Tag: love

Posted on

Battle of “if’s.”

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.” Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As mentioned before, this is first battle Jesus, as the son of God, faces with the adversary (a descriptor more than a title). Every mention of this evil character never gives this supernatural being the honor of a title. It is a specific insult to remind us, this creature is not worthy of anything! It has many descriptors, all of which designates a single, personal, supernatural being who stands in absolute opposition to God and His redemptive purposes. He is neither a mere force nor an impersonal principle but is consistently portrayed as a conscious, strategic adversary with intellect, emotion, and will. Its bag of title-tricks include, slanderer, tempter, accuser, schemer, murderer, prince of the power of the air & beelzebub (ruler over all other demons, some of which are fallen angels, but also include other spiritual beings, even mythological figures, and malevolent creatures that exist in our world.)

In this first physical, spiritual standoff, Jesus, at what will be his weakest moment, is led by the Holy Spirit to go out into the Judean wilderness. Jesus’ task; to be tempted, tested! This battle had no physical weapons, no swords, spears or slings – just words. It was all a verbal, mental battle of specific questions to be asked by a liar and refuted by absolute truth. All the training and preparation from birth until the pre-launch of His ministry, Jesus would have his moment with the one cast out of heaven and given dominion over this dark planet.

It was only a three question examine, but it would both reveal the patterns and plans of the accuser that had been used since its first conversation with the woman in the garden – undermining the will of God. These three questions did not directly confront God, nor His will or ways. What questions would you ask God’s own son to get him to betray his father and please himself, rather than doing the hard job of fulfilling God’s will? The deceiver didn’t just go after Jesus’ hopes and dreams, his aspirations and future accomplishments. It went after Jesus’ identity!

Three temptations all started with, “If you are the Son of God.” If, if, if… then prove it by: Taking care of your own physical needs. Challenging the true nature of care, love and safety of your Father, by choosing self-harm. And, taking the shortcut to power by accepting a path that does not require suffering. It might seem simple. It might seem silly.

To authenticate his own self perception and purpose, all he to do was make some bread out of stones, leap off the 450 foot, 30 story building to the desert floor below. And, to quickly secure his inheritance in the future, all he had to do was accept the seemingly “generous,” “no-strings attached offer,” from the temporary governor of the planet. Three questions that start with identity, then the attempts at subverting God’s will taking shortcuts to self fulfillment. Sound familiar?

Even in Jesus’ exhausted state of mind and body, he saw through the lies and was not fooled by the veiled threats of God’s ability to keep his promises. The enemy of God and of our soul has not changed its primary motives or methods. The liar still lies, the supplanter still schemes and slanders. And, not surprisingly, we still fall for it all the time.

The tricks of temptation still attack our identity first. “If you are a child of God.” Then the same ol’ process to get us to take shortcuts in our own disordered desires. To buy now, pay later. To click and receive immediate results. To have our physical, emotional and soul’s needs cared for expediently.

We’ve all got our battles of “ifs.” No desert, or forty-day fasts are necessary to reveal the schemer’s real motives. The murderer cannot kill God, nor win THE battle. So the tempter comes after us, to take as many as it can, to ultimately be separated from God forever. Know this; WE choose the lie over truth, we desire the shortcuts of sin – to fulfill the now, forgetting the later. Even though we (all of us) are a created child of God, God still gives us choice, the autonomy of will to walk away from his love instead of living in it.

Prayer

​Dad,
The battle is very real today as it was since the beginning. Even when we see truth, and know truth, we still choose the lie. We can still question who we really are and struggle with what we really desire! But your love, your grace and mercy is stronger, especially when we hide Your Word in our heart and use it as a powerful weapon against the “ifs” and the shortcuts. Help us O’ Lord! Help us to know you, walk with you, trusting you over our own delusions and delights. To resist the lie and the liar so it will flee!

Posted on

Small but significant.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.” He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus, in speaking of the Kingdom of God, uses two words in his object lesson illustrations – tiny and little. Well, really he says it’s like a “kokkos” a grain and “zumé” yeast. The New Living Translation inserts the word “little,” but it’s not in the original language. Apparently yeast is so powerfully pervasive that it needs no modifier word.

