I have this app on my iPad called a scripture shaker. It gives me a random scripture to read, then I shake it and another pops up. It's really neat. This morning I forgot my bible here at work, so I decided to use this app. I came across a verse in Act 17, that just struck me the right way.
Acts 17 talks about Paul during one of his missionary trips around the Roman Empire. In verse 11 the author makes a statement that I think we can and should learn something. It goes like this:
--Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.--
I love the phrase "more noble". It really says a lot about these Jews.
Let me ask you something, yesterday when the minister in your church got up to do his thing, what was your reaction. Were you excited? Bored? Indifferent? I remember one time sitting in the second service at my church, during the summer, and when the Pastor got up to speak, the women in front of me whispered,"Ugh! here we go!"
I could not believe it!!! I felt like tapping that lady on the shoulder and saying, look if you don't want to be here to hear this you can leave.
Do we have the same reaction to hearing the Word of God as the Berean Jews? Here was a guy they had never meet before, Paul, bringing a message and they were glad to hear it. Or do we react like that typical church goer, Ugh! here we go? Take note that she knew that Pastor quite well. How come the Berean Jews were so more excited about a guy they had never met and we receive our Pastor's message with contempt.
Now don't get me wrong I am not saying that all believers react like that typical church goer, but do we have the reaction of the Berean Jews, excited and eager to hear the word? You know, we all have extremely busy lives, I don't need to expound on that. I don't have the time I would like to sit and study God's Word, I do my best with the time that I carve out for me and God but I never feel like it's enough. But the Pastor, it is his job to study the scriptures and study them to the point that he or she can give a message on Sunday morning. So I appreciate the message that the Pastor brings, but I pray that God would give me the spirit of the Berean Jews to receive that message with eagerness and excitement.
Also, take note at the last part of the verse, what did the Jews do? They examined the Scriptures and found what Paul was saying was true. Now I don't want to sound like I'm coming down on the church, I don't want the Daily Feast to turn into my ranting about how I feel about the church or whatever.
But I think this is something that is common. So many times I will be with friends talking about the scriptures or what we've been learning about in church and they repeat something the pastor said and it doesn't sit well with me. It doesn't match with what I've read in the Scripture.
Pastors are human too, they make mistakes, say the wrong thing, put something out of context. It's our job to take what they have said and examine it. Not only for our benefit, to make sure that it is Scripturly sound but for their benefit as well. The Bible says that iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. To go to a pastor and ask about something he or she said to get clarification, is not being a bad church goer. It actually makes you an excellent church goer.
The point is you can't just sit back and take whatever the pastor says as final word. Look at it for yourself. Be like the Berean Jews examine the scriptures and make sure the message was true and in line with the Scriptures.
I remember listening to the radio a while ago and the host of this show made a facebook page for Paul the apostle. It was a joke that he was doing as a fun thing for the fans of the show. He would make the status' things that Paul wrote in his letters but he wouldn't reference them. He made one of the status' a verse Paul wrote in Galatians about the law. I don't remember exactly what it was but it came right from scripture, I know because the host read the scripture on the air when a fan called in and said, he couldn't just make a statement like the one he did on Paul's page.
This guy, who claimed he was a believer since childhood, said the statement the host made, THAT CAME RIGHT FROM THE BIBLE, was false. The guy, who if I didn't mention it, claimed to be a believer, didn't even know what the scripture says. How sad is that?
We claim to love Jesus, to be followers and we don't even know what his word to us says.
I have been reading Crazy love lately and I love the statement the author makes. I want you to think about this for your life. We serve a God who pursues us with RELENTLESS LOVE, and what is your reaction, as a follower, to Him?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
High Places
There are some very interesting objects that are found in the Old Testament, they are called High Places. These objects can be found first in the book of Joshua (best book if you ask me...haha). A High Place is defined as an elevated site, usually found on the top of a mountain or hill; most high places were Canaanite places of pagan worship. The average high place would have had an altar (2 Kings 21:3, 2 Chronicles 14:3), a carved wooden pole that depicted the female goddess of fertility (Asherah), a stone pillar symbolizing the male deity, other idols and some type of building. At these places of worship the people would sacrifice animal and sometimes children (Jer. 7:31). Incense would be burnt, sacrificial meals would take place and often rituals involving male and female prostitutes. Scripture speaks extremely in the negative about the high places though they played a huge role in the lives of most people who lived in Palestine before the land was conquered by Joshua and the Israelites.
