Charmed Lives?

Readings for today: Genesis 35-36, Matthew 12:1-21, Psalms 15, Proverbs 3:21-26

When I first became a Christian and started reading the Bible, I made the false assumption that the men and women of the Bible lived charmed lives. Once they came to faith everything was good. They grew healthy and wealthy and happy and nothing bad ever happened to them because the Lord was on their side. This reading became deeply problematic for me for a couple of reasons. First, it certainly didn’t square with my own life experience. I found myself frequently struggling with hardship and pain. Second, the more I read and the more closely I read, I realized these men and women were just as messed up as I was! 

For example, Jacob wrestles with God. Fights with Him all night and as dawn breaks, obtains a blessing. Gets a new name. Essentially a new future. One would think Jacob would walk faithfully from this point forward having had this intense, face to face encounter with God. Not so! Jacob again lies to his brother Esau. He actually never shows up in Seir as he promised. Jacob refuses to demand justice for his daughter’s honor thereby opening the door for his sons to take matters into their own hands. Jacob lives in fear of the tribal nations that surround them. Even his journey to Bethel seems fraught with danger. Finally, grief hits him hard as he loses his beloved wife Rachel in childbirth and his father soon after. Life in the ancient near east was not easy. Even for a man who walked with God. 

Over and over again, the Bible declares God is with His people. God protects His people. God guards the lives of His people. God blesses His people. How can this be true when we read about such tragedy in the life of Jacob? Or we experience similar tragedy and heartache in our own lives? The answer - if we have the ears to hear - is that we, like Jacob, are simply sojourners in this world. We are just passing through. And while it is true that God gives us a home. God gives us a name. God blesses us to be a blessing. It is also equally true that health and wealth and happiness are not going to be found this side of heaven. We may experience these things for a season. Perhaps even a long season. But death comes for us all. Poverty comes for us all because we can’t take anything with us. Sadness and grief find us as we face our own mortality or the mortality of those we love. 

Strangely enough, we all know this isn’t right. Even the ardent atheist experiences death as a violation of sorts. It’s why so much work is being put into longevity projects. Billions being spent to find the “aging gene” in order to turn it off. We want to live forever. We know we should live forever. It’s a primal instinct embedded deep within us. We were made to be fruitful. To multiply. To fill the earth. This is the creation mandate and we see it renewed here in Jacob - now Israel’s - life. “And God said to him, "I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.” (Genesis‬ ‭35:11‬) This mandate transcends our lives on earth. It follows us into eternity. It gets passed down through the generations. It will not end even when Christ returns. 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 37-38, Matthew 12:22-45, Psalms 16, Proverbs 3:27-32

Broken

Readings for today: Genesis 32:13-34:31, Matthew 11:7-30, Psalms 14, Proverbs 3:19-20

One of the things I love most about God is His willingness to wrestle with us. His willingness to get down in the mud with us. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty. Not afraid to engage us in the deepest, darkest places of our hearts. Not afraid of our outbursts of anger. Not afraid of our doubts and questions. We can bring all this to God. Meet Him unafraid and unashamed and struggle with Him over His sovereign will for our lives. God is not after robots. He is not after automatons. He doesn’t want uncritical, unthinking obedience. He wants our hearts. He wants our souls. He wants our bodies. He wants our minds. He wants all of us. Every part of us must eventually surrender to Him. And that’s a fight because our sinful nature pushes back. 

My mother would tell you I’ve always been independent. Even as a child. I didn’t like to cuddle. Didn’t like to be held. I would push back against her when she would try to wrap me up in her arms. When I got older and headed off for my first day of school, I shed no tears. Just got out of the car and walked towards the school no looking back. The other day, she and I had breakfast together. We talked about how I am still pretty independent. She loves me. She’s proud of me. She’d love for me to need her for something. Anything. I do the same thing with God if I am honest. I push back. I don’t like to be wrapped up in His arms. I want to be independent. Do my own thing. I don’t want to need Him. I like to pretend like I have it all together. Like I’m good on my own. It’s all a lie of course. I do need God. I do need my mom. I am not an independent creature. It is not good for me to be alone.  

It’s taken some hard experiences for me to learn this about myself. Experiences that almost cost me everything and everyone I hold dear. Like Jacob, I know what it’s like to wrestle with God all night. I’ve been there and done that. I’ve battled Him. I’ve fought with Him. I’ve watched the sun rise and set only to do it all over again. This was my life in the fall of 2009. I averaged 2-3 hours of sleep a night for a few months. God and I went to war over my life. My family. My ministry. My future. Finally, there came a point where He simply broke me. He broke my heart. He broke my spirit. He broke my pride. And while the pain was intense and real, there was relief as well. A profound sense of freedom flooded my being. I’ve never been the same since. 

Where have you wrestled like Jacob? Where are you wrestling like Jacob? Where are you mad at God? Frustrated with God? Upset with God? What questions do you have for Him? Doubts? Fears that need to be expressed? Where are you resisting Him? Pushing back against His will? Struggling to accept His sovereign plan? Today’s passage invites you into the ring! To grapple with God honestly! God’s a big boy! He can handle everything you throw at Him and more! Let your guard down and lay it all out before your Lord. Fight Him until you break before His relentless love and grace.  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 35-36, Matthew 12:1-21, Psalms 15, Proverbs 3:21-26

Reckoning

Readings for today: Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalms 13, Proverbs 3:16-18

There comes a time in every person’s life when their sin catches up to them. The bill for their mistakes and misdeeds finally comes due. You cannot run forever. You cannot hide forever. You cannot escape from your past. It must be faced. Jacob had spent his entire life scheming to get ahead. A master manipulator, he had robbed his brother of his birthright. Robbed Laban of his flocks and herds. Done everything in his power to get ahead. Secure his own future. He even tried to “deal” with God. "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you." (Genesis‬ ‭28:20-22‬) 

Now Jacob’s caught between a rock and a hard place. He’s burned his bridges with Laban so he can’t go back. The stone they set up serves as a constant reminder of his past sins. He is afraid to go forward. His past is coming back to haunt him. Esau, his brother, is on his way with four hundred men. Doesn’t sound like he’s forgotten everything that happened all those years ago. Jacob is stuck. He’s out of options. No more games. No more cards to play. He’s got to face the music. (That’s a whole lot of cliches...) God has him right where He wants him.  

God is sovereign. He orchestrates all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Jacob has been called. Jacob is loved. Jacob is about to meet God face to face. Unbeknownst to Jacob, God has been looking forward to this moment. God has been planning for this moment. God has brought Jacob to this point because God wants to do something in Jacob’s life that will change him forever. But Jacob has to be broken. Jacob must be forced to submit. Jacob must be brought to the end of himself and meet God on His terms.  

How many of us are facing a similar situation? We’ve schemed and manipulated our way as far as we can go. We’ve accumulated wealth and possessions along the way but it has come at no small cost. We’ve left some bodies in our wake. We’ve damaged our own souls in the process. All of us know what this feels like. It’s the way we shade the truth just a bit to come out ahead. The way we take credit for someone else’s work. The way we tell our stories as if we were the hero. It’s the way we orchestrate life, primarily for our own benefit. We probably have even tried to bargain with God. None of us are clean. All of us have a little Jacob in us. And most, if not all of us, will face a reckoning. A moment in time when the house of cards we’ve built comes crashing down. Our marriage fails. Our business crumbles. Our creditors come calling. Our kids call us out. We come face to face with the consequences of our addictions.  