Is Jesus saying that the Kingdom starts out small, but grows and expands to something much bigger and more powerful? That’s what it looks like. I don’t want to read too much into Jesus’ word-play here, but it’s interesting to think of God’s plans or His ways being anything but gigantic!

Are God’s ways subtle? I can see how they would be hidden, mysterious, even secretive in the way that would peek our curiosity. It’s hard for my brain to understand words like omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent by descriptions like a mustard seed or a smallest smidgen of yeast!

God does love to start small; creating humans from dust, choosing one unknown nomadic (Abram) to become a nation, a people that would become more populous than the sands of the sea or stars in the sky. And the most famous small to significant example, a chromosome supernaturally implanted into Mary’s ovum, where God takes on flesh and becomes a man. Yeah, this is how God has always approached us and world in which we experience life.

God comes like a grain, a smidgen of greatness, so small, so understated, that it can be easily dismissed or even entirely missed. But it does not remain small, nor nearly invisible. It grows exponentially larger than we can even imagine. Yeah, that sounds exactly like God, like Jesus’ birth, life and death, like what the Kingdom of God will become. It starts small, but hardly insignificant. To find it, to discover it, to live it, we must look for it, like a young child, so curious to touch everything, to exploring their environment constantly. God is not hidden, and neither is His Kingdom. He’s just waiting for us to find Him.

Prayer

​Dad,
It is an absolute wonder to know that, in all your magnanimity, you are still subtle when it comes to us! You still whisper to us. You still want us to come, taking a second look. You still wait to be big in our life and still patiently approach everything that exists in our world and beyond. Small enough, gentle enough for a child to see you and know you. Yet, big enough to be just, right and true above and beyond all other gods. You are enough.

Posted on

Global Justice Justified.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth and scatters the people. Priests and laypeople, servants and masters, maids and mistresses, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, bankers and debtors—none will be spared. The earth will be completely emptied and looted. The Lord has spoken!” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isaiah writes that things were not looking to good for the planet and its inhabitants. God was about to devastate and scatter. Wipe out the surface of the earth and scatter the people. Sounds apocalyptic and final doesn’t it!

What is Isaiah writing about?
Did it happen?
Is it still yet to happen?

Most scholars agree, this is a future evert known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22). This chapter is known as the “Isaiah Apocalypse.” Isaiah writes this in the 8th Century BC, almost 3000 years ago!

It is interesting that so many predictions by a man named Nostradamus pop up every so often, but virtually nothing is mentioned about the prophetic promises all through the Old Testament. Nostradamus, a 16th-century French astrologer and physician, is famous for his cryptic predictions, many of which have made their way into mainstream media. It’s estimated that hundreds of references exist across various media platforms. While Nostradamus wrote around 942 prophecies, the interpretations of these predictions are highly subjective, and few if any became a reality.

If we tracked Isaiah’s prophecies, around 20-30 percent of Isaiah’s prophecies are cited as having been clearly fulfilled historically. The remainder, roughly 70-80 percent, is seen as potential future fulfillments, especially regarding eschatological themes. Isaiah’s end-of-planet, is a massive doom-n-gloom prophecy, yet there are virtually no stories, no mad-max style scripts, no CGI/A.I. effects making to the theaters. The promise of the end of all ends, and there’s barely a peep about it out of Hollywood. There have been hundreds of apocalyptic films released in theaters since the dawn of cinema. Only four of them draw from the Isaiah style theme, The Book of Eli (2010), Knowing (2009), The Omega Code (1999) and the Left Behind Series (2000).

The point is this, God’s track record to fulfill His will, His way, His promises is flawlessly perfect, yet many still don’t take it seriously. Paul in the Book of Romans, uses the phrase, “without excuse” in Romans 1:20. Paul writes about how the invisible attributes of God are evident in creation, making humanity accountable for their disbelief. This implies that the evidence of God’s existence is clear in the world around us, leaving no justification for rejection of Him. So, just as clearly of creation leaving evidence for every human being to see and ask, we also have these prophesies tell of past events that have already happened and that yet unfulfilled ones that will absolutely take place. God’s mercy and love is absolutely long suffering and future events hold the finality of His justice which is also 100% love – evil cannot run rampant forever.

