The Spirit-Filled Life

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 10-12, Luke 13:22-35

“Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you.” (1 Samuel 10:6-7)

The people of Israel found themselves in a time of crisis. Samuel, the faithful judge who had led them for so many years, was failing. His sons did not possess the character of their father. It would not be much longer and Israel would have no leader. No spiritual authority. No one to point them to God and protect them from their enemies. So they called for a king. Giving into their fears and anxiety, they asked Samuel to anoint someone to take his place. Someone who would reign and rule over them like the other nations. Someone who would guide and protect them. Someone they could look to in difficult times. God grants Israel’s request. He gives them a king named Saul. A man with great leadership potential. A charismatic leader who can rally Israel and deliver them from their enemies. However, what truly sets Saul apart is the Spirit of the Living God. After Saul meets Samuel and is anointed king, Samuel tells him to expect something miraculous to happen. Saul will actually be changed into a different man by the Holy Spirit. God Himself will rush upon Saul, giving him all he needs to be successful. I love how the Bible describes it, “When Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭10:9‬) Wow. What a gift! All Saul has to do from this point forward is walk in the newness of life he has received and Israel will be saved.

Friends, God is still in the salvation business. God still “rushes” on His people in times of great crisis. He is there to provide when our needs are great and our strength is small. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit rushes upon us and we are reborn. We are changed into different men and women. We are given new hearts. God empowering and strengthening us for the work He’s called us to in this world. Unlike in the Old Testament where the Spirit of God would come and go on a person, in the New Testament the gift of the Spirit is permanent. God comes to take up residence in our hearts. God comes to dwell with us on a regular basis. God fills us eternally with His very presence. The results are amazing. We are given gifts like wisdom, knowledge, understanding, discernment, boldness, evangelistic zeal, tongues, prophecy, even miracles. The list is endless because God is endless. We are also given great grace to become new people. The fruit of a life lived in humble submission to God is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Taken together, these gifts and graces become the resources a believer draws on as she/he seeks to serve the world in Jesus’ name.

So far in our reading we’ve encountered some amazing spiritual leaders. Moses. Joshua. Deborah. Gideon. Samuel. All of them filled with God’s Spirit. All of them called to lead God’s people in times of great crisis. All of them given the gifts and graces necessary to do the work God has called them to do. It is tempting as we read the stories of these spiritual heroes and heroines to believe that could never be us. We’re too ordinary. Too weak. Too frail in our faith. It’s tempting to believe our calling is far more mundane. But nothing could be further from the truth! The same Spirit that empowered Moses to split a sea and Joshua to tear down walls and gave Deborah a song of victory to sing is the same Spirit that lives and dwells inside the heart of every true Christian! So in this time of great crisis…as so many live in fear and anxiety of contracting a deadly disease…as so many struggle with lost jobs and lost hopes and lost dreams…as so many feel the isolating effects of social distancing and depression…as so many wrestle with deep grief over those they’ve lost…we have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ! To offer a comforting word or comforting shoulder in the name of Christ! To point people to the eternal hope they too can have if they place their trust in Christ!

Don’t worry about having all the answers! Don’t worry about getting everything right! Don’t worry about making mistakes! Trust the Spirit to lead you! Trust the Spirit to guide you! Simply “do what your hand finds to do for God is with you!” (1 Samuel 10:7)

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 13-14, Luke 14:1-24

Walking with Open Hands

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 7-9, Luke 13:1-21

I am learning to walk with open hands before the Lord. He is reminding me that nothing I possess is actually mine to own. Nothing I’ve achieved is mine to hold. Nothing I’ve gained is mine to hoard. Not money. Not influence. Not position. None of it is mine to grasp. Instead, I must release. I must let go. I must walk with open hands and let the Lord fill them with whatever He may will.

Let me illustrate what I mean. When I first graduated from Princeton, I was blessed to be called to a special church in Mobile, AL. The people there embraced me and my family as their own. They loved me well and put up with my crazy ideas. They prayed for me. They challenged me. They accepted me. They followed me. The result was a wonderful six years of fruitful ministry as the Lord blessed the work of our hands. I was then called to plant a church outside of Madison, WI. The experience could not have been more different. I struggled. I suffered. I didn’t handle things well. My insecurities and fears rose to the surface and crippled my ability to see beyond myself and my own pain. I was rejected over and over again. I was abused in many ways. Those 19 months almost cost me my marriage. My family. My ministry. Everything I held dear was put at risk. In the wake of those two experiences, close friends asked me if I had misunderstood God’s call. If I had heard Him incorrectly. If I had made a mistake in leaving Mobile. The answer is no! As hard as it is to accept, God sometimes calls us to suffer. Sometimes calls us to experiences that are hard and heartbreaking. All to teach us how to walk with open hands.

Think of what we read today from Samuel’s story. Here’s a man who’s served God and His people almost from birth. He was born to lead Israel. Set apart by God for this purpose. His is was a testimony to God’s great faithfulness. He’s led Israel to great victories. He’s led Israel to spiritual revival. For decades, he’s gone from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah in order to keep God’s people on the right spiritual track. As he got older, he enlisted his sons to help him in his work. Tragically, they did not follow in the faithful footsteps of their father and Samuel’s credibility as a leader began to erode. His sons took bribes and perverted justice to the point where the elders of Israel finally came to Samuel and demanded a change. “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭8:5-6‬) No one likes to hear they are too old. No one likes to hear they are considered to be washed up. No one likes to be fired or let go because they simply don’t have what it takes to lead anymore. Samuel is hurt by their words. I imagine all sorts of responses ran through his mind. Perhaps he even had the votes to remain in power if he chose to go that route. But Samuel loved the Lord. Samuel walked with open hands. So instead of reacting in anger, Samuel went to prayer. He took their request and his disappointment to the Lord.

And how did the Lord respond? “And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7-9) What an affirmation and yet what deep conviction! You have not been rejected, Samuel. They are rejecting Me. I am sure this grieved Samuel’s heart even more. After all, Samuel’s greatest desire was for the people to return to the Lord with all their hearts, putting away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among them and directing their hearts to the Lord in order to serve Him alone. (1 Samuel‬ ‭7:3‬) But Samuel obeys the Lord. He gives the people what they desire. He identifies a king for them and humbly relinquishes all his power and authority.

I want so much to be like Samuel. I want to be the kind of person who walks through life with open hands. I want to hold onto the things the Lord brings into my life loosely. I want to place all that I have at His disposal. I want Him to take all my treasure, my time, my talent and use it as He sees fit. I want to be poured out like an offering before the Lord so that at the end of my life I can honestly say I held nothing back but gave everything up in service to Him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 10-12, Luke 13:22-35

New Hope

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 3-6, Luke 12:35-59

With God, there is always hope. As bad as things get, God always preserves a remnant. He will not abandon His chosen people. He will be faithful to His covenant regardless of how His people may or may not respond. As the Book of 1 Samuel begins, the people of Israel are in bad shape. They do not honor God. They do not have leaders who honor God. They are simply going through the motions of worship. Saying all the right things. Making all the right sacrifices. But in their hearts, they reject God. They rebel against His Law. Their priests are a disaster, engaging in sexual immorality. Making a mockery of the sacrificial system. Abusing their spiritual authority. Eli and his sons are the last in the line of the judges. A corrupt time in Israel’s history that heartens back to the days of the Great Flood, the Tower of Babel, and slavery in Egypt. But all is not lost because God is still at work! He raises up a new leader. A godly leader. A leader who would seek Him with all their heart and be “blameless” (not perfect) in their generation. Who was this great leader? His name was Samuel.

