In Chapter 29, Job talks about how good he had it. He says that the young and old, powerful and weak, all respected him as he took his place of leadership in his community.
29:12 "Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel."
But by Chapter 30:10 "They abhor me; they keep aloof from me." All the respect he had was gone. All the good feelings others had towards him had vanished - all because he was suffering from the probably one of the worst trials ever to hit a man.
I'm not faulting Job here, but it made me wonder: how much of our self esteem is bound up in how other people feel about us? I admit this effects me too. If someone shows respect for me it certainly feels better than when they diss me.
But my point for today is this: when stuff goes bad and you are down and having a bad hair life and are not your best - don't worry so much about what other people think about you.
As a Christian, people are watching you. They learn from your life what Jesus is like and life in Him. But they learn best, not from when you are on top of the world but when you underneath it and its weight pushes down on you.
They learn that life is not a bed of roses but a bed of thorny blackberry bushes - and yet Jesus is there - healing, touching, forgiving, transforming the terrible into the holy.
So live life - the good and the bad. When the good comes rejoice. When the bad comes mourn, yet in it all do it in the face of God. Let people see the real you that God is working in and with. It'll draw more people to Christ than any sermon.
Pastor Tom
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Trust in a Living God
One of the repeated themes in the book of Job is death. It's no wonder because so much has been taken away from Job that death seems all that is left.
We as humans have some real problems with death. We deny that it will happen, and when it does we hide it from public view and dress up the body as if it wasn't really dead. Or we see death as something on a computer game that can be reset and replayed or on a movie screen where it teaches us that death doesn't really happen in real life.
But Job has faced death. And not only did he lose those around him that were dear, he is so sick and seemingly abandoned that death seems the only thing left.
Then Job makes this startling and wonderful statement: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth." (19:25)
See, Job had a hope. It wasn't just that his god lived. His God was his Redeemer too. Sure, he didn't know about all the prophecies about the Messiah or even know who Jesus was, but he knew that despite all the death and destruction around him that God was there and God would save him.
Later he says: "in my flesh I shall see God" (26). I'm so glad for that hope. Job hinted that even our bodies will be made new - that death would not take us away from seeing our Redeemer in person.
Take hope in that today. Death is real but God, our Redeemer, is more real still.
We as humans have some real problems with death. We deny that it will happen, and when it does we hide it from public view and dress up the body as if it wasn't really dead. Or we see death as something on a computer game that can be reset and replayed or on a movie screen where it teaches us that death doesn't really happen in real life.
But Job has faced death. And not only did he lose those around him that were dear, he is so sick and seemingly abandoned that death seems the only thing left.
Then Job makes this startling and wonderful statement: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth." (19:25)
See, Job had a hope. It wasn't just that his god lived. His God was his Redeemer too. Sure, he didn't know about all the prophecies about the Messiah or even know who Jesus was, but he knew that despite all the death and destruction around him that God was there and God would save him.
Later he says: "in my flesh I shall see God" (26). I'm so glad for that hope. Job hinted that even our bodies will be made new - that death would not take us away from seeing our Redeemer in person.
Take hope in that today. Death is real but God, our Redeemer, is more real still.
Monday, June 25, 2007
The Escape Key
Have you ever faced a situation in your life where the only thing you can think of is escape? Perhaps the loss of a loved one or a relationship, perhaps health concerns or financial woes. Maybe it was emotional, where the blackness just envelopes you and you can't see out.
Welcome to Job's world. Job had it all - lost his kids, his livelihood, and his health. Understandably, Job's emotions were pretty raw and dark. In Job 6:8 he says: "Oh that I might have my request, and that God would fulfill my hope, that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!"
But God didn't. In fact, the torment got worse thanks to the company of Job's friends and his wife who said "curse God and die!" And that's the thing. Throughout all of what Job went through, the one thing he never lost was his relationship with God, and it was that more than anything that brought him through.
In fact, God had no intention of granting Job's request, not out of meanness but out of love. God allowed Job to go through pain in order to help Job know him more. God wanted to Job to see that he was really nothing compared to the Lord. Once he knew that then God could bless him even more.
As difficult as it is to hear in the midst of great difficulty, escaping is not an answer, its a Band aid. Instead of escaping, hold on to the one thing you do have - a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. God knows suffering because He suffered for you. And He wants you to know Him more. In the process you will see that feeling sorry for ourselves doesn't cut it with God. Be open and naked before him. When all else is stripped away, let Him see the real you. It may not be pretty, but that's when He can really begin to cleanse, wash, purify, and bless you.
Pastor Tom
Welcome to Job's world. Job had it all - lost his kids, his livelihood, and his health. Understandably, Job's emotions were pretty raw and dark. In Job 6:8 he says: "Oh that I might have my request, and that God would fulfill my hope, that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!"
But God didn't. In fact, the torment got worse thanks to the company of Job's friends and his wife who said "curse God and die!" And that's the thing. Throughout all of what Job went through, the one thing he never lost was his relationship with God, and it was that more than anything that brought him through.
