Month: September 2023

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The Exodus story lives on in us.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When one looks closely you can see the story of death, sacrifice and blood from Genesis to Revelation. God himself killed the first animal to clothe the couple in the garden, covering their nakedness (Gen 3:21). Some scholars disagree, but I believe it subtly showed up with Adam’s sons, Cain and Able. Able chose to give God the best of his flocks, the firstborn of his lambs. Cain just gave some of his crops (Gen 4:4). One was a blood sacrifice, one was not. God chose this object lesson about blood to span the eons of time for humans.

The Exodus is an eternal story of redemption and sacrifice that points to the Messiah, Jesus, and beyond. Yet, even after Jesus’ own innocent blood become the markings on a wooden cross for us, death did not pass over Christ. Jesus gave his life as the one and only perfect sacrifice for anyone who would believe and recognize his death, his blood, as payment for their sin. Remember, anyone who eats the fruit of the tree of knowledge will die! The couple ate and immediately, spiritually died and eventually physically died as well.

Every human being has also eaten of the forbidden fruit since! Every human being, ever born, has believed the lie, eaten the fruit, and disobeyed God. Thus, every human is destined to die both spiritually and physically. Jesus death, his blood becomes the “sign,” the covering, on the doorposts of our heart and our life. To believe means that through faith, we have applied that covering so the death angel will pass over us as well, because we are marked (the New Testament uses the phrase, sealed with the Holy Spirit).

In the final book, Revelation, the ending of all things, we see the same theme of the blood as an end-cap to God’s grand story of redemption, of exodus, of completion. A loud voice declares that believers in Jesus have conquered the slanderer by the blood of the lamb (Jesus) and the word of their testimony (they lived and spoke of – not their own truth, but of Christ’s truth). We actually “bear witness” through belief and telling of our own story of being rescued! The Exodus story still lives on, in and through our lives today. Once I was blind, but now I see. I was lost but now I am found. Amazing grace how sweet the sound.

Prayer

​Dad,
What a grand story we are living! I am so thankful to not just be alive today, but to be a part of Your very long story.

Bravo God 🙌🏼 🙌🏼 🙌🏼.

When I was young in faith and in understanding of who You are, I thought these themes of sin, death and blood were so dark and creepy. Now, as I have matured, I see them as marvelously mysterious! I am not a huge fan of blood, I get pretty queasy, but I am a huge fan of being rescued and restored to a full and amazing life. I see more clearly now than ever before. And, I am hundreds of times more grateful.

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When God feels distant.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God. Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies? Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up? They devise crafty schemes against your people; they conspire against your precious ones.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭83‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Asaph records this Psalm after the Assyrian army tore through the land, wiping out almost everything and everyone. Asaph’s basic prayer is “God do something!” The enemy is loud and arrogant, he says. Can’t you hear them… because we sure do! It is hard to watch wars and evil atrocities rise up then, in ancient times, and now in modern times. We face enemies within and enemies without. We are constantly fed news telling us – someone or something is always after us. Bombings in other countries and violence, either in weather or crazy mobs here at home.

I can hear myself asking God similar questions. “Don’t you hear the uproar?” There seems to be a basic baseline of irritability and incivility. News about levels of uncertainty are rising. Why would a woman, simply denied a refund at a clothing store, go home and return with a rifle? We are all desperate for someone to intervene. Politicians and police are not going to do it.

I agree with Asaph! God, we need you to not be silent, but to rise up. Isaiah prophesied in 59:19, “So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” God, we are flooded with evil all around and it’s overwhelming. Help us. Save us. Show up in your mighty mercy and grace to stop the rising tide of chaos, anarchy and instability. Asaph asked God to “scatter them [the enemy] like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind!” in verse 13. Come near to us Oh God!

Prayer

Dad,
We are not better than anyone else in this country, but my concern is not just for those who walk with you. My heart breaks for the wickedness towards the innocent, our children our poor, our seniors and widows who struggle. There are insidious plans laid out for our littles one – destroy those plans! There are pressures and financial struggles for the poor and those on fixed income – rush to their aid! Give us wisdom and courage with effective plans to help them. Give us leaders who make wise decisions of justice and remove those who are in it for personal gain and selfish agendas. Rise up Oh God!

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Lessons from an introverted leader.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Moses, the man, the legend! Moses’ life is a great example of God’s calling on a person. His story is famous, but his journey to fulfill God’s call is often overshadowed by the amazing scenes of miracles God did through his frailty. Moses wasn’t a weak man, not in grit or girth, but in his self confidence he was weak. His view of himself was not at all what God saw in him.

At eighty years old, God catches Moses’ attention out in the middle of nowhere. And, God waited forty years to approach him. Forty years is plenty long for the death of one’s dreams. At forty, Moses’ anger had finally boiled over when he murdered an Egyptian foreman because the man was mercilessly beating one of his own people. Moses escaped and fled to Midian, the desert where people can disappear. Now at 80 years old, he curiously checks out this crazy fire-bush.