The great news is God is waiting for us there. He is waiting for us in that space. Waiting to meet us face to face. Deal with us mano y mano. He has been patiently waiting. Patiently working. Patiently bringing us to this point where have no other choice but to surrender. It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. It’s also the best thing for us. Stop running. Stop hiding. Stop pretending. Turn and face your fear. Turn and face your God. Let Him transform your life.  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 32:13-34:31, Matthew 11:7-30, Psalms 14, Proverbs 3:19-20

Gospel = Power

Readings for today: Genesis 30-31:16, Matthew 10:1-23, Psalms 12, Proverbs 3:13-15

 “And Jesus called to him his twelve disciples and gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.” (Matthew‬ ‭10:1‬)

The gospel is not an idea. Not a philosophy. Not a moral code. It is quite literally the power of God. To receive the gospel is to receive this power. To believe the gospel is to be filled with this power. To lay hold of the gospel is to lay hold of this power. The power of God fills the life of every believer, granting us authority and dominion over all God has made. Jesus gave power to His disciples. As they went out proclaiming the gospel, they would cast out demons. Heal disease. Raise the dead. These signs and wonders would serve to authenticate the message they were preaching. 

I have seen this in action. The church in Africa is growing at an exponential rate. The preaching of the gospel is accompanied by signs and wonders. The church planters we support are filled with power as they go forth. They cast out demons. They heal disease. They raise the dead. They survive beatings, stonings, stabbing, shootings, and miraculously recover. I have personally witnessed miraculous healings. I have personally witnessed resurrection. I have personally seen demonic spirits get cast out. To see the power of God in action is awe-inspiring to say the least. It brings me to my knees. 

How do we access such power? By keeping the first and greatest commandment. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The more we love God, the more we serve God. The more we serve God, the more He equips us with power for that service. The more we sacrifice for God, the more He provides for us. The more we relinquish to God, the more He is able to use us. The secret to the power of the early disciples or modern-day African church planters or persecuted believers in China is their whole-hearted devotion to Christ. They do not try to live a double life. They do not try to have their cake and eat it too. They understand that holding onto the things of this world while laying hold of the world to come will only pull them apart. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot live with a foot in both Kingdoms. You either give yourself fully over to Christ and die to self or you hold onto “Self” and lose your grip on Christ. There is no neutral ground here. 

So that brings up a really hard question we all have to face...if we are not experiencing the power and presence of Christ in our lives then it is highly likely we have allowed some other “love” to gain a foothold. It could be a relationship we can’t live without. A lifestyle we refuse to relinquish. A preferred future we can’t let go of. A dream we won’t let die. It could be a sin we’ve allowed to enslave us. A lie we start to believe. How does one discern? How do we know? Engage in some healthy, prayerful self-reflection. Look at the life of Christ. What about Him do you find unattractive or unrealistic? Is there anything about what He teaches or how He lived that you find yourself resisting? When you hear His words and see His love, do you find yourself dis-believing on some level? Do you trust the lies of your own heart over the truth Jesus preaches? 

This is where the rubber meets the road in the Christian life. Following Jesus is a lifelong struggle to crucify the flesh with all its sinful desires and allow the Holy Spirit to align us more with Christ. It is a long obedience in the same direction. A marathon not a sprint. It forces us to constantly grapple with our greatest enemy...Self. But here’s the good news! The more the “self” dies, the more the power of God manifests itself in our lives. The more the power of God manifests itself, the more the “self” dies. This is the promise of the gospel and it lies within reach of every single person who calls on the name of the Lord! 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalms 13, Proverbs 3:16-18

Do You Believe?

Readings for today: Genesis 28-29, Matthew 9:18-38, Psalm 11, Proverbs 3:11-12

This morning I had the opportunity to preach at a sister church. A church who is in a significant time of transition. They are about to embark on a search for a new senior pastor which will usher in a new season of ministry. It’s been four years since they had strong, consistent pastoral leadership. Their beloved pastor was called to a different church. They went through one search but that particular pastor only stayed two years and had a very rocky tenure. Many people left. The church began to struggle. Fear and anxiety settled in. But in the last eighteen months, they have begun to recover. They have strong, godly leaders who have stepped forward. Their staff is exceptional. Their elders seek the mind of Christ. I left deeply impressed by their heart for Jesus and for their community. I know they are in great hands. 

One of the things we talked about today was how to walk by faith. Faith tends to be a nebulous term in our culture. Even when you talk to Christians, it seems very hard to define. Some see faith as an intellectual assent to a set of ideas. Others see faith as blind and uncritical. Still others view faith as an emotion we feel. Tingles running down our spine. Warm feelings filling our heart. That kind of thing. Jesus defines it much differently. In Matthew 9, Jesus performs a series of miraculous healings. A young woman is raised from the dead. Another woman is healed from a chronic menstrual disorder. Two blind men receive back their sight and a mute man is given the ability to speak. In the middle of all this action, Jesus poses this question to the blind men when they ask for mercy, “Do you believe I am able to do this?” They do. Jesus stretches out his hand to heal. 

There are more than a few definitions of faith in the Bible but this is one of my favorite. Faith is being fully convinced God is able to do what He has promised. Faith is not blind. Faith is not wishful thinking. Faith is not intellectual assent. It is walking. Acting. Moving in full confidence that God is able to do what He says He will do. Jesus asks the blind men if they believe He is able. The blind men believe and they are healed. They place their trust in Christ no matter the outcome. Is Jesus able? Yes, He is. Will Jesus always heal? Not necessarily. Does that mean we somehow lack faith? Absolutely not! Faith is not trusting in a particular outcome but trusting in the One who can do all things according to His perfect will. 

We talked about the faith of Abram this morning at the church where I preached. Abram is the perfect example of faith not because he was perfect or always got things right. He clearly did not! But Abram believed God. Abram was fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised. He trusted God to lead him to the Promised Land. Trusted God to give him a son. Trusted God to bless him, make his name great, and make his descendants a great nation. All of which God accomplished and more. Abram saw all this before it happened. He believed it before it came to pass. He trusted it enough to turn his entire life upside down.  

What about you? Do you believe God? Do you believe He is able to do what He has promised? Do you believe God for your marriage? For your children? For your job? For your future? For your finances? Do you trust God enough to let Him run your life? Are you willing to submit to Him and take a Sabbath? One day out of every seven to rest? Are you willing to submit to Him and give generously and sacrificially and regularly to the Lord...no strings attached? Are you willing to submit to Him and let go of the sinful pleasures you secretly delight in on a daily basis? This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to faith, friends. Do you believe?  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 30-31:16, Matthew 10:1-23, Psalms 12, Proverbs 3:13-15

Reflection

Readings for today: Genesis 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalms 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10

Abraham. Sarah. Isaac. Rebekah. Jacob. Leah. Rachel. These are the patriarchs and matriarchs of our faith. Men and women we look up to. Examples of faith. Paragons of virtue. Inspiration for millions. Then we actually sit down and read their stories. The bubble bursts. The image shatters. Off the pedestal they fall. Their families are dysfunctional. Full of deceit and greed and a lust for power. Their relationships are broken. Brother against brother. Wives against husbands. Homes in disarray. Reading their stories causes all kinds of questions, doubts, even fears to arise in our hearts. Who are these people? What’s wrong with them? Why do they make such poor choices? Why does God use them? Why are they God’s chosen people and not someone else? We find ourselves sympathizing with underdogs like Hagar, Ishmael, and Esau. What did they do wrong? Why weren’t they chosen? 