In fact, God had no intention of granting Job's request, not out of meanness but out of love. God allowed Job to go through pain in order to help Job know him more. God wanted to Job to see that he was really nothing compared to the Lord. Once he knew that then God could bless him even more.
As difficult as it is to hear in the midst of great difficulty, escaping is not an answer, its a Band aid. Instead of escaping, hold on to the one thing you do have - a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. God knows suffering because He suffered for you. And He wants you to know Him more. In the process you will see that feeling sorry for ourselves doesn't cut it with God. Be open and naked before him. When all else is stripped away, let Him see the real you. It may not be pretty, but that's when He can really begin to cleanse, wash, purify, and bless you.
Pastor Tom
Thursday, June 21, 2007
God The Master Player
Does it ever bother you that God incites Satan to attack Job? You see it right in chapter 1. God asks Satan where he's been and then says "have you considered my servant Job?" It's almost like he wants all that bad stuff to come on Job - who is a pretty righteous guy according to the Lord.
Yep, I think that's exactly what happened. That kind of troubles me. You mean God can actually encourage something bad to happen to me? It's true. Isaiah says he creates both good and evil (read: calamity, not moral evil).
So what's going on? Well, I think God is playing Satan. I think He knows all along exactly what Satan will do, how Job will react, and how He will get good out of the situation. It doesn't make Satan any less culpable for his actions or the problems any less serious for Job, but it does make the outcome certain - and good.
If you are going through tough times remember Job - not to get depressed (I don't recommend reading Job when you are in the midst of a trial) but realize that Job was never out of God's hands. His end was better than his beginning. God really does work ALL things together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. His purpose. God the master planner.
Pastor Tom
Yep, I think that's exactly what happened. That kind of troubles me. You mean God can actually encourage something bad to happen to me? It's true. Isaiah says he creates both good and evil (read: calamity, not moral evil).
So what's going on? Well, I think God is playing Satan. I think He knows all along exactly what Satan will do, how Job will react, and how He will get good out of the situation. It doesn't make Satan any less culpable for his actions or the problems any less serious for Job, but it does make the outcome certain - and good.
If you are going through tough times remember Job - not to get depressed (I don't recommend reading Job when you are in the midst of a trial) but realize that Job was never out of God's hands. His end was better than his beginning. God really does work ALL things together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. His purpose. God the master planner.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Esther Was No Pushover
You've probably read the story of Esther before. It's the story about a young woman from Israel, brought up by her cousin in Babylon and made queen of the country. she ended up in a place where she could influence a king and save her people from annihilation.
The story has been the subject of villain/hero morality plays by the Jewish community for generations. When Haman comes on the stage everyone boos and when Esther wins the day there is great cheering.
But I noticed when reading this story again that Esther was no cartoon cutout, no caricature, no stereotype.
She was actually a pretty astute judge of character and situation. When it came time appear before the king she took the advice of a palace official (instead of feeling confident in her own opinions in this foreign situation). She foiled a plot to kill the king despite the fact that Babylon was an enemy of Israel by sharing intelligence. Then she threw the real enemy, Haman, off guard and appealed to her husband's love for her in stopping his plot to wipe out the entire nation.
Placed in a strange situation, faced with death if she did nothing, and death if she acted, Esther used her beauty, character, intelligence, and patience to do God's work. She did it all in a foreign land with customs she was not used to and with no one to really lean on - except God.
It gives me hope that when I am placed in situations where things seem out of control, I can be calm knowing that the Lord is with me and may have me where I am, no matter how difficult, "for such a time as this." (Esther 4:14).
Pastor Tom
The story has been the subject of villain/hero morality plays by the Jewish community for generations. When Haman comes on the stage everyone boos and when Esther wins the day there is great cheering.
But I noticed when reading this story again that Esther was no cartoon cutout, no caricature, no stereotype.
She was actually a pretty astute judge of character and situation. When it came time appear before the king she took the advice of a palace official (instead of feeling confident in her own opinions in this foreign situation). She foiled a plot to kill the king despite the fact that Babylon was an enemy of Israel by sharing intelligence. Then she threw the real enemy, Haman, off guard and appealed to her husband's love for her in stopping his plot to wipe out the entire nation.
Placed in a strange situation, faced with death if she did nothing, and death if she acted, Esther used her beauty, character, intelligence, and patience to do God's work. She did it all in a foreign land with customs she was not used to and with no one to really lean on - except God.
It gives me hope that when I am placed in situations where things seem out of control, I can be calm knowing that the Lord is with me and may have me where I am, no matter how difficult, "for such a time as this." (Esther 4:14).
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The Discipline Took
After Israel returned to the land, rebuilt the Temple, then rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem, a great celebration broke forth. There were choirs and singing and raising of hands and walking around on top of the new wall - all seemed great.
Then in Nehemiah 13:1 "On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God."
Here was a big test. Israel had been disciplined because despite Joshua telling not to "mix" with the nations around them, the people did just that. Joshua's warnings had come true that the gods of the people became a "snare" for them and they bowed down and served them. Joshua warned that God would remove them from the land, and He did just that.
