One of the things I like about reading the Bible is all the characters God chose to use. Many are people just like me. If He used them to accomplish His purposes, He can use me too.
Take Moses for instance. He started life in a very tough situation. His family was slaves and he was taken out of his home by the government when he was a small child. He murdered someone in a fit of rage and ran away - a long way away. He went from living in the king's palace to tending sheep in the wilderness.
Then he meets God in a bush that is burning and not burning up. That would be a rather miraculous thing. God then tells him how he, Moses, is going back to Egypt as His messenger of freedom for the Hebrews. Moses is quaking in his boots at the prospect and makes all kinds of excuses for not doing what God is asking him to do even as God shows him more miracles and assures him, "I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12) Moses is unconvinced and finally says, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." (Exodus 4:13)
Now, I've never been a slave or lived in a palace or on the run for murder. And I've never seen the kind of miracles Moses saw. But his fear and his excuses sound like me at times. Even if I don't say send someone else out loud how many times have I ignored the urging in my spirit to do something simple like invite my neighbor to church. Or failed to intercede in prayer for someone. Or thought I'll do that later, or some day, when I know it's the next step I need to take now.
The best part of the story, though, is that despite Moses' objections and God's anger at him for his reluctance, God still uses Moses and sends his brother along with him as a helper. Moses does not have an easy time with Pharaoh or the Hebrews but God does go with him just as He said He would. Later we are told in Exodus 33:11 that "the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend..."
Being a friend of God is a good thing. That's another way I am like Moses; part of the good way. When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I became, not only a friend of God (John 15:15) but a child of God. (John 1:12). And God is with me every step of my life. (John 14:16)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
God's Humor
The situation was certainly not humorous to the people going through it and I don't mean to make light of the trials and tribulations these biblical people faced or that we often face today but sometimes I think God must chuckle as people try to thwart His plans.
In the days of Moses, the Israelites were under intense persecution. The Egyptians had instructed the Hebrew midwives to kill all the boy babies but they managed not to do that. I can imagine God chuckling at this order by the king of Egypt and thinking to Himself something like you think you are so powerful, Pharaoh, but these midwives of Mine have a power you can't imagine!
The midwives told the Egyptians the Hebrew women were much stronger than the Egyptian women and claimed the babies were born before they ever got to the women to help with the delivery. This must have been believable because the midwives were not punished or killed by the Egyptians and were blessed by God with families of their own for their faithfulness. (Exodus 1:15-21)
When this didn't work to kill off the Hebrew boys, Pharaoh commanded the Egyptians to drown the Hebrew boy babies. (Exodus1:22) I can imagine again God chuckling at Pharaoh and thinking not only are you not going to kill all the boys, the one who will rescue my people will be raised in your house!
So Moses is born. His mom kept him hidden and alive for three months. Then she put him in a basket in the river only to be found by Pharaoh's daughter who claims the child as her own. The best part of this story to me is Moses' mom gets hired by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own son. This gives her the opportunity to teach him about their God and to give him a Hebrew identity. This is important because when Moses later flees to Midian, he is recognized there as an Egyptian. (Exodus 2:1-21)
We often forget how powerful God is. We think laws or persecution or unbelievers or any number of things can thwart the plans of God but they can't. The evil that permeates our world is no laughing matter but we know the end of the story! We know Satan and death are defeated! We know God is in control! We must "...honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15-16a).
In the days of Moses, the Israelites were under intense persecution. The Egyptians had instructed the Hebrew midwives to kill all the boy babies but they managed not to do that. I can imagine God chuckling at this order by the king of Egypt and thinking to Himself something like you think you are so powerful, Pharaoh, but these midwives of Mine have a power you can't imagine!
The midwives told the Egyptians the Hebrew women were much stronger than the Egyptian women and claimed the babies were born before they ever got to the women to help with the delivery. This must have been believable because the midwives were not punished or killed by the Egyptians and were blessed by God with families of their own for their faithfulness. (Exodus 1:15-21)
When this didn't work to kill off the Hebrew boys, Pharaoh commanded the Egyptians to drown the Hebrew boy babies. (Exodus1:22) I can imagine again God chuckling at Pharaoh and thinking not only are you not going to kill all the boys, the one who will rescue my people will be raised in your house!
