In the original Willy Wonka movie, Baruca was one of the spoiled children. When the tour brought the group to the room with the geese that laid golden eggs, she told her dad very emphatically, "I want it NOW!"
I think Baruca and her dad ended up in the chute with the bad eggs.
Does that reflect our prayers?
We want God to take away the trials NOW!
We want God to take away the temptations NOW!
We want God to bless us NOW!
In Exodus 23, God is instructing the Israelites about conquering the Promised Land. He promises to send the Angel of the LORD before them to lead them (v 20-21). He promises to send hornets before them to drive out the enemies (v 28).
God promises to lead and fight for the Israelites.
But He also promises that it won't be a quick fight.
"I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land" (v 29-30).
God could have sent a fire, an angel, a disease, or any number of ways to wipe out the enemies instantly.
But He chose to drive them out slowly, so that Israel would be able to increase in population and be able to possess the land. Those who had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years were not capable to take over the work required to care for the land. They weren't skilled or strong enough. They didn't have enough man-power.
This parallels our spiritual growth, too.
We would like God to keep us from falling into the same sin over and over again.
God does promise that He will fight for us (1 Cor 10:13). He does promise victory over temptation.
But it may be a slow process.
His goal is not simply that we would have victory over temptation. He has so much more to teach us about Himself and ourselves.
And that takes time.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
God's Grace in Restoration
In Leviticus 8 the account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood is recorded.
They were set apart. Special garments were placed on Aaron as high priest. Anointed with oil. Animal sacrifices. Blood on the altar. Blood on the right ear lobes, right thumbs and right big toes.
All this was to signify the importance and uniqueness of this ministry.
It's a familiar account.
But this is the same Aaron, who, less than a few months earlier at the foot of the same mountain where this ordination was taking place, made the golden calf (Exodus 32).
He called the people to give him their gold. He fashioned it into a calf and said, "Here are your gods that brought you out of Egypt!"
And now he's being set apart as THE high priest over all of Israel? The primary connection between God and His people was leading them in idolatry a few months earlier?
Really?
What was God thinking? Didn't Aaron need to go through some kind of ministry rehab?
Start him back down at the bottom of the totem pole until he proved himself faithful in small tasks?
I suppose by now, some of you have started to think of a New Testament parallel.
Peter denied that he knew Christ in the hours before the crucifixion.
Not once. But three times.
After the resurrection and before the ascension of Christ, Jesus came to Peter and commanded him, "Feed My sheep."
Not once. But three times.
And we see in Acts, which continues the account less than two months after the crucifixion, that Peter is the leader in the church.
He's the one who stands up and explains what is happening on the day of Pentecost.
He's the one who preaches and gets thrown in jail.
He's the one who heals a lame man.
He's the one who stands before the Jews and says, "We must obey God rather than man."
Aren't those two men, Aaron and Peter, amazing accounts of God's grace at restoring to ministry?
They still made mistakes after getting back into the saddle. But God didn't leave them on the bleachers because of their horrific sins.
He picked them up and used them for His glory.
And He can do the same with those of us who have fallen.
"Fallen" is not the end of the story.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Random Thoughts about Giving
Giving seems to be the theme of the month in different studies and Scripture reading. Perhaps it's an area in which I can grow...no, it IS an area in which I can grow!
Here are some random thoughts about giving pulled from various places:
1. God blesses generous people.
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor (Prov 22:9).
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done (Prov 19:17).
2. Biblical generosity involves sacrifice.
The Macedonian churches gave "out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints" (2 Cor 8:2-4).
3. Biblical generosity is thoughtful, voluntary, and worshipful.
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7).
4. Giving is commanded.
"On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made (1 Cor 16:2).
5. While meeting the needs of our family is commanded, laying up wealth (building equity, a large retirement fund, big house, new boat, trendy clothing, extravagant vacations, etc.) is described as a snare to spiritual growth.
"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim 5:8).
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Tim 6:6-8).
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" (1 Tim 6:17).
6. Caring for the physical needs of the disadvantaged is an act of worship.
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction..." (James 1:27).
7. Our earthly possessions reveal our spirituality.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:19-21).
So, what's the application that you need to be working on?
Do you stop and think about how you could be giving that money rather than spending it?