Now that they were back, what would happen? They obviously still had ties to the descendants of the people God had said not to mix with. Would they just ignore the years of discipline? No. When they heard God's Word they responded and "separated from Israel all those of foreign descent." (vs 3).
Not only that, but they removed enemy influence from their worship (throwing Tobiah out of the Temple). In addition, the people started giving to the work of God, and dedicating themselves to following God's Law by observing the Sabbath (though they needed some encouragement from Nehemiah).
This shows fruit from God's discipline. Does this happen to you? Are there times when your own disobedience has lead to an experience of discipline from God? Then when the discipline is over, isn't it nice to see the fruit? You feel free from that which bound you and you want to pick up in your service and worship to God.
It's never fun to go through discipline, but it sure is nice to see God work good things in our lives through it. So celebrate!
Pastor Tom
Then in Nehemiah 13:1 "On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God."
Here was a big test. Israel had been disciplined because despite Joshua telling not to "mix" with the nations around them, the people did just that. Joshua's warnings had come true that the gods of the people became a "snare" for them and they bowed down and served them. Joshua warned that God would remove them from the land, and He did just that.
Now that they were back, what would happen? They obviously still had ties to the descendants of the people God had said not to mix with. Would they just ignore the years of discipline? No. When they heard God's Word they responded and "separated from Israel all those of foreign descent." (vs 3).
Not only that, but they removed enemy influence from their worship (throwing Tobiah out of the Temple). In addition, the people started giving to the work of God, and dedicating themselves to following God's Law by observing the Sabbath (though they needed some encouragement from Nehemiah).
This shows fruit from God's discipline. Does this happen to you? Are there times when your own disobedience has lead to an experience of discipline from God? Then when the discipline is over, isn't it nice to see the fruit? You feel free from that which bound you and you want to pick up in your service and worship to God.
It's never fun to go through discipline, but it sure is nice to see God work good things in our lives through it. So celebrate!
Pastor Tom
Monday, June 18, 2007
Distracted
Last time I talked about the dangers of taking on the task of becoming transformed into the character of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. This time we look at the enemies tactic once direct threats don't work.
In Nehemiah 6 we see two old adversaries up to their old tricks, just as our old adversary, the Devil, never gives up, only changes his tactics.
When Sanballat and Tobiah hear that Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem they first tried to get Nehemiah to engage them in conversation about it - but Nehemiah would not stop the work to talk about it. Often the enemy wants us to engage in self talk about whether we should fully commit out lives to God.
Instead, Nehemiah said "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" (6:3). Don't engage the enemy in this attempt. One, you will be in danger of talking yourself out of the task, and two, while you are reconsidering you are stopping the work.
When that didn't work these guys sent an open letter trying to say that Nehemiah had taken over as king. It impugned his motivations and questioned his goals. Becoming like our Lord is not for our glory but for his alone. People might question you, call you "goody two shoes" or make open accusations against you before others. Don't let that deter you either.
Finally Sanballat and Tobiah actually hired a false prophet to try to lure Nehemiah into stopping by suggesting there was a plot to kill him. With God's wisdom Nehemiah saw through it. The idea was to get Nehemiah to hide away for fear. The enemy taunts us with what might happen to us too: "what will people think of you if you stop doing that?" "Love your enemies? They'll wipe the floor with you!" and the like.
Let our prayer be like Nehemiah's who said: "But now, O God, strengthen my hands."
Pastor Tom
In Nehemiah 6 we see two old adversaries up to their old tricks, just as our old adversary, the Devil, never gives up, only changes his tactics.
When Sanballat and Tobiah hear that Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem they first tried to get Nehemiah to engage them in conversation about it - but Nehemiah would not stop the work to talk about it. Often the enemy wants us to engage in self talk about whether we should fully commit out lives to God.
Instead, Nehemiah said "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" (6:3). Don't engage the enemy in this attempt. One, you will be in danger of talking yourself out of the task, and two, while you are reconsidering you are stopping the work.
When that didn't work these guys sent an open letter trying to say that Nehemiah had taken over as king. It impugned his motivations and questioned his goals. Becoming like our Lord is not for our glory but for his alone. People might question you, call you "goody two shoes" or make open accusations against you before others. Don't let that deter you either.
Finally Sanballat and Tobiah actually hired a false prophet to try to lure Nehemiah into stopping by suggesting there was a plot to kill him. With God's wisdom Nehemiah saw through it. The idea was to get Nehemiah to hide away for fear. The enemy taunts us with what might happen to us too: "what will people think of you if you stop doing that?" "Love your enemies? They'll wipe the floor with you!" and the like.
Let our prayer be like Nehemiah's who said: "But now, O God, strengthen my hands."
Pastor Tom
Friday, June 15, 2007
Taking On A Dangerous Assignment
After the repair of the Temple, the children of Israel began to rebuild the wall around the city of Jerusalem. I've heard many teachings equating the repair of the gates to the repair of the human soul by the power of the Holy Spirit. Today I won't address that, but the process of undertaking that repair job at all.