Noah. Abraham. Moses. God has used each of them in turn to spark revival. Spiritual renewal. To draw God’s people back to Himself. Now it’s Samuel’s turn to take up the mantle of leadership and do the same. Samuel represents a bridge from the time of the Judges to the time of the Kings. He will oversee a major transition in the life of Israel as they go from a bunch of tribes, each with their own identity, to one nation under a strong, centralized monarchy. Another thing that’s striking to note is Samuel’s age when he receives this call. Noah, Abraham, and Moses were all old men. Well beyond their prime. Samuel is a young boy. Not yet come into his own. The message here? God can use anyone at anytime to accomplish His purposes.  

“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭3:1-3‬)

Several things stand out in this passage. The Word of the Lord was rare. There was no vision. Eli, the current judge and spiritual leader of Israel, was going blind. All of these are connected and important. As leaders go, so goes a nation. Eli’s blindness is not just physical but spiritual as well and it has a devastating impact on the people He leads. Israel was so mired in sin that God had gone almost silent. But even though Eli may be blind, God is not. He sees all. He knows all. We see this dynamic in play throughout the Scriptures…

• “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

• “For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from Me, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes.” (Jeremiah 16:17)

• “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” ‭(Hebrews‬ ‭4:13‬)

God will not allow His people to persist in their sin. When God’s people embrace sin instead of turning to Him in faithfulness, He will withdraw His presence. He will withhold His Word. He will “give them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity...give them up to dishonorable passions...give them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:24, 26, 28) God is as faithful to judge as He is to forgive. And that is exactly what took place in Israel and in Eli’s own family. Eli failed to discipline and restrain his sons. Hophni and Phineas are the very definition of corrupt religious leaders who manipulate the faith for their own benefit. By the way, we see these same things happening in our world today. I think of the health and wealth preachers who speak to thousands every week. The Christian self-help gurus who masquerade as preachers. The many preachers who have fallen into sin, reject any kind of accountability or spiritual authority or process of repentance, and then get back into the pulpit. As incredible as it seems, faithlessness is often very popular and faithfulness unpopular.

Thankfully, all hope is not lost! The lamp of God had not yet gone out! A young boy lies down in the temple of the Lord ready to receive His Word anew! Note the differences between Eli and Samuel. Eli is old. Infirm. Going blind. Samuel is young. Strong. His eyesight is clear. Eli is alone. Lying down in his own place. Samuel is also alone but makes his bed in the temple to be near the ark of God. Eli is associated in this passage with the rarity of God’s Word and a lack of vision. Samuel is associated with hope because light still flickered in the lamp of God.  

“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man (or woman) fully consecrated to him.” (Attributed to Dwight L. Moody) Spiritual revival always begins with one person fully devoting themselves to God. Samuel was set apart from conception to be such a man. His mother gave him to the Lord to be raised in the temple. He was open to hear God’s call when it came. As a result, revival did come to Israel. “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭3:19-21‬) 

Where do you find yourself in this story? Are you like Eli, Hophi, and Phineas? Enslaved to your sinful desires? Pursuing a life apart from God? Is the Word of the Lord rare in your life? Let me strongly encourage you to go before the Lord in honest, even ruthless, self-examination. Ask God to show you the areas of your life that need to be surrendered. Are you like Samuel? Do you have a heart for God? Let me encourage you to dig deep into His Word. Dedicate daily time in prayer. Listen for God’s voice as it comes to you through His Word or through other believers or through your own personal prayer time. And when He speaks, may you answer with Samuel, “Speak Lord! Your servant is listening.”

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 7-9, Luke 13:1-21

God is Faithful

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 1-2, Luke 12:4-34

“And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭2:35‬)

Today’s reading represents a turning point in salvation history. The time of the Judges is coming to an end. Eli and his “worthless” sons will die and a new prophet will arise. One who will remain faithful. One whose heart will be true. One who will seek the Lord and lead the people well. Samuel will be the last of the judges. He will be the bridge from the days when Israel had no king and everyone did what was right in their own eyes to a day when the Davidic monarchy was established and a golden age for Israel ushered in.

I love where Samuel’s story begins. With a barren woman who is losing all hope of ever bearing children. Sounds so familiar does it not? God bringing something beautiful out of our barrenness? Making a way where there seems to be no way? Making possible what otherwise seems impossible? He did it with Sarah. He did it with Rachel. Now He will do it with Hannah. Hannah is a faithful woman. She prays fervently for a son. So fervently, Eli believes she is drunk! Her desire is so strong, she promises to dedicate her son to the Lord from birth. “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭1:11‬) Miraculously, the Lord answers her prayer. Opens her womb. And Samuel is conceived.

Now is where the true test will begin. Will she make good on her promise? Will she dedicate her son to the Lord? Will she give Samuel over to Eli to be raised as a prophet and a priest for Israel? Hannah’s faith is amazing. Listen again to what she tells Eli after Samuel has been weaned…“Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And Samuel worshiped the Lord there.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭1:26-28‬)

It’s a powerful story of God’s faithfulness. God already knows what’s going to happen to Eli and his sons. He knows the plans He has for them and He has prepared a successor to be raised up to replace them. A priest who will be faithful and true. Who will lead Israel well as she moves through this transition. Samuel will seek God with all His heart and mind. He will love God and honor Him all the days of His life. And when the time comes for him to hand off his leadership to a king, Samuel doesn’t hesitate. He humbly submits to the will of the Lord.

Friends, God remains faithful! He will raise up leaders for God’s people who seek Him with all their heart and mind. He will judge the “worthless” who lead out of pride or greed or a desire for influence and power. He will replace them with men and women after His own heart. Even now, He is at work. Perhaps in ways we cannot see. Who knows how many Hannah’s are out there praying for a child? Who knows how many parents are out there who have dedicated their children to the Lord? Who knows how many of those children will rise up in the years ahead to lead us to repentance and revival? God is faithful. He will never abandon or forsake His people. No matter what you are going through, know He is with you.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 3-6, Luke 12:35-59

Finding Hope in the Ordinary

Readings for today: Judges 20-21, Ruth 1-4, Luke 11:13-12:3

Without a doubt, Judges is a tough read. Especially towards the end. It’s hard to see a culture descend into chaos. Hard to watch the people of God abandon the ways of God and do what is right in their own eyes. It’s hard to watch evil flourish and good languish. And if we are honest, it raises all kinds of questions. Where was God in the time of the judges? Why didn’t He do something? Was He powerless to stop what was happening? Or worse, did He just not care?

In many ways, the Book of Ruth is the Bible’s answer to these questions. “In the days when the judges ruled the land…” there was a widow named Naomi and her Moabite daughter-in-law named Ruth. Two ordinary people from an ordinary town called Bethlehem whom God would use to bring about His salvation purposes. The story is a tender one. Naomi initially has it all. A faithful husband who cares for his family. Two sons to carry on the family line. They have enough means to travel to Moab to escape a famine in their hometown of Bethlehem. Once there, disaster strikes. Elimelech dies followed by both his sons a decade later. This would have been devastating in the ancient world. The three widows would immediately drop to the lowest rung on the socio-economic ladder. Each day would be a struggle to survive especially since Naomi was so far from her home and kindred and country. With little access to resources and certainly no social net to protect them, Naomi makes the decision to go back home. She encourages both her Moabite daughters-in-law to return to their families where they can get the support they need and perhaps marry again. Ruth refuses and makes this incredible statement of faith, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth‬ ‭1:16‬) What transpires next is nothing short of miraculous. They return back home to Bethlehem. Ruth finds favor in the eyes of Boaz, a kinsman-redeemer. She eventually marries him and they conceive a son named Obed. Obed is the father of Jesse. Jesse the father of David. David will become the greatest king in Israel’s history.

So let’s just pause and reflect for a moment. The last verse in the Book of Judges says, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges‬ ‭21:25‬) The final verses of the Book of Ruth give us the genealogy of David the king. The man after God’s own heart. The king who would lead Israel to a deeper and more righteous relationship with the Lord. No longer would the people of God do “what is right in their own eyes” because they now have a king who will show them how to do what is right in God’s eyes. It’s a beautiful picture of how God uses the ordinary things of this world to accomplish the extraordinary!

