When was the last time you were afraid of God?

Intro:

Continuing in my process through the God Encounters book – today, chapter 2.4

Questions:

• What part of your life forgets to tremble?

I don’t tremble.  I haven’t trembled in years.  It’s not who I am.  I fix things – if something is scary, I fix it, subdue it, avoid it, or crush it.  I’m not saying this is the best way to handle things, it’s just what I’ve learned.  If I can’t fix it, I get a bigger hammer.

As I write that, I’m impressed to explore the suppress, subdue, and/or crush scenario.  Hmmm…

So, I suppose the answer is- in all aspects.

Whoa. Note to self: Need some work here.  This is a spiritual discipline that I not only need to work on, but I didn’t know it existed.

• When was the last time you were afraid of God?  What caused your fear?

As mentioned in the book, maybe we’ve done such a good job rejecting Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, that we’ve forgotten that fear and trembling are OK.

However, I think I’m afraid now.  Afraid that God won’t live up to the promises I cling to.  Will He really take care of us?  Will He really shield us from persecution?  Will He really see us through this mess?

We only have enough money for two more house payments.  What happens God?  What happens next?  Did we hear you wrong?  Did we misunderstand?  What if our theology is wrong?  Will you still take care of us?

Over the past several months, since my Smiling Son was weaned, I’ve had the delightful opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with him.  It’s really been fun, exciting, rewarding, and meaningful.  There have been times where I can tell that he just adores me.  However, something happened recently.  Mommy and Darling Daughter went to an event and it was just the boys at home.  Suddenly, he got shy, timid, and maybe even a bit afraid of his Dad.

I was taken aback some.  He hadn’t acted that way with me ever.  Of course I adapted, but it was obvious that he was still quite attached to his Mommy and hadn’t quite developed that trust level with me yet.  It was as if he was looking at me, thinking, “Do you have what it takes to take care of me?  Do you know where the food and diapers are?  What if I start crying?  Will you be able to handle that?  Maybe you ought to call Mommy right now – just in case?  Maybe you ought to get her over here… um, now – just in case I start crying or something.”

So how did I handle this?  Well, a less secure parent might have been hurt and wounded to the core.  I could have taken it as an affront to my competence – or worse, as a doubting of my unconditional love of him.  But I didn’t.  I realized this was his issue, not mine.  I backed off and gave him some space.  I dialed up the fun quotient and turned on the attraction.  IOW, attraction, not promotion.  It had moderate success.  We didn’t end up with a wailing toddler begging for his Mommy – but he was sure glad when Mommy got home.

Where did I learn this? From watching others.

I’ve watched people who seemingly adore children or pets.  They walk in the door and immediately they want said children to snuggle with them.  But, um, those said children don’t know this stranger.  They have no relationship – no trust.  The kids hang back in apparent shyness.  My mother was one of those people – loved kids and was dying to snuggle with them.  Kids avoided her.

What I do is basically ignore the kids.  Say hi, smile gently, but don’t try to touch them (handshake, high-5, etc) – just focus on the tasks at hand, or the adults I came to see.  Before too long, the kids are my friend.  Same with pets – but for different reasons.  I’m not naturally drawn to other people’s dogs (especially yappy, little dogs) – or cats.  But by ignoring them, pretty soon all cats end up in my lap. (sigh)

Since that experience with my Smiling Son, we have continued to grow our relationship.  In fact when I ran a quick errand to the store Friday afternoon, he caught my attention, thumped his chest and said, “Me? Me?”  He desperately wanted to go with me – and we had a great time together.

So, here’s how I see it.

I’m hanging back, wondering: “Are you up for this God?  Do you know where the food is?  What if I start crying?  Will you know what I need?  What if I misbehave, are you going to whack me?”  Where’s this going?  Is Mommy ever coming back?  No one consulted me on this change?  I’m not so sure I can really trust you…“

Is it possible that God has adopted an attraction model also?  Is He just waiting for me to come to Him?

I think so.  I believe I don’t need to be afraid.

Before my kids could talk – and long before they could even begin to express why they were crying – they still had needs.  As a parent Dad (Mom’s have an intuitive skill/knowledge – they just know.  I always skipped the 20 questions and just asked the Mom – it was quicker), it is our job to play 20 questions and figure out why they’re crying.  But here’s the deal – just because I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, that didn’t mean that I abandoned my kids.  Even if I didn’t understand their pleas, I didn’t leave them to their own devices.

But also, children never stop asking until they get what they need.  And in those early years, they get everything they ask for.  When they get older, they try to get more than they need – and we, as parents, use our judgement to determine whether they need it or not.  We look at the big picture, the little picture, the needs vs. wants, the treat vs. spoiling, the special occasion vs. routine, and so on, and so forth, et cetera, blah, blah, blah…

My conclusion on this. It is my “job” to ask.  It is God’s job to answer.  Sometimes I’m the one-year old and sometimes I’m the 13-year old.  Sometimes I cry and babble inconsolably – sometimes I throw a tantrum – and sometimes I want something that is not only unnecessary, but downright harmful.

If I really need it, He will give it to me.  If I don’t need it – He will think about it.  If it is harmful, he won’t let me have it.

• What strikes profound reverence or awe in you? Explain.
  

Impossible answers to prayer always amaze me.  Either physically impossible, or psychic impossibilities.

10 years ago I was running out of money, soon to be married, and at a dead-end.  As I surrendered that, God showed up in the form of an email offering me a job.  All I could do is weep.

A year later, while going through the one-week church planter assessment process, I was at a crossroads in my life.  I had moved to Michigan to attend the seminary, but I wasn’t convicted that I was staying – so I didn’t unpack.  I attended church planting assessment and seminary orientation at the same time.  Towards the end of the week, while having some QT3 with God, I felt His presence.  It was intense, for it felt like He’d been silent for over nine months.  Since calling me into full-time ministry, I hadn’t really heard from Him.  But that day He showed up.

It was as if He had His hand on my shoulder and was saying, “I’ve been here the whole time.” I knew in that moment that I would be staying in the seminary and not doing a church plant anytime soon.  When the church planting assessment team sat down with me the next day to tell me the same thing, I just nodded my head knowingly.