When the Israelites enter Canaan, they were ordered to destroy all the high places so they would not be temped to worship the false gods (Numbers 33:52). There was a time where exceptions were made. The people were to worship God at Shiloh before the temple was built (Joshua 18:1-1Samuel 1:3). However Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines and construction of the temple did not take place till Solomons time. During that time scripture says that Samuel worship in the city of Ramah at a high place dedicated to the worship of the one true God. A group of prophets worshiped at the "hill of God". David and Solomon worship at a high place in Gibeon where the tabernacle and altar were located. But not too many chapters later we read that Solomon built new high places for the gods of his foreign wives. After that it pretty much goes down hill till we get to the exile. The kingdoms divided and Judah began to worship Baal, and Israel worshiped two golden calves located in Dan and Bethel. The kings in 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles were evaluated by what they did with the high places. King Josiah was considered one of the best kings in Judah because he went all Rambo on the high places and the priests of the false gods (1 Kings 22-24).
So I only have one question; what are the High Places in your life? I know that this might sound corny or a stretch, but I think the concept is legitimate. Are there things in your life that you know you should get rid of, just like the Israelites were told to destroy the worship places of Canaanites, but you just can't let go of; sins, addictions, etc.
Jesus died so we could be free of sin, he gives us the power to destroy those things in our lives. Why hold onto them or try and defeat them ourselves.
Francis Chan says in Crazy Love that Lukewarm Christians have a tendency to want to be free from the penalty of their sins, but not the sin itself. Just like the Israelites, being God's people they thought they could get by still having these places in the Holy Land. The sins we hold onto keep us from fully giving ourselves to the Savior.
When the Israelites enter Canaan, they were ordered to destroy all the high places so they would not be temped to worship the false gods (Numbers 33:52). There was a time where exceptions were made. The people were to worship God at Shiloh before the temple was built (Joshua 18:1-1Samuel 1:3). However Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines and construction of the temple did not take place till Solomons time. During that time scripture says that Samuel worship in the city of Ramah at a high place dedicated to the worship of the one true God. A group of prophets worshiped at the "hill of God". David and Solomon worship at a high place in Gibeon where the tabernacle and altar were located. But not too many chapters later we read that Solomon built new high places for the gods of his foreign wives. After that it pretty much goes down hill till we get to the exile. The kingdoms divided and Judah began to worship Baal, and Israel worshiped two golden calves located in Dan and Bethel. The kings in 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles were evaluated by what they did with the high places. King Josiah was considered one of the best kings in Judah because he went all Rambo on the high places and the priests of the false gods (1 Kings 22-24).
So I only have one question; what are the High Places in your life? I know that this might sound corny or a stretch, but I think the concept is legitimate. Are there things in your life that you know you should get rid of, just like the Israelites were told to destroy the worship places of Canaanites, but you just can't let go of; sins, addictions, etc.
Jesus died so we could be free of sin, he gives us the power to destroy those things in our lives. Why hold onto them or try and defeat them ourselves.
Francis Chan says in Crazy Love that Lukewarm Christians have a tendency to want to be free from the penalty of their sins, but not the sin itself. Just like the Israelites, being God's people they thought they could get by still having these places in the Holy Land. The sins we hold onto keep us from fully giving ourselves to the Savior.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Will Worship
There is a condition for us Christians that I think needs to be brought to light. It is called “Will worship". Let me explain what I mean. A writer by the name of Heini Arnold once wrote, "As long as we think we can save ourselves by our own will power, we will only make the evil in us stronger than ever.". Another writer named Emmet Fox said, " As soon as you resist mentally any undesirable or unwanted circumstances, you thereby endow it with more power~power which it will use against you and you will have depleted your own resources to that exact extent."