So Moses is born. His mom kept him hidden and alive for three months. Then she put him in a basket in the river only to be found by Pharaoh's daughter who claims the child as her own. The best part of this story to me is Moses' mom gets hired by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own son. This gives her the opportunity to teach him about their God and to give him a Hebrew identity. This is important because when Moses later flees to Midian, he is recognized there as an Egyptian. (Exodus 2:1-21)
We often forget how powerful God is. We think laws or persecution or unbelievers or any number of things can thwart the plans of God but they can't. The evil that permeates our world is no laughing matter but we know the end of the story! We know Satan and death are defeated! We know God is in control! We must "...honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15-16a).
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Affliction
Somehow over the years Christians have come to believe that once we surrender our lives to Jesus we will never suffer hardship or pain. But nothing could be further from reality. We only have to look at the people of the New Testament to see that those who follow Jesus will face opposition and hardship.
Paul and his suffering is probably the best known to us because he writes so openly about all he endures. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he tells us his afflictions caused him to be "so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed we felt that we had received the sentence of death." (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) That's pretty serious stuff.
But he also tells us two other things. One, his afflictions were so severe "to make us not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril [in the past], and He will deliver us [again]."
Two, that God is the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any afflication, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
God allows affliction in our lives for His purposes. His purposes to conform us to the image of Christ. His purposes to teach us faith. His purposes to use us in the lives of others who are going through hard times. No one wants to go through affliction but just as Paul tells us it is part of God's purpose, James tells us to "count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Trials, or afflictions, help to bring perfection and completeness into our lives if we view them from God's perspective and allow them to do the work in our lives that God intends.
Paul and his suffering is probably the best known to us because he writes so openly about all he endures. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he tells us his afflictions caused him to be "so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed we felt that we had received the sentence of death." (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) That's pretty serious stuff.
But he also tells us two other things. One, his afflictions were so severe "to make us not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril [in the past], and He will deliver us [again]."
Two, that God is the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any afflication, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
God allows affliction in our lives for His purposes. His purposes to conform us to the image of Christ. His purposes to teach us faith. His purposes to use us in the lives of others who are going through hard times. No one wants to go through affliction but just as Paul tells us it is part of God's purpose, James tells us to "count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Trials, or afflictions, help to bring perfection and completeness into our lives if we view them from God's perspective and allow them to do the work in our lives that God intends.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Joseph
Sometimes as I read all the good God character lessons in the Bible I tend to overlook some things. In the life of Joseph, for instance, God's faithfulness is a constant theme for all the years Joseph was a slave in Egypt. We are told the Lord was with Joseph in Potipher's house and in prison and as governor of the land. God allowed Joseph and those he served to prosper.
But Joseph is also a study in how not to conduct a family. Israel loved his sons by Rebecca more than he loved his other sons. Joseph was openly favored above his brothers. I imagine when Joseph told his family of his dreams there was a little smugness, a little hautiness in his telling of it. After all he was the favored son and now he was literally having dreams of grandeur.
When Joseph saw his brothers in Egypt after all those years, he set about making life miserable for them. He wanted a reunion but not before extracting a little revenge. Joseph is now the second most powerful man in a powerful land. He is about 40 years old and looks nothing like the 17 year old boy the brothers hated so much. Joseph takes advantage of that. He accuses his brothers of being spies, keeps a brother as a pledge of honesty, returns their money without telling them and vows they may not buy more grain without bringing their youngest brother back with them.
I can imagine the fear of being in a foreign country and being accused of a crime. I can imagine the heartache of going home without their brother, Simeon, to tell their father all that happened. I can imagine the confusion of opening grain bags to find money inside; money that was to pay for the grain. I can imagine the fear in Israel's heart and mind when he releases his youngest son to go back to Egypt to buy more grain not knowing if he will return home.
The brothers return again to Egypt and Joseph, buy their grain and start home. But Joseph had his servant put his silver cup in Benjamin's grain bag. He then sends the servant to accuse them of stealing. So back they go to Joseph and Judah pleads for Benjamin's life.
