A Little Less Gravity would be Nice

I’ve never dunked a basketball. I’m not sure I ever jumped and touched the rim of the basket. Maybe once. At this point, I’ve as good a chance to dunk as I do of landing on Mars. I suspect many of us are gravitationally challenged.

I also thought that there should be a restaurant downtown across from Gravity called Levity - you know, a cheap place, where you can go in and not take yourself too seriously. A little more balance would be nice.

I’m not sure about the etymology, but “gravity” seems related to “grave”, which reminds me of a tomb. A little less gravity would be nice. A little less earth-bound-ness. A little less discouragement and depression. A lot less filthiness. But you don’t take these things away and replace them with nothing. They need to be replaced with their opposites.

So an opposite of earthiness would be heavenliness. “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1–2 NAS95) I couldn’t have said it better myself.

An opposite of discouragement and depression is hope. It involves a vision of a better and brighter future, unbound from the constraints of this world. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:2 NAS95). Do you get the idea? Looking up. Looking forward. A little less gravity would be nice.

And an opposite of filthiness is purity. As we will see tomorrow with the 6th Beatitude, this is not just a call to Biblical morality (though it involves that, and we desperately need that). The call to purity is not a “try-harder” endeavor. It involves a different vision which we cannot have when captivated and consumed with things foolish, things corrupt and corrupting, things that rust and decay. Purity and joy (a better word than levity) are found when we live with Christ in view, at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us, preparing for us, protecting and providing for us.

I’m not sure which side of the street you prefer, but the promise of heaven vs. this worn-out world seems to be no-contest.

How Long?

The question occurs many times in the Bible, especially in the OT. Up until the psalms, it asks how long? men and nations will be stubborn and disobedient. But in Psalms, it is often referring to God and His timing, with regard to our enemies and adversities. Perhaps the classic example is from Habakkuk 1:2 - How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And You will not hear? 

We know, don’t we, that God is never in a hurry, and, He is never late. Think about that for a moment. Never in a hurry. Never late. He is not like us. Much of our upset is over our conflict with the clock, and our lack of success in getting it to speed up or slow down, since we find it almost impossible to match its pace.

Israel’s slavery in Egypt lasted 430 years - exactly the right time to accomplish God’s purposes, and yet it lasted generations. Israel’s wandering in the wilderness lasted 40 years, and Israel’s captivity in Babylon lasted 70 years. How long, O Lord? And yet it fit God’s timing, even if it did not fit the people’s prayers. After Malachi, there were 400 silent years before the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem - “In the fullness of time” says Galatians 4:4 - at just the right time, though to God’s people, it seemed as though they had been forgotten and their prayer unanswered.

We need to remember that we live in a so-called “instant” age, whether it applies to projects or problems or pudding. We want “instant” answers and results. Just Google it. Need cash? Go to the ATM, day or night. And when life isn’t instant, we are frustrated. Need to make a quick trip through town? Be prepared to stop at every stoplight, even though there are no other cars at the intersection. What a waste of precious time?

It might be easy to understand how we can think that God is slow. How long, O Lord? But, as Peter says, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness” (2 Pet 3:9). The Lord is not slow. He is never late, and He will not be hurried. There is a mystery to the madness, a purpose in the need for patience. He is accomplishing what we know little about, whether in our own lives, or in the lives of others. And we can trust Him.

So yes, I am preaching to myself. And yes, I am preaching to you.  As servants of God, we follow the dictates of the Master. We do not dictate to the Master the days or the years or even one’s lifetime. How long, O Lord? In His time. In His perfect time.

Don’t Get Upset

 “Don’t get fighting mad at evil people; don’t be envious of the wicked. Indeed, there is no future for the evil; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.” (Proverbs 24:19–20 CEB)

Older translations say “Don’t fret.” You probably don’t use the word “fret” often. “Don’t get upset” makes more sense. The trouble is, we find ourselves all too upset too much of the time. The Bible says we should settle down and focus on other things.

The phrase occurs 9 times in the Hebrew OT, and 3 of those are in Psalm 37. Further, Proverbs 24:19 replicates Psalm 37:1 (almost) word for word (see above). So here in these texts we have a good base to understand and apply a direction from the Lord that we tend not to consider: “Don’t get upset.”

Why? Why should we not get all agitated about the plans and prosperings of the wicked? Well, the Bible gives us some answers. Isn’t that a wonderful thing? The Bible actually gives good reasons for what God asks/commands us to do.

