I just love Hosea 6:1-3:
Come, let us return to the LORD.
For He has torn us,
and He will heal us;
He has wounded us,
and He will bind up our wounds.
2 He will revive us after two days,
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.
3 Let us strive to know the LORD.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.
Doesn't verse 2 remind you of something or someone? It's Jesus Christ, of course. We sometimes think God doesn't like us so He allows bad things to happen to us. Or perhaps that we have caused them by our sin. Though God does allow us to suffer the consequences of our decisions, what I love about this verse is that it shows us that God laid upon Jesus all the hurt and breaking so that on the third day He could raise us along with Jesus!
The purpose was so that we could "live in His presence." Isn't that wonderful? He comes to us like rain in the midst of a drought in our lives. He refreshes and brings life. Shouldn't we "strive" to know Him?
Pastor Tom
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Your Life as an Object Lesson
I feel sorry for Hosea. A prophet who served during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah, Hosea's first words from God were "Go and marry a promiscuous wife and have children of promiscuity" (Hosea 1:2).
"What did I do to you, Lord, that you are so mad at me?" Hosea might have asked. But God had a purpose in mind. He said: "...for the whole land has been promiscuous by abandoning the Lord."
Hosea, you see, was to be an object lesson of God's displeasure with the fact that Israel and decided they wanted to play the whore with gods who are not really gods at all. Hosea even had children with names like "No Compassion" and "Not My People." I don't remember seeing those on the top ten lists of popular names, or did I just miss something?
Later on, God says "...and I will have compassion on No Compassion; I will say to Not My People: You are My people, and he will say: You are My God." (Hosea 2:23)
Hosea was willing to go along with this, to have his wife and kids and whole life used as a way to draw an obstinate people back to Yahweh. I wonder, does God ever choose to use your life as an object lesson? He might not require you to marry a prostitute, but He may lead you purposefully into suffering and take away from you something that is precious. It isn't to punish you (He punished Jesus on the cross for our evil) nor to play with you. He wants to move in your life so fully that when people look at your suffering they will be drawn to the Father.
This doesn't happen by you being perfect but by being open and broken to the Lord. Remember He said "my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9). The relationship others have with God through your suffering makes it totally worth it every time!
Pastor Tom
"What did I do to you, Lord, that you are so mad at me?" Hosea might have asked. But God had a purpose in mind. He said: "...for the whole land has been promiscuous by abandoning the Lord."
Hosea, you see, was to be an object lesson of God's displeasure with the fact that Israel and decided they wanted to play the whore with gods who are not really gods at all. Hosea even had children with names like "No Compassion" and "Not My People." I don't remember seeing those on the top ten lists of popular names, or did I just miss something?
Later on, God says "...and I will have compassion on No Compassion; I will say to Not My People: You are My people, and he will say: You are My God." (Hosea 2:23)
Hosea was willing to go along with this, to have his wife and kids and whole life used as a way to draw an obstinate people back to Yahweh. I wonder, does God ever choose to use your life as an object lesson? He might not require you to marry a prostitute, but He may lead you purposefully into suffering and take away from you something that is precious. It isn't to punish you (He punished Jesus on the cross for our evil) nor to play with you. He wants to move in your life so fully that when people look at your suffering they will be drawn to the Father.
This doesn't happen by you being perfect but by being open and broken to the Lord. Remember He said "my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9). The relationship others have with God through your suffering makes it totally worth it every time!
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Shining Your Light
I've always been impressed with Daniel. More than anyone I can think of, Daniel went about representing Yahweh in all of his life. He was recognized as a statesman, leader, and prophet by both religious and secular members of his society. More than one king made him president over all of the land.
We all know of Daniel and the lion's den, of course, but Daniel set himself apart long before that event, and how he did it can be a lesson for us as we decide how to live life for Christ.
The episode I'm thinking of happens in chapter 1 when, as a young man, he found himself a captive to Babylon. There the king ordered all of the young men to eat a special diet that was not kosher. At this point Daniel had a choice. He could go on a hunger strike, he could throw a hissy fit in front of the guards or the king himself, or he could have engaged in a long philosophical debate on the matter that would go on eternally.
Instead, Daniel asked that they be given permission to eat their diet for ten days. Then he simply said "examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king's food, and deal with your servants based on what you see." (Daniel 1:13).
After the ten days, of course, Daniel looked better and the guards let them continue to eat their special diet.
My point is this: when faced with those who don't understand your faith in Jesus, instead of pushing it in their faces or engaging in endless debates over the merits of Jesus Christ, simply ask them to watch your life. I know that's a scary thought - perhaps there are parts of your life you are not sure you want them to observe - you should take that one up with the Lord!
We're not asking them to judge whether to accept Jesus based on how good we are, we are asking them to observe what a relationship with the Lord is like, and let that serve as a pointer to the Lord Himself.
Matthew 5:16: "In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Pastor Tom
We all know of Daniel and the lion's den, of course, but Daniel set himself apart long before that event, and how he did it can be a lesson for us as we decide how to live life for Christ.
The episode I'm thinking of happens in chapter 1 when, as a young man, he found himself a captive to Babylon. There the king ordered all of the young men to eat a special diet that was not kosher. At this point Daniel had a choice. He could go on a hunger strike, he could throw a hissy fit in front of the guards or the king himself, or he could have engaged in a long philosophical debate on the matter that would go on eternally.
Instead, Daniel asked that they be given permission to eat their diet for ten days. Then he simply said "examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king's food, and deal with your servants based on what you see." (Daniel 1:13).
After the ten days, of course, Daniel looked better and the guards let them continue to eat their special diet.
My point is this: when faced with those who don't understand your faith in Jesus, instead of pushing it in their faces or engaging in endless debates over the merits of Jesus Christ, simply ask them to watch your life. I know that's a scary thought - perhaps there are parts of your life you are not sure you want them to observe - you should take that one up with the Lord!
We're not asking them to judge whether to accept Jesus based on how good we are, we are asking them to observe what a relationship with the Lord is like, and let that serve as a pointer to the Lord Himself.
Matthew 5:16: "In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Pastor Tom
Thursday, December 02, 2010
A Writer's Rejection
As a writer, I know what rejection is like. You put your best work into crafting words that are compelling and you think others would like to read too. You send in your manuscript and instead of getting a thin business envelope with a contract in it, you get your self-addressed stamped envelope back containing your precious words and a nicely worded note that might as well have the words REJECTED stamped on it in big red letters.
Baruch must have felt similarly in Jeremiah chapter 36. He had dutifully taken down every word Jeremiah had spoken, writing it with ink on a scroll. Then he brought the manuscript before the rulers of Judah. After reading it, the officials told Baruch and Jeremiah to go hide (not a good sign for acceptance).
Later, as Jehudi read the scroll to king Jehoiakim it says "As soon as Jehudi would read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut the scroll with a scribe's knife and throw the columns into the blazing fire until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire in the brazier." Ouch! Talk about a rejection letter!
