In Exodus 9 there is this great story after Aaron and his sons were ordained as priests. All these sacrifices were offered and blood applied to their ears and thumbs and big toes. So then in verse 24 it says, "And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces."
Cool, huh?
So then in just the next verse we see the same thing happen, only not in a good way. Nadab and Abihu, Moses' sons, "each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord."
Not so cool.
Now I don't want to get into all the intricate details about what was going on here, but suffice it to say that these boys were trying to worship God in a way God had not commanded, going against what they should have known.
I think it is an interesting contrast. In both cases fire came out from the Lord. In one it consumed the sacrifice, on the other it consumed the worshiper.
Here's the thing that struck me. This is in a way a picture of what is going to happen on a universal scale. A cleansing will take place, a cleansing by fire. God will break out and His wrath will consume anything that is not pure.
In the first case He consumes the sacrifice, just as His wrath consumed the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, who bore that wrath so that we don't have to. God accepted that offering as payment for all our evil.
But if we try to come before God in a way that He did not command (and doing the work of God is believing in His Son - John 6:28) then it is us that will be judged. We cannot just make up our own deal and call it "worship" and think it can be accepted. This isn't a play or a game. This is serious business. Evil is evil and needs to be judged. I just don't want to be judged along with it so I take Jesus' sacrifice as payment and cleansing from my evil and now I wouldn't think of coming before God outside of Jesus.
These boys apparently took approaching God lightly. They don't now. And neither should we.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Putting Sin to Death
We were having a discussion in our Tuesday morning men's Bible discussion meeting on Romans 6. One of the guys asked about the concept of putting to death the old man (that part of us that is controlled by sin).
In Romans 6 it talks about that old self being crucified with Christ. But it is hard to imagine us up on the cross when in reality we still walk around on the earth.
So then I was in Leviticus 3:2 today and thought of a good way to picture it. In the days of animal sacrifices (before Jesus became the only and only true sacrifice for sin) people would bring a goat or a bull or whatever to the Tent of Meeting.
They would then lay their hands on the head of the animal. This was a picture of transferring their sin onto the animal. Then the priest would take the animal from their hands and slit its throat. As it bled and died, so too did their sin get washed away (on credit, mind you, until Jesus came).
Romans tells us that we no longer have to sin because the power that sin had over us has been destroyed on the cross. To help us picture that process, think about your sin nature as a goat. You place your hands on it, it is you in your former self. Then that goat dies and along with it is your desire to sin.
In Jesus you don't have to do things that are outside of God's character any more. You are free now to become a slave of right things. You can do anything you want, but you only want to do those things that please God.
The next time you are tempted to sin, think of your hands on that goat and the goat dieing right in front of you. That idea of sinning can't move now. It's dead.
Then lift your eyes to the risen Savior Jesus and listen instead to his call to serve in newness of life!
Pastor Tom
In Romans 6 it talks about that old self being crucified with Christ. But it is hard to imagine us up on the cross when in reality we still walk around on the earth.
So then I was in Leviticus 3:2 today and thought of a good way to picture it. In the days of animal sacrifices (before Jesus became the only and only true sacrifice for sin) people would bring a goat or a bull or whatever to the Tent of Meeting.
They would then lay their hands on the head of the animal. This was a picture of transferring their sin onto the animal. Then the priest would take the animal from their hands and slit its throat. As it bled and died, so too did their sin get washed away (on credit, mind you, until Jesus came).
Romans tells us that we no longer have to sin because the power that sin had over us has been destroyed on the cross. To help us picture that process, think about your sin nature as a goat. You place your hands on it, it is you in your former self. Then that goat dies and along with it is your desire to sin.
In Jesus you don't have to do things that are outside of God's character any more. You are free now to become a slave of right things. You can do anything you want, but you only want to do those things that please God.
The next time you are tempted to sin, think of your hands on that goat and the goat dieing right in front of you. That idea of sinning can't move now. It's dead.
Then lift your eyes to the risen Savior Jesus and listen instead to his call to serve in newness of life!
Pastor Tom
Friday, April 25, 2008
Misunderstanding God
The story of the golden calf in Exodus 31 is pretty bizarre. Moses is up on the mountain talking to God and the people come to Aaron and say "Up, make us gods who shall go before us." At least they knew that they needed something beyond themselves to survive. But where were they when the Lord parted the Red Sea? "Make us gods"? I'm sure.