Finally, Joseph says hey guys it's me, your brother! Surprise! Maybe the brothers thought they deserved going through all this fear and intimidation from Joseph but I don't think it endeared him to them any more than the special coat Israel had given to Joseph as a child or the dreams he had spoken to them.
Our family relationships should be grounded in love, honesty, and respect. Not much of that is evident in the life of Joseph and his relationship with his brothers. I'm glad the Bible is full of imperfect people. If God could use and bless them despite all their imperfections, then He can do the same for me! After all, He did give me Jesus!
But Joseph is also a study in how not to conduct a family. Israel loved his sons by Rebecca more than he loved his other sons. Joseph was openly favored above his brothers. I imagine when Joseph told his family of his dreams there was a little smugness, a little hautiness in his telling of it. After all he was the favored son and now he was literally having dreams of grandeur.
When Joseph saw his brothers in Egypt after all those years, he set about making life miserable for them. He wanted a reunion but not before extracting a little revenge. Joseph is now the second most powerful man in a powerful land. He is about 40 years old and looks nothing like the 17 year old boy the brothers hated so much. Joseph takes advantage of that. He accuses his brothers of being spies, keeps a brother as a pledge of honesty, returns their money without telling them and vows they may not buy more grain without bringing their youngest brother back with them.
I can imagine the fear of being in a foreign country and being accused of a crime. I can imagine the heartache of going home without their brother, Simeon, to tell their father all that happened. I can imagine the confusion of opening grain bags to find money inside; money that was to pay for the grain. I can imagine the fear in Israel's heart and mind when he releases his youngest son to go back to Egypt to buy more grain not knowing if he will return home.
The brothers return again to Egypt and Joseph, buy their grain and start home. But Joseph had his servant put his silver cup in Benjamin's grain bag. He then sends the servant to accuse them of stealing. So back they go to Joseph and Judah pleads for Benjamin's life.
Finally, Joseph says hey guys it's me, your brother! Surprise! Maybe the brothers thought they deserved going through all this fear and intimidation from Joseph but I don't think it endeared him to them any more than the special coat Israel had given to Joseph as a child or the dreams he had spoken to them.
Our family relationships should be grounded in love, honesty, and respect. Not much of that is evident in the life of Joseph and his relationship with his brothers. I'm glad the Bible is full of imperfect people. If God could use and bless them despite all their imperfections, then He can do the same for me! After all, He did give me Jesus!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Promises
In the days of Joseph, God often spoke to people through dreams. The Bible says Joseph was 17 when God gave him a dream of his brothers sheaves of wheat bowing down to his sheaf. Joseph was already hated by his brothers because their dad, Jacob (or Israel), "loved Joseph more than any other of his sons". (Genesis 37:3) The telling of this dream made them hate Joseph enough to sell him as a slave and tell their dad he had been killed by a wild animal.
Fast forward 22 years and there is a very severe famine in Egypt that reaches up into Canaan where Joseph's family lives. The "boys" are sent to Egypt to buy food and therefore bow down before the governor, who happens to be their long lost, but unrecognized, brother. The Bible says, "And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them." (Genesis 42:9) Joseph understood that long ago dream to be a promise from God.
God makes us promises as well. They don't usually come in the form of dreams but through Jesus and the words He speaks to us through the Bible. We have the promise of salvation if we confess Jesus is Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9) We have the promise of forgiveness of sins. (1 John 1:9) We have the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:25-26) We have the promise of peace. (John 14:27) We have the promise of joy. (John 15:11)
These are but a few of many promises of God. When times are hard or circumstances are confusing, we need to remember, as Joseph did, the promises of God. Because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18) we can "take 'em to the bank". We can hold on to them, knowing that God will come through for us.
One of the hardest promises to grasp is Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." This is right in the middle of a section that speaks of the Spirit interceding for us and our being conformed to the image of Christ. We often can't take hold of this because we can't see beyond our difficult circumstances but we need to remember the promises!