So was Jeremiah and Baruch's efforts totally wasted? Not at all. The king had to listen to every word God was saying to him about his disobedience. He had to personally take God's words to him, cut them off and burn them - showing his personal rejection. The book became a witness against the king.
Maybe in your life you have been a witness to people and they have not turned to the Lord Jesus. You might think your efforts are wasted but not so. Sometimes the greatest witness is the one that is rejected because later that person will have no excuse, or perhaps will look back on their rejection and realize what they have done and turn.
By the way, Baruch just went back and they rewrote the whole thing. God is never without a voice, no matter what man does with it!
Pastor Tom
Baruch must have felt similarly in Jeremiah chapter 36. He had dutifully taken down every word Jeremiah had spoken, writing it with ink on a scroll. Then he brought the manuscript before the rulers of Judah. After reading it, the officials told Baruch and Jeremiah to go hide (not a good sign for acceptance).
Later, as Jehudi read the scroll to king Jehoiakim it says "As soon as Jehudi would read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut the scroll with a scribe's knife and throw the columns into the blazing fire until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire in the brazier." Ouch! Talk about a rejection letter!
So was Jeremiah and Baruch's efforts totally wasted? Not at all. The king had to listen to every word God was saying to him about his disobedience. He had to personally take God's words to him, cut them off and burn them - showing his personal rejection. The book became a witness against the king.
Maybe in your life you have been a witness to people and they have not turned to the Lord Jesus. You might think your efforts are wasted but not so. Sometimes the greatest witness is the one that is rejected because later that person will have no excuse, or perhaps will look back on their rejection and realize what they have done and turn.
By the way, Baruch just went back and they rewrote the whole thing. God is never without a voice, no matter what man does with it!
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Are You An Object Lesson?
Jonadab, son of Rechab must have been a pretty tough character. At some time in Israel's history he told his sons not to drink wine and to always live in tents. I wonder how many times the Rechabites talked amongst themselves saying "boy I feel like a good glass of wine" or "when it's rainy and cold, these tents sure are uncomfortable."
Through all of that, though, they stayed the course and didn't give into the temptation to go against Jonadab's wishes. How many times did they wonder "Why are we still doing this? Jonadab has been dead a long time!"
Then one day the prophet Jeremiah comes calling, asks them to come to the Temple and in front a bunch of people tells them to drink wine. They refused, rightly. Jeremiah didn't command them in the name of the Lord, so their ancestor's command took precedence.
Their refusal, as it turns out, was God's way of making a huge point to Israel. Jeremiah, now speaking for God, said "...they have obeyed their ancestor's command. But I have spoken to you time and time again, and you have not obeyed Me!" (Jeremiah 35:14)
The sons of Rechab, as it turns out, were a huge object lesson for God. All that time they wondered why they were obeying a dead ancestor's command, and God ended up using it as a way to discipline his people.
Do you wonder sometimes why you are going through difficulties? Is it a temptation to stop following God and escape the trouble? Don't. How do you know that people aren't watching you? How do you know that God is not using you as an object lesson or as a way to point people to Himself?
Keep loving and following God, even if it seems "uncomfortable" or even if you don't do the things you long for in obedience to the Lord's commands. God is watching and God is using!
Pastor Tom
Through all of that, though, they stayed the course and didn't give into the temptation to go against Jonadab's wishes. How many times did they wonder "Why are we still doing this? Jonadab has been dead a long time!"
Then one day the prophet Jeremiah comes calling, asks them to come to the Temple and in front a bunch of people tells them to drink wine. They refused, rightly. Jeremiah didn't command them in the name of the Lord, so their ancestor's command took precedence.
Their refusal, as it turns out, was God's way of making a huge point to Israel. Jeremiah, now speaking for God, said "...they have obeyed their ancestor's command. But I have spoken to you time and time again, and you have not obeyed Me!" (Jeremiah 35:14)
The sons of Rechab, as it turns out, were a huge object lesson for God. All that time they wondered why they were obeying a dead ancestor's command, and God ended up using it as a way to discipline his people.
Do you wonder sometimes why you are going through difficulties? Is it a temptation to stop following God and escape the trouble? Don't. How do you know that people aren't watching you? How do you know that God is not using you as an object lesson or as a way to point people to Himself?
Keep loving and following God, even if it seems "uncomfortable" or even if you don't do the things you long for in obedience to the Lord's commands. God is watching and God is using!
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Going Through The Bad
In many ways Jeremiah had nothing but bad news to deliver to Judah. They had been in rebellion against the Lord and God had promised to discipline them for it by removing them from the land to Babylon. Other prophets tried to blunt the bad news and put a good "spin" on it. For his trouble, Jeremiah found himself put in jail.
Then, in the midst of all the bad news, there is this wonderful section in chapter 29 which says in part "I will attend to you and confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place. For I know the plans I have for you - this is the Lord's declaration - plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Many times we want to escape from difficulty, but the word to Judah was "lean into the discipline." That verse starts out "When 70 years in Babylon are complete."
For us, times of difficulty must happen, and to escape them means to thwart the good work God is doing through them. It was only through the pain of Babylon that Judah became free from rebellion against God. Don't try to escape but lean into what God is doing, for He has great plans for you too!
Pastor Tom
Then, in the midst of all the bad news, there is this wonderful section in chapter 29 which says in part "I will attend to you and confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place. For I know the plans I have for you - this is the Lord's declaration - plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Many times we want to escape from difficulty, but the word to Judah was "lean into the discipline." That verse starts out "When 70 years in Babylon are complete."
For us, times of difficulty must happen, and to escape them means to thwart the good work God is doing through them. It was only through the pain of Babylon that Judah became free from rebellion against God. Don't try to escape but lean into what God is doing, for He has great plans for you too!
Pastor Tom
Monday, November 29, 2010
Dreams of Words?
There are so many voices out there that it is hard to discern the signal from the noise - what's true from what's spoken.
How are we supposed to know what to rely on? Today many religious "leaders" claim to have dreams and visions and see angels telling them things that contradict each other.
Funny how the Proverb is true: "there's nothing new under the sun." Even back in the time of Jeremiah the prophet this same thing occurred.
Jeremiah wrote: "Through their dreams that they tell one another, they make plans to cause my people to foget My name ... The prophet who has only a dream should recount the dream, but the one who has My word should speak My word truthfully, for what is straw compared to grain?"
The thing you can rely on - the only thing really - is God's Word: the Bible. Here's how you can tell if a dreamer or visionary is speaking "staw" or "grain." If it aligns with what God has said then it's okay. If not, throw it out!
Pastor Tom
How are we supposed to know what to rely on? Today many religious "leaders" claim to have dreams and visions and see angels telling them things that contradict each other.
Funny how the Proverb is true: "there's nothing new under the sun." Even back in the time of Jeremiah the prophet this same thing occurred.
Jeremiah wrote: "Through their dreams that they tell one another, they make plans to cause my people to foget My name ... The prophet who has only a dream should recount the dream, but the one who has My word should speak My word truthfully, for what is straw compared to grain?"
