He's Alive!

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ( 1 Corinthians 15: 12-23)

For most of my “Christian life”, I have been a person of reason. I felt that emotion had little or no place in the life of a disciple of Jesus. The scriptures were to be approached with reason to gain understanding. I still hold to that idea, but with a different set of scales. Before, I used a set of bathroom scales and piled on scripture until the scale said faith. Now, I use a set of scales that are used for weights and balances. You know, the ones that Lady Justice has in her hands. On one side, I pile my scriptures and on the other my emotions are used to balance the scales.

Were the only people to cry and rejoice those that are in the Bible? The lame, the deaf, the sick, the dead, the possessed… are they the only ones that were to jump for joy? I can only imagine the joy and excitement that the disciples felt when the Man they had followed all the way to the cross was standing among them again… alive. What do we think… they carefully examined his wounds, discussed whether or not he had truly died? Got out the scrolls and weighed the scriptures to see is His resurrection was for real. No! They were excited. They couldn’t believe their eyes, so they used their hands! This Jesus whom they loved and gave up everything to follow was… alive.

I am thankful for Paul’s reasoned out, emotion filled discussion of Jesus’ resurrection. Read it again, this time with the emotion that Paul put in it. Seriously, this reading is not some scientific presentation of the doctrine of the resurrection. Paul is pouring out his heart. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised… And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain… and your faith is vain! If in Christ we have hope in this life only… we are of all people most to be pitied. You getting all that … emotion. I read it for far too long as if it were out of a text book. Never again! The scales must be balenaced!

Don Francisco wrote a song and Dolly Parton sings it beautifully, The chorus goes like this…

He's alive, yes He's alive, Yes He's alive and I'm forgiven, Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive, yes He's alive, Oh He's alive and I'm forgiven, Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive, yes He's alive, Hallelujah He's alive, He's alive and I'm forgiven, Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive, I believe it He's alive… Sweet Jesus

Check it out on YouTube… “He’s Alive”. Have a Kleenex handy… those pesky emotions might just kick in! Praise God... He's alive, sweet Jesus. 

https://youtu.be/1DQfthEHVc4

Inheritance

(Today's Reading - Joshua 19-20; Luke 6:27-49)

My grandmother passed away a couple of months ago. Her husband had passed many years earlier, so she was the owner of their estate at her passing. My father was one of nine children, so the estate was to be divided between all the children equally. (No small feat) My grandfathers solution to the problem was to sell everything at auction and divide the proceeds equally. Each child would receive an equal portion of the proceeds from the sale and this would eliminate the problem of one child feeling that another had been given something more valuable. That is how they decided to do it. It was their stuff, so it was their choice.

Today's reading contains the details of how the land was to be divided between the tribes, the children of Israel. As we have been reading, the land was taken through many battles as the inhabitants were defeated and the land was captured. In Joshua, each time the description of what the tribe was to receive was given, it was called an "inheritance". This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites...The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid...These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun... you get the idea. An inheritance...

This land had been "owned" and occupied by people for years. How was this land, captured through battles considered an inheritance? Imagine going to your next door neighbors house and driving his family off their land, moving into his house and saying.... "this is my inheritance". Strange? Well, maybe. Let's consider a couple of things before we write off Joshua as a nut. If we believe that the Bible is Gods' word, then we accept it as truth and if His word says that this land was an inheritance... then it was an inheritance. That is a simplistic approach, but a true one. As the old bumper sticker said... "God said it, I believe it and that settles it". While that is true, it not very satisfying. I didn't like it when my dad would say, "because I said so" and I don't like this reasoning much better.

I want something better than "because I said so". Here goes... for someone to receive an inheritance, the owner of it must give it to them... "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it" (Psalm 24:1) If everything belongs to God, then He may give it to whom He chooses as an inheritance. As our Father, anything we have... our homes, our children, our food, our clothes... are an inheritance from Him. If we gain that understanding, it changes the way we look at "our" possessions. Children are an inheritance from the LORD. They are a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3) So, for the children of Israel, the land was a gift from God and therefore an inheritance... He owns it and can give it to whom He chooses. Our happiness, our joy depends on our gaining understanding of this principle.