Joseph was able to grasp God's promise when he saw his brothers and remembered the dream. Later he told his brothers, "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God." (Genesis 45:7-8a)
We know that this was also part of God's plan long before Joseph. When God made His covenant with Abram He told him, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions." (Genesis 15:13-14) Joseph, and eventually the children of Israel, being in Egypt and the famine that brought them there were part of God's plan all along.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Fast forward 22 years and there is a very severe famine in Egypt that reaches up into Canaan where Joseph's family lives. The "boys" are sent to Egypt to buy food and therefore bow down before the governor, who happens to be their long lost, but unrecognized, brother. The Bible says, "And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them." (Genesis 42:9) Joseph understood that long ago dream to be a promise from God.
God makes us promises as well. They don't usually come in the form of dreams but through Jesus and the words He speaks to us through the Bible. We have the promise of salvation if we confess Jesus is Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9) We have the promise of forgiveness of sins. (1 John 1:9) We have the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:25-26) We have the promise of peace. (John 14:27) We have the promise of joy. (John 15:11)
These are but a few of many promises of God. When times are hard or circumstances are confusing, we need to remember, as Joseph did, the promises of God. Because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18) we can "take 'em to the bank". We can hold on to them, knowing that God will come through for us.
One of the hardest promises to grasp is Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." This is right in the middle of a section that speaks of the Spirit interceding for us and our being conformed to the image of Christ. We often can't take hold of this because we can't see beyond our difficult circumstances but we need to remember the promises!
Joseph was able to grasp God's promise when he saw his brothers and remembered the dream. Later he told his brothers, "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God." (Genesis 45:7-8a)
We know that this was also part of God's plan long before Joseph. When God made His covenant with Abram He told him, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions." (Genesis 15:13-14) Joseph, and eventually the children of Israel, being in Egypt and the famine that brought them there were part of God's plan all along.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Rain
Rain is a good thing...most of the time. We need rain to water the land to grow food and to fill streams and lakes with water to drink for people and animals. But too much rain causes destruction by flooding the land and destroying property and possibly people and animals.
When we're going through hard times we use the expression "when it rains, it pours". It seems that there is never just one issue to deal with but multiple things at once. When the dam begins to break, it creates another break in a different place which can speed the downfall of the dam and the flood almost overwhelms us.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are not immune to the floods nor are we immune to the tension and anxiety that the floods create. It is during these seasons that we need to cling most tightly to our life preserver, who is Jesus. He has promised never to leave us (Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Habakkkuk 3:17-19; Hebrews 13:5).
If we let go, we just might drown. We may be overwhelmed with despair. We may doubt God really loves us. We may think what's the use of going on. But if we persevere, we can have peace in the midst of suffering. We can have joy in the midst of heartache. We can overcome to glorify Jesus.
"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried (or have chosen) you in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10) I don't think anyone ever thinks of being chosen for affliction. But Job was and Paul and just about every major Bible "hero". When Ananias questioned Jesus about going to Saul/Paul, part of Jesus' response was "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." (Acts 9:15-16). Chosen to suffer, chosen for affliction.
How we handle the seasons of rain in our lives can be one of the best testimonies our unbelieving neighbors, family, coworkers, and friends can see and hear as we continue to walk faithfully with Jesus as He walks faithfully with us. Rather than despairing the rain, let it be a time of increasing faith as we realize, and verbalize, that Jesus is our only hope in a desperate situation.
When we're going through hard times we use the expression "when it rains, it pours". It seems that there is never just one issue to deal with but multiple things at once. When the dam begins to break, it creates another break in a different place which can speed the downfall of the dam and the flood almost overwhelms us.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are not immune to the floods nor are we immune to the tension and anxiety that the floods create. It is during these seasons that we need to cling most tightly to our life preserver, who is Jesus. He has promised never to leave us (Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Habakkkuk 3:17-19; Hebrews 13:5).
If we let go, we just might drown. We may be overwhelmed with despair. We may doubt God really loves us. We may think what's the use of going on. But if we persevere, we can have peace in the midst of suffering. We can have joy in the midst of heartache. We can overcome to glorify Jesus.
"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried (or have chosen) you in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10) I don't think anyone ever thinks of being chosen for affliction. But Job was and Paul and just about every major Bible "hero". When Ananias questioned Jesus about going to Saul/Paul, part of Jesus' response was "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." (Acts 9:15-16). Chosen to suffer, chosen for affliction.
