So What's Wrong With a Little Bread?

Ok, so I admit, with Christmas and shopping, and tons of snow, and Christmas Eve service, etc., etc., etc. - I didn't do a very good job of keeping up on my blog. Sorry about that.

Any way, we come today to a passage of scripture (Luke 4:1-15) that has always baffled me just a little bit. I understand what Jesus was saying about and worshiping only God and not testing God - test number two and three seem very straightforward. Of course it would have been wrong for Jesus to do either one of those, but even today as I reread this passage again - I found myself asking - what was so wrong about the idea of Jesus turning a stone into bread to feed himself after not eating for 40 days.

Man shall not live by bread alone - in no way implies that man can't eat bread. I have heard and read in the past that the issue was the fact that Jesus would have been misusing His abilities and position as the Son of God to provide for His physical needs. And while there may be something to that, I think there is more to it than just that.

Jesus responds to this temptation by quoting from Deut. 8:3 where Moses is reminding the people of Israel how God provided for their physical needs to teach them to depend upon and obey the word of God. To me this makes me think of a few things - The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested - for Jesus to take matters into His own hands and either leave the wilderness early or provide food for Himself earlier than the Spirit led him to would have been a sin. I don't think that it had necessarily anything to do with turning a stone to bread, but rather the sin would have been to stop following the Lord and take matters into His own hands. How often do we do this? We go someplace confidently believing that "God led us" or "God told us" to do something but then when we get in the mix we find out that it is hard and we convince ourselves that just because it is hard, God must be leading us to do something different.

God is not a fickle God that changes His mind on a whim. If God leads you somewhere to do something - chances are pretty good that He will not lead you to do something different until you have accomplished your initial calling. If you believe that God is calling you to do something different, you have to ask yourself if you have accomplished everything that God called you to accomplish at the outset.

The other thing that comes to mind is that even if it wasn't wrong for Jesus to turn a rock into bread the motivation for doing so came from Satan, not from God. The moral here is that if we do the right things for the wrong reasons it is still wrong. I'll let you ponder that one for a while - I would love to hear your thoughts on why it would have been wrong for Jesus to turn a stone into bread.

It's Good to be a Sheep

In Jeremiah 23, the Lord refers to His people as His sheep. This was in no way intended to be a slam or a put down.

As someone who grew up with sheep let me be honest - I used to say that sheep were stupid - and in a way - they are. I remember once watching as a bunch of sheep ran down the alley of our corral. There was a spot in the fence where the sun shone through and caused a sunbeam break in the shadows. Each and everyone of those stupid sheep jumped over that beam. Another time I remember holding a board out in front of the lead sheep trying to get it to stop - of course the sheep just jumped over it. In frustration, I took the board away but was amazed as each and every one of the remaining sheep also jumped over the place where I had previously been holding the board. Another way that sheep are stupid is they will stick their head through the smallest possible hole in a fence and proceed to push and shove until they get their whole body through.

The more I think about it though - a couple of things come to mind. Sheep are followers. For us as people - this can be good or this can be bad. We have to ask ourselves - if we are sheep and if we are following - what or who are we following? How do we know that we are following the right thing? How do we know that we are jumping at the right spot or over the right thing?

That is why it is so important to know the voice of God and follow the voice of God. In the New Testament - the bible says that Jesus is the Good Shepherd - and that his sheep know his voice and follow his voice. The only way that we can get to know his voice is to listen to it - over and over and over again.

The other great thing about being a sheep and having a shepherd is that when we get scared and when we get scattered by wolves and we find ourselves lost - we can be assured that the Good Shepherd will come and find us and rescue us. He will also hunt down the wolves that prey on us.

Thank You Jesus

Today's scripture reading, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, is perhaps one of my most favorite passages of scripture. Let me share a short story with you that will perhaps help you understand why.

One of my professors in college was a Messianic Jew (that means that he was Jewish by birth and heritage, but he had come to believe and know that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah). One day in class, he relayed a story of an Evangelical Christian and a Jewish Rabbi that were friends (I'm not sure if the Christian he was referring to was himself or not). This Christian and Rabbi always had good discussions about religion and the differences between Christianity and Judaism. One day the Christian asked if he could read something to the Rabbi and proceeded to reed Isaiah 53 without telling the Rabbi where it came from. When he was done, the Christian asked the Rabbi if he knew who the passage was talking about. The Rabbi said that clearly the passage was talking about Jesus. The Christian said - that is correct, now do you know what I am reading? The Rabbi either said that He didn't or guessed something out of the New Testament. The Christian then told the Rabbi that he was in fact reading from the Jewish scriptures (known as the Tanakh) - specifically from the Prophet Isaiah. The Rabbi was totally blown away - and it was only a few short weeks before this Rabbi also professed faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

Many people do not realize that the Jewish Scriptures are identical in content to the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This passage of scripture is so clearly talking about Jesus that for a long time there was a huge group of scholars that believed that at least that part of the book of Isaiah had been written after the death and burial of Jesus Christ - but in 1947 the first of the Dead Sea scrolls was uncovered. Amidst the more than 800 scrolls uncovered was a complete copy of every book of the Old Testament including a complete copy of Isaiah. Most scholars agree that the Dead Sea scrolls were buried as early as the 2nd century BC - which of course predates Jesus.

Ok enough history. Now for just a few of my thoughts on this.

Jesus proved himself over and over to be an expert on the Jewish scriptures. This particular passage is pretty graphic when it comes to what is going to happen to the Servant of God. Jesus had to have known exactly what was in store for him - 52:14 indicates that he will be beaten and so disfigured that he won't even be recognizable (have you seen The Passion of the Christ?). 53:10 says that it was God's will to crush Him.

Why did this all have to happen? Because of our sins. Jesus knew all of this was going to happen and He chose to go through it so that we could be counted as righteous in the sight of the Lord.

Wow - it really puts "MERRY CHRISTMAS" into context doesn't it.