When we ask the question - “Where is God?” - in the face of all the evil and sin and suffering we see around us; we often betray our false expectations. Unless God acts in miraculous ways, we don’t seem to take Him all that seriously. We tend to discount the ordinary. The everyday. The moment by moment when God shows up in our lives. But if God can use the plight of three desperate widows in the time of the Judges to change the course of a nation’s history, why can’t He use you? Why can’t He use me? Ruth did nothing special except remain faithful. She loved her mother-in-law. She worked hard to provide for them. She took advantage of the opportunities God presented to them. She was both bold and humble. And God honored her prayers. What does faithfulness look like in your life these days? Are you working hard to provide for those who depend on you? Do you take advantage of the opportunities God sends your way in the ordinary course of daily life? Where do you need to act with humility and boldness? May the Lord honor your prayers as you seek to love and serve Him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 1-2, Luke 12:4-34

Inhumanity

Readings for today: Judges 18-19, Luke 10:25-11:12

Today we encounter some of the most difficult material in all of Scripture. We see Israel at her lowest point. She has forgotten Yahweh. She has become like all the pagan tribes around her. She is more focused on her own gratification than she is on serving and honoring the Lord. Her world is full of idolatry and violence. Yes, she still goes through the motions. She still makes her sacrifices. She still prays. Fasts. Appears before the Lord at the appointed times. But it’s all empty at this point. Everyone is doing what seems right to them. They are all following their own ways. They are plumbing the depths of sin. They are pushing the boundaries of evil. Unspeakable atrocities are taking place in Israel such as the gang rape of a woman whose body is dismembered resulting in a genocidal war that basically annihilates an entire tribe. It’s madness.  

One of my favorite books is the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. With penetrating insight, he describes the nature of man. Given the right conditions. Given the right set of circumstances. We will all succumb to temptation. In the book, Kurtz sets himself up as a god to be worshipped. He exploits those around him. He uses them for his own personal gratification and enjoyment. He is evil and selfish and insane. Towards the end of the story, he finds himself dying as he “returns” to civilization. His life flashes before his eyes. He reflects back on all he has done. And his final words are, “The horror! The horror!” 

Horror. It’s a good word to describe what we read today from the book of Judges. There simply is nothing redemptive in the story. Nothing good. Nothing godly. Man’s inhumanity to man is on full display. It’s dark. It’s evil. It’s terrifying. Sadly, we see some of the same dynamics in play in our world today. Even amidst a global pandemic, many of our political leaders can’t stop lying and using the crisis for personal gain. Many of them can’t stop attacking each other with rhetoric that only incites further violence. It’s horrifying. But it’s not just them. It’s us as well. The isolation of the past year has set everyone on edge. Our emotions are raw. Anxiety is high. We are reaping what we’ve sown. Tragically, the daily injection of fear into society has resulted in greater and deeper divisions. Judgment and condemnation have replaced grace and compassion. We have become less resilient. Less tolerant. Less able to accept difference. Instead, we fight over masking protocols. We assume the worst of the health professionals who’ve worked so hard to keep us safe and frankly, many of them assume the worst of us which is why we have to resort to public health orders in the first place. We cut off relationships with family members, friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ over political, social, and cultural disagreements. We embrace rage, anger, and hate because it makes us feel powerful. Self-righteous. Safe. But the reality is we’ve never been more fragile. More vulnerable. So we take it another step further. We demand action. We restrict freedom. We call for a more totalitarian approach to life where speech is monitored. Different groups labeled and scapegoated. Blatant attempts are made to grab hold of power under the guise of either “draining the swamp” or “political reform.” All this lays the groundwork where extreme elements open fire in grocery stores or attack Asian-Americans in the streets. It’s all quite frightening and sadly, all too familiar.

If we’re totally honest, we know all of us are guilty on some level. I give into fear. I give into anxiety. As the stress builds, it can bring out the worst in me. Darkness that I’ve tried very hard to bury deep starts to emerge. As I read our passage today, I realize all of us are perpetrators. All of us are victims. We are the Levite. We are the concubine. We’ve sacrificed others and we’ve been sacrificed for the sake of self-protection and self-gratification. In the Bible’s judgment, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans‬ ‭3:10-18‬)

Perhaps it’s providential that we read this section of Judges as we come out of Holy Week. A period of time where we reflect on the Cross. On the death of God. The most horrific act in human history. We reflect on the price Jesus paid. The blood He shed. The penalty He bore. This past week we spent time reflecting on the suffering He endured. The pain He experienced. The heartbreak of betrayal. We reflected on the depth of our sin. The depravity of our nature. The darkness of our hearts. We reflected on the cost of our salvation. On what it took to redeem us from sin and death. To deliver us from evil. And as we reflected we also remembered our salvation! God plunging Himself into the horror of our condition! Plumbing the depth of our darkness! Immersing Himself in the breadth of our madness! And embracing us as His own! Today we declare there is hope for the Levite and his concubine! Today we declare there is hope for the Kurtz’s of our world! Today we declare there is hope for the fearful and afflicted and anxious and afraid! Today we declare there is hope even for us! And that hope is found in Jesus!

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Harvest

Readings for today: Judges 15-17, Luke 10:1-24

“The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” (Luke 10:2-4) 

This is one of my favorite passages to teach on in Ethiopia. Every time I prepare to go over there, I marvel at all God has done. In the last eighteen years, we have preached the gospel to 3.5 million people. Over 600,000 have now come to Christ. Our indigenous leaders have planted over 5000 churches and baptized over 100,000 new believers. And still the harvest remains plentiful! What God is doing in Ethiopia has spilled out into South Sudan and Uganda. In fact, we will be holding two training conferences there in just over a month. We already have our first church plant in Djibouti and planted 25 more in Myanmar. I fully expect this revival to reach Somalia and Eretria in a few years and then jump the Gulf into Saudi Arabia and Yemen. By the time I die, I am praying God gives us a chance to plant churches in Mecca. 

The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. We are asking God to raise up more church planters from our indigenous partner denominations. We are asking God to raise up more churches in America to join this work. We are asking God to bring His resources to bear so we don’t become the limiting factor in who God is seeking to reach. We need laborers who will pray. Laborers who will give. Laborers who will go. Laborers who will lead. There is an urgency to this mission! We cannot delay! We cannot let our fears get the best of us! God is sending these men and women out as lambs amidst wolves. The work will be hard. There is pain and suffering and persecution. Joining God on His mission always costs us dearly. But the price is worth it! 

Every time I come back, I get asked the same question. Why do we not see the same revival happening in America? Why is the American church in decline even as the church in Ethiopia grows? My answer is always the same. The harvest is plentiful. Even here. Even in our country. But the laborers are few. In my experience, so few Christians have a passion to share their faith much less know how to do it. They struggle with self-confidence. They don’t want to be laughed out of the room. They shy away from conflict. I sometimes wrestle with these feelings myself. But God’s call still remains. Jesus tells His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to raise up laborers and then in the same breadth sends them forth. If we want to see revival come, we must join Jesus in His prayer and His work. We are part of the solution, friends! We are part of the answer to their own prayers! We have been called by God to go into the harvest field to reap what God has sown. You cannot be a Christian without being a laborer! You cannot be a follower of Jesus without being sent! You cannot be a disciple without being a missionary! Get engaged, friends! Join your brothers and sisters around the world and start reaping the glories of serving Christ!

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 18-19, Luke 10:25-11:12

Desire

Readings for today: Judges 13-14, Luke 9:28-62

Samson is a cautionary tale. He is a man ruled by his appetites. Driven by his desires. An addict enslaved to the basest of emotions. His life is a study in contrasts. Miraculously conceived. Set apart from birth as a Nazarite. (No wine, cutting of the hair, or touching of dead bodies) He single-handedly delivers Israel from their enemies. At the same time, he despises his birthright. He intermarries with Philistines and sleeps with prostitutes. He eats honey from the carcass of a lion he’s killed. He tells Delilah (yet another Philistine) the supposed secret of his strength and she cuts his hair. He is imprisoned and tortured but exacts vengeance on his enemies in one final act of martyrdom. 