The first reason is stated often in Psalm 37, and is a regular theme throughout the Bible. We should not get upset about the wicked, because they will not last. They will “fade fast, like grass,” and “wither” (v.2); “Evildoers will be eliminated” (v.9). A longer section  describes it like this: “I myself have seen wicked powerful people, exalting themselves like a stately cedar. But when I came back, they were gone! I looked all over for them, but they couldn’t be found!” (vv. 35-36). Don’t get upset over vanishing threats.

Further, we should not get upset because it reveals that our focus has moved off from God and we have become fixated on something else - the evildoers. We cannot be “spiritually-minded” (thank you, John Owen) and at the same time be preoccupied with evildoers. What we need, for the nourishment and satisfaction of our souls, is to feed upon God. “Don’t get upset” is the 2nd phrase in verse 7. The first phrase reads like this: “Be still before the Lord, and wait for him.” It is tough, no impossible, to commune with God when we are all astir about other things.

The 3rd reason that we should obey the admonition from the Lord, “Don’t get upset,” is because it does bad stuff to us and in us. Verse 8 reads: “Let go of anger and leave rage behind! Don’t get upset - it will only lead to evil.” Now isn’t that something - that in our outrage, we are actually contributing to something that we object to. But that’s what happens when we adopt the world’s methods and attitudes. Let the world rage and outrage. But let the followers of Jesus rest in Him and in His promise.

Freedom and Autonomy are Not the Same Thing

Freedom is a difficult subject. We can be free from certain things, but we can never be free from everything (e.g., gravity; the need to breathe). We can be free to do certain things, but we cannot be free to do things contrary to our nature (e.g., fly like a bird). It is relative freedom, not absolute freedom. And we can have freedom from certain things that will allow us then freedom for certain things (e.g., giving up being single so one can be married).

Autonomy is something else. In different fields of study, these words, freedom and autonomy, can be defined differently. But thinking Biblically, what I’ve said about freedom fits. And while the word “autonomy” doesn’t occur in the Bible, it is communicated by the phrase, “every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Deut 12:8; Jdg 17:6; 21:25).

In our current society, freedom is being re-defined as autonomy. People think they should be able to to choose whatever they want, and, they expect the government to back up their rights to choose whatever. They believe they should answer to no one but their own feelings. And, the Christian community has not been immune. Many people now believe that the Body of Christ should bend to their beliefs, whether they are right or wrong; whether they are Biblical or not. And, in our current setting, we have not sufficiently developed the skill of clearly and kindly saying, “You are wrong, and this will not be tolerated.”

Now, coming back to freedom, the Bible gives some context about what it means to be free. One important point is that our freedom is found within the framework of a covenant. That is, by grace, God bestows favors (e.g., forgiveness) and privileges (e.g., service) upon those who find freedom in Christ. But that covenant does not give autonomy. It binds Christians in a web of wonderful relationships which carry special privileges.

Because it is a gracious covenant, Christians have the freedom to be gracious. But they are also bound to be gracious. An un-gracious, un-kind Christian is oxymoronic. Also, Christians find themselves loved with an infinite and everlasting love, initiated by God, which they did not earn or deserve; and that freedom carries with it not only the security of being loved but also the obligation to love even people who are most difficult to love. This is not autonomy. It is Christian freedom, according to the Bible.

Negligence and Diligence are not Alike

 They sound alike, but their meanings are polar opposites. Generally speaking, negligence will come back and bite you. On the other hand, diligence will contribute over time to good ends.

In Daniel’s most famous story, Daniel’s adversaries were zealous to find any dirt on him that they could. But here is their result: “they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him” (Dan 6:4). And so, as the text continues, they have to alter their method: 5 “Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.””

Now why did they think the could count on finding an accusation against Daniel with regard to the practice of his faith? It was because he was diligent in these things. “Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously” (Dan 6:10). Daniel’s opponents had convinced the king to adopt a deviously conceived law protected by a dumb custom (the law of the Meds and Persians cannot be altered). But Daniel’s diligence, practiced before, continued on.

The more common word “neglect” is used three times in Hebrews, with warnings against it:

Heb. 2:3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,
Heb. 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Heb. 13:16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

I’ll close with the passage we have been studying in these 50 days leading up to Easter: “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” (2 Peter 1:5–7 NAS95)

Bearing Fruit on Barren Ground

In Kenya, a drought used to occur every five years or so. Recently, it has quickened to roughly every two years. How can you bear fruit on barren ground? Clean Leap is an NGO that helps struggling farmers in Africa and Asia find solutions. They have introduced the Melia volkensii tree. It’s “fruit” is really it’s wood, akin to mahogany, and it allows grasses to grow in it’s shade, which is an added benefit. The point? Yes, one can bear fruit on barren ground.