The thing you can rely on - the only thing really - is God's Word: the Bible. Here's how you can tell if a dreamer or visionary is speaking "staw" or "grain." If it aligns with what God has said then it's okay. If not, throw it out!
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Boasting
Boasting has become something of a favorite past time, especially for us Americans. We casually talk about that new car sitting in our driveway or our big new house, or the promotion we got or how many miles we ran over the weekend.
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with running or having a good job or getting a new car. But what happens is our deceptive brains use these things as a way to make us a little higher in the pecking order. We feel a little more superior to the other guy and this makes us feel better about ourselves. In the end it makes us feel more self-reliant. And it's a mistake.
I love what the prophet Jeremiah said about boasting, and it is a theme that runs throughout the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says:
The wise must not boast in his wisdom;
the mighty must not boast in his might;
the rich must not boast in his riches.
24 But the one who boasts should boast in this,
that he understands and knows Me—
that I am the Lord, showing faithful love,
justice, and righteousness on the earth,
for I delight in these things.
In short, showing off that you know the God of the universe through His Son Jesus Christ is really okay. In fact, God says He "delights" in such things. Boast that you are related to Him (not through any of your own efforts) and boast that you are getting to know Him and what His character is like.
Believe it or not, that in a nutshell is sharing the gospel and that's what we are all here for once we are related to God!
Pastor Tom
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with running or having a good job or getting a new car. But what happens is our deceptive brains use these things as a way to make us a little higher in the pecking order. We feel a little more superior to the other guy and this makes us feel better about ourselves. In the end it makes us feel more self-reliant. And it's a mistake.
I love what the prophet Jeremiah said about boasting, and it is a theme that runs throughout the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says:
The wise must not boast in his wisdom;
the mighty must not boast in his might;
the rich must not boast in his riches.
24 But the one who boasts should boast in this,
that he understands and knows Me—
that I am the Lord, showing faithful love,
justice, and righteousness on the earth,
for I delight in these things.
In short, showing off that you know the God of the universe through His Son Jesus Christ is really okay. In fact, God says He "delights" in such things. Boast that you are related to Him (not through any of your own efforts) and boast that you are getting to know Him and what His character is like.
Believe it or not, that in a nutshell is sharing the gospel and that's what we are all here for once we are related to God!
Pastor Tom
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Free Food
Isaiah 55:1 "Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
Wouldn't that be great if it was really true? Isaiah is talking, of course, not about physical food, but spiritual. In our default human condition we think we need to earn everything we get. Or we should get it because of some intrinsic value we possess.
Isaiah 55:2-3 Why do you spend money on what is not food, and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the choicest of foods. 3 Pay attention and come to Me; listen, so that you will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the promises assured to David.
So God says that if we come and listen to Him he will give us really great treats - a relationship that will last forever according to what God promised David, which was that one of his offspring would rule forever. That person is Jesus Christ.
Much later Jesus said:
John 6:35 "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again."
Jesus is the fulfillment of what the prophet was saying. The bread of life from Jesus comes free to us, not because we deserve it or have earned it. It costs us nothing but it cost God everything.
The table is set, why don't you have a seat and listen to the words of Jesus, the Bread of Life?
Pastor Tom
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
Wouldn't that be great if it was really true? Isaiah is talking, of course, not about physical food, but spiritual. In our default human condition we think we need to earn everything we get. Or we should get it because of some intrinsic value we possess.
Isaiah 55:2-3 Why do you spend money on what is not food, and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the choicest of foods. 3 Pay attention and come to Me; listen, so that you will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the promises assured to David.
So God says that if we come and listen to Him he will give us really great treats - a relationship that will last forever according to what God promised David, which was that one of his offspring would rule forever. That person is Jesus Christ.
Much later Jesus said:
John 6:35 "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again."
Jesus is the fulfillment of what the prophet was saying. The bread of life from Jesus comes free to us, not because we deserve it or have earned it. It costs us nothing but it cost God everything.
The table is set, why don't you have a seat and listen to the words of Jesus, the Bread of Life?
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Making a Fire - Worshipping an Idol
There's a great little verse in Isaiah 44:19
"No one reflects, no one has the perception or insight to say, "I burned half of it in the fire, I also baked bread on its coals, I roasted meat and ate. I will make something detestable with the rest of it, and I will bow down to a block of wood."
The prophet is talking about how someone grows a tree then uses some of it to warm himself and some of it to make an idol to worship. Now, you might think, what has that to do with us today? I don't know of anyone who makes wooden idols to worship - that's just silly!
Well ... an idol is anything that stands between you and God. You might not think you worship an idol but if you were to honestly rank the things in your life, what would come first? Money, position, physical prowess, relationships, physical pleasure?
And that's what I like about this verse. The truth is we don't have the cognition to realize that we worship something God gave us, instead of worshiping the One who created it in the first place.
The great news is that when we realize this, God promises "I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud." If we put God in first place, all the other things fall in line, including our awareness!
Pastor Tom
"No one reflects, no one has the perception or insight to say, "I burned half of it in the fire, I also baked bread on its coals, I roasted meat and ate. I will make something detestable with the rest of it, and I will bow down to a block of wood."
The prophet is talking about how someone grows a tree then uses some of it to warm himself and some of it to make an idol to worship. Now, you might think, what has that to do with us today? I don't know of anyone who makes wooden idols to worship - that's just silly!
Well ... an idol is anything that stands between you and God. You might not think you worship an idol but if you were to honestly rank the things in your life, what would come first? Money, position, physical prowess, relationships, physical pleasure?
And that's what I like about this verse. The truth is we don't have the cognition to realize that we worship something God gave us, instead of worshiping the One who created it in the first place.
The great news is that when we realize this, God promises "I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud." If we put God in first place, all the other things fall in line, including our awareness!
Pastor Tom
Monday, November 01, 2010
Why Protect Israel?
A lot of ink has been spilled about whether Israel has a rightful place in Palestine. I'm not going to address that (though I have opinions about it and support Israel's right to exist). But Israel's place has been controversial for thousands of years. When they came back to the Promised Land and wiped out most (though not all) of the inhabitants, people have reacted that they were simply giving in to their base nature which was warlike.
For much of that early campaign Israel could not fail, save for sin in the camp. But once there, God over and over again protected them from invaders.
One such incident I was just reading is in Isaiah 37 when Assyria came against Jerusalem. You should read the story for it is truly amazing how the Angel of the Lord slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. But it again begs the question, why?
Judah was certainly not modeling godly behavior. They had fallen into idolatry and were really not serving God very well at all. So why spare them? Well, first of all, it was the land that God was saving, it was the people. And why save the people? For one reason, the Messiah.
Notice in Isaiah 37:35 "I will defend this city and rescue it, because of Me and because of My servant David."
God was entering into enemy territory to bring in the Savior. He needed a force to go first and create a birthplace for the Rescuer. That's why He defended His people and made a place for them to live. It wasn't that they were so great, it was that God had a great plan to save them and everyone else who would trust in the Messiah.
In the end, it really is all about Jesus.
Pastor Tom
For much of that early campaign Israel could not fail, save for sin in the camp. But once there, God over and over again protected them from invaders.
