Tag: Future

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Handmade by God.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Several verses start with the powerful words, “God said…”

God said (’ĕ·lō·hîm way·yō·mer, amar: to utter, say).

God spoke:

  • And light existed out of nothing.
  • And a divide separated sea from sky. And the water (qavah: wait) or collected.
  • And vegetation, fruit and trees (min: kind, species) according to their own kind.
  • And in the (raqia: expanse) let (maor: a luminary) light appear, one smaller one to govern the night, and a larger one to govern the day.
  • And living creatures (chay: age, ne·p̄eš: living being) in the waters and the sky. Even great sea creatures (tannin: serpent, dragon, sea monster), all according to their kind (lə·mî·nê·hem).
  • And every sort of animal (chay, ne·p̄eš – living being) beast (wə·ḥay·ṯōw), creeping things (wā·re·meś), cattle (bə·hê·māh) all according to their kind (lə·mî·nāh).

But in verse 26 God said something different.

God said let us make…(na·‘ă·śeh). Let us make mankind (adam: man, mankind) in our image (bə·ṣal·mê·nū, tselem). All the other things God created, He spoke into existence. Then when it comes to humans, God fashions, makes us. As humans, we are exclusively different than all other creatures.

“The soul is first, in God’s image. This, as suggesting an external likeness, may refer to man’s reason, free-will, self-consciousness, and so on. But it is, secondly, in God’s likeness, which implies something closer and more inward. It refers to man’s moral powers, and especially to his capacity of attaining unto holiness.” But the third characteristic is dominion – having both authority and responsibility for all the rest of creation. Finally, it is God that determined the two physical differences between them – male (zakar) and female (neqebah) He created them.

I love the picture in Genesis 2:7, Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and man became a living person. God (yatsar: to form, fashion) formed us out of the dust (aphar: dry earth, dust) and breathed (neshamah: breath) into his nostrils, the breath of life, and man became a living soul (nephesh: a soul).

Everything God created is good, but we are very good because we bear God’s image.

Prayer

Dad,
This who idea of we are, who made us, is so important when we are searching for meaning in our lives. I would think this makes the quest for answers so much easier. I would never really had a chance to discover purpose or even a future if you had not found me and offered me a new life. I am forever thankful for the way you have loved me and led me since I was just a teen. Amen.

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I remember.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

”Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.“ ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s been quite a while ago, but I still remember that for a third of my life, I was a nobody. Forty-seven years ago, God changed everything about my life! I am not trying to be cruel or humble when I say I was a nobody, but for the first twenty years, I felt very invisible. I didn’t mind it at all. As long as I was invisible, I would not be held responsible.

The Apostle Paul’s admonition to the churches in Corinth, is that they too came from humble, almost insignificant beginnings. Twice he wrote, they weren’t powerful or wealthy – neither (dunatos) powerful nor (eugenes) of noble birth. Then again, they were from (agenés) unborn, of no family and even (exoutheneó) despised. In worldly standards, this is about as low as one can get. No real influence, no family name to help by dropping into a conversation and looked down on by the rest of society. That is from where God picks His “dream team?” Well, that described the church who could not possibly boast that they rose to significance on their own! Yet, God chooses these kinds of folks to shame the self-proclaimed “wise.”

I am in that community! I came from no power, no nobility, no family heritage and despised or just pitied. And, I cannot say that I rose from the ashes, from rags to riches to become some powerful leader or a social media influencer. I do remember, however, that I came from pretty much nothing and God built a really great life for me! Since my twenties, I have had the honor and privilege of being a Pastor, even in a current culture where Pastors are no longer honored! My story, my testimony is exactly what Paul says that God does in the lives of those He chooses! He chooses people like me to prove that He changes everything – if they’ll let Him. Paul is right, this stuff works!!! God does rescue, redeem and restore still today. Don’t let your past define your future! Don’t allow your family origin story to define your family’s future legacy!

Prayer

Dad,
I don’t think about often anymore, but each time Your Word reminds me of the past, I can’t help but be grateful for everything You’ve done in and through my life. It’s been a little foggy and bumpy at times, but what a ride! I can honestly tell anyone, “If God can do this in my life, He can do it in yours too!” It is true, my boasting, my pride is completely in You. Thank you.