I am reminded of the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25...  For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. We have been entrusted with "His" property. We are to be faithful stewards of what He has placed in our care. How far does that extend? To everything we possess. As a husband, I am to be a faithful steward of my wife. As a father, I am to be a faithful steward of my children. I am to be a faithful steward of everything that God has placed in my care. The children of Israel were to be faithful stewards of the land that they inherited from God. As long as they were... they were blessed and things went well for them. When they were unfaithful, they were punished. Faithful... received blessings; unfaithful... blessings taken away.

What's my point in all this rambling? Our view of stuff changes what we do with it, how we care for it. If we believe that all we have is an inheritance from God, we will use it in service to Him and our fellow man. If we believe it is ours and we own it through our own craftiness, then we feel free to use it as we see fit. God chose His words carefully. He knew that if the people understood that it was His land to give and that their "ownership" of it was a gift from Him, it would change everything. In the same way, when we recognize that all that we have is from Him, our perspective changes. Each breath (take a deep breath here) is from Him. He owns the air that just went into your lungs. Take a moment and let that thought fully develop.

His people were and are to live differently because they understand things differently. The Christian world view is different from the non-Christian world view. His people, those who receive an inheritance, are to use what they have to honor Him. Sure He said it and that settles it... but a deeper understanding of the matter changes everything.

Love God, Love People

Dale

Must I do Great Things?

(Today's reading - Joshua 1-3; Luke 2:57-80)

Sometimes I get caught up in the idea that to please God, I must do something great. As I read through the Bible, I encounter people that do mighty things, accomplish great things and if I am not careful I can begin to think that what I do is small and meaningless. Today we read about a lady named Rahab, a prostitute or an inn keeper. (I am not fully convinced either way, but as a hotel operator, I like to think she ran an inn) Joshua sent two spies into Jericho to make preparation for an invasion. While in the city, they entered Rahab's establishment and asked her to hide them.

She complied and hide them on her roof and told the king that they had already left the city. Later, she lowered them down through a window so that they could escape. She confessed her belief in the God of Israel and asked them to spare the lives of her family. They gave her a red cord and told her to tie it in her window and that the Israelites would spare their lives. That is pretty much the entire story. We don't her about her again until Matthew 1, where she turns up in the genealogy of Jesus. I hear brakes screaching.... yep, check it out, she was the mother of Boaz and the great-grandmother of King David. (or something like that)

Then we find her in Hebrews 11. As we read chapter 11, we find those names that we are very familiar with, Noah, Abraham, Isacc, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and ... Rahab. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. (v 31) How does she fit in with the likes of Samson, Gideon and Samuel? I mean... she hide two guys on her roof for a night. How hard was that compared to building a boat for 100 years and riding out the storm of all storms. Or being king over all of Israel? Or leading God's people out of Egypt? Or ... you get the idea.

Sometimes, we buy into the idea that to please God we have to do something great in the eyes of mankind. Rahab's life says, "not so". She demonstrated faith in a God she did not even know and that pleased Him. And becasue of that, we find her in the listing of Jesus' family. I love her story. I am thankful for her story. I don't have to accomplish great things to find myself in God's story. I just have to trust Him. Now, He may use you to accomplish something that people will call great. If He does, praise Him! But it may be that He wants you to demonstrate faith to those around you in the little things. Actions. Language. Humility. Love. And who knows, you may end up being the grandparent of a person that leads our nation back to Him.

Our purpose in this life is found in trusting Him. If we allow Him to lead us through this life, trusting Him to do right and knowing that whatever comes our way, He will be faithful in all His promises. Take a moment and think about the things that you have done and can do that make a difference in His creation. In other people's eyes, they may be little, but in His eyes they are great! Raise a child that is faithful to Him... huge! Be an example to others of a faithful spouse... gigantic! Live a quiet life in service to your neighbor... enormous! You getting the idea? Let me state it clearly...

You don't have to live in the jungles of Africa, walk hundreds of miles to teach in a village in New Guinea or baptize thousands of people in India to please God. If you do those things, awesome! But if you "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody", (1 Thess 4:11,12) you will have fulfilled your purpose here on planet earth. He doesn't require us to do "great" things in the eyes of humans, but He does require us to do great things in His eyes... and that my friends is something very different all together.