It is these moments that inspire awe.

So here’s a self-devised question: Why can’t I anticipate that awe?  Why not act as if?  As if the answer has already been received – and start doing the awe thing already.

When my kids see me do something that would be impossible to them, they stand there, mouths agape, laughing, giggling, and begging me to do it again.  So, once again I toss the orange in the air and bounce it off my bicep and back into my hand.  Over and over, and they laugh.

• How would you define the difference between the fear the disciples experienced and the fear being advocated in Deuteronomy 10?

The disciples were afraid, God asks us to revere Him.

• In what ways can fearing and loving God happen simultaneously?  Can you love God and yet fear Him?  Explain.

Probably – or He wouldn’t have asked us to do it.

Questions like this reveal the superficiality of my faith.

Prayer:

Father God – take me to a deeper level – please.  Oh, you are?  Yeah, I was afraid of that…

Discussion:

Saturday night while cooking dinner, I put my iPod on random to play on the home stereo.  Whenever I do this, I pray that God will direct the music selections.  He always comes through.  The following song came on – it comes from the first Jars of Clay album that was pretty much my theme from 1995 to 1999.  This song, as I listened to it the other night, is a prayer I’ve been praying for several years.  The Lord is in the midst of answering this prayer.

Scary? YES!

Needed? Yes.

Trusting? I’m learning?

Losing Sight

Scripture:

Ezekiel 20

17 Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness. 18 “Then I warned their children not to follow in their parents’ footsteps, defiling themselves with their idols.19 `I am the Lord your God,’ I told them. `Follow my decrees, pay attention to my regulations,20 and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the Lord your God.’ 21 “But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life.

Luke 17

32 Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! 33 If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.

37 “Where will this happen, Lord?”s the disciples asked. Jesus replied, “Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.”

Observations:

Why is it that we, as spiritual beings, tend towards entropy in our walk with God?

Applications:

Losing sight of the vision will cause us to become lame, confused, and lethargic.

Prayer:

Lord, please don’t let me become lethargic – or to lose sight of the vision.

Superficial Treatments

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 8	September 11, 2009
1 “In that day,” says the Lord , “the enemy will break open the graves of the kings and officials of Judah, and the graves of the priests, prophets, and common people of Jerusalem.2 They will spread out their bones on the ground before the sun, moon, and stars—the gods my people have loved, served, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up again or buried but will be scattered on the ground like manure.3 And the people of this evil nation who survive will wish to die rather than live where I will send them. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken! Deception by False Prophets 4 “Jeremiah, say to the people, `This is what the Lord says: “`When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back? 5 Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around. 6 I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”? No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle! 7 Even the stork that flies across the sky knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane.s They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know the Lord ‘s laws. 8 “`How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord ,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies? 9 These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness, for they have rejected the word of the Lord . Are they so wise after all? 10 I will give their wives to others and their farms to strangers. From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that. They are all frauds. 11 They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. 12 Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the Lord . 13 I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the Lord , have spoken!’ 14 “Then the people will say, `Why should we wait here to die? Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there. For the Lord our God has decreed our destruction and has given us a cup of poison to drink because we sinned against the Lord . 15 We hoped for peace, but no peace came. We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.’ 16 “The snorting of the enemies’ warhorses can be heard all the way from the land of Dan in the north! The neighing of their stallions makes the whole land tremble. They are coming to devour the land and everything in it— cities and people alike. 17 I will send these enemy troops among you like poisonous snakes you cannot charm. They will bite you, and you will die. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah Weeps for Sinful Judah 18 My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken. 19 Listen to the weeping of my people; it can be heard all across the land. “Has the Lord abandoned Jerusalem?s” the people ask. “Is her King no longer there?” “Oh, why have they provoked my anger with their carved idols and their worthless foreign gods?” says the Lord . 20 “The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone,” the people cry, “yet we are not saved!” 21 I hurt with the hurt of my people. I mourn and am overcome with grief. 22 Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people?	Jeremiah speaks of their graves being desecrated by their enemies.  Those that survive will wish to die, rather than to go where God is sending them. God says, “When they fall down, don’t they get up again?  When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back?  Then why won’t these people turn from their self-destructive path?  Why do they refuse to turn back and cling tightly to their lies?” God says that He listens to their conversations but doesn’t hear a word of truth.  Is anyone sorry for doing wrong?  Does anyone say what a terrible thing they have done?  No.  All are running down the path of sin – as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle! Even the migrating birds know when it is time to come home.  But not God’s people.  They do not know God’s laws. They say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord. – but your teachers have twisted it by writing lies.  These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness – for they have rejected the word of the Lord. Are they really so wise after all? God will give their property to strangers, their lives are ruled by greed. Yes, even the prophets and priests are like that – they are all frauds. They offer superficial treatments for my people’s moral wound.  They offer assurances of peace, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed?  Not at all.  They don’t even know how to blush. “The harvest is finished,  and the summer is gone,” the people cry,  “yet we are not saved!” Jeremiah weeps.  His heart is broken.  He says: “I hurt with the hurt of my people.   I mourn and am overcome with grief. Is there no medicine in Gilead?  Is there no physician there?  Why is there no healing  for the wounds of my people?”	I have been resisting/avoiding my continued reading in Jeremiah.  It’s just too heavy, to sad, and too overwhelming.  The scenes are just too similar to our current situations. As I’ve gone through the paths I’ve been walking lately, I somehow expected the logic of the situations to spring forth and the attacks on me would stop.  But they didn’t, and they haven’t.  Jeremiah and God faced this – the people just continue to cling to the lies. Spiritual blinders.  The more God cried out through Jeremiah, the more the people refused to listen.  Does this say something about their true heart? God isn’t hearing truth spoken. Normally, when I have an encounter with God, a couple of things happen. First, I see the beauty of God and I want to draw close to Him. Next, I see my own inadequacy, and I am ashamed. Third, I am enveloped by God’s grace, and I am broken. His love then steps into my life to raise me from that brokenness. Finally, I am left with a great evangelistic zeal – I want everyone to experience what I’ve experienced? But God’s people say they are wise, but they only twist the words and fall into traps of their own doing. Are we really wise? Even the leaders are this way – they offer superficial treatments for mortal wounds.  But are they ashamed?  Not at all. They don’t even know how to blush!
Prayer

Father God.  These are hard passages and they make me concerned about my family.  Teach me how to care for your entire family.