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The New City

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! Interlude” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭87‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

On the return from the Babylonish captivity, Ezra inserts this Psalm written by the sons of Korah. The Psalmist writes about God’s affection for the mountain and the city of Jerusalem. A translation note says, “He loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” What makes this more poignant is that Ezra puts this into the book of Psalms as Israel is returning home. Home from 70 years of captivity. Oddly enough, Babylon was a rather kind enslavement. We know from Daniel, Esther and Nehemiah that some Jewish people were chosen to serve in very high ranking positions. The Jewish population grew while in the service of several Nebuchadnezzars.

But as the people were walking up the road to the elevation of 2,500 feet, the mountains above at over 4,000 feet, they saw the total destruction of their beloved city. Their beautiful, world-renowned temple was reduced to ruble. Their gigantic walls and protective gates, toppled and burned. Solomon’s palace, stripped and in shambles. It was good to be home, but home didn’t look the same. The sons of Korah wrote this when the place, the palace in all its grandeur, were in tact. But it was put here in Psalms as the refugees returned to chaos.

It is a reminder of all the things we hold dear, in all the beauty and wonder that went with the memories, that God is still in control and even better – nothing is beyond God’s ability to rebuild and restore. God, the creator of all things. God who made everything from nothing, an impossibility in our physical laws of science. God, who loved that mountain, that city, would see to it that it would return to greatness once again. And, as we know from the New Testament, God has even better plans in store for his most beloved city. There will be a new heaven and new earth. There will be a new Jerusalem, bigger, brighter and more glorious than even Solomon’s city.

Ezekiel lays down the prophetic hints that is would be coming in the future. The Jewish people thought that they would be building it, seeing it come to glory. Ah, but this city, this new build, would happen far into the future, when all things come to an end and all things are made new. This new Jerusalem is referred to in the Bible in several places ( Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22-24; and 13:14 ), but it is most fully described in Revelation 21. The city is a physical object lesson of our community, where the people of God will live in the presence of God. No matter how our earthly cities look now, whether grungy or grand. No matter our affections for the New Yorks’, Los Angeles’, Paris’, or Vaticans’ of this world. God’s city, the New Jerusalem will always be his favorite, because this will be the community of heaven!

Prayer

Dad,
Like with most spiritual things, I only see glimpses and momentary glances of such a wonder as this great city. And oddly, I only think about it when someone dies and we talk about their move to heaven. Either reading about this great city or thinking about it does inspire hope and an abundance of curiosity! I believe it’s real – all of it is real. It will not only feel like everything we’ve ever known as “home,” but it will probably feel like the finality of where we’ve always belonged, always lived. As a place, as a community, that is our hope; that this indescribable existence will be ours. However, the truth is, it will pale in comparison to your presence! Where your glory, your light and love will permeate every facet of our existence.

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When all you have is fear and faith.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Joseph did everything right and still he was going to thwart the plans of God. Not only was Joe going to do things right, he was even going to do them with the best motives in mind. He was going to break the engagement quietly, privately, so it would not disgrace Mary publicly.

Joe was much older than Mary and we don’t know all the details of his and Mary’s life before their pre-arranged marriage. You knew that right? This wasn’t a whirl-wind romance of Joe sweeping young Mary off her feet and promising her the world. History is fairly quiet about the couple, especially after the “incident” of being with child out of wedlock. Joseph was said to have been married before and was a widow. Mary being so young and both families living in a poorer part of Israel (Nazareth), may have had few to no suitors for her father to choose from. None of that mattered really, because God’s will, His desires, His plans before time existed was for these two, Joseph and Mary to raise the Son of God.

What do you do when a good man, a righteous man is going to break up with the woman carrying the Messiah? Who’s going to have that kind of conversation with Joseph and get him to change his mind, because clearly Matthew tells us he had already made his decision. And when a man… especially a Jewish man makes up his mind, well, you know, there’s no changing that! No worries, that too was all planned out with God.

God sent a messenger, a powerful, high ranking messenger, an angel of the Lord. The message isn’t, “Marry the girl or else!” The message is don’t fear the consequences of marrying this girl. The consequences were real. No one in those days (or these days) was going to buy the whole “virgin birth” story. Everyone knows where babies come from and how they’re made! If Joseph wasn’t the daddy, it must be another man – but who?

