Category: Blog

Posted on

Seeing through eyes of mercy.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter. Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs. Mark‬ ‭7‬:‭24‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In Mark’s gospel, written from Peter’s firsthand, eyewitness accounts, he wants to show the reader the power of Christ. As Jesus reveals more and more about who he is, he also progressively shows more authority. Jesus doesn’t hoard or self consume the power and authority given him. As son of man/son of God, he freely disperses it among the broken, the outlier. And in this case, to a Syrian (Gentile) Woman and her demon possessed little girl.

Jesus breaks through racial and cultural barriers to bring mercy and freedom. Jesus, raised in a typical, but poor family, would have learned all about God’s Laws and God’s ways. But if we look at the common cultural understanding of how young Jewish men and women were instructed, it was very much a separatist mentality. Gentiles (non Jews) are not good people and they should not have any interaction with them. A Jewish male would not culturally be allowed to have any contact with a woman, let alone with one who was a long historical enemy with Assyrian heritage. So either Joseph and Mary instructed Jesus differently (which is completely possible), or Father God had been teaching His own true intentions of rescuing the entire human race – not just the Jews (Isaiah 56:6-7). Either way, Jesus continued to baffle his followers and invite hostile criticism for this kind of cultural faux pas.

If Jesus was so religiously and socially counter-cultural, why do we struggle with being like Him today? I think our heart is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), but we forget there is both religious (legalism) AND humanistic wickedness. The religious have always despised Jesus’ counterculture ways. And, equally the self-serving humanist despises him as well. Normal, common people, who know they are broken and have need of being saved, have always loved Jesus’ ways. Why? Because they reflect exactly how God sees us. Religion and/or humanism both make us arrogant.

Jesus explains to this Syrian woman that his first priority is to the Jews, the people of God. Jesus, not so subtlety referring to her own people as dogs, wasn’t offensive to her at all. She knew the comparison was true. Folks have tried to soft-pedal this “dog reference” as a beloved pet in the household. That’s nonsense. The enemies of the Jews knew they were like wild dogs and were possibly proud of it! The feelings were mutual between the ethnicities.

The woman, similar to the Samaritan woman at the well, had some comments in response to Jesus’ words. She said, “but even the dogs…”

She calmly kept her cool.
She was smart.
She knew who she was, but she also knew who Jesus was!

She was telling Jesus, “I know our story,” “I know God’s intention is for His own first,” “But I don’t need the full on life of blessing and favor as given to the Jews,” “I just need the scraps, the leftovers.” Her faith saw that even the scraps of mercy from God would be powerful enough to free her daughter. Jesus commented about her faith, saying “your faith is great” (Matthew 15:28). You know the gospels record Jesus being amazed just a couple of times. One, he was amazed at his hometown folk’s “lack of faith” (Mark 6:6). Two, he was amazed at the Roman centurion’s extraordinary understanding of authority and faith (Luke 7:8).

Here in this story, the woman got what she wanted. Jesus complimented her retort, “Good answer!” She received what she came asking for. Jesus told her, “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” Jesus was clearly impressed.

Do we want to know how Jesus really feels about the non-religious, even enemies of God? He shows mercy to whomever he chooses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy” (Exodus 33:19). I believe we can be just as culturally contrarian in how we see people today. Folks can know how we feel about them simply looking at our facial expression! Following the ways of Jesus means we see with eyes of mercy. If we see with eyes of mercy our face will follow!

Prayer

​Dad,
I absolutely know this is how you saw me, and how you see me still – through eyes of mercy. I absolutely love to wake up each morning with fresh, new mercy in my account for the day! “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”(Lamentations 3:22-23). I am ever in amazement of your enduring patience and grace. Thank you. Amen.

Posted on

Praises in life’s highs and lows.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Dedication day, both of the brand new temple and moving the ark of the covenant to its new home, was THE height of everything the nation of Israel wanted. They had the king they comparibly imagined. They had wealth and were winning in their personal lives as well as a high GNP (gross national income). Nations were sending envoys and gifts because they had heard of the wise king Solomon. They were at the pinnacle of success. At this high mark and season in Solomon’s own life he rightly declares just how good God is to them!

