Beneath the Mower Deck

For the last thirty-six years I, like many, have engaged in the summer pleasure of mowing the grass. Each spring, the grass starts growing and each spring out comes the mower. Every fall, the grass goes dormant and the mower goes back into storage. It's just another cycle in my life.

Over the years I've cut many types of lawns, some have been hard and barren, others are lush and moist. I've cut rye, fescue, bermuda, dandelions, crab grass, monkey grass, nut grass, you name it. One thing they all have in common though is that the mower cuts them all. The mower is indiscriminate, it shows neither favor nor mercy and will just as ably cut down a field of lilies as it would a yard of bermuda.

In this is a parallel to our own state and this was brought to mind by today's verse;

1 Peter 1:24 (NIV)

²⁴ For,

“All men are like grass,

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Peter teaches here that all men are equal no matter their position in life. Whether living a life of poverty (as in a hard and barren yard) or living a life of luxury (as in a lush and moist yard) or living a life of fruitfulness (as a field of lilies), tThe fact of the matter is that death cuts them all down just as a mower does the grass. All man's vain attempts at glory are as the flowers of the grass; small, frail and tenuous. The flowers are blown away at the slightest wind and are seen no more. The grass itself is destined to die whether by drought, disease, abuse or old age. The end is the same.

God has planted us here for only a season and when our season is past, we shall be uprooted and removed. We will face our maker and be answerable for the decisions that we made. Whether we lived in a hard and barren yard or in a lush and moist lawn, we shall be accountable for how we lived.

So I am encouraged by this passage to redouble my efforts to "bloom where I'm planted." There will be seasons of drought and disease. Sometimes the yard I bloom in will be hard and unyielding. Other times it will be moist and inviting. But those are just the circumstances and tests to which I must rise and bloom nonetheless. Soon enough the mower will come and my season will be over. I have only this season to bloom so bloom I will.

Shalom,
Carl

Don't Judge a Book By It's Beginning

Seldom is the beginning of a book remembered. Though there are a few notable exceptions, in general, it is either the ending (or outcome) that is remembered or perhaps that the book was well-written that is recalled. The truth is that no matter how well written the beginning of a book if the remainder of the book is poorly written or if the conclusion of the book fails to satisfy, the book is a failure. Yet no matter how poorly the beginning so long as the remainder of the book is remarkable and the ending satisfactory, the book is a success.

So too is it with man. The birth of a person is a remarkable event. In our culture it is often cause for celebration. Not just for the successful carrying to term on the part of the mother nor just for surviving the ordeal but because where there was no one, now there is someone. From a couple of cells now cries forth a fully-formed child.

In front of that child is nothing but potential. Nobody can say what will become of that child, nobody can predict how much potential is realized nor does anyone lament that the child will fall short of their possibilities. It is a bright, new day and an auspicious beginning.

Yet in a scant few years sin will manifest itself in the life of every child. Parents will wonder "where did she learn that?" and "where did that come from?" As sinful behavior begins to become more prominent the beautiful beginning is soon forgotten having been obscured by the present problems.

There then comes a day when the child must choose their path whether to walk towards God or away. For those that choose to walk away the story of their life becomes worse and worse and ends only to continue in agony and despair. No matter how auspicious their beginning nor how well lived their life, the end overshadows all.

For those that choose to walk towards God, they are met on the path and there is salvation. Despite their auspicious beginning, in spite of how poorly they lived their life, everything but their salvation fades into the background in the light of God's presence in their life.

But even at this juncture in their life, salvation is yet another beginning. For each person that answers the knock on the door salvation is followed by sanctification. So the cycle continues. From that point forward, no matter what problems they had encountered or how barren their former life on earth, this life will end only to continue in Glory and peace. The end of their life is better than the beginning.

My study verse today is;

Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NIV)

⁸ The end of a matter is better than its beginning,

and patience is better than pride.

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

My wandering analogy is meant only to convey the truth of this passage and to remind me that the outcome cannot be determined by the beginning.

I struggled with the second phrase of this passage striving to understand the juxtaposition. This is where I will leave it;

Patience is looking ahead in anticipation of the ending. It has nothing to do with what has come before and everything to do with what is coming after. It is forward looking.

Pride is looking back at what has occurred and depending upon a repetition of a previous success to overcome what is coming. It is backward glancing.

In this understanding is wisdom and encouragement. Despite my past, I have a future. Despite my beginning I will finish well. The end is better than the beginning.

And so my devotional entry ends. :)

Carl

Fruit of the Union

A few days ago I received a catalog in the mail. There's nothing unusual about that, we receive dozens of catalogs each month. But this particular catalog was different; it was for fruit trees. Having recently moved to 'the country' I have a new appreciation for fruit trees. We have apple, pear, persimmon, pecan and wild cherry trees on our place. None of them produce consistently and I've come to realize that the fruit trees need maintenance in order to bear a crop each season.

Anyway, the catalog intrigued me because I've had thoughts of planting more fruit trees. In looking through the catalog, I was amazed at the fruit that some of these trees, bushes and vines bear. I couldn't help but think of the Hebrew people going into Canaan and coming back with a bunch of grapes so big that it took two men to carry. There are some plants that bear gargantuan fruit! In a couple of days, I'm going to place an order for some of those plants and see what happens.

I also noticed while looking at the catalog that all these plants need maintenance, regular, seasonal maintenance. I also saw that a great many of them are grafts. A graft is where a 'trunk' or 'branch' is attached (grafted) onto a more hardy piece of root-stock or vine. The result is that you can have a bountiful tree in a climate that it wouldn't normally survive in. The root-stock or 'host' provides all the nutrients for the 'graft' so that it can bear much fruit. Without that 'stock' the tree or branch would surely bear no fruit and ultimately die.

I say all this only as an introduction to my verse of today.

John 15:5 (NIV)

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

In this verse, I see that Jesus knew something about horticulture. He used an example from his experience to make a point, an important point about our relationship with and to him.

First, he teaches that we have been grafted onto him; he is our 'root stock.' It is by him, for him and through him that we receive the nutrients we need to survive in a climate that would otherwise be fatal to us.

Second, he teaches that maintenance is required. Note that he said "if a man remains in me and I in him..." The 'graft' occurs when first we establish a union with God through Christ Jesus. But that union needs to be continually attended to and properly maintained for the health of the branch (you, me) and for the health of the entire plant (the church). This maintenance is in the form of prayer, watchfulness, patience, practice, self-denial, study, meditation and service. Without these things, the branch will wither and fall off.