We have endured a year of pandemic and a spate of unsettling medical diagnoses as a local church. We have had to restrict our schedules and our ministries. We have lost skilled and helpful leaders. And it would make sense to think that this is not a season for fruit-bearing - not in a botanical sense, but in a spiritual and ministry sense.

The truth is that most valuable and necessary spiritual fruit actually grows not out of prosperity, but out of adversity. And God knows the fruit that He desires, and what is called for at any particular point in time. God designs/allows the situations in which that fruit can be forged by the testing and improvement of our faith (the Bible often mixes metaphors, such as farming and foundry work).

The most valuable and necessary fruit is often the most basic. In prosperity, Christians have less urgency to pray. In good health, we tend to take things for granted. When the church is full, we can often value each individual less. These things are not right, but they are common. God changes the lay of the land in order to address these things. This is not be wasted time for fruit-bearing.

Our Adult Sunday school class used a book a summer or so ago, called Evangelism as Exiles, by Elliot Clark. Here is a quote that I saved from that book:

“If we continue the pattern of waiting for perfect opportunities, they may never come. And our fate will be that of the wary farmer who observes the wind and doesn’t sow, who considers the clouds and never reaps (Eccles. 11:4). Such farmers have empty barns in winter. We too, if we’re too busy trying to discern the times, raising a moistened finger to the wind to see if someone is ready to respond to the gospel, will likely never see a harvest of souls. We’ll never open our mouths to speak, because we’ll be waiting for a better day. But better days don’t seem to be on the horizon.” 

Honoring the Lord’s Table

We come this week to the first Sunday of the month. We plan to again observe Lord’s Table as a part of our Morning Worship. And, as we gather for worship in this way, we want honor, not profane, the Lord’s Table.

In the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, the people were charged by the Lord with the offense of profaning the Lord’s table, or altar. Jesus, of course, had not yet instituted the ordinance of the Lord’s table, and yet the Old Testament community had been taught the standards by which they could approach the table/altar - only with acceptable sacrifices. They had been bringing blemished sacrifices, and the Lord was not pleased (Malachi 1:6-14).

Is this same offense possible for us today? Yes, in a sense. We come to the Lord’s table, and it is “the Lord’s” for two reasons: 1) because He is the Lord of the table; at the head of the table, so to speak; and 2) because He is the One who gave of Himself, so that the emblems of the table point directly to Him.

I would suggest that we can be guilty of profaning the Lord’s table if we make it more about us than about Him. How would we do that? By celebrating our goodness rather than our sinfulness. By coming proudly and arrogantly, as though we were saved in some other way than the abundant mercies of our Savior. By elevating ourselves in our minds over others who may not be present.

One of the amazing things about Malachi’s audience is that they were not even aware of their sin. Whenever God would bring a charge against them, they would say, “How have we profaned the Lord’s table?” They could not even see their sin when they were confronted with it! We must not think that we are naturally more perceptive than they. We need to take this warning to heart, and embrace the Lord of the table; the Savior who mercifully saves sinners, like us.

One further note: these “worshippers” in Malachi were also guilty of regarding their sacrificial offering as “tiresome.” Over and over again, they would come to offer sacrifices, and some were doing it on the cheap. And, over and over we come to the Lord’s table, “in remembrance of Me (Jesus).” If it becomes tiresome to us, then we are not grasping the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice for us. Let us come prepared, to set self aside, and to present our hearts open to Him.

The State of our Temples

Temples are places where people meet with their god(s). There are temples of all sorts, through the ages and all over the world. I am suggesting that in America, we should look where people have congregated, and notice what is happening.

One of the most remarkable of our secular temples is the shopping mall. People come from all over to see what is offered; to get what they want. The god? Materialism. We leave with our shopping bags, and we are fulfilled.

Now, caveats. Not everyone who goes to a mall is involved in idolatrous worship. But many are, though they don’t know it. Hear what they say: “It’s been so long since I’ve been to a mall;” or, “I just feel refreshed when I shop at the mall.”

But as we know, the mall is in decline. And if I am right, that this is one facet of our society’s secular worship, we should have expected its decline, since only God can truly satisfy.

Our stadiums also serve as places of secular worship. Fans are extremely passionate about their “god,” their local team in this form of entertainment. They spend a lot of time thinking about what they worship (e.g., all day sports radio). And the amount of money spent for tickets and paid to players and coaches shows that there is something more than “market forces” going on here. People sacrifice a great deal to be a part of the “team.” And while malls may be in decline, sports are getting on just fine. Their religion is growing.