Love God, Love People

Dale

Cross references:

1. 1 Thessalonians 4:10 : S Ac 16:9
2. 1 Thessalonians 4:10 : S 1Th 3:12
3. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 : Eph 4:28; 2Th 3:10-12
4. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 : S Mk 4:11

Purpose and Choice

(Today's reading - Deuteronomy 33-34; Luke 1:24-56)

Today, we say goodbye to Moses. He sees the Land, he dies and God buries him. Then we read a very special tribute to this great man of God...Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
(Deut 34: 10-12)
We are saying goodbye to a awesome servant of God. The life of Moses stands as a witness to what God can do through an average person... if he/she will be obedient and make themselves available to Him.

In the book of Luke, Mary becomes pregnant with the Son of God. She visits Elizabeth, who is carrying John in her womb. John leaps for joy when he hears Mary's voice. Again, Mary is a great example of what God can do through an average human if he/she allows Him to work through them. By now you are getting my point. As we consider our purpose here on planet earth, the first thing we see in scripture is that God will work through those that are willing to allow Him to work through them. Maybe on occasion, (not even sure of that) God takes control and forces His will onto an individual, but more often than not, He gives each person the free will to chose.

So, point number one... for God to work through our lives, we must choose to let Him. Could Moses have refused to go to Pharaoh? Most certainly. Could Mary have said, "no thanks" to the angel? Absolutely. We might not like to think about that reality, but both of them made the decision to say "yes" to God. As elementary as it may sound, for us to have any real purpose here, the first thing we must do is turn over the reigns of our lives to the One who knows everything. Our involvement in His plans must be on His terms... imagine the players on a basketball team telling the coach that they are not going to follow the play he called. The next play, those players would be sitting on the bench and another player would be in their place.

You want proof that God let's people choose... Jonah! I know... God used events to persuade him to be obedient, but we are told that he made the decision to disobey God and then to obey God(chapter 3). Even after three days in the belly of the fish, Jonah still had a decision to make. Obey or disobey. Its' the same for you and me. God gives us very specific things that He wants us to change in our lives and things that He wants us to do... but the choice is ours. He is not going to run over our personal ability to choose. If He does this, what is the judgement all about? I will stand before Him and say, "I had no choice in the matter, don't hold me responsible for the actions you caused". Seriously, think about it.

For the non-Christian, the first choice is whether or not to believe and respond to the message of salvation found in Jesus. In Acts 2, we see Peter give the first gospel message after Jesus' ascension. Many chose to ignore the message, but 3000 heard the good news and made the decision to obey... they repented of their sins, were baptized for the remission of their sins and received the Holy Spirit (reads Acts 2:38ff). The choice was theirs! And the choice is ours. Eternity depends on this choice.

For the Christian, it is the daily choice of being a disciple of Jesus. Will you tell your neighbor the good news? Will I help the family down the street where the father just lost his job? Will you help send a missionary to Japan? Will I take a meal to a person shut-in due to illness? Will you confront the sin in your life and choose to live more rightly? Will I be the light on the hill? So, what I am saying is this... our first purpose on this earth is to choose His purpose for our lives. Unless and until I do that, nothing else in this life will ever make sense.

Tomorrow, we will start looking at what it looks like after you have made Him your Lord and Master. We all know what it looks like to reject Him... we have all done it. (at least I have) Talk to you then.

Love God, Love People

Dale

Be Strong and Courageous

(Today's reading - Deuteronomy 31-32; Luke 1:1-23)

In the closing chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses is receiving God's final instructions before the children of Israel cross the Jordan to take the Promised Land. He faces death on Mt. Nebo because of his unfaithfulness at the waters of Meribah Kadesh. He will see the land, but will not be allowed to enter into it. His place among the heroes of faith is forever secure, but even heroes are not perfect. (see Hebrews 11:24ff) Moses prepares Joshua to be leader of the people and gives them all one last instruction and warning about their future in the Land.

I want to focus on one verse this morning. It is a verse that contains a promise to those that were about to enter the Land and face many battles. God tells them this, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Deut 31:6) Undoubtedly, the people were afraid of what they would face as they began to battle the inhabitants of the Land. The outcome of all of this was not in jeopardy. God knew exactly what would happen, but the people didn't. They stood on the east side of a river and wondered what would happen when they came up out of the water on the other side. Would the battles be difficult? Would they die in the process? Would they really be victorious?