Reading the Bible is hard. Reflecting on the Bible even harder. The reality is we all want to keep these stories at arm’s length. We want to externalize these people as if they are not us. As if we do not make the same mistakes every single day. As if our culture is any less evil and immoral. As one friend of mine pointed out recently, moms and dads in our city sell their kids into slavery every single day. We just don’t want to see it. (She works with this population and is an expert in her field.) As much as we look back and want to judge the men and women we read about in the Scriptures, we are no different. We are just as sinful. Just as prideful. Just as prone to jockeying for power, influence, and control. Our relationships are just as broken. We too struggle to forgive. Struggle to reconcile. Struggle to not seek vengeance when we are hurt.  

What makes the Bible so hard to read is that it holds a mirror up to our souls. It exposes our depravity even as it tells us stories of the depravity of the mothers and fathers of our faith. It forces us to come to grips with the fact that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and none of us is clean. This drives us to our knees where we do NOT want to be. It drives us to submission. Drives us to surrender. Our only hope is grace. The grace of God. The love of God. The decision God makes to reach down and save us. We don’t like being at the mercy of God. We don’t like being reminded we are not in control of our own destiny. We don’t like the idea that our salvation depends on God’s sovereign choice alone not some fundamental principle of fairness. 

Prayerful reflection on these stories is not complete until we turn our questions inward. Who am I? What’s wrong with me? Where do I struggle with sin? Why do I make such poor choices? Part of this process is allowing the Bible to interrogate us as much as we are interrogating it. Allowing the Word of God to question us as much as we may question it. This is the dialogue God seeks with us when we read His Word. What is God after? Submission. Surrender. He wants us to finally bow before Him and open our hands and hearts to receive His grace. Just like Abraham. Sarah. Isaac. Rebekah. Jacob. Leah. Rachel. This is what set them apart. Their faith. Their fundamental belief that God was able to do all He had promised. May you walk in that same faith today!

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 28-29, Matthew 9:18-38, Psalm 11, Proverbs 3:11-12

Walking with Wisdom

Readings for today:  Genesis 24:52-26:16, Matthew 8:18-34, Psalms 10, Proverbs 3:7-8

 “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs‬ ‭3:7-8‬) 

I think the biggest part of my job as a pastor is helping people learn to walk with wisdom. True wisdom. Godly wisdom. Wisdom that finds it’s source in the fear of the Lord. Too many of us walk according to our own wisdom. We do what is right in our own eyes. We think we know what’s best for us. We do not. The evidence is legion. We are so prone to self-destruction. So prone to self-condemnation. So prone to self-promotion. We are so prone to self... 

This is not new. Hopefully, as you read the story of the patriarchs and matriarchs, you can see how they struggled to walk with wisdom as well. Noah got drunk. Lot chose the wrong neighborhood in which to live. Abraham lied about his relationship with his wife. TWICE! And Isaac makes the same mistake. Things do not get much better. Rebekah is a schemer and teaches her son Jacob all too well. Joseph is arrogant. Moses is insecure. Miriam jealous. The list goes on and on. The men and women of the Bible are just as broken as we are and just as prone to act in their own self-interest. This has been our problem since the beginning. We prefer our own wisdom to God’s. 

Proverbs, however, teaches us a different path. Fear the Lord. Turn from evil. Walk in God’s wisdom and you will find the healing and refreshment your heart is longing for. How many of us woke up tired this morning? Exhausted by the race we are running? How many of us barely got any sleep last night because of the pain we’re carrying? How many of us find ourselves making the same mistake over and over again? Trapped in the same endless loop? How many of us feel depressed? Isolated? All alone? How many of us walk with fear and shame on a daily basis? How many of us - if we’re honest - know our ways are not God’s ways and our thoughts are not God’s thoughts? And what does it come as such a shock to us when the houses we build on sand crumble at the first sign of storm? Why do we keep playing this game? Why are we so bound and determined to do things our own way? Why do we keep putting “Self” at the center of our lives in place of God? 

God wants to heal your pain. God wants to mend your broken heart. God wants to restore the ruins of your life and lift you out of your shame. God has told you there is nothing that will ever come between you and His love. He has set you free in Christ from all judgment and condemnation. He offers you forgiveness and unending grace. His love is steadfast, true, loyal, and unconditional. Trust the Lord! Trust He knows what’s best for you! Trust His Word! Trust what He tells you! Trust His love! He will never leave you or forsake you! Turn from evil. Turn from sin. Turn from self. Turn to Christ! Take His yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls!  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalms 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10

Desiring God

Readings for today: Genesis 23-24:51, Matthew 8:1-17, Psalms 9:13-20, Proverbs 3:1-6

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart...” (Proverbs‬ ‭3:5) This may be one of the hardest things for me to do. Trust in the Lord with all of my mind? Check. I love the life of the mind. I love to learn. Love to read. Love to reflect on the Word of God. Trust in the Lord with all of my strength? Check. I work hard to align my outward life with God’s laws. I believe His ways are the best ways to live. I have no doubt a life lived according to His Word is a truly blessed life. Now please understand I am not perfect in either of these areas. I am as much a sinner as the next person. But where I really struggle is to love God with all my heart. To desire God from the depths of my being. 

We are all creatures of desire. Driven more by emotion than we care to admit. We may think we are primarily rational creatures. Products of a Cartesian worldview whose foundation was built on the axiom, “I think therefore I am” but this is a lie. We mainly live in the back of the brainstem. We react. We respond. Love. Hate. Fear. Lust. Primal emotions seated in the most reptilian section of our brains. We meet someone for the first time and feel attraction. We see an image on television and experience hate. We scroll through our Twitter feed and our blood pressure rises. The world encourages us to get in touch with our emotions. To embrace them. To let them define who we are. The problems with this approach are legion. Rates of depression, self-harm, and suicide are now at historic levels and rising. The amount of vitriol on cable television and social media is overwhelming. The casual way we treat our relationships is tearing the social fabric of our lives apart. People feel more isolated than ever which leads to more pain. As they experience more pain, they isolate further. It’s a vicious cycle with no end in sight. 

For most of my life I have believed the answer lies in the transformation of the mind. Behavioral change flowing from new thought processes we begin in our brains and are held accountable to through relationship. What I am learning is that this approach often fails because it doesn’t touch the heart. One cannot change one’s desires simply by thinking/wishing them away. One cannot change one’s desires through self-discipline. No matter how much we may white-knuckle our sobriety, we simply are not strong enough to resist so we succumb. We give in. And the shame we experience only reinforces and compounds our sin. 

So what’s the answer? Are we left at the mercy of our desires? Are we doomed to ride the roller coaster of our emotions forever? No. The answer is to “trust God with all your heart.” To fan the flames of your affections for God. To invest in your relationship with Him through prayer, meditation on Scripture, worship, and mission. Like any relationship, love must be cultivated. Love must be intentionally nurtured. It doesn’t grow in healthy ways on its own and you will not fall more deeply in love with God unless you spend time with Him. As your love for God grows, you will find the other loves of your life reordered. The attractions of your life will begin to change. They will be shaped more and more by God’s desires than your own. In short, you will experience transformation. 