Third, Christ teaches us a bit of the nature of our union to Him. Elsewhere He uses the example of a marriage to explain our relationship to him and it is an effective example here as well. We (the church) are the bride and we have been joined to Christ the groom. The result of that conjoining is fruit for the womb of our union is not barren. But, we cannot forget that the bride cannot conceive except for the groom; the unmarried bride is barren.

Returning now to horticulture, if we (the branches) are properly joined to the root-vine of Christ and if we properly maintain and nurture that union, we will bear much fruit in His name. Without that 'vine stock' of Jesus Christ, we are barren.

What's your maintenance plan look like?

Peace,

Carl

A Different Perspective

We are all familiar with the concept of loving God and in expressing our love through praise songs. It's easy to envision Heaven as a gigantic choir loft where we will all stand together, raise our hands in worship and our voices in praise when we come before The Lord in all His glory. Our Sunday morning worship services are the lessons we take to develop this skill and our daily lives represent the daily practice that we may be proficient. This life is the warm-up for what is to come.

But it is quite another thing to think of the situation being reversed. Yet that is exactly what I'm reading today in

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

¹⁷ The Lord your God is with you,

he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing.”

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

What I read in this passage is recounting of how the Gentiles will encourage the nation of Israel when God dispenses His justice. This passage tells of the days when God will gather his chosen people together and remove their oppressors. In that time, Israel will be reminded by her friends the truths of this passage of which there are five.

The first truth is the presence of the Lord. Zephaniah wrote "The Lord your God is with you..." We serve a God not of distant disdain but of imminent domain. He goes where we go and He is where we are. He neither leaves, nor forsakes, nor steps aside, nor sleeps nor takes vacations from us. If we can grasp the truth of His omnipresent nature in our lives then we should find it easy to conduct ourselves in a manner that is worthy of His calling on our lives.

The second truth is "he is might to save." Not only is He present in our lives, He is busy in our lives. With His presence comes His power which knows no limits. He sets us apart from our enemies on earth and from those in the heavenly realms. In all ways His power is sufficient to protect and preserve us in the face of our enemies.

Third, and this is where the different perspective becomes evident, 'He will take great delight in you.' I opened with prose to remind us how easy it is to take delight in The Lord but according to this passage, He takes great delight in his people. That means that His people are the object of His love. We, his people, are not some afterthought in which He finds amusement. We are the object of His affection, He takes great delight.

Fourth, 'he will quiet you with his love..' He secures his people from their enemies, he takes delight in his people and he removes all their anxiety, trembling and trepidation. God draws His people with an everlasting love into His arms and there they find peace and calm. All attacks will cease, all cares will vanish and in his love, by his love, they will be quieted.

And lastly, 'he will rejoice over you with singing.' That's a totally new concept to me, where God will sing over His people. In the same way that the way our love for God wells up in us to sing His praises, He will rejoice in song over His people. Can you imagine what the song of God must sound like? We think in terms of millions of voices singing to God. What must that one lone voice, God's voice, sound like when singing over the millions of His people?

That day draws nearer when we will discover the answer to that question. Till then, I will sing of His love.

Shalom,

Carl

It Seems So Strange

It seems so strange to me to rejoice in my afflictions. It seems so strange to me to give praise to God for the tests, trials, tribulations and temptations in my life. It seems so strange to me to give thanks to God for all the myriad failures and shortcomings in my life. It's down-right confusing to be joyful about my sorrows. But I do rejoice. I do give praise. I do give thanks and I am joyful.

Psalm 119:71 (NIV)

⁷¹ It was good for me to be afflicted

so that I might learn your decrees.

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Every once in a while I get in a quandry about how I was "so bad' and 'wasted so much of my life' in pointless pursuit of worldly success and fleshy pleasures. I speculate what it would be like if I had walked with God my entire life. I compare and contrast myself, a man saved from sin, with those that I perceive to have been saved from goodness. Every time that I have that conversation with myself, I realize that God allowed those things in my life that I might be attentive to His word and be willing to be obedient. Because I haved dined at the table of sin, I am so appreciative of the banquet at God's table.

I am also reminded that God allowed those things in my life that I might appreciate the comfort that He offered me. And also that I would have compassion for others in the same situation so as to offer them the comfort God has offered me. This is scripturally sound and I rejoice in the recognition of God's truth in my life.

It is appropriate that today, Christmas Eve, I am confronted with just how needful I am for the salvation offered by God through His Son. The very son whose birth we celebrate during this season. It is appropriate that today I once again realize that God has given me great gifts in the form of my afflictions, in the form of His Son, in the form of His Spirit and in the wisdom of His Word. Thank you God for my afflictions.

Merry Christmas!
Carl

Spelunking

I tend to think of my heart as a cave. It is hard, craggy and mostly empty. It is characterized by fissures, cracks, crevices and hiding places. It is a place of darkness and shadows. I think of it in these terms for two reasons. First, because I know my own heart. I am keenly aware of what lurks within and also of what has been chased out. Second, I know by God's teaching that my heart is deceitful. It is not what it appears to be.

Wherever a light is cast, rich wonders of creation are revealed. But just beyond the light, in the shadowy places lurk those things, thoughts, feelings, appetites, lusts, that despise the light and shrink back from it.

I also know that one day, God will search all the corners of my heart as a spelunker with a flashlight. On that day, all the dark places will be illuminated and my innermost thoughts, the thoughts of my flesh and of my nature will be dragged out kicking and screaming into the light. And I will have to make an accounting for those things which I despise.

Between then and now, I need to be a spelunker in the cave of my own heart, seeking out the hidden pathways, the nooks and crannies. I need to do this with a bright light so that I can 'clean house.' Of course, I don't have the light that I need. But my partner does. The Holy Spirit that lives within me IS the bright light that chases away all the shadows within. It reveals and convicts me in ways that I don't understand.

Romans 8:27 (NIV)

²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

As I said previously, God is he who searches our hearts. But God has sent a 'forward taskforce' ahead of Him to prepare the way. God knows the mind of The Spirit that lives within us and that Spirit is a conduit of sorts that lays bare our hearts before God. That God knows the mind of The Spirit speaks of His omniscience and of the intimacy that is exemplified in the Holy Trinity.

Speaking of The Trinity, let us not forget that Christ the Son now sits in the throneroom of God and intercedes on our behalf. This verse tells us that The Spirit too intercedes on our behalf. We are the saints referenced in this passage. The Spirit even as it is working within us to sanctify us is also working without us interceding on our behalf to God. It's not something that will happen, it is something that IS happening now.