G

Original Document

Spiritual Blinders

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 7	September 2, 2009
Jeremiah Speaks at the Temple 1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said,2 “Go to the entrance of the Lord ‘s Temple, and give this message to the people: `O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord ! Listen to it, all of you who worship here!3 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “`Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land.4 But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord ‘s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord ‘s Temple is here! The Lord ‘s Temple is here!”5 But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice;6 only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols.7 Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. 8 “`Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie!9 Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,10 and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again?11 Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord , have spoken! 12 “`Go now to the place at Shiloh where I once put the Tabernacle that bore my name. See what I did there because of all the wickedness of my people, the Israelites.13 While you were doing these wicked things, says the Lord , I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer.14 So just as I destroyed Shiloh, I will now destroy this Temple that bears my name, this Temple that you trust in for help, this place that I gave to you and your ancestors.15 And I will send you out of my sight into exile, just as I did your relatives, the people of Israel.s‘ Judah’s Persistent Idolatry 16 “Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you.17 Don’t you see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?18 No wonder I am so angry! Watch how the children gather wood and the fathers build sacrificial fires. See how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods!19 Am I the one they are hurting?” asks the Lord . “Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame.” 20 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place. Its people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable fire of my anger.” 21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Take your burnt offerings and your other sacrifices and eat them yourselves!22 When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them.23 This is what I told them: `Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’ 24 “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.25 From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets—day in and day out.26 But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors. 27 “Tell them all this, but do not expect them to listen. Shout out your warnings, but do not expect them to respond.28 Say to them, `This is the nation whose people will not obey the Lord their God and who refuse to be taught. Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.29 Shave your head in mourning, and weep alone on the mountains. For the Lord has rejected and forsaken this generation that has provoked his fury.’ The Valley of Slaughter 30 “The people of Judah have sinned before my very eyes,” says the Lord . “They have set up their abominable idols right in the Temple that bears my name, defiling it.31 They have built pagan shrines at Topheth, the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and there they burn their sons and daughters in the fire. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing!32 So beware, for the time is coming,” says the Lord , “when that garbage dump will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. They will bury the bodies in Topheth until there is no more room for them.33 The bodies of my people will be food for the vultures and wild animals, and no one will be left to scare them away.34 I will put an end to the happy singing and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard in the towns of Judah. The land will lie in complete desolation.	Jeremiah receives another message from God.  He is told to go to the entrance of the temple to deliver this message.  All who worship there are to listen to the message – this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: God says, “even now, if you quit doing evil, I will let you stay in your own land.  But don’t be fooled by those who promise safety, simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. The chant:  “The Lord’s Temple is here!  The Lord’s Temple is here!” But God says he will only be merciful if they stop their evil thoughts and deed and start treating each other with justice; only if they stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if they stop murdering; and only if they stop harming themselves  by worshiping idols.  Then, he will let them stay in this land that he gave to our ancestors to keep forever. “Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here.  That is a lie!  Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal – and all those other new  gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me on my Temple and chant, “We are safe!” – only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves?  Surely I see all the evil going on there.  I, the Lord, have spoken! Go to the place at Shiloh where I once put the Tabernacle that bore my name.  See what I did there because of the wickedness of my people, the Israelites.  While you were  doing these wicked things, says the Lord, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen.  I called out to you, but you refused to answer.  So, just as I destroyed Shiloh, I will now destroy this Temple that you trust in for help, this place that I gave to you and our ancestors.  And I will send you out of my sight, into exile, just as I did your relatives, the people of Israel. Don’t pray for these people anymore Jeremiah.  Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you.  Don’t you see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?  No wonder I’m so angry!  Watch how the children gather wood, and the fathers build sacrificial fires.  See how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.  And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods! Am I the one they are hurting?, asks the Lord.  Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame. So, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place, it’s people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable  fire of my anger.” This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Take your burnt offerings and your  other sacrifices and eat them yourselves!  When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them.  This is what I told them” ‘obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” But, my people would not listen to me.  They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts.  They went backward, instead of forward.  From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets — day in and day out.  But my people  have not listened to me or even tried to hear.  They have been stubborn and sinful – even worse than their ancestors. Tell them this, but do not expect them to listen.  Shout out your warnings, but do not expect them to respond.  Say to them, “This is the nation whose people will not obey the Lord their God and who refuse to be taught.  Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.  Shave your head in mourning. and weep alone on the mountains.  For the Lord has rejected and forsaken this generation that has provoked his fury.” The people of Judah have sinned before my very eyes says the Lord.  They have set up their abominable idols right in the Temple that bears my name, defiling it.  They have built  pagan shrines at Topheth, the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and there they burn their sons and daughters in the fire.  I have never commanded such a horrible  deed; it never even crossed y mind to command such a thing!  So beware, for the time is coming, says the Lord, when the garbage dump  will no longer be called Topheth until  there is no more room for them.  The bodies of my people will be food for the cultures and wild animals, and no one will be left to scare them away.  I will put an end to the happy singing and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem.  The joyful voices of the bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard in the towns of Judah.  The land will lie in complete desolation.	The more I read Jeremiah, the more I am convinced that his message, the message God gave him, applies to today.  It fits the culture, the country, and the Church.  But I can also see how the people of his time rejected the message, and how the people of our time are rejecting it too. God says, turn back now, and you can still be saved. Now, here’s where it gets really interesting. I’m sure that when Jeremiah gave this message to the people, they looked at him with dismay, shock, and confusion: “What do you mean?  Adultery? Idolatry? Lies?  What?  We aren’t doing any of those things.” But, as if it weren’t enough for them to be blind to their own errant behavior, they rebutted with a classic statement: “Besides, we are the Lord’s chosen.  He would never destroy us – He already promised the Messiah through us.  We have the Temple to prove it.  He will protect us, because we have the Temple!” But Jeremiah says, don’t be fooled by these words.  No matter how much they chant – “We are safe!”  They aren’t. I can almost excuse their spiritual blindness.  The leaders, and their followers, are good, upstanding citizens.  They are well-behaved, prosperous, well-dressed, and affluent.  They use the right words and vocabulary, they are good leaders, and from all points of views, they keep the law.  However, it is their soul that God sees. Through Jeremiah, God says, your souls are corrupt.  You are thieves, liars, adulterers, and idolaters.  You sacrifice your children, you steal from the widows and orphans, you offer your sacrifices to false gods. But again, the people recoil in shock.  They defend themselves and deny any wrongdoing. How do I know?  I’ve seen it – I’ve experienced it. Yes, they are good people.  They rule the city with great tact and zeal, but they are not walking with God in a way that He desires.  They give their offerings, go through the rituals, and they do everything right. But God says, it isn’t your offerings and sacrifices I want; it is your heart and soul. The people do things right, but they aren’t necessarily doing the right things. The people in my Church say, “We have the truth.  We are God’s remnant people.  He will never destroy us.”  In fact, they have a quote to prove this: “It will appear as if the Church is about to fail, but it will not.” egw But, unfortunately, they use this quote to defend their poor behavior, actions, and attitudes. In the meantime, the tithes and offerings go to administrative costs, buildings, and perks – but the local churches suffer in disrepair.  Pastoral FTEs are cut, but buildings continue to be erected.  The politically conservative, claim to be on God’s side, but oppose any legislation that would provide for the poor, the widows, and the orphans.  While church attendance, and overt sabbathkeeping is done  right, people do whatever they want behind closed doors. They murder people with their words, they lie about their motives, they lie about their political scheming, they lie about others.  They sacrifice their children for their own selfish pursuits.  They worship at the idols of TV and pop culture.  They dine at restaurants, becoming fat, and sleek. The worship centers are a den of thieves. It is fascinating to see the similarities. But God says, don’t expect them to hear.
Prayer