Wow that's a bit confusing

This should be fun. I am once again posting from my blackberry and my thums already hurt - so I'm going to keep it short.

Isaiah 40:1-11, like much of the rest of Isaiah contains prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled. As such it is not something that we should read and be alarmed by. It is in fact something that should bring us encouragement and hope.

For instance in Isaiah 40 I see a couple of things. First, no matter how hard it gets, God is in control and there will be a day when the entire Earth comes under submission to Him. I can't wait.

The other thing that I love is the statement that no matter what else happens. The word of the Lord endures forever. Always hang onto the word of thr Lord.

Even when the Bible seems difficult to understand, look for the small truths that you can pull out and apply to your life. The more you read the more you will understand.

Catching Up

Today's reading in Psalm 132:11-18 culminated in a revelation for me that has been building as I read through Amos over the past week. (And I must admit that I didn't read everyday - but I did catch up and read the whole thing today - does that count for anything?)

This revelation stems from a conversation that I had with a friend a while back. This friend commented that in the Old Testament people followed God because they were scared of Him. In the New Testament - and on into our present time - we follow God because He loves us. He stated that the God of the Old Testament was a God of wrath and vengeance, but the God of the New Testament was a God of love.

Well, reading through the book of Amos, you could definitely see that. But I must point out - that the book of Amos is written as a warning. How many of us that are parents ever give our kids warnings - probably way more than they deserve - and that is in fact what God did - over and over and over again. Countless chances to change their behavior. In fact generations and generations of chances.

The warnings started when David was King and that is what we see in our reading of Psalms today. God said - IF YOUR SONS KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS - they will sit on the throne of Israel forever.

Well Solomon, the first son of David to sit on the throne of Israel blew that by the end of his life - just goes to show you what too many wives will get ya :)

Anyway, my point is that the what we see in the Old Testament that demonstrates the wrath of God is simply a consequence of disobedience. They brought it upon themselves and we continue to do the same thing today.

The good news is that as we read through Amos and the rest of the OT, we can see over and over again the promise of God that if we change our attitudes and our behavior, we may once again find ourselves in the good graces of God.

The other thing that I feel compelled to point out in toady's reading is that God states that what He wants is for Zion (Jerusalem) to be His resting place and for the sons of David to sit forever on the throne. Well that didn't happen, obviously, hmmmm...... I will just let you ponder that one for a while.

Don't Shoot the Messenger

Amos 6 offers what is to me a haunting picture of what we as Americans have become. The prophet is warning the people of Israel/Judah of complacency and arrogance when it comes to fearfully following the Lord. The people had become so secure in their place as "God's Chosen People" that they believed themselves to be untouchable.

We as American's are in a similar place. We are a country founded on faith in God and biblical values - and yet we are no longer a Christian nation. We are living in a post-Christian era where God is no longer given top priority by people in positions of power and authority within our nation. We need more Christian leaders, businessmen, and politicians who are willing to stand up for the truth and say - I will not give up, back down, or let go - I am standing up for what is right - I will not compromise on my beliefs or my values.

The only time that God can judge a nation is this side of heaven. If we don't change our ways - if we don't turn and stop relying on or past greatness to save us - God will cast Judgement upon our nation. We must turn and seek God and perhaps He will spare us.

Do run run, yaaahh ya Do run run

Well I'm back - I hope that you have all continued reading along with our Powered by 4 reading plan. I have had a crazy last week - with Thanksgiving, family visits, the close of Deer season and life in general. I apologize for not keeping up on the blog over the past week.

A couple of fleeting thoughts over the past few days reading. Psalms is poetry - never forget that - it is not meant as doctrine or deep Theological reading - but it can offer us tremendous insight into the character of God as well as the lives of the various authors. I have never really known much about the descendants of Korah, but Psalm 42 - 46 remind us that the Lord is trustworthy even when life seems really tough. When we can't see or feel God at work in or around us - He is still with us. Put your trust in Him.

The book of Amos kind of builds on this theme - today's reading in Amos 5:1-17, reminds me that no matter what I have done, no matter how far I have strayed from God - if I turn to Him and praise Him - if I trust Him when my life is in shambles because of the stupid mistakes and choices that I have made - He is faithful and will forgive me.

That doesn't mean that I am let off of the hook when it comes to suffering the consequences of my choices, but I am forgiven and loved by God no matter what I have done. And maybe, just maybe if I turn and run hard enough and long enough in the direction that God wants me to go - perhaps, I will reach a point where the good things and the blessings in my life outweigh the pain and sorrow that I have brought upon myself.

If there is just one or two verses that you remember from today's reading - let it be Amos 5:14-15.

Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people. (Amos 5:14-15, NLT)

Praise Him in the Storm

As I read through Psalm 44 today, I was reminded of a song by one of my favorite bands, Casting Crowns.



Sometimes it seems as if we find ourselves in a place where it seems as if God has abandoned us. We can't feel Him, we can't seem to hear Him - it seems as if He has abandoned us. That is what the writer of Psalm 44 is expressing here.

When we reach that point in life, we need to do a couple of things. First of all, we need to look back and remind ourselves of everything that God has done for us in the past. We need to focus on His character and on His goodness and faithfulness. We also need to remember his promises - He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. So why do we sometimes feel as if He isn't with us.

I suppose that as with most things there are a couple of options here. First of all, sometimes God is silent and seems to be removed because He wants to test our Character - because through testing our character is strengthened. We are a work in progress - we are not today the people that God wants us to become. God has great plans for us - plans that often times we are not prepared to fulfill at this moment, but as we learn to trust in God and rely on Him and grow through our trials - we will become ready to fulfill the purpose and plans that God has for us.

Another possibility when God seems to be silent in our lives is that it has more to do with where we are than where God is. There is always the possibility that God has been leading us in one direction and we have been refusing to go in that particular direction. If God is going left, but we want to go right - we will become separated from Him and it will become more difficult to hear his voice.