Readings for tomorrow:  Genesis 24:52-26:16, Matthew 8:18-34, Psalms 10, Proverbs 3:7-8

Fear vs. Faith

Readings for today: Genesis 20-22, Matthew 7:15-29, Psalms 9:1-12, Proverbs 2:16-22

Fear is a powerful motivator. Often driving us to do things we wouldn’t otherwise do. Make choices out of desperation rather than faith. Fear drove Sarah to mistreat Hagar and eventually cast her out of the house with her son Ishmael. Fear drove Lot’s daughters to commit incest with their father. Fear drove Abraham to lie about his relationship with his his wife. Fear drives a lot of things in our lives as well. I imagine if we sat and reflected for a moment, we can all think back to choices we’ve made that we regret that were driven by similar fears.

One of the most famous stories in all of Scripture is the sacrifice of Isaac.  It has been the subject of amazing artwork throughout the centuries.  It has influenced the plot lines of famous works of literature.  There is just something deeply (and darkly) compelling about this story for believers and non-believers alike.  An old man taking his son. His only son. The son whom he loves and offering him as a sacrifice. In our minds eye, we can see them climbing the mountain together. Abraham with the fire and knife. Isaac carrying the wood. Along the way, Isaac poignantly questions his father, "My father!" And Abraham said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." You can almost imagine Abraham answering Isaac with tears in his eyes. They get to the top of the mountain. Abraham builds an altar. Binds his own son. Lays him down. Raises the knife. And that’s when God steps in. "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." 

I’ve often wondered what kind of impact this experience would have had on Abraham and Isaac? What impact would this have on their relationship? How often in the years ahead did they look back and reflect on this moment? Did Abraham ever feel the need to ask for forgiveness? Would that have been enough to address the trauma Isaac would have felt? And yet, even their special father/son relationship was not as important to Abraham as his relationship with God. He believed God. He trusted God. He had faith in God. The writer of Hebrews, as he looked back on this story and reflected on Abraham’s faith, says Abraham “considered that God was able even to raise Isaac from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” (Heb. 11:19) No matter what, Abraham knew God had promised him a son. He knew Isaac was that son. He knew the future rested on this son. And he trusted God even when it seemed like His commands put all that at risk. 

Some might argue this whole scene makes God into a monster.  What kind of God demands human sacrifice? Christians know it’s simply foreshadowing. Fast forward a few thousand years and we have another Father and Son having this same conversation in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Son asking the Father if this is truly what the Father commands. If there can’t be another way. One can almost see the Father answer His Son. His only Son. The Son whom He loves with tears in His eyes. So Jesus takes up the cross. Climbs the SAME exact mountain Abraham and Isaac did so many centuries before. Is laid on the altar. The Father raises His Hand - there is no ram to take Jesus’ place - and takes His Son’s life. All to save humanity from our sin. From our fear. 

What are you afraid of today? What’s driving the choices you make? Is it fear of what others might say? Fear of facing the consequences of your actions? Fear of losing something you love? Have faith, friends! Believe in God! Trust God! Honor God! Look to the Cross and consider the great love He has for you! As you fix your eyes on Jesus, you will feel the fears that so often drive us loosening their grip and giving way to faith. 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 23-24:51, Matthew 8:1-17, Psalms 9:13-20, Proverbs 3:1-6

Priorities

Readings for today: Genesis 18:16-19:38, Matthew 6:25-7:14, Psalms 8, Proverbs 2:6-15

I spend a lot of my week meeting with people over a cup of coffee or glass of wine. We talk about family. We talk about jobs. We talk about school. We talk about the future. We talk about the past. We talk about success. We talk about failure. We talk about life. in almost every case, the conversation eventually comes around to balance. How do we balance all the priorities we have in life? Many of the people I meet with are hard chargers. They have worked hard. Achieved much. They have spouses and children who they love dearly. But they’re struggling because there never seems to be enough time to get everything done. And that doesn’t feel good. So again, how to balance everything? 

I used to believe in balance myself. I tried for years to balance my time with my wife, my four kids, my church family, my mission commitments, seminary teaching, etc. It was exhausting. Thankfully, God sent an older, wiser mentor into my life who shared with me some of the best advice I’ve ever received. “Balance is bogus, Doug.” Balance is bogus? What was this guy talking about? Everyone talks about balance! The whole self-help section at the bookstore is all about balance! But something in what he said struck a chord so I listened. “Balance is bogus because it is impossible - even unfaithful - to try to give everything in your life equal time. If you strive for balance, you will feel like you are always falling short in every area.” That’s exactly how I felt! “The key”, he argued, “is to put Christ at the center of everything you do.” Put Christ at the center of your marriage. Christ at the center of your relationship with your children. Christ at the center of your professional life. “If you do that, you will find yourself becoming fully present to everyone and in everything.” 

This is what I believe Jesus meant when he said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the rest will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) If we put Christ at the center of every relationship and every task, we will find ourselves less distracted. Less tempted to multi-task. And the people we are with will feel more valued. The time spent more fruitful. This results in greater efficiency as the quality of our time/work increases. With this increase in quality comes a corresponding decrease in a need for quantity. We will spend less time in some areas which frees up more time for other priorities. It really becomes a virtuous cycle which deepens every relationship and results in greater impact. 

One quick personal example. When I got to Princeton, I was deeply insecure. I didn’t feel I belonged. I wasn’t worthy of admission to such a prestigious place. Certainly not with my 2.3 GPA from college! HA! So I worked my tail off that first semester. Studied every night. Studied every weekend. Poured all kinds of time and energy and effort into school. My wife felt neglected. I struggled to spend time with my eight month old daughter. It was a rough three months and I didn’t have much to show for it because my grades were average at best. Then I went on Christmas break. Fought with God a bit. Asked Him why He sent me to seminary if it was going to be so difficult. He responded. Challenged me to re-examine my priorities. Follow Matthew 6:33. Put Him to the test. Long story short, I did. I went back for the 2nd semester and only gave Princeton two nights a week and one day on the weekend. The rest of the time I dedicated to family and to ministry in the local church. My grades shot through the roof. My family and I made some great friendships and had some great adventures. The church we served flourished. I even got to volunteer as a chaplain at the maximum security prison. It was one of the best three years of our lives.  

Ever since that experience I have found that when I truly prioritize my life around the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, blessing follows. My life becomes rich and full and deeply meaningful. It’s not always easy but it is always significant because I know the Lord is with me. I trust my labor is not in vain. Friends, what priorities are you pursuing in your life right now? How are you putting Christ at the center? Reading the Bible every day is a great first step! Worshipping God each week is another great step! Asking God to help you find Him at the center of everything you’re involved in is another way to put Matt. 6:33 into practice. Let me encourage you to re-examine your priorities through the lens of Christ. Look at your world through His eyes and then align your life to what you see. 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 20-22, Matthew 7:15-29, Psalms 9:1-12, Proverbs 2:16-22

The God who Sees

Readings for today: Genesis 16-18:15, Matthew 6:1-24, Psalms 7, Proverbs 2:1-5

It is both comforting and convicting to know we’ve caught God’s attention. He is faithful. Eternally so. His eyes never leave us. His presence never forsakes us. He is with us when we wake. He is with us when we sleep. He is with us at work, at school, at home. There is never a moment that escapes His glance. Never a time when our thoughts or actions are hidden from His sight.  