Of course we read the history of what happened and we know that they entered the Land and were victorious. God kept His land promise to His people. But what does this have to do with you and me today? Is God's promise found in Deuteronomy 31:6 still valid for us? Are there battles that He expects us to fight today? Over the next few days, I will explore this in light of New Testament scriptures and examine our role in the world and what God expects His people to do today.

After reviewing the heroes of faith in chapter 11, the Hebrew writer gives us some encouragement that we should consider... 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. (Hebrews 12:1-3) 

He is saying to you and me, "Moses is watching". Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rahab... they are all in the bleachers watching us run our race. These people, flawed as they were, found entrance into the Faith Hall of Fame and they are cheering you on in your fight. They want you, they want me to join them, so the writer tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus. Why Jesus and not them? Why, because He was the only one to ever live out this life perfectly. He is the author and perfecter of faith. Without flaws, He ran the race and so He is the one that we are to emulate. He is the example we are called to follow. Keep Deuteronomy 31:6 in your thoughts and prayers over the next few days as we explore God's plan for us on planet earth.

Love God, Love People

Dale

I Am Barabbas

(Today's Reading - Deuteronomy 26-27; Mark 15:1-26)

The story of Barabbas has always made me angry. The people demanded that the guilty be released and the innocent be killed. Jesus had committed no crime. He stood before the Pilate and the people completely innocent. Barabbas was at least guilty of participating in murder, if not having committed murder himself. One deserved to be punished; the other deserved to be set free. Pilate wanted to free Jesus; he knew he was innocent of all charges. The people, the same people who had welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as their king, now demanded his crucifixion.

Who was Barabbas that he should be set free at the expense of an innocent man? What had he done that would qualify him to receive such a free gift? These are the questions that had always eaten at me. Until... I realized that I am Barabbas. Think about it for a moment. As a Christian, have I not received the exact same mercy that Pilate granted to Barabbas? Do I not get to go free at the expense of Jesus? Have I done something that makes me worthy of having my sentence commuted?

“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify him!” they shouted. “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”  Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
(Mark 15: 9-15)

Barabbas' story is our story. We received freedom at His expense. Just like Barabbas, we have done nothing to obtain this freedom. We are guilty and the innocent pays the price. Peter put it his way, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2: 23-24)

"By His wounds you have been healed". "He himself bore our sins". You get the picture... I am Barabbas. You are Barabbas. I have often heard people say that they want what they deserve. And, I guess in some situations that is understandable; but, when we consider what we deserve in this life, maybe what we really want is what we need. God knew that we needed a Savior; he sent one. He knew that we need an example to live by; He sent one. He knew we need a relationship with Him and so He sent His Son to make peace between us. Just like Barabbas, I need someone to pay the price for my freedom and Jesus steps forward and says, "I will do that".

Paul gave us this insight into Gods plan, Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (1 Cor 5: 20-21) Paul tells us that we should be telling everyone about this payment that has been made for them. We are to be His ambassadors. It is as if God is making His plea though you and me. He says for us to tell everyone that Jesus paid it all that I might live. Hey, that would make a great song! Now go sing it! Next time you see me say, "hey Barabbas, aren't you glad Jesus paid the price for your freedom!". Amen? Amen!

Love God, Love People

Dale

Are You Asleep?

(Today's reading - Deut 20-22; Mark 14:26-50)

Today we find Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. If you have spent time in the scriptures, you know what is going on; if not, read Mark 14. After sharing His "last supper" with His disciples, he leads them out into the garden to spend time in prayer. He knows what is about to happen and He wants (needs) to spend time with His Father. Without a doubt, His humanity is showing during this time. Fear... I think so. How would you feel? Think about it... if you knew for certain that you are about to be beaten, abused and murdered in the most hideous way... how would you be feel?

When they arrive in the garden, He leaves everyone except Peter, John and James. The four of them go further into the garden and He askes them to watch and wait while He prays. Simple enough, He is going over there to pray and they are to wait and watch. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” (v 34) They had been with Him for three years. Listened to His teaching. Seen His miracles. Watched Him love others. And now, they were asked to sit for a while and keep watch while He prayed.