Prayer

​Dad,
I did not come to faith through the loud proclamation of creation nor the proof of promises fulfilled. I came to Jesus through the crushing reality of how my parents lived, knowing it would become my own life if I did not have help and make completely different choices. I came through faith! But, through Your Word, I learned about Your prophetic promises and the perfection of Your plans. I have come to believe there are no excuses, and there will be no excuses, as Paul said. Thank you for your patience and grace towards us.

Posted on

Community Concerns Matter

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭25‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul, in writing to the wildly mixed cultural community of Corinth, spends quite a bit of time discussing social, ethical, moral and even spiritual concerns of others. Paul digs deep into the those who are strict adherents to the Old Testament Law as well as those who live in the freedom of Christ and the New Testament fulfillment of those laws. Jesus himself said, he did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.

This concern about the Law was a major contention among the Jewish congregations intermingled with their Gentile brothers and sisters. Corinth was certainly the perfect city to watch the gospel work in both a Jewish tradition as well as a heathen one! Paul boldly pushes the idea that freedom, because of the grace of Christ, does not mean it should be exercised when it offends the conscience of another believer. Paul uses the “meat offering,” as an example of this dilemma. We know today there are many areas that believers may be free to participate in, but not free to offend and hurt other believers in the process.

We see a number of community issues brought to light in the Corinthian letters. Paul even used an example of abusing the sacrament of Communion to highlight the importance of guarding each other in love. Yet, in vs 29, Paul asks a seemingly contradictory question. “Why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks?” Great question – great dilemma! Why prefer someone’s conscience, OR exercise your freedom? Isn’t it just a question of momentary sacrifice on behalf of another’s sensitivity? Is this more about Christian maturity than it is about flaunting freedoms? Yes & yes. Although we are truly free in this example, there are also many other situations where the principle applies.

Are we willing to limit out of love?
Are we willing to pause on pushing the point when it might actually harm someone else? – Paul says, “causing them to stumble.”

I have heard several arguments about rights and freedoms, but very few arguments about humbling themselves, submitting to the love of Christ on behalf of another. Which attitude, which position, honors both Christ and a brother or sister. In those moments it is not the time to lecture, trying to help a weaker soul understand the true depth of freedom they should have in Christ. It’s a time to pause and remember how it was when we were once the young believer trying to figure out our faith under real world circumstances.

Not everything has to be argued or positioned.

When Jesus was asked about punishing the woman caught in adultery, he did not take the opportunity to lecture the Pharisees about mercy, which they sorely lacked! He simply reminded everyone watching and waiting for him to choose sides, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” He put each one of them on the spot to risk playing the role of God who is both just and merciful. But they would have to do so by admitting they were perfect.

As much as I write about this, I am absolutely convinced that God wants us to take our theology, our knowledge and understanding of who God is and what God wants to do in our life, and practice it on each other. And, until we do – until we learn how to apply God’s work in us to the place where it goes out in others, we will just continue to struggle with the legalistic traps of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Prayer

Dad,
The hardest and the most beautiful parts of the gospel working in me is actually the gospel working through me. That’s where real change happens. That’s where real humility happens. That’s where discipleship makes the most sense. Even though I seriously value “my time,” along with my ways, I know that it also can stunt my growth in becoming like Jesus. Thank you for your grace and long suffering in getting me to look more like Christ.

Posted on

Job drops the “L” Word.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman. For what has God above chosen for us? What is our inheritance from the Almighty on high? Isn’t it calamity for the wicked and misfortune for those who do evil? Doesn’t he see everything I do and every step I take?” ‭‭Job‬ ‭31‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In Job’s autobiographical style, he’s still sifting through the possibilities of where he has sinned, or where he has been unaware of such awful offenses against a holy God that it would warrant a personal plague upon his life. Have you ever felt cursed by God? Like every time you turn around, something is breaking, something is going terribly wrong? It feels difficult to just catch your breath or dig out of financial trouble when some new drama or debt comes along. Again, the Bible Project guys summarize it like this, Job 31 is “where Job makes a final defense of his integrity and righteousness.” He’s listing off his righteous responses, declaring his innocence.