Father God.  Help us.

Original

Created for God’s Glory

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 4	August 19, 2009
1 “O Israel,” says the Lord , “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. 2 Then when you swear by my name, saying, `As surely as the Lord lives,’ you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name.” Coming Judgment against Judah 3 This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. 4 O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord ,s or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins. 5 “Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem! Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land: `Run for your lives! Flee to the fortified cities!’ 6 Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem: `Flee now! Do not delay!’ For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you from the north.” 7 A lion stalks from its den, a destroyer of nations. It has left its lair and is headed your way. It’s going to devastate your land! Your towns will lie in ruins, with no one living in them anymore. 8 So put on clothes of mourning and weep with broken hearts, for the fierce anger of the Lord is still upon us. 9 “In that day,” says the Lord , “the king and the officials will tremble in fear. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be appalled.” 10 Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord , the people have been deceived by what you said, for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!” 11 The time is coming when the Lord will say to the people of Jerusalem, “My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert, and it’s not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain. 12 It is a roaring blast sent by me! Now I will pronounce your destruction!” 13 Our enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds! His chariots are like whirlwinds. His horses are swifter than eagles. How terrible it will be, for we are doomed! 14 O Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved. How long will you harbor your evil thoughts? 15 Your destruction has been announced from Dan and the hill country of Ephraim. 16 “Warn the surrounding nations and announce this to Jerusalem: The enemy is coming from a distant land, raising a battle cry against the towns of Judah. 17 They surround Jerusalem like watchmen around a field, for my people have rebelled against me,” says the Lord . 18 “Your own actions have brought this upon you. This punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart!” Jeremiah Weeps for His People 19 My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries. 20 Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed. 21 How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war? 22 “My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the Lord . “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!” Jeremiah’s Vision of Coming Disaster 23 I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light. 24 I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook. 25 I looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away. 26 I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The towns lay in ruins, crushed by the Lord ‘s fierce anger. 27 This is what the Lord says: “The whole land will be ruined, but I will not destroy it completely. 28 The earth will mourn and the heavens will be draped in black because of my decree against my people. I have made up my mind and will not change it.” 29 At the noise of charioteers and archers, the people flee in terror. They hide in the bushes and run for the mountains. All the towns have been abandoned— not a person remains! 30 What are you doing, you who have been plundered? Why do you dress up in beautiful clothing and put on gold jewelry? Why do you brighten your eyes with mascara? Your primping will do you no good! The allies who were your lovers despise you and seek to kill you. 31 I hear a cry, like that of a woman in labor, the groans of a woman giving birth to her first child. It is beautiful Jerusalem gasping for breath and crying out, “Help! I’m being murdered!”	The Lord says that Jerusalem is welcome to return at anytime.  Just throw away the idols and don’t stray anymore. If you do so, with truth, justice, and righteousness – you will be a blessing to the nations of the world – and all the people will come and praise my name. God says this to Judah and Jerusalem.  Don’t waste your seed among thorns.  Surrender your pride and power.  Change your hearts, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire. Shout, and sound the alarm!  Run for your lives, flee to the fortified cities.  Flee now, do not delay.  Terrible destruction is coming from the North. A lion stalks, headed your way to devastate your land.  Your towns will lie in ruin – no one will live in them anymore. Put on clothes of mourning and weep with broken hearts.  The fierce anger of the Lord is upon us. In that day, the leaders will tremble in fear.  The pastors will be struck with horror.  The prophets will be appalled. But, the people have been deceived.  Peace was promised, but the sword is at their throats. A time is coming, “My dear people,” a burning wind is blowing – not a gentle breeze, it is a roaring blast sent by God – “Now I will pronounce your destruction.” The enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds.  Fast, swift, and terrible.  We are doomed. Oh Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved.  Don’t harbor evil thoughts.  Your destruction will be announced from the hilltops. Warn the surrounding nations and announce this.  The enemy is coming from a distant land, they will surround us.  My people have rebelled against God. “Your own actions brought this upon you – this punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart.” Jeremiah weeps and writhes in pain.  My heart pounds – I cannot be still.  I have heard the blast of the trumpets – and the roar of the enemy’s battle cries.  Destruction rolls over the land.  Everything is destroyed and crushed.  How long must I witness this? My people are foolish – they don’t know me, says God – they are stupid children without understanding.  They are clever enough at doing wrong, but have no idea how to do it right! I looked, and the earth was empty and formless.  There was no light from the heavens.  The mountains and hills trembled.  The people were gone, the birds had flown away.  The fields had become wilderness.  The towns were in ruin – crushed by the Lord’s anger. The Lord says, the whole land will be ruined – but I will not destroy it completely, says the Lord.  The earth will mourn – and the heavens will be draped in black – because of God’s decree – and he will not change His mind. When the people hear the approaching army, they will flee in a panic.  The will hide in the bushes, run for the mountains, and will abandon the cities.  Not a person will remain. God asks, what we are doing.  We act like we’ve just plundered someone.  We dress in beautiful clothing, put on Gold jewelry – but our primping will do no good.  Our lovers will be our enemies. I hear a cry – a painful cry.  It is beautiful Jerusalem, gasping for breath and crying out: “Help!  I’m being murdered.!”	God doesn’t hold grudges.  He just wants whaat is best for us.  Like a parent, if our child quits  doing naughty things, we embrace them and send them on their way. If they don’t stop making poor choices, we have to find methods to convince them that continuing on that path is not a good one. I see here, the promise given to Abraham, re-spoken.  The blessings from God were not so much for the benefit of Israel.  God wanted to bless everyone on Earth – and He chose Israel to exemplify that relationship.  Ultimately though – it isn’t for the people, it is for the glory of God.  I’m not sure why we make this about ourselves – it is about the two great commandments: 1) God, 2) others. He continues to call us out of the danger zone.  To let go of the pride and power, and change our hearts – this is where the real change needs to take place. Jeremiah, from God, continues to try and wake the people up.  Shout and sound the alarm – run for your lives! At the very least, we can mourn for our sorry state of affairs. Jeremiah paints a vision of the future.  Leaders, pastors, prophets will all be terrified.  But why not now? He says the people have been deceived.  They’ve been told that peace is their destiny, but there is a sword to their throat.  EGW says that in these last days, there will be people who proclaim “Peace, peace,” but to avoid them. It seems as if those who get elected in a political system, have to cry peace, peace.  Those that tell the truth, Like George Bush, Sr. did (eg; he will raise taxes), will not get reelected.  Those that portray a vision of growth, safety, freedom, and prosperity – well, they are the ones who keep their positions. I am amazed that a church that teaches end-time events as a part of their core and substance, does not understand the implications of these end-times?  They seem to think that everything will be fine until Jesus comes.  They seem to think that there is nothing they must do to prepare for His return.  Just keep on doing what we’ve always done – and we’ll go home with Jesus in the end. But God is telling us here to cleanse our hearts so we can be saved.  We must proclaim the warning and quit rebelling against God! It is our own actions that has brought this upon us. Jeremiah weeps in pain.  This passage has caused me pause.  Jeremiah portrays his emotions deeply.  I don’t know if he was this expressive verbally – I certainly am not.  However, inside, this passion shouts from my soul. But somehow, in shouting that we need to awaken and that we need to make changes has led people to decide that I don’t love them.  This has been one of the most troubling and confusing issues for me. If I didn’t love them – from God’s heart, why would I care. But this is where I get my answer.  Even God says they are foolish and stupid.  If He thinks that, why do I believe I can get through to them. The whole earth is doomed.  But we will most likely wait until the last minute and we will cry out – “I am being murdered!”
Prayer