One such incident I was just reading is in Isaiah 37 when Assyria came against Jerusalem. You should read the story for it is truly amazing how the Angel of the Lord slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. But it again begs the question, why?
Judah was certainly not modeling godly behavior. They had fallen into idolatry and were really not serving God very well at all. So why spare them? Well, first of all, it was the land that God was saving, it was the people. And why save the people? For one reason, the Messiah.
Notice in Isaiah 37:35 "I will defend this city and rescue it, because of Me and because of My servant David."
God was entering into enemy territory to bring in the Savior. He needed a force to go first and create a birthplace for the Rescuer. That's why He defended His people and made a place for them to live. It wasn't that they were so great, it was that God had a great plan to save them and everyone else who would trust in the Messiah.
In the end, it really is all about Jesus.
Pastor Tom
Monday, October 25, 2010
How Powerful is Satan?
At this time of celebrating Halloween I think it's a good idea to consider the being behind the holiday.
Yes, I know that kids don't know any better and are merely dressing up in scary costumes to get candy and have a good time. But let's at least admit that it isn't the Lord Jesus Christ we celebrate, but all things dead and scary.
In light of that I thought it would be instructive for us to consider Lucifer, Satan, the Accuser of the Brethren.
Satan does have some power, but it is only power that God allows, and it is evil restrained. God will only allow him to do so much, and no more. Check out the beginning of Job to see this in action. That little bit of power, though, Satan has used to great effect, mostly in getting people to fear him.
Don't get me wrong. You do not want to go up against Satan by yourself. Even his minions are a force to reckon with. Check out Acts 19:14 and beyond to see this in action. It is only by your place in Jesus that you can stand against him. See Ephesians 6 to see this in action.
But I thought it would also be good to look at his motivations and his destiny. We find that buried in a prophecy about Babylon in Isaiah. Here it is:
Isaiah 14:12-19
12 Shining morning star,
how you have fallen from the heavens!
You destroyer of nations,
you have been cut down to the ground.
13 You said to yourself:
"I will ascend to the heavens;
I will set up my throne
above the stars of God.
I will sit on the mount of the gods' assembly,
in the remotest parts of the North.
14 I will ascend above the highest clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you will be brought down to Sheol
into the deepest regions of the Pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you;
they will look closely at you:
"Is this the man who caused the earth to tremble,
who shook the kingdoms,
17 who turned the world into a wilderness,
who trampled its cities
and would not release the prisoners to return home?"
18 All the kings of the nations
lie in splendor, each in his own tomb.
19 But you are thrown out without a grave,
like a worthless branch,
covered by those slain with the sword
and dumped into a rocky pit like a trampled corpse.
It was pride that made Satan into the evil we know, and the sworn enemy of God and anything that is His. But in the end, he will be unmasked for what he really is, a weakling that will end up like a dried up branch.
On Halloween, let's remember who really wins!
Pastor Tom
Yes, I know that kids don't know any better and are merely dressing up in scary costumes to get candy and have a good time. But let's at least admit that it isn't the Lord Jesus Christ we celebrate, but all things dead and scary.
In light of that I thought it would be instructive for us to consider Lucifer, Satan, the Accuser of the Brethren.
Satan does have some power, but it is only power that God allows, and it is evil restrained. God will only allow him to do so much, and no more. Check out the beginning of Job to see this in action. That little bit of power, though, Satan has used to great effect, mostly in getting people to fear him.
Don't get me wrong. You do not want to go up against Satan by yourself. Even his minions are a force to reckon with. Check out Acts 19:14 and beyond to see this in action. It is only by your place in Jesus that you can stand against him. See Ephesians 6 to see this in action.
But I thought it would also be good to look at his motivations and his destiny. We find that buried in a prophecy about Babylon in Isaiah. Here it is:
Isaiah 14:12-19
12 Shining morning star,
how you have fallen from the heavens!
You destroyer of nations,
you have been cut down to the ground.
13 You said to yourself:
"I will ascend to the heavens;
I will set up my throne
above the stars of God.
I will sit on the mount of the gods' assembly,
in the remotest parts of the North.
14 I will ascend above the highest clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you will be brought down to Sheol
into the deepest regions of the Pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you;
they will look closely at you:
"Is this the man who caused the earth to tremble,
who shook the kingdoms,
17 who turned the world into a wilderness,
who trampled its cities
and would not release the prisoners to return home?"
18 All the kings of the nations
lie in splendor, each in his own tomb.
19 But you are thrown out without a grave,
like a worthless branch,
covered by those slain with the sword
and dumped into a rocky pit like a trampled corpse.
It was pride that made Satan into the evil we know, and the sworn enemy of God and anything that is His. But in the end, he will be unmasked for what he really is, a weakling that will end up like a dried up branch.
On Halloween, let's remember who really wins!
Pastor Tom
Friday, October 22, 2010
God is Hiding
Sometimes I wonder why the Jewish people never accepted Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah. I know all the arguments, they were prideful, they didn't want to give up power, they wanted a political Messiah, they misunderstood the Old Testament prophecies, etc.
In fact, though, God has hidden Himself from the Jews in a way.
Isaiah 8:16 "Bind up the testimony. Seal up the instruction among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will wait for Him."
Trying to understand Yeshua from a Jewish mindset is not easy. In fact, Paul (also a Jew) realized that the reading of the Torah did not actually help the Jews understand Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 But their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 However, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
I like what Isaiah wrote. He said "I will wait for the Lord." Anyone, Jew or Gentile, who really wants to know God will see God reveal Himself to them.
Jeremiah 29:12-14 "You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you."
So even if you don't understand how Jesus could be Messiah, I would encourage you to seek God and ask Him to help you understand. Wait for Him, He is waiting for you.
Pastor Tom
In fact, though, God has hidden Himself from the Jews in a way.
Isaiah 8:16 "Bind up the testimony. Seal up the instruction among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will wait for Him."
Trying to understand Yeshua from a Jewish mindset is not easy. In fact, Paul (also a Jew) realized that the reading of the Torah did not actually help the Jews understand Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 But their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 However, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
I like what Isaiah wrote. He said "I will wait for the Lord." Anyone, Jew or Gentile, who really wants to know God will see God reveal Himself to them.
Jeremiah 29:12-14 "You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you."
So even if you don't understand how Jesus could be Messiah, I would encourage you to seek God and ask Him to help you understand. Wait for Him, He is waiting for you.
Pastor Tom
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Just How Sick Are You?
As humans we like to believe the best in people. "Man is basically good at the core" I've heard a lot. We look to people like Ghandi and Mother Teresa as examples of what we should aspire to. "If left to himself, humans would tend towards the good." That's another thing I've heard many times.
According to the Scriptures, that's faulty logic. Man left to himself would tend towards Adolf Hitler, not Mother Teresa.
One example of the real truth about the human condition is found right at the beginning of the writings by the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 1:5b "The whole head is hurt and the while heart is sick. From the sole of the foot even to the head, no spot is uninjured - wounds, welts, and festering sores not cleansed, bandaged, or soothed with oil."
