when things aren’t to our liking; even babies know how to do that naturally.  And we don’t just outgrow our complaining nature or resist it easily, even when we become Christ followers.  But grumbling and a negative attitude tarnishes our testimony for Christ.  So we have to learn how to be content.

 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.

     Philippians 4:11 (NKJV)

Paul wrote this verse from a dark prison cell while being denied every comfort.  He spoke from experience because he had learned contentment in very adverse circumstances.  We may think that’s because he was an Apostle and such virtue is beyond us, but that’s not true.  We too can learn to be content by focusing on God’s sufficiency and God’s sovereignty.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

     Psalm  23:1 (NKJV)

If the Lord is your shepherd, then He will provide for all your needs (Phil. 4:19).  But to claim this promise, there must be a personal relationship between you and Jesus. He must be your Savior and Lord of your life. But even then, you must trust that He will be sufficient in all your circumstances. It’s easy to look back and see how the Lord has provided for us in the past. And we may say with confidence that we’re not in want today. However, to be content, we must be able to trust that in every tomorrow, God will provide and we shall not want.

 Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

     Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

Contentment also comes when we trust in God’s sovereignty over all and that because He’s begun a good work in us, He will see it to completion. This confidence comes from knowing it’s His work, not ours. That work may very well take us through adversity and trials, we may be chastened, we may suffer in this life, but we can trust that it is accomplishing God’s purposes, for our good and His glory.  He doesn’t give up on us and He’s promised to be with us through all of life’s difficulties. That should help us be content in every circumstance.

 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

     1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV)

There is great gain to our character when we learn to be content, so let’s ask God to help us.  And when everyone around us is negative, let’s resist the temptation to join in and instead, speak of the greatness of God and the difference Christ has made in our lives. Our contentment will be a wonderful testimony to Him.

Revenge By Good Behavior?

 Teaching young people, high school-age or middle schoolers, is more like leading wading through a dense jungle together with them, than actually teaching, in a traditional sense. Yesterday, I was asked, "If doing good to people 'heaps coals on people's heads', are we doing good to people to get them angry? Isn't that manipulative?" I don't think that question would even occur to most adults. On the other hand, I don't think most adults ask about what they don't understand, at least not about the Bible anyway.

“BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”
Romans 12:20 NASB

Well, I figured the best approach to any sort of answer was to examine the context. Here's the verse where the phrase is found. It's a quote from Proverbs 25:21-22. The reference to "burning coals on his head" is probably cultural, and doesn't mean what it sounds like. I couldn't find an explanation though, and it seems the imagery remains a mystery.

Paul doesn't just quote this proverb without some sort of helpful context. Look where it occurs in his discussion in Romans 12 (where application begins):

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:14-21 NASB

The quote is bracketed by "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" from Deuteronomy 32:35 reserving vengeance to Yahweh, and the summary statement, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." That last statement probably provides the best understanding of "heaping coals". It is probably not meant as a punishment as such, but more like an incentive to repentance. Although, vengeance of Yahweh could feel like hot coals on the head. Even so, the vengeance would, hopefully, lead the person to repent.

These verses leave disciples of Jesus with the clear call to treat those inside and outside the church well, even (or especially) when persecuted. We are to associate with the lowly, to be at peace with everyone, and leave revenge to our Savior. Bless others, join them in their pain and joy. Don't make it about you. And "be of the same mind". When does that happen? We are all about factions, differences, politics, race, sexual orientation, whatever. 

What would the world think of a group of people who lived out these principles? Wouldn't it be interesting to find out? I'm struggling with the part about not making it about me. I always seem to catch myself after I snack on my foot. But what if I really tried, worked at trapping that thought before I spoke? What if I did good, fed my enemies, treated them with kindness? What if I wept with those in mourning? What if I rejoiced with those rejoicing without wondering when good stuff will happen to me? What if I was like minded instead of contending for the wrong priorities?

What about you? Can this be you? Can you be like this? Will you? Perhaps we can help each other work at it together? What a thought.

Believing Faith

 

"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust,

The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.”

     Joel 2:25 (NKJV)

At a very low point in my life years ago, the Lord gave me this verse.  I was in a desperate place when all hope seemed gone and God comforted me. His promised restoration spoke hope to my heart.  This OT verse was written to Israel about a period of time called the Day of the Lord, so what does it have to do with me?  It illustrates the great principle that although all Scripture is not written to us, all Scripture is written for us—that is, it is useful for us and has application to our lives (2 Tim. 3:16). 

