Author: hopebroker

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God’s super subtle, sneaky news to the sheepboys

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke‬ ‭2:8-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​I guess some kinds of REALLY good news doesn’t require a command or an invitation. This announcement, proclamation, FYI was so huge, so earth-shattering that the angels didn’t say, “GO.” They didn’t make the shepherds do anything. Yeah, there’s some assumption the sheep-guys would want to go, “you will recognize, you will find,” but still no “go thou.”

Some news is just like that. We send invites out to the big occasions in our lives, “You’re invited…” birthdays, bris, birth announcements, showers and weddings, because they are HUGE celebration moments in our life and we want family (for sure) and close friends to be there to celebrate. I guess the arrival of angelic beings bursting from the sky could be considered and shepherds invitation?

But, look who received the biggest announcement known to humankind. SHEEPBOYS (I figured if cow herders can be called cow-boys, the sheep guys should get equal title). Not family, not close friends of Mary and Joseph. Ah, but they were very close friends of God! And these guys weren’t some kind of young, knuckleheads, poor and forgotten out on the prairie.

They were the upper-classmates of the priestly training school. And these sheep and lambs were not just some run-of-the-range sheep – these were sacrificial sheep, the top-quality of the herd. These guys were special class, highly trained in veterinary skills to birth new lambs, protect from predators and heal their injuries. These lambs weren’t allowed to have ANY blemishes, ZERO broken bones and be perfect.

Get rid of the old “poor, teens” out their in the field picture we’ve been given in the Christmas stories.

In fact, think of it this way. This announcement, this experience was GIVEN to the future group of priests, possibly even “high-priest” material in twenty years or so, just about the time these young men would later hear of a messiah that would die on a cross and fulfill his destiny EXACTLY like those highly specialized sheep in their care that amazing night.

These sheepboys didn’t need a command, the news was worth going and seeing for themselves. After the Angels left, they took off for Bethlehem and found Jesus!

PRAYER:

​Dad,
I am thrilled to know that you, in your clever love, reached out to the religious leaders long before they became powerful, wealthy or stuffy-snobby smart.

You got some of their attention as a group of sheepboys while they were in priest-school. Was Nicodemus one of them? What ever happened to them as they got older and began serving in the temple. Did they remember that night? Of course they did!

And you knew exactly who you wanted to hear the news and be among the first to see the son of God – future religious leaders.

Maybe King David was watching the whole scene play out from heaven and said to you, “nice touch God!” I agree, a very nice touch indeed.

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The MOST reliable, stable, true and enduring thing I can know

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans.” Psalms‬ ‭119:89-91‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We now know that God’s eternal word, as referred to here in the Psalms, wasn’t just commands written in ink on scrolls or finger-lasered by God on stone. It was Jesus, the son of God. The word is a person not just ideas, concepts or even doctrines. And Jesus does stand firm in heaven.

His faithfulness is extending to THIS generation, whether that be Millennials, Z’s or Alpha’s. It’s kinda sad that we’ve given human age groupings names like bad storms. Plus, His regulations or ways remain true today and everything does serve Jesus’ plans. In other translations vs 91 says “they” referring to heaven and the earth. The word “regulations” are Jesus’ judgements (מִשְׁפָט mishpat: judgment).

Three things I observe from these passages:

  • One, God’s word is eternal.
  • Two: God’s word is thankfully extended (endures and abides/stands) to each one of the generations that are passing through time. The way generations are counted, it is possible that there have only been about 100 or so generations from Adam until today – just a hundred!
  • Three: God’s word remains true through all of our entire human history (and beyond). It is THE most true, most enduring, unchanging entity (person) we have known or will ever know. It’s also the most real entity in our existence!

Ahhh, the Word is more real, true and trustworthy than even the laws that govern our universe. The laws of gravity, energy or matter are LESS trustworthy than God’s Word! The Psalmist declares an ancient truth here that defies our understanding of reality. We can’t imagine “doubting” gravity, but we have no problem doubting what God says? Geez, that’s heavier than Uranium (a little element joke there)!

As a follower of Jesus, I should have ZERO doubt in God’s Word and also have ultimate TRUST in His plans. The psalmist adds, “everything serves God’s plans.” Whew. I can sleep better and rest from trying to control people or running the world. God’s got this!

PRAYER:

​Dad,
I don’t purposely TRY to worry or doubt, it just seems to creep up and grab me when I am going through difficult times or, I don’t know, like our world going through a multi-year pandemic!

I read your Psalms, your sacred songs and I can breath a little easier realizing how BIG you are and how very small I am. I can learn to trust in your Word because it IS the most reliable, stable, true and enduring thing I can know. I am learning so much of your character through your Word. Thank you.