I have met Samson. Every time I look in the mirror I am reminded I too was once driven by sinful desire. Enslaved to the flesh as the Apostle Paul might put it. Sexual desire drove me to pornography. My drinking habits bordered on alcohol addiction. I’ve struggled with depression and despair in my life. It’s been hard. At the same time, I’m blessed with an amazing family. A godly wife and four kids I love with all my heart. I’ve got great friends. A career I absolutely love. But my inner life used to be a mess. I too often believed the lie that I was at the mercy of what I feel. That I had no choice. Thankfully, I received great spiritual counsel and a lot of therapy over the years. Mentors, counselors, friends who acted as a spiritual and emotional guides to help bring peace to my soul. Most of all, I immersed myself in God’s Word. I gave His Spirit the microphone in my life. I wanted Him to be the loudest voice in my head. The loudest voice in my heart. Constantly reminding me who I was created to be. Constantly encouraging me to live in light of God’s transforming love.

I am not the only “Samson” out there. I cannot tell you the number of people I have counseled over the years in my office who seemingly cannot control their desires. Sexual appetites. Drug and alcohol addiction. Co-dependence. Suicidal ideation. It’s heartbreaking. These are gifted people who have been blessed in every measure by God. They have families. They have friends. They have careers. They make good money and experience professional success. But their inner lives are a mess. Their souls are in turmoil. They feel trapped and enslaved and ruled by their passions. They buy into the lie that they were “made” this way and therefore have no choice. There are so many voices in their heads and hearts clamoring for attention. Demanding that they listen. It’s paralyzing. It’s crippling. And it breaks the heart of God.

Here’s the truth of the gospel, friends. You have been set free! For freedom Christ has set you free so do not submit again to a yoke of slavery! Do not turn back to your former ways! Do not believe the lie that you are at the mercy of what you feel. You are not defined by your desires. You are not a slave to your emotions. Love the Lord with all your heart! Submit your desires to Him! Allow His Spirit to sanctify your emotions and your feelings. Keep in step with the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. In fact, you will find yourself beginning to desire what God desires. Holiness. Purity. Grace. Mercy. Compassion. These things flow from a heart surrendered to God.  

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 15-17, Luke 10:1-24

Jephthah’s Sacrifice

Readings for today: Judges 11-12, Luke 9:1-27

When we travel to Ethiopia, we often head into the rural areas to visit village churches. As we walk along the dirt paths, we pass home after home. Most of them are mud huts surrounded by a little brush fence. In the evenings, we see children driving whatever livestock (donkeys, chickens, goats, sheep etc.) the family owns into the enclosure. This keeps the animals safe and the house warm. It’s a common custom all over the Middle East even to this day. 

Hopefully, this places Jephthah’s tragic vow in context. He fully expected the first thing to greet him when he returned home to be a goat or a sheep or some other animal. He most certainly did NOT expect it to be his daughter! So when she comes dancing out of the home with her tambourine, he tears his clothes. He instantly regrets the vow he made. He feels trapped. And how does his daughter respond? Her reaction is perhaps the most surprising part of this story. She willingly lays down her life for her father. She faces her fate with courage and faith. Taking two full months to say goodbye and grieve with her friends. Two full months to weep over what could have been. 

It’s a story that baffles us on a lot of levels. How could Jephthah sacrifice his own flesh and blood? How could Jephthah’s daughter willingly lay down her life? And where is God in all of this? The cultural distance between this world and our own is almost insurmountable. However, one key to understanding is Judges 11:23-24, “So then the Lord, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel; and are you to take possession of them? Will you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess.” Everyone in the ancient near east believed in gods. Dagon for the Philistines. Chemosh for the Amorites. Molech for the Ammonites. Every tribe had their own deity. Make the right sacrifices and you were awarded with great wealth, military might, and political power. Make the wrong sacrifices and your deity would turn his face from you, resulting in defeat. Tragically, the same began to hold true for Israel. As they adopted the ways of the Canaanites, Yahweh ceased, on some level, to be the One True God and became just another tribal deity to be appeased. Thus, Jepthah’s tragic choice to sacrifice his daughter and her tragic choice to accept her fate. And the most important takeaway from the whole account is God’s silence. Nowhere does the Bible say God is pleased with Jephthah’s decision.

Excursus: One of the common mistakes that happens when we read the Bible is to assume God endorses everything that happens. This is a misapplication of the doctrine of inerrancy. Just because we believe the Bible is inspired and without error doesn’t mean that God approves of every action His people take. For example, just because David had multiple wives and was a man after God’s own heart doesn’t mean God approves of polygamy. The story of the Bible is the story of God meeting His people where they are. Speaking to them in the cultural context in which they live. Revealing Himself through categories they can understand. The same is true for today.

As Christians, we claim to worship the supreme God of the universe. We claim to know the King of kings and Lord of lords. We claim to be heirs of His eternal Kingdom. But do our lives reflect this truth? If we are not careful, we can fall into the same trap Israel fell into. Accommodating our beliefs to the ways of this world. Bringing God down to our level. Limiting Him to our tribe. Reducing Him to our personal deity. When we do, we remake God in our image and He ceases to be God at all.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 13-14, Luke 9:28-62

Humility

Readings for today: Judges 8-10, Luke 8:40-56

One of my favorite books is by Andrew Murray. It’s a classic titled Humility. A short little read with insights packed into every page. Here is how he defines humility. “Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all...The highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God. It can do this only as it is willing to be nothing in itself, that God may be all. Water always fills first the lowest places. The lower, the emptier a man lies before God, the speedier and the fuller will be the inflow of the diving glory.”

I think we can all agree humility is a virtue sorely lacking in our world today. The spirit of our age is arrogance, pride, criticism, entitlement, and self-indulgence. It infects our politics. It infects our workplaces. It infects our schools. Our homes. Our neighborhoods. Even our churches. Perhaps especially our churches. It’s the spirit of the Pharisee. The spirit of self-righteousness. An unwillingness to submit to any other authority in our lives except our own. This includes God. Sure, we know how to say the right things. “God is first in my life!” “I love God the most!” “God is my all in all!” We sing songs that declare these truths. We sit through sermons where these truths are proclaimed. We tell these things to our Christian friends. But one look at our schedule. One look at our bank account. A glance at our Twitter feed, Instagram, or Facebook account. A moment of honest self-reflection. All these conspire to reveal what we really believe. We are our own gods. 

Gideon was different. Not perfect. Not blameless in his generation. Not powerful and mighty among men. No, what marked him was his humility. The angel of the Lord found him treading out grain in a winepress. Providing for his family at great risk to himself. When the Lord called him to become the next judge over Israel, Gideon echoes Moses at the burning bush. “Who am I that you would send me?” So unsure of himself, he puts God to the test by laying out a fleece not once but twice! God honors his humble heart. Gideon was humble enough to place his faith and trust into action. He tears down the altar of Baal. He sends home his entire army before battle. And then when confronted at the beginning of Judges 8 by the Ephraimites who wanted to claim the glory, he humbled himself before them and honored them. It’s a stunning display. Finally, when it is all said and done, the people want to make him king. He refuses the crown. He refuses to take God’s rightful place in their lives. In the words of Murray, Gideon understood “the highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God.” 

What about us? What does humility look like in our own lives? Surely, it is more than words. It is life lived intentionally under the sovereign authority of God. A life lost in the vision that God is all in all. A life lived before God, submitted to God, surrendered to God. What does such a life look like in the 21st century? It is a life of worship. Daily. Weekly. It is a life of Sabbath rest. It is a life of prayer. It is a life of reflection on the Scriptures. It is a life of service to the Kingdom. It is a life of devotion to our Lord. It is a life that intentionally directs all its resources - time, talent, treasure - towards God. It is a life that engages the world while remaining set apart. A life of risk where safety and comfort are sacrificed for the sake of the gospel. 