But in this chapter we find Job touching a chromosomal nerve, specifically the “Y” kind. Job says he has made a holy contract with his own eyes. Job made a “berith,” a “barah” a contractural cutting, a promise backed by cutting the flesh, proving by blood. A contract, a promise is only as good as the bond, the word of the keeper.

Job metaphorically describes this promise his heart made with his own eyes. “I will not look…” I will not look at what Job? A virgin. A young woman. Well, that seems a little impossible, even impractical! For one, they are everywhere. Two, how would he know who is a young virgin and who isn’t? One specific note in 2 Samuel 13:18, describes Tamar, the daughter of King David, as wearing a “robe of many colors,” which was a garment typically worn by the king’s virgin daughters. “Now she was wearing a robe of many colors, for this is how the virgin daughters of the king dressed in earlier times,” Indicating that their clothing was not only a mark of virginity but also of royal lineage and privilege.

In the Hebrew, this verse does not have the word, “lust.” This was inserted to help the reader understand the meaning of “looking” at a “virgin,” and it wasn’t to imply someone checking out her swanky apparel choices. Job, declaring his innocence, his high regard for righteousness, sets the moral bar at its highest point- whether the young woman was modest with her wares or not – he wouldn’t gaze-n-gawk!

Just to be absolutely clear about what he’s advocating, Job uncomfortably digs deeper in verse 9 writing, “If my heart has been seduced by a woman, or if I have lusted for my neighbor’s wife…” He’s confessing both his methods and standards of moral purity by which he has lived his life. I have friends that put the Job 31:1 verse in obvious places to remind themselves of what it takes in a very un-modest society, to remind our male brain to make a contract with our own eyes. Looking may be one thing, but pausing to ponder is disrespectful and dangerous for all us “Y’s.” Job reminds us that God sees every glance that gazes longer than it should. It is out of love for God, love for our own wives and a true godly love for God creating women, that we should be on guard with the “L” word.

Years ago, my wife and I went to dinner with two other couples in Balboa Beach, California. It was a beautiful summer evening, so we went to an incredible spot called “little Corona Beach.” It’s quite a walk down to this secluded area that has a stunning view of the ocean. We had no idea there was a photoshoot happening just down the beach with the black rocks in the background. It only took a second to realize the model being photographed was completely naked! Right there on a public beach with the shooter just snapping away without shame. Believe me – we all looked because it’s just that shockingly unexpected. I instantly knew that more than a glance would mean trouble. My two friends gave a few more moments than I did. All six of us did a 180° and headed back up the cliff trail. As we said our goodbyes, our friend’s wives laid into their husbands. “Why did you keep staring?” they asked. Then, they just had to point out the fact that I turned instead of lingering. Boy, did I get the dude-glares then. I just knew better! I knew it was not a good choice for me to look even that little extra moment. My husband friends were so mad at me for making them look bad! I told them, “look, you were the dummies that knew better and didn’t do the right thing, did you want me to join you in the dog-house?” I didn’t even know Job’s meme for doing what is right at the time! Now I do. And, so do you!

Prayer

​Dad,
Job may have been proving his innocence or justifying his righteousness, but that one verse has been so helpful for me and many of my “Y” friends. Thank you, not only for your Word being a light and truth in my life, but also for being ways of protecting me from myself and proclivities of my own disordered desires.

Posted on

Eating from a Bitter Spoon

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“And now my life seeps away. Depression haunts my days. At night my bones are filled with pain, which gnaws at me relentlessly. With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat. He has thrown me into the mud. I’m nothing more than dust and ashes.” Job‬ ‭30‬:‭16‬-‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In chapter 30, Job is not only at his wits end, he is at the finality of his situation and sees no light at the end of the tunnel, no end to his suffering. He now clearly believed that God was THE ONE who grabbed his shirt, chokingly twisting it and had thrown him to the ground. Sleep evades him at night and the hope of sunlight bearing better news turns into a nightmare of a haunting depression every day! He is utterly exhausted and has shooting pains in soul and body. He wonders where God is, fearing that God wants noting to do with him. God seems silent and evasive.