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Mavericks and spirit-eneurs for the gospel

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Because these are letters to and from the Apostle Paul and the churches, in Corinth in this case, there is real and raw conversations that are captured. We call the different passages of the Bible, “books,” but most aren’t actual books as we know it. There are several different genres of the 66 collections of writings.

Much of the New Testament are letter form, like this one from Paul. It is believed that Corinthians had three or four such letters. 2 Corinthians may have been a composite of two of them, but the other was never found and thus did not make it into the Bible. It was also thought to be his last of his letters to them. Correspondence like this was common then and Paul was prolific in his letter writing abilities.

As you can see here with this small passage, Paul has become super transparent with his life in this letter. Using words, even here, like “conflict” or “fear,” as well as true joy. In chapters 6 & 11, Paul openly writes about all his conflicts, troubles and actually lists the number of times he was beaten, imprisoned even shipwrecked. Most normal people die in these circumstances, but Paul just kept on living and never stopped preaching, writing and living out the gospel all the way to his death in Rome, where he believed God wanted to give him audience with Caesar himself! Some think the book of Acts of the Apostles was Luke’s written account that Paul used to tell Caesar about Jesus Christ.

I often think about Paul doing what no one had done before, blazing an uncharted trail to bring the gospel to the gentiles. And when I see how God used him, I understand that any leader, every leader will face insurmountable barriers when cutting a path that no one sees or understands. Most of our modern leaders, especially in the church, are not leading out ahead, they’re just following the safer routes that have been cleared by mavericks and spirit-eneurs before them.

We need BOLD and humble leaders today. We need men and women of faith to take the gospel to the unknown as well as the “nones.” The church could not handle a lot of “Pauls” today, but we could sure use a few of them.

PRAYER:

Dad,
Thank you for leaders like Paul! Once a fierce enemy of the gospel, but then multiple times more “dangerous” after meeting you in person on the donkey ride to Damascus. We need more like him today. They are probably out there and I’m just not aware of it. Since leaving Royal Family KIDS, I’m back to more of a local focus of the church. Remember that one guy I met while flying somewhere, the guy I asked about our modern Apostles? That was so amazing. He acted like he knew of some and we had such an interesting conversation. That was such a divine appointment to get to listen to him! I just want to faithful to the task you called me to and remain open to your leading.

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God-memos make it all the way to the King

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“During the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king in Judah, the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: “Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message, right up to the present time. Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭36:1-3‬‬

​What a hard life for a spokesperson for God. We have the book of Jeremiah because he was told to write things down. And, Jeremiah being obedient, did just that.

He had a scribe (which by the way ended up becoming Pharisees in the New Testament, (LONG story) write down everything that God had told him. All the “prophetic” words of warning, future possibilities and what God was thinking about and communicating to his people at that time.

Whoa! This long line of communication style, from Adam to Noah, Abraham to Moses and now to Prophets, Judges and even Kings was an amazing precursor to Jesus speaking as God Himself!

So Baruch wrote them on a scroll. Then after writing down all these memos from God, Jeremiah tells Baruch, “get down to the temple and read these things to the leaders over Israel, Judah AND “other” nations. These words need a larger audience BECAUSE there’s a chance, a hope, a possibility that people will hear the words (and warnings) and REPENT.

Why would they repent, because the stuff that God says he will do to them will be terrible! That ought to get their attention, right? Well, just about the time we, the reader might think, “yeah, this is going to work!” People will hear the FUTURE and change their ways. Alas, not so much.

Baruch does read and gets not one but two interested audiences. One is a more public reading, the other a private one.

In the private reading two things happen. First the guys tell Baruch, HIDE! What? Yeah, you and Jeremiah hide and don’t tell anyone where you are. Second, we’ve got to read these to King Jehoiakim immediately.

The scrolls make it all the way to the palace! Jeremiah records what happens when the God-memos make it all the way to the King. The next scene reads right out of some ancient, gothic novel (36:22-24) – “It was late autumn, and the king was in a winterized part of the palace, sitting in front of a fire to keep warm. Each time Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king took a knife and cut off that section of the scroll. He then THREW IT INTO THE FIRE 🔥 , section by section, until the whole scroll was burned up. Neither the king nor his attendants showed any signs of fear or repentance at what they heard.”

What? You’ve got to kidding me. Can you even imagine the creator of the entire universe sending you a personal letter telling you what is going to happen and giving you fair warning to get your act together for your sake and the entire country and you casually, but defiantly cut it up piece by piece and flippantly fling it into the royal fireplace? OMG.

We are such a piece of work! That takes some kind of huge human cojones to openly defy God himself. At some point, it seems so ridiculously dark but humorous! Who do we think we are?

Yet, even in that amount of shear audacity of arrogance, God goes through with his plans to save and redeem us. Even guys like King joker-Jehoiakim. This puts a whole new look on Paul’s words to the churches in Rome (5:8), “EVEN while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!” And, sadly there those, even though they are warned about the future, their future, will take the words of God, sit in front of their cozy fireplace and smugly cut and throw his words into the fire. God help us!