Since that first time, God has reaffirmed this verse to me on numerous occasions over the years, including recently.  I’m grateful for that because although God only needs to say something once for it to be true, it’s encouraging to have confirmation, especially since I have not seen any fulfilment yet of the promised restoration.  So I keep trusting and like Abraham, remain “fully convinced that what He had promised, He was also able to perform” (Romans 4:21, NKJV).

God worked through Abraham’s faith to bring about the great promises made to him.  Although Abraham knew there was no natural way for him to have a son through Sarah, he considered not those limitations but believed God.  We are also called on to believe. And when we do, we are "strengthened in faith, giving glory to God" (Romans 4:20, NKJV).

What are you trusting God for today? Is there a promise you’re waiting for Him to fulfill?  We serve a God who is faithful and true, who can make a way where there seems to be no way. So let’s consider not the obstacles but have faith in God to do what He promises.

Remembrance

 

Memorial Day is coming up, a day set aside to commemorate those who have died while serving in the U.S. military.  It is right and fitting to remember their sacrifice for our country.  The theme of remembrance also runs through the Bible.  We are called to remember many things as part of our Christian faith.  For example: 

• "Remember that the LORD your God led you all the way” (Deut. 8:2, NKJV)

 

• "Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations” (Deut. 32:7, NKJV)

 

• “Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” (1 Chron. 16:12, NKJV)

 

• Jesus said to remember His words and His example to us (John 15:20, NKJV)

 

• Jesus said to remember His sacrificial death for us (1 Corinth. 11:24-25, NKJV)

 

We’re also told to remember the poor (Gal. 2:10) and those who are in bonds, i.e., imprisoned and prisoned for their faith in Christ (Heb. 13:3).

Interestingly, the Bible tells us things about God’s memory. For example, when we are feeling weak, it is comforting to reflect that God “knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14, NKJV).  And what a blessing to know that when we confess our sins, God promises that He “will remember [them] no more” (Hebrews 8:12, NKJV).

I hope and pray that you will spend some time pondering these things we are to remember.  A heart filled with such remembrances is truly blessed.

I'm Sorry, WHAT?

 Think about the last time you were sure you misheard someone, only to discover what you heard was what they said? The resulting cognizant dissonance can result from shock, from abhorrence, from joy, or even horror. When was the last time you ran across a verse that caught you up short, shocked you, compelled you to every reference you could find to help you grapple with the dissonance in your mind?

I'm searching for an understanding of the Biblical Spiritual Cosmology. Honestly, I'm not sure what to call it, but from what little I can figure out so far, it is the spiritual reality alongside our own, where the "spiritual warfare" we don't see takes place. It's where the "sons of God" come before His throne, including Satan (Job 1:6). It's the place in the heavens where the spiritual forces of evil collide with their Creator (Ephesians 6:12).

I want to know what we're up against, the lay of the land, a map, to know the enemy and friendlies. I'm not having an easy time of it. Scripture seems to assume I know more than I do. Paul just leaves things said without providing a context. He's provide oral teaching, and refers to it in letters without describing it further. He already has with his audience earlier, in person. But now, we don't have that. What the stink is "the third heaven"? How many are there, for Pete's sake?

Well, in the process of this quest, I ran across this verse:

And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.
Deuteronomy 4:19 NASB

I'm sorry, what? Our Creator and Savior allotted the "host of heaven" to all the peoples under the whole heaven? In the Theological Word Book of the Old Testament, it says He does this as "guides" not to be worshipped. The problem with interpreting this reference as "guides" is that the context is worship. But, this same entry claims that some Jewish commentators claim this passage condones idolatry among Gentiles. I'm confused.

Let's set aside for a second whether this reference condones idolatry among Gentiles or refers to them as "guides". Regardless, there is a sense in which they are given importance I didn't know our Creator gives them. He allotted them to all people under heaven. Everyone who looks at them is supposed to draw some sense of importance from them, a purpose of their Creator, and ours. 

Consider, for a moment, that almost every human religion ascribes some quality of deity to the sun, moon, and stars. It's like the prevalence of flood geology. How is it that stars had such a perfuse importance to we, human creatures? And their proper relation to the "Peculiar People of God" is that we do not worship them like everyone does.

Here's my dilemma: Since we are not to worship them, how, then, have they been allotted to us as also those under all the heavens? Not for worship, clearly, so what for? Are they "guides", then for what? To where?

I do not know, not yet. But I believe it has something to do with the "spiritual cosmology" I'm pursuing. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, be sure to look up; not to then bow down to what you see, but, rather to marvel at the works of our Creator's hands declaring His glory (Psalm 19:1).

Left Undone

 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

(Eph. 2:10, NKJV).