This is incredibly encouraging when we are suffering like Hagar. A woman who gets caught up in a power struggle between her master and mistress. A woman who’s marginalized. Mistreated. Abused. She runs into the wilderness, fearing for her life. She doesn’t know where she is going only that she cannot remain in Sarai’s household. She is pregnant. Alone. Afraid. But God is with her. He sees her. He meets her along the way. Meets her in the wilderness. Meets her in her desperation. And He gives her a promise. Her son will grow strong and powerful. He will eventually break free from the bonds of slavery. God will bless him. 

This reminder is incredibly convicting when we are engaged in sin like Sarai. A woman struggling with her own fears and failures and shame. She lashes out. She mistreats Hagar though she was the one who put her in this position in the first place. She lashes out at her husband who had agreed to the plan. She even laughs at God when He suggests she will bear a son within a year.

The same God who sees our pain is the same God who sees our sin and thankfully, He meets us with grace. Perhaps you find yourself in pain today. You are suffering. Struggling. The new year has not gotten off to a great start. You feel accused. You feel mistreated. Everything in you wants to run. Get away from it all. Take comfort in the fact that God sees what you are going through and He will look after you as surely as He looked after Hagar. Perhaps you find yourself locked in sin. Thoughts. Attitudes. Actions that you know do not line up with God’s Word. You’ve been battling these demons for years or maybe you’ve simply been content to live in sin. Be warned! God will not be mocked! And He sees everything you do. What you believe to be hidden. What you believe to be secret. The work you’ve done to fool everyone around you is not unknown to God. He sees it all and He is actively at work to bring you to repentance. 

Grace is truly a double-edged sword. It hits us where it hurts and it brings both comfort and conviction. Will you receive the grace of God today? Will you turn and meet the gaze of the “God who sees?”  The God is faithful to look after us in our sin and in our suffering? 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 18:16-19:38, Matthew 6:25-7:14, Psalms 8, Proverbs 2:6-15

The Stakes are Eternal

Readings for today: Genesis 13:5-15:21, Matthew 5:27-48, Psalms 6, Proverbs 1:29-33

Getting a late start today. Might be a pattern on Sundays so let me apologize in advance. Today’s reading includes one of the most profound scenes in all of Scripture. God has made a promise to Abram. He will have a son. Even in his old age. His family would eventually grow so numerous, they would outnumber the stars in the sky. This is heady stuff for an octogenarian ancient near east patriarch with no children of his own. But Abram believes God. He is fully confident God is able to do what He has promised. And because Abram has faith, it is credited to him as righteousness. 

God, however, isn’t done. He seals His covenant with an elaborate ritual. Abram is to get a heifer, goat, ram, turtledove and pigeon. He cuts them in half - except for the birds - and lays them opposite each other in a line. This creates an aisle of sorts down the center. The vultures swoop in, attracted by all the blood, but Abram drives them off. Eventually the sun sets and Abram falls asleep. In the darkness, this marvelous thing takes place. A smoking firepot and flaming torch pass through the pieces. God manifesting Himself as light in the darkness. He comes to Abram who remains asleep, essentially sealing His promise with an oath. If God were to ever break covenant with Abram, He would become like the pieces of the animals on the ground. If God were to ever fail to uphold his covenant, He would have to die. 

This is remarkable for several reasons. First of all, in the ancient near east it is always the lesser party who walks through the pieces. It is Abram who should be putting his life on the line. Second, this covenant ceremony is completely one-sided. Abram is asleep! No matter what Abram does, God is binding Himself to him and his descendants forever. Third, by choosing to walk through the pieces, God essentially is telling Abram He will cease to exist should any of His promises fail. This is a foreshadowing of what will take place on the Cross where God does indeed make Himself like the animals on the ground. His body broken. His blood shed. All for you. All for me. There literally is no story like this in any other religion on earth. No other religious faith believes in a God who is so radically faithful. This is what sets our God apart. And we love Him for it. 

Fast forward a few thousand years. The Apostle Paul is preaching the gospel all over the Mediterranean. Gentiles are coming to faith in huge numbers and he’s trying to process the fact that the Holy Spirit is being poured out on non-Jews. He turns back to this story. He realizes that the children God promises to Abram are not just flesh and blood but children by faith. Abram’s descendants do indeed outnumber the starts in the sky because literally billions of people down throughout history have placed their faith in the God of Abram who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ.  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 16-18:15, Matthew 6:1-24, Psalms 7, Proverbs 2:1-5

The Pride of Humanity

Readings for today: Genesis 11-13:4, Matthew 5:1-26, Psalms 5, Proverbs 1:24-28

 "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." (Genesis‬ ‭11:4‬)

It makes perfect sense. The children and grandchildren and other descendants of Noah walked off the ark into a strange, new world. A world that had radically changed. A world that must have seemed so foreign. Everything they once knew was gone. All the cities. All the towns. All the villages. All the fields. All the forests. Everything had died. Everything was ruined. It would now be their task to rebuild. To restore. To make the earth fruitful again. God had given them a clear command. Be fruitful. Multiply. Fill the earth. That all sounds well and good until you’re actually faced with the prospect of hiking over the next hill into the unknown. Much easier to stay together. Much easier to stay comfortable. Much easier to stay safe.  

Why build a tower that stretches to the heavens? Because no matter how far afield I go, I can look back and still see it standing in the distance. It becomes a sort of “North Star” for me, always leading me home. Always giving me a sense of safety and security. We don’t like being “off the map.” We don’t like being “off the grid.” We don’t like being in places that are unfamiliar. And yet, the call of God still remains. Be fruitful. Multiply. Fill the earth.  

What was the mistake of Noah’s descendants? Why did God bring judgment on them and confuse their languages? Two things. First, they wanted to make a name for themselves. This is the same mistake Adam and Eve made. It’s the same lie from the devil that we’ve been falling for ever since that first encounter in the Garden. We can be like God. We can do what is right in our own eyes. In our pride, we continue to reject God’s will and His ways and the result of our sin is always judgment. For God is eternally faithful and He will not allow our sin to stand. Second, they were directly disobeying God. He had clearly told them to fill the earth. They stayed together. They refused to scatter. They refused to bring restoration back to an earth ruined by the flood. And yet, this is what they were made for! This is what they were saved for! To be God’s agents of blessing as they exercised godly dominion over all He has made.  

Think about your own life. How often do we choose safety and security over God? How often do we seek to make a name for ourselves rather than lift up the Name that is above every other name? Look at your calendars. Look at your budget. Look at your relationships. Are you fulfilling God’s mandate? Are you fruitful for the Lord? Are you multiplying yourself by sharing the good news and bringing others to Christ? Are you filling the earth with God’s blessing as you give and serve in His Name? Or are you spending your money and your time and your energy on yourself? Your family? Your children? Those you love? Those who speak your language? Those with whom you are most comfortable? God has called you to more than this. God has a greater plan for your life than safety and security. God wants you to be part of His great renewal project! He wants you to be part of His great redemption plan! His design is for you to place all your resources. All your time. All your energy at His disposal for the salvation of the world. Does that include your family and friends? Of course. Is it limited to your family and friends? Of course not. 