Job even continues to review his role in being judged and disciplined, although he could not perceive that he had done no wrong – it was all a test of will, of faith of grit and determination. The chapter begins with Job being humiliated by those with far less social or financial standing. Young men with so little maturity, they couldn’t even keep up with his own wrangling sheepdogs! Old men, past their prime, with no vigor to even help themselves. Job knows who they are and what they experienced in life: They are gaunt from poverty and hunger, they are driven from human society, nameless fools, and outcasts. These are the people now mocking him, deliberately and delightfully kicking him while he is down.

Yet, even though Job is innocent, he still had to reckon with his own actions towards those believed to be punished by God. In Job’s own words, he believes he saw their struggles and treated them fairly. “Surely no one would turn against the needy when they cry for help in their trouble. Did I not weep for those in trouble? Was I not deeply grieved for the needy?” Not to point out the obvious, but did he? Did he turn against the needy? Did he grieve?

If so, then how was he humiliated by their response to his own world falling apart? I am not saying God judged him for his attitude toward the outcast, but it seems obvious that he was oblivious until HE BECAME ONE.

Oh, how careful we must be when we cast assumptions and judgments on the poor, on the fringe who suffer bitterly throughout life. Some may say, “except for the grace of God, there go I.” Job experienced the low-end life IN and WITH God’s grace. I’m sure it changed him. I’m sure it adjusted his views on the haves and the have nots. Job 30 is a lesson on living life among the have nots! Instead of feasting with a silver spoon, Job learned to eat with a bitter spoon.

Prayer

​Dad,
In many ways I lived the life of misery, not by a lack of food or shelter, but of safety, love and peace. I understand family chaos, generational addictions and any sense of normalcy as a child living with a fractured blended family that reeked of alcoholism and violence. But, even then, I look back and see your hand of grace; watching, shielding, even resiliently building faith in me. I am thankful that I may have started as one of those outcasts, but I did not remain as one. My heart and life is now dedicated to brokering hope to the hopeless. It’s all because of You.

Posted on

Cave Prayers

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.” Psalms‬ ‭142‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If anyone knows what it’s like to fall to the lowest depths of despair, it’s David in the Old Testament. From Giant Killer to traitor, he was hunted and running for his life. He spent years in hiding. This Psalm captures David’s prayer in the cave of Adullam. David was still pretty young, likely in his twenties, but he had assembled a small but powerful group of warriors, the Bible calls his mighty men. Oddly sad, Uriah the Hittite is recognized as one of those men. In an abrupt contrast of character, David later has Uriah murdered in an attempt to coverup his sexual assault on Bathsheba.

In these caves, David continues to write songs and poems of his experiences. Keep in mind that David had already been anointed by Samuel, chosen by God to be Israel’s second king. With that in mind, it’s hard to imagine the deep anguish as he tries to figure out how he ended up in that cave.

Yet, through the worst of that season David turns to God, lamenting, repenting, and confessing “you are all I really want in life!” Isn’t that how it is? When we are at our absolute lowest, we are emotionally and spiritually vulnerable, but very honest. These are the times we grow, not just in dependency on God, but also in a deep profound walk with God. Have you noticed that there are opportunities to change and mature, NOT when things are going well, but when everything seems to fall apart? Is this desperation a gift or a curse?

When I read the words David expressed to God, it makes me realize how trapped he must of felt. In an earlier verse he even writes, “my enemies have set traps for me.” He certainly could see no way out, no future, no path to God’s promise. But yet his hope was that God would bring him out of that circumstantial prison.

At some point, I believe that everyone goes through these dark places, blind to a possibility of being rescued. David held tightly to God and God’s mercy and goodness to make things right. If we could only see God in our own impossible situations, where darkness and voices of doom surround us. As a believer in Jesus, one who walks with God, that we could be confident in how good God is and have hope that He will free us from our own caves of Adullam.