Dear God, help me to speak more clearly the repentance that must occur.  Teach me to be more patient with those who don’t get it.  Help me to change my heart and motives and to follow you always!

G

Original Post here.

Be My Children Again

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 3	August 18, 2009
1 “If a man divorces a woman and she goes and marries someone else, he will not take her back again, for that would surely corrupt the land. But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers, so why are you trying to come back to me?” says the Lord . 2 “Look at the shrines on every hilltop. Is there any place you have not been defiled by your adultery with other gods? You sit like a prostitute beside the road waiting for a customer. You sit alone like a nomad in the desert. You have polluted the land with your prostitution and your wickedness. 3 That’s why even the spring rains have failed. For you are a brazen prostitute and completely shameless. 4 Yet you say to me, `Father, you have been my guide since my youth. 5 Surely you won’t be angry forever! Surely you can forget about it!’ So you talk, but you keep on doing all the evil you can.” Judah Follows Israel’s Example 6 During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what fickle Israel has done? Like a wife who commits adultery, Israel has worshiped other gods on every hill and under every green tree.7 I thought, `After she has done all this, she will return to me.’ But she did not return, and her faithless sister Judah saw this.8 She saw that I divorced faithless Israel because of her adultery. But that treacherous sister Judah had no fear, and now she, too, has left me and given herself to prostitution.9 Israel treated it all so lightly—she thought nothing of committing adultery by worshiping idols made of wood and stone. So now the land has been polluted.10 But despite all this, her faithless sister Judah has never sincerely returned to me. She has only pretended to be sorry. I, the Lord , have spoken!” Hope for Wayward Israel 11 Then the Lord said to me, “Even faithless Israel is less guilty than treacherous Judah!12 Therefore, go and give this message to Israel.s This is what the Lord says: “O Israel, my faithless people, come home to me again, for I am merciful. I will not be angry with you forever. 13 Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every green tree. Confess that you refused to listen to my voice. I, the Lord , have spoken! 14 “Return home, you wayward children,” says the Lord , “for I am your master. I will bring you back to the land of Israels— one from this town and two from that family— from wherever you are scattered. 15 And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding. 16 “And when your land is once more filled with people,” says the Lord , “you will no longer wish for `the good old days’ when you possessed the Ark of the Lord ‘s Covenant. You will not miss those days or even remember them, and there will be no need to rebuild the Ark.17 In that day Jerusalem will be known as `The Throne of the Lord .’ All nations will come there to honor the Lord . They will no longer stubbornly follow their own evil desires.18 In those days the people of Judah and Israel will return together from exile in the north. They will return to the land I gave their ancestors as an inheritance forever. 19 “I thought to myself, `I would love to treat you as my own children!’ I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land— the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling me `Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me. 20 But you have been unfaithful to me, you people of Israel! You have been like a faithless wife who leaves her husband. I, the Lord , have spoken.” 21 Voices are heard high on the windswept mountains, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s people. For they have chosen crooked paths and have forgotten the Lord their God. 22 “My wayward children,” says the Lord , “come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.” “Yes, we’re coming,” the people reply, “for you are the Lord our God. 23 Our worship of idols on the hills and our religious orgies on the mountains are a delusion. Only in the Lord our God will Israel ever find salvation. 24 From childhood we have watched as everything our ancestors worked for— their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters— was squandered on a delusion. 25 Let us now lie down in shame and cover ourselves with dishonor, for we and our ancestors have sinned against the Lord our God. From our childhood to this day we have never obeyed him.”	A man won’t take back a woman whom he has divorced, so why would he take back one who has prostituted herself with many lovers?  Why is Israel trying to come back to God? You can see shrines on every hilltop where this prostitution has taken place.  