I've got some work to do, how about you?
Here are some random thoughts about giving pulled from various places:
1. God blesses generous people.
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor (Prov 22:9).
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done (Prov 19:17).
2. Biblical generosity involves sacrifice.
The Macedonian churches gave "out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints" (2 Cor 8:2-4).
3. Biblical generosity is thoughtful, voluntary, and worshipful.
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7).
4. Giving is commanded.
"On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made (1 Cor 16:2).
5. While meeting the needs of our family is commanded, laying up wealth (building equity, a large retirement fund, big house, new boat, trendy clothing, extravagant vacations, etc.) is described as a snare to spiritual growth.
"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim 5:8).
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Tim 6:6-8).
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" (1 Tim 6:17).
6. Caring for the physical needs of the disadvantaged is an act of worship.
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction..." (James 1:27).
7. Our earthly possessions reveal our spirituality.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:19-21).
So, what's the application that you need to be working on?
Do you stop and think about how you could be giving that money rather than spending it?
I've got some work to do, how about you?
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Is There Really Any Hope?
At the end of Romans 7, Paul describes his personal struggle with sinfulness and holiness:
"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
"For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (v 15-25a).
Anyone who is struggling to live a holy life will be able to understand this. We know what God expects. We even delight in His Word. We want to do what is right and pleasing to God.
But the battle is constant. We want to do right, but we don't always do it.
Paul gives us the victory point: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Victory in Jesus!
But then the verse ends, "So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."
So there's victory, but the battle continues. Is there really any hope?
Look at the next verse: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (8:1).
The real hope is in eternity.
We will fall into sin. We will live in victory. We will fall again. We will be victorious. Then we'll fall again.
But, for those who are in Christ Jesus, there will be no condemnation.
When we come into the throne room of God, He is not going to condemn us. He is not going to beat us for our sins. He is not going to send us to hell, because our times of sin were greater than our times of holiness.
Because we stand in Christ, we are cleansed, whole, holy, forgiven, justified, redeemed, complete, sanctified, and set free.
Even in this life of ups and downs, struggling between holiness and sinfulness, at the end of our lives on earth, we will stand before God without condemnation.
Jesus paid it all!
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
He washed it white as snow.
"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
"For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (v 15-25a).
Anyone who is struggling to live a holy life will be able to understand this. We know what God expects. We even delight in His Word. We want to do what is right and pleasing to God.
But the battle is constant. We want to do right, but we don't always do it.
Paul gives us the victory point: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Victory in Jesus!
But then the verse ends, "So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."
So there's victory, but the battle continues. Is there really any hope?
Look at the next verse: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (8:1).
The real hope is in eternity.
We will fall into sin. We will live in victory. We will fall again. We will be victorious. Then we'll fall again.
But, for those who are in Christ Jesus, there will be no condemnation.
When we come into the throne room of God, He is not going to condemn us. He is not going to beat us for our sins. He is not going to send us to hell, because our times of sin were greater than our times of holiness.
Because we stand in Christ, we are cleansed, whole, holy, forgiven, justified, redeemed, complete, sanctified, and set free.
Even in this life of ups and downs, struggling between holiness and sinfulness, at the end of our lives on earth, we will stand before God without condemnation.
Jesus paid it all!
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
He washed it white as snow.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Rejection is Hard!
It starts in elementary school - or at least it was like this when I was in elementary school. Kickball teams get picked at recess. And someone is always the last one picked.
Sports career is ruined.
Then maybe through high school you get rejected from the star roles in the plays and musicals.
Drama career? Not likely.
And how many applications did you go through to get that job?
Rejection is pretty much a part of life. And we learn to deal with it. We learn that there are activities like sports and drama that you leave for others to do. And you learn that there are other things to do besides sports and drama.
But as an adult it seems that rejection keeps coming and keeps getting harder.
Maybe you got fired from a job.
Maybe you got served divorce papers.
Maybe an adult child tells you that he wants nothing to do with you ever again.
Maybe you've been abandoned and left in a nursing home with no one to visit you.
Rejection is hard. It causes pain. It causes awkward situations. It leads to sleepless nights.
It's a part of life. It hurts.
But let's turn that around and look at it from God's perspective.
Do we ever stop to think that every time we choose to disobey, we are rejecting God?