God has done everything to prepare a way for us to be in communion with Him. He has given His Son in ransom for our souls. He has given The Spirit in power for our lives. In all things it is clear that God has a passion for us. My heart, yes my deceitful heart, the one that is being turned into a vessel suitable for God's purposes, simply wants to cry out. But what it wants to say has been said...

Romans 12:1 (The Message)

Place Your Life Before God

^1–2 12 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

^[1] Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002

Shalom,

Carl

The Empty Way

This morning my devotional led me to;

1 Peter 1:18 (NIV)

¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, ^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

In studying this passage, the one, clear point that comes to my mind is a statement about God's economy. The most valuable 'things' in this world no matter their monetary worth are valueless in the matter of redemption. We are reminded that all things of this world, no matter how permanent we may perceive them to be are perishable. Despite what advertising executives would have you believe, diamonds are not forever.

And if these things which are so highly prized in our lives are worth nothing in the face of redemption, how much more valuable must that be? The currency which secured our salvation must be valuable in deed. By contrast, it must also be enduring, permanent, eternal.

In the face of that concept, God reminds me in this passage of the life from which I have been rescued; the 'empty way of life.' The life I led, without Christ, was one of pursuit of worthless things. No matter whether it was money, power or prestige, ever-niced houses, ever-better cars all that was, and is, empty. It has no meaning in the continuum of eternity. Comparatively, it is mere trash that appeals only to those who lust for it.

If my salvation from the 'empty way' was paid with so high a price, as it was, then how valuable must the 'full way of life' be? Mustn't it be priceless? Mustn't it be incalculably valuable? Yet God takes us (garbage collectors) and brings us into that life. How rich He must be and how rich we are to be in relationship with Him who loves us to such an extreme.

As for the 'empty way' I still hear the echoes of that time in my life. It's like a man shouting into a barrel. All you can hear is the deafening sound of your own voice in the emptiness. Praise God for delivering us all from such an existence.

Shalom,

Carl

The Sands of Human Wisdom

As a young adult, I thought that my mental capacity would be sufficient for all my neeeds. No matter the subject, I though myself capable and based on that knowledge made numerous bad decisions. One area in particular, that of my spiritual health suffered because I approached my relationship with 'god' from an intellectual perspective. I thought that if I read enough books, meditated enough hours and contemplated the universe, eventually I would achieve the proper 'gnosis' and be elevated to a higher order. That probably makes no sense to you because its a load of rubbish.

When at last I realized my own shortcomings and yielded my mind, body and spirit to God I discovered truth. Despite the fact that it made little sense from a logical perspective, there is an innate truth to faith such that it rings true.

Paul spoke to this situation in;

1 Corinthians 2:5 (NIV)

⁵ so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

The fact of the matter is that my faith is not based on an intellectual knowledge or my ability to make a good decision. It is based entirely on my perception and understanding of God's power. By the fact of creation, I see He is powerful. He has demonstrated to me, through my own transformation, that He is powerful. An innate quality of God when viewed from any angle or perspective is that he is omnipotent, omniscient and omniprescent. Though it flies in the face of 'conventional' or 'worldly wisdom' it is nevertheless true.

There are two verses that spring to mind that help to confirm this. First is;

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.^a

^a Or will direct your paths

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

And;

1 Corinthians 1:25 (NIV)

²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

I'm not really inclined to add anything to this discussion for God's word stands alone. Faith is the natural response to the reality of God's power.

Good day,
Carl

It's Not Mine, It's His

When I was in school we always knew when the tests were coming. We knew exactly which day and which hour. We knew, in general terms, what was going to be on the test. The prudent student starting preparing well in advance and kept preparing right up to the time the test was administered.

In the workplace, not only do I know when the deadlines are but I get to set a great many of them. I know when things are due and I know what the specifications are for completion. I work backwards from the deadline to build my projects so that I can start preparing well in advance, make steady progress towards the goal and complete my projects on time.

In the spiritual realm of God's Kingdom, all that is for naught for I have no idea when Christ Jesus will return. I know that when he does, I am going to be judged. I read the standards and I realize that I scarcely understand them let alone have any ability to meet them. From what I can pick up, it's already too late for me to meet the standard. Apparently, one of the standards is to never fall short of the standard! Far too late for that!

But I also understand that there is one who met and meets the standard. If I am properly aligned with Him, then he'll take care of me.

The Apostle Paul understood this and we can read about it in;

Philippians 3:9 (NIV)

⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. ^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Paul knew that Christ would be coming back and he knew that when he did, he would search out the truth of men's hearts just like a man searches a dark house with a flash-light. That's why he uses the image of 'be[ing] found in him.' When that time comes, Paul wants to be found in Christ, not outside of Christ.

This passage then describes the condition of being outside of Christ; "[not] having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law." We need to know that our ability to follow the law, even down to the very last letter, is insufficient for us to 'be found in him.' We can count of this for elsewhere in scripture we are admonished that 'ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.' All, everyone, every one, even those who think they have followed the law well enough to be considered righteous. As we read yet another place in scripture, 'our righteous acts are as filthy rags.' It's just not good enough.

But there is a righteousness that is good enough, that of Jesus the Christ. We can 'be found in him... through faith in Christ.' It is only by grace through faith that we are saved, not by anything we do or not do. (yes, that's a paraphrase!) Paul teaches us in this passage that the righteousness imparted by faith in Christ is 'the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.'

Like Paul, I want to be found in Christ. And since I don't know when he is returning, I better be prepared now; he could come now... or now.... or wait.... now. It matters not to one who is prepared through faith for His imminent return.

Shalom,

Carl

Come All Ye...

During a recent accountability group meeting, I described God as a gentleman. He offers but does not insist. He desires but he does not force. He invites but he does not coerce. He waits for us to come to him.

His son too is a gentleman. He stands at the door and knocks, sometimes gently, sometimes more fervently. But though he may he does not open the door himself. He invites but he does not coerce. He waits for us to come and open the door.

In this season of Christ's Mass we sing a song "O' come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant..." It is a call to all those who have waited with faithful expectation for the coming of the Messiah. It is an invitation to be attendant to the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ.

Today, I read of another invitation; one that was offered centuries in advance of the incarnation. It is the invitation and the foretelling of the greater invitation yet to come. My text today is;

Isaiah 55:1 (NIV)

Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

As I consider this verse, a sense of serenity descends on me and my eyes fill with tears. It is as though I am remembering and reliving that moment in my life when I was so thirsty I thought I would die. A time when there was a knock at my door and I opened it to find a messenger of peace, a Prince of Peace who with scarred hands delivered THE invitation that I needed. An invitation to a wedding feast. But I digress... this verse...