Through it all, God is the same - yesterday, today and forever. We can and should trust Him - even when we can't see Him. God is God - I am not - I choose to trust Him.

Dave Says....

Dave Ramsey says that if you want to be rich - do rich people stuff. If you want to be poor - do poor people stuff. Rich people don't do payday loans, they don't borrow money on credit cards at 25% interest, etc.

That is exactly what John is saying in verse 11 of 3 John.

He says - "Do not imitate evil, but imitate good." Because whatever is good is from God - whatever is evil - is not from God. If you want to be tight with God - do what God does - do good stuff.

Who do you hang out with? Who are your role models? Are you intentional about your time and the things that you do?

Joined at the Hip

2 John 7-13 point out one of the simple, most basic, foundational truths of Christianity.

That truth is this - Jesus and God are inseparable. You can't have one without the other. Some religions teach that Jesus was a good man, a prophet of God, etc. But they stop short of recognizing him as not only the Son of God, but GOD himself - one part of a triune God that is completely and utterly inseparable.

Another concept presented here is the fact that you can't accept Jesus and yet reject any part of His teaching. If you say - you know the part about adultery or divorce or forgiving other people - I don't like that part - but I still believe in Jesus.

If Jesus is God - who are you or I to say that our own ideas on certain topics are better than His. If Jesus truly is Lord - we need to learn to live according to His teachings - regardless of whether or not they are popular - or politically correct.

Jesus, His Teachings, and God - completely inseparable - you may believe it - but do you live it?

Who is this Jesus?

2 John 1-7 (specifically verse 7) points out something that I keep coming back to in my journey to spread the gospel. That is - Who do you say that Jesus Christ is?

If you believe that he is anything other than the Son of God, come to earth in flesh, fully God and fully man - that He died on the cross and rose again and is now seated at the right had of God offering forgiveness to all who believe in Him and that He will return one day to take all who believe in Him as Lord and Savior back to Heaven with him to spend eternity in Heaven - then you are an Anti-Christ.

Beyond all Doubt

In 1 John 5:13-21, John gives us the hope that many people are looking for in their lives. That hope is not a hope in the sense of "I hope I get what I want for Christmas", but rather the hope that a person lost for days hiking in the wilderness must have when he sees the rescue party come over the horizon. It is at that point that the lost person know they are going to make it - that everything is going to be ok.

Well John tells us that the whole reason that he wrote this letter was so that we may KNOW that we have eternal life. What that means for us is that no matter how much it hurts, no matter how hard it is to keep on going - we can know for sure that one day, we will enter into the presence of the King and He will look at us and say "Well done, good and faithful servant - enter into Joy today".

What a promise - what a hope - what a purpose that gives us to keep on keeping on. Praise the Lord - HE IS GOOD.

By the way - in case you were wondering - yes, I posted this on the 19th - because I kept meaning to get to it on the 18th, but never did. Sorry about that.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeazy

Today's reading is 1 John 5:1-12. Within this reading, verse 3 strikes me as incredibly simple and yet incredibly profound.

"Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really that isn't difficult." (1 John 5:3 NLT)

Jesus put the cookies on a pretty low shelf for us. The Pharisees and teachers of the Law and extrapolated over 600 different laws that people had to follow in order to be "right with God". Jesus boiled it down to two - Love God, love People. That's pretty simple.

Today's reading affirms that for us. If we base every decision that we make on how what we are going to do either does or doesn't love God and how it does or doesn't love people - we can rest assured that we are following God's commands. Love God - Love People - pretty simple.

We Ain't Got Money Honey - But We Got Love

Wow - today's reading (1 John 3:11-24) contains some challenging ideas when we stop and think about the implications of what is really being said.

For instance - verse 18 says - "Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." This is something that can be said and people can shake their heas up and down, but what does it really mean.

Well to put it in context - look at verse 17 - "If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister^[d] in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?" What does it mean to show compassion? It means to take action - not to just sit by and watch.

Notice that it does not say that it is wrong to have enough money to "LIVE WELL" - but if you have enough money to "LIVE WELL" and refuse to help someone in need - that is wrong.

So what does it mean to "LIVE WELL" - I can't define that for anyone - but I would wager that in a society where self-storage units are one of the fastest growing businesses around, living well is probably a lot lower standard of living than we think necessary. The United States a consumerism driven culture intent on always having more and more.

Is it a sin to have nice things and enjoy them and have pleasure in life - not at all (look at my blog from Wednesday). But is it a sin to refuse to help someone in need because we are saving our money to pay for a new boat, car, motorcycle, or other toy? Or maybe we aren't saving our money, maybe we have already "bought" those things on credit and are making payments taht prevent us from helping others in need.

This is one of those areas that is a little gray and hard to understand. Where is the dividing line? Verse 21 says that if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence.

If we are living in fellowship with God - He will lead us to the right balance.

What's Love Got to Do With It?

1 John 2:15-27 presents us with some challenging thoughts.

Looking specifically at verse 15, John warns us against loving this world and the things of this world. I want to point out however, that as we continue reading in verse 16 and 17, it is not the things of this world, or even enjoying things of this world that is wrong. It is not pleasure but "THE LUST FOR PLEASURE", it is not possessions but "PRIDE IN OUR POSSESSIONS". God created us and gave us the ability to experience pleasure, to distinguish the taste of good food and mediocre food, to experience the adrenaline rush when we do something exciting. These things are not wrong, but when they get to the point where they drive us or consume us - we have then taken control over these emotions away from God and given them over to the things of this evil world. That is when we are in danger. So enjoy life, enjoy the things of this world - but never let your desire for pleasure or enjoyment to lead you away from God as your primary focus in life.

The last part of today's reading is interesting because it talks about the Anti-Christ. In light of speculations amongst Christians that our new President Elect is the Anti-Christ (for the record, I do not believe this to be true) - it is interesting to see how John defines Anti-Christ. John basically says that anyone who denies Christ is an anti-Christ - and he mentions the possibility of several anti-Christs.

Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ - the son of God - the Messiah - that person is an anti-Christ. I want to point out - that many people believe in Jesus as a Historical figure - they know about Jesus - but they have not committed their lives to Him. They have not accepted Him as Lord and Savior of their lives.

Many false religions recognize Jesus as a good teacher - or even a prophet - but any teaching that denies Him as the one and only Son of God through whom we are saved is a false teaching or religion. That is what set's Christianity apart from many other religions.

Anyone who denies the Son doesnt' have the Father either. But anyone who confesses the Son has the Father also.

Beyond all Doubt

Today's reading, in 1 John 2:1-14, contains one of the greatest promises in Scripture, and yet it is also one of those things that makes some people sit back and scratch their head.

Verse 3 states that we can be sure that we know God if we keep His commands. Verse 4 goes on to say that if we claim to know God and yet don't keep His commandments we are liars.

The question that arises here often revolves around the fact that just because a person is a Christian, does not mean that he or she will never sin again. So if I sin, I am obviously not keeping God's commandments at the time, does that mean that I don't really know God?

We all make mistakes - the question really is, how do you respond when you sin? Do you confess your sins? If so God is faithful and just and will forgive us for all unrighteousness. Or do we pridefully and arrogantly choose to sin over and over again? I believe that when John says that if we love God we will keep his commandments, it is not an all or none type of deal - John is talking overall about the condition of my heart.

Am I a Christian? Yes. Do I still sin? Yes. But when I do, I humbly accept God's forgiveness and choose to learn from my mistakes so that I can continue on the journey of becoming fully like Christ like in my attitudes and behaviors - recognizing that I will never fully achieve that until I stand before God in heaven.

I think that it is also noteworthy that the passage on following God's commandments is followed by an old commandment - made new again. The commandment to Love Each Other. Surely our attitude towards each other is a good indicator of our hearts condition and whether or not we know God. How could we love God if we don't love His creation - made in His image - our fellow man?

Living in the Light

I had a few people tell me that my blog was hard to read - hopefully this new layout will prove easier for you to read. Feel free to let me know what you think of it.

Today's reading come from 1 John 1. I love 1 John because it is so practical and so relevant to our lives. In fact that is how John starts out - he basically says - I am telling you about what I have seen and touched and experienced 1st hand. I'm not repeating rumors or telling stories - what I am telling you is real - I have seen it - I have touched it.

To me that is one of the Greatest Characteristics of Christianity. The God we serve is a personal, loving, involved God - He isn't "WATCHING US FROM A DISTANCE". Neither is Christianity dark and mysterious - like some other religions. There are no higher levels or deeper secrets within Christianity - it is all revealed in the LIGHT.

If we walk and live within the light. We have can have complete understanding - we can have fellowship with each other - and we can have complete cleansing and forgiveness of EVERY SIN. Not just the little ones, not just the big ones - EVERY SIN.

The problem is that sometimes people see the light - off in the distance, but as they start getting closer and closer to the light - it begins to hurt their eyes because it their eyes are used to the darkness. It's kind of like when we are sleeping - if someone turns the light on real quick - it hurts our eyes, but after a moment or two, our eyes adjust and it is much more pleasant to live in the light than to try to stumble around in the darkness - stubbing our toes and tripping over things that we don't see.

Unfortunately, some people are afraid of what the light reveals - if we live in the darkness we don't have to confront our messy hair, our imperfections and our blemishes. But once we decide to come into the light - it reveals certain things about ourselves that we need to change. Some people tell themselves that everything is fine the way that it is and they continue to live in the darkness - they continue to live in sin - because it is comfortable and they don't have to confront those issues.

But it is only when we come into the light that we can be all that we were created to be. Only then can we confront our sins and let the blood of Jesus cleanse us of those sins.

When God is Silent

Where do you turn for answers when it seems that God is silent? In 1 Samuel 28 - Saul, in desperation, turns to a medium in an attempt to get guidance from Samuel's spirit.

I think that this is similar to what we do when God seems to be silent. We will try anything - self help books, psychologists, friends, horoscope, fortune cookies - you name it.

But if God is truly silent - perhaps there is a good reason. Perhaps, as in Samuel's case, He as already spoken to us and we didn't like what we heard so we keep looking for a different answer. It's like when my kids come ask me for something and I tell them no or give them an answer they don't like - what do they do? Go ask Mommy thinking maybe she will give a different answer. (By the way - that is a big NO NO and they get in trouble for it).

Sometimes though God is silent because we are often seeking the wrong thing. Samuel was looking for INFORMATION - what should he do. God was interested in TRANSFORMATION - who should he be.

God is way more interested in WHO WE ARE than in WHAT WE DO. When the bible tells us that God has good plans for us in Jeremiah 29 - he doesn't say that he will necessarily tell us what those plans are - he tells us that if we SEEK GOD - we will FIND GOD - not the plans - GOD.

When God seems to be silent - don't keep looking for the plans or the information that you want - look for GOD - worship GOD as Lord - when you do, you will find God and you will be able to trust Him because HE KNOW THE PLANS.

Know when to fold 'em

1 Samuel 27 offers an interesting insight into the life of David. The end of chapter 26 finds Saul once again saying "oops, my bad - please forgive me". But David in his heart knows that he can't trust Saul. So what does he do, he packs up and leaves the country. He goes into hiding among the enemies of Israel - the Philistines. He ends up leading a double life raiding against the enemies of Israel while at the same time telling the Philistines that he was raiding against Israel.

I think that David had gotten tired of running. David was after all human, just like you and I. One thing I find interesting here is that this is one of the times where, as far as we know, David did not inquire of the Lord before he acted. And we will see in a few chapters how this created a lot of problems and grief for David.