Why is this so, and why the disconnect between reality and our version of it? Evil came into the human soul in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve decided to believe the serpent instead of God and disobey Him.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart of man is "deceitfully wicked". So while we think we tend towards evil, our souls fool us into thinking we are good inside. And anything that is not good like God cannot exist in His presence.
So what's the answer? Read on in Isaiah 1:18 "Come, let us discuss this," says the Lord. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they be as red as crimson, they will be like wool."
How does that happen? Only when our lives are "washed in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14).
Jesus Christ is the Lamb - perfect, yet offered to take your death so He can give you His life. Read about Him in John 5 and 10.
There is sickness and there is cure. Will you realize just how sick you are and that there is a free cure that cost God everything?
Pastor Tom
According to the Scriptures, that's faulty logic. Man left to himself would tend towards Adolf Hitler, not Mother Teresa.
One example of the real truth about the human condition is found right at the beginning of the writings by the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 1:5b "The whole head is hurt and the while heart is sick. From the sole of the foot even to the head, no spot is uninjured - wounds, welts, and festering sores not cleansed, bandaged, or soothed with oil."
Why is this so, and why the disconnect between reality and our version of it? Evil came into the human soul in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve decided to believe the serpent instead of God and disobey Him.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart of man is "deceitfully wicked". So while we think we tend towards evil, our souls fool us into thinking we are good inside. And anything that is not good like God cannot exist in His presence.
So what's the answer? Read on in Isaiah 1:18 "Come, let us discuss this," says the Lord. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they be as red as crimson, they will be like wool."
How does that happen? Only when our lives are "washed in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14).
Jesus Christ is the Lamb - perfect, yet offered to take your death so He can give you His life. Read about Him in John 5 and 10.
There is sickness and there is cure. Will you realize just how sick you are and that there is a free cure that cost God everything?
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Be Careful Little Ears
Ecclesiastes 7:21 "Don't pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you; for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others."
As broken people it is inevitable that at some point we are going to say something that will hurt, or we will hear something that will hurt. While it is important to "be at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18) we simply can't all be perfect this side of heaven.
So just realize that sometimes people will say stupid things that upon later reflection they wished they had not said. You do the same thing, right?
So give people the benefit of the doubt and some grace and patience. Perhaps there'll come a time when you can honestly share with them how their words hurt, rather than 1) lash out at the time or 2) pull away and not be friends with them anymore.
Pastor Tom
As broken people it is inevitable that at some point we are going to say something that will hurt, or we will hear something that will hurt. While it is important to "be at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18) we simply can't all be perfect this side of heaven.
So just realize that sometimes people will say stupid things that upon later reflection they wished they had not said. You do the same thing, right?
So give people the benefit of the doubt and some grace and patience. Perhaps there'll come a time when you can honestly share with them how their words hurt, rather than 1) lash out at the time or 2) pull away and not be friends with them anymore.
Pastor Tom
Monday, October 18, 2010
What Gain in Pleasure?
If there was every anyone who had it all together it was Solomon. He was the son of the greatest king Israel ever knew. He was a writer, a scientist, a king. He has more money than you could dream of. He was king of the most prestigious realm of his day. He had as many wives and lovers as he wanted. Oh, he was also smarter than anyone, anywhere.
Solomon, in all his wisdom, decided to try to figure out life.
"All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure." (Ecclesiastes 2:10)
What was the result? "I found everything to be futile" (vs 11).
Solomon tried this with pleasure and wisdom and justice and many things. In everything he found it to be a waste of time.
Solomon's conclusion: (5:18) "It is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward. God has also given riches and weatlth to every man, and he has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God, for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart."
There is nothing to be gained by wealth, pleasure, power, or prestige. But we should enjoy life as a gift from God. There is nothing better than realizing we were made by God for God. Now that's pleasure!
Pastor Tom
Solomon, in all his wisdom, decided to try to figure out life.
"All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure." (Ecclesiastes 2:10)
What was the result? "I found everything to be futile" (vs 11).
Solomon tried this with pleasure and wisdom and justice and many things. In everything he found it to be a waste of time.
Solomon's conclusion: (5:18) "It is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward. God has also given riches and weatlth to every man, and he has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God, for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart."
There is nothing to be gained by wealth, pleasure, power, or prestige. But we should enjoy life as a gift from God. There is nothing better than realizing we were made by God for God. Now that's pleasure!
Pastor Tom
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Pressing The Point
Proverbs 30:33 For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife. ESV
Have you ever found yourself in a place where you just don't feel heard? Have you experienced put-downs by others who disregard your opinion or say things that are actually hurtful to you. Do you find yourself reacting with a hot face and a hot attitude?
While it's okay to acknowledge that you are having feelings, it is what you do with those feelings that matters. Anger at sin is okay, but often our anger is really the product of hurt pride.
Psalm 4:4 says "Be angry and do not sin; on your bed reflect in your heart and be still."
Our tendency is to shoot off our mouths first and seek clarification second (if at all). Anger that is "pressed" produces strife and brokenness. Anger that is taken to the Lord in a time of quiet can result in proper self-reflection and a more positive response to those who have made you upset.
Proverbs 15:1-2 A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. 2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness. HCSB
Pastor Tom
Have you ever found yourself in a place where you just don't feel heard? Have you experienced put-downs by others who disregard your opinion or say things that are actually hurtful to you. Do you find yourself reacting with a hot face and a hot attitude?
While it's okay to acknowledge that you are having feelings, it is what you do with those feelings that matters. Anger at sin is okay, but often our anger is really the product of hurt pride.
Psalm 4:4 says "Be angry and do not sin; on your bed reflect in your heart and be still."
Our tendency is to shoot off our mouths first and seek clarification second (if at all). Anger that is "pressed" produces strife and brokenness. Anger that is taken to the Lord in a time of quiet can result in proper self-reflection and a more positive response to those who have made you upset.
Proverbs 15:1-2 A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. 2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness. HCSB
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Who Teaches You?
Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, 25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. ESV
I thought this was a particularly insightful proverb. It shows us that who we hang out with is who we will become. Do you find yourself spending time with people who are given to being quarrelsome? Do they get angry a lot and everything seems to bug them?
You should be careful because by the process of osmosis you will begin to pick up on their habits and outlook.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. ESV
Pastor Tom
I thought this was a particularly insightful proverb. It shows us that who we hang out with is who we will become. Do you find yourself spending time with people who are given to being quarrelsome? Do they get angry a lot and everything seems to bug them?
You should be careful because by the process of osmosis you will begin to pick up on their habits and outlook.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. ESV
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Self-Justifying
Proverbs 16:2 "All a man's ways seem right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the motives."
A recent Time Magazine article showed that science has learned that our brains are the most self-justifying entities we know. It's how people can do crazy things and not go insane. Our brains basically tell us that what we want to do is "right" as this proverb says.
But notice the second part of verse 2. Though our brains will automatically tell us what we want to do is okay, there needs to be an objective outside judgment on whether our motives are actually good or not. That outside judgment can only come from someone who is not infected by sin, as all of humanity is. Sin clouds our judgment and "sears" our consciences.