This passage is an urgent exhortation for action. It begins with a directive; "Come." That is the central command from God to us. Across all time God has called us to relationship with him. He has leveled mountains, bridged rivers and built roads that lead from where we are to where He is. He spanned the great chasm of our sinfulness with His own son that we may have safe passage to a living relationship with the living God. In this passage, he calls to us "Come, come, come, Come" no less than four times! If we take nothing else away from this verse, we should take away the understanding that GOD WANTS US TO COME TO HIM.

This passage is an invitation to all. Though written at a time when only the Jews held out hope for deliverance, this passage speaks not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. In that, it gives a glimpse into God's plan for total redemption for all mankind. It speaks of just how much God wants us, mankind, to be with Him for all eternity. But among both Jews and Gentiles, there is a requirement; the invitation is specific in whom it invites. He calls for 'you who are thirsty' and 'you who have no money.' His exhortation is to those who are needful. Those who being satiated by the world have no thirst, no hunger, no need, they have no need for this invitation either.

This passage reminds us of God's economy. God offers water to the thirsty; the water of life. God offers wine and milk to the hungry; the wine of Christ's blood and the milk of God's word. The most valuable 'things' in all of creation, salvation and redemption and relationship are offered free of charge! There is no money required, leave your checkbook at home. The currency of God's realm is grace and forgiveness, not dollars and cents. The price has been paid for all who would come.

We have an open invitation to the greatest wedding feast of all time. The one I got says that I can invite as many people as possible, this one invitation is good for everyone. The party has already started (when the bride showed up) and it doesn't stop till the bride-groom arrives. At this feast, there will be enough to drink and enough to eat. There will be laughter and singing; there will be dancing. There will be friends and there will be joy. Come, join me at the table. Come and invite your friends too.

Joyful, joyful,
Carl

All Scripture Is Useful

I use a variety of resources to determine what verse I am going to study each day. These include the devotional guides: "Drawing Near - Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith", "Ears from Harvested Sheaves, or, Daily Portions", "Morning and Evening" and "My Utmost for His Highest." I sometimes use a passage from my childrens' ministry material or my adult Sunday School class. Recently I have used the "Revised Common Lectionary." What whatever source, I know that God leads me, in His way, from passage to passage as a shepherd leads his flock from watering hole to watering hole.

Occasionally, I am led to a verse that makes me wonder or that I just don't see any potential in it. Today is one such day. This morning as I come before The Lord, I picked up "Ears from Harvested Sheaves, or, Daily Portions." It pointed me to Romans 1:7. I got all excited because Romans is such a rich book and looked up the reference. As I read it, my excitement quickly ebbed away because I couldn't see anything in it. So I closed the reference and started over. But before I could even turn to another source for direction, I was reminded of;
2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

And I was convicted of my pompous attitude! Like, "who are you to decide that this verse, FROM GOD'S MOUTH, has no merit and bears no study?" So I quickly returned to my Bible and started my blog entry. I have no idea where this is going so we'll just find out together.

The verse:

Romans 1:7 (NIV)

⁷ To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

I have not ever associated myself with Rome and the very thought of considering myself among the Romans is repugnant. Not only was the Roman Empire one of conquest and oppression, Rome itself is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church from whose table I am excluded. Clearly there is an element of my pride at work here.

If I look on the other side of that 'pride' issue, I must remember that Christ's ministry was to all men including all the Gentiles which necessarily includes the Romans. In that context, I am as Roman as they come. I must also remember that in the epistles, Paul is typically writing to a 'church' and the books are named accordingly. But when he wrote to the Romans, he did not write to a church, he was writing to individuals. Perhaps in this realization is an understanding of why Romans stands apart from the epistles.

Nevertheless, Paul continues by identifying his audience "all in Rome who are loved by God." And of course herein is the secondary source of my conviction. Though I hold the Romans in disdain, God holds them in his hand, same as me. Christ calls me to the higher love that knows no cultural boundaries, racial, ethnic nor any other boundaries. In fact, Christ calles me to love my neighbors and my enemies. For me to show contempt to the Romans is to show contempt to Christ. My bad.

Not only that but Paul continues with "... and called to be saints." Oh man, they have the same calling as I! Here I must diverge a bit to acknowledge the importance of this calling. I wonder if any man ever endeavored to be a saint? Surely men across the ages have set their sights upon success, wealth, health, power and prestige. How many have set as their goal to be one of God's saints? Could there possibly be any higher calling? Any higher reward? Any more meaningful distinction? NO! All of us who have been called into His Kingdom are called to be His saints. It is the central and preminent calling upon our existence. Though he may give us success, wealth, health, power and prestige, his highest blessing to us is to make us saints.

To all the saints then, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." What is the thing I need most? Grace. What is the thing I want most? Peace. These things are not available from worldly sources or in any way apart from God. So as Paul calls down this blessing from above onto all the saints who are loved by God, it is no small thing. It is the best thing. Salvation and refuge. Grace and peace.

To think that I was ready to just discard this verse when Christ himself would not discard neither 'jot nor tiddle.' In this I am a true Roman. Treating God's Word as a conquest to be bent to my purpose, that's just insane. I am to be subject to His Word and I am to be bent and molded to HIS purpose. Where would I be without forgiveness and grace.

I get the message...

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (The Message)

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

^[1] Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002

To all the believers who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Carl

Just Because...

While teaching my 4th Grade Sunday School Class yesterday, we talked a bit about things you've heard your parents say. Aside from the usual "clean your room" we had the seasonal "you'll shoot your eye out!" and the common easy explanation for all parental commands "because I said so."

I used that opportunity (okay, it was an engineered opportunity) to share a passage of scripture with the children and to talk about what it meant. The verse we discussed is;

Luke 1:68 (NIV)

⁶⁸ “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

because he has come and has redeemed his people.

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

This verse opens by stating that praise is to be directed towards the Lord. A simple thing really unless you really consider what praise might be. As discussed with my children, praise may be the singing of songs, the raising of hands, the speaking of exaltations and prayers of thankfulness. I think for fourth graders, that was a pretty good list. But for us, for those who have grown fat on the milk of scripture and crave the meat of righteousness, praise comes down our worship through sacrifice.

In our compartmentalized society, it might be relatively easy to write a check for more than your tithe. It might be easy to spend and extra $70 on a bag of groceries at Christmastime. It feels good to purchase a toy or a coat to put under somebody else's tree. Though those are sacrifices or varying degrees, not everyone is able to meet those standards. Thus we cannot say that these are the sacrifices that most worship God for it is my contention that everyone can make the sacrifice that praises God. I speak of course of a Romans 12:1 sacrifice. Consider;

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual^a act of worship.