Solomon’s words are dripping with praise, ever grateful to God. These moments were absolutely true, real, and genuine. Amidst all their dreams and desires being fulfilled, God was central. May I offer this: It’s rather easy to have high praise for God when everything is going well.

I am not going to turn a very amazing moment of true praise to God into a negative reflection. However, I will point out that those peak, mountaintop experiences cannot last. Psalm 100 is true in the epitomes of fulfillment. And, Psalm 100 is also true in the shadowy depths of disappointment, even disaster. God is God in both and above both experiences.

We ride the waves of emotions and experiences filled with highs and lows – this is the reality, even the wonder and beauty of life as humans! Apparently we love the high heights, the feel-goods and epiphanies of fulfillment so much that we try to stay there, LIVE there. And, although we can experience plenty of those moments, even seasons, we cannot exist solely, permanently, at that spiritual elevation here on earth.

Life is the great adjudication of highs and lows! Yet, surprisingly, thankfully, God exists in, above and beyond this life. And, as God’s creation, we get to find him and praise him in ALL situations. Psalm 100 is the psalm reminding us that it is not only grand moments that should elicit our praise, it is also the lowly ones. God is good in both.

Isaiah captures the height, depth, and width of God’s spectacular perspective. “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.” Isaiah 57:15.

Prayer

Dad,
Being above and beyond what I can even imagine from my perspective, gives me a stable, anchored tether within the vast experiences of life. Whether I am living the grand and glorious high of fulfillment, peace of hope or the sad and shadowed low of disappointment, fear or failure. You are my unchanging reality, my rock. And, in both those ultra-wide dispersions of emotion, you are here, with me. You speak joy when I celebrate and peace when I am perplexed. It is my utmost challenge to bring you praise in both my highs and lows. Amen.

Posted on

When you know you know.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. ‭‭Acts ‭20‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Remember Paul received a very specific call from God to go to Jerusalem (Acts‬ ‭23‬:‭11). But remember that Paul had earlier received a general call to the Gentiles (Acts ‭22‬:‭21). Also, remember that Paul received both general and specific callings under extreme circumstances! His words started a religious riot among the warring religious gangs of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

In these verses above, Paul says he doesn’t exactly know what it will look like. Except he knows there will be prison and suffering involved. All he knows is that he must go and is determined to finish what God had assigned him. What part does pure GRIT play in pursing God’s calling? We know it takes faith! Maybe grit is a synonym for faith?

Speaking of grit, Paul shares with the very wild and talented people in the churches of Corinth his most transparent expression of exasperation! The churches had been listening to fake preachers brag about their pedigrees and their “burden” to spread the manure of a false gospel! Paul writes of his own riotous, quite miraculous journey to fulfill the calling of God. Because, when you know, you know.

Paul writes about prison-time, beatings and left for dead. Five times he received the famous thirty-nine lashing (believing that 40 would kill a man, it was merciful to do 39) from religious leaders behaving as thugs. Three more beatings with rods. He lived after being stoned. He survived three shipwrecks, including a night and day drifting in the open sea. He faced dangers from rivers and from robbers, deserts and seas. He worked tirelessly, hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. He had been hungry and thirsty and often gone without food. He had shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep warm. Then, besides all that, he carried the daily burden of concern for all the churches (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭23‬-‭28‬).

Doesn’t this sound like a great prep-talk or sermon about the wonderful “calling of the Lord?” Paul wasn’t complaining to the Corinthian community, he was bragging about God’s power, seen through one human life. Paul knew what he knew and with that grit, he did far more than just survive this life on a dark planet – he thrived and flourished! Paul made it to Jerusalem to share the gospel with Caesar himself. God’s blessing, His grace, mercy and protection would not be found in Paul’s fame, money or power. It would be found in a spectacular resilience and strength to accomplish His will.