I think that a lot of people assume that just because something is in the Bible, that it must be good and acceptable. In this case people could assume that the end justifies the means - David got a head by living a life of deceit and trickery - it must be ok for me to live like that in my business and life.

There may be times in life when it is ok to pack it in, call it quits, and move on to something new. But to hide from your problems through lies and deceit is not what the Bible is recommending here. Never forget to INQUIRE OF THE LORD before you move - and when it seems as if He is silent on the issue - continue waiting for him to respond.

Whoda Thunk It

I always told my wife that Montana was a great place to raise a family. Now I have proof.

100 Best Places to Raise a Family

I must admit that even I was shocked. Billings must score really high in some categories other than public spending on eduction per child, because last I heard we were below average (way below) in that category. Oh well, go figure.

Who's doing the stirring?

One other thought regarding today's reading.

Who is it that is stirring and motivating your heart and your decisions? Saul was encouraged to keep pursuing David by his friends and advisers - he followed through on those stirrings even after pledging numerous times to allow David to go free.

David was stirred by friends and advisers to kill Saul on numerous occasions. He chose not to do that even though it made perfect sense.

God uses GODLY friends and family that are in our lives to affirm or challenge our stirrings, but they are just one piece of the puzzle. We must above all else seek God's wisdom and use other people as a sounding board always remembering that they are not God. Just because it makes sense to them, doesn't mean that it is from God.

Know when to hold 'em

Good morning, I have missed sharing my thoughts with you over the past couple of days. I hope that you have kept up with the reading and spent some time doing your own reflection on 1 Samuel.

In 1 Samuel 26, we see a continuing trend that has always bothered me. David is running for his life, and on more than one occasion, it appears that God has indeed delivered Saul into David's hands, and yet David refuses to lift a hand against "the Lord's anointed one" (hmmm...I thought that David was now the anointed one). I understand and respect David for his commitment to not strike Saul down - even when given the opportunity.

But how do we know when God is opening doors and when we are taking matters into our own hands? David was clearly not above violence or killing - he was a war chief known for killing thousands and thousands of people. He was a man of action, and yet given the opportunity to bring an end to his life on the run - he chooses not to - not once by twice. I'm not sure that I would have shown the same restraint - and if David had done it, nobody would have thought less of him.

I'm not sure that I have a good answer for this - I do know some things - God is not a God of discord or strife. God does not pressure us to do things or make decisions - God is a God of peace and the bible says

Philippians 4:6-7 says "6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

When we are truly seeking God's wisdom and direction we will experience true peace in our hearts and in our minds. If you feel compelled to do something - if you don't have peace in your heart and your mind, then most likely the opportunity is not an opportunity from God.

Don't miss out on the important pre-requisite to experiencing this peace, however. We must make our request known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. It's not that God isn't aware of our requests - I mean He's God right - the question is, are we willing to trust God with the outcome - that is when we truly experience peace of heart and mind.

David clearly trusted God with the outcome - encouraging Saul to let God judge between the two. How about you, do you trust God with the outcome of your major decisions, or do you simply walk through every open door - assuming that just becasue an opportunity arises, it must be from God?

Give Me Ears to Hear

In 1 Samuel 23 (again with the ESV), we see the first example of one of the things that in my mind sets David apart and defines him as "A man after God's own heart).

Verse 2 begins, "Therefore, David inquired of the Lord..."

For me, this has always been one of the things that fascinates me about David. We constantly see over and over again that David inquires of the Lord. Sometimes, even when the answer seems obvious. There are one or two examples later in David's life when he did not inquire of the Lord and it led him to trouble.

I think a lot of times in our lives, we go through life - doing the best that we can, and when we run into problems we may pray about it a little bit. But how often do we "inquire of the Lord" before we set out on our way. It seems like a lot of people tell God what they are going to do and ask God to bless them in their endeavors rather than asking God first what they should do.

Another difficulty that we run into is the question of how we hear God speak. I actually did a sermon series on this recently check out our sermonplayer and search for "Connecting with God" if you want to listen (although the sermone.net site that hosts our sermons seemed to be having difficulties this morning). P.S. I want to give credit to Rick Warren at Saddleback - I based this sermon series on one of his teaching series called Can You Hear Me Now.

Anyway, if you don't want to listen to the whole thing here is a synopsis. God is speaking to us. If we want to hear him speak we need to know how He speaks:

God Speaks Through the Bible
God Speaks Through Gifted Teachers
God Speaks Through Godly Friends and Family
God Speaks Through Impressions from the Holy Spirit
God Speaks Through Pain - that's a tough one
and God Speaks Through Silence - another tough one.

But even if we know how God speaks we need to know how to hear Him. If we want to hear God speak we need to:

Haved a receptive heart - be willing to listen to God
Get alone in a quiet place
Calm our own thoughts and emotions - don't listen to our own fears and "GOOD IDEAS"
We need to take time to listen - don't just listen for the information that we are looking for, listen instead for the voice of God. Sometimes he tells us something that we don't really want to hear.
And we need to commit ourselves to being obedient and following God's lead, even when he tells us something that doesn't make sense. I promise you - your better idea is not better.

Anyway, I want to let you know - it takes time and practice to hear the voice of God and to recognize the voice of God. It is a life long journey and progression. Keep at it. And don't be afraid to do what David did in verse 4 if you are in doubt:

Verse 4 says "Then David inquired of the Lord again...". If you wonder about something, ask for confirmation - God will not resent your asking.

It's Hard to Be Humble

As I read 1 Samuel 22 (yes, today I linked to the English Standard Version - that is what I have been reading lately, and I really enjoy it - it comes across as plain and simple, yet profound at the same time), I was struck by the thought that David faced a lot of injustice and yet he never complained. He simply kept listening to and obeying God.