How we handle the seasons of rain in our lives can be one of the best testimonies our unbelieving neighbors, family, coworkers, and friends can see and hear as we continue to walk faithfully with Jesus as He walks faithfully with us. Rather than despairing the rain, let it be a time of increasing faith as we realize, and verbalize, that Jesus is our only hope in a desperate situation.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Give a Tenth
It always amazes me that people want to argue over giving a tithe, or a tenth, to God from what He so generously supplies to us in income. I'm not legalistic about it but I really cannot understand how anyone who has been saved from the wrath of our awesome, holy God and is permitted to live one more day on earth does not want to give minimally a tenth to God's church to reach others with the saving grace of Jesus.
Abraham, when he met Melchizedek, gave "a tenth of everything" to this priest (Genesis 14:18-20) and Jacob, when he met God at Bethel, made a vow to " give a full tenth to you". (Genesis 28:20-22) Both these men lived 500 - 700 years before Moses and the Law. They gave as an expression of their acknowledgement of the blessings of God.
Paul, when writing to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:1-8) tells how the Macedonias begged for the opportunity to give to help the poor even though they were poor themselves. He said giving generously is not a command but rather proof of our love for Jesus and for others.
Jesus, when sitting near the temple collection box, praised the woman who gave a penny because she was so generous with what she had. (Mark 12:41-44) As always He was looking at the heart, her heart, that had faith to give everything she had to God. I saw this played out in real life in Kenya. The people lived in stick and mud huts, no running water, no electricity, no transportation, eating one small meal a day. Yet when they came to church they testified with their mouths to how blessed they were by God and testified with their money as they all managed to bring something to give, mostly small gold coins that weren't worth much to me but to them and to God it was a fortune. Their generosity put me to shame.
I wonder what the churches could do to alleviate hunger in America if everyone begged to give generously to their local church like the Macedonians did. I wonder how single moms or orphans or drug addicts or out of work dads or the working poor could be helped by our churches AND hear about Jesus if Christians were not greedy but generous.
There are lots of organizations out there doing good things but what if the CHURCH took on the responsibility of caring for its own and for a lost and dying world because we stepped up to the plate and gave generously. What if we were willing to give up the latest iPhone or maybe our second car or eating out or the sports package on cable or maybe all cable. What if we got out of debt! What if we saw our money as a gift from God to be used for His purposes rather than our own. Then there would be no discussion about tithing because we would all be giving more than that!
Abraham, when he met Melchizedek, gave "a tenth of everything" to this priest (Genesis 14:18-20) and Jacob, when he met God at Bethel, made a vow to " give a full tenth to you". (Genesis 28:20-22) Both these men lived 500 - 700 years before Moses and the Law. They gave as an expression of their acknowledgement of the blessings of God.
Paul, when writing to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:1-8) tells how the Macedonias begged for the opportunity to give to help the poor even though they were poor themselves. He said giving generously is not a command but rather proof of our love for Jesus and for others.
Jesus, when sitting near the temple collection box, praised the woman who gave a penny because she was so generous with what she had. (Mark 12:41-44) As always He was looking at the heart, her heart, that had faith to give everything she had to God. I saw this played out in real life in Kenya. The people lived in stick and mud huts, no running water, no electricity, no transportation, eating one small meal a day. Yet when they came to church they testified with their mouths to how blessed they were by God and testified with their money as they all managed to bring something to give, mostly small gold coins that weren't worth much to me but to them and to God it was a fortune. Their generosity put me to shame.
I wonder what the churches could do to alleviate hunger in America if everyone begged to give generously to their local church like the Macedonians did. I wonder how single moms or orphans or drug addicts or out of work dads or the working poor could be helped by our churches AND hear about Jesus if Christians were not greedy but generous.
There are lots of organizations out there doing good things but what if the CHURCH took on the responsibility of caring for its own and for a lost and dying world because we stepped up to the plate and gave generously. What if we were willing to give up the latest iPhone or maybe our second car or eating out or the sports package on cable or maybe all cable. What if we got out of debt! What if we saw our money as a gift from God to be used for His purposes rather than our own. Then there would be no discussion about tithing because we would all be giving more than that!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
God's Names
One of the things I like when reading the Bible is the descriptive names given to people and to God. English really is a boring language. Other languages, including those of the Bible, have different words for the same word such as "you", which can be singular or plural. Some pronouns and other words are designated male or female making the languages much more descriptive than English. Sometimes we have to use 2, 3, or 4 words to get the full meaning of one Hebrew word.