Rest assured, such a life is not easy to live in our world today. Not with the demands on our time. Not with the demands on our resources. My wife and I were talking about this all the time. Even this past week, we had to make choices as my twins wanted to attend a swim team banquet on Maundy Thursday. Their connection to their teammates is part of what has got them through the last few months under the restrictions of COVID. So we let them go. Was this the right choice? We aren’t sure to be honest but we are having conversations all the time in our home about how we humbly honor and serve the Lord even in this particular season.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 11-12, Luke 9:1-27

The Struggle is Real

Readings for today: Judges 3-7, Luke 7:36-8:39

“Life is pain, highness.” - Dred Pirate Roberts

I grew up in the 1980’s so the Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies and the line above is one that’s always stuck with me. The Dred Pirate Roberts lived a life of incredible struggle and heartache and pain. He’s persevered through hardship and suffering. He’s overcome incredible obstacles. He’s survived impossible odds. The princess, on the other hand, lived a life of privilege. Growing up amidst all kinds of wealth and splendor. Servants to meet her every need. At the same time, she too has suffered loss. Heartbreak. She grieves over the one she loves whom she believes is dead. I don’t want to spoil the ending for those who haven’t see it but suffice to say both characters have learned and grown and battled through life. It’s not been easy.  

“Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before...They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.” (Judges‬ ‭3:1-2, 4‬) 

Israel failed. She lost her nerve. She took her eyes off of Yahweh and succumbed to fear. As a result, the Promised Land was not fully conquered. The pagan nations not fully driven out. They remain as a perpetual test to Israel’s faithfulness. Would they stay true to the commandments of the Lord or would they follow the ways of the Canaanites? The Book of Judges tells the tragic tale of Israel’s descent into idolatry and spiritual darkness. All the skeletons in Israel’s closet are exposed and put on display for generations to read. The moral character of many of the judges is suspect. Their conduct immoral. Their decisions unwise. It’s a story of compromise. A story that depicts what happens when we try to embrace the ways of God and the ways of the world. It’s a story where the faithfulness of God is revealed in His discipline and loving correction. Over and over again, He will give the people of Israel over into the hands of their enemies. He will withdraw His protective hand from them. He will allow the nations around them to conquer and pillage and destroy; all in order to bring Israel back to repentance. Back to faith. Back to Himself.  

Israel must learn to fight because life is a struggle. In the ancient near east, the struggle was literal. It took place on battlefields and within cities. It was a violent, brutal, harsh world full of pain. Israel would need to know how to fight back and defend herself. In the 21st century, we still fight battles. I think of our military men and women who go all over the world to defend the weak and oppressed. They fight against tyranny with such courage. I think of our police officers who put themselves in danger in the line of duty each and every day. Every call that comes in is a potentially violent situation they will be forced to handle. I think of our firefighters who are called to save lives, often at great cost. I think of dear friends I’ve had who’ve spent a lifetime fighting against systematic racism, abuse, and oppression. I think of Christian leaders I know around the world who are persecuted and have their lives threatened. I think of so many impoverished in our world today who, day in and day out, experience life-threatening suffering firsthand. They are well-acquainted with the pain. They know the heartache. And they fight. They struggle. They battle through each and every day. Perhaps even more pervasive are the battles we all face on the inside. The battles with depression, anxiety, and fear. Despite the incredible wealth and privilege and blessing we live with in my community, we’ve never been more stressed. More discontent. More anxious and afraid. 

We are being tested, friends. Day in and day out. Will we keep the commands of the Lord? Will we spend time with Him every day? Will we worship Him as He deserves each week? Will we honor the Sabbath? Will we give sacrificially and generously? Will we allow our hearts to be shaped by deep reflection on His Word? Will we surrender to His Spirit? Life is struggle. Life is pain. Life is not safe or easy. And anyone who says differently is selling something. (Again with the Princess Bride lines...) Does this mean things are hopeless? Should we just throw in the towel? By no means! God promises He will bear His fruit in the lives of those who walk with Him! Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. These are the gifts of God for the people of God. In the midst of all life is throwing your way, turn to Christ! Let Him be your strength and your shield for the battles you fight!

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 8-10, Luke 8:40-56

Evangelism

Readings for today: Judges 1-2, Luke 7:1-35

“And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.” (Luke‬ ‭7:22‬)

The gospel is good news. Somehow that message has become twisted in our world. So many see the gospel as bad news. They see it as restrictive. Oppressive. Ignorant. Unjust. Judgmental. Condemnatory. But nothing could be further from the truth. When people encountered Jesus, they found new life. Literally. The blind would begin to see. The deaf would begin to hear. Lepers would be cleansed and restored to community. The dead were raised. Everywhere Jesus went, new life broke out. Joy was His constant companion. Restoration and reconciliation followed in His wake. And yet, it was never enough. Eventually the praise turns to hate. The cries of adulation turn to calls for condemnation. Crucifixion. It would be the most baffling thing in the world except that it’s nothing new.

The people of Israel have just buried another great leader. A leader in mold of Moses. A man who led them faithfully for decades. They’ve come a long way since Egypt. No longer slaves. No longer living under tyranny and oppression. No longer a foreign people in a foreign land. They have come through the fire. They have come through the flood. They have come through the wilderness. And God has provided every step of the way. He gave them food to eat. Water to drink. He gave them victory over their enemies. All of this is good news! It’s something every Israelite should know by heart. And yet we read this heartbreaking verse, “And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.” (Judges‬ ‭2:10‬) How is this possible? How is it possible to forgot the good news?

Sadly, I see the same thing happening all around us today. A generation rising who has forgotten the good news of the gospel. A generation who do not know the Lord or the work He has done. A generation who has bought the lie that the good news is actually bad news. And just to be clear, this has very little to do with age. This isn’t about young or old. This is not a complaint about “kids these days.” It has to do with the spirit of our day. We are living in a time when everyone wants to do what is right in their own eyes. Everyone wants to be free to follow whatever desires seem good to them. It’s very similar to the time of the Judges. A time in Israel’s history where she suffered horribly. A time in Israel’s history where terrible and tragic things took place on a regular basis. It was a time in Israel’s history where sin held sway and wreaked havoc on people’s lives. So we shouldn’t be surprised when a mass shooter opens fire in a King Soopers. We shouldn’t be surprised when sexual abuse scandals come to light in Washington DC, Hollywood, and even in the sacred precincts of the church. We shouldn’t be surprised when parts of the world starve to death while other parts live in abundance and plenty. We should grieve and weep and our hearts should break but we shouldn’t be surprised. After all, when the good news is rejected, all we are left with is bad news. And the world is full of bad news these days, amen?

So what’s the answer? The church. The people of God filled with the Spirit of God walking in obedience to God going forth to share the love of God with the world. The church has always been God’s answer to the problems that exist in the world. Jesus Himself said, “whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John‬ ‭14:12-14‬) Imagine a church who loves the way Jesus loved? Imagine a church who sets her heart on serving the poor? Healing the sick? Visiting those who are in prison? Imagine a church who gives sight to the blind? Helps the deaf to hear? Embraces the lepers of our day? Imagine a church who laid down her arms in the culture war? A church who laid aside her pursuit of power and wealth and cultural privilege and instead gave herself away for the sake of the gospel? Would this not be good news? Would not the world catch a glimpse of the Kingdom?