What is your calling? Don’t be afraid to ask. And don’t be afraid to hear the answer. I am no Paul, but thankfully God has called me. I am called to the broken. I am called to restore hope in those who have been told they are worthless because of what they have done or what others have done to them. I desire to be a hopebroker to the very end!

Prayer

​Dad,
A full third of my life was a struggle! A struggle of value, identity and purpose. You gave me a life that I could not ever of dreamed. It has been above and beyond adventurous along with some adversity. I was and still am determined to fulfill the calling you have given. With the grit of your grace I will be faithful. I know that I know. Thank you. Amen.

Posted on

The suburbs of Babylon.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Lord gave Jeremiah the prophet this message concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians. This is what the Lord says: “Tell the whole world, and keep nothing back. Raise a signal flag to tell everyone that Babylon will fall! Her images and idols will be shattered. Her gods Bel and Marduk will be utterly disgraced. For a nation will attack her from the north and bring such destruction that no one will live there again. Everything will be gone; both people and animals will flee. ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭50‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God finally tells Jeremiah, God’s spokesperson, it was time to start announcing the end of the 70 year captivity in Babylon. Cheers erupt that Babylon will fall! God tells Jeremiah that the destruction will be so great that “no one will live there again.” Which was true, and oddly it is still true. The ancient city and the attempts at resurrecting a modern city by Saddam Hussein, have both fallen. But mysteriously and spiritually disturbing, the spirit of the city lives on until the end of all things. Babylon shows up in Revelation 😱!

Babylon is the city of the antichrist that has existed since the first anti-God city in history (Gen 11:1–9). God used the world leaders of Babylon to discipline Israel (2 Chronicles 36). And, it will continue to exist until Jesus returns and destroys it (Rev 17:1–19:5). So although the city was sacked and rebuilt several times in ancient times, it is common knowledge that the city is an archetype of evil. Evil that is perverted and pervasive through the entire human experience on the planet! Babylon’s great object lesson is its self-will to BE God.

A place where every leader, every resident has one common unquenchable desire – to be and do whatever they want! Babylon is the personification, the epitome of sin itself. The idols of Babylon are all spiritual, dark, demonic forces all providing “alternatives” to God, but also promising things that only God can provide – fake gods of weather, wealth, power, sex, and even eternal life! So whether they are stone or wooden poles or statues, shiny golden facsimiles of ancestors or enlightened humans – they are all lifeless objects that can do nothing, nor fulfill nothing. These are physical idols that humans worship because their own disorder desires are drawn to anything other than the real God, creator of all things.

So as a representative of all that is fake, unforgiving, dead and worthless – idols play a role in substitutionary fakery still today! And will do so until the very end, when Babylon the great, the “mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations,” will find its finality in fire 🔥. You can read about her ending and all who desire to follow after her in Revelation 18.

Ripping off the mask, subterfuge and subtlety of Babylon the “great,” we find the essence of sin and disobedience to God. It is not to difficult for me to look inside my own heart and see glimpses of the cursed city. At times, I see myself and others secretly wishing to live in the suburbs of Babylon. Oh, not the center, nor downtown Babylon, but rather the short drive to the outskirts and edges of the city where fake promises seem to be within reach. Where will I live? The city of self, or the city of God?

Prayer

Dad,
It doesn’t take much to realize that Babylon is far too accessible and alluring even for those who love you and want to be obedient to your will and not our own. It seems that the fancy bright lights, exhilarating sounds and delightful smells of Babylon are seductively powerful. But it is with your grace, mercy and power that is also calling, begging me to come away and be centered on the city of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. I pray that I will resist the suburbia of the fake city and focus on the city designed for me to live abundantly within it. Thank you for your warnings and your Word! Amen.