A casual conversation with God on the side of a mountain takes place. God tells Moses his plan. He says, “I’m getting my people out of Egypt, out of slavery and setting up a new place they will call their own. A beautiful place fill with plenty, but there are some folks already there, but I’ll move them out to make room for my people. I’ve heard their cry and I am ready to send someone to lead them out. I am sending you!

It was all a nice conversation until it came down to a command. It wasn’t a question, like with Isaiah, “Whom should I send?” No, it was an order. Moses protested! Moses asked the most telling question of anyone who has ever been called by God. “Who am I?” This wasn’t humility, this was truth. Moses saw himself as a nobody because he was a nobody! He was living a quiet, simple life with his whole new family. He was married, had a kid; Egypt and his former existence was a lifetime in the past. Yet, God would not take no for an answer, because it wasn’t a request, it was a command. God’s patience is sweet, but He would have his way. Moses protest goes on for a very long time, from 3:11 to 4:17, you’ll find every excuse presented and dismissed. But you’ll notice a shuttle shift in wording in verse 10. Moses changes his method from “protest” to “pleading.” Three specific protests and two pleas! The final one, “But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”” God relented and Moses thought he was off the hook, God said, “fine,” I’ll let your brother, Aaron do the talking, but YOU are still going! What an incredible exchange between the God of all creation and this broken, wash-up, now invisible man, living in the desert.

Who can tell God no? The fears and frailties are real. The common misconception is that God “prepares” those he calls. Ha! That’s funny. Yeah, God prepares alright! He says, “Here’s what you’re going to do… now obey me and get going!” That’s the prep! I don’t know who started this nonsense that somehow miraculously one slowly grows into what God sees in them, when they cannot see it themselves. I can tell you from my experience, I grew and learned through OBEDIENCE. There was no model, no template, no lectures on methodology and no practice test. There was only, “Here’s the plan, go and be obedient.” It required 100% faith to cut through the overwhelming fear that I was not enough. I was not old enough, experienced enough, nor knowledgeable enough. I learned about leadership through obedience. You can take dozens of classes. Listen to hundreds of podcasts about how others did it. Follow a more experienced person and try to emulate what you saw. NONE OF IT compares to obedience and faith. You just have to DO IT.

Moses obeyed and told his father-in-law, then Aaron, then the leaders of Israel, living in Egypt, then finally Pharaoh himself. He became an extraordinary leader, not perfect though. I still see the pattern in Moses’ life… God speaks, he obeys.

Prayer

Dad,
Obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience is faith in action. Obedience is not in my beliefs, it’s in my behavior. I can imagine that I am obedient to your will, your way, all day long, but until my behavior follows through, it’s just a game, a pretense. Thank you your patience, grace and kindness as I get over myself and learn to just do what you say.

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We are what we speak.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Proverbs is so good at comparing and contrasting concepts and character. ESV (English Standard Version) translation captures the punny play on words here, with the words “fine” and “false.” In this little proverb, there is a lot of truth packed into the words and rhythm of speaking it out loud. Just say the words, fine, fool and false out loud.

Words that describe us as humans, are a glimpse of our character, and become pretty sticky and consistent over time. In other words, people get to know us by our words. And, either the words we use match our behaviors, or they don’t – both outcomes are very telling!

The wisdom writers point out that you should not hear trash-talk coming from true royalty, or a leader for example. They use the comparison between a fool (nabel: wicked, stupidly evil – used 18 times in the Old Testament, only 3 of those in Proverbs), and a Prince. They juxtapose “nabel” with “nadib.” Nadib is used for nobility, a prince, a leader. The word Prince means one who generously incites to good. The noble lips drip with “yether,” abundant excellence, the evil fool with “sheqer,” lies and deception.

Does our character define our vocabulary or do our words define our character?

Rant warning! Is it just me or has there been a massive increase in public potty mouth? It’s not just F-bombs either. Folks used to apologize for potty-mouth words! My grandmother was a cusser. She would would go off with a Sailor’s string of profanity, but often end with “excuse my french.” I didn’t think those words sounded French, nor did I know if the French were constantly using swear words in their country. We have lost our “ability of civility” to control our potty mouths! It’s just not cute to hear a five year old drop F, S, or B words in casual kindergarten conversation! The only reason swearing isn’t on “public” television or “OTA” (over the air), is because the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) fortunately, still makes it illegal. Cable, satellite and streaming are not held to any standards even though the content is sent directly to homes with children watching! BTW, it’s ridiculous that somehow “Christian” freedom has been cited for believers to sound like trashy potty-mouths! End of rant.

Proverb’s wisdom still speaks today! The trust in leaders has been completely eroded away in our culture! We know that when a politician, media spokesperson or anyone defending themselves in the spotlight opens their mouth they are LYING. Do we want good character? Then we should should quit sounding like fools!

Prayer

Dad,
Oh my goodness, we’ve got ourselves is a mess! It’s a mess that only you can resolve. Help us O’ God. We ask for your forgiveness, your mercy. As we yield to you, renew and restore our sense of right vs wrong, truth vs lies, good words vs evil ones. We cry out to you. Lord, hear our prayer.