In Genesis the name used most for God is Elohim, which is plural, and is generally translated into English as God. In Genesis 2 we begin to see LORD God. LORD is sometimes translated as Jehovah because this comes from the holy name YHVH. A name that the Jews would not even speak out of reverential awe for God. We don't really know how to pronounce this name.
When Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael and was running away from Sarai, God found her in the wilderness and promised to "multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude." At that time Hagar said, "You are a God of seeing." The well where she was was named Beer-lahai-roi. Beer means well or pit and lahai-roi means the Living One who sees me. I love that. Doesn't that say so much more than the English word God?
Over in Genesis 17 when God is giving Abram the covenant of circumcision, God says to him, "I am God Almighty...then Abram fell on his face." Just an aside, that should be our response to God as well. We often focus so much on God being Abba, our daddy and friend, that we often forget He is the Almighty.
Genesis 21:33 says, "Abraham...called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God."
Just these few names in the first half of Genesis tell us God is plural (Trinity-Father, Son, Holy Spirit); He is so holy and so different from us His name was not pronounced; He is living; He sees us; He is almighty; He is eternal. Learning about the names of God gives a greater understanding of who God is in action and in character which should deepen our faith.
In Genesis the name used most for God is Elohim, which is plural, and is generally translated into English as God. In Genesis 2 we begin to see LORD God. LORD is sometimes translated as Jehovah because this comes from the holy name YHVH. A name that the Jews would not even speak out of reverential awe for God. We don't really know how to pronounce this name.
When Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael and was running away from Sarai, God found her in the wilderness and promised to "multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude." At that time Hagar said, "You are a God of seeing." The well where she was was named Beer-lahai-roi. Beer means well or pit and lahai-roi means the Living One who sees me. I love that. Doesn't that say so much more than the English word God?
Over in Genesis 17 when God is giving Abram the covenant of circumcision, God says to him, "I am God Almighty...then Abram fell on his face." Just an aside, that should be our response to God as well. We often focus so much on God being Abba, our daddy and friend, that we often forget He is the Almighty.
Genesis 21:33 says, "Abraham...called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God."
Just these few names in the first half of Genesis tell us God is plural (Trinity-Father, Son, Holy Spirit); He is so holy and so different from us His name was not pronounced; He is living; He sees us; He is almighty; He is eternal. Learning about the names of God gives a greater understanding of who God is in action and in character which should deepen our faith.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Waiting
Sometimes I forget that the people of Bible times had to wait for just about everything. I was reading today about Abraham sending his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant was commissioned to travel back to Abraham's home and find a wife from Abraham's family.
"Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor." (Genesis 24:10) This sounds to me quick and easy. But as I looked at maps I saw that this was around 600 miles - one way - if they were still in living in the vicinity of Hebron, where Sarah was buried. So I wondered how fast camels walk and learned they walk 2.5 - 3 mph. Josephus' account of this journey says "for it requires much time to pass through Mesopotamia, in which it is tedious traveling, both in winter, for the depth of the clay - and in summer for want of water; and, besides this, for the robberies there committed which are not to be avoided by travelers but by caution beforehand." So this took a long time, months just to get there and more months to come back.
For all these months Abraham waited. Waiting was just what they did because everything took time whether it was preparing food for a meal or going on a journey. Not so today. We have instant everything.
We have instant messages and email for instant communication; microwave ovens and drive-thru's for instant food; cars and airplanes and trains that can get us where we want to go in a hurry. Flip a switch we have light; turn a faucet we have water. We don't wait for much of anything.
And maybe that's why we often have trouble waiting for God. We want to hear from God right now. We want the answers to our prayers today. But the waiting is important. Waiting keeps us dependent on God. Waiting gives us time to see our situation from God's perspective. Waiting gives God time to change us. Waiting should cause us to slow down a little so that we can build a deeper relationship with God.