Posted on

Symbols of God’s presence.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky. Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens. God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68‬:‭33‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Psalm 68 is a response of celebration for the return of the ark of the covenant. The ark of God, carrying the memory items of miracles long ago: containing the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

The ark of the covenant had a circuitous journey through the years. The Philistines were bold enough to capture the ark but suffered because of it for seven months! 1 Sam. 6:1. It then goes to the house of Abinadab, where it stays for 20 years. This all took place under the leadership of the judges, before Israel had a king. Then king Saul commands Ahijah to bring the ark to the war camp and it secures their victory. David is the next king to move the ark from Abinadab’s house, but in his exuberance, does not instruct those carrying the ark, that God prescribed a very specific way of transporting it. A man named Uzzah, quickly found out that the ark was a normal cargo load and paid for his mistake with his life! Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. The anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. David was angry with God but he was also scared to death to mishandle the ark again. He had it taken to house of Obededom the Gittite, where it stayed for three months. In a complete over-the-top display of careful respect, David had the ark moved to Jerusalem. But he did it with a grand style and exuberant gestures! “When those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal – every SIX STEPS! That is extravagant and expensive. Then David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn.”

Psalm 68 captures the words and thoughts of David as he brings the ark to Jerusalem, its last known home before Nebuchadnezzar raided the temple, then later burned it to the ground. After that, the ark disappeared into history. It won’t be seen again until the end of all things where it is mentioned in Revelation 11:19!

Prayer

​Dad,
So much mystery, so much drama and intrigue over the ark of the covenant. I read in Hebrews that these symbols and reminders are simply copies of the real thing store in heaven. That is so cool! There are so many powerful illustrations and object lessons in the Bible. I love it. What a paradox of life itself – some things are hidden to be discovered and some things are plain to be revealed for your purposes. All of it is to tell your story. Thank you for not just allowing us to participate in the human story of redemption, but specifically including us to have a purpose and a role. Amen.

Posted on

The timing of when God speaks.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well. ‭‭Acts‬ ‭23‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There’s a story in the Old Testament of Elijah waiting to hear from God. The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” 1 Kings 19:11. There was a thrashing wind, an earthquake and a fire, but the Lord was not in any of those. Then came a gentle whisper. It was in this manner God spoke to Elijah. Yet, God doesn’t always speak in whispers either.

Here in Acts, Paul is giving his story, his testimony, to an agitated group of Jewish religious leaders. The crowd, hearing Paul speaking in Aramaic, quietly hung on every word. They listened intently that is until Paul said, But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’ Acts ‭22‬:‭21. Within moments the crowd turned on him and began rioting. Jews would show their disdain by tossing off their robes and throwing dirt into air – both signs of rejection. Maybe the “dust-bombing” was connected to “shake the dust from your feet,” dismissing Gentiles or Jesus telling his followers to do similar when Jewish towns would reject the message of him being the Messiah. Riots triggered quick responses from the Roman guards because of “pax romana,” or Roman peace. The Roman watch commander dragged Paul away and ordered him whipped for causing the ruckus. Paul smartly asked the officer, ready to beat him, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?” Paul had a legal, natural born Roman citizenship and knew his rights! Even the commander had to “buy” his own “Roman rights.” The next day, the commander called in the religious leaders to get to the real cause of the disturbance.

Within moments the high priest has someone walk up and slap Paul’s face for being sassy, and immediately declaring his innocence, when he said, “I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!” Paul quickly retorted back, “God will slap you, you corrupt whitewashed wall!” He didn’t realize that Ananias was the high priest and apologized for his harsh words.

Paul knew the situation was not good for him, so he brilliantly declared the “real” reason he was on trial, saying, “I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!” He knew the council was filled with both Pharisees and Sadducees. His own tribe believed in the resurrection, the opponents, the Sadducees did not. This started yet another riot! The Roman commander, once again had to pull Paul out of the place lest the religious leaders tear him apart.