PRAYER

Dad,
Again, I have to see this all in the reality of my own life. I can be aghast at the behaviors of old, egotistical even maniacal kings and think, what a loser. But the truth is so hard. I look into the perfect mirror of your word and see reflections of my own will, selfishness and stubbornness.

Even knowing the warnings and the effects of my own sin, yet still I fail. I am so thankful for your grace and mercy. I am so thankful for confession and repentance. I am also unworthy, yet you still love me.

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God’s angel-investment into Israel

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“The Lord your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:10-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

But did they forget the Lord? Absolutely. And, we tend to do the same.

First of all, God breaks his own principle of sowing and reaping to bless Israel. Yes, the people had it hard! They had only known multiple generations (400) years of slavery. They were learning the hardest lesson of all, dependency on a new master, a loving benevolent God and father to their people. But God also did the extraordinary – provided where they had not sown, had not worked, had not waited and had not invested. He would GIVE them large prosperous cities, fully stocked housing, water producing wells and vineyards and olive trees they did not plant nor tend to. God would give them a fully functional city-system that was already producing enough to not only sustain them, but also give them financial income when they sold or bartered goods in the future. All ready to go. God believed they needed it to get started.

He only asked them NOT to forget about him – and they eventually did.

I think this is a condition of our sin, of our humanity. I’m not saying we can’t push against it or even win to some degree, but it’s woven deep into our DNA. And, I don’t think the curse just effects our snobbery to God, I think it happens in our relationships to one another as well.

I believe we have a short memory and a very long selfish desire that plays the “what have you done for me lately” track in our brains. I have to stop and force my self, shake down my memories to remember what God (and friends) has done for me and sift out the gratitude as it is surfaces.

I must remember, not only being RESCUED but also provided for and loved.

PRAYER:

Dad,
I read about the amazing journey of Israel and see the template script of humanity overlaid in the stories.

I’ve know for a long time that I can’t look at the stubbornness, forgetfulness or the rebellion in their lives and not see those same qualities staring back at me in history’s mirror.

Yet, I know how the story ends now, they did not. I know the whole truth of the price of redemption, they did not. And still, even knowing and pursing the truth, I am, we are, still haunted by my failures, my shadows, my sin.

This is where faith truly makes another difference in our story compared to theirs. Abraham believed! And it was accounted to him as righteousness.

So it is with me.
I believe.

I can either wallow and whine or I can confess and keep moving forward. This helps me not forget what you’ve done.

And, I am eternally grateful.

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Oh death, really, where is your sting?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Isaiah 38:10-20

“But what could I say? For he himself sent this sickness. Now I will walk humbly throughout my years because of this anguish I have felt. Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live! Yes, this anguish was good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭38:15-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What do you do when you KNOW you’re going to die? Not think, but know. Isaiah told Hezekiah, get your stuff together because you ARE going to die! Then, God changed his mind… and added 15 years to his life! “Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria.” Hezekiah wrote these words of realty and humility AFTER he got better. But, it really shook him up. Isaiah loved his king and was heartbroken when Hezekiah finally did pass.

We had a pastor friend just die of Covid last week. I’m still processing the loss, the grief and sadness for his wife, three children and the church he pastored. I reflected on the five stages of grief and found someone who added four stages of hope after grieving. So denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are the grief stages. But waiting, wailing, weaving and worshipping are the hope stages.

Death, with it’s finality and processes, is hard to experience. Yet, it is also so clarifying, so pure in its ability to face the ultimate letting go. What really matters on your death bed? I’ve been with several who were dying and have been with some upon their departure. In a good, honorable, prepared for eternity death – there is only love. There is only a desire to be surrounded by those you love and those who have loved you well. It’s not just family, it’s also very close friends.

Being with the dying and upon death is as intimate as being in the birthing experience with a mom. It is holy. Time and all earthly, temporary things lose focus, and the pure moments of love are all that exists. There is no time. There is no worry. There is really no fear. It is as though the universe pauses all natural senses and you become part of a calm, quiet void – a transition. It’s so palpable, so real. You almost feel envious and a desire to be pulled along with them as they make their journey, leaving the body and releasing soul and spirit to go on, go over. For the believer it is miraculous and truly a journey of light.

There is NOTHING to fear at that moment! Fear and death and it’s grip on us, lose their hold. There is no sting, no pain, no worry. The living, fear because of loss or the undone or the unknown. But those who are prepared to die, do not fear any of those things.

Hezekiah was there at the edge and God brought him back for another round of life. But he was different because of the experience. He was humbled and more grateful. He saw his place, his station, his purpose in life and lived more in his last 15 years than he had done previous.