We just need to remember that our hurried life, our hurried timeframe, is not God's. He is not our servant, we are at His. He is Master and Lord and He gets to work at His pace. "...but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:21)
"Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor." (Genesis 24:10) This sounds to me quick and easy. But as I looked at maps I saw that this was around 600 miles - one way - if they were still in living in the vicinity of Hebron, where Sarah was buried. So I wondered how fast camels walk and learned they walk 2.5 - 3 mph. Josephus' account of this journey says "for it requires much time to pass through Mesopotamia, in which it is tedious traveling, both in winter, for the depth of the clay - and in summer for want of water; and, besides this, for the robberies there committed which are not to be avoided by travelers but by caution beforehand." So this took a long time, months just to get there and more months to come back.
For all these months Abraham waited. Waiting was just what they did because everything took time whether it was preparing food for a meal or going on a journey. Not so today. We have instant everything.
We have instant messages and email for instant communication; microwave ovens and drive-thru's for instant food; cars and airplanes and trains that can get us where we want to go in a hurry. Flip a switch we have light; turn a faucet we have water. We don't wait for much of anything.
And maybe that's why we often have trouble waiting for God. We want to hear from God right now. We want the answers to our prayers today. But the waiting is important. Waiting keeps us dependent on God. Waiting gives us time to see our situation from God's perspective. Waiting gives God time to change us. Waiting should cause us to slow down a little so that we can build a deeper relationship with God.
We just need to remember that our hurried life, our hurried timeframe, is not God's. He is not our servant, we are at His. He is Master and Lord and He gets to work at His pace. "...but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:21)
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Testing
In Genesis 22 we read the story of God's test for Abraham. This is the story of the God promised child being taken by his father Abraham to the top of Mount Moriah to be offered as a sacrifice to God. Human sacrifice was not unusual in this area at this time but Abraham must have wondered why this was necessary. We know now that is was not necessary and that God did provide a ram for the sacrifice and that Abraham passed the test. But Abraham didn't know any of that.
Of course this wasn't the first test Abraham had faced. Long years before God told him to move far away fom his home. So Abraham moved and God blessed him with great wealth. God told Abraham to circumcise all the males in his household - Hebrews and foreigners, free men and slaves. "On that very day Abraham...circumcised them, as God told him. (Genesis 17) And God made him the father of many nations.
After Isaac was born, God told Abraham to send Ishmael away. "The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son." (Genesis 21:8-21) But Abraham believed God's promise to him about Ishmael and sent him away. Then God made nations from Ishmael.
Abraham passed these tests and the more difficult test with his son Isaac. Every time God tells us to do something it is a test because we have a choice. We can obey and do what we know God is asking of us or we can refuse and then try to rationalize why we didn't do it.
Well, you might say, I've never had Jesus drop in for dinner like Abraham did. (Genesis 18) Or had God speak to me audibly as He did with Abraham. And I would say that is true. But God does still speak to us today. We have the Bible that records God's purposes for and interactions with mankind. "The word of God is living and active..." (Hebrews 4:12) We can trust it to guide us along the path of life.
The Holy Spirit of God speaks into our hearts and our minds with all kinds of promptings to do this or not do that. "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.." (John 16:13) I can tell if it is the Spirit of truth speaking because "He will glorify [Jesus]..." (John 16:14)
Too often we probably fail the tests God gives us because we are too busy to listen to God or too busy to act on what He said or are too afraid to act or don't really believe God said it or don't really trust God to help us do what He said. Excuses, excuses! We need to be more like Abraham who listened to God then did what he was told. No wonder God could use him to create His chosen people through whom He would redeem mankind. How much do you think God longs to bless us if we would just pass the test!?
Of course this wasn't the first test Abraham had faced. Long years before God told him to move far away fom his home. So Abraham moved and God blessed him with great wealth. God told Abraham to circumcise all the males in his household - Hebrews and foreigners, free men and slaves. "On that very day Abraham...circumcised them, as God told him. (Genesis 17) And God made him the father of many nations.
After Isaac was born, God told Abraham to send Ishmael away. "The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son." (Genesis 21:8-21) But Abraham believed God's promise to him about Ishmael and sent him away. Then God made nations from Ishmael.
Abraham passed these tests and the more difficult test with his son Isaac. Every time God tells us to do something it is a test because we have a choice. We can obey and do what we know God is asking of us or we can refuse and then try to rationalize why we didn't do it.
