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Lord, allow us to learn to live with one another again. We are suffering from our own arrogance as we have turned our backs on you. Lord, bless those who choose to seek your will! Open our eyes to see you clearly as you guide us toward the leadership of nations as we turn our hearts toward home. As we seek your love, we pray that you will love us and bless us and increase our numbers.
Response to Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20
Destroy the Evil From Within You Completely Deuteronomy 7
Genesis 9:20-22; "Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside."
Genesis 10:15-19 "Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
Genesis 18:20-21; "Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
Genesis 19:27-28 "Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace."
Ezekiel 16:48-56 "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. 'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
'However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride,
Daddy, Bobby hurt me! Suzie told a lie! Sounds pretty immature, doesn't it! Such was the infancy of the human race. Have we grown? Do we still need Dad to spank our brother or sister when we are just as guilty as they are? I think it was just yesterday that we reflected on Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." Two days ago we reflected on Isaiah 33:1-2 "Woe to you, O destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, O traitor, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed. O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress."
How often will we look upon the sins of others and avoid gazing on our own sin? Perhaps alongside the destruction of the world trade center, we must see the destruction of years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. And yet, the United States, considered the greatest Christian nation in the world, justifies such devastation and the loss of over 600,000 Arab casualties in this war without even considering peace talks. This is not the will of God and the United States will continue to suffer shame and disgrace before God and man. Yet any Muslim leadership who would afflict their own people and treat their women with disgrace and cause destruction and terror worldwide all supposedly in the name of our God are no better.
It is good for all of us to remember all of the Bible and not just a few verses. Who are we to take judgment into our own hands? Who of us speaks to our Father as Moses did? But this we know (Psalm 103:10) "he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." Deuteronomy 32:4-6 " He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. They (yet we) have acted corruptly toward him; to their (our) shame they (we) are no longer (have not acted as) his children, but a warped and crooked generation. Is this the way you repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? He commanded us in Leviticus 19:18 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people (we are no longer separated in His sight, but one people), but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. In the new covenant when the blessings of Israel were granted to all men on earth, Leviticus 19:18 was rendered again in Romans 12:19 "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. War without consideration of peace represents a weak faith.
This may seem off the track, but I needed to lay the groundwork for taking the message of this passage outside the realm of war and destruction and place it within the realm of peace and unity against our common adversity. As we mentioned yesterday, modern idolotry comes in the form of greed. These modern fruits of corruption in faith (desires of the flesh opposed to the spirit of God) are represented in sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
Therefore, understand what the will of the Lord is: (Proverbs 20:27-28) "The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being. Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure. (Proverbs 20:22-23) "Do not say, 'I'll pay you back for this wrong!' Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. (Ephesians 5:15-20) Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Remember (II Peter 3:9) "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (II Peter 3:14-15a) "So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation."
Therefore, Oh child of God, go out and reclaim all of creation through the destruction of evil and adversity with your weapons of Love, Joy,and Peace - fully confident in the power of God Himself to accomplish His will. For this purpose He has called you and you now represent his chosen race on earth. Although you may be few in number, you are the seeds of his Kingdom. When Jesus died on the cross, he said "It is finished" the victory was won! Now, as ambassadors of peace, we must proclaim the good news and change the world. Know that even when we face adversity ourselves, (Deuteronomy 7:13a) "He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers." and bless you in ways you cannot yet imagine. Only be careful to protect your reputation and find your joy in the Spirit as you avoid the sins of the flesh. Challenge one another as brothers as you march on toward our promised land. March without fear as you face the giants knowing that God has already been at work preparing the way! You shall see victory little by little and you shall see hostile nations destroyed!