Even now, we sit like prostitutes beside the road – waiting for the next customer. We have polluted the land with this prostitution. This is why it doesn’t rain in the Spring. You say, but you’ve always been my guide, my father, you won’t be angry forever, but there is no stopping the evil behavior. Because Israel treated this all so lightly, no even Judah is following in these steps of prostitution. But even as Israel has repented, yet returned to her evil, Judah saw this was all so common, that she never sincerely returned and only pretended to be sorry. Israel is faithless, but Judah is treacherous. The Lord says, “Oh my faithless people, come home to me, again – I am merciful.  I will not be angry forever.  Just acknowledge your guilt, admit you rebelled and committed adultery by worshiping idols.  Confess that you refused to listen.” “Return home, my wayward children.” Say the Lord. “For I am your master and I will bring you back to the land.  I will give you leaders after my own heart who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.” When the land is filled again with people, you will no longer wish for “the good’ol days” when you possessed the Ark.  You won’t need to rebuild the Ark, for Jerusalem will be known as “The Throne of the Lord.”  All nations will come to honor God.  They won’t stubbornly follow their own desires.  Judah and Israel will return from Exile.  They will return to the land given their ancestors. God would love to treat us as His own children.  He wants to give us this land – the finest in the World.  He wants us to call Him Father, and not turn from Him. But we have been unfaithful.  Like a faithless wife who leaves her husband. The voices of God’s people are heard on high.  Weeping, pleading – for we have chosen crooked paths and have forgotten our Lord. Come back, Says God.  I will heal you. We are coming.  You are our God.  Our religious orgies were a delusion.  We can only find salvation in you.  We have seen everything squandered in delusion. We now lie down in shame and cover ourselves in dishonor.  We and our ancestors have sinned against God.  We have never obeyed.	I have always compared marriage to our relationship with God.  This symbol, between a man and a woman is sacred – for many reasons.  It is sacred because it is the closest any human can be to another.  It is sacred because it represents the relationship we have (or could have) with God. When we prostitute ourselves – spiritually, physically, or emotionally – we are polluted.  Many will say that sex in and of itself is not evil.  One should be able to be sexual with whomever they please – it doesn’t hurt anyone and it is no different than a hug. I disagree.  As a refugee from the sexual revolution, take my word for it – it leaves scars.  I have seen the scars I left in others, and I have been left wounded from the encounters others had with me. (but that’s another story) When the verse talks about a prostitute waiting by the road, it makes me think of Judah’s daughter-in-law.  He thought she was a prostitute, because of where he encountered her – but in reality, he was the one prostituting himself with the first woman who came along. No rain in the Spring.  Reminds me of Elijah and the drought.  Was this drought a punishment from God – or just a way to wake them up to their needs.  I see us currently in a spiritual drought, because of our disobedience.  We are not going to experience the Latter Rain until we repent of our actions, deeds, and intentions. Our leadership, our actions cause others to fall also.  The lack of spirituality in the church testifies greatly of a lack of faith.  We treat our relationship with God so lightly, that others toss God off like so much bad advice.  We give fuel to atheists and other unbelievers.  Because our relationship with God is so polluted, they see no reason to even draw near to Him. But even when we repent, the unbeliever never sees the need fully. We may be faithless, but Judah is treacherous.  This is a scary reality.  What have we done?  What monsters have we created. I see this in our kids.  Because of faithless parents, our kids are treacherous. But God still says, come home.  Acknowledge our guilt, repent, he will take us back. This was the message I was trying to preach.  I wanted us to acknowledge our guilt, our lukewarm approach, our sinfulness.  Repent, cast ourselves before God and be healed. It seemed as if people got hung up on the “we are sinners” part of this message, but coulldn’t see what it would take to get back into a right relationship with God. It’s not enough to just say, “Yeah, you’re right. I’m a sinner.  I’m sorry.  Now what?” There has to be a deep repentance, a deep remorse, and a deep healing.  This isn’t something that happens in a few minutes.  This is also why I believe my former church is the loser in all of this.  Not only were they unwilling to go here, but they no have turned their backs on this invitation.  It is going to be even harder next time. God’s promises, for when we return to Him are glorious.  Great gifts.  He wants so much to bestow great things on us.  He wants that love relationship that is so deep. Yes, we’ve been unfaithful, but if we’re willing, God will embrace us and have that closeness like none other.
Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me to forgive.  It isn’t me that they were rejecting.  It was You.  They want to make it look like it was me – to assuage their guilt.  But it is your love vs. their love of the World.  Help me to let go.

See Original here.