You maybe a little confused at this point, let me expound what I'm getting at. Paul writes about this epidemic in Colossians 2:20-23. He is talking about handling sin on our own. He asks why we submit to regulations of the world, “do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.". Verse 23 he says these things have an appearance of wisdom for self made religion...but they are of no value in stopping the indulgences of the flesh.
Friends, in short, we will never be able to beat sin of our own accord. Sure we can say things like “I’m not going to do this or that at this time or that," but do you here the crux of that sentence, “I’m not going to...".
What Paul is talking about in this passage is will worship, what my will power can do and he says your will power can't. Your will power will never be able to handle sin, fight it off in the way that is needed. Will power will never succeed in dealing with the deeply ingrained habits of sin. However sometimes we make some head way and maybe stop a habit that has plagued us for a while. Now I'm not saying that doesn't happen and it is great when it does but is it really us doing the work? The moment we feel we can succeed or attain victory solely on our own will power, we begin to worship our will. Isn't it ironic that Paul looked at our best effort in the fight against sin and called it idolatry?
I knew a man who struggled with alcohol for years. Finally he stopped and started to get his life back on track, got into a program and everything. Six months later he went in to a bar for just one drink. Eight hours later he left right back where he started six months earlier.
Richard Foster said, “Our ordinary method of dealing with ingrained sin is a frontal attack. We rely on our willpower and determination. Whatever the issue for us is ~ anger, bitterness, gluttony, pride, sexual lust, alcohol, fear, we determine never to do it again; we fight against it, set our will against it. But it is all in vain and we find ourselves morally bankrupt or worse yet so proud of our external righteousness that "whitened sepulchers," is a mild description of our condition."
So what do we do it all seems hopeless, well on our own it is. Sin is in our nature so to not sin is literally going against our nature. But Jesus defeated sin on the cross, with his death sin died. When we face a situation we know temptation is going to come and sin will follow or for times that we are caught off guard, pray. The bible says that God will never give us more than we can handle but that with his help. So pray, say God help me out of this, I rely solely on the work that Christ already did on my behalf. God will give you want you need, whether it's a way out or strength or whatever. Paul also said in Corinthians to flee sin, so if that seems good to you do it with God's help.
I encourage you DO NOT rely on your own strength or will. Don't worship your own power because clearly Paul says we have none. When we stop trying to do it ourselves, we are open to a wonderful new realization: inner righteousness is a gift from God to be graciously received. The needed change within us is Gods work, not ours. The demand is for an inside job and only God can work from the inside. We cannot attain or earn this righteousness; it is a grace that is given.
Rely on God's power and worship the Savior.
May our LORD be with you
You maybe a little confused at this point, let me expound what I'm getting at. Paul writes about this epidemic in Colossians 2:20-23. He is talking about handling sin on our own. He asks why we submit to regulations of the world, “do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.". Verse 23 he says these things have an appearance of wisdom for self made religion...but they are of no value in stopping the indulgences of the flesh.
Friends, in short, we will never be able to beat sin of our own accord. Sure we can say things like “I’m not going to do this or that at this time or that," but do you here the crux of that sentence, “I’m not going to...".
What Paul is talking about in this passage is will worship, what my will power can do and he says your will power can't. Your will power will never be able to handle sin, fight it off in the way that is needed. Will power will never succeed in dealing with the deeply ingrained habits of sin. However sometimes we make some head way and maybe stop a habit that has plagued us for a while. Now I'm not saying that doesn't happen and it is great when it does but is it really us doing the work? The moment we feel we can succeed or attain victory solely on our own will power, we begin to worship our will. Isn't it ironic that Paul looked at our best effort in the fight against sin and called it idolatry?
I knew a man who struggled with alcohol for years. Finally he stopped and started to get his life back on track, got into a program and everything. Six months later he went in to a bar for just one drink. Eight hours later he left right back where he started six months earlier.