^a Or reasonable

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Herein is a sacrifice that is worthy of offering to the Lord, the God of Israel, the God of all Creation.

And as is indicated in the opening of Romans 12:1 "in view of God's mercy" there is a reason that we are to praise, worship and sacrifice to our God. Returning to our original verse (Luke 1:68) it is stated "because he has come and has redeemed his people."

"BECAUSE he has come!" Past tense, already completed, over and done with. He has come. That is reason enough to rejoice and to praise. But as if that isn't enough...

"BECAUSE he has redeemed his people." He has bought with a price, exchanged one thing for another, released from bondage. To explain this to the children I turned to Chuckie Cheese and the concept of the little tickets they accumulate there while playing games. Those tickets are then redeemed for various prizes based on the number of tickets (value). In this scenario, we are the prizes and our value is determined by the value of the ticket which redeemed us. That ticket is the Son of God. From that I can only conclude that we are of immense value to God. In God's economy, he used a diamond to pay for a broken jar.

Praise be the Lord, the God of Israel indeed!

Peace,
Carl

He Became Sin? Well, yes but so much more!

As studied and growing Christians we know that Christ became sin though he knew not sin himself. I wonder what that must have been like for him. Having lived 33 years (on Earth) without ever experiencing the pain of sin, being able to identify sin but never knowing it, how much that must have hurt; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Way beyond my capacity to tolerate for certain.

I realize too that when Christ took on our sins, God did not forgive him. Instead He killed Him. Such a hard thought it defies reason. But that is only true when examining the situation from one side. For on the other side of that horrible cross, Christ continued to become. He did not stop 'becoming' once he became our sin.

Consider;

Hebrews 5:9 (NIV)

⁹ and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

The word perfect immediately caught my attention. Before I consulted my materials I knew that word meant 'complete.' We've heard the words of Christ "It is finished!" What exactly was finished? Why it was the perfection of Christ Jesus. And in his 'becoming' he became the source of eternal salvation; the perpetual fount of every blessing. The sin he had 'become' had died on the cross with him as the law was fulfilled. God's requirements met, his anger abated and joy begun.

But let's not overlook the last part. God has fulfilled his promise and Christ his obligation. God has done everything He needs to do to allow reconciliation between the created and the Creator. All that remains is our part.

We know that at the beginning of our part is 'fear of the Lord' for that is the beginning of the truest wisdom. Yet even Satan fears the Lord so that cannot be the sum of our part. To fear we must add faith and when the two react, springs forth love. Here too, Lucifer knows the truth of God and I suppose in some manner this prevents faith. If not, then the reaction of fear and faith to bring forth love is made ineffective by his self-love. Nevertheless, fear, faith, love leads to the greater things of God and underlying them is the foundation of obedience.

As we see in this verse, the obedience ushers in the realization of the perfection of Christ, the culmination as it were of all he did and does. In this He is truly the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Love Ya!

Carl

My Lizard

I am blogging late today because I was unable to bring my thoughts to a fine focus this morning. I've been mulling over my post all day and have decided to just dive in and write even though my thoughts are not yet fully refined.

A contributing issue to the post is that it is about something I read that isn't in the Bible. Yet it is profoundly related.

I choose as the scriptural basis for my post...

Romans 8:28 (NIV)

More Than Conquerors

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,^a who^b have been called according to his purpose.

^[1]

^a Some manuscripts And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God

^b Or works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

So now, here we go...

If you've been reading my posts, you may recall that late one night this week, I devoured The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. (read it) Having mentioned in my post how the midnight reading of this wonderful book contributed to my inability to haul myself out of bed the following morning for my devotional, a dear friend (a berry dear friend) pointed out the irony of that situation. Honestly, it had not been wasted on me and he seized upon my favorite chapter of the book to illustrate his point.

Now at the risk of spoiling some aspect of the book for you, I have to talk about this. In this particular chapter, a scene is presented between a spirit that is enslaved to a red lizard that rides on his shoulder. This spirit has an encounter with another spirit who offers to kill the red lizard as an act of kindness and mercy (he didn't say that, I've added it for clarity). The enslaved spirit whines that he wished the benevolent spirit had just killed it without asking for it was painful to him to have to make the decision. At long last, the enslaved spirit accepts the offer of the benevolent spirit and instantly the red lizard is plucked from his shoulder and killed. As it turns out, the red lizard, represented appetite and by his constant chatter exercised control over the spirit it had snared. The story doesn't stop there. In fact, the red lizard then transforms into a magnificent stallion which is soon mounted by the freed spirit and together they race off to glory and to the realization of their true potential in God's kingdom.

The point of the story is that the red lizard, in this case appetite once yielded unto death was transformed into something wonderful. The spirit was freed was transformed as well into a new creature.

I had my own red lizard. His name was appetite. He sat on my shoulder and whispered in my ear incessantly driving me to indulge and feed my appetite for sex, drugs and money. He fanned my healthy God-given appetites into punishing slave-drivers which drove me into ever-greater depths of depravity and despair.

When at last my red lizard was revealed to me by the benevolent HOLY SPIRIT, I too struggled with the decision to yield to The Spirit's offer to kill that beast. I too acquiesced and The Spirit killed my lizard.

My lizard did not turn into a magnificent stallion, literally but it did figuratively. You see, those same appetites were now turned from matters of the world to matters of God's Kingdom. The same appetites which drove me into habitual sexual sin now fuel my passion for Christ. The same appetite for 'self love' now drives me to 'selfless love.' I am running as hard towards God as I ever ran away.

My lizard and the experiences we had together which were originally intended to ruin me have now been used by God through the ministry in which He has placed me not only for my good but for the benefit of others. That's the reason I offer Romans 8:28 to you. My entire life testifies to the truth of this verse.

The ministry in which I work is my red lizard yielded, killed and transformed. It is a magnificent stallion and I will ride it to God's glory.

Hi Ho Silver, Away!

Carl

Within Our Power

A central message of God's scripture is that mankind, when operating on our own power, is weak and ineffective. This weakness creates a need for God; for His power, strength, mercy and grace. It is only when we realize our weakness and inabilities that we may come into an understanding of our needfulness for God and it is only then that He will manifest His power, strength, mercy and grace in our lives. This is in some part a result of his placing in us the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In my experience, The Holy Spirit is really busy in me. The Spirit cleans the house of my heart, fills the empty spaces, creates love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It encourages and exhorts me to acts that reflect the fruits of the spirit. It calls me to acts and behaviors that reflect, honor and glorify God the Father. It binds me ever tighter to the model presented me in Christ Jesus. It convicts me of every weakness, every sin and every iniquity. The Spirit never takes a vacation or leaves me alone. Busy, effective, efficient, patient, persistent...