Prayer

​Dad,
Hope seems easy when everything is going well. It seems impossible when going through our own dark cave experiences. David’s psalms are encouraging to see that he was in a very real and dangerous dilemma, but that he was able to think and even write about this deep sense of confidence and hope. You not only saw his circumstances, but would liberate and restore him from that cave. I have had a few of those dark despairing moments and fought the fatal thoughts that I would not make it out. But your comfort and peace were also so tangible in those times as well. Thank you for holding me in hope as I waited for your rescue.

Posted on

ENGAGE UNTIL I COME

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’” — ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭13‬‬

KJV Says “occupy” until I come.

The Greek word, “pragmateuomai” is where we get the idea of being pragmatic. Where we do business to make gain or what Jesus was spiritually talking about – “bearing much fruit”

This is seen in John 15:2 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. “

You’ll also find this in John 15:7 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

And again in John 15:8 “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” Not if, but when.

The Apostle Paul writes about this work ethic/pragmatism in Colossians 3:23 NIV “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”

And in 1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

The expectation of every disciple of Jesus is that they engage, occupy, or produce. For one, because God has given us so much, but also because Jesus has specifically given us gifts with an expectation that they will be used to continue to produce fruit until he returns.

As a leader in the community of Jesus, the greatest return, the greatest yield of engagement is that we produce one of the most extraordinary increases – another disciple of Jesus.

Who are your five up, five down? Who is discipling you and who are you discipling?

Every single one of us has to work in an area that I call minutia. It is the necessary, sometimes expedient, even critical. But minutia does not often yield eternal results. Filling or filing a government form maybe 100% necessary, but my DOJ or HR compliance certificate will absolutely not show up in the pile worthy or works when I meet Jesus at the judgement (Bema seat of Christ). Calling and waiting on a contracted plumber to come and snake a drain is not exactly kingdom worthy. But poop happens and we gotta do what we do to clean it up.

What are the eternal things that show up in heaven? People! Investing, discipling, loving, praying and encouraging them – tending to the weak and invisible, the hurting and needy. These are the eternal gifts we bring before Jesus at the final reckoning of our righteous deeds.

Jesus told the parable because the crowds kept hearing about the Kingdom of God and began asking when it would arrive. Luke tells us, Jesus told them the story “to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.”

We have used this verse to form an opinion based on the fact that we should be busy about the Kingdom of God work until Jesus returns, which is fine.

But Jesus was still talking about all of us, as his followers, continuing to produce good fruit and to do so in abundance. Bear good fruit. Produce the BEST fruit – making disciples of Jesus!

Posted on

Stop believing Frophets.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God speaks to Jeremiah and tells him nothing but truth. God will not lie – EVER. God tells Jeremiah what will happen. This is in contrast to all the other frophets telling the nation what they want to hear! Jeremiah hears God AND hears his frophet peers; maybe struggling with who to believe.

The frophets were hearing voices and seeing dreams about Israel dodging God’s discipline and coming out prosperous and stronger than ever. God tells Jeremiah they are FAKES and are telling lies in God’s name. Notice God says, “your” prophets and “I have not sent them!”

They are Fake Prophets…Frophets!

God declares the truth, “You will be in Babylon for seventy years…” He also brings hope… “BUT THEN I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭10‬).

This leads to one of the most famous, misapplied promises of God in the book of Jeremiah. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬). Why is it misapplied? Because the verses before and after do not say, “Do whatever you want and I will fix you.” The promise of God has context! The whole truth is that God put Israel in timeout to be lovingly disciplined for disobedience! And the powerfully quoted verse of comfort and hope is hinged on what God tells them in the following verses.

“In those days when you pray, I will listen.
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” ‭‭(Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭12‬-‭13‬).

WHEN you pray. IF you look for me wholeheartedly. Humility and repentance is key to experiencing God’s mercy, forgiveness and blessings. Why would God want Israel or any of us to continue to whore after other lovers and still expect some kind of entitled promise?

These words IN context are absolutely true and are for us today. Quit listening to the lies of Frophets. We must yield to God’s discipline and turn our hearts towards Him! THEN, God will 💯% show us good plans with a hopefilled future. Because God does have good plans waiting for us, but it means we continually turn from our disordered desires to obey Him.