Richard Foster said, “Our ordinary method of dealing with ingrained sin is a frontal attack. We rely on our willpower and determination. Whatever the issue for us is ~ anger, bitterness, gluttony, pride, sexual lust, alcohol, fear, we determine never to do it again; we fight against it, set our will against it. But it is all in vain and we find ourselves morally bankrupt or worse yet so proud of our external righteousness that "whitened sepulchers," is a mild description of our condition."
So what do we do it all seems hopeless, well on our own it is. Sin is in our nature so to not sin is literally going against our nature. But Jesus defeated sin on the cross, with his death sin died. When we face a situation we know temptation is going to come and sin will follow or for times that we are caught off guard, pray. The bible says that God will never give us more than we can handle but that with his help. So pray, say God help me out of this, I rely solely on the work that Christ already did on my behalf. God will give you want you need, whether it's a way out or strength or whatever. Paul also said in Corinthians to flee sin, so if that seems good to you do it with God's help.
I encourage you DO NOT rely on your own strength or will. Don't worship your own power because clearly Paul says we have none. When we stop trying to do it ourselves, we are open to a wonderful new realization: inner righteousness is a gift from God to be graciously received. The needed change within us is Gods work, not ours. The demand is for an inside job and only God can work from the inside. We cannot attain or earn this righteousness; it is a grace that is given.
Rely on God's power and worship the Savior.
May our LORD be with you
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Bread
I'm sure we can all think of a holiday we look forward too. Seeing family we don't normally see or eating food that we don't normally eat, it hold a special place in our hearts. For me it has to be Christmas Eve. My family on my mom's side gets together at my Grandmother's house. It's nice to see my uncle and aunt whom I don't get to see very often but I think the real reason we all gather on that night is the two pounds of shrimp that my grandma makes. She has this stainless steel bowl that is as big as a cauldron, it's huge. Every year it's filled to the top with those yummy crustaceans. She puts a bowl of melted butter at my place so I can peel them, plop them in there and let the butter do it's thing. It's delicious!! I'm drooling just thinking about it. I look forward to it every year.
In Jesus' time the holiday that everyone looked forward too was Passover. It was a celebration with special foods, games and storytelling. The host of the meal sets up a tray with bitter herbs, a lamb bone, salt water, an egg and a yummy nutty apple mix, all symbolizing a part of the story of how God rescued the Jews out of slavery in Egypt. The children play a game where they take three pieces of matzo, put them all in a napkin, with the middle one broken. One of the parents will hide the middle piece somewhere in the house and all the children go and find it. The youngest child is suppose to ask at a certain time, "What's so special about this night?" This is a lead in for the host to tell the story of the Passover. Passover was the celebration of the final plague in Egypt. God told Moses that the first born child of every family would be taken unless their was lamb's blood smeared of the door posts of the house. If the blood was their the LORD would passover that house. An animal was sacrificed, blood had to be split, a life of one had to be taken in order to save the lives of many. This was the beginning of their sacrificial system. It was every Jew's favorite holiday.
This particular night in Luke 22 was a Passover meal. The disciples were very anxious and excited. They knew something big was about to happen and now they get to celebrate Passover together. Jesus being the master of the group led the meal. They went through the different cups, He told the story with the different symbols, it's was probably a really nice time.
Then toward the end of the celebration Jesus shifts gears. He has told the story of how God rescued His people out of Egypt, which is usually the end of it but it seemed like Jesus had more to say. As if being rescued from Egypt was not the end, there was something else. Jesus takes a piece of bread and gave thanks for it, then He ripped it apart and gave each of the disciples. He said, this is my body, which is broken for you, do this is remembrance of me. They would have immediately known what he was talking about. Jesus was saying I am now the sacrifice that will bring peace. This was the beginning of a new era, Jesus was taking something old and gave it a new meaning. The Last Supper is the completion of Passover because Jesus is the completion of God's plan, the final sacrifice for all men.