Keep your heart pure before God and man; Healthy relationships built on sexual purity; Drinking only with responsibility; Serving your fellow man with meekness and compassion; Purity and steadfastness in worship before our great 'I Am'"
"Build Relationships Through Humility and Meekness, Through Honesty and Faith" Deuteronomy 8
Are you willing to tell others about your past sin? Will you share what brought you to an understanding of the grace of God in your life? This means more than just slamming them over the head with some requirement of a law they have to follow or they will go to jail! If they are struggling with the burden of sin and have any inkling that God will not accept them, they will not be open to talking about God! But just about everyone wants to know the dirt about your life. In fact, they would like to see you roll around in it, not that you would of course - given the pain you've dealt with! If they are a warm blooded human being, they would like to help you and offer you advice or seek your counsel from their own experiences and now we're talking, now we're friends!
So, how has God provided for you? What sort of wonderful things have happened in your life that cannot be explained? What have you learned through the discipline of adversity in your life that has helped you to grow? What is your hope for the future? How have you chosen to honor God according to His will and not your own and how has that made a difference? Why do you continue to worship Him even though your life is blessed? How has God humbled you and kept you from pride and arrogance? Why do you seek to serve your fellowman? Why do you have a heart of love and compassion for people who believe and think and act and look differently from you? Why are you so strong as to seek peace in the face of the adversary when it is bound to cause you harm and even embarassment?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4MlYM5fM5c Friendship takes Perseverance and Patience. That's the Story of our lives.
Response to Luke 7:36-8:3
A Lesson on Morality and the Good News of Salvation Luke 7:36-50
A story of a woman who wet Jesus feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with oil is told in all 4 gospels. And yet, Luke's rendering is the only reference this early in Jesus ministry while the other three accounts place the scene shortly before the crucifiction. While Luke speaks of Simon the Pharisee, Matthew and Mark speak of Simon the leper in Bethany in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9. John also places the scene in Bethany in John 12:1-11 and places Mary, Martha, and Lazarus into the scene with Martha serving dinner, Lazarus at table, and Mary performing the annointing. Luke does not name a place and may be referring to another occasion, but he also does not retell the story as Jesus arrives in Bethany later in his gospel. Luke also shares a much different inspiration from the story as it is told from the mind of the Pharisee regarding forgiveness instead of from the mind of the disciples regarding care for the poor. Each speak of Mary's offering of worship and honor to God.
Certainly it is possible that Luke wished to share a story of one of Jesus teachings and used his notes combining several stories to express a lesson. This kind of teaching is not uncommon today as author's attempt to make a point. The moral of the story is more important than the facts - and the facts often have a great tendancy to get in the way! I have mentioned my frustration with the doctrine of "inerrancy" as it is not a claim of the Bible and confuses the inspiration of the teachings. That being said, allow me to comment within Luke's inspirational message revealed through his telling of this beautiful story.
As we have seen, although Jesus fame had spread far and wide due to the power of his message and healing, the Pharisees were struggling with His own moral conduct and company, plus the fact he claimed he had the power to forgive sins! That setting is not lost in this story and continues to play out in Luke's portrayal of Jesus ministry. The Pharisee represents righteous and holy living and those who stand in judgment on their fellowman, a leper would not have provided that scene. Mary, sister of Lazarus also would not have given the same affect as the woman of ill repute related by Luke. Therefore, Luke has provided a picture of the sinner and the saint as he shares Jesus message.
The self righteous religious man is judgmental both to the sinner and to God. ("she is a sinner, doesn't the teacher know?") Luke now continues to share his rendering of Christ's message of forgiveness and the appropriate response. Matthew shared a similar teaching in Matthew 18:21-35. The Pharisee represents the man in Matthew's story who would not forgive his brother. Luke shares a chastisement for the Pharisee (self righteous religious man) for not honoring his fellowman. He relates the power of forgiveness for a sinner as compared to the saint who already imagines his works have saved him. He relates that the sinner is now performing what is required by the law while the saint is taking the heart of the law for granted. Even years after understanding salvation, it is good to remember the importance of removing ourselves from God's throne and loving our fellowman. In God's sight, we are one and the acts of the greatest sinner may be found more righteous than the most pious saint.
Luke finishes with the beauty of the good news of salvation. Jesus did not follow a Roman code or some litany of exactly what this woman needed to do or believe to obtain salvation, He said "Your sins are forgiven, your faith has saved you, go in peace." Notice, as in Luke 5:20, Jesus did not say "I forgive your sins", he simply stated "Your Sins are Forgiven".