When the Apostle Paul talks about the process of changing a life that has been renewed through the blood of Jesus Christ he uses a word that means "renovation." It's a good word when you look at what was happening in Jerusalem. The wall had been torn down and left in rubble. It's worse than if you started with nothing on the ground. If you ever watch "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" you see them go in and literally tear a house down, leaving a huge pile of junk on the ground. Until they clear that out of the way the work cannot continue.
There are a lot of analogies to the human soul or spirit as well. We are born with a nature that is i opposition to God. This old nature is killed when we come to Christ but like a corpse on an autopsy table, doesn't just go away. In fact there is a lot of junk left over in our lives - old habits, attitudes, negative experiences, sins, consequences from actions, etc.
Picking around all that rubble in order to rebuild our lives around the strength of the Spirit can be dangerous and arduous. What I noticed today was how the enemies of Israel tried to discourage the work. They tried questioning motivations, to threatening attack - anything to keep them from going on.
For us, that old nature and the Devil will try to discourage us from continuing the work of renovation in our lives, which is generally seeking God to rebuild our character into one that reflects His character.
So what did Israel do? In Nehemiah 4:17 "Those that carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other." So they worked while ready at any moment to defend their right to work.
For us, we need to be prepared to defend our right to allow God renovate our lives. It is easy to become discouraged as we see those around us continuing in sin and enjoying it. It is easy to give up when the enemy shouts at us that we can never succeed, whispers in our ears that it would be easier to give in than to keep working, or attacks us to scare us into stopping.
My encouragement to us all is not to listen, but be ready with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, to answer back "he who has begun a good work in you will continue it."
Pastor Tom
When the Apostle Paul talks about the process of changing a life that has been renewed through the blood of Jesus Christ he uses a word that means "renovation." It's a good word when you look at what was happening in Jerusalem. The wall had been torn down and left in rubble. It's worse than if you started with nothing on the ground. If you ever watch "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" you see them go in and literally tear a house down, leaving a huge pile of junk on the ground. Until they clear that out of the way the work cannot continue.
There are a lot of analogies to the human soul or spirit as well. We are born with a nature that is i opposition to God. This old nature is killed when we come to Christ but like a corpse on an autopsy table, doesn't just go away. In fact there is a lot of junk left over in our lives - old habits, attitudes, negative experiences, sins, consequences from actions, etc.
Picking around all that rubble in order to rebuild our lives around the strength of the Spirit can be dangerous and arduous. What I noticed today was how the enemies of Israel tried to discourage the work. They tried questioning motivations, to threatening attack - anything to keep them from going on.
For us, that old nature and the Devil will try to discourage us from continuing the work of renovation in our lives, which is generally seeking God to rebuild our character into one that reflects His character.
So what did Israel do? In Nehemiah 4:17 "Those that carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other." So they worked while ready at any moment to defend their right to work.
For us, we need to be prepared to defend our right to allow God renovate our lives. It is easy to become discouraged as we see those around us continuing in sin and enjoying it. It is easy to give up when the enemy shouts at us that we can never succeed, whispers in our ears that it would be easier to give in than to keep working, or attacks us to scare us into stopping.
My encouragement to us all is not to listen, but be ready with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, to answer back "he who has begun a good work in you will continue it."
Pastor Tom
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Getting It Right
A lot had happened to Israel by the time Ezra the priest returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. It all began when God brought His people into the Promised Land and warned them about getting tangled up in the gods-who-are-not-really-gods in the land. They didn't listen and ended up rebelling against Yahweh and becoming indistinguishable from the people around them.
God removed them from the land as a discipline and then allowed them to return seventy years later. But even as they were celebrating the rebuilding of the Temple, Ezra was troubled. It seemed that some of the people had started intermarrying once again with the people of the land. This could have started the cycle all over again with rebellion and discipline.
Ezra made a strong plea to them to put away these marriages and remain faithful to God. What happened this time is encouraging:
(Ezra 10:2-3) "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it."
Israel had made promises before that they would remain faithful. But I like how this is put: "let us make a covenant with our God." This wasn't an idle promise but they took it seriously. Then the encouragement to take action on the covenant, and that others would be there to support them.
I like that. When God reveals something in us that needs to be addressed, may we respond like the Israelites: taking it seriously, making a strong promise to God to give this area to him, then seek the support of other brothers and sisters we trust to pray with us and support us in this work.
Pastor Tom
God removed them from the land as a discipline and then allowed them to return seventy years later. But even as they were celebrating the rebuilding of the Temple, Ezra was troubled. It seemed that some of the people had started intermarrying once again with the people of the land. This could have started the cycle all over again with rebellion and discipline.
Ezra made a strong plea to them to put away these marriages and remain faithful to God. What happened this time is encouraging:
(Ezra 10:2-3) "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it."
Israel had made promises before that they would remain faithful. But I like how this is put: "let us make a covenant with our God." This wasn't an idle promise but they took it seriously. Then the encouragement to take action on the covenant, and that others would be there to support them.
I like that. When God reveals something in us that needs to be addressed, may we respond like the Israelites: taking it seriously, making a strong promise to God to give this area to him, then seek the support of other brothers and sisters we trust to pray with us and support us in this work.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Weeping For Sorrow/Joy
After many years walking away from God, Yahweh disciplined Israel by taking them into captivity to Babylon. Jerusalem was destroyed, along with the Temple. The people stayed in Babylon for seventy long years.