God’s Word to you today is this...break out of your holy huddle! Give generously of your time, energy, attention, and wealth for the building up of God’s Kingdom! Be fruitful! Multiply! Fill the earth!  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 13:5-15:21, Matthew 5:27-48, Psalms 6, Proverbs 1:29-33

Creation Mandate

Readings for today: Genesis 8-10, Matthew 4:12-25, Psalms 4, Proverbs 1:20-23

 “And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything...And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it."‭‭ (Genesis‬ ‭9:1-3, 7‬) 

As I’ve mentioned before, we will see a pattern repeat itself throughout the Bible. Humanity is lifted up by God. Loved by God. Blessed by God. God covenants with them to be their God and they to be His people. We saw this happen with Adam and Eve. We saw this happen with Seth. We see this happening with Noah and his family. We will see it with Abram and Sarai and the rest of the patriarchs/matriarchs.  We will see it with Moses and Joshua. Samuel and David. Finally, we will see this pattern find it’s completion and fulfillment in Jesus Himself. God continuing to pursue His people throughout history. However, despite God’s faithfulness, humanity remains faithless. We abandon Him. We abandon His ways. We rebel against His laws. We reject His will. Our lives descend into chaos and pain and death. Thus the need for covenant renewal.  

The words above from Genesis 9 should sound familiar. They are a restatement of the creation mandate God first gave Adam and Eve in Genesis 1. “And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth...Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” (Genesis‬ ‭1:28-31‬) This is God’s will for all humanity. He creates us so we will be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth with His image. His glory. His love. His grace. His purpose for our lives is dominion. He has given the entire earth over to our care. Every plant. Every tree. Every animal. Every bird. Every fish. And this is very good in God’s eyes. 

The problem, of course, is we are such terrible stewards. We exploit the earth for its resources. We consume far more than we need or could ever want. We over-indulge. We are gluttonous. We are drunkards. We are wasteful. And this is no politically liberal diatribe. Facts are facts. We use and abuse the earth to satisfy our every desire. Look at the amount of trash in our oceans. Look at the amount of waste in our landfills. Look at the obesity rates in our country or the rates of addiction. Think about your own life and how this manifests itself. Where do you over-indulge? Where do you drink or eat or use energy to excess? Consider a personal audit of your finances and your time and your talent...how much of it is being spent on you or your family? And how much of it is being directed outward towards the planet God has entrusted into your care? Towards others who are in need? Towards God and His ministry in the world? 

Creation care is a divine mandate. We should be concerned about our footprint on the earth. We should be concerned about climate change and how much of it is man-made. We should be constantly seeking renewable and sustainable ways to use energy. We should consider our rate of consumption. Not because we are being forced to culturally. Not because we align with some kind of political party or another. Not because ranchers and farmers and oil and gas folks are evil. They are not. No, we engage on these issues because we are Christians and God has given us dominion. Furthermore, we know God expects us to exercise that dominion unselfishly, for the good of the world He loves so much. In this way, we are actually practicing for heaven. We are getting prepared for glory. For when the new heavens and new earth come, the creation mandate will be renewed once again and we will be sent out to care for all God has made for all eternity. 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 11-13:4, Matthew 5:1-26, Psalms 5, Proverbs 1:24-28

The Descent of Man

Readings for today: Genesis 5-7, Matthew 3:7-4:11, Psalm 3, Proverbs 1:10-19

 In 1871, Charles Darwin published the culmination of his life’s work. Titled The Descent of Man , it applied general evolutionary theory to human beings. Human beings, Darwin argues, are “descended” from more primitive life forms and subject to natural selection much like every other lifeform in the world. Of course, “Descent” is somewhat of a double entendre because Darwin’s theory also levels the playing field between human beings and the rest of the animal world. We are not special. We are not set apart. We certainly are not made in the image of God, have no divine mandate, and therefore no kind of ascendant status over the rest of creation. Though there is some debate about Darwin’s own views, his theory has been used to justify all kinds of evil. Racism. Eugenics. Social Darwinism and the Final Solution. If humanity is not set apart by God. If humanity is not special in any way. If humanity is just another animal species than we are NOT endowed with any inalienable rights and therefore might makes right. Natural selection is just. It’s survival of the fittest and only the strongest survive. 

Strangely enough, the Bible also talks about the “Descent of Man.” Not in terms of biological evolution but in terms of moral devolution. We will see this story set on repeat throughout the Scriptures. God makes a covenant with a human family. The descendents of that particular human family become morally compromised over time. Their corruption eventually becomes so great that God responds with righteous anger and judgment. God then starts over with a new covenant with a new human family and the cycle begins anew. Some might argue this calls God’s judgment into question. Why do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result? Isn’t that the definition of insanity? This is not, of course, the argument the Bible makes. The point the Bible sets out to prove is the utter futility of humanity. Humanity is, simply put - a lost cause. Sin corrupts everything it touches. Infecting every heart. Polluting every mind. Silencing every soul. There is no hope for us unless God Himself decides to intervene. 

Thankfully this is exactly what God does. The Bible is a record of God’s interventions in human history over time. He intervened with Adam and Eve, clothing them in an act of grace before sending them out of the Garden into a world ruined by sin. As the generations that come after them descend into further chaos, devolving to the point where God Himself grieves over what He has made, He intervenes yet again. He starts over by delivering Noah and his family from the flood. One can only imagine what it must have been like for Noah as he watched the world around him drown. I cannot fathom the pain and suffering he must have witnessed. But that is nothing compared to the pain God experienced as He watched His good creation drown in evil and sin. Grieving over what He made, He makes the terrible decision to cleanse the world by destroying it. 

Fast forward thousands of years. The world is still writhing in pain. Still ravaged by sin. Still drowning in evil. God’s heart continues to break. He grieves over what He has made and He makes the terrible decision to send His Beloved Son into the world to cleanse it once and for all. Jesus appears before his cousin John to be baptized. All of the Old Testament prophecies are coming to fulfillment. Jesus will be destroyed so the world can be saved. Jesus will suffer so you and I can be set free. Jesus will drown in order to rescue all of creation. This is the good news of the gospel, friends!  

I know the world around us suffers. There is injustice. There is pain. There is heartache and heartbreak. Hatred, evil, and sin still seemingly run amuck. Human systems cannot stem the tide. Human beings cannot save the day. Our only hope is God. And thankfully, He is eternally faithful. Place your trust in Him and you will never be put to shame!  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 8-10, Matthew 4:12-25, Psalm 4, Proverbs 1:20-23

Shame

Readings for today: Genesis 3-4, Matthew 2:13-3:6, Psalms 2, Proverbs 1:7-9

Do you remember the first time you experienced shame? Psychologists consider it one of our deepest, most primal emotions. It arises internally and is reinforced externally from the time we are very young. It is an important emotion. Those who are incapable of experiencing shame are often socio or psychopathic. Their inability to feel this emotion cripples them in significant ways. On the flip side, many experience excessive feelings of shame which can be just as crippling. How have you dealt with shame? Do you bury it? Deny it? Medicate it? Try to find ways to numb it? This, of course, forms the bedrock of the research Brene Brown has become famous for. Her initial TED talk on shame went viral and still remains one of the most popular. She’s written several New York Times’ bestsellers on the subject as well so clearly there is a hunger in our culture for healthy ways of dealing with our deep-seated shame. 