Yet in as much as we are powerless unto righteousness on our own yet there are some things within our power. My reading today addresses some of these responsibilities that come with the power that has been granted us.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NIV)

¹⁹ Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; ²⁰ do not treat prophecies with contempt. ²¹ Test everything. Hold on to the good. ²² Avoid every kind of evil.

V19 calls us to be careful and intentional not to put out the Spirit's fire. I believe there are two aspects to this admonition. The first is with respect to ourselves and the second is with respect to others. As for ourselves, we can quench the Spirit (put out the fire) by ignoring it. Our relationship with God is a matter of our will and if we will to make the Spirit within us quiet, God grants us that power to our own detriment. Further, we can quench the Spirit by dousing it with the firehose of sinfulness. If we enter into a sin, ignore the convicting pleadings of The Spirit and instead pour in more and more sinfulness, the Spirit will be quenched.

With respect to quenching the spirit in others, we can do this by berating them, minimizing them, ignoring them and otherwise acting as if somehow the Spirit within us is better than the Spirit within them. As a practical example, consider a child either chronologically or spiritually. Once saved, the Spirit indwells them and speaks to them just as it does you or me. If that child of God opens their mouth to share what scripture has spoken to them, depending upon our reaction we can either fan the flames of the Spirit or we can quench the Spirit. If there is error or immaturity in what they say, we can either offer correction from the source of correction (Scripture) in a kind, loving and nurturing way or we can 'beat them down' with statements of how wrong they are, that they don't know what they are talking about, that "you're just a child." I realize that I am simplifying for the sake of the length of this post and I pray that you understand what I mean by this example.

Which leads me to V20; "do not treat prophecies with contempt." Again, two-fold meanings to me. First is 'prophecies' as in what the Bible has 'predicted.' Second is 'prophecies' as in 'the right application of God's word to any given circumstance.' Consider that if, using the first sense, we ignore the FACT that the day is coming and therefore we will not ready ourselves for His return. That would prove to be an egregious error on our part with eternal consequences. Now, in the latter sense, if our brother or sister turns to us and shares from God's Word how scripture applies to something in our life (2 TIM 3:16-17) and we ignore it, we make another egregious error that has not only eternal consequences but immediate ramifications as well.

This of course goes hand in glove with V21 "Test everything. Hold on to the good." To me, this is the very application of the second sense of 'prophecies.' Our testing methodology is not something we design ourselves. It is scripture, it is God's spoken word amplified by the pleadings and groanings of The Holy Spirit. If we have a question about a situation or an action or a philosophy or theology or ideology, or ANYTHING, we are to test it through The Word. That which survives the fiery test of God's Word is something to which we should tightly cling or hold on to. Everything else is to be swept away. As a practical example, consider the concept that you can achieve salvation through good works. Run that through the Bible and you will see that is a false teaching and should be summarily discarded. Compare that to the concept that salvation is given freely through the atoning blood of Jesus and you will discover it is true. That is something which should never escape your grasp.

And lastly, V22, "Avoid every kind of evil." This is within our power by way of the Spirit. The spirit gives us the discernment to identify evil, the power to resist it, the fortitude to avoid it yet leaves us the choice whether or not to toy with it, taste it, embrace it or wallow in it. It is within our power, by God's enabling, to avoid evil. It seems like such an obvious choice yet we so often fail in this regard. Consider this idea.... you have an opportunity to manipulate your tax return (within the law) to your favor. The Spirit says "that's not right, legality notwithstanding. (V19)" The Bible says 'render unto Caesar what is Caesar's' and 'yield to your earthly authorities. (V20)' You choose not to search the scripture for guidance nor do you pray. (V21) Ultimately you manipulate your taxes, having a twinge of guilt but no remorse. You've just started a dance with the devil by your choice. It may be an imperfect analogy but I trust that The Spirit within you will right now give you the example that speaks truth and power into your life.

I've got to run now, the sun is up, the fields are white with snow and my earthly obligations which God has entrusted to me are calling.

Shalom,
Carl

Some Things Shouldn't Wait

Having just said that I would put off my devotional till later, I am convicted to not delay. So at the risk of setting a bad example, I'm posting anyway.

My reading this morning is from 1 Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

¹⁶ Be joyful always; ¹⁷ pray continually; ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Aside from the obvious applications of this encouragement from the Apostle Paul, I am accepting this a personal instruction. Okay, I won't argue with you about 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which states that 'All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking and training in righteousness so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Meaning, that I should take all scripture as personal instruction. :)

What I mean is that I'm taking it as the 'message of the day' so to speak. The manifestation of God's living word in my life that gives me exactly what I need before I know that I need it. So here's my take on this...

First, "be joyful always." That's a pretty tall order for me. I do apply my best effort to find joy in the circumstances of my life. I seek to know 'what' and not 'why' when I am tested, tempted and tried. That's true today. My question concerning the sudden opposition and evidence of my weakness with respect to my daily devotional is "what are you trying to teach me LORD?" The answer given my soul is that "pride in doing the daily devotional robs it off its purpose and power." At the same time, the answer is "in your weakness my glory is revealed." And also that "in your own power you can do nothing." So, now I must intentionally be joyFUL in the knowledge that God has just rebuked me! How do I do that? Oh, I've got that one covered! God only rebukes his children! He is treating me as one of his own. I welcome the discipline as one who needs the discipline and one who loves the Father. So, I will be joyful in my learning and in the receiving of this loving act of discipline from a merciful God. I will redouble my efforts to adjust my schedule and priorities for my devotional. Not as something that should be done or must be done but rather as something that CAN be done. It is a privilege, not a duty; a right, not a responsibility. Thank you God.

Second, "pray continually." Webster defines 'continually' as "continuing indefinitely in time without interruption" Thus, I read this to mean that we are to remain in a constant conversation with God throughout all aspects of our life. Yes it is appropriate that we have specific times when we begin "Our Father" and we end with "Amen" but these are to be punctuation marks in an ongoing conversation. I tend to think of the 'formal prayers' as possible traps to me. What I mean is that the ongoing dialog, casual conversation that I have with God via the spirit, that's prayer too. Prayer is not defined by the structure or the use of formal language. That is prayer TOO but not prayer only. I draw encouragement from this because my conversations with God continue to grow in frequency and duration. I draw conviction from this because there are times when I stop the conversation. As you can imagine, that's usually followed by a problem of some sort.