It is interesting that churches have looked to shopping mall and sports stadiums to find “what works” for church growth. If they can get that many people, perhaps we can do the same. Fly a drone overhead, and you might have a hard time telling the difference between Twelve Oaks and Kensington Church. Or how about renting out a sports stadium, as Lakewood Church in Texas has done? And, one could wonder if there isn’t elements of materialism and entertainment that draws people, who should be gathering to worship, not out of hunger for those things, but rather, hunger for God.

But we know our Temple, right? Jesus is the cornerstone; believers as the “living stones.” It is not church buildings, and it is not what churches have to offer. It’s not the Place (or Program); it’s the Person, along with those related to Him by faith in who He is and what He has done.

This is the Way; Walk In It

Our men’s breakfast speaker has emphasized “simple” approaches in the face of complicated lives. He has applied this to prayer and Bible reading. Scripture applies it to all of life. Here it is: “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21).

This simple instruction appears in a complicated chapter. But it is not God who does the complicating. It is us. It is us when we rebel; it is us when we listen and follow the world. It is us when we clog up our lives with too many other things. It is us when we re-shape our religion to suit and serve ourselves rather than to do things God’s way. 

So what does God do? He sends us a Teacher. Some of our English translations capitalize this word: Teacher. We know what that means. Our Teacher is Jesus, whom the Father has sent to us, to Save us and to Teach us - who says to us: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). 

So what is He saying? Simply, He says this: “Follow Me.” “This is the Way; Walk in it.”

We may object and say that it’s not that simple. But be careful. “Simple” and “easy” are not the same things (I told you it was a complicated chapter). Along with the simple statement, “This is the way; walk in it,” is also this statement: “Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction..” (Is 30:20). That’s not easy. But the instruction is still simple: “This is the way; walk in it.”

You notice that I didn’t finish the sentence above. Following the “though” phrase, there is a “yet” phrase: “Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity or the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore.” That is, the more tested we are; the more our concerns mount; the more our fears increase - the more there will be sense of the presence of our Savior as we seek to follow the instruction: “this is the way; walk in it.” That is, as we seek to walk in Jesus’ shadow, aware of His gentle love, praying to display His gracious character, begging Him for His shepherding care and supernatural healing of our minds and our bodies; our churches and our families; our hearts and our souls.

When life is hard, don’t make it complicated. It’s a call to that which is simple. Talk to Jesus. He knows. He cares. “This is the way; walk in it.” 

I Didn’t Win the Lottery

 I didn’t win the lottery. I suppose my chances would have been better had I bought a ticket, but not all that much.

There’s been a lot of attention drawn to the winning ticket sold at the Beck Rd. Kroger store this past week. Someone (or, a group of persons) are in line to collect a billion dollars, or, after taxes, half that. There has been a rumor that a group of Novi teachers won. A principal wrote a post that said he won the lottery, not in $$, but in life’s riches and blessings. It was a good post. A nice response.

But as I have thought about how I might respond, I concluded it would be better to publicly declare that I didn’t win the lottery. I really don’t care if you buy a ticket or not, but I’ve never bought one. There are better risks to take. I disagree with the state promoting a system that encourages those who are already in a financial hole to dig even deeper, perhaps out of desperation, because they see no reasonable way out, except to win “the big one.” I don’t like what has been reported about the after-effects of winning a huge prize - wholesale change of lifestyle and friends, and often divorce. It’s an entertaining system, and provokes interesting discussions (what would we do with all that money?). But it is not healthy. And the Bible tells us as much.

Prov. 28:22 A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth 

And does not know that (poverty) will come upon him.

1Tim. 6:9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

I’m not sure that every person who buys a ticket has “an evil eye,” but I am pretty sure he’s focused on the the wrong thing. I don’t think that every person will do every wrong thing with their winnings, if they are among the infinitesimally small percentage who win - but I am sure that their winnings will cause more problems than they know.

And I think the whole subject obscures the wonderful truth concerning the tremendous riches that belong to the children of God through Christ - a wealth of a different order.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NAS95)

OverLords and Underlings

Mankind is to “rule” creation. Creation is not to rule mankind. This “rule” is to be representative of God’s rule, since He was, and is, and always will be the ultimate Maker and Ruler of all of creation. Our rule should be reflective of His character and priorities, honoring such things as righteousness and justice; things like compassion and mercy.

But the point of this article is the one already made, that whatever authority we have to rule, it is always an under-authority.