Where does shame come from? Psychologists have puzzled over this for decades. The Bible, however, is clear. Shame is the first emotion human beings feel in the wake of their sin. Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit. They break God’s command. They disobey and rebel, all in an attempt to become like God. What initially tastes so sweet turns bitter in the stomach as their eyes are opened to what they have just done. They experience shame and their first instinct is to cover up. Hide their nakedness. From each other. From God. “Where are you?” God calls out. As if He doesn’t already know. Adam and Eve feel exposed. They don’t feel safe. So they play the blame game. The woman caused me to eat! The serpent tricked me! Careful readers will take note how they try to turn this back on God. As if it were His fault for creating woman and the serpent or even putting the tree there in the first place. 

God is gracious, however. He doesn’t want them to live forever in their shame. So He makes them clothes to cover their nakedness and He banishes them from paradise lest they stretch out their hand and eat of the Tree of Life. But the cycle of shame continues. Cain’s “face falls” when his offering is not accepted. This is a very Middle Eastern way of saying Cain was ashamed. His shame eventually led to violence as he kills his own brother in cold blood. The murder of his brother leads to more shame when he’s confronted by God. “My punishment is greater than I can bear...” Once again, God is gracious and places a special mark on Cain to protect him. Shame is not just an Old Testament idea. It was shame that caused Herod to lash out and kill all the infants in and around Bethlehem. Embarrassed by the betrayal of the wise men, he commits infanticide. It was shame that drove the people to John the Baptist where they repented and confessed their sins and were baptized. It is the lack of shame on the part of the nations that the Psalmist calling attention to when he encourages them serve the Lord with fear and trembling. Thankfully, God extends grace once again as the nations are encouraged to find refuge in Him. 

“Where are you?” The question God first asked Adam and Eve in the Garden persists to this day. It comes to each of us and meets us right where we are in life. It comes as an invitation. A scary one to be sure! It is the invitation to be vulnerable. Exposed. Naked before the Lord. To confess our sins and let Him into the deepest recesses of our being. The dark places we all have in our hearts where we bury those things that cause us the greatest shame. God wants into those places. He wants to shed the light of His grace into the darkness of our hearts so that we may finally experience true healing. True peace. And rest securely in His unconditional love. He wants us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is nothing that can separate us from Him which is why He sent His only Son into the world. On the cross, Jesus bore not just our sin but our shame as well. He endured utter and complete humilitation so we would not have to. This, friends, is the great news of the gospel! The good news that was preached to Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel and all their descendents even to you and me today. Believe it! Embrace it! Accept God’s invitation! Kiss the Son and be set free from your shame! 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 5-7, Matthew 3:7-4:11, Psalms 3, Proverbs 1:10-19

Human Dignity

Readings for today: Genesis 1-2, Matthew 1-2:12, Psalms 1, Proverbs 1:1-6

Imago Dei. The image of God. In the beginning, God created human beings in His image. Male and female He created them. Made to be like Him. Made to reflect His glory. Made to be loved by Him. Out of the dust, He fashioned us. He breathed into our lungs His very breath. His very Spirit. It was not good for us to be alone so He made us a partner. A helpmate. The formation of community. The very first relationship. So intimate was this relationship between man and woman, humanity and God, that they were naked and unashamed. 

What a beautiful picture of the innate worth and dignity given to every single human being! This passage forms the foundation of our modern day understanding of universal human rights. It’s why we naturally resist - Christian or not - the Darwinian “classification” of human beings. It’s why “de-humanization” in whatever form is so horrifying. One of the worst things we can do from a biblical perspective is treat another human being, another divine image-bearer, as somehow less than what they are. 

I remember fighting this battle when I served as a prison chaplain. New Jersey State Prison is the maximum security facility for the state. Death row used to be housed there. It’s where they send the worst kind of criminals. When I was there, 60% of the inmates were serving sentences for murder of one degree or another. The rest had committed some form of violent crime. I believe one of the reasons my ministry was so effective over the two years I was there is because I treated the men with dignity and respect. I honored them as “image-bearers” and they, in turn, honored me. I stayed in touch with many of the men over the years since I left and it has been a joy to watch them grow and change and, in some cases, re-enter society.  

Sadly, treating others with dignity and respect is something that escapes our culture. We engage in “de-humanizing” talk on a daily basis. Turn on cable television. Listen to people talk at your local bar or coffee shop. Scroll through your Twitter feed. It’s brutal. Leaders in every sector of society seem to be getting in on the act. Politics. Education. Business. Even the church. We demonize. We character assassinate. We seek to tear down those who disagree with us. Those who think differently than us. Those who come from different countries, different ethnicities, different sexual orientations, you name it. We marginalize and ostracize and persecute and the results are devastating. Depression. Despair. Pain. Suffering. Violence. Even death. 

Here’s the first hard biblical truth...every single human being is made in the image of God and is loved unconditionally by God. Every single human being is worthy of dignity and respect. Every human being is made for relationship and community. To hate another human being is to hate someone God loves. To treat another human being with disrespect is to disrespect someone God has formed and fashioned with His own hands. To isolate another human being from relationship or ostracize them from community is to place them in a condition God Himself refused to do. “It is not good for man to be alone...”  

Does this mean we simply remain passive in the face of evil? No. Does it mean we let people walk all over us? Absolutely not. Does it mean we can’t set boundaries on unhealthy people? Of course it doesn’t. What it means is that even in the worst of situations. When we are confronting an abuser or someone who has committed an act of violence against us or those we love. When a police officer exercises force to protect us or our military men and women fight an enemy in some faraway land. When someone hurts our feelings or betrays our trust. Even in these situations, we refuse to let anger or revenge or hatred drive us to “de-humanizing” words or actions. We refuse to diminish the image of God in that other person or persons. We ask God to give us the strength to see them as He sees them and to treat them as His justice and righteousness demands. 

As you make your New Year’s Resolutions, let me suggest one that could be a game-changer. Resolve to treat everyone you meet and interact with socially, professionally, personally, even on social media as an image-bearer of God. Someone endowed with divine worth and dignity. Someone who is beloved by God Himself. You will be amazed at how this transforms your perspective and brings blessing into your life.  

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 3-4, Matthew 2:13-3:6, Psalms 2:1-12, Proverbs 1:7-9

New Year’s Resolutions

2018 is almost in the books and 2019 is just around the corner. Many of us will be celebrating with friends and loved ones this evening as we ring in the new year. In the midst of all the fun and celebration, it is important to take time to reflect on all that happened this past year. The successes and failures. The joys and concerns. The pleasure and pain. How did we grow? What milestones did we achieve? What trauma and tragedy were we able to survive? How are we different now than a year ago? What’s changed? What’s remained the same? What are we looking forward to? What fears do we need to face?  

If you are like me, you will make some resolutions. You will resolve to live a healthier life. You will exercise more. Eat better. Rest well. Those are good resolutations. You will resolve to be emotionally healthy. You will practice forgiveness. Set boundaries. Extend more grace. You will resolve to grow intellectually. Read more books. Listen to more podcasts. Educate yourself in the ways of the world. What about your spiritual life? What resolutions will you make to grow in your relationship with God?  

Many surveys have been done through the years by groups like Barna and Lifeway Research and they yield the same results. The number one thing you can do to grow spiritually is to read and reflect on God’s Word every single day. Reading the Bible will challenge you. Frustrate you. Upset you. Confront you. Comfort you. And bless you. It will elicit all kinds of questions. It will raise all kinds of doubts. It may even bring to light all kinds of fears. At the same time, it will offer you peace and hope and fill your life with an unspeakable joy that cannot be quenched. It will inspire you and draw you close to God in ways nothing else can. 