That night, back in the Roman holding cell, Paul hears from God. God speaks to Paul amidst the craziness of chaos, debates and riots! God tells Paul his assignment is to get to Rome! Paul would eventually, rightfully and legally plead his case to Caesar himself! The book of acts, written by Luke is likely the notes Paul used to share his testimony to the emperor himself. Paul’s closest companions begged him not to go. And, as we read the 13 letters from Paul to the churches throughout the Roman empire, he was imprisoned almost the entire time. What a story! You never know how, when or where God might speak to you and call you to purpose that He has designed just for you! Be ready, that’s all I advise.

Prayer

​Dad,
We use a popular phrase to help us deal with the extraordinary ways you place a calling on our lives. “You equip those you call.” I believe it. I have lived it and seen it come true in so many lives. It is an honor to hear and obey your voice, your calling. May we continue to recognize that calling in others and encourage each other along the way. Amen.

Posted on

Ignore and substitute.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition. Mark‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you ever find yourself amazed that Jesus cuts through the complicated minutiae of religion and clarifies truth? Ah, it’s so obvious after Jesus says it, yet so painful when he says it directly to you!

As we get older, it is completely normal to establish patterns and customs of the way we like to order our day and live our life. Habits and systems are ways to control the chaos that life can bring. Most religious rituals started out as earnestly simple with all intent of purity in our heart. It’s when they become rote, rigged and mindless routine that it becomes disconnected from relationship.

Earlier in this passage, the religious leaders saw that Jesus’ disciples were eating with defiled, dirty hands. It’s important to note, it’s not that they saw filthy hands and stood aghast that anyone would eat like that. No, it’s what they did NOT see that bothered them.

They did not see the disciples do the typical ritual cleansing before eating anything or using anything that would touch their mouths. The ritual cleansing was this idea that any item that came in contact with the body had to be “washed,” but the Pharisees used an odd word for cleaning their utensils, cups, and dishes. They used the Greek word, “baptizó,” to dip or sink. This wasn’t a health code, it was a religious addendum to an Old Testament purification exercise.

Following the “letter of the Law,” and missing its intent was a favorite pastime of the Pharisees. The Law of Moses did prohibit contact with many things known to be unclean; and if any one had touched them they were seen as “unclean.” This cleansing was a health code, but had a hidden spiritual code to it as well. The command was given to the people so that a person would not approach the temple until they had cleansed themselves by the washing, prescribed in the Law. The spiritual object lesson was that by means of these ceremonial and bodily washings the Jews might be awakened to the necessity of spiritual cleansing when they came before a Holy God.

The Pharisees elevated and twisted the command to be purely an outward act of looking more holy by exceeding the simplicity of cleanliness to a legalistic practice for show! They even insulted their parents and God himself by adhering to and misquoting Ezekiel 20:18, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols.” They made the simple spiritual lesson of “washing,” or preparing your heart to meet with God into an arrogant act of faking righteousness!

Now, as we often might do, we look at the religious practices of the Pharisees and say, yeah, “boo on organized religion,” or “deconstruct everything and cancel all the religious rules.” We would be missing Mark’s point of writing this story. Jesus was angry that God was misrepresented! And God’s Law was twisted and tweaked for human gain. Jesus said, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

We have the fulfillment of all the Law of God in and through Jesus himself. We complicate God and do similar as the Pharisees – even today. We have to stop adding things to the gospel! We have to quit making it difficult for people to see Jesus in us. The only people that respected the Pharisees were other religious leaders! The normal folk, despised them and feared them.

Jesus summed up God’s law – love God, love people. Jesus summed up how we should treat people, “love them LIKE I have loved you!” How has Jesus loved us, accepted us, forgiven us multiple times over? How often has God been patient with us, merciful towards us? Do not ignore God’s law and substitute our ideas of holiness, righteousness or forgiveability and pass them off as godly!

Prayer

Wow! I love Your word. I love Jesus words that cut through my religiosity, my judgmental attitudes and competitive comparisons to others. But oh how it stings when I must make decisions based on truth rather than customs. Help me, Oh God, to live to represent you well! Amen.