In my old church the communion table has the words carved into it, "Do this in remembrance of me". These words of Jesus mean not just to remember but to take yourself back and relive this event. Every time I see a jumbo shrimp I am transported to Christmas' past. That is what this means, when we partake of this meal we are to be transported back to remember the cross, the sacrifice that Christ made for us. How odd it is that we Christians need a reminder by this simple meal of the sacrifice that Jesus made through his broken body and blood. This bread symbolizes, reminds us that God Himself allowed his body to be ripped to pieces and his blood to be spilt for our freedom. When we partake in this Supper, remember what Christ did for you, through His love. He paid your ransom, so that you could be freed from sin. Through his broken body we have healing and peace.
May our LORD be with you
In Jesus' time the holiday that everyone looked forward too was Passover. It was a celebration with special foods, games and storytelling. The host of the meal sets up a tray with bitter herbs, a lamb bone, salt water, an egg and a yummy nutty apple mix, all symbolizing a part of the story of how God rescued the Jews out of slavery in Egypt. The children play a game where they take three pieces of matzo, put them all in a napkin, with the middle one broken. One of the parents will hide the middle piece somewhere in the house and all the children go and find it. The youngest child is suppose to ask at a certain time, "What's so special about this night?" This is a lead in for the host to tell the story of the Passover. Passover was the celebration of the final plague in Egypt. God told Moses that the first born child of every family would be taken unless their was lamb's blood smeared of the door posts of the house. If the blood was their the LORD would passover that house. An animal was sacrificed, blood had to be split, a life of one had to be taken in order to save the lives of many. This was the beginning of their sacrificial system. It was every Jew's favorite holiday.
This particular night in Luke 22 was a Passover meal. The disciples were very anxious and excited. They knew something big was about to happen and now they get to celebrate Passover together. Jesus being the master of the group led the meal. They went through the different cups, He told the story with the different symbols, it's was probably a really nice time.
Then toward the end of the celebration Jesus shifts gears. He has told the story of how God rescued His people out of Egypt, which is usually the end of it but it seemed like Jesus had more to say. As if being rescued from Egypt was not the end, there was something else. Jesus takes a piece of bread and gave thanks for it, then He ripped it apart and gave each of the disciples. He said, this is my body, which is broken for you, do this is remembrance of me. They would have immediately known what he was talking about. Jesus was saying I am now the sacrifice that will bring peace. This was the beginning of a new era, Jesus was taking something old and gave it a new meaning. The Last Supper is the completion of Passover because Jesus is the completion of God's plan, the final sacrifice for all men.
In my old church the communion table has the words carved into it, "Do this in remembrance of me". These words of Jesus mean not just to remember but to take yourself back and relive this event. Every time I see a jumbo shrimp I am transported to Christmas' past. That is what this means, when we partake of this meal we are to be transported back to remember the cross, the sacrifice that Christ made for us. How odd it is that we Christians need a reminder by this simple meal of the sacrifice that Jesus made through his broken body and blood. This bread symbolizes, reminds us that God Himself allowed his body to be ripped to pieces and his blood to be spilt for our freedom. When we partake in this Supper, remember what Christ did for you, through His love. He paid your ransom, so that you could be freed from sin. Through his broken body we have healing and peace.
May our LORD be with you
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Being a Maker of Peace
This past weekend Abby and I went to our Sister's baby shower. It was a really great time however I was really uncomfortable. I have had a lot of things on my mind and this past weekend it was all crashing down upon us like a wave of uncertainty and despair. But beyond that I was still uncomfortable and I couldn't figure out why. Then I came into work and started reading this book that I got for Christmas. The book is the Bible Dictionary. I started paging through when I came across the section of peace and being a peacemaker. That is when I realized what was going on Saturday, I didn't have any peace. I know this may be confusing so let me explain and I will warn you I am going to be brutally honest.