He returns to them three times during His prayers and each time finds them asleep. He knows what is about to happen and His friends are sleeping. He has told them what is going to happen, and they are asleep. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (vv 37-38) They knew He had gone away and He had asked them to wait and watch, yet they fell asleep in His absence.

He is gone,they are asleep. He is gone... they are asleep. Wait and watch... asleep. What were they thinking? I am so thankful that I would never do anything like that! Or would I? Is it possible that I (and maybe you) have fallen asleep while He is away? He tells them to watch and pray... why? So that they will not fall into temptation. He tells them (and us) that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. He knew (and knows) that when we are away from Him, we face the greatest temptation. He knows that even though our spirits might want to be strong, our human condition is weak. So, He says... "Watch and Pray".

We are to be constantly aware of His possible return. We are to be constant in prayer for ourselves and others. We are to live in constant expectation of the clouds being parted and the trumpet being blown. Do I live like that? You? Are my actions different that those around me? What would He find me doing if He returned today? Waiting and watching and praying? What about you? If I knew He was coming back today at 5 PM, what would I do with the afternoon? Who would I call? What would I say?

Are you asleep? Has He been gone so long that you have forgotten that He is coming back? I can hear Him say, Dale, "are you asleep? Couldn't you keep watch for one hour?". May we live in the moment, expecting His return, watching and praying. Consider what you would do with the last day on planet earth and live that way. Who knows, this might just be the last hour before He comes to take us home. Who is the one person that you don't want to leave behind? Call them now!!

Write Scripture?

(Today's reading - Deut 17-19; Mark 14:1-25)

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

When we started our annual Bible reading a few years ago, these verses jumped out at me the first time through and each year continue to be verses that call loudest to me. The Israelites are getting ready to take the Promised Land and God is giving them some final instructions. He tells them that when they get there and settle in, they will want a king. (not what He wants) He gives them very specific qualifications for who should sit on the throne. (read Deut 17:14-17) Then he gives the verses listed above. (vv.18-20)

The king is to personally write his own copy of Gods' law. Think about that... he is to take the time to carefully copy the law. Why? Why would God have the most powerful person in His kingdom take the time to hand copy the law of Moses? Surely he had more important things to do... I mean just look at our President and Congress. They are so busy doing that governing thing, they surely couldn't take time to personally learn about what God wants in a nation.

Not only was he to personally write his own copy of the law, he was to keep it with him at all times. It was to be an ever-present reminder of Gods' wisdom as he ruled over His people. Not only was he to carry it with him, he was to read it everyday. That is crazy! The king of Israel was to take time out of his busy king's schedule to read God's word everyday. What was God thinking? Why would God instruct His chosen leader to spend time in His word... everyday? Well... He tells us.

He gives us four reasons... First, he will learn to revere the Lord his God. By staying daily in His word, the king would understand who is and isn't God. (something a ruler needs to be reminded of, just check history) Secondly, by being constantly in His word, the king would know God's will and follow it. As I have heard it said many times, "ignorance of the law is no excuse"; the king was to know the law and put it into practice. Thirdly, by studying God's law, the king would be reminded that he was no better than those he ruled over. (wow, someone needs a dose of that today!) Lastly, being constant in study would prevent the king from losing his way. He would not turn to the right or the left, but stay firmly on the path.

So, what's my point? Am I ever going to be king of Israel? Hopefully not. But am I going to lead others on my job, in my home, in the community or in the church? And if I am to lead, then knowing God's decrees will be important. Spending time in His word will remind me who God is. Daily Bible study will enable me to know God's will for my life. Having His word written on my heart will keep me humble as I serve others. And lastly, God says that a steady diet of His instruction will keep my feet firmly planted on the path that leads home to Him.

Jon Smith (a good friend and minister of the Word) has been writing down God's word for years. He says that it gives him peace and helps him to focus on His word. I think he is on his second writing as I type this blog. I commend him for his effort. Am I telling you to start writing... well if that is your desire, sharpen those pencils and get started. But at the very least, open His word daily. Write down the things that really grab you that day. Jot down some thoughts about God and what the scripture that day reveals about Him. Talk about the blessings that He has placed in your life. Engage God in His word and let it work in you. Hey, if it worked in kings, it can work in you. May He bless you as you study and learn about Him and His desire for your life.