Does it even cross our minds when facing temptation, that to surrender to self is a rejection of God?
How it must hurt God, who is holy, loving and kind - all the time - and therefore does not deserve to be rejected!
Yet, He remains holy, loving and kind. Forgiving. Merciful. Gracious.
If we reject Him through our disobedience, He is ready to accept us back into fellowship. He hasn't turned His back on us; we have turned from Him.
The remedy for the broken relationship is repentance: turning from our sin and turning toward God.
"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of His Son cleanses us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:7-9).
God has not rejected you. If the relationship with Him is broken, you can turn to Him.
Sports career is ruined.
Then maybe through high school you get rejected from the star roles in the plays and musicals.
Drama career? Not likely.
And how many applications did you go through to get that job?
Rejection is pretty much a part of life. And we learn to deal with it. We learn that there are activities like sports and drama that you leave for others to do. And you learn that there are other things to do besides sports and drama.
But as an adult it seems that rejection keeps coming and keeps getting harder.
Maybe you got fired from a job.
Maybe you got served divorce papers.
Maybe an adult child tells you that he wants nothing to do with you ever again.
Maybe you've been abandoned and left in a nursing home with no one to visit you.
Rejection is hard. It causes pain. It causes awkward situations. It leads to sleepless nights.
It's a part of life. It hurts.
But let's turn that around and look at it from God's perspective.
Do we ever stop to think that every time we choose to disobey, we are rejecting God?
Does it even cross our minds when facing temptation, that to surrender to self is a rejection of God?
How it must hurt God, who is holy, loving and kind - all the time - and therefore does not deserve to be rejected!
Yet, He remains holy, loving and kind. Forgiving. Merciful. Gracious.
If we reject Him through our disobedience, He is ready to accept us back into fellowship. He hasn't turned His back on us; we have turned from Him.
The remedy for the broken relationship is repentance: turning from our sin and turning toward God.
"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of His Son cleanses us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:7-9).
God has not rejected you. If the relationship with Him is broken, you can turn to Him.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
You and Me are a lot like Gomer
I read through the first two chapters of Hosea this evening, preparing for our small group study.
I've read it before. I've taught it. I've preached through it.
But something struck me tonight.
You'll remember that God commanded Hosea to marry a whore, Gomer, and have children with her. Each child's name was a prophecy against Israel. It appears that the last two ("No Mercy" and "Not my people" - how'd you like to hear your mama holler that from the front porch?), were not Hosea's children.
Hosea had married a prostitute and as soon as she had weaned their first child, she was back to her ways.
Their marriage is a picture of Israel. Gomer is Israel and Hosea is God. God choose Israel to be His bride, but Israel continued the life of a hooker, chasing after other lords and masters.
And all along, God was providing for Israel's needs. She thought it was her lovers who were bringing her food and clothing. But it was God.
Then I thought about you and me (mostly me). How I am a lot like Gomer. God has rescued me. Chosen me to be the object of His love. Provides for me. Meets my needs. Longs to satisfy me.
Yet I so often choose to find my satisfaction in other things. I choose to submit to other masters.
And I think that they are the ones meeting my needs.
But all the time, God is there. Putting food on my table. Paying the rent. He even gives me the money to squander on my own idolatry!
Like Gomer and Israel, the path away from God is not a pleasant one. And God will not let me continue running from Him. Like Hosea did with Gomer. Like God did with Israel.
God will intervene.
So you and I can choose to keep running until God intervenes. Or we can come to Him willingly. Confessing and repenting. Being thankful and satisfied.
I'd like to choose God. How about you?
I've read it before. I've taught it. I've preached through it.
But something struck me tonight.
You'll remember that God commanded Hosea to marry a whore, Gomer, and have children with her. Each child's name was a prophecy against Israel. It appears that the last two ("No Mercy" and "Not my people" - how'd you like to hear your mama holler that from the front porch?), were not Hosea's children.
Hosea had married a prostitute and as soon as she had weaned their first child, she was back to her ways.
Their marriage is a picture of Israel. Gomer is Israel and Hosea is God. God choose Israel to be His bride, but Israel continued the life of a hooker, chasing after other lords and masters.
And all along, God was providing for Israel's needs. She thought it was her lovers who were bringing her food and clothing. But it was God.