You say, it’s not possible. I know how you feel. I too find it easy to despair. But then I see the good news in action. I see it in the lives of ordinary people who do extraordinary things in the name of Jesus. I see it in the lives of foster parents who take children into their home. I see it when business owners give ex-cons a second change. I see it when couples fight for their marriages. I see it when addicts find healing and embrace in community. I see it when rich and poor come together in real relationship. All of a sudden needs are met. Lives are changed. All in the name of Jesus. I see it globally as entire villages come to know Christ. Abuse rates drop. Addiction rates plummet. Communities start to experience the blessing of a new way of life. The sick are healed. The dead are raised. Yes, I’ve seen these things with my own eyes. The good news is real, friends! It’s news our world is desperate to hear and experience for themselves. As we celebrate Easter this year, let’s remember where we go from here. We cannot keep this message to ourselves! It is a message designed to be personally delivered to every person on the face of the earth. Who are you sharing the good news with today?

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 3-7, Luke 7:36-8:39

Blessings

Readings for today: Joshua 23-24, Luke 6:27-49

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on all the blessings I’ve been given in my life. Blessings I did not earn. Blessings I did not seek. Blessings I could never have gained on my own. I grew up in a family where hard work and commitment were prized. My father’s family spent their lives farming in western Nebraska. My mother’s family spent their lives ministering in southern Indiana. Both sets went through periods of hardship and struggle. Both sets experienced success and failure. Both sets persevered. Family was a priority. Faith was the rule rather than the exception. Children were expected to work alongside the adults. Talent and ability was identified at a young age and nurtured. Education was seen as the key to creating greater opportunity. Sacrifices were made in order to help the next generation build on what previous generations had built. When I was young, I took my upbringing for granted. Now that I am older, I am learning just how rare it can be. I travel the world and meet people from all walks of life and I can tell you firsthand that I am blessed beyond measure. I had access to resources most people can only dream of growing up. I have been given so many opportunities along the way. None of this was my doing. It was all the Lord.

Perhaps that’s why I love these words from the end of the Book of Joshua so much. “I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant. Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua‬ ‭24:13-15‬) Israel was a blessed nation. Chosen by God. Not because she was the strongest or the greatest but simply out of grace. God gave her a new name. A new identity. A new Law. A Tabernacle in which to worship. A Promised Land in which to dwell. Abundant resources to harvest. Power over her enemies. And all He asks in return is faith. All He wants from His people is for them to love Him with all their hearts. Worship Him exclusively as He rightly deserves.

When you think back over the course of your life, what do you see? Do you see abundant blessings that can only come from God? Blessings not just in material wealth but blessings that are spiritual, emotional, and relational? Do you see God at work even the hard times? Amidst the failures? Does He show up in the middle of your pain and suffering to bring comfort? Are these not also unlooked for blessings that we have not earned nor have a right to expect? In light of all God has done for you in the course of your life…in light of all God has done for you on the cross…will you choose to serve Him? Love Him? Place your faith in Him? This is the choice Joshua sets before Israel and it is the choice God sets before us this Good Friday. Choose this day whom you will serve. The gods of this earth who exploit and oppress and ultimately take everything from you or the God of the universe who gives up everything - including His very life - to save and deliver you.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 1-2, Luke 7:1-35

Witness

Readings for today: Joshua 20-22, Luke 6:1-26

“The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the Lord is God." (Josh. ‭22:34‬) 

What does it mean to be a witness? And what are we “witnessing” to? For the tribes of Israel, the altar by the Jordan was built to remind them they were all part of one large family. Deeply connected by their common kinship with Abraham but also their covenant with God Himself. The tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh were concerned that future generations might forget this connection and start to see the Jordan River as the boundary between God’s people and the rest of the world. They didn’t want to be left out so before they crossed the Jordan to take possession of their inheritance, they built a monument of “imposing size.” Not for burnt offerings. Not for sacrifices. But a witness to all of Israel that they were one people under Yahweh. Every time an Israelite would pass by the monument, it would “witness” to their shared history and deep connection. 

In the Book of Acts, Jesus calls us “His witnesses.” We are witnesses in our neighborhoods, cities, nations, and to the very ends of the earth. In this way, we are living memorials to all God has done. We are living monuments to a shared history. A common heritage. The deep connection we share as God’s chosen people. We “witness” to the glory and goodness of God. We “witness” to the unity we share as the family of God. Anytime someone “passes us by” or interacts with us on any level, they should leave having “witnessed” the mercy and grace of God and having felt the deep love we have for one another.

Ultimately, the Bible itself is the pre-eminent witness. I love what Joshua 21:45 says, “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.” The only reason we know this statement is true is because we have an accurate record of what took place. This is why we read the Old Testament. Within its pages, God “witnesses” to us over and over again of His great faithfulness and love. Even in the face of our sin. Even in the face of our rebellion. Even in the face of our evil. Even in the face of all our brokenness, God pursues us. God relentlessly chases us. God never lets us go.

I know reading through the Bible in a year is not easy! It indeed is a “monument of imposing size!” But as sit with God’s Word and prayerfully reflect on all He has to say, we are shaped and formed in ways we cannot begin to imagine. 

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 23-24, Luke 6:27-49

Levi’s Feast

Readings for today: Joshua 18-19, Luke 5:27-39

“Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” (Luke 5:31-32) This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It’s one I take literally mainly because I used to be that sick person in need of healing. I was a borderline addict in need of freedom. I was a broken man needing to be made whole by Jesus. It’s probably why I try to spend so much time with lost people. Listening. Loving. Living life alongside them for as long as they let me. I frankly don’t care if they are rich or poor. Republican or Democrat. Powerful or powerless. Gay or straight. Black, white, or brown. I don’t care what language they speak or culture they come from or nation they represent. My calling is simply to meet them where they are. Serve them in whatever way I can. And trust the Spirit to minister in and through me to their deepest needs.

Levi is sitting in his tax booth. Most likely alone as tax collectors were some of the most hated people at the time. They were seen as traitors to their nation. Collaborators with Rome. Men who profited off the exploitation of their own people. Most people would have given Levi a wide berth. They would have avoided him like the plague. Jesus does not. Jesus marches right up to him and says, “Follow Me.” I cannot begin to fathom the reaction of the other disciples. Especially Simon the Zealot. Before Simon became a follower of Jesus, he belonged to a group of people who literally would knife guys like Levi in the streets. He had dedicated his entire life to the eradication of such traitors to Israel. Now they would become brothers.

It’s a stunning invitation. One that Levi embraces. Not only that but he wants all his friends and colleagues to know why he’s left his tax booth. Why he’s put aside his wealth and power to follow an itinerant preacher. Why he’s given up his sinful ways. So he throws a feast. It’s a motley group of people to say the least. Tax collectors. Sinners. The dregs of society. Jesus loves it. He “reclines at table” with them meaning He makes Himself one of them. Sharing a meal in 1st century Middle Eastern culture was incredibly significant. It meant identifying with and becoming connected to those you ate with which is why the Pharisees go nuts. They can’t believe a rabbi of Jesus’ stature would lower Himself in such a way.

They simply don’t understand Jesus. And frankly, many Christians today don’t understand Jesus either. Philippians 2:5-11 tells us Jesus emptied Himself in order to become one with us. Emptied Himself of all His divine glory and power to become utterly dependent on His Father. He emptied Himself to become a human being. He emptied Himself further to become a servant of humanity. He emptied Himself completely by dying on a cross for humanity. Perhaps most stunning of all, He emptied Himself for me. This kenosis or “divine emptying” remains one of the most glorious yet mysterious aspects of the gospel. And it is the source of our salvation.

So let me ask you a question…how are you emptying yourself in order to follow Jesus? What are you relinquishing? What are you sacrificing? What are you giving up? Do you find yourself more at home with sinners or do you only relate to saints? Do you find your heart broken for the outcasts and marginalized in our society or do you mainly spend time with those who look like you? Act like you? Spend money like you? Would you have gone to Levi’s feast or would you have grumbled like the Pharisees? Are you willing to risk your reputation to build relationships with those who do not believe so that they might find salvation?