How do we get that judgment - from God's Word, the Bible.
Hebrews 4:12-13 "For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account."
The Bible gives us a character sketch of what a good God is like, and thus a comparison to our own character which reveals our deficits.
So what's the answer? I like what Proverbs 16:3 has to say: "Commit your activities to the Lord and your plans will be achieved."
No matter whether we really know if we are doing something out of pure motivation or just snowing ourselves, if we are sure to commit it to the Lord and be ready and waiting for His opinion, then our plans will be achieved according to God's good character!
Pastor Tom
A recent Time Magazine article showed that science has learned that our brains are the most self-justifying entities we know. It's how people can do crazy things and not go insane. Our brains basically tell us that what we want to do is "right" as this proverb says.
But notice the second part of verse 2. Though our brains will automatically tell us what we want to do is okay, there needs to be an objective outside judgment on whether our motives are actually good or not. That outside judgment can only come from someone who is not infected by sin, as all of humanity is. Sin clouds our judgment and "sears" our consciences.
How do we get that judgment - from God's Word, the Bible.
Hebrews 4:12-13 "For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account."
The Bible gives us a character sketch of what a good God is like, and thus a comparison to our own character which reveals our deficits.
So what's the answer? I like what Proverbs 16:3 has to say: "Commit your activities to the Lord and your plans will be achieved."
No matter whether we really know if we are doing something out of pure motivation or just snowing ourselves, if we are sure to commit it to the Lord and be ready and waiting for His opinion, then our plans will be achieved according to God's good character!
Pastor Tom
Monday, October 11, 2010
Do You Have a Clean Manger?
Proverbs 14:4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. ESV
I like this proverb. You might want a clean stable, but if you don't have oxen feeding and, um, doing the things oxen do after they eat, you won't have them around to do work for you in the fields.
Now I know most of us don't even live on farms anymore ("where does food come from, Mommy?" "Why, from the store shelves of course, dear!"). But I think there is good application to life as well. Because we as humans are basically only as active as we need to be, the tendency is to want to get things with as little effort as possible.
When it comes to growing in our relationship with Christ, the same thing applies. We'd rather God just download His character into our lives like a computer program. It doesn't work that way, though. God works His character in us through diligent study of His Word, active access to our lives by the Holy Spirit, difficult trials that seem to bend and break us, and constant choices as to whether we follow our conscience or ignore it.
We want the character (the crops produced by the oxen) but we don't want all the mess of the process (a very dirty stable). But just as crops don't come except by the strength of the oxen, so too the character of God does not come to us without effort.
Paul said: "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12). This could also be translated "put your back into it!" You don't earn it by works, but you work at it as God works through the messes in our lives to work in His life and your salvation.
Pastor Tom
I like this proverb. You might want a clean stable, but if you don't have oxen feeding and, um, doing the things oxen do after they eat, you won't have them around to do work for you in the fields.
Now I know most of us don't even live on farms anymore ("where does food come from, Mommy?" "Why, from the store shelves of course, dear!"). But I think there is good application to life as well. Because we as humans are basically only as active as we need to be, the tendency is to want to get things with as little effort as possible.
When it comes to growing in our relationship with Christ, the same thing applies. We'd rather God just download His character into our lives like a computer program. It doesn't work that way, though. God works His character in us through diligent study of His Word, active access to our lives by the Holy Spirit, difficult trials that seem to bend and break us, and constant choices as to whether we follow our conscience or ignore it.
We want the character (the crops produced by the oxen) but we don't want all the mess of the process (a very dirty stable). But just as crops don't come except by the strength of the oxen, so too the character of God does not come to us without effort.
Paul said: "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12). This could also be translated "put your back into it!" You don't earn it by works, but you work at it as God works through the messes in our lives to work in His life and your salvation.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Going All The Way
In reading through the accounts of the kings of Judah I noticed something. Though many of the kings did "what was right in the eyes of the Lord," the Bible also points out this fact "but the high places were not removed." Normally we just read right over that and it doesn't make much sense.
The high places were left over shrines from the people's that had occupied the land. Before the temple was built the children of Israel would sacrifice to the LORD at these high places. The problem was that they didn't stop worshiping there when the temple was available and they increasingly became places to worship gods other than the LORD.
So that's why Hezekiah sticks out from among the list of the kings. It is almost a side note when 2 Kings 18:4 "He removed the high places and shattered the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles."
It says he also destroyed the bronze serpent that Moses had set up to heal the people. Instead of worshiping the God of the healing, they worshiped the serpent as an idol.
For us the application involves how far we are willing to go in serving God. We come to faith in Jesus and He enters our lives to "transform" us into His good character. But sometimes, like the other kings before Hezekiah, we "do what is right" but we don't go all the way. We need to recognize those things in our lives that are leftovers from the days when we belonged to the world and not let them start to have prominence in our lives again.
Tear them down by the power of the Spirit - those attitudes, and behaviors that mirror the world's values rather the Lords. Don't be satisfied with just looking right, be right!
Pastor Tom
The high places were left over shrines from the people's that had occupied the land. Before the temple was built the children of Israel would sacrifice to the LORD at these high places. The problem was that they didn't stop worshiping there when the temple was available and they increasingly became places to worship gods other than the LORD.
So that's why Hezekiah sticks out from among the list of the kings. It is almost a side note when 2 Kings 18:4 "He removed the high places and shattered the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles."
It says he also destroyed the bronze serpent that Moses had set up to heal the people. Instead of worshiping the God of the healing, they worshiped the serpent as an idol.
For us the application involves how far we are willing to go in serving God. We come to faith in Jesus and He enters our lives to "transform" us into His good character. But sometimes, like the other kings before Hezekiah, we "do what is right" but we don't go all the way. We need to recognize those things in our lives that are leftovers from the days when we belonged to the world and not let them start to have prominence in our lives again.
Tear them down by the power of the Spirit - those attitudes, and behaviors that mirror the world's values rather the Lords. Don't be satisfied with just looking right, be right!
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Latent Hatred
Normally a lot of people skip Genesis 36. Essentially it is the genealogy of Esau's descendants. Esau, if you remember, was Jacob's brother. Esau was not the chosen son, and when he got cheated out of the blessing of his father Isaac by Jacob, Esau wanted revenge. That's why Jacob went to find a wife in a country far far away.
When Jacob returned to the land of Canaan he did so in the very real fear that Esau's promise that he would kill Jacob would come to pass. It didn't, though Jacob avoided living near Esau and only saw him at their dad's funeral.
So you might conclude that the feud was over. You'd be wrong.
One of the reasons why Esau's descendants are mentioned in Genesis 36 is that they later form the Edomites and the Amalekites. These two people's were ruthless against Israel and caused them no end of grief.
So why is that important to us? We too have an enemy, Lucifer, who hates anyone who loves God. Don't be fooled into thinking that just because it seems the enemy's temptations and attacks have ceased that he has forgotten about you. He hasn't. Like a descendant of Esau, he is just waiting for a chance to trip you up.