Love God, Love People,
Dale

That is Enough

Today's reading - Deut 3-4; mark 11:20-33

At that time I pleaded with the Lord: “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.”
But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. (Deuteronomy 3:23-27)

Sometimes I read scripture and miss the simple messages that are there. Maybe I am distracted or just plain dumb... ok, don't say it :-). The children of Israel have completed their time of wandering and Moses is giving them their final instructions (the rest of Deuteronomy) before they cross the Jordan River and receive the promise of a home. Without a doubt this was a time of celebration, but also a time of fear and for Moses... regret.

It would seem that even after all this time had passed, that he would have come to terms with the fact that because of his disobedience, he would not be allowed to cross over and see the Land. But, we read in Deuteronomy 3 that he was still hoping against hope that God would change His mind. (we have seen Him change His mind severaal times, so maybe Moses thought He might do that in his case) In verses 23-27, we see him pleading his case to God... "Let me go over and see the good land". Seems like a reasonable request from a man that had given his entire life to serving God and caring for His people. Doesn't it?

If I were Moses, I would probably get upset and start talking about fairness. (revelation about me) As humans, we are all about what is fair. Our sense of fairness is based on our own experience. So, let's think about this... 1. God had taken care of Moses for all these years, 2. God had given him victory over his enemies, 3. God had worked amazing miracles through his hands, 4. God had given him a long life, 5 and on and on. What is fair? Does getting everything we want make God fair? Does not getting everything we want make Him unfair? Does getting what we deserve make Him fair? Does God even have to be fair? Questions worth thinking about....

In this case, God says to Moses, "That is enough, do not speak to me anymore about this matter". He had heard all He wanted to hear from Moses about this matter. He says, My mind is made up, let's move along to another topic. Had Moses been disobedient? Yes. Had he been unfaithful? Yes. Had God shown him mercy? For sure. Fair? Absolutely, God is always fair. We see bits and pieces and make judgements. He knows everything, He sees everything and He knows what is right. But He is also merciful... Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. He says to Moses, I will show it to you. Even though you won't get to go there, I will let you see it.

It must have been a moment filled with every emotion. Standing on top of the mountain, looking at what God had promised His people. Filled with joy to know that the days of wandering were over. Knowing that your friends and family were finally home. Sorrow of knowing that they would go without you. Sorrow to think that your sins had prevented you from getting in on the reward. Moses must have had many thoughts pass thought his mind as he made the climb up the mountain and saw the Promised Land. (read Deut 34)

So what is our lesson in all of this? What do we get from this story? 1. We face consequences from our actions... definitely. 2. God is generous... absolutely. 3. God is fair... unquestionably. 4. Even when we are unfaithful, He is faithful... yep. 5. Does He sometimes get tired of our whining... seems that way. 6. Does He give us more that we deserve... you know it. 7. He is God and we are not... truth! May we gain wisdom and understanding as we travel through the wilderness with Moses and make the last hike up the mountain to see what God has in store for us. Blessings.

"But to Serve"

(Today's reading - Numbers 34-36; Mark 11:32-52)

Numbers continues to give the details of the preparation of the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. Mark gives us the slow march of our Savior towards His death. He tells His disciples a third time that He will be arrested, abused, crucified and resurrected. What was their reaction to this? I guess they were thinking about who would be in charge after He is dead. I scratch my head when I read this...what were they thinking? The disciples get into a dispute and had hard feelings toward one another (thankfully, that never happens today).

Jesus calls them together and has a team building session. He tells them...

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
(Mark 10:42-45)

The disciples were applying the world's view of leadership to the kingdom and Jesus was having none of it. His kingdom was to be different. Instead of a leader that everyone else served; His kingdom was to have leaders that served everyone else. He turned the worlds view of corporate structure upside down. He called on them to pattern themselves after Him. If He, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe could come down here and serve His creation; surely those He created could serve one another. That was the pattern He called them to follow. Servant leaders.