The discipline worked. When Persian King Cyrus declared that the Temple could be rebuilt and Judah and Benjamin returned to the land, Israel never again fell into idolatry.
Today I wanted to focus on a little verse tucked away in the book that details the rebuilding of the Temple: Ezra. The people returned and laid the foundation of the Temple. In celebration all the people gathered and praised the Lord with loud shouts.
But among them were some priests and Levites who remembered the original Temple. When they saw the new foundation they "wept with a loud voice" (Ezra 3:12). No doubt they cried remembering the bitterness in which they left, the people who died, and the loss of their country.
So now read what happened next:
(Ezra 3:13) "... though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away."
The reason I think this is significant is that we are not that much different. As we see God build a new life in us through the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too remember how we were before. We remember the sin that destroyed us and the rebellion that pulled us away from the Lord. We weep with sorrow and with joy at the same time.
We are joyful for the new life and sorrowful for all that we have done against the Lord. And you know what? That's okay. We know that one day, God will wipe away all those tears and all that will be left is the joy of knowing that we will be with Him for all of eternity.
Pastor Tom
The discipline worked. When Persian King Cyrus declared that the Temple could be rebuilt and Judah and Benjamin returned to the land, Israel never again fell into idolatry.
Today I wanted to focus on a little verse tucked away in the book that details the rebuilding of the Temple: Ezra. The people returned and laid the foundation of the Temple. In celebration all the people gathered and praised the Lord with loud shouts.
But among them were some priests and Levites who remembered the original Temple. When they saw the new foundation they "wept with a loud voice" (Ezra 3:12). No doubt they cried remembering the bitterness in which they left, the people who died, and the loss of their country.
So now read what happened next:
(Ezra 3:13) "... though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away."
The reason I think this is significant is that we are not that much different. As we see God build a new life in us through the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too remember how we were before. We remember the sin that destroyed us and the rebellion that pulled us away from the Lord. We weep with sorrow and with joy at the same time.
We are joyful for the new life and sorrowful for all that we have done against the Lord. And you know what? That's okay. We know that one day, God will wipe away all those tears and all that will be left is the joy of knowing that we will be with Him for all of eternity.
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Until There was no Remedy
2 Chronicles 36:15-16 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. (ESV)
This Scripture stood out to me like a light on a hill on a dark night. It represents the last words before Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and Israel was carried off into exile. But it also could be spoken to today's world as well.
God is still sending messengers, speaking the gospel of grace and forgiveness for all who will repent of their sins and make Jesus their Lord. It is not out of vindictiveness or judgment that He speaks but out of "compassion on his people." God desires no one to perish and has created a way of escape from a world that will be destroyed because of rebellion and sin.
But as in the days of 2 Chronicles, people today mock the messengers of God, "despising his words" and scoffing at those who say that ultimate judgment is coming against anyone who rebels against the Lord and His Son.
In the end the wrath of God will rightly rise up against sin and there will be "no remedy" outside of Jesus Christ.
May we all listen intently when God speaks through his prophets and apostles. We have everything at stake.
Pastor Tom
This Scripture stood out to me like a light on a hill on a dark night. It represents the last words before Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and Israel was carried off into exile. But it also could be spoken to today's world as well.
God is still sending messengers, speaking the gospel of grace and forgiveness for all who will repent of their sins and make Jesus their Lord. It is not out of vindictiveness or judgment that He speaks but out of "compassion on his people." God desires no one to perish and has created a way of escape from a world that will be destroyed because of rebellion and sin.
But as in the days of 2 Chronicles, people today mock the messengers of God, "despising his words" and scoffing at those who say that ultimate judgment is coming against anyone who rebels against the Lord and His Son.
In the end the wrath of God will rightly rise up against sin and there will be "no remedy" outside of Jesus Christ.
May we all listen intently when God speaks through his prophets and apostles. We have everything at stake.
Pastor Tom
Monday, June 11, 2007
Serving God at a Foreign Altar
Manasseh was an evil king over Judah. He led Israel back into idolatry after the wonderful example of Hezekiah had passed. But when God finally got through to him he repented big time. By then the damage was done, and it had an interesting effect on the people that lasts to this day.
When Manasseh repented of his sin it says in 2 Chronicles 33 that he removed the altars to the foreign gods and threw them out of Jerusalem. He also commanded that Judah serve Yahweh. The response of the people was this: (17) "Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God."
So the people went out to a place where Baal, Ashteroth and other abhorrent gods had been worshiped and tried somehow to redeem them into something pleasing to God - even though the Lord was very clear about where and how He was to be worshiped - at the Temple in Jerusalem as a picture of the coming Messiah Jesus. This was the same problem that Jeroboam had many years before and why Israel deserted Yahweh by serving a calf and calling is LORD. It wasn't.
How does this apply to you? Simply put, you cannot say, think, or do things that are clearly not in the character of Jesus and claim that you are worshiping and serving Him. If you get drunk all the time and just say "praise the Lord" there is something wrong. If you serve at the altar of Mammon (money) and just say "God is in this!" you are sadly mistaken.