Posted on

Paralleling the Psalms.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. He asked you to preserve his life, and you granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever. Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty. You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling. Psalms‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When one reads the about the life of Israel’s ancient king David, then reads through the psalms, you’ll find an uncanny parallel between the words of David and the prayers and quotes of Christ! Jesus not only quoted frequently from the law and the prophets, he exclusively spoke from the psalms. But not just any of the psalms – specifically, the psalms of David.

Jesus had most of the books of the law memorized and it was obvious that he had amazing recall of the psalms. Jesus quotes the Old Testament so often, it seems as if he is just teaching and speaking his own thoughts and words. When I read the agonizing, painful reality prayers of David, I find that Jesus used these to express his own thoughts and understanding of God the Father, and himself as the messiah. Peter Johnson says, “the psalms helped Jesus to carry through with His redemption purpose. Psalms are believed to express deep emotions and full surrender to God.”

When I read this psalm and see David realize that his past days of running and hiding from Saul are gone. David looks forward to his life, now filled with abundance and blessing. Can you see the overlay of this wonderful sense of hope in Jesus’ own life as well. In complete faith that God will help him and see him through death and the hope of redemption and resurrection, Jesus himself can hang on to these ancient words penned by David himself. “You placed a crown of finest gold on his head!”

Can you see these heavenly exchanges; removing the crown of thorns, the mocking crown of shame and suffering and replacing it with a crown of gold, of victory and freedom. When we read of David’s days in life – stretching on forever, can you see the parallel of David’s past, running for his life, living in caves, but now his days are free and full – seemingly with no end! Jesus was buried in a cave, his life from our temporary understanding was over, but his resurrection brought everlasting life! David, in his past, wore tattered, borrowed clothes while dodging death, but as king he was clothed with splendor and majesty. A dynamic picture of rags to riches, funeral shrouds to kingly robes! Jesus lived this same version of David’s life and most likely quoted and prayed these psalms to fortify his own faith in God’s plan, his own mission. Jesus’ life paralleled the psalms!

We are not David nor Jesus, but wouldn’t you think these psalms – memorized, meditated on, and PRAYED would give us hope as well? God saw us through our darkest times, maybe for some literally running for our life. God was there in the darkness of caves and doubts. Our hope is that God is also with us now, giving us eternal blessings and the joy of his own presence! Why? Because God truly loves us and proved it through Jesus’ own life, death and resurrection. We too can pray the psalms! We too can parallel and track with the lows only to come out with the highs of unfailingly love of the Most High!

Prayer

​Dad,
No wonder Jesus was such a fan of the psalms! He lived them. No wonder Jesus’ hope and faith was encouraged by memorizing the psalms, he used them when praying for strength while he was earthbound. Thank you for Your word. It is a lamp, a light and the hope of my salvation! Amen.

Posted on

Urgency of Jesus return.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The “parousia” (a presence, a coming), the snatching, the “rapture,” as we know it today. It was 100%, absolutely expected within the first century of the New Testament Church! Why? Because all the signs were there – namely unprecedented persecution. The world as they knew it was ending. The powerful Roman regime was falling apart and global chaos was at an all time high.

Of course Jesus was returning – SOON. But he didn’t. One hundred years has turned into two thousand years, and the world cyclically got WORSE, not better. Think of the wars, conflicts, pestilence and disasters over the years. Who would read the words and warnings of Jesus himself and NOT think of the end, the apocalypse?

The hard news is this, the Lord’s return was intended to inspire HOPE not escapism! God was at work, so that NONE would die without believing and committing their life back to himself. God’s mercy is extremely long suffering! His grace is abundantly patient. After all these years, do I still believe in the return of Jesus Christ in His second coming? Unequivocally YES. However, am I weary of all those who secretly figure out some formula promising the date Jesus will come? Do I want him to return? Of course I do. The “parousia,” still gives me hope that there is a finality, an end, when, like childbirth, we see the beginnings, the Braxton Hicks of pain, when we know delivery is soon. The second coming is just the beginnings of the end.