If anybody had a right to feel outrage and indignity at the injustice that was occurring in his life, it was David - God's anointed one, the chosen King of Israel, the slayer of Goliath and head of Saul's Body Guard, captain of the army, the list goes on and on - and yet where does he find himself - hiding in a cave surrounded by the down and outs of life. And yet, when the prophet Gad comes to him and says - don't stay here, go back to the land of Judah, what does he do? Does he say, "you know what Gad, God's way hasn't worked out so well for me - look where following God has got me so far? No, he simply obeys - without question (at least as it is recorded in the bible).

And then to top it all of, he once again displays his humility when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech comes to David after he as escaped the wrath of Saul. At this point, David does not simply offer condolences or sympathy, he accepts full responsibility for the death of Abiathar's entire family and for the future protection of Abiathar. He says "I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping." David doesn't blame Saul, he doesn't blame God, he doesn't throw a pity party. He humbly takes responsiblity for his actions and choices and chooses to move forward.

What a stark contrast to the "chosen ones" of today. The pop princesses, sports heroes, and celebrities who think that they deserve special treatment just becasue they have certain skills or attributes that make them "desireable" in the eye of the public. How different would our culture be if we all chose to hubmly and respectfully follow God's leading in our lives without assigning blame to others? Just a thought.

Friends are Friends Forever

Friends are Friends Forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them.

In Today's reading, 1 Samuel 20, I am reminded of the importance of friends. True friends that stand beside each other - through thick and thin. Closer than a brother (Don't get me wrong, I love my brother - the trouble is, he is in Northern Africa - in a situation where I needed somebody to walk beside me, I could talk with him, but it would be difficult to be with him). God bless you and your work Andy - I love you.

But throughout my lifetime, I have been blessed to have several very close friends. Friends that I could turn to in any circumstance for help. I have moved and left a couple of these friends behind, but our friendship continues.

In the case of Jonathan and David, Jonathan was willing to risk his own life to protect his friend David. As hard as it was for Jonathan, he was willing to take a stand against his own father (who just happened to be king). Saul was right, as long as David was alive, Jonathan would never be king - Jonathan didn't care - he loved David.

Who is your Jonathan - who can you turn to and know that they will always help? Who is in your life that is willing to sacrifice anything and everything for your sake.

One thing that is certain in life - we will face challenges. We will face hardships. We will face tragedy and uncertainty. We were not intended to live life alone. We need friends and family that will stand beside us no matter what. I praise God that he has given me both friends and family - I love you all.

Elephants are Faithful 100%

In today's reading from 1 Samuel 19, it seems to me that David goes above and beyond the call of duty - kind of like Horton the Elephant.

I think that given the circumstances that David found himself in, most people would have cut and run, kind of like lazy maisy in Horton Hatches the Egg, but David stuck around and continued to win great victories for Saul, even after Saul repeatedly tried to kill him.

It must have been that David recognized his loyalty to the Lord and his responsibility to the people of Israel that kept him going. How about you - when things get tough, when nothing goes the way that you want it to - do you assume that God must be leading you in a different direction, or do you tough it out and finish the race because you know that God has put you there?

Just because we are following God's calling in our lives, doesn't guarantee that life is going to be easy. In fact sometimes it seems that by following God's leading in our lives, we face more opposition than we would face if we just did our own thing - in fact, I guarantee it. If you are following God's path for your life you will face troubles - you will run into people that try to stop you - you will experience spiritual attacks.

But when trouble comes - will you be a Horton or will you be a Maisy? The choice is yours.

For your viewing pleasure - Horton Hatches the egg.

Gifts that Keep on Giving

You know, sometimes we give a gift, it is consumed and then it is gone. Other gifts keep on giving for a long time to come. I have a friend whose wife gave him a gym membership for his birthday. In order to help motivate him, she also gave me a membership so that I could work out with him for the next couple of months. I'm not sure if it is a gift that I am thankful for or not - I am, but I hurt today in ways that I haven't hurt for a few years now - lol.

In today's reading 1 Samuel 18, Saul asked David for a gift in exchange for the hand of his Daughter in marriage - 100 Philistine foreskins (if you don't know what a foreskin is - ask your parents:) - David, wanting to impress his new father-in-law went above and beyond the call of duty and supplied him with 200 foreskins. How in the world do you wrap that? yuckk!!

Anyway, I had a few thoughts from today's reading. First of all, the more that Saul saw that God was with David, the more Saul decided to stand against David. His request for 100 Philistine foreskins was a veiled attempt to get David killed. He tried to pin David to the wall with his spear, not once but twice. I can't decide what was going through David's mind to allow Saul to get that close to him a second time - personally, I would have been gone after the first attempt.

It is interesting to me that when we are walking apart from the Lord, when we see Him at work, very rarely does it draw us closer to him. I seems like when we are apart from God and see God at work, something within us rises up and decides that we are going to oppose God, or at least His work around us. To me that is proof of our depravity and sinful nature in all of it's glory.

The other thing that I found interesting was verse 10 that mentions a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul. How does that work? That seems to be so contradictory to a lot of what I have thought about God in the past. I mean we like to think of God as good, and kind, and caring, and loving - AND HE HIS but consider:

²² Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible : New Living Translation., "Text Edition"--Spine., 2nd ed. (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), Ro 11:22.

God is severe with those who choose to disobey and walk apart from Him. If we turn our backs on Him, He will turn His back on us.

Also consider

In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for

“God opposes the proud

but favors the humble.”^*

^* Prov 3:34 (Greek version).

Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible : New Living Translation., "Text Edition"--Spine., 2nd ed. (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), 1 Pe 5:5.

When we choose to live apart from God as Saul did, it is the ultimate sign of a prideful, arrogant spirit. When we live that way - God will turn his face against us. I personally choose to live my life with God's favor rather than as an enemy of God. How about you?

You've Got to Stand for Something

Today's reading in 1 Samuel 17:1-27 fits nicely with the sermon that I am preparing tomorrow.