The kings of Israel were called “sons of God” in that they, in a special way, were anointed to represent and rule God’s people as God would. They ruled best when they remembered this fact, and they ruled oh-so-poorly when they forgot. There were always, at most, under-kings. Not super-kings. Under-kings.

It is not unusual to hear humans talk about their creativity. We were created with an aptitude for creativity, (some more than others) whether the benefits would be practical or aesthetic. You might hear someone say, “Oh, you are so creative.” But our creativity is always derived. We are at best manipulators of God’s creation. We certainly don’t create ex nihilo, out of nothing, as the Great Creator does. Those creatives around us that we admire, they are under-creators. It’s not bad. It’s not nothing. But there is a difference.

We are often impressed by athletes: their strength, coordination, discipline, and commitment. We marvel at their physiques and their mental toughness. And we can aspire to these things (though, face it, most of us are rather ordinary). But we should be careful in making heroes of these individuals. It is not wrong to celebrate their accomplishments, and to admire their dedication. But God gives to each person gifts and aptitudes, as He wills and wishes, and many of us were not cut out to run fast or jump high. But the strongest, fastest and toughest should remember that God is stronger, faster, and tougher.

Perhaps the best Biblical statement on this subject is from Jesus Himself: “you know that the Gentiles are over-lords; .. “not so you.” .. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” (Mark 10:42-45)

So even when we serve, and serve well, we are but under-servants. We are only able to serve because He first served us.

The Dark Precedes the Bright

The life of the Christian is framed by triumph and overcoming. That is because it is not so much about our daily experience, but by the triumph of Christ over sin and death; by His overcoming that is shared with His followers. But that does not tell the whole story of our daily experience, does it?

Psalm 102 admits to this truth, that though we are overcomers, we are still beset by many problems and trials. It is one of the reasons that we are compelled to cry out to God. The pains are real pains. The fears are real fears. The sorrows are real sorrows.

Psalm 102, in its “dark” portion, uses several similes to describe our condition: “my days pass away like smoke”; “my bones burn like a furnace”; My heart is stricken and withered like grass” (vv. 3,4). These are not “just” poetic descriptions. The psalmist struggles to find word-pictures to express the distress of his soul at this particular point of his life. And you may be able to relate.

The psalmist is not done yet: “I am like a lonely bird on a housetop” (v.6); “I eat ashes like bread” (v.9); “My days are like an evening shadow” (v.11).  No one makes plans for a “lonely bird” experience, feeding on “ashes” and passing like “an evening shadow.” And yet, these are real, and common, experiences for many, many people at unsuspecting times in their lives. 

The turning point comes mid-psalm, reflecting the reality that we find in these familiar words from Romans 8:18 -  “that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” 

And so we move from the “dark” side of the psalm to the “bright” side - to the side where God is on the throne, and He has everything in hand. He is not unaware of the distresses of His children, and He hears their prayers, though it may seem at times as though He does not. He is of such a heart to help the downcast and oppressed, and He will do so, at just the right time, in just the right way.

Here are words to a verse of an old hymn:

Come, every soul by sin oppressed 

There's mercy with the Lord

And He will surely give you rest 

By trusting in His Word

Thinking in 3’s - Joshua 14:8,9,14 - Wholehearted

Caleb is a good name; a really good name. Not everyone named Caleb was named after the Biblical character found in Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua and Judges. Not every person named Caleb is like the Bible character. But one characteristic of this Caleb is that “he wholeheartedly followed the Lord.” That’s what we want for our sons and daughters. It’s what we aspire to ourselves.

“Wholehearted” is the Revised Standard translation. New American Standard has “followed .. fully.” It is an easy understand, though it is not easy to live that way. Sometimes we best understand a term by thinking about its opposite. We might think of “half-hearted” as a possibility. In the New Testament, we find the term “double-minded.” “Wholehearted” is amplified in the Great Commandment: Deut. 6:5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” It makes clear that there must be no distraction from devotion to God; no diversion in our first love. It is rare. Caleb had it. Most don’t.

We find this description of Caleb 3 times in Joshua 14. We will find in these three instances three applications. 

First, in Joshua 14:8, we find that Caleb’s wholeheartedness was in contrast to the majority of the other spies who were sent in to spy out the land, and thus, he had to stand alone, except for Joshua, against all the rest of the people. Wholeheartedness comes from one’s own commitment to God, and does not find its strength by going along with the crowd. If we cannot stand for God alone, then we most likely will not stand for God at all. We need more Caleb’s.