Well, you might say, I've never had Jesus drop in for dinner like Abraham did. (Genesis 18) Or had God speak to me audibly as He did with Abraham. And I would say that is true. But God does still speak to us today. We have the Bible that records God's purposes for and interactions with mankind. "The word of God is living and active..." (Hebrews 4:12) We can trust it to guide us along the path of life.
The Holy Spirit of God speaks into our hearts and our minds with all kinds of promptings to do this or not do that. "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.." (John 16:13) I can tell if it is the Spirit of truth speaking because "He will glorify [Jesus]..." (John 16:14)
Too often we probably fail the tests God gives us because we are too busy to listen to God or too busy to act on what He said or are too afraid to act or don't really believe God said it or don't really trust God to help us do what He said. Excuses, excuses! We need to be more like Abraham who listened to God then did what he was told. No wonder God could use him to create His chosen people through whom He would redeem mankind. How much do you think God longs to bless us if we would just pass the test!?
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saved...From What?
Those who have come face to face with Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11) understand that our sin separates us from holy, righteous God. We have confessed Jesus as Lord and repented of, or turned from, our sin and have been saved.
Romans 10:9, "...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Reading that you might automatically say I'm saved from my sins. And you would be correct to a certain degree. We are cleansed of our sin and given a new life in Christ.
But what we are saved from is the wrath of God. We know that Jesus paid the price for our sins but I don't think we really understand what that means because we don't hear much about the wrath of God that was poured out on Jesus as punishment for those sins. The Bible is very clear that every person who ever lives will stand before the judgement seat and face the wrath of God. It is only those cloaked in the righteousness of Jesus Christ who have their names written in the book of life and who will be saved from God's wrath. (Revelation 20:11-15)
Zephaniah 1:14-18 says, "The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of His jealousy all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end He will make of the inhabitants of the earth."
Revelation 6:12-17 tells us of the future destruction of the earth, the sun going dark, and the stars falling from the sky then, "The kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling on the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of [God] who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day has come and who can stand?'"
Christians should feel an urgency for our family and friends and neighbors to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ. This wrath should bring fear to those who don't know Jesus. However, God doesn't want us to live in fear. Before God pours out His wrath, He poured out His love. "In this the LOVE OF GOD was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In THIS IS LOVE, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10
The apostle John records Jesus' own words in John 3:16-17, "For GOD SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."
God has made a way for us to avoid His wrath. That way is Jesus! As the propitiation for our sins Jesus has already faced the wrath of God. He has already made full payment for the sins of the world. But we have to acknowledge and accept, individually, that payment by surrendering our lives to Jesus. There is no other way.
Romans 10:9, "...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Reading that you might automatically say I'm saved from my sins. And you would be correct to a certain degree. We are cleansed of our sin and given a new life in Christ.
But what we are saved from is the wrath of God. We know that Jesus paid the price for our sins but I don't think we really understand what that means because we don't hear much about the wrath of God that was poured out on Jesus as punishment for those sins. The Bible is very clear that every person who ever lives will stand before the judgement seat and face the wrath of God. It is only those cloaked in the righteousness of Jesus Christ who have their names written in the book of life and who will be saved from God's wrath. (Revelation 20:11-15)
Zephaniah 1:14-18 says, "The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of His jealousy all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end He will make of the inhabitants of the earth."
Revelation 6:12-17 tells us of the future destruction of the earth, the sun going dark, and the stars falling from the sky then, "The kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling on the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of [God] who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day has come and who can stand?'"
Christians should feel an urgency for our family and friends and neighbors to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ. This wrath should bring fear to those who don't know Jesus. However, God doesn't want us to live in fear. Before God pours out His wrath, He poured out His love. "In this the LOVE OF GOD was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In THIS IS LOVE, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10
The apostle John records Jesus' own words in John 3:16-17, "For GOD SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."
God has made a way for us to avoid His wrath. That way is Jesus! As the propitiation for our sins Jesus has already faced the wrath of God. He has already made full payment for the sins of the world. But we have to acknowledge and accept, individually, that payment by surrendering our lives to Jesus. There is no other way.
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