We end today with V18, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." This perhaps is one of the more difficult commands given us in God's word. As if loving our neighbors as ourselves, praying for our enemies and blessing those who curse us isn't hard enough, when we are hurting, suffering or despairing, we are to give thanks. Not just when our plates are full and the bills are paid, those times too we are to give thanks because we ARE thankful. But when the cupboard is bare and the bills are piling up, we are to give thanks or perhaps even then we are to BE thankful. This requires a real paradigm shift that is counter-cultural. Let's go straight to a hard example to make the point; the loss of a child. How is a parent to give thanks to God when a child has been taken from them? There is no logical or natural explanation for this. There is however a supernatural explanation and that is we can give thanks in all circumstances because we have been transformed by the renewing of our mind. The earthly trials and travails are just the preliminary warmup for eternity. Using our example, by God's mercy and grace through Christ Jesus we know that the loss of a child here is the gain of a child in Heaven. Consider this clumsy analogy. God GAVE His Son (heaven's loss) that we may receive Him here and in so doing, the world gained salvation. Heaven's loss was our gain. I know that's a simplistic but hard saying and I pray now with all my heart that God will be merciful not to allow me to live out this truth.

Now I go to engage in my day properly prepared. May God bless you this day as you go about joyful in everything you do, talking with him as you go and giving thanks for every breath you draw.

Sincerely,
Carl

Mission Report 12/09/08

I guess that I should not have expected anything different when I asked that you pray for me. I should have realized that I was really challenging Satan and my own weaknesses to rise up against me to thwart my intentions. Let me share with you what happened on Tuesday that resulted in my failure to blog.

On Monday night (12/08/08) after asking for your prayers, I had a wonderful time with God and posted that day's devotional entry. By the time I was done, it was uncharacteristically late for me but I wasn't sleepy. I guess that's what God-talk will do for you!

Anyway, I picked up a book "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis thinking I would read a couple of chapters. Call me stupid because I wound up reading the entire book. Great book and reading is good but in this instance, the good helped to impede the great. That's one.

Next, at 4:30AM the alarm system for the house I am staying in went off. It launched me out of bed in a way that can only be described as excruciating. It took the better part of the next hour to go back to sleep. The smart thing would have been to just get up at 4:30 but nooooo, I laid there till sleep overtook me again. That's two.

Then when the alarm went off, calling me to my devotional time, I turned it off and regained the hour of sleep that I missed between 4:30 and 5:30. As a result I wound up missing my devotional and then I was also late for work because I forgot about Houston traffic. That's three.

But wait, there's more! After work, I went to a Rocket's game with a couple of friends. That was a good thing but again, something good impeded the great. After the game, I drove back to where I was staying and arrived at 10:45PM. I was committed to my devotional and posting. So... I fired up the laptop, launched my Bible software and had my time with God. Whew! at 11:20PM, I decided to blog my devotional. Only I discovered that the network at the house was down. I went to bed convinced that I would be more careful about my prayer requests in the future and set the alarm an hour earlier so I could get a fresh start today. Oh the folly of pride!

Killed the alarm this morning and snoozed an extra half-hour. Stupid. Discovered the network was still down so decided to go to the office to have my devotional time. Stupid. Stuck in traffic for an hour. Figures. Got to the office, opened my toolset and then looked at my e-mail. STUPID! It amazes me how weak I can be!

Anyway, it's now 8:56AM and I HAVE to get to work. So, my devotional time must be moved to later in the day... can you see it coming? I conspire against myself! Grrrrrrr.

Keep on praying cause I know the struggles are trying to block something great. The Spirit can break the logjam.

Love ya,
Carl

Oaks of Righteousness

The title of this post sounds like some sort of men's fraternal order or something. "Oaks of Righteousness" has a majestic ring to it that's even better than 'Order of the Elk' or whatever. I got the title from the passage that I'm reading today. Check it out here;

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor.

⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins

and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations.

I'm continuing with my readings for the Advent Season from The Revised Common Lectionary. In reading this passage, there are some things that just jump out at me.

First, correct me if I'm wrong but... this is Jesus talking, right? In Isaiah, the Old Testament. Now I don't say that to imply that He wasn't there but rather to prove that He IS there, always has been. And in this passage, Jesus is speaking of His mission. We read the same words in the New Testament coming from the mouth of Jesus. Some people would say that when Jesus spoke these words in the NT, he was quoting from Isaiah. But if Isaiah is quoting from Jesus... that Jesus is quoting himself. That just boggles the mind!

Anyway, in the very first verse (v1) I see that The Trinity is clearly referenced. "The Spirit", "Sovereign Lord" and "me" (Jesus). For those who say The Trinity is a man-made invention and isn't clearly represented in scripture, I say 'ha!'

The next thing that got my attention was "release from darkness for the prisoners." It's possible that I haven't been paying attention but this seems different to me. You see, I've read this same thing in Luke 4:18-19 but there is a subtle difference. In Luke, Jesus says "proclaim freedom for the prisoners..." I've always read that with a bent towards people behind bars. But here, I see now it is not about chains of iron at all, it's about the chains of sin. It's about being freed from the darkness of our own depravity, it's about shining HIS light into the farthest reaches of our soul to lay bare every secret and chase out every demon. I recognize this as my own liberation.

Next, 'to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor', I'm reading as when Christ came into the fullness of his mission on earth. I also see this as a watershed moment. Christ came to 'preach good news', to 'bind up the brokenhearted', to 'proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.' Do you see that it's all past tense? But this sentence 'to proclaim' has a more present tense to it. And everything that comes after it, is all future tense. "Was, Is, Will Be"

Now I know that in Isaiah, v3-4 are about the nation of Israel but once again, I'm claiming birthrights into that tree by way of adoption. So for all those who await His coming, all those who suffer oppression and persecution in His name till His return, they're going to get a crown and oil to lift their spirits and beautiful garments instead of earthly rags. But they're also going to get a new name '"Oaks of Righteousness" a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.'

I like the thought behind that. Namely that we believers have been planted by The Lord. We're going to grow in Him not into pretty flowers but into a great stand of oaks, a forest. And we, as his believers, as his creation, as a result of his power, mercy and grace will display HIS splendor. Think about it, God can take the most messed up person imaginable and totally turn that person around. From useless to useful. From an eye-sore to HIS SPLENDOR.