Hear His Calling

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 1	August 14, 2009
Jeremiah 1 1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests from the town of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.2 The Lord first gave messages to Jeremiah during the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.s3 The Lord ‘s messages continued throughout the reign of King Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son, until the eleventh year of the reign of King Zedekiah, another of Josiah’s sons. In Augusts of that eleventh year the people of Jerusalem were taken away as captives. Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions 4 The Lord gave me this message: 5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” 6 “O Sovereign Lord ,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” 7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, `I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord , have spoken!”9 Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth! 10 Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.” 11 Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?” And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.” 12 And the Lord said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.” 13 Then the Lord spoke to me again and asked, “What do you see now?” And I replied, “I see a pot of boiling water, spilling from the north.” 14 “Yes,” the Lord said, “for terror from the north will boil out on the people of this land.15 Listen! I am calling the armies of the kingdoms of the north to come to Jerusalem. I, the Lord , have spoken! “They will set their thrones at the gates of the city. They will attack its walls and all the other towns of Judah. 16 I will pronounce judgment on my people for all their evil— for deserting me and burning incense to other gods. Yes, they worship idols made with their own hands! 17 “Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them. 18 For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land— the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. 19 They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the Lord , have spoken!”	Josiah was eight when he assumed the role of king and Jeremiah began hearing from God in Josiah’s 13th year of reign.  That means Josiah would have been about 21.  This gave Jeremiah about 18 years to preach before Josiah is killed by Pharaoh Neco II. Josiah instituted many reforms and got rid of the symbols of idolatry.  But at his death, the downward slide of Judah began to take over. There is no doubt that the Lord was talking to Jeremiah.  He is regarded as one of the two great prophets , but Christians, Jews, and Islam. God tells him, I’ve known you for a long time – before you were even born – and I’m the one that formed you there.  I am your creator! But, in typical fashion, Jeremiah, like many before and after him, claims to be unqualified. In this case, he states his youth as a limiting factor. Rarely does God take no for an answer though.  No excuses here, he just says “Go. Don’t be afraid, say what I tell you to say, and I will protect you.” And then the hand of God touches Jeremiah.  Unlike Isaiah’s experience, or others, we aren’t told of how Jeremiah reacted.  However, God goes on to tell Jeremiah his role and authority to carry out that role. We often think that the servants of the Lord are only to bring blessings.  But here, God says he’ll also  be tearing down, destroying, and overthrowing.  Others, he will build up and plant. God tells him that He is watching and God’s plans will be carried out – like an almond tree that grows, because that’s what it was supposed to do. Then Jeremiah is told of God’s plans to send an invading army from the north.  Like a pot of boiling water, it is ready and already spilling out. God tells Jeremiah that the people are going to experience discipline (judgment) for their  disobedience. The invading armies will attack. And yet, God is fortifying Jeremiah.  He will be made strong – unless he cowers – if he  is afraid, he will look like a fool. God has made him strong like an iron pillar or a bronze wall.  He will stand against the whole land.  They will fight him, but they will fail – because God said so.	I don’t remember exactly when I first believed that I was being called to lead, but I know it goes way back into my childhood.  I was raised in a secular home though – and really didn’t have much of a concept of God. Around the age of 14-15, though I was pretty nerdy and shy, people began to seek me out to speak and lead in  spiritual matters.  But without a good foundation, I ran away for awhile. Over the last 15+ years, God has been actively prodding me to speak.  I seem to see things that others don’t.  I have big picture ideas in my head that seem to get lost in the busyness we call life. Probably the scariest of all these impressions is that the church, the organized church, is missing the point.  People have not torn down their idols  or high places.  They continue to walk in two places, serving polytheistic gods.  They are unwilling to let go of their humanistic idols. Much like Jeremiah, I argue with God.  First, I don’t have the education necessary to do this.  Theologically, I’ll get blown out of the water by those who can quote Greek and Hebrew – or who know the Bible  through and through. Yet, I hear God saying, to me, through this passage is, “So what?”  Since when did education have anything to do with success?  I can use you if you let me use you – but otherwise, you’ll just look foolish. I’ve been touched by God before, but I let the cares, stressors, and idolatry get in the way.  I begin to lose sight of that moment. Upon arriving in this area, I was shocked at the state of the church.  I didn’t want to, but I had to say something.  It wasn’t my choice. What I find confusing is that despite God’s promises to protect, I still lost my job.  Now, granted, I wasn’t stoned, hung, crucified, or murdered in some other horrible way, but losing my paycheck and health insurance is still pretty scary. I wonder when this will be, but I’m pretty sure Jeremiah had the same questions. I am convinced that I need to look at these promises differently.  God doesn’t say that Jeremiah won’t be harmed.  Only that they will fail and he won’t be captured. I need to see this spiritually.  I’ve always felt that the forces were not “flesh and blood” but powers of Satan.  I believe that Satan was trying to destroy my spirituality and stop the message I was preaching.  And, granted, there were times when I did hesitate, or was in bondage so I couldn’t speak – but I will never stop. I may be wounded, but the Word of God will prevail! What I hear, in this passage is that  my courage and willingness to be obedient is what keeps me from looking foolish.  And yet, isn’t it just like God to ask someone to do something foolish, so they won’t look foolish.  For isn’t preaching a message of repentance pretty foolish in an age when people just want to be told that everything is fine?

Father God,

For several months I’ve been wanting to dive into Jeremiah’s story.  I’ve felt this leading from you.  I’m sorry it’s taken so long.  I see so many similarities between this story and what happened to me here.  I have 100 excuses, but none of them valid.  Please forgive me for taking so long.  I sometimes wonder if I would have been more bold if I had taken this up – or less.  Maybe I wouldn’t have felt so beaten up and attacked?  Either way, those days are passed and I’m ready to hear your words.

As I stated above, one of ny biggest questions centers around the idea that “no harm will come to me.” While this seems to be a popular myth within the church world, I really don’t see any basis for it in the Bible accounts.  Some seem to think that being in Your Will is the safest place on earth.  I don’t believe that – in my head.  However, my heart wants to believe that.

Instead, what I believe is that “they can kill the body, but not the Spirit.“  They may hurt me, kill me, or worse, make my life a living Hell – but they can never take away your love and grace.  Being a melancholy though, I have a real propensity to give it up.  Sometimes it just doesn’t feel like I want to keep doing this – I just want to crawl into a cave and be  depressed.  I want to throw away my faith, like I did 30 years ago.  I want to hide from you – as if I could.  I want to quit being so bold about the things I see.

It is hard for me to be in organized churches.  The mediocrity, the majoring in minors, the gossip, the lack of worship – and by that I mean inspired worship.  I want to help – but on the same token, I’m afraid to be me.  For some, like my wife, it’s good enough.  For my kids, it’s really good.  For me, I see it as destructive to your image.

Lord, let me never speak out of my own pain – only out of your calling.

Teach me to rely on you – always.

Thanks God.

I love you too!

G

It Could Happen, Even if You don’t Believe it!