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 20-22, Luke 6:1-26

Finishing Strong

Readings for today: Joshua 15-17, Luke 4:42-5:26

The key is not how we start the race but how we finish. I remember running in my first 5K when I was a young boy with my brothers. It was the Denver Symphony Run in downtown Denver. I remember the day was dreary and rainy. I remember pushing my way to the front of the start line with my brothers. I remember the starting gun going off and the three of us sprinting to the front of the pack. We led the race for about the first 50 yards. You probably can imagine what happened next. We spent the next three miles alternating between jogging and walking as we struggled to finish. It was a painful experience.

Israel sprints out of the gates in their conquest of the Promised Land. They win victory after victory. Joshua’s leadership is exceptional. His tactics strong. His strategic decisions brilliant. Always in the right place at the right time. Anticipating. Attacking and counter-attacking. It reminds me of the movie,When We Were Soldiers, and how Colonel Hal Moore seemed to make every right move. The first campaign comes to an end. Israel is now firmly and deeply entrenched. They are the new power to be reckoned with in the region. But Joshua cannot be everywhere all at once so now it is up to each tribe to go out and secure their allotment. They are to go out with the same boldness and courage that so marked Joshua and complete the conquest. They are to place their trust in God and His ability to fight on their behalf. But they fail. They fall short. They lose heart. So the Jebusites remain in the territory of Judah. The Gezerites remain in the territory of Ephraim. Other Canaanites remain in the territory of Manasseh. As they struggle to uproot those already living in the land, they start to grow afraid. Afraid the military might of those who oppose them. The iron chariots and those fortified in the hill country. They are afraid they won’t succeed. They take their eyes off of Yahweh. They forget His faithfulness. They give into their fear and the conquest is never fully completed. 

Finishing is hard. How many folks start this race we call the Christian faith only to wither along the way? Their dreams turning to despair as they battle the inevitable disappointments along the way. Their hopes shattered by the trials and tragedies and trauma that often happen. Their initial love quenched by suffering and pain and heartache. Jesus knows how hard this life can be. He knows how hard it is to hold onto faith when if feels like the whole world is falling apart. Most importantly, He knows the fickle nature of our hearts. He even tells a story about it. There was once a farmer who went out to plant his seeds. Some seeds fell on the hard path. Some seeds fell among the rocks. Some seeds fell among the weeds. Other seeds in good soil. Each tried to take root. The seeds on the path had nowhere to go so they were eaten by the birds. The seeds among the rocks had no place to put down roots so they sprung up quickly but then died. The seeds that fell among the weeds also sprung up but were eventually choked off. Finally, the seed that fell on good soil produced a bountiful harvest. Are you allowing the Spirit to till the soil of your heart? Are you allowing the Spirit to provide all the nutrients you need to make your heart a welcoming place for the gospel? Have the seeds of the gospel found purchase in your heart? Or did they spring up only to die for lack of roots? Did the cares and the worries of this world choke off your faith? Or are you producing a harvest of righteousness? Are you finishing the race? 

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 18-19, Luke 5:27-39

The Fame of Jesus

Readings for today: Joshua 11-14, Luke 4:1-41

“And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region…when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.” (Luke‬ ‭4:37, 40-41‬)

In recent years, my heart has been growing increasingly unsettled. I have this sense that a tsunami of pain is about to hit our shores, if it hasn’t already. All around us, the labor pains of a new world are beginning. Our children are losing any sense of healthy identity. Mental health crises are on the rise. Suicide rates are trending upward. Substance abuse is skyrocketing. Our culture is filled with an increasing amount of rage and anger. Death threats are now common against those with whom we disagree. It seems like everything is taken to the extreme. It makes for a very hostile and dangerous environment especially for those living in marginalized communities. Add in the strain of a global pandemic along with the economic chaos it has caused and it begs the question…where do we go from here? Are we doomed to live the rest of our lives under threat? Constantly drawing our relational boundaries ever tighter in order to protect ourselves and those we love or perhaps withdrawing altogether? Surely there has to be a different way?

First century culture in Palestine was little different than our own. Pharisees. Saduccees. Essenes. Herodians. Roman collaborators. It was a divided society where different religious/political factions dotted the landscape. Each having an agenda. Each vying for power. Each seeking supremacy so they could eradicate their opposition. Each seeking to bring about the Kingdom of God in their own strength and according to their own wisdom. This was the world into which Jesus was born. This was the world in which Jesus launched his ministry. And what a ministry it was! So different than all the rest! Jesus welcomed the outcast. Ate with sinners. Spent time with the ritually unclean. He lifted up women. He cleansed lepers. He restored the isolated and lonely to community. As his fame grew, many people came from all over to bring him their sick. Their diseased. Their hurting. Their wounded. The demon-possessed were set free. He healed all their afflictions. And this only drew more hurting people to him. God was glorified. The Kingdom drew near. Salvation came to so many. All in the name of Jesus.

What if the church took a similar stance today? What if the church made it her aim to serve her community? To share the GOOD news of the gospel? Bring healing in Jesus’ name? Freedom in Jesus’ name? Hope in Jesus’ name? What if the church was known as a refuge? A place of safety and security amidst the turmoil and violence of our world? What if the church was known for love rather than hate? What if she were known for grace rather than judgment? Faithfulness rather than hypocrisy? What if we made space for people to come as they are? Wherever that may be? What if we committed to walk beside anyone…anytime…anywhere…for as long as they will let us? Would not the fame of Jesus increase? Would not people be drawn to the care and comfort we provide? What if we laid aside our agenda? Our internal ideological squabbles? Our insider theological tussles and instead linked arms to serve? What if we stopped stabbing our wounded in the back and instead embraced the Jesus way of life? What if we put aside our need for political/social/cultural influence and power and instead sought to prayerfully engage across these various spectrums? What if our posture were humility rather than pride? Peace rather than war? Kindness rather than outrage? Service to others rather than to self?

Friends, true followers of Jesus are known more by what they’re for than what they’re against. Jesus was certainly against many things in his day but he was known more for his love and compassion and ministry among the poor. The outcast. The sinner. Thankfully there are many churches who follow his lead. What about you? What about your church? How can you represent Christ in your community more faithfully today?

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 15-17, Luke 4:42-5:26

Holy War

Readings for today: Joshua 9-10, Luke 3

The Book of Joshua contains some of the most challenging readings in all of Scripture. It forces us to grapple with the nature and character of God on a deep level. His judgments. His wrath. His command to His people to “devote destruction” entire cities and tribes. This is jihad. It is holy war. And honest readers of Scripture should find the reading deeply unsettling. My goal today is not to rescue us from such feelings but to make sure we place them in their proper cultural context. This is yet another example where the gulf between 21st century American culture and ancient near east culture is vast and almost insurmountable. First, let’s get a sampling of the texts in front of us…

“As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.” (Joshua‬ ‭10:28‬)

“And the Lord gave Libnah also and its king into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it; he left none remaining in it. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.” (Joshua‬ ‭10:30‬)

“And the Lord gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, as he had done to Libnah.” (Joshua‬ ‭10:32‬)

“And they captured Eglon on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. And he devoted every person in it to destruction that day, as he had done to Lachish.” (Joshua‬ ‭10:35)

“So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel commanded.” (Joshua‬ ‭10:40‬)

Herem is a notoriously difficult Hebrew word to translate. Roughly it means to “put something/someone under the ban” or “devote to destruction.” Less an act of war, it was more about ritual cleansing. It reflects God’s righteous, holy, and terrifying judgment against idolatry. Israel was His instrument. Chosen to enact this judgment against the Canaanites. And it was a brutal as it sounds. It was jihad. Holy war. Yahweh-sanctioned genocide. And we cannot - again, if we’re being honest - shrink back from the horror of it all. 