The world's view of a leader is entirely different. He is powerful. She is flamboyant. He is charismatic. She is authoritative. Take a moment and think about worldly leaders and the traits they possess. Now, compare that to Jesus' description... "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant". You want to be in charge... serve! You want to be the big dog... serve. And if you want to be the biggest dog..."whoever wants to be first must be slave of all". Slave to all! In His kingdom, servants are princes and princesses. In His kingdom, the leaders work the hardest to care for others. In His kingdom, servanthood is the trait you find in leaders.

Is that what you see in your community of believers? Is the "pastor" the lead servant? Is the elder busy caring for others? Are the deacons... deacing? Is the lead evangelist leading others to service? I have heard it said by some leaders to "do as they say, not as they do"; thankfully, Jesus did just the opposite... He said do as I do. His entire life was spent being poured out for others and even His death was in service to us. He gave the perfect example of what a leader should look like. As His disciples, we are to do the same. What about you? Are you a servant to all? In this self-centered world that we live in, may His people be found in service. Amen? Amen!

Barbs in Your Eyes

(Today's reading - Numbers 32-33; Mark 10:1-31)

In Numbers, we find the children of Israel preparing to enter the Promised Land. They have wandered in the wilderness for a generation, seen their loved ones die along the way and now are on the verge of receiving the reward for their faithfulness. The one verse that really jumped out at me today as I read was this... “‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.’” (Numbers 33: 55,56)

As they prepare to begin the final leg of their journey, God gives them a warning. Well, actually two. First, if they allowed some of those that currently lived in the Promised Land to remain there as neighbors, they would "become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble...". And secondly, God tells them that if they don't drive them out, He will do to them what He planned to do to those that inhabited the land. Understand? Get rid of all the people that live there now or they would be a problem to them and if they didn't God was ready to punish them.

So, what does that have to do with us today? Are we on the banks of the Jordan River ready to cross over into the Promised Land? Are we to drive out those that live there? Well, in a way, yes. Let's think about it this way...

When I hear the great news of the gospel. When I learn that God has made a way through the sacrifice of His Son for me to be forgiven and live eternally with Him, we are on the banks of the Jordan. We either choose to cross over or we choose to continue in the wilderness. Our choice. If we choose to get into the water and cross over, then we are confronted with the sin in our lives that must be "driven out". If we don't drive them out, they will be "barbs in our eyes" and "thorns in our sides".

When we make the decision to follow Jesus, we are called to do away with sin in our lives. (of course I know we will always sin, 1 John 1) But, we are to try to live as sinless as we can. I am sure the Israelites stood on the bank of the river and thought about how difficult it would be drive out the inhabitants. They had lived there a long time; they were dug in pretty well. They knew the landscape. It was their home. You get the idea... our way of life before we become Christians is what we knew. We were comfortable there, we even enjoyed some aspects of it. Rooting all that "stuff" out is never easy, but we are called to live rightly.

If we take a casual approach to our sinfulness, most of the time we will lose our battles. If we allow them to remain in the dark corners of our lives, they will come back and attack us when we are the most vulnerable. I know all this because I have done all of this. If you sweep dirt under the rug, it is still in the house and over time it will find its' way back into the room. The last warning is the one we should shake us to our core... "I will do to you what I plan to do to them". The Hebrew writer gives us a stern warning about this... If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. If we allow those things to be part of our ongoing lives; if we willfully choose to live in the sinfulness of our old lives, God warns that "no sacrifice for sins is left".

I don't claim to fully understand these verses, but I do understand that if I chose to continue in sin, God withdraws His forgiveness and judgment is what I earn. Many will try to explain this away, but I encourage you to read your Bibles and let it say what God intended it to say...

If we deliberately keep on sinning... after we have received the knowledge of the truth, ...no sacrifice for sins is left,... but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God... If you allow sin to remain in control of your lives, God will "do to you what I plan to do to them". Think about it... get rid of  the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)

1. Hebrews 10:25 : Ac 2:42
2. Hebrews 10:25 : Heb 3:13
3. Hebrews 10:25 : S 1Co 3:13
4. Hebrews 10:26 : Ex 21:14; Nu 15:30; Heb 5:2; 6:4-8; 2Pe 2:20
5. Hebrews 10:26 : S 1Ti 2:4
6. Hebrews 10:27 : Isa 26:11; 2Th 1:7; Heb 9:27; 12:29