I'm not saying that you need to make yourself perfect - that's the job of the Holy Spirit as you yield your life in submission to Him. But to think that you can twist the worldly system and call it godly is only a recipe for trouble. You also can't twist the Word of God to mean that approaching God through any other means than the God-man Jesus will work. It won't.
You can't earn your way to God. You can't change Jesus into the brother of Satan and think you are worshiping Him or that His blood will cover you. Jesus cannot be manipulated into something that we fashion. The good news is that by repenting and coming to Jesus on His terms there is forgiveness and cleansing and a wonderful life that will never end!
Pastor Tom
When Manasseh repented of his sin it says in 2 Chronicles 33 that he removed the altars to the foreign gods and threw them out of Jerusalem. He also commanded that Judah serve Yahweh. The response of the people was this: (17) "Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God."
So the people went out to a place where Baal, Ashteroth and other abhorrent gods had been worshiped and tried somehow to redeem them into something pleasing to God - even though the Lord was very clear about where and how He was to be worshiped - at the Temple in Jerusalem as a picture of the coming Messiah Jesus. This was the same problem that Jeroboam had many years before and why Israel deserted Yahweh by serving a calf and calling is LORD. It wasn't.
How does this apply to you? Simply put, you cannot say, think, or do things that are clearly not in the character of Jesus and claim that you are worshiping and serving Him. If you get drunk all the time and just say "praise the Lord" there is something wrong. If you serve at the altar of Mammon (money) and just say "God is in this!" you are sadly mistaken.
I'm not saying that you need to make yourself perfect - that's the job of the Holy Spirit as you yield your life in submission to Him. But to think that you can twist the worldly system and call it godly is only a recipe for trouble. You also can't twist the Word of God to mean that approaching God through any other means than the God-man Jesus will work. It won't.
You can't earn your way to God. You can't change Jesus into the brother of Satan and think you are worshiping Him or that His blood will cover you. Jesus cannot be manipulated into something that we fashion. The good news is that by repenting and coming to Jesus on His terms there is forgiveness and cleansing and a wonderful life that will never end!
Pastor Tom
Friday, June 08, 2007
I'm Too Dirty For God
If you've been following along as we read through 2 Chronicles you know that Israel and Judah's kings were not always godly, and many times very ungodly. Judah had a better record than Israel, but not by that much. Kings like Ahaz did terrible things, including actually shutting up the Temple, purposefully keeping the people from worshipping Yahweh (2 Chronicles 28:24).The people went along with these bad kings and themselves abandoned God.
So along comes Hezekiah. One of the very first things Hezekiah did when he became king - within the first month - was re-open the Temple. He re-organized the priests, restarted the sacrifices and started up the feasts once again.
One of the feasts reinstated was Passover. I find an interesting verse in chapter 30. It says that "the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the LORD. For a majority of the people ... had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good Lord pardon everyone who seeks his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness."
Basically the people had been away from God so long they didn't know or were not used to the prescribed preparations for the Passover - yet the king, and the Lord, wanted them to celebrate anyway.
Do you sometimes feel so far away from the Lord, so dirty in sin, so unprepared to enter His presence that you simply don't? We need to remember that we don't come to God clean, we come to be cleaned. It doesn't matter what you have done, how long it has been, or how strange it might feel. Come before Him and worship. He is a good God and longs to draw close to you and show you His forgiveness and love.
Pastor Tom
So along comes Hezekiah. One of the very first things Hezekiah did when he became king - within the first month - was re-open the Temple. He re-organized the priests, restarted the sacrifices and started up the feasts once again.
One of the feasts reinstated was Passover. I find an interesting verse in chapter 30. It says that "the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the LORD. For a majority of the people ... had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good Lord pardon everyone who seeks his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness."
Basically the people had been away from God so long they didn't know or were not used to the prescribed preparations for the Passover - yet the king, and the Lord, wanted them to celebrate anyway.
Do you sometimes feel so far away from the Lord, so dirty in sin, so unprepared to enter His presence that you simply don't? We need to remember that we don't come to God clean, we come to be cleaned. It doesn't matter what you have done, how long it has been, or how strange it might feel. Come before Him and worship. He is a good God and longs to draw close to you and show you His forgiveness and love.
Pastor Tom
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Will Anyone Miss You?
Today I want to talk about Jehoram. Jerhoram was king over Judah after Jehoshaphat, who was a good king who followed the Lord and brought the people back into Yahweh worship. Jehoram was the anti-Jehoshaphat.
Jehoram had a bunch of younger brothers his fathered loved and lavished with gifts. He killed them all. Jehoshaphat did not seek the Baals but sought God. Jehoram not only sought the Baals but forced Judah to do the same. Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord and saw victory. Jehoram abandoned God and saw defeat. He was a horrible leader and king.
What I wanted to point out was how his life ended. It was pretty horrible - basically the Lord struck him with a disease and his bowels came out. Yuck! So then he died and look at this: "And he departed with no one's regret" (2 Chronicles 21:20). Wow.