Too many preachers attempt to justify God’s actions here. Soften them to make them seem more palatable. Glorify them as if this was the set of an epic movie scene. I will do no such thing. What I will say - and what we must grasp - is that Herem is fully in line with God’s eternal character. It is who God has revealed Himself to be. A God of righteousness and judgment and holiness. A God who hates evil and sin. A God who literally fights to eradicate these things from the earth. (i.e.  “throwing large stones from heaven...”) And we want God to be this kind of God. We need God to be this kind of God! How else will things be made right? How else will judgment come on 20th century evils like Nazism, Stalinism, or the killing fields of Pol Pot? Don’t we demand God to be a God of justice when faced with these atrocities? Didn’t we, on some level, consider ourselves to be acting on God’s behalf...in service to His righteous cause...when we stormed the beaches of Normandy? Or defeated the “evil empire” of the Soviet Union? Were not those actions a form of jihad? Holy war against an unholy enemy?

But how does this God square with the God we see revealed in the New Testament? The God of love Jesus spoke so eloquently about? Here it is essential we remember how God defines love. It is not an abstract category or warm fuzzy feeling in the heart. It is not soft and sentimental. No, God defines love as sacrifice. Specifically, the sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son. “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John‬ ‭4:10‬) What we have to understand is the only reason we get to receive the grace of God...the mercy of God...the love of God...is because of what Jesus Christ endured on our behalf. The Father essentially put His own Son under the ban. Devoted Him to destruction so that we may live. This, friends, is the love of God! The Father pouring out His righteous wrath and judgment on the Son. The Son willingly offering Himself up as the sacrifice for all humanity’s sin. Enduring unimaginable pain. Unimaginable suffering. Separation from His Father. Death. Hell. God descending to the uttermost darkness. It was without a doubt the most horrible act of Herem in the history of the world. More terrible than genocide is deicide. God allowing Himself to be murdered by His own beloved creation.

All this He did for us. All this He did for the world. All this He did to cleanse the earth of the powers of sin and idolatry and evil and death. 1 John 2:2 says, “Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” God is the same yesterday, today and forever, friends! There is perfect congruence between the God of the Old and the God of the New Testaments. He acts in perfect concert with Himself. Always within His character and nature. He never deviates. As the old hymn suggests, “There is no shadow or turning with Thee! Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not. As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be!”

Does this make our readings any easier? No. Does it help to suggest that some of this is clearly hyperbole? Maybe. It’s clear from later reading in Scripture that all the people Israel was commanded to destroy were, well, not destroyed. And what about the innocent? Why are they killed along with the guilty? Here we have to be careful about layering our 21st century assumptions onto the text. According to Scripture no one is innocent. We are all born in a state of guilt and sin. The culture of the ancient Canaanites was rife with violence like child sacrifice. Nothing innocent about it. Friends, God always speaks to us in a language we can understand. He meets us where we are, in the cultural waters in which we swim, speaking to us out of the thought world we inhabit. This was true for ancient Israel and it is true for us today and it is absolutely critical to keep in mind as we read these ancient words.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 11-14, Luke 4:1-41

Growing Up Jesus

Readings for today: Joshua 7-8, Luke 2:22-52

What are your impressions of Jesus when He was young? Can you imagine Him as a baby in Mary’s arms? As a toddler in Joseph’s carpentry shop? Playing in the sawdust? Learning how to drive a nail?Can you see Him running around with the other boys in Nazareth? Do you think He ever felt awkward? Did He have a sense that He was not like the rest? I imagine Jesus did. I imagine He felt set apart from a very early age. 

Many myths and stories have been told about the so-called “lost years” of Jesus. The years of Jesus’ childhood that none of the gospel writers bother to write down. Some say Jesus went to study with the gurus of India. Some say He spent time with the Essenes and His cousin John. Still others believe He traveled to England with Joseph of Arimethea. All of these theories are completely bogus of course. Tales spun to satisfy a curiosity that simply will not accept the truth. Jesus lived a very ordinary life as the oldest son of Joseph and Mary. He apprenticed in His father’s carpentry business. He studied Torah with the rabbi’s. He simply “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.” (Luke‬ ‭2:40‬) 

Of course, there were glimpses of the extraordinary in Jesus’ life. Like the time at the Temple when He was twelve years old. Joseph and Mary make their annual trek to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. After the celebration is over, they begin to make their way home. Since villages all tended to travel together, they assumed Jesus was with their group. However, after they get a day’s journey out, they realize Jesus is not with them and they panic. They rush back to Jerusalem. Search the city for three whole days only to find Him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening and asking questions. “Why have you treated us like this?” Why disrespect us? Why not obey us? Why did you not come when it was time to go? Their anger and frustration is palpable. Jesus responds by humbling himself and returns with them to Nazareth. 

Meanwhile Mary adds this event to the list she’s treasuring in her heart. Angelic visitations. Miraculous conception. Awe-inspiring birth. Shepherds, wise men, and others worshipping her little boy. Old Simeon proclaiming Him to be the Messiah. 84 year old Anna saying the most amazing things. Surely Mary must have seen something special in Jesus. Something she did not see in her other children. And now this latest episode where her twelve year old son, displaying a wisdom beyond His years, astounding the teachers of the law in the Temple with His understanding. What a privilege to have a front row seat to all that God was doing in and through her Son. To watch Him grow in wisdom and stature and favor with both God and man. Mary could not have been more proud. 

So let me ask you this question...is Jesus growing on you? Do you find yourself trusting in His wisdom? Trusting in His strength? Is Jesus “increasing” in your eyes? Has He found favor with you like He has for so many billions throughout the world today? 

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 9-10, Luke 3

Taking Sides

Readings for today: Joshua 5-6, Luke 2:1-21

“When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped…” (Joshua‬ ‭5:13-14)

Whose side is God on? A college football team wins the national championship. Music is playing. Students rush the field. Confetti flies. A reporter catches up with the star of the game and asks, “How’d you do it?” “God was with us…” he replies. Truth? Does God really pick sides in football games?

Whose side is God on? A piece of legislation is proposed. A scandal hits the administration. The next election is on the line. Both political parties claim the sanction of God. Both claim to better represent His will. Both claim the moral high ground and argue their platform is more pleasing to God. After the results are in, the winner basks in the glory of victory often proclaiming, “God was with us tonight!” Truth? Does God take sides in our morally bankrupt political system? Does He go with the lesser of two evils?

Whose side is God on? Harsh words are said. Feelings get hurt. A relationship fractures. Friends rush to either side for support. Quick to justify the actions of the one they care about. Quick to dismiss the one who has hurt their friend and loved one. Surely God is on our side, right? Surely He has seen the hurt we’ve experienced? Truth? Does God bless our brokenness and take sides in a divorce? Or a falling out between friends?

Whose side is God on? Joshua was standing out by Jericho. Scouting the opposition. Looking up at those formidable walls. Wondering how he’s going to win a victory. Suddenly, an angel appears. Not a baby wearing diapers playing a harp. Not some precious moments cherub with the rosy cheeks. A terrifyingly powerful being wearing armor and carrying a monstrous sword. “Whose side are you on?” Joshua asks. It’s the most natural question in the world. Are you for us or against us? If you’re for us, we’ll easily win the victory. If you’re against us, we will clearly suffer defeat. But the angel hasn’t come to “take sides.” This isn’t about God blessing the work of Joshua’s hands. This is about Joshua and Israel taking the Lord’s side. Joshua falls down in worship. He humbles Himself before the angel. He submits himself to the Lord. Now he’s ready to take the city.

We spend so much time wondering whose side God is on when the reality is we should be trying to figure out how to get on His side. We talk about “being on the wrong side of history.” We fear being on the losing side of an argument or a game or an election. We struggle when we see relationships around us break up and we try to figure out who’s wrong so we can cast blame. The reality is we are always wrong. Only God is right. Only God is faithful. Only God is true. Our cause is never pure. Never truly just. Never holy. Rather than spend so much time trying to figure out how we can get God on our side, we should be spending that time in prayer and meditation on God’s Word so we can get on His side.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 7-8, Luke 2:22-52