But my companions who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. Joshua 14:8

Second, in Joshua 14:9, wholeheartedness is rewarded. God will bless in an unusual way those who are wholehearted. And yet, this blessing, a gift, is earned. That’s a little confusing, because we don’t “earn” gifts. But God fills the wholehearted person with a delight in exercising his faith in laying hold of the promise. Caleb was not a passive man. Nor was he self-sufficient. He was excited to go forward in the strength of the Lord to secure his inheritance. Our inheritance today is not physical, but spiritual. But one who would be a Caleb needs to exercise this same faith-initiative.

And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’ Joshua 14:9

And third, in Joshuas 14:14, Caleb the wholehearted was able to rest in his inheritance. He was able to secure it, order it according to his design and plans, and fill it with his family. He was able to share it. He was able to enjoy its fruit. It was his home. Again, we experience these things in spiritual ways, and they may be reserved for the future, but they are even more real, and more valuable than what the Bible’s Caleb experienced. 

So Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. Joshua 14:14

May God give us more “Caleb’s.” May he surround us with more who are wholehearted. May God develop in each of us this wonderful and rare quality - those who can say along with Caleb, “I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.”

A Tunafish Thanksgiving

I’m a little worried about Thanksgiving. There was a special on tunafish at the grocery store (10 for whatever$), and my wife, who loves tunafish, bought all ten. She knows that you get the same deal even if you buy two. It made me wonder, “Why do we need so much?"

I suppose it was a good price, though, since I really don’t like tunafish, I think the grocery store should have to pay the customer to walk out with it. I’m rightly skeptical about this product. We all know there is a fish called “tuna,” and I have no trouble eating it in that form - a nice slab of grilled tuna. But in the can, they don’t call it tuna. They call it tunafish. It’s as though they are trying to convince you of something that is not true. When you have turkey for Thanksgiving, you never see the word, Turkeybird. It’s either turkey or it’s not. And, the can strongly resembles cat food.

And so, I fear my wife is secretly planning a tunafish Thanksgiving. Yeah, tunafish with all the fixin’s. I have to ask the question, if she does so, is it even Thanksgiving? And then I have to ask myself, “Will I even be thankful?”

It’s been a tough year. We’ve “cancelled” Easter, Mother’s Day, 4th of July parades, family vacations, and now, even Thanksgiving? And who knows about Christmas. None of us want to think about “a cold, dark winter.” If we let this be the whole story, we make a serious mistake. Covid didn’t cancel the resurrection of Jesus. Covid can’t dampen our appreciation for our mothers. Our love of country persists whether we gather in crowds or not, and we can be thankful whether the church basement is packed with people, or if we gather with so few people we don’t even have to bring up extra chairs from the basement. Thankfulness is not on the calendar. It is in our hearts.

And so, if we in fact have a tunafish Thanksgiving, I’m going to be thankful anyway. I’m going to be thankful for the care and provision of our heavenly Father, who has more than met our deepest and spiritual needs. I’m thankful for the loving sacrifice of Christ, and the presence of the Spirit. I’m thankful for the fellowship of believers, and for this place and time in which we live, locally and nationally. And maybe I’ll even be thankful for the cat I’m thinking about buying, that can sit on my lap during the meal and eat the main dish that I slide its direction.

Thinking in 3’s - Joshua 1:6,7,9 - Be strong and Courageous

In the first chapter of Joshua, in the first paragraph, The Lord speaks to Joshua directly, giving him instructions as He assumes Moses’ role of leadership among the Israelite people as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Three times the Lord says, “Be strong and courageous.”

In the first case, God repeats the broad scope of the promise that He had given to His people, through Moses, and now repeats to Joshua. This is a tremendous gift, if the people will obey and pursue their enemies to the full extent, which they proved later not to do. But the promise is real, though conditional. Further, God assures Joshua, “As I was with Moses so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” He then follows up the admonition to “Be strong and courageous” with one more assurance: “you shall put this people in possession of the land.”

In the second instance (v. 7), we understand that the call to “only be strong and courageous” is tied to other acts of devotion:

• Be careful to act in accordance with all the law
• Do not turn for it to the right hand or to the left
• Meditate on (the book of the law) day and night

We understand then, that mere human boldness, - perhaps we could call it audacity - is not what is called for. It is rather a determination to walk with God according to His Word, dependent upon His fulfillment of the promises, but keeping in step with His call and commandment all along the way.