Gossip would have torn through their town like a wildfire, destroying everything in its path. Then there’s the whole danger of Mary being dragged out in the town square and stoned to death for adultery, killing her and the child within her womb. We couldn’t have that happen right?

No; God, Joe and Mary had to keep this whole thing on the downlow and make sure it played out well with the whole community. So the fear of consequences of what would happen to Mary and the shame that Joseph would have to bear was very real. He wasn’t the one carrying a miraculous child from God, but he would need BIG faith to believe and raise the boy as his own. Notice, even in the miraculous intervention the angel didn’t force Joe to do God’s will. He told him not to fear and then flat out told him the why behind all the mystery. For this child would save his people from their sin! Wow, gives me the chills. The angel didn’t tell Joe that he would raise a warrior, a king, or ruler to conquer Rome and put Israel back on top as a global phenomenon like in the days of Solomon. No, this child would save Israel from their sin. Joseph must have known exactly what that meant because of his own lineage and legacy. Matthew had just told us about Joe’s bloodline, a direct heir of Abraham, Boaz, David and Solomon! Joseph knew his people’s own sin story and the need for a future redeemer. Joseph would not be raising just a king, he’d be fathering the King of kings. He wouldn’t be raising a military hero, he’d be fathering the Savior, THE one and only Messiah. We know the intervention worked because Matthew writes, “When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.” Great job Joe. Great job angel of the Lord. And great job God! Mission accomplished.

Prayer

Dad,
In those moments of decision, Joseph could not have known the part, the role he would play in history. He could not have known the results of his decision and how critical it really was. No, he only knew of fear and faith. He could have only known how he felt when he heard the news about Mary and the faith he had to have to believe the angel and follow through with obedience to marry the girl who was carrying our Savior. We never know how our decisions of faith effect the future. All we know is to trust you and obey. You’re the only one who knows how it all works together. May it be unto me to also believe and obey!

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Ambiance of the future city.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end.” Isaiah‬ ‭60:19-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isaiah gets to describe some environmental aspects of the future city of God. For the past seventy+ years folks have been describing the future of humanity. It’s been quite the phenomenon to project what people think is a possibility.

Writers and screenwriters, with books and movies have been guessing at it for a long time. Many are dystopian and dark. Some are fantastically modern, with A.I., robots and super utopian possibilities. I think of authors like George Orwell, in his book 1984, written in 1949 describes a horrible version of government and “big brother.” It was so bizarre to experience 1984 and be thankful that most of Orwell’s predictions had not come true.

There’s plenty of hope-filled, peaceful projections as well. Most of these are about everyone being blandly similar in a weird idealistic socialism kind of way. And of course, these rosey projections have all solved our selfishness and greed, hate and murderous nature which magically translates into “fixing” the environment.

Isaiah, hearing this straight from God himself takes a completely different approach. He defines the future, for the people of God, as good as God himself! These couple of verses seem to defy our understanding of even light itself. Isaiah just announces, “you’ll no longer need the sun or the moon!” What? Wow. Way to go God. As Jesus himself said, He is the light of the world, and in Him there is no darkness (literally and metaphysically). This future city, this New Jerusalem – heaven itself, will be absolutely lit by God who is everlasting light. And this is just one aspect of the future for believers. Those who love sunshine and light will be so happy 😁- me with 🤚🏼 raised.

This is a major benefit to those who know God and believe in Jesus! God has a beautiful future planned. Where all sin, all suffering, all pain and all mourning will not exist. You may think it’s impossible, but God created everything we’ve ever seen or experienced in this world. And He created us in perfection with none of the dark shadows and downsides to our existence. Sin, our sin, is what changed all that. With sin permanently removed from the equation – perfection in all things will RESET back to the original plan.

Prayer

Dad,
Life, here on earth, with all of its beauty and splendor must pale in comparison to heaven and the new earth. This is the only the reflection. And life, even living within the confines of the curse, is also a unique and amazing experience. One the angels, who were also created, will never experience. Of course it is filled with horrendous acts of hate and depravity, but it is also filled with tremendous acts of love and goodness. I see both just walking my own neighborhood! In this strange, paradox of mystery it is hard to look outside of my circumstances and daily situations to see you at work redeeming and saving us. However, I know your Word is true and I know that you are trustworthy. Both have been proven and experienced over the past forty-five years since you saved me. Living here and thinking about this future utopia of grace in your presence is hard. Yet, taking just a few moments to clear away all that is happening in my world, and reading Isaiah’s optimistic words I can see the future – and it will be spectacular!