It got me to thinking. What actions and attitudes do we have now that will form opinions of us when we are gone. Hopefully unlike Jehoram, we are serving God and seeking to be transformed into His image. I hope that when we die that people will regret it because of the good things God did through us and how those things positively affected other lives. What will people say about you after you are gone? Just something to think about.
Pastor Tom
Jehoram had a bunch of younger brothers his fathered loved and lavished with gifts. He killed them all. Jehoshaphat did not seek the Baals but sought God. Jehoram not only sought the Baals but forced Judah to do the same. Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord and saw victory. Jehoram abandoned God and saw defeat. He was a horrible leader and king.
What I wanted to point out was how his life ended. It was pretty horrible - basically the Lord struck him with a disease and his bowels came out. Yuck! So then he died and look at this: "And he departed with no one's regret" (2 Chronicles 21:20). Wow.
It got me to thinking. What actions and attitudes do we have now that will form opinions of us when we are gone. Hopefully unlike Jehoram, we are serving God and seeking to be transformed into His image. I hope that when we die that people will regret it because of the good things God did through us and how those things positively affected other lives. What will people say about you after you are gone? Just something to think about.
Pastor Tom
Good News - Bad News
There is this great little story in 2 Chronicles 18 that I love. Israel and Judah have split, and Jehoshaphat is king in Judah and Ahab king in Israel. They get together and (supposedly) ask the Lord whether they should go up in battle against Syria. What happens is both very funny and very sad.
Israel had already abandoned worshipping Yahweh and worshipped a calf God they called Yahweh but wasn't. Ahab called prophets of this false religion together to "hear the Lord." They all said "Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king."
Something didn't sit well with Jehoshaphat and he asked "Is there not here another prophet of the Lord whom we may inquire? And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil."
Hmmm. Perhaps, Ahab, because you need to hear that you are evil and need to repent like the kings of Judah had and stop worshipping a demon-god and instead really listen to and serve the one true God Yahweh.
He doesn't see it that way, of course, and when Miciaiah comes in and prophecies it comes about exactly as he says.
The word for us, I think is not to be afraid of bad news from the Lord. If you are reading the Word or listening to a Bible study and something really hits you that feels uncomfortable. Ask God to reveal what He is up to. What is He trying to say to you? Perhaps there are areas of repentance needed in your life.
Also, its usually a mistake when, after hearing from the Lord, you surround yourself with people or messages that say what you want to hear - what makes you feel comfortable. Spending time with God doesn't always make us comfortable but it always makes us more like Him.
Pastor Tom
Israel had already abandoned worshipping Yahweh and worshipped a calf God they called Yahweh but wasn't. Ahab called prophets of this false religion together to "hear the Lord." They all said "Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king."
Something didn't sit well with Jehoshaphat and he asked "Is there not here another prophet of the Lord whom we may inquire? And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil."
Hmmm. Perhaps, Ahab, because you need to hear that you are evil and need to repent like the kings of Judah had and stop worshipping a demon-god and instead really listen to and serve the one true God Yahweh.
He doesn't see it that way, of course, and when Miciaiah comes in and prophecies it comes about exactly as he says.
The word for us, I think is not to be afraid of bad news from the Lord. If you are reading the Word or listening to a Bible study and something really hits you that feels uncomfortable. Ask God to reveal what He is up to. What is He trying to say to you? Perhaps there are areas of repentance needed in your life.
Also, its usually a mistake when, after hearing from the Lord, you surround yourself with people or messages that say what you want to hear - what makes you feel comfortable. Spending time with God doesn't always make us comfortable but it always makes us more like Him.
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
"This Thing Is From Me"
In my last blog entry I talked about Rehoboam and how he listened to the harsh advice from his peers rather than heeding the merciful words from his elders. This didn't go over too well with the people he ruled. In fact, it led to the dividing of Israel as a nation. Oddly, though, God said He was in it.
In 2 Chronicles 11, Rehoboam recognizes that he's got to do something to restore his kingdom. He doesn't do it with diplomacy or with saying that he was wrong (something his grandfather David would have done) but seeks to go to arms against his brothers. He raises any army of 180,000 men for the job.
But Shemaiah the prophet comes to him and says (2 Chronicles 11:4) "Thus says the Lord, you shall not go up or fight against your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me." This time Rehoboam listened to good advice and a blood bath was averted, for the time being.
The point that hit me from this revelation was that there may come a time when you have blown it, and you think "I've got to fix this with whatever means are at my disposal." And your solution to the problem may be worse than the problem you were trying to fix.
I made that mistake once in dealing with someone who was acting inappropriately. Instead of coming alongside and discipling this person I made changes to the ministry I was involved with. In the end I alienated a lot of people and caused more harm than good. God is good, however. Years later we were reconciled and growth took place.
But next time I might just give away my pride and realize that although I blew it, God is in it to work "all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes." Then I'll let patience and repentance guide me into His will.
Pastor Tom
In 2 Chronicles 11, Rehoboam recognizes that he's got to do something to restore his kingdom. He doesn't do it with diplomacy or with saying that he was wrong (something his grandfather David would have done) but seeks to go to arms against his brothers. He raises any army of 180,000 men for the job.