Once again, the Lord gives a concluding command: “Be strong and courageous” (v. 9). It is here coupled with a negative command: “do not be frightened or dismayed;” and then with a word of great assurance: “for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

We also ought to “be strong and courageous.” Yet we must understand that we must not resort to audacity or presumption. Our biblical boldness must be based on the promises of God, and our actions must be in accordance with the commands of God. Certainly Joshua was called upon to exercise wisdom and strategy. But the ingenuity was not Joshua’s; the successes would belong to the Lord. We are always to recognize our dependence, and to act in obedience. And we can do so in this way: “Be strong and courageous.”

Thinking in 3’s - John 14:21,23 Those Who Love Jesus

As Jesus engages with His disciples in this last, long conversation before His death, He emphasizes several themes, such as His own union with the Father, and the gift of the Spirit. But the other theme, which is emphasized right at the beginning of this section (Jn 13:1 - “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end”), - that other theme is Jesus’ love for us, and our need to be those who love Jesus.

Three times in John 14:21,23 we find this description of the true Christian: “those who love me.” We cannot imagine a real Christian who does not love Jesus, even though we often confess that our love grows cold or our hearts are distracted by other things. This set of 3, then, is designed to help us to reaffirm and put into practice our love of Jesus.

The first reference to “those who love me,” in v. 21, is linked to those “who have my commandments and keep them.” Now this will be clear to anyone who thinks about it, but let’s be clear: we do not love Jesus because we keep His commandments. Rather, we keep His commandments because we love Jesus. That is, our devotion to Jesus produces the fruit in our lives of wanting to do things His way; of seeing things from His perspective; of following in His steps. This order of things, loving Jesus and thus keeping His commandments means, then, that His commandments are not heavy and burdensome. Rather, they are a delight. Our hearts are re-fashioned to be Christ-like. How important it is for us to love Jesus!

The second reference to “those who love me” is also in v. 21, back to back with the previous reference. When we are born again and thus fall in love with Jesus, we are drawn into what I will call “a circle of love.” We know that there is an unbreakable bond of infinite love between the Father and the Son, in both directions. Now, when we, by God’s grace, believe and love Jesus, that love of the Father which Jesus enjoys is also bestowed upon us. Jesus loves the Father; He also loves us. The Father loves the Son; He also loves us. And we love Jesus, and our love for Jesus also allows us to truly love the Father, whom we could not know without knowing and loving Jesus. 

The third reference to “those who love me” (v.23) follows Judas’ (not Iscariot) question about how the Father and the Son is able to distinguish between the “loving community” and the world. Jesus, reaffirming the Father’s love to us, says that it is like being adopted into a new family. The Father certainly “knows those who are His.” And this family will be united, now, in the present, through the Spirit, but also in a much higher, deeper way, when Jesus comes to bring us to the place prepared for us (cf. 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there may be also.”). Our verse says, “we will come to them (those who love Jesus) and will make our home with them.” 

At home with the Jesus whom we love. At home with the Father, in His presence forevermore. Let’s affirm and practice our love for Jesus.

My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine

For Thee all the follies of sin I resign

My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou

If ever I loved Thee my Jesus 'tis now

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me

And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow

If ever I loved Thee my Jesus 'tis now

If you click the link above, it should take you to a rendition of this song

Thinking in 3’s - Deuteronomy 8:2,3,16 - Humbled

The rock and roll of life in this world apart from God is one of “doing well for oneself” or “climbing to the top.” Certainly there are many others who are “just trying to get by.” But much of the pursuit of success and comfort is based on one’s best efforts, which depends on self-esteem, and often results in pride.

The path for the Christian is much different, as illustrated in the experience of the children of Israel in “the great and terrible wilderness.” One would think that their self-esteem would need to have been pumped up in order to face the daily and approaching enemies. But no, God’s design was to humble them, that they might rely upon God, and God alone. He often does the same with us.

In the first of three instances of “humble” in Deuteronomy 8, the long experience of the wilderness is the setting. The text in v. 2 says this: “that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart.” Now, to be sure, God already knows what is in our hearts. This humbling carries with it the benefit allowing us to know our own hearts, to know how dependent upon God that we actually are. We don’t seem to learn that lesson easily. And the learning takes a lifetime (or, in this illustration, a 40-year lesson).

Right away, we come to the second instance of “humble” in v. 3: “He humbled you by letting you hunger.” God actually brought the children of Israel to the point of their need. He did not supply before they were aware of their predicament. He brought them to the edge, even just beyond the edge, to show that He could provide, and perhaps so that He would do so in the midst of their calling out to Him (or, as it turned out often, in the midst of their grumbling and complaining). Part of being humbled is being driven to our knees.