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Someone’s gotta do it.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.” Proverbs‬ ‭19:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Discipline your kid!

Discipline- yasar: to discipline, chasten, admonish. While there is a thread – tiqvah: cord of waiting – qavah: wait.

It is translated as “hope.” Interesting that the Aramaic word for discipline is to “bind.” The Hebrew language is a language of imagery and built around words that illicit emotion and deep stories of the past. These words are like that. In dealing with sons, we would say children because it’s applicable, there is a stern parental instruction given.

Bind your kid now in the hope, the “cord of waiting,” that it will save their life! Sure discipline sounds better, even harsh chastening sounds better than tying your kid up until they learn to behave.

Here’s the point, someone’s gotta do it!

Most children will not discipline themselves! I say most because I have come across the rare and extraordinary child that has a social perception and sense of self awareness at a very young age to behave pretty much on their own. I WAS NOT that child.

Either a good, loving parent teaches, models, and corrects bad behavior or attitudes or someone later will do it for them. That will likely be a future police or parole officer.

Some parents have it very hard when faced with a little bully or bad seed, but it’s still their job to help their own child, protecting them from their own poor decisions in the future. The discipline, the hard conversations, and natural consequences done at age appropriate moments may slow or stop their self-driven demise.

All my parents, my adopted mom and three different dads tried their best to teach, even discipline me. But too often they had their own demons and lacked self discipline for themselves. All five of my parents had childhood struggles or like the prodigal son, ran off to live their own version of “freedom.” So, I wasn’t exactly given the gift of discipline and I would have ruined my own life if it weren’t for Jesus rescuing me. For our own children, I credit the well balanced serving of discipline to Robin. Her parents gave her the best kind of loving discipline- solid boundaries until she was old enough to make decisions for herself. FYI, keeping Robin from bowling alleys and movies did not ruin her life!

Prayer

Dad,
It was tough learning some kind of discipline at fifteen instead of five. And since I hated team sports, I didn’t even get the chance to be coached. So I took longer to catch on and my life shows the discipline-deficiencies even today. Yet, I am thankful you got a hold of me when you did. It looked like it would have gone bad much faster as I went through my angsty teens. Thank you for that. And thank you for “binding” me with a cord of waiting while you worked on me!

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HOPEBROKER

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” Luke‬ ‭14:26-27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​All or nothing.

Yes, this is the part of the gospel story that we don’t often talk about. A relationship with God is not only primary, it’s all consuming. It is an all or nothing situation! Jesus saying, “by comparison,” our love for God, our consuming desire to follow, obey and dedicate our entire life to him makes it look like we don’t give a rip about all the other family responsibilities, including: dad, mom, wife kids and siblings. I would guess even grandparents, but they are not mentioned 😬. There are other Bible references that discuss this. Like, “eat of my flesh, drink of my blood” verses. Or, “be hot or cold, but never lukewarm.”

This idea that we are in and committed or were not and it’s all just a religious show. That ought to get our attention, right?

And, Jesus goes on to tell this crowd that is following him, “Count the cost first.” Jesus tells two examples, “who builds a building, or goes to war,” without figuring out what it costs, what it takes to win? I remember arguing this point with friends, especially in giving high pressure “altar” calls or guilt drives to make decisions for Christ.

Should someone believe in Christ, YES. Should they make a decision to follow Christ, YES. Shouldn’t they also count the cost, YES as well.

When I said yes to Jesus I didn’t know enough to look forward and see what it would cost me to follow him, especially thinking it would cost my entire life! But, you need to understand, I came to Christ knowing my life to that point felt WORTHLESS. And, I had no ability to see anything in my future but a giant black wall. No dreams of a career, marriage, kids, or white picket fence. From my perspective, there was no future! I was a broke beggar, so there was only nothing or with God – everything.

Yet still, I knew what I was doing; what I was giving up as well as receiving. I was giving up my life in exchange for God becoming my Dad, the father I never had. At that point, I had only experienced two loser Dads, the third being “psychopath Ben,” would come later.