 

We are to accomplish all the good works, big and small, that God has prepared for us. This is our purpose, why we were created. Unfortunately, sometimes we fail to do the good things we should do. For example, we may not pray for others as we should (see 1 Sam. 12:23); we may hold onto bitterness and not forgive someone (see Matt. 6:15).  Maybe we’ve felt a prompting to give and meet a certain need, but we haven’t followed through. Perhaps we have a conviction to witness to someone, yet we’ve held back.  Maybe we know we should be serving at church or somewhere else but we make excuses instead.  We need to realize that these omissions are sin to us.

 

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

James 4:17 (NKJV)

 

Someday, we will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of our lives, what we’ve done and what we’ve failed to do (2 Corinth. 5:10).  That should motivate us to follow the Lord’s leading and be obedient to do all that He calls us to do.  Besides, to live each day with a clear conscience and without regrets is a true blessing. 

 

It isn’t the thing you do, dear,

It’s the thing you leave undone,

That gives you the bitter heartache

At the setting of the sun;

The tender word unspoken,

The letter you did not write,

The flowers you might have sent, dear,

Are your haunting ghosts at night.

 

The stone you might have lifted

Out of your brother’s way,

The bit of heartfelt counsel

You were hurried too much to say;

The loving touch of the hand, dear,

The gentle and winsome tone,

That you had no time or thought for,

With troubles enough of your own.

. . .

For life is all too short, dear,

And sorrow is all too great,

To allow our slow compassion

That tarries until too late.

And it’s not the thing you do, dear,

It’s the thing you leave undone,

That gives you the bitter heartache,

At the setting of the sun.*

 

*Poem attributed to Adelaide Proctor and printed in “Streams in the Desert” by L.B. Cowman (July 30^th).

Eventually...

 Eventually, stuff works out. Below is a picture I took of the planet Mars. As I said last week, a big white spot.

It would probably be more interesting if you could see the stars around it, but that was difficult because this was just to the right of it:

And the focus on these was difficult because of distortion in the air, so this is all I was able to get.

You see, eventually, things work out. And, that is true for everything. The cliche is that "all things come to an end". Not just good things come to an end, but all things. Eventually, there will be this event where the Creator of the universe sits on a throne to judge, and heaven and earth will flee from him, and find no hiding place...I know, right? What will that look like?

There will be a day when books will be opened, and another book will be opened. John described it this way:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-15 NASB

Books were opened, and everyone, great and small, were judged by what was written in "the books". But, at the end of the process, it didn't depend on what was in the books, but whether your name is written in the Book of Life. Are you alive? That's what counts.

I have been reading a book that explores theology using the Peanuts cartoons as illustrations. I was pretty intrigued by it until the author makes this case that there is no future hell, and everyone goes to heaven. Nice idea, but not Scriptural. He tries to make it so, but the problem is that his attempts are to reconcile his idea of what a "god of love" would do, rather than accept the self-revelation of the God who is love.

So, this author and I differ on that view. Eventually, we'll know which of us is right. One day we'll stand before this massive white throne, and our judge will be the God who is, rather the one of our imaginations. Maybe we will both be wrong, having both worshipped different gods of our imagination.

I'm trying to perceive the God revealing Himself through Scripture, and I'm relying on my hope that He won't judge too closely on accuracy. I've given up on understanding Him, and now work on accepting Him as I perceive Him. Eventually, I will see Him as He is. I doubt I will understand Him, even then. And, I hope my exercise in acceptance of Him will pay off as I grapple with that "up close and personal" experience of His presence.

I hear it's good to have goals...

Valley of Baca

 

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

     Psalm 84:5-7 (NKJV)

These three simple verses give a lovely picture of the Christian walk.

 Strength in God

Our strength is not in our abilities or efforts, but in the Lord, for it is Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13).  Another passage says that God is the glory of our strength and that His arm shall strengthen us (Psalm 89:17, 21).

 Heart set on pilgrimage

Contrary to some popular teachings, this is not our “best life now.” True believers know that our best life is yet to come. We are just passing through this world as “sojourners and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:11) on a journey towards our heavenly home. Our hearts are set on pilgrimage to follow Christ until He comes or calls us to be with Him.

 Valley of Baca

While in this world we will have tribulation, as Jesus said (John 16:33).  Our pilgrimage may take us through a Valley of Baca. Apparently, this was an actual valley near Jerusalem but it is also used symbolically as a place of sorrow, because Baca comes from a word meaning to weep.  In this psalm, it also implies a place of dryness, a barren wasteland.

 Springs of refreshment

Even during times of spiritual dryness, even when we’re in a season of sadness, God will bring springs of refreshment to our souls if we stay close to Him. The Lord says He “will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water” (Isaiah 41:18, NKJV).