The third instance of “humble” follows after the admonition, “do not exalt yourself,” found in v. 14. Then “humble” follows in v. 16: “to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good.” Throughout this time, we had discovered our neediness; God had proven His faithfulness; we had come to learn the folly of self-sufficiency; God established a clear record of provision and deliverance. And beyond all this, we could now, by faith, in the hope of the promise, look forward to a “good” that we could never have constructed ourselves. “It is the gift of God, lest any man should boast.”

 

Praise God, He is not just like us!

We human beings are rather strange creatures. Sure there are many other non-human creatures that are pretty strange. But we have special kinds of strange-ness.

One strange-ness is this: We have this adversarial relationship with God where we think we can play a game, and win. One side of the game is for us to pretend that we are God; pretending that the world actually revolves around us, and supposing that our words should have the force of divine fiat. We are surprised and often angry when these things do not happen. At times, God might actually put us in our place. He might humble us.

The other side of the game is that we bring God down to our level. We ascribe to Him our kind of anger; our kind of vengeance; even our kind of love. Now to be sure, God possesses an anger and vengeance and, of course, love. But none of these are patterned after how these things tend to function in our human world. We have to share these words at both our level, and God’s. But we should know that, at each level, they are quite different. And the problem is not new! Psalm 50:21 says, “You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.”

Men lie. All men lie. Psychologists say that we start lying as infants. We lie on purpose, and we lie accidentally. We lie when we don’t know all the facts, and we never know all the facts. But God does. I’ve underlined Titus 1:2 in my Bible: “in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, ..”

God’s purposes do not change, and thus He does not change His mind (repent). In His interactions with humans, He works with us, or through us, certainly for us, sometimes against us - and so God can certainly change directions, but not His purposes. But, we do. Few people there are who are single-minded, perhaps even more so in this frenetic age. But God is constant; never late; never in a hurry, always on course.

Someone says, “Will you pray for me?’ And you say, “Sure, count on it.” But sometimes, maybe only once in a great while, you forget. God keeps all His words, even the ones we don’t know about.

So let’s not play games with God. But let’s instead, worship the One who is, thankfully, not just like us.

Thinking in 3’s - Numbers 16:9 - The Privileges of Pastoring

It is a privilege to be involved in pastoral ministry. It is different from many other professions, in that it’s not just a job; not really a profession; it’s more of a calling. It is a step away from how most people live their lives.

In the Book of Numbers, in the account of Korah’s rebellion, Moses recounts some of the benefits of Levitical ministry. In the Old Testament, to be a Levite, you had to be from the tribe of Levi (I’m guessing you had already figured that out). The Israelite priesthood was from the tribe of Levi, but not all Levites were priests. Priests were specifically descendants of Aaron, brother of Moses. There are many who are descendants of Levi who are not descendants of Aaron.

Levites, the whole tribe, was separated from Israel. They were dedicated to the care of the tabernacle. They did not receive a land inheritance. 

In the New Testament, all believers are priests. Pastors are not more priestly than any other believer. I think a more likely parallel would be the more general Levite, separate in some ways from the rest of the people. It is not a direct parallel, but similar in some respects.

Korah, who was rebelling against Moses’ (Aaron’s) authority, is a Levite, not a priest. He rallies the people against Moses, and Moses says this to them:

“Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;” (Numbers 16:8–9 NAS95)

1. “To bring you near to Himself.” We are brought near to God in Christ, and that would apply to every single believer, pastor or not. We cannot get closer to God than that. The way I would phrase this is that pastors are called to be heavily involved in “the things of God,” including in prayer, in God’s Word, and with God’s people. Our time is to be devoted to those things, while the time of many other believers involves responsibilities that carry you many other directions. It is a privilege to be devoted to “the things of God.”

2. “To do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord.” The Old Testament tabernacle was wood and cloth - material objects. And certainly many pastors spend some time caring for aspects of the church building (lots and lots of folding chairs). But more importantly is caring for the spiritual concerns of people, and interacting with church family who are involved in various areas of church ministry, whether inside the church, or outside.

3. “To stand before the congregation to minister to them.” This is a privilege. Others from the congregation “stand before” the congregation, but I am thinking here of the preaching of the Word, ordinarily done by the pastor. It is a great responsibility, and a high privilege, to seek to dip deeply in God’s Word each week, and then to share and challenge from that Word of God.

The final point is that the pastor is to never usurp the authority, or the honor, that belongs to the High Priest, Jesus Christ. Our job is to take care of details so that the functioning of Jesus Christ among His people is unhindered. And that would be true of all of us, pastor or not.