That's why Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8-11:
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." ESV
The word isn't to be afraid, to watch under every rock and around every corner, but to resist temptation and cling to God..
James 4:7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Pastor Tom
When Jacob returned to the land of Canaan he did so in the very real fear that Esau's promise that he would kill Jacob would come to pass. It didn't, though Jacob avoided living near Esau and only saw him at their dad's funeral.
So you might conclude that the feud was over. You'd be wrong.
One of the reasons why Esau's descendants are mentioned in Genesis 36 is that they later form the Edomites and the Amalekites. These two people's were ruthless against Israel and caused them no end of grief.
So why is that important to us? We too have an enemy, Lucifer, who hates anyone who loves God. Don't be fooled into thinking that just because it seems the enemy's temptations and attacks have ceased that he has forgotten about you. He hasn't. Like a descendant of Esau, he is just waiting for a chance to trip you up.
That's why Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8-11:
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." ESV
The word isn't to be afraid, to watch under every rock and around every corner, but to resist temptation and cling to God..
James 4:7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Provision and Protection
I was reading about the life of Jacob in Genesis. Jacob really deserved a lot of what happened to him. He lied and cheated his way through life and when he wanted a wife he met an uberJacob in Laban who out-lied and out-cheated the cheater!
The wonderful thing about Jacob is that through it all, God was teaching him to trust, not in himself and his own wits, but in God.
The thing I noticed was that when Jacob was in the midst of being mistreated by Laban in Genesis 31, Jacob said: "But the God of my father has been with me." Jacob got the "bad" spotted and speckled sheep in Laban's flock for his wages and suddenly all the strong ones were spotted and speckled. Then when Jacob fled from Laban and was pursued by him, God appeared to Laban and said "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
So what we find is that God provided for Jacob and protected Jacob, but it was in the presence of Laban. Often times we want God to bless us and protect us but we want to be as far away from temptation and attack and trial as possible. But God, it seems, provides for us in the midst of bad circumstances. He protects us while under attack.
Don't worry about the Laban's in your life. Trust God anyway. You may feel cheated, but God will provide you with rich spiritual blessings despite what the world wants to do to you. You may feel attacked but God will make sure you arrive safely to His heavenly kingdom.
Pastor Tom
The wonderful thing about Jacob is that through it all, God was teaching him to trust, not in himself and his own wits, but in God.
The thing I noticed was that when Jacob was in the midst of being mistreated by Laban in Genesis 31, Jacob said: "But the God of my father has been with me." Jacob got the "bad" spotted and speckled sheep in Laban's flock for his wages and suddenly all the strong ones were spotted and speckled. Then when Jacob fled from Laban and was pursued by him, God appeared to Laban and said "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
So what we find is that God provided for Jacob and protected Jacob, but it was in the presence of Laban. Often times we want God to bless us and protect us but we want to be as far away from temptation and attack and trial as possible. But God, it seems, provides for us in the midst of bad circumstances. He protects us while under attack.
Don't worry about the Laban's in your life. Trust God anyway. You may feel cheated, but God will provide you with rich spiritual blessings despite what the world wants to do to you. You may feel attacked but God will make sure you arrive safely to His heavenly kingdom.
Pastor Tom
Monday, March 29, 2010
As You Are
In reading the book of Genesis, especially in the middle portion of the book, I'm struck by a theme: deception. Both Abraham and Isaac lied about the fact that they were really married. They did it because they were afraid. Later, Jacob lies to Isaac about his true identity in order to get the blessing. The tables get turned on Jacob as Laban lies about who he is giving to Jacob as a wife.
But what is interesting is this idea of not presenting who you really are. Why is that? I think that deep down we are ashamed of who we are before God. We want to put the best face forward, we want to justify ourselves, we want to hide the truth because we are disappointed in who we are.
We think that if we get ourselves to looking good that God won't see the real person. How foolish is that? God knows not only what you say and do, He knows what you think and even the intentions of your heart - things that many of us don't even know.
Isaiah 1:18 says “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
We don't come to God to reason with Him like telling him reasons why He should like us. We come in the nakedness of who we really are - the truth. And that's when God says "I can make you clean." He can do it through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
But don't try to lie to God about who you are. He knows you and still wants to receive you. Pretty cool, huh?
Pastor Tom
But what is interesting is this idea of not presenting who you really are. Why is that? I think that deep down we are ashamed of who we are before God. We want to put the best face forward, we want to justify ourselves, we want to hide the truth because we are disappointed in who we are.
We think that if we get ourselves to looking good that God won't see the real person. How foolish is that? God knows not only what you say and do, He knows what you think and even the intentions of your heart - things that many of us don't even know.
Isaiah 1:18 says “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
We don't come to God to reason with Him like telling him reasons why He should like us. We come in the nakedness of who we really are - the truth. And that's when God says "I can make you clean." He can do it through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
But don't try to lie to God about who you are. He knows you and still wants to receive you. Pretty cool, huh?
Pastor Tom
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The Role of the Father
It's interesting to me when something in a familiar story hits you in a new way. That's what happened to me in Genesis 22. It's the story of Abraham taking Isaac to be sacrificed.
Here Abraham is in the role of the father, taking his son to Mt Moria in order to sacrifice him. It's a picture of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's Son. In fact, it's likely it happened on the same mountain where the temple would be built, perhaps even at the site of the Holy of Holies, where the blood of the sacrificial lamb was sprinkled on the mercy seat.
The little thing that struck me in this picture was verse 9 where it says that "Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar on top of the wood." In this picture, God the Father bound His own Son to the wooden cross. The Father sent Jesus to the cross. Jesus, just like Isaac, went obediently to what would be His certain death.
Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
The Father had to "chastise" Jesus in order to gain peace for us. So next time you think of the cross, think of the Father's hands binding Jesus to it like Abraham did to Isaac, except the Father let it go all the way. It's a powerful picture.
Pastor Tom
Here Abraham is in the role of the father, taking his son to Mt Moria in order to sacrifice him. It's a picture of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's Son. In fact, it's likely it happened on the same mountain where the temple would be built, perhaps even at the site of the Holy of Holies, where the blood of the sacrificial lamb was sprinkled on the mercy seat.
The little thing that struck me in this picture was verse 9 where it says that "Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar on top of the wood." In this picture, God the Father bound His own Son to the wooden cross. The Father sent Jesus to the cross. Jesus, just like Isaac, went obediently to what would be His certain death.
Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
The Father had to "chastise" Jesus in order to gain peace for us. So next time you think of the cross, think of the Father's hands binding Jesus to it like Abraham did to Isaac, except the Father let it go all the way. It's a powerful picture.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
When God Says No (we think)
We're all pretty familiar with the story of Abram and Sarai, how God promised Abram "your very own son shall be your heir." (Genesis 15:4). Years passed and no child. Sarai finally said "The Lord has prevented me from bearing children." She told Abram to marry her servant and when she got pregnant she was jealous. The son Hagar had has hassled the children Sarai eventually had to this day.