One of the worst things that can happen to us is discovering we’ve been LIED to. And what’s so humiliating is that we still fall for the lie! We want to believe the lie over the truth because it feels good, giving us a false sense of control; like we have “discovered” some kind of mystical lifehack that no one else knew about. It’s all the deceiver’s scam-sham-shakedown and we take the bait. God does not lie. The father of lies and our own sin makes the lie look so good, so real, that we rationalize it and make the trade – swapping out truth to believe the lie. Let Jesus’ words ring loud and clear to lead and guide our head and heart, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Prayer

​Dad,
Where would I be without your grace and mercy? What lies would I have continued to believe if you had not rescued me and began transforming my heart? Help me Oh Lord, to believe and trust you above all others. Guard my heart and mind, helping me apply your Word as a shield and weapon to resist the deceiver’s lies and my own desires.

Posted on

Trippin over our gift.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭41‬-‭42‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus was super close to Martha, Mary and Lazarus. They were family to him, and their home became a safe, welcoming place to stay and rest. Their home was large enough to host all the disciples as well. It is well known that hospitality was the ultimate expression of love, care and provision in the Jewish culture. The story typifies the struggle between these clashing priorities – serving or sitting with Jesus. The story hits a nerve among those who feel it was unfair to call Martha out for working so hard while her sister seemingly sat around ducking her responsibilities.

We all understand this is Jesus giving the correction! But Jesus has a way of flipping all of our perspectives right-side-up, especially when he challenges our priorities concerning the urgent verses the eternal. We need to let the Holy Spirit sift out preferences so we can see the Kingdom of God.

Jesus says Martha was “perispaó” distracted. Distracted? Martha thought Mary was distracted! What was she distracted about? Luke uses this word Jesus often talked about. She was distracted about “diakonia” the powerful word meaning service. This word was the common Greek word for a waiter, a table servant. The word was constructed from two Greek words meaning “raising dust,” giving us the picture of the sharp attention and speed of a great waiter would look like – moving so fast that dust would fly off their sandals! But this word is also the word for our word – minister! Ministers are supposed to be this picture of ultimate serving. Martha was distracted by ministry, by serving? Ah, yes, our gifting can become so focused, so intense, so singular dimensional that we can’t see, can’t hear anything else happening in the room!

Jesus pointed out Martha’s shadowed side of this beautiful gift of hospitality – she was trippin over her own gift by missing what was more important AND she wanted her sister Mary to join her in her disordered perspective. Martha wanted to pull Mary into her orbit, not Jesus’. Martha wanted Mary to experience what she was experiencing, feel the pressure of her dilemma. Jesus told Martha, she was “merimnaó,” anxious and “thorubeo” disturbed! In Martha’s mind, she WANTED Mary to be anxious and disturbed with her.

If you have ever seen someone excellent in their gift it is amazing. But when you are close enough to someone who excels in their abilities, you’ve also seen how they can be obsessively focused and become situationally blind to everything else. The acuteness of excellence can leave one unable to read the room. And, when this happens, there will be a lot of anger, hurt feelings and unnecessary accusations of others who just don’t “GET IT!” Martha saw Mary as lazy and irresponsible, Jesus saw Mary as dedicated and perceptive!

Jesus corrected Martha because he loved her – but in her “diakonia,” her service, it had brought out her overwhelming intensity, making her anxious, disturbed and critical of her sister. Every single gift can either be shared in a beautiful submission to Jesus OR it can be weaponized with these critical assessments of others! One brings peace and unity, the other brings anger, bitterness and disunity.

Prayer

​Dad,
First of all thank you for loving us enough to correct us in your mercy. I have seen this in my life and have absolutely experienced this in the body of Christ, the Church. And it’s not just our imperfection that causes us to shift or trip over our own gifts and abilities. It’s a tunnel-vision perspective when we are overwhelmed, and start believing it’s more about us and less about you and others. Help us Oh Lord, speak to us Holy Spirit, just as clear as you spoke to Martha. Tell us when we’ve stepped into something that is not helpful, not healthy for us or definitely not others. Help us see when our gift has caused us to produce more fruit of the flesh than fruit of the Spirit.