I can't quite fathom the concept of sending a young boy off to the battlefront with some grain and cheese just to see how things were going, but that is what Jesse did with his son David. And of course David, being a young excitable boy leaves his wares with an attendant and runs right down to the front line as soon as he gets to camp. I find it hard to believe that civilian visitor were a common occurrence, but who know - perhaps they were.

Anyway, out comes Goliath and defies God and Israel. The Israelite army flees in terror at the mere sight of Goliath and yet David says - who is this uncircumcised heathen that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?

To David - it was cut and dried - this man defied God and his chosen nation and therefore deserved to die - regardless of how big and tough he was.

Where is our passion and indignity at seeing God put down and trampled upon in our nation? Why aren't we as zealous for God as David was? What can we do differently about it? We tremble in fear and don't say anything about our God at work or at school for fear of being ridiculed or maybe even fired for our beliefs - who cares - we are nothing compared to God. How can we flee at the thought of suffering for our God like the men in the army did when we should be willing to stand and fight to defend the Name and honor of God.

What is it that we are willing to fight for? What should we stand and fight for? What is the best way for us to do that in a practical way?

That's not the way I would have done it.

In 1 Samuel 16, I find it interesting that the Lord's choice as replacement for King Saul is not the man that Samuel (or anyone else) would have chosen. Samuel took one look at Eliab, David's oldest brother, and said "this must be the Lord's chosen." And yet, he was not.

God's choices and God's ways often times don't make sense to us - but when I look back at my life and think about the times when stuff didn't work out according to my plans I can, without exception, say that God's way was better than my way.

That being said, I still don't understand the purpose of sending David to live with King Saul after he had been anointed by Samuel. I mean don't you find it odd, in light of the fact that Samuel was scared to even go looking for a new King for fear that Saul would find out and kill him, that this newly appointed King was sent to live with a man that was mentally unstable and prone to violence? And why did God choose to leave Saul in power for such an extended period of time after David had already been chosen? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

On a side note - I find it amusing that as Samuel who is by his own words old and grey (actually he already gave his retirement speech in chapter 12 prior to God rejecting Saul as King) approaches Bethlehem, the elders of the city trembled with fear and asked him if he came in peace. Do you think this has anything to do with the fact that He had recently "hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord (Chap. 15:33).

My Biggest Fear

In today's reading from 1 Samuel 15:24-35 I am haunted by one of my worst fears.

Verse 34 says that "The Lord was sorry that he had ever made Saul king over Israel."

One of my biggest fears is that as I go through the process of starting a new church I would do something to bring disgrace to God or His name.

We are all sinners, we all make mistakes - but I hope and pray that I would never become hardened to the point where I callously make choices in my life that cause people to turn away from God.

With great power comes great responsibility. I think that is the case that Saul found himself in. As he continued to make choices that led Israel to fall away from God. But is Saul any different than the rest of us? Is being a pastor of a church - any different than any other Joe the Plumber?

Yes, there is a higher degree of visibility, but each one of us is called to lead a life of obedience to God. If we fail to obediently follow the Lord's leading in our life, we are sinning. If we consistently sin and cause other people to turn away from the Lord we risk reaching the point where we bring disgrace upon the name of the Lord. When that happens we risk reaching the point where God rejects us. (Don't confuse this with thinking that God stops loving us) Perhaps he loves us (and others) too much to continue sinning and to let us lead others astray.

I Did it My Way

Today's reading in 1 Samuel 15:1-23 reminded me of the song My Way by Frank Sinatra.



Saul was told to completely and utterly destroy the Amalekites - to spare nothing not even the women and children, the livestock, or the treasures of the Amalekites - (this was contrary to the culture of warfare in Saul's time - common practice was for one nation to get rich by plundering other nations as they made war). So when the day came, Saul thought that his way was better. He spared the King and "everything, in fact, that appealed to them." (from the NLT:). He claims that it was to sacrifice to the Lord - but only after he has been caught, and after he has set up a monument to himself.

How often do we read something in the Bible or hear something from God and say to ourselves - surely God didn't mean it THAT way. That is what leads us to the point where we live in a culture that says - I'll Do It My Way - when it comes to lifestyle orientation, how we manage our finances, how we raise our children, etc.

Would our nation be facing an economic disaster of this magnitude if we had lived by the principles of money management found in the bible? I don't think so. I admit it, I have been apart of this in the past becasue that is what was culturally acceptable - credit cards and personal loans are a way of life - right? What happened to being content with what we have, to saving money and buying stuff with cash?

Would the world be facing epidemics of STDs if we lived according to the principles taught in the bible - absolutely not.

God has a plan for our life - when he says - do it my way - He means it.

What is God's way - simply put.

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’^[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40 (New Living Translation)

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Which Translation of the Bible should I use?

One of my readers - I think I only have about 2 at this moment - asked a good question after noticing that I usually link to the New Living Translation of the bible (NLT). I thought that it was a good question, so I decided to post most of my response here so that it is easier to find.

We use the NLT a lot at Yellowstone Church. I grew up reading the NIV, and when I first started reading the NLT - I didn't really care for it that much. It seemed watered down and like you say "paraphrasy". But the more I sat with people who had never opened a bible the more I found myself having to explain what the NIV was really saying to them by putting it into relevant daily language. As I did that and as I compared it to the NLT, I came to realize that a lot of what I was doing had already been done in the NLT.

I still use the NIV a lot. Just recently, I have started reading the ESV in my own devotions (it is a relatively new - essentially literal translation).

By the way, some people confuse the NLT with the old Living Bible which was a paraphrase. But the NLT is actually a direct translation from the original language done by a huge team of scholars. It is done with a thought by thought approach as opposed to a word for word approach.

What I tell people is that they should read whichever version of the Bible they find the easiest to understand and read (don't confuse this with whichever translation says what you want to hear. :) provided that it is a good biblically faithful translation.

I do confess though, sometimes I like to see what Peterson has to say in The Message, but I find it very difficult to do any sort of Bible Study using a paraphrase like The Message.