There were so many groups of people at this shower. It seemed that all aspects of my life over the past 25 years were all meeting in one room (with the exception of High School, Thank you God!!) As I've grown up and gone through the different stages of my life I have collected a museum of hurts and wounds, some that people have inflicted on me and others that I have caused. Being in a house with all the people who either inflicted or were affected by my actions reminded me of those scars and that just filled me with a gambit of emotion. At times I was annoyed, angry, bitter, resentful and shameful toward everyone. Now hear me on this I am not pointing to one individual here. So please don't read this and think "Oh no is it me," cause it was not just one.
So when I came here Monday and started reading about peace it got me thinking about this whole situation. Peace is defined as a condition or sense of harmony, well-being and prosperity. The biblical concept means more than just the absence of hostility as this definition implies. The Hebrew word as is spelled in English is "salom" we say it "Shalom." It means to have peace or safety, yes but it is also taken a step further. This word talks about wholeness or intactness.
To have peace is to feel whole or intact. An important custom in biblical times was to wish someone peace. In other words to wish them a feeling of wholeness, safety and hoping that they have a focus on security.
Jesus takes it yet another step further in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." A peacemaker is defined as one who actively works to bring peace and reconciliation where there is hatred and enmity. God declares them His children and blesses them. Just break the word down, a maker of peace.
So what is it going to take for you to make peace? I want to start right now and make a stand. I want to obey My LORD and be a maker of peace. So right here and now I want to say, if I have ever done something to you that caused pain or strife, I am truly sorry. I apologize for whatever it was that I did and I ask you to forgive me. Likewise all those who I feel have burned me in some way I forgive you. We don't need to go through who did what to whom; I just want to forgive you and move on from here. I want to actively create peace between me and all whom I come in contact with. So I forgive you and the next time you see me I'm not going to hold feelings of anger or resentment toward you.
I encourage you to do whatever you need to do to be a maker of peace.
May our LORD be with you and may you have peace
There were so many groups of people at this shower. It seemed that all aspects of my life over the past 25 years were all meeting in one room (with the exception of High School, Thank you God!!) As I've grown up and gone through the different stages of my life I have collected a museum of hurts and wounds, some that people have inflicted on me and others that I have caused. Being in a house with all the people who either inflicted or were affected by my actions reminded me of those scars and that just filled me with a gambit of emotion. At times I was annoyed, angry, bitter, resentful and shameful toward everyone. Now hear me on this I am not pointing to one individual here. So please don't read this and think "Oh no is it me," cause it was not just one.
So when I came here Monday and started reading about peace it got me thinking about this whole situation. Peace is defined as a condition or sense of harmony, well-being and prosperity. The biblical concept means more than just the absence of hostility as this definition implies. The Hebrew word as is spelled in English is "salom" we say it "Shalom." It means to have peace or safety, yes but it is also taken a step further. This word talks about wholeness or intactness.
To have peace is to feel whole or intact. An important custom in biblical times was to wish someone peace. In other words to wish them a feeling of wholeness, safety and hoping that they have a focus on security.
Jesus takes it yet another step further in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." A peacemaker is defined as one who actively works to bring peace and reconciliation where there is hatred and enmity. God declares them His children and blesses them. Just break the word down, a maker of peace.
So what is it going to take for you to make peace? I want to start right now and make a stand. I want to obey My LORD and be a maker of peace. So right here and now I want to say, if I have ever done something to you that caused pain or strife, I am truly sorry. I apologize for whatever it was that I did and I ask you to forgive me. Likewise all those who I feel have burned me in some way I forgive you. We don't need to go through who did what to whom; I just want to forgive you and move on from here. I want to actively create peace between me and all whom I come in contact with. So I forgive you and the next time you see me I'm not going to hold feelings of anger or resentment toward you.
I encourage you to do whatever you need to do to be a maker of peace.
May our LORD be with you and may you have peace
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Endless Conversation
The other day I tried to call my mom on her work number. When I got her voicemail, I hung up and tried her cell phone. That didn't work either so I gave up and decided to talk to her later. But if I really needed to get a hold of her I could have kept going. I could have sent her a text or e-mail or facebook message or fax.