If anyone is going to pressure folks into making a decision, I want it to be God himself, pushing and wooing – pitching His love and abundant grace. Not the fire escape plan or promises of prosperity and the “good life.” A relationship with God isn’t a way to escape hell, it’s walking with Him for eternity. Jesus promised an abundant life but it’s only after completely giving and surrendering our own life.

Yes, I’m all in and wouldn’t have it any other way. For me it’s not hating the family relationships in comparison, it’s more like hating the American Dream that everyone else seems driven to still pursue. In comparison to loving Jesus, I decided to hate the high paying cushy job, the open-space, multiple bathroomed house, two pets, multiple marriages, 2.5 kids and some grandchildren! I only wanted God and whatever He had for me. It is ironic, no, pure-comedy, that God gave me a job Pastoring people, one-wife-for life, kids, grandkids and a couple of dogs in a house with three bathrooms and a pool in the backyard! Figured that one out.

Prayer

Dad,
Really. How did I end up with so much when I started with so little? I had nothing. I was nothing. I was invisible and liked it that way. Now….well, I am not invisible that’s for sure. And I annoy people by being too chatty, too friendly, too weird and tell way to many stories that no one wants to listen to! Oh, the humor of heaven has been poured out on me. I got old and have stuff. I never imagined that possibility. I had no dreams and no hope. You… you gave me all of that and more. I am a hope broker because I was broke and you gave me the greatest gift of all – hope.

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Journal entry from Ezekiel in 593 bc

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. (The Lord gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him.)” Ezekiel‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​On a nice, warm, summer day back in 593 bc Ezekiel is out by a river in Babylon. He tells us that they had been in captivity or exile for five years at this point. We are reading a journal entry of a man that lived over 2600 years ago! He writes about this extraordinary vision as he looks over the river and up into the sky. And, he knows it’s a message and feels the hand of God on him. Chilling right? Then, for the next several verses, Ezekiel describes what he sees.

I’ve got to tell you, I read this as a new believer and could not make any sense of it AT ALL. And, I remember thinking, “who CAN make sense out of this?” It kind of blew my mind when a special speaker came through our church and asked us, “as an ancient observer, how would you have described something “futuristic,” maybe something that would not exist for thousands of years ahead.” Like a vision from someone who travels through time? Whoa. I would never have imagined something so syfi, so cool.

I mean 593 bc could not have had, would not have had any modern day equipment, especially something that could fly! This was a theory I had never thought about – and I liked it! Is it true? I have no idea. Could Ezekiel have been describing a modern Black Hawk helicopter? The guest speaker seemed to think it could have been. Ezekiel could only use words of things that existed in his time to describe what he saw – most of which are animals with a mixture of human faces or features that only the great beasts of his day had. Rotor blades back then could only be described as wings – like a giant dragonfly!

It turns out the modern helicopter may have been designed by studying the dragonfly (The world’s leading helicopter manufacturer, Sikorsky, finished the design of one of their helicopters by taking the dragonfly as a model, IBM, which assisted Sikorsky in this project, started by putting a model of a dragonfly in a computer (IBM 3081)).

Yeah, Ezekiel could have been seeing a futuristic scene of a war and God was telling him to write it down and even share it with the leaders of Israel. This was not just a fanciful dream and Ezekiel wasn’t trippin on some wild mushrooms. There was a reason for it. Many of Ezekiel’s visions were straight out of scenes from the apocalypse, the end times, the final days of the earth and its struggle against evil.

There have been so many possible interpretations and theories of these stunning visions and when they come true in real life, folks will be able to say, “oh, that’s what Ezekiel saw!” So, if you just recently turned thirty, just know this is the kind visionary of stuff you can look forward to! j/k.

Unless I’m joining God as a warrior in his army, I’m not sure I want to be there when this future scene takes place, especially if it’s some kind of global world war. Either way, I know God has got this, He’s in control.

PRAYER:

Dad,
Wow! These Ezekiel (and others) visions are so amazing. We can only wait and watch as you bring about the finality of your grand story, the epic war and peace, the ultimate love and justice of all things! It’s all there – all written out beforehand for everyone, anyone to read and see for themselves. Either folks have heard or have seen your truth and make a decision. All of us have been given ample time and opportunity to do so. I am so very grateful for your Word and the plans you have for me and the entire world.