Scripture:

2 Kings 6:21-23 When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?” “Of course not!” Elisha replied. “Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again to their master.” So the king made a great feast for them and then sent them home to their master. After that, the Aramean raiders stayed away from the land of Israel.

2 Kings 7:2 The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven!”

2 Kings 7:32 Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the ways of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. ³³ During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their ancestors.

Observations:

There is a lot of history in 2 Kings 6 & 7, not to mention the other passages in today’s reading.  However, the above three selections capture some of the essence of what was going on in these times.

The story of the Arameans surrounding Israel, the servant being scared, and Elisha asking God to reveal the unseen armies is amazing al by itself.  However, then for God to make the Aramean army blind and for Elisha to lead them into Samaria – once again stunning.  But the capstone of this story is when Elisha tells the king to feed them and send them home.  From that point forward, they never had problems with the Arameans again.

While the juxtoposition of Jehoshaphat’s officer telling Elisha that God was incable of accomplishing something, doesn’t apply directly to this story, I couldn’t help but include it.  How often do we hear this from others?

The final text I included above gives us a summary of Jehoshaphat’s reign.  It was a good one, however, because of his willingness to tolerate a certain amount of idolatry, “the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their ancestors.”

Applications:

First, I never have to fear the forces that are marshalled around me.  God has armies that I may not be able to see.  In the case of Elisha and the Arameans, He may choose not to use those armies.  He may simply cause them to go blind.  Or in the case of Moses and the Egyptians, God may actually harden the heart of the leader (Pharaoh) and cause them to attack with even more vengence – but either way, He rescued His people.

Second, by treating His enemies with kindness, Elisha and the Israelites never had trouble with the Arameans again.

Third, don’t believe the naysayers.  It doesn’t matter how outnumbered, outwitted, or outflanked we are, God can still do amzaing things.

Finally, and this one really applies to me as a Dad – don’t hesitate to get rid of all the idolatry in one’s life.  Jehoshaphat didn’t, and the people never reached the pinacle of believing and devotion.

Prayer:

Father God, today, I put my trust in you.  Draw me close to you…

Faith, Fear, and Frustrations

Scripture:

Joshua 22:11 The rest of Israel heard that the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at Geliloth at the edge of the land of Canaan, on the west side of the Jordan River.

Isaiah 28:29 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom.

Hebrews 11:27, 39, 40 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.…All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

Observations:

When the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-trib of Manasseh built an altar, the other tribes immediately assumed that it was to worship a false god.  Without cell phones, email, or other modern forms of communication, they had no way of knowing what their intentions for the alter were about.  Of course, being human, they immediately thought the worse and prepared to go to war against these three tribes.  Common sense reigned however, and they first sent a delegation to seek demand answers.  Once everything was cleared up, the delegation returned to their people, satisfied that this altar was erected in good faith.

Interestingly, jumping forward to Isaiah 28, we see that it is really the Lord’s armies that we should fear.  For they are truly great teachers.  God is able, and willing, to send armies to discipline His people.  I wonder if the armies assembled in Joshua 22 were assembled by God – or of people’s need to control?

And the third passage quoted above, reminds us of the great faith of God’s followers in the past.  Though great danger and fear surrounded Moses, he kept his eyes on God and was able to leave Egypt, unscathed.

Applications:

Reading Joshua 22 just made me seethe with frustration.  Why are people so quick to jump to conclusions?  Why do they assume the worst?  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Noah, Lot, and many others were always building altars.  Anytime there was a significant event, they were piling rocks one on another to honor God’s mighty acts.  But then once the tribes have some order and government, suddenly they lose that spontaneity.  What’s up with that?

It’s as if the tribes that built the altar didn’t run this past the church board first.  They didn’t file the right paperwork.  They hadn’t gotten the proper permits.  But why did the other tribes automatically assume the worst?  Why were they so quick to go to war?  Sure, they didn’t have instant communication tools like email and the phone, but couldn’t they have just walked over and asked?  Wouldn’t that have been much easier than assembling an army and a delegation to interrogate the tribes?

Then reading Isaiah 28, I have to ask the above questions with even more certainty.  Isn’t God in control?  Won’t he take care of disciplining others, as He sees fit?  Nowhere in the above story do I see that God asked the other tribes to take care of the perceived disobedience.  Nowhere do I see that they sought out God’s advice.  Why did they think it was there responsibility to weed out the things they saw as disobedience?  Why do they think they are smarter than God?

Obviously Moses faced this same sort of opposition, not just from the Pharaoh, but also from the captive and enslaved Israelites.  But, he kept his eye on God and came out unscathed.  I wonder if Moses was ever as discouraged as I am?  I wonder if he ever felt like he should just abandon these disrespectful people?  I wonder how many times Moses just wanted to go back and be a shepherd again?

The cool thing about Hebrews 11 is that it talks about these feelings.  It says that the people could have gone back, but by faith they knew that God had something better up ahead.  So, they kept moving forward.

Prayer:

Father God, you alone are my Rock.  Please rescue me from those who speak harshly about me.

Wandering

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 9:1-3 “Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you. They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky! ² The people are strong and tall—descendants of the famous Anakite giants. You’ve heard the saying, ‘Who can stand up to the Anakites?’ ³ But recognize today that the Lord your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them. He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the Lord has promised.

Observations:

These three chapters in Deuteronomy are very powerful – and inspiring.  I particularly remember chapter 6 from before we planted a new church, from scratch, in Colorado Springs.  But these chapters are great reminders of how the Lord will go before us and how we don’t have to fear our enemies or obstacles.

What I see in these verses is a strong reminder to stay faithful, don’t fear, and to not look to other means (Golden Calves) to save us.  I see how the unity and character of the tribes is necessary for them to enter the promised land.

Applications:

The church wants to move forward, they want to do something!  They want to make things happen.  But the message I hear from God is that it isn’t our job to make something happen.  It’s not our job to push into the Promised Land.  It is our job to be faithful, obedient, humble, and strong – strong in the Lord.

Prayer:

Father God, I wonder how many and how often the Israelites complained during their 40 years of wandering in the desert?  Please give me the patience, compassion, and love for the people – like Moses had.