I once visited a woman on her death bed. She lay in a coma and would not last a day. And yet, as I prepared to leave, she sat up in bed and looked at me and said "You can tell me Rick, you can tell me" She repeated this over and over. I have struggled to understand what that meant, but I think this is it. The good news of salvation is this; "God loves you and has forgiven your sin! Your faith has saved you! Go in peace and sin no more!" Certainly good news for anybody facing the adversity of life or death. And yet, some Pharisees would consider this to be blasphemy!
Its ok Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - and the rest of you out there - tell me the old new story! Its the divine insprirational message that counts, not the earthly facts.
The Men and Women Who Attended to the Ministry of Jesus Luke 8:1-3
What is this, a man's world? Why do we hardly ever hear of the women who were part of the ministry of Jesus until the crucifiction? There were many followers to be sure, and there were 12 disciples. But as Luke mentions here, there were some common women who ministered among the group. These women are mentioned here and again at the crucifiction. They probably did a lot of those things that women do - cooking, cleaning, serving, ministring. Perhaps Peter's wife and the wives of other disciples were among them. From scripture, we know there was Mary from Magdala, Joanna, Susanna, Mary the mother of James (perhaps a disciple - perhaps Jesus mother who was known to be at the cross), the wife of Zebedee - mother of James and John, Salome, and many others. Women have always played an integral part in ministry serving in the capacity of judges, caregivers, teachers, and so much more.
Response to Psalm 69:1-18
We All Face Affliction Psalm 69:1-5
When do you feel like the Psalmist? When financial troubles rise up? When the tempers of the relationship reach a meltdown? When the pressure of the coming test seem daunting? There are stories of two prophets that I am reminded of when reading this Psalm:
Jonah prays a similar prayer when he is cast overboard to calm the storm. His words are recorded in Jonah 2:5-6 "The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God."
When the people were angered by the worrysome prophecies of Jeremiah, they threw him into the cistern in Jeremiah 38:6. His words are recorded in Lamentations 3:52-55 "Those who were my enemies without cause hunted me like a bird. They tried to end my life in a pit and threw stones at me; the waters closed over my head, and I thought I was about to be cut off. I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit.
Daniel also could relate to this story when he was thrown into the pit with the lions. These pictures in the lives of the Biblical characters may reflect the emotions of Jesus as he faced affliction, but they also reflect those very times in our own lives when adversity seems too much.
"Lord, Be Mighty to Save As a Witness to My Community and to Me" Psalm 69:6-18
John 15:7-8 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. If we are known within our communities as an obedient child of God, John claims that we have great power in having prayers answered. The Psalmist relays two motivations for God to answer our prayers in Psalm 69:6-12. First, that those who find faith through our example might not be shaken by our experience. Second, that those who mock our Spirituality and our God will not be enabled in their arrogance.
David prays with a patient endurance. He praises God for His abundant Love. I can almost hear him wanting to scream, but his attitude in prayer is probably therapeutic in calming his own heart. He is careful not to complain about God's slowness and knows what buttons to push. This is a child who knows His Father.
Our world today is in turmoil. Corruption, greed, hostility and self righteous judgment is at an all time high. How can we avoid the flood? It's time for all of us to start pushing some buttons! Honor God, Seek His Love! Love your fellowman! Praise Him and thank Him. Confess your part in the mess and join a movement to return our world to its moral center. Don't give up on God, we're in a mess because we turned our backs on Him. Uniting in Him is the answer. We have been abandoned in the wilderness. We'll have to work together to find Him again. If we seek Him we will find Him if we seek for Him with all our heart.
Response to Proverbs 12:1
Lord, allow us to learn to live with one another again. We are suffering from our own arrogance as we have turned our backs on you. Forgive us Lord, bless those who choose to seek your will! Open our eyes to see you clearly as you guide us towards the leadership of nations and as we turn our hearts toward home. Amen.
Until Tomorrow!
Rick
Saturday, March 27, 2010
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