Just out of curiosity, which translation of the bible do you read the most?

Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way

Wow - a little late getting this up today. I apologize for keeping you waiting :) I got sidetracked posting this morning by politics and life.

My thoughts regarding today's reading in 1 Samuel 14:24-52 are this.

How often do we make brash statements or foolish decisions in life just as King Saul did in this passage? How often do we charge head long into something shouting over our shoulder as we go: "COME ON GOD - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR - BLESS ME IN WHAT I AM DOING"?

Well that is exactly what King Saul did here - and it almost cost him the life of his own son.

What if instead of making up our minds ahead of time - we prayed and inquired of God FIRST?!?

I know that in life, I am all too often leading the charge hoping that God is moving in the same direction that I am moving at the same speed that I am moving. But the reality of the situation is that often times in life I have found myself either on the wrong path or so far out in front that I end up experiencing way more pain and difficulty than I would have if I had waited on the Lord.

Fortunately, as I grow older, I am learning (still learning - it is a long process:), but I am learning to slow down, listen to the voice of God and follow - or maybe better yet - I am learning to get out of the way and let God lead.

Football just isn't fun anymore

I know, I can't believe that I said that - but the Colts just can't seem to win on a consistent basis this year. And I thought that this was going to be a tremendous year after the Patriots lost Tom Brady in the first quarter of the season.

And on top of that - I am probably going to lose my fantasy football match up against a 12 year old girl this week. How humiliating :( My fantasy football team had so much potential coming into the season, but now I find myself in a very uncomfortable position of having to root for both the Broncos (icckk!!!) and the Patriots (ewwww!!!) to have huge games tonight.

Just make sure that the ball goes to Eddie Royal and Wes Welker.

Ahhhh, but I know something that you do not...

As I read today's Powered by 4 passage in 1 Samuel 14:1-13, I could not help but picture in my head the scene from The Princess Bride where Inego Montoya is standing at the top of the cliffs waiting for Wesley to finish climbing up the cliffs so that he can kill him. When Wesley finally reaches the top, Inego helps him over the edge and then they sit and have a nice conversation about Inego's father while Wesley regains his strength and catches his breath.



How else does a man scramble up a cliff on his hands and feet while his enemies wait for him at the top and then proceed to route over 20 men? Unless he knows something that his enemies don't know. In the sword fight scene from the Princess Bride, both Inego and Wesley know something that the other does not - something they think will give them the upper hand.

Well Jonathan also had a secret. The arrogance of the Philistines was a sure sign form the Lord that He had delivered them into Jonathan's hands. But I still wonder, how did it go down, did they help him over the edge of the cliff, and then allow him to catch his breath because they were so sporting? We may never know.

But what we can know, is that when we face impossible odds. When we are fighting an uphill battle. If God is with us, no one can stand against us. When God calls us to do something, if we do not do it - if we don't follow through on God's leading in our lives. It is first of all a sin (James 4:17). And secondly we are passing up the opportunity to witness God do amazing things in our lives.

Now if only we could make a statement like Jonathan made that would serve as a test and allow us to know for sure what it was that God wanted us to do :) How many of us, given the opportunity to make a statement like that, even if we did get the word "GO" from God, would still find an excuse not to go up against such overwhelming odds?

By Whatever Means Necessary

Good morning, I'm going to have to keep this short. I'm headed out the door to do setup for church. Oh, the joys of starting a new church. I look forward to the day that we have our own building and don't pack our equipment around in a trailer. But until that time - HAVE CHURCH, WILL TRAVEL.

Today's Powered by 4 reading came from 1 Samuel 13. In the past when I have read this, I have always focused on how Saul took it upon himself to offer an unlawful sacrifice to God. And while there is much to be learned from this regarding our own willingness to wait on God's timing, what grabbed my attention this morning was the desperation of the Israelites to stand and fight for what was important to them.

At the end of the Chapter, we see the Israelites so desperate to stand and fight that they are willing to go up against an army that was vastly superior in both numbers and equipment with nothing but sharpened farm equipment.

My question is this - What do we do when the odds look stacked against us? Do we turn tail and run, or do we stand and fight with whatever we have at our disposal? When God has called us to do something - even if it seems impossible, we must gather the shovels, and the plowshares, and the axes, and the hoes, and whatever other tool God has given us. We must sharpen the tools at our disposal, even if it means paying a tremendously high price, and dig in.

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to follow God's leading in your life?

Be Cafeful of what you ask for

Ok, I have had enough of you encourage me to Blog that I'm going to give it a try. One problem is that I never know what to say. So in an attempt to get more out of my Bible Study and to hopefully be an encouragement to those of you that happen to find my blog. I have decided to start by doing an online Journal/Biblestudy. I am going to base it upon the daily reading suggested at Powered by 4 from Back to the Bible - I would like to encourage you all to join me in getting into God's word on a regular basis - (At least 4 times a week - preferably every day).

Today's readying was 1 Samuel 12 and it is Samuel addressing the people of Israel. After much whining and complaining from the people of Israel, God has given in and allowed Samuel to anoint a King over Israel. Neither Samuel nor God thought that this was a very good idea.

I am struck by the ending of chapter 12.

"“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”" (1 Samuel 12:23-25, NLT)

[1]
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.

A couple of thoughts come to mind - First, just because the people had demanded their own way, neither Samuel nor the Lord abandoned them. Second, just because God gave the people their own way, they were not free from the consequences of their decisions. God made it clear that if the people continued to sin and demand their own way, they and their new king would be destroyed.

I guess that leads me to a couple of questions. How often in life do we ignore the Lord's leading in life and demand our own way to the point where God gives it to us, even when it isn't what is best? What warnings does God give us in life that would lead us to change if we were to head them? And what is the Answer.

Well the answer is simply verse 25.

"Be sure to fear the Lord and sincerely worship him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you."