But Shemaiah the prophet comes to him and says (2 Chronicles 11:4) "Thus says the Lord, you shall not go up or fight against your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me." This time Rehoboam listened to good advice and a blood bath was averted, for the time being.
The point that hit me from this revelation was that there may come a time when you have blown it, and you think "I've got to fix this with whatever means are at my disposal." And your solution to the problem may be worse than the problem you were trying to fix.
I made that mistake once in dealing with someone who was acting inappropriately. Instead of coming alongside and discipling this person I made changes to the ministry I was involved with. In the end I alienated a lot of people and caused more harm than good. God is good, however. Years later we were reconciled and growth took place.
But next time I might just give away my pride and realize that although I blew it, God is in it to work "all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes." Then I'll let patience and repentance guide me into His will.
Pastor Tom
Monday, June 04, 2007
Youth = Wisdom?
Let's face it. We live in a culture dominated by youth ideals. Everyone wants to be young or act young or do and buy the things that young people do or buy. This actually started back in the 60's when a generation of American youth decided that anyone over 30 should not be trusted. It has hurt our country and has permeated the church. But it really began much much earlier.
In 2 Chronicles 10 Rehoboam, Solomon's son, has taken over the throne of Israel. The people come and complain that Solomon's taxes were too burdensome. So Rehoboam has a decision to make. First he went to the old men who had served his father. They told him to be kind to the people and they will serve him forever. That was probably good advice as the taxes needed to build the Temple were no longer needed.
Regardless, Rehoboam rejected that counsel "and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him" (2 Chronicles 10:8). These young men suggested an even harsher way of ruling than Solomon. That should have clued Solomon in right there that there was a problem. Often times the folly of youth is that no matter what way is right, doing things a different way than a previous generation is mandatory.
There are times when a young person has great wisdom, and there are times when a more mature person is a jerk. The lesson is that we should by no means cast out the wisdom of the mature, and we should by all means test the advice we receive based on the character of God.
Pastor Tom
In 2 Chronicles 10 Rehoboam, Solomon's son, has taken over the throne of Israel. The people come and complain that Solomon's taxes were too burdensome. So Rehoboam has a decision to make. First he went to the old men who had served his father. They told him to be kind to the people and they will serve him forever. That was probably good advice as the taxes needed to build the Temple were no longer needed.
Regardless, Rehoboam rejected that counsel "and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him" (2 Chronicles 10:8). These young men suggested an even harsher way of ruling than Solomon. That should have clued Solomon in right there that there was a problem. Often times the folly of youth is that no matter what way is right, doing things a different way than a previous generation is mandatory.
There are times when a young person has great wisdom, and there are times when a more mature person is a jerk. The lesson is that we should by no means cast out the wisdom of the mature, and we should by all means test the advice we receive based on the character of God.
Pastor Tom
Friday, June 01, 2007
What You Don't Ask For
I don't want to put down Solomon, he was a great king and a really humble man. In 2 Chronicles 1 God appears to Solomon and says "Ask what I shall give you" (vs 7). Solomon asks for wisdom to lead the people of Israel. But Solomon should also have thought about what he didn't ask for.
God is pleased because Solomon didn't ask for long life or riches or the lives of his enemies. And so God gives him the wisdom, and the riches and long life.
What intrigues me is the very next verse. The first thing Solomon does is to go out and buy 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. There are two problems with this. The first is that God told Israel that when they had a king that they should not multiply horses and chariots (Deut 17:16). So Solomon is disobeying God. The second is that Solomon didn't need them. He should have relied on God as Joshua and Israel did during the taking of the land.
I noticed that in the list of things that God gave he left out "the life of those who hate you." Perhaps God was testing Solomon a little bit. I'm not saying this is so, but maybe Solomon was trying to fill in the gaps in God's promise to him.
So the lesson for us is: when you do right, when your attitude is like Jesus and you think "yes - I did okay that time!" don't then let your guard down. The temptation will be to fall into doing something wrong in another area of your life.
Remember all of God tells you in His Word and trust in Him to accomplish all of it through you. He doesn't need our assistance, really!
Pastor Tom
God is pleased because Solomon didn't ask for long life or riches or the lives of his enemies. And so God gives him the wisdom, and the riches and long life.
What intrigues me is the very next verse. The first thing Solomon does is to go out and buy 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. There are two problems with this. The first is that God told Israel that when they had a king that they should not multiply horses and chariots (Deut 17:16). So Solomon is disobeying God. The second is that Solomon didn't need them. He should have relied on God as Joshua and Israel did during the taking of the land.
I noticed that in the list of things that God gave he left out "the life of those who hate you." Perhaps God was testing Solomon a little bit. I'm not saying this is so, but maybe Solomon was trying to fill in the gaps in God's promise to him.
So the lesson for us is: when you do right, when your attitude is like Jesus and you think "yes - I did okay that time!" don't then let your guard down. The temptation will be to fall into doing something wrong in another area of your life.
Remember all of God tells you in His Word and trust in Him to accomplish all of it through you. He doesn't need our assistance, really!
Pastor Tom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