Folks, I was a parasitic weed! God picked me up from toxic soil, transformed me and replanted me in fertile soil. I'm certainly no oak of righteousness right now but I know that one day, on THAT day, I will be. And I know too that I'm going to be surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ. We'll be a great forest for the display of HIS splendor.

Sapling,
Carl

Monday Night Dec 08, 2008

Several things to post up here now.

First, I'm asking for your prayers. By now you may have noticed that I don't post everyday. Saturdays and Sundays in particular seldom get a post from me. That's because I can't seem to do my devotionals on those days. Here's the problem I need your help with... I want to do my devotionals everyday. But on Saturday, my flesh is weak, I sleep a little late and then with the schedules and routines all in disarray, I can't seem to ever get my devotional done. That's not to say that I'm not spending any time with God, because I often work on other 'related' things such as lesson plans, talks, etc. But between me and you, that's not what I've committed to. Sundays are a slightly different matter because I get plenty of time with God, I just don't have a devotional and I don't post anything. But again, that just doesn't get it. So... I'm asking for you to pray that I will live up to the commitment that I've made to have a DAILY devotional and not just a WEEKDAY devotional. The lack of a blog entry isn't a big deal to me but the lack of the devotional is. Help a brother out here. :)

Second, you'll note from the time of this post that I'm way off schedule. That's because I'm traveling this week. That means that I got up this morning and instead of engaging in my daily routines, I had to pack up and get to the airport. Guess what else that means? I missed my devotional this morning! See item #1 above! Anyway, I find that when my routines get disrupted, I find it far too easy to cut corners on the devotional. I don't like it, I'm not happy about it but I do it anyway. It's amazing to me how easily I can skip my appointment with God as if my 'stuff' is more important than my time with Him. That just smacks of arrogance! So not only do I covet your prayers (item #1) above, I covet your prayers that while I'm traveling I will TAKE THE TIME in the mornings to have my devotional. It seems insane that when I need God the most that's when I stop doing the devotional. Puh-leese!

That said, I'm going to have my devotional now and will post a suitable blog entry in a little while.

Thanks for loving me. Thanks for praying for me. Thanks for being my friend.

Not So Smart,
Carl

You Better Watch Out

Okay, so that IS a line from a popular Christmas song. I find it amusing that Santa Claus exhibits the characteristic of omniscience! "He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake." Funny. It's a nice sentiment and it encapsulates an understanding of Christmas. Indulge me for a minutes...

Santa lives at the North Pole.
God lives in Heaven.

Santa has elves working for him that make toys (gifts) for all the good girls and boys.
God created everything and sent His Son as the ultimate gift for everyone.

I could go on for quite some time but you get the point. One thing though about "Santa Claus." He may know about sleeping and he may know about your behavior but... he doesn't know when Christ is coming back.

Consider this passage today;

Mark 13:32-36 (NIV)

The Day and Hour Unknown

³² “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Be on guard! Be alert^a! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

^[1]

^a Some manuscripts alert and pray

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

We know that the evidence of "Santa Claus'" coming occurs on December 25. But we don't know when Christ is coming back.

And whereas we are to sleep, pretend to sleep or whatever with respect to the sudden appearance of "Santa Claus" we are to be on guard and alert for the coming of The King. Now, I don't think that means we aren't to ever sleep. I believe it is more a reference to the state of our being, not the state of our body. If we are lulled into complacency by the world or enticed into sinful behavior by Satan et al, then we will not be ready for the return of Christ. That's why we are to be on guard against the temptations of Satan, that's why we are to be alert to the snares of this world, that we can be ready when the Son of God suddenly appears.

More indulgences please... "He knows what you've been thinking, he knows you've gone astray, he knows if your heart is bad or good so be good for his kingdom sake. Oh, you better watch out, keep a sharp eye, he's coming for you though you're made out of dirt... Jesus Christ is coming to Earth."

Absurdly Happy,
Carl

He Finishes What He Begins

I've got a problem to share with you. I'm a 95%'er. Yep, it's true. If you come to my house and look around, you will see numerous projects that are 95% complete. For some reason when it comes to house projects, I can get within sight of the 'finish line' but I can't seem to ever reach it. Thank God that He is not like that! He finishes everything He starts.

That's what Jesus is all about. Jesus is the crown molding in the house of God. He is the finishing touch on the project of Creation that God began long ago. It is by His bright light that we are drawn, as moths to the flame, to the fire of God. How fitting for us to consider this truth as we anticipate the celebration of His earthly birth.

I've been studying our needfulness for revival and restoration by the prescient manifestation of God. My studies today continue in this vein but takes a turn. The turn is one of negotiation. I'm in Psalms 80 still and in V17-19, Asaph offers a deal to God. Now, I'm not one for casual deals with God because I know He will definitely keep His end of the bargain. But in this instance, I think the deal being proffered by Asaph is one He knows God intended from the beginning. See what you think;

Psalm 80:17-19 (NIV)

¹⁷ Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,

the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

¹⁸ Then we will not turn away from you;

revive us, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹ Restore us, O Lord God Almighty;

make your face shine upon us,

that we may be saved.

^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

This passage opens with an acknowledgement that the son of man is already at the right hand of God the Father. While I accept that the Son of God is already rightly there, having not yet been born into humanity, crucified, resurrected, ascended and glorified, I think the son of man is not yet in the throne-room. In that, Asaph is dealing in 'God time.' And in 'God time' the Son of Man is indeed already in the throneroom. Certainly from our perspective and time, Christ, in his glorified body sits at the right-hand of God.

So the condition put forth by Asaph is that God will rely on His man, the Man He put in place. The response to the condition is "we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name." In this, the poor psalmist agrees to something he cannot deliver.

Not only did the nation of Israel categorically reject the son of man, turn away and stop calling on the name of God but Gentiles through-out history have heard and turned away. Even though God, in his steadfast faithfulness, fulfilled His part of the bargain, we weak and double-minded humans fail to uphold our end.

A modern-day agnostic or atheist could say "I have no part in this bargain, Asaph did not speak for me" and be acquited. But what of we Christians? We know the truth, we have tasted the feast offered by God, we have availed ourselves of the redeeming blood. How then can we ever turn away, how can we fail to call on the name of The Lord?

So on behalf of those who have turned away, on behalf of those who cast side-long glances at the world, on behalf of those who despair, I join Asaph in V19.

Psalm 80:19 (NIV)

¹⁹ Restore us, O Lord God Almighty;

make your face shine upon us,

that we may be saved.

^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Finish me O God, finish me.

Construction Zone,

Carl