However, I am not looking to get out of this world. I am looking for God’s presence to sweep over our globe bringing many to himself, a last effort of mercy to flood the planet like the water that covers 70% of the earth! I can be patient, as James encourages, because God knows what he’s doing. I trust in God, His timing and His will for all our lives. Sure, I can pray, “come quickly Lord Jesus,” as Revelation 22:20 says. But I am looking for signs of renewal, not rejection. For signs of a last revolution, not the great rebellion. My rapture glass is half full, not half empty!

Prayer

​Dad,
Ever since I learned of the rapture and its resurgence in the late seventies, it was terrifying and ominous for sure. But my life in You was just getting started! And, there were still a lot of people I wanted to see come to faith. I had no problem with the idea of delaying justice or judgment when I knew that you had saved me and called me out of my own sin. I wanted so many others to experience similar. Everyone was looking for “the antichrist,” while I was just getting to know THE Christ, your Son. I wouldn’t dare ignore any of the signs you have given us in Your word, but I would much rather look for the stirrings and signs of miracles, wonder and folks turning their hearts towards You! I agree with Peter, that none would perish, but that all should come to repentance! Amen.

Posted on

Experience and the examined soul.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Coming into power and authority too quickly can be detrimental to a leader and those who follow. David spent much of his young life learning how to care for and protect the family sheep. When the sheep went out to pasture, there were weeks that David would be on his own. He learned most of his vital lessons being a shepherd, a veterinarian, a musician and a warrior. David was also skilled in writing poems and songs while living under God’s big sky with miles of country hills.

The prophet Samuel had secretly anointed David as the future king while he was just a teenager. And David got his first big break when word got out that he was an excellent guitar player, well more like a harpist, ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭18‬. His faith and somewhat exaggerated confidence landed him a confrontation with a Gathean mercenary conscripted by the Philistines – the giant, Goliath! So at the age of about 15 years old he became super famous. It didn’t hurt that Saul had offered his daughter’s hand in marriage and the family’s tax free life to the person who defeated the Philistine champion ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭25‬. David even led several successful campaigns on behalf of Saul and became the commander of Saul’s armies.

However, because God had abandoned Saul and he was loosing his grip on reality, things turned ugly on young David, now about 20 years old. For anywhere from 8-10 years, David spent his life on the run. From being a legend to becoming an outlaw, was a struggle for David. He used those times growing closer to God, and writing about his darkest moments in the Psalms. By the time he finally became king over Israel, David had all the highs and lows of notoriety, infamy, and contempt. But as he was hiding and dodging Saul all those years, God was further developing David’s character.

As you are well aware, by the time David was about 50-55 years old he got Bathsheba (22-25 yrs old) pregnant and had her husband murdered and in battle. What happened to all that character development? When things got easy, did David get soft and morally weak. One clue is in Samuel, where he writes, “In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites.” Being that David’s warrior years and his thirst for conquest and victory had subsided. It turned into wandering around on the roof of the palace after taking a midday NAP! This midlife-misstep cost him the kingdom, his own family and his reputation of being the man after God’s own heart. God wouldn’t even let him build the temple (which God didn’t want nor need by the way) because David’s hands were just too bloody.

What an extraordinary life though. So many lessons in life and leadership. So many deep concepts about God and so much self awareness to be gleaned from the writings about David. What can we learn from all of it? Certainly there is a lot of leadership lessons to be learned in different seasons of one’s own life.

Prayer

​Dad,
There is SO MUCH to learn from David’s life! I read these stories when I was young and it was fascinating and conflicting. Now that I am old, it is very different. From the angst of youth and proving oneself, to the wisdom and nurturing of a solid legacy to leave for children and grandchildren. Finishing well is just about all I think about these days. It’s not about me, it’s about the lives that you have placed in my care, in my capacity to lead. This is what becomes valuable in this season. Experience? Yes, but definitely with an examined soul! Amen.