There are so many ways of communicating today, it's absolutely crazy. So that begs the question; How many different ways does God communicate with us?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing." In the middle of this shotgun list of basic activities believers should put into practice are these three little words that tell us what our communication to God should be. A believers communion with God so be so intimate that talking to Him is easy and natural.
So what is prayer? Is it talking at God and Him listening? NO!! It is so much more than that. Prayer as defined in the bible is a 2 way conversation. I think many times we feel that prayer in a monologue rather than a dialogue. But prayer is a conversation.
Now let's put this together. Logic says that if we are to pray without ceasing and prayer is a 2 way conversation. Then we can only come to the conclusion that God is speaking to us without ceasing.
So how does God communicate with us? First is through the Holy Spirit. As Packer says in "Knowing God," "the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it and the Spirit applying it." Or as Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory."
If you know Jesus as LORD and Savior, you have the God's Spirit dwelling inside of you. So He can speak right to you. Those "tap on your shoulder" experiences you feel when you know something isn't right, that is God's Spirit. When He enters your life, things begin to change. He speaks to you telling you how to live more like His character.
Now I don't believe that God speaks to us through signs or circumstances but He does work within our everyday boring situations of life. Take Moses for example, he see a burning bush in the desert. That was something that part of his everyday life. God used that to speak to him. The other day I was at home and I watch Zion take a huge tumble and do a face plant right onto the kitchen floor. I rushed over to him and scooped him up in my arms. As he cried into my shoulder, I felt God says to me, that that is exactly what He does when I stumble and fall flat on my face. Did God make me a father so He could tell me that in that instance? Not exactly. We can never put God in a box. I believe he took my circumstance of being a father and loving my child enough to comfort him when he falls, and spoke to me through it. I did not have the full grasp of how God is a father to me until I myself became a father. Did God make Zion fall down so He could speak to me in that moment? Probably not, God took something that is very ordinary in our household and used it to communicate His love to me.
God also speaks to us through other believers. That's why accountability groups are so important. We all have the same Spirit so God work within each of us to speak to each of us. 1 Corinthians says that we all have the same Spirit and that messages of wisdom or knowledge or faith or healing can be given through us. If you don't have one I encourage you to find a small group of believers that you are comfortable with. That you can open up to completely and be totally honest with.
Listen don't give me that crap that you don't want to spell your deep dark secrets to others. Let us not look down on each other. Guess what we are all in the same boat, we are all sinners saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Find a group and let the Spirit moved in you and speak to you.
Finally God speaks to us through His word. 2 Timothy says that Scripture is God breathed. Also in Genesis it says that God breathed into man to give him life. So that goes to say, the Word of God, the Bible is alive. All that is needed is to read it. God has a lot to say to you, but this one you have to make a move.
May our LORD be with you
There are so many ways of communicating today, it's absolutely crazy. So that begs the question; How many different ways does God communicate with us?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing." In the middle of this shotgun list of basic activities believers should put into practice are these three little words that tell us what our communication to God should be. A believers communion with God so be so intimate that talking to Him is easy and natural.
So what is prayer? Is it talking at God and Him listening? NO!! It is so much more than that. Prayer as defined in the bible is a 2 way conversation. I think many times we feel that prayer in a monologue rather than a dialogue. But prayer is a conversation.
Now let's put this together. Logic says that if we are to pray without ceasing and prayer is a 2 way conversation. Then we can only come to the conclusion that God is speaking to us without ceasing.
So how does God communicate with us? First is through the Holy Spirit. As Packer says in "Knowing God," "the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it and the Spirit applying it." Or as Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory."
If you know Jesus as LORD and Savior, you have the God's Spirit dwelling inside of you. So He can speak right to you. Those "tap on your shoulder" experiences you feel when you know something isn't right, that is God's Spirit. When He enters your life, things begin to change. He speaks to you telling you how to live more like His character.