So it's interesting to me that Sarai lacked two things: trust and patience. It seems she didn't fully trust that what God said He would do, He would do. She lacked patience because as time passed she concluded that God was purposefully not fulfilling His promise - that He had taken back what He earlier said.
In reality, God was waiting. A few years later He made sure Sarai was nearby when He proclaimed that in a year there would be a baby crying in their tent. Sure enough, that's exactly what happened.
God has made many promises to us, but we must trust that even when it doesn't happen in the way or the timing that we choose, it doesn't mean God doesn't care or has taken back His promise. Often times, like in Sarai's case, further revelation is needed. For you, perhaps God has things He is doing in your life or in the lives of others before it is time to fulfill a promise. Often times the fulfillment comes in a way we never would have guessed, but it is for our ultimate good.
It pays to trust and wait for God. The alternate isn't much fun at all. Just ask Sarai.
Pastor Tom
So it's interesting to me that Sarai lacked two things: trust and patience. It seems she didn't fully trust that what God said He would do, He would do. She lacked patience because as time passed she concluded that God was purposefully not fulfilling His promise - that He had taken back what He earlier said.
In reality, God was waiting. A few years later He made sure Sarai was nearby when He proclaimed that in a year there would be a baby crying in their tent. Sure enough, that's exactly what happened.
God has made many promises to us, but we must trust that even when it doesn't happen in the way or the timing that we choose, it doesn't mean God doesn't care or has taken back His promise. Often times, like in Sarai's case, further revelation is needed. For you, perhaps God has things He is doing in your life or in the lives of others before it is time to fulfill a promise. Often times the fulfillment comes in a way we never would have guessed, but it is for our ultimate good.
It pays to trust and wait for God. The alternate isn't much fun at all. Just ask Sarai.
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Together We Can Do It! (Not)
If you've read Genesis 11 you know the story of Babel. Basically after the flood, God told the people to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth - God's "Control-Alt-Delete" reset of humanity. But given the fallen nature of humanity, instead of doing God's business, they went about doing their own.
In chapter 11 they decided to settle on a plain, build a tower, "so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
God took a look at the building project and said "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."
It sounds like God was panicking - that the people were going to do a hostile takeover and so God needed to do something quick! Nothing could be further from the truth of course. In reading this what struck me was that God was saying, "if I let them continue down this path they will think they can do anything and not realize how much they need a relationship with Me."
When mankind gets together we convince each other that nothing is impossible for us - that we can create a utopia here on earth and that everyone is okay and good on the inside and that we should just trust each other.
In truth humanity is fallen, our hearts are wicked, but deceive us into thinking we are okay. It's like a person who has terminal cancer but chalks up the symptoms to indigestion.
It is only by following after God that we find our true purpose and escape from our own endemic evil. That path out of our mess came not with the lifting up of a human-made building but the lifting up of a human being, a perfect human being, on a cross.
Pastor Tom
In chapter 11 they decided to settle on a plain, build a tower, "so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
God took a look at the building project and said "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."
It sounds like God was panicking - that the people were going to do a hostile takeover and so God needed to do something quick! Nothing could be further from the truth of course. In reading this what struck me was that God was saying, "if I let them continue down this path they will think they can do anything and not realize how much they need a relationship with Me."
When mankind gets together we convince each other that nothing is impossible for us - that we can create a utopia here on earth and that everyone is okay and good on the inside and that we should just trust each other.
In truth humanity is fallen, our hearts are wicked, but deceive us into thinking we are okay. It's like a person who has terminal cancer but chalks up the symptoms to indigestion.
It is only by following after God that we find our true purpose and escape from our own endemic evil. That path out of our mess came not with the lifting up of a human-made building but the lifting up of a human being, a perfect human being, on a cross.
Pastor Tom
Friday, March 12, 2010
In The Beginning ...
When Eve was presented with temptation by the serpent in Genesis 3, the serpent made a statement about what God had said.
Genesis 3:1 He said to the woman, 'Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden''?
Eve responded by saying "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it."
Interestingly, what God "actually" said was "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in that day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
What I find interesting is that Eve misquotes God just as the serpent misquoted God. She did it in two ways. First she did not correctly identify the tree how God identified it. She just called it a tree rather than "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Secondly she added that they were not allowed to touch it.
Had Eve correctly remembered and applied God's word, she might have thought more before taking a bite. She might have realized what she was getting herself into.
I think this is just the first of many examples that show us the importance of knowing and correctly applying the Bible, the Word of God. That's why at Calvary Chapel we study the Bible from beginning to end. It would do us all well!
Pastor Tom
Genesis 3:1 He said to the woman, 'Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden''?
Eve responded by saying "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it."
Interestingly, what God "actually" said was "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in that day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
What I find interesting is that Eve misquotes God just as the serpent misquoted God. She did it in two ways. First she did not correctly identify the tree how God identified it. She just called it a tree rather than "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Secondly she added that they were not allowed to touch it.
Had Eve correctly remembered and applied God's word, she might have thought more before taking a bite. She might have realized what she was getting herself into.
I think this is just the first of many examples that show us the importance of knowing and correctly applying the Bible, the Word of God. That's why at Calvary Chapel we study the Bible from beginning to end. It would do us all well!
Pastor Tom
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Made Up Your Mind?
There is an interesting exchange that happens between Jesus and some religious leaders shortly before the crucifixion. In Mark 11 the chief priests, scribes, and elders demanded that Jesus give His authority, His credentials, as the Messiah. Jesus answered their question with a question - wanting to know if they thought John's baptism was from God or was just John's idea.
31"And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' 32But shall we say, 'From man'?" they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet."
So Jesus refused to answer.
Later, a law expert heard another discussion about the resurrection and asked Jesus which command was the greatest. Jesus answered that you should love God and love your neighbor. The scribe said "You are right." and Jesus replied "You are not far from the kingdom of God."
So why did Jesus engage the one man, and not the other group? I think it was their heart attitude. The religious leaders had already made up their mind about Jesus, but the scribe seemed to really be curious and open to Jesus response.
Jesus isn't wanting us to have all the answers, but He does want us to be open to asking questions and getting answers from His word.
Some people say they are open minded, but are so open minded their brains fall out and they form no opinions at all. The scribe wasn't just interested in a debate, he was interested in ultimate truth. Are you?
Pastor Tom
31"And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' 32But shall we say, 'From man'?" they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet."
So Jesus refused to answer.
Later, a law expert heard another discussion about the resurrection and asked Jesus which command was the greatest. Jesus answered that you should love God and love your neighbor. The scribe said "You are right." and Jesus replied "You are not far from the kingdom of God."
So why did Jesus engage the one man, and not the other group? I think it was their heart attitude. The religious leaders had already made up their mind about Jesus, but the scribe seemed to really be curious and open to Jesus response.
Jesus isn't wanting us to have all the answers, but He does want us to be open to asking questions and getting answers from His word.
Some people say they are open minded, but are so open minded their brains fall out and they form no opinions at all. The scribe wasn't just interested in a debate, he was interested in ultimate truth. Are you?
Pastor Tom
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