This past year, a couple of hundred folks read through the Bible in a year together. Some of us were able to finish, others are still on the journey. Still others dropped out along the way. Building a discipline of daily reading and reflection is not easy but it is worth every effort! Let me encourage you to join us in 2019 as we re-engage the Bible. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time through or your fiftieth. It doesn’t matter if you are able to finish the year or not. It doesn’t matter if you get ahead or fall behind. What matters is you building the spiritual discipline of listening for God’s voice as He speaks to you through His Word. God blesses ANY amount of time we spend with Him so do all you can to make 2019 a great year of spiritual growth in your life.  

Maranatha

Readings for today: Revelation 19-22

“Come, Lord Jesus!” Echoing Paul’s famous phrase from 1 Corinthians 16:22 - “Maranatha” - John finishes the Revelation with what has become the heartcry of Christians for centuries. Come, Lord Jesus. Come soon. The vision John has received has reached its climax. The new heavens and new earth have come. New Jerusalem has descended out of heaven. God in the midst of her. The gates are open continually for the nations of the earth to receive their blessing. The leaves of the trees that grow beside the river of God are for their healing. God has wiped away every tear. God has done away with every evil. There is no more crying or suffering or pain. God has made good on His promise. The Alpha has issued the final “Omega.” What was once broken is now whole. What was ruined has now been restored.  The incomplete has been brought to completion. It is truly finished. All things made new. 

The delay of the “parousia” or 2nd coming of Jesus has plagued Christians for centuries. Why does Jesus not return? What is He waiting for? Many Christians have believed He was coming back in their lifetimes. As they looked around at the evil and suffering in their world, they could not imagine things getting worse. Many believed they were seeing the four horsemen of Revelation storming all over the earth bringing war, disease, famine, and death. Such has been the lot of humanity since Cain first slew Abel all those years ago. The Apostles were no different. John, Paul, Peter, along with most of the Christians of the first century, believed Jesus was returning in their lifetimes. It colors some of their advice to the local churches they were writing to. Scholars suggest you can even see Paul grappling with this delay, especially in his correspondence with the Corinthians and Thessalonians. 

Why hasn’t Jesus returned? Our atheist friends suggest it’s because God doesn’t exist. The “Father” Jesus so faithfully believed in is a myth. Jesus, as good as He was, made a mistake. Others suggest it’s because the work of the church isn’t finished. The Great Commission has yet to come to completion. We haven’t preached the gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation so everyone hasn’t yet had a chance to hear the good news. Still others believe it’s because the events of Revelation haven’t yet come to pass. The anti-Christ has yet to be revealed and as bad as things may be, they will get much, much worse before the end. To be honest, I have no idea why Jesus hasn’t returned and can only assume it’s because His plans for this world have yet to reach their fulfillment. Time doesn’t pass for God like it does for us. While we are stuck in “chronological” time. Time as it ticks by. God exists in “Kairos” time. Time outside of time. Special time. Anointed time. The appropriate time. And only God knows where we stand according to His eternal clock.  

What we can know is that Jesus promised He would come. No less than three separate times, He affirms this to John in the last chapter of Revelation.  

• "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." (Rev. 22:7)
• "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Rev. 22:12-13)
• He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." (Rev. 22:20)

And what should our response be? To come to Jesus. “The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” (Revelation‬ ‭22:17‬) Don’t miss this! The movement goes both ways. God comes to us, we come to Him. God returns to us, we return to Him. God draws near to us, we draw near to Him. This is the pattern God has set since the first chapters of Genesis and it repeats itself here at the end of Revelation. This is God’s great desire. It is the primary message He’s been preaching through the entire Bible. It is the Word He longs for us to hear and receive and respond to by faith. So trust Him, friends! Accept His invitation! Believe in His name and receive the salvation He offers you by grace! 

 Postscript: If you’ve been walking through the Bible in a Year with us...well done! You’ve made it! Congratulations! This is a significant milestone in your spiritual life. What’s next? Do it again. And again. And again. Keep reading. Keep reflecting. Keep seeking to hear God’s voice through His Word. Email me if you would like to join us in 2019 as we dive back in with a new plan for a new year! Doug@pepc.org. 

Repent for the End is Near

Readings for today: Revelation 14-18

How many of us have been to events with street preachers holding up signs with the message, “Repent for the end is near!” As much as I disagree with their approach, their message is more true than they know. The end is drawing near. Each day brings us one step closer to the final judgment of God on the earth. Each day brings us one step closer to the final coming of the Kingdom. The day when Jesus will appear on the clouds and descend to earth to establish His reign forever. Until that day comes, God is patient. Not wishing that any should perish. God is compassionate. Constantly pursuing us. God is gracious. Always willing to forgive. But we should not presume upon His grace. The current state of affairs will not last forever. God’s patience eventually will come to an end and He will make one final attempt to save His people from everlasting death. 

This is the message behind all the plagues in Revelation. Behind all the judgment and wrath being poured out on the earth, there is this desire of God’s to save. To deliver. To bring His rebellious people to repentance. Those who have been reading with us all year probably are reminded of the plagues in Egypt when God acted to deliver His people from Pharaoh. Boils. Water turning to blood. Darkness. Fire. Hailstones from heaven. These things have happened before. The purpose behind them was to bring Pharaoh and his people to repentance. To humble them so they would set God’s people free from slavery. In a similar way, God commands His angels to pour out His wrath with the hope that it will bring the people of the earth to repentance. Humble them that they might be saved. Sadly, they refused to repent and give God the glory. 

They chose to love the Great Harlot instead. The earthly city arrayed in all her splendor. Wealthy. Powerful. Exerting her influence over all the earth. Full of all kinds of abominations and sexual immoralities, she represents the worst kind of rebellion. Her name is Egypt. Rome. Babylon. Constantinople. Berlin. London. Mexico City. Rio de Janiero. Beijing. Jakarta. Tehran. Washington DC. Basically, any governmental system that refuses to acknowledge and submit to God. They are all iterations of “Babylon the Great.” They all participate in her abominations and impurities. They all fall under God’s righteous judgment. Those who love their wealth. Their political power. Their cultural influence more than they love God will be exposed and judged along with the nations of the earth. They make war on the Lamb and His followers, falsely believing they can somehow dethrone Him. But God will cause them to turn on themselves. To destroy themselves from within. He will bring judgment through the very people who worship and adore her. They will turn against her. Strip her naked. Expose her. Cast her down. Her fall will be great. 

Sin and evil always turn in on themselves. Like a snake eating its own tail. They are ultimately self-destructive. Remember how the Apostle Paul described the judgment of God in Romans 1. God simply “gives them over” to the lusts and desires of their hearts. A similar dynamic is in play here in Revelation as well. God simply withdraws His protective hand. He simply says to the rebellious peoples of the earth, “Thy will be done” and the results are terrifying.  

The response of God’s people is never fear, however, but faith. In the face of God’s judgment, we humble ourselves. We submit. We bow before His will and we bend the knee to His way. We worship Him. We give Him the glory He deserves. We repent of our pride and arrogance and false belief that we know best and we give Him Lordship over our lives. This is the essence of repentance. Not just a general feeling of remorse but an active, intentional decision to live for God.