Then I thought about you and me (mostly me). How I am a lot like Gomer. God has rescued me. Chosen me to be the object of His love. Provides for me. Meets my needs. Longs to satisfy me.
Yet I so often choose to find my satisfaction in other things. I choose to submit to other masters.
And I think that they are the ones meeting my needs.
But all the time, God is there. Putting food on my table. Paying the rent. He even gives me the money to squander on my own idolatry!
Like Gomer and Israel, the path away from God is not a pleasant one. And God will not let me continue running from Him. Like Hosea did with Gomer. Like God did with Israel.
God will intervene.
So you and I can choose to keep running until God intervenes. Or we can come to Him willingly. Confessing and repenting. Being thankful and satisfied.
I'd like to choose God. How about you?
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
God's Plan for Victory
In his book, Sexual Sanity for Men, David White has stirred my thinking to a variety of new concepts related to victory over sin. It's a book that every man should read, even if sexual sins are not the current struggle. The principles are the same whether you are struggling with pornography or gluttony or bitterness - besides, I don't think God makes a distinction.
The "new idea" of this past week has been the teaching that confession to others is part of God's plan for victory over sin. And he's not talking about confession to those whom we have offended through our sinful actions, although that topic comes up in other sections.
1 John 1:9 is a common verse which talks about confession: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Usually, we read it, "If we confess our sins to God, He is faithful..." But that is not what the verse says.
If you look at the context of 1 John 1:5-10, John is talking about walking in the light, which includes fellowship with other believers.
Look at verse 7 :"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
Consider also Proverbs 28:13, "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." We can't hide our sins from God who sees everything. We can, however, keep them hidden from others.
And James 5:16 states, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
When we choose to sin, we not only wish that God would not see us, but we work very hard to keep it hidden from others. We keep our distance. We lie. We make excuses. We talk about other problems, but not the temptations that are keeping us from obedience and joy. We do good things to compensate for the bad. We are extremely creative in covering up sin.
Think of the freedom that can be had when you confess your sins to others!
You now longer have to hide from them. You may have driven some away from you, but you will know which people are truly brothers and sisters who are praying and encouraging you.
The hunger that you have for close fellowship and help will be there. God created us to have fellowship with Him and with others. If our fellowship with others is just fun and food, we might as well join the golf club.
But our hidden sin builds a barricade to that kind of brotherhood.
As the sin that has been weighing you down for years is exposed, you will experience a release from the pressure of hiding. You will be able to cry out to others for help. You will gain a team of prayer warriors.
Part of God's plan for healing, restoration and victory over sin includes other people. But YOU have to make the first step, confessing sin and crying out for help.
The "new idea" of this past week has been the teaching that confession to others is part of God's plan for victory over sin. And he's not talking about confession to those whom we have offended through our sinful actions, although that topic comes up in other sections.
1 John 1:9 is a common verse which talks about confession: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Usually, we read it, "If we confess our sins to God, He is faithful..." But that is not what the verse says.
If you look at the context of 1 John 1:5-10, John is talking about walking in the light, which includes fellowship with other believers.
Look at verse 7 :"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
Consider also Proverbs 28:13, "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." We can't hide our sins from God who sees everything. We can, however, keep them hidden from others.
And James 5:16 states, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
When we choose to sin, we not only wish that God would not see us, but we work very hard to keep it hidden from others. We keep our distance. We lie. We make excuses. We talk about other problems, but not the temptations that are keeping us from obedience and joy. We do good things to compensate for the bad. We are extremely creative in covering up sin.
Think of the freedom that can be had when you confess your sins to others!
You now longer have to hide from them. You may have driven some away from you, but you will know which people are truly brothers and sisters who are praying and encouraging you.
The hunger that you have for close fellowship and help will be there. God created us to have fellowship with Him and with others. If our fellowship with others is just fun and food, we might as well join the golf club.
But our hidden sin builds a barricade to that kind of brotherhood.
As the sin that has been weighing you down for years is exposed, you will experience a release from the pressure of hiding. You will be able to cry out to others for help. You will gain a team of prayer warriors.
Part of God's plan for healing, restoration and victory over sin includes other people. But YOU have to make the first step, confessing sin and crying out for help.
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