Now I don't believe that God speaks to us through signs or circumstances but He does work within our everyday boring situations of life. Take Moses for example, he see a burning bush in the desert. That was something that part of his everyday life. God used that to speak to him. The other day I was at home and I watch Zion take a huge tumble and do a face plant right onto the kitchen floor. I rushed over to him and scooped him up in my arms. As he cried into my shoulder, I felt God says to me, that that is exactly what He does when I stumble and fall flat on my face. Did God make me a father so He could tell me that in that instance? Not exactly. We can never put God in a box. I believe he took my circumstance of being a father and loving my child enough to comfort him when he falls, and spoke to me through it. I did not have the full grasp of how God is a father to me until I myself became a father. Did God make Zion fall down so He could speak to me in that moment? Probably not, God took something that is very ordinary in our household and used it to communicate His love to me.
God also speaks to us through other believers. That's why accountability groups are so important. We all have the same Spirit so God work within each of us to speak to each of us. 1 Corinthians says that we all have the same Spirit and that messages of wisdom or knowledge or faith or healing can be given through us. If you don't have one I encourage you to find a small group of believers that you are comfortable with. That you can open up to completely and be totally honest with.
Listen don't give me that crap that you don't want to spell your deep dark secrets to others. Let us not look down on each other. Guess what we are all in the same boat, we are all sinners saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Find a group and let the Spirit moved in you and speak to you.
Finally God speaks to us through His word. 2 Timothy says that Scripture is God breathed. Also in Genesis it says that God breathed into man to give him life. So that goes to say, the Word of God, the Bible is alive. All that is needed is to read it. God has a lot to say to you, but this one you have to make a move.
May our LORD be with you
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Knowing God
J.I. Packer makes a very interesting statement in his book, "Knowing God." If you've never read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy. Anyway, he says that, One can know a great deal about God without much knowledge of Him. I think that is very true. It is an intellectual crime of many Christians. We can study all about any subject of our choosing and become an expert but until we experience what we are studying we really know nothing.
I can study all I want about being a Rock Star. I can watch interviews of other Rock Stars and listen and take notes about their experiences on stage. I can study the different stage performances and become an expert on putting together the perfect rock show. But until I strap on my guitar and actually go out and play a gig in front of 20,000 screaming people, I will never know what it is like even with all my "expertise."
We can read books of theological exposition and apologetics. We could dip into Christian history, and study the Christian creed. We can learn all there is to navigate our way through the Scriptures. We can speak in public, answer "Christian" questions, lead study groups, pay for the highest level of Christian education or write papers about God but that doesn't mean that you actually know God.
In the Psalms it says "Taste and See that the LORD is good." Notice the order of that statement. The Psalmist says "taste." There is no study in tasting only experience. Imagine if you were given a steak dinner. Would you spend the time looking at it, reading a book about it. I truly hope not. You would dive right into that sucker and savory every bite along the way.
That should be our approach to God, according to the Psalmist. Dive right into God and taste and savory all that He is.
After that comes the "see." The examination, the study, the intellectual part of the relationship.
I encourage you to take steps to know God with your heart before you know Him with your brain.
May our LORD be with you!
I can study all I want about being a Rock Star. I can watch interviews of other Rock Stars and listen and take notes about their experiences on stage. I can study the different stage performances and become an expert on putting together the perfect rock show. But until I strap on my guitar and actually go out and play a gig in front of 20,000 screaming people, I will never know what it is like even with all my "expertise."
We can read books of theological exposition and apologetics. We could dip into Christian history, and study the Christian creed. We can learn all there is to navigate our way through the Scriptures. We can speak in public, answer "Christian" questions, lead study groups, pay for the highest level of Christian education or write papers about God but that doesn't mean that you actually know God.
In the Psalms it says "Taste and See that the LORD is good." Notice the order of that statement. The Psalmist says "taste." There is no study in tasting only experience. Imagine if you were given a steak dinner. Would you spend the time looking at it, reading a book about it. I truly hope not. You would dive right into that sucker and savory every bite along the way.
That should be our approach to God, according to the Psalmist. Dive right into God and taste and savory all that He is.
After that comes the "see." The examination, the study, the intellectual part of the relationship.
I encourage you to take steps to know God with your heart before you know Him with your brain.
May our LORD be with you!
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