 Strength to strength

Instead of being wearied while we sojourn through the Valley of Baca, we are refreshed by God’s all-sufficient grace if we will wait and trust Him. For “those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV). 

When we are rooted in God’s word, we can weather these desert seasons and go from strength to strength. “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God (Psalm 92:13, NKJV).  Are you flourishing today? If not, turn and trust in the Lord God Almighty and He will refresh you.

First-World Frustrations

 When I was a kid, I would get all worked up over something, cranky about whatever wasn't working like it was supposed to, I'd snap at people, and be basically crabby. My mom would always, and I mean always, ask, "Did you have your quiet time this morning?" It was like putting out a fire with gas...BOOM!

The thing is, she was right, and I knew it. It distracted from my viscerally felt validity of my problem, but it was still accurate. Last night we had a Bible study on thankfulness. I am thankful, so I didn't pay a lot of attention. When I got home, I setup an astronomical telescope to attempt to connect it to my computer to run it. What could go wrong?

I got it aligned with the earth's axial tilt, and tried to orient it to my specific location on the earth. I needed a couple of stars to point it at. I typically use my smart phone for that. There are free apps that will show you the constellations and stars you are looking at in the sky by holding it up against your view of the sky.

On this particular night, my phone decided that orienting itself to where I was and what I was looking at was not what it wanted to do. I'd used two different astronomical apps and it just spun around. I had to work it manually. Grrr. But I have a phone, a smart phone. That's actually pretty cool.

I found two stars to use to orient the scope to my location. It worked, but had an "error" that was actually HUGE. I was a little concerned but it seem to track well. So, I didn't worry about it. Now to connect the computer. But first, let's see if I can take a picture.

I connect the camera to the scope, and get...nothing. What I see in the scope is not anywhere in the view of the camera, and they're looking in the same "tube". How is that even possible? No idea why that is. I change some settings on the camera, nothing. I verify that the image is in the center, change back to the camera, still nothing. But, you know what? I have this nice DSLR camera (Digital Single Lens Reflex). That's actually pretty cool too.

Anyway, I was out here in the cold dark late night to connect my computer, not my camera. Let's try that. Long story short, it didn't work...at all. In fact it jacked up the computer programs and the computer. But you know what? I have a computer, a nice one. And have the time and place (my back deck) to setup a telescope and look at the night sky.

I can complain, but why? Sure, what I tried didn't work. What I wanted to do didn't happen. Instead I was able to see Mars, but not take a pic to share with you this morning. It would have been nice, but it wasn't as interesting as those amazing pics from orbiters around Mars. It would have been a round white spot against black. You wouldn't have been able to figure out what it was just from the picture. Honestly, not a huge loss. 

What we read last night was Deuteronomy 28:1-11, but look at the verses immediately following that:

The LORD will open for you his good treasure house, the heavens, to give you rain for the land in its season and to bless all you do; you will lend to many nations but you will not borrow from any. The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments that I am urging you today to be careful to do. But you must not turn away from all the commandments I am giving you today, to either the right or left, nor pursue other gods and worship them.
Deuteronomy 28:12-14 NET

Yay! The storehouses of heaven, rains, we will lend and not borrow, be the head not the tail, on top not the bottom...oh wait, "If you obey his commandments...". Would it be fair to say that praising our Savior is a command? Would it be within the realm of possibility that thankfulness in me is a desire of my Savior? 

I honestly don't know what it would mean for me that I would be the head not the tail, on top not the bottom, or experience the treasure house of heaven. I'm guessing it doesn't mean that my telescope will work like I want. It may mean that I get to see amazing views of what my Savior created, and marvel that He knows my name.

He is Able

 It is humbling to come before God and acknowledge our helplessness, but that's our proper place. When we admit our dependency upon Him, that's when we learn that He is all sufficient for us. And that attitude will bring all our worries and cares and problems into proper perspective.  He can meet every need, big or small.  Bring it all to the Lord for He is able. 

• I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able (2 Tim. 1:12);
• Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph. 3:20);
• Able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work (2 Corinth. 9:8);
• Able to aid those who are tempted (Heb. 2:18);
• Able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Heb. 7:25);
• Able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24);
• Able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day (2 Tim. 1:12);
• Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself (Phil. 3:21);
• Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes Lord. . .[Then Jesus said,] According to your faith let it be to you. (Matt. 9:28-29)*

He knows what’s on your heart and what troubles you’re facing, but tell Him anyhow. Give it all to the Lord for He is able to carry what’s heavy. Then trust Him to do what only He can do.  For He is able.

*This list was taken from Daily Light (March 8^th, PM).