So Aaron tells them to take off their earrings and he fashions them into an idol. (Of course later he claims that he threw the gold into the fire and out popped a calf - I'm sure!).
So what is interesting to me is Aaron's response to the people. He says to them "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." (5). Aaron actually thought that he was worshiping Yahweh (that's what the LORD means) by making an idol of gold and bowing down to it.
It wasn't that the people and Aaron wanted to abandon Yahweh, they just created their own ideas about God in the absence of clear direction.
That didn't make it right, and the people suffered because of their disobedience. Though why Aaron doesn't suffer I still don't know.
But anyway - here's my point. We can be really sincere and really want to know God and serve him with excitement and fervor. But if we don't have clear direction about who He is, serving the creation of our own mind is just the same as creating a calf out of gold and bowing down to it.
And what is the clear direction about God that we have received? His Word and His Son. Just as God came down to the mountain and gave Moses the Law, Jesus came down from heaven and gave us grace and mercy through His death.
Don't think that just worshiping the god of your (or anyone else's) mind is enough. It isn't.
Pastor Tom
So Aaron tells them to take off their earrings and he fashions them into an idol. (Of course later he claims that he threw the gold into the fire and out popped a calf - I'm sure!).
So what is interesting to me is Aaron's response to the people. He says to them "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." (5). Aaron actually thought that he was worshiping Yahweh (that's what the LORD means) by making an idol of gold and bowing down to it.
It wasn't that the people and Aaron wanted to abandon Yahweh, they just created their own ideas about God in the absence of clear direction.
That didn't make it right, and the people suffered because of their disobedience. Though why Aaron doesn't suffer I still don't know.
But anyway - here's my point. We can be really sincere and really want to know God and serve him with excitement and fervor. But if we don't have clear direction about who He is, serving the creation of our own mind is just the same as creating a calf out of gold and bowing down to it.
And what is the clear direction about God that we have received? His Word and His Son. Just as God came down to the mountain and gave Moses the Law, Jesus came down from heaven and gave us grace and mercy through His death.
Don't think that just worshiping the god of your (or anyone else's) mind is enough. It isn't.
Pastor Tom
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Hear the Call?
There's this little verse in Exodus 27: 3 "You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with the spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood."
In Old Covenant days God filled individuals with the Holy Spirit at specific times for specific things. Since Jesus returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit is now poured out on everyone who relies on the name of Jesus and has a relationship with Him.
God gives gifts to us to further His kingdom. God will "anoint" your skills to make them useful for Him.
Maybe this is splitting hairs a little, but God could have just put it on the hearts of those He filled to step forward. Instead he encouraged Moses to make an announcement and left it up to the individual to respond.
Today in the body of Christ there are ample opportunities to use those skills God has given you to further His kingdom. If you are part of a local body you have likely heard numerous calls for help. If it is in an area where God has "skilled" you, why not answer the call, step up and become part of something wonderful.
It doesn't have to be something spectacular or flashy. None of the embroiders got to sew their initials into Aaron's garments. The signature was God. He can sign your work too.
Pastor Tom
In Old Covenant days God filled individuals with the Holy Spirit at specific times for specific things. Since Jesus returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit is now poured out on everyone who relies on the name of Jesus and has a relationship with Him.
God gives gifts to us to further His kingdom. God will "anoint" your skills to make them useful for Him.
Maybe this is splitting hairs a little, but God could have just put it on the hearts of those He filled to step forward. Instead he encouraged Moses to make an announcement and left it up to the individual to respond.
Today in the body of Christ there are ample opportunities to use those skills God has given you to further His kingdom. If you are part of a local body you have likely heard numerous calls for help. If it is in an area where God has "skilled" you, why not answer the call, step up and become part of something wonderful.
It doesn't have to be something spectacular or flashy. None of the embroiders got to sew their initials into Aaron's garments. The signature was God. He can sign your work too.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Core
I was in Exodus 21-25 today. It's some of the first details of the law God gave to the children of Israel to guide them as they lived life free from the bondage of slavery in Egypt.
One of the first things that hit me was how much of our laws today are based on the values expressed in these chapters.
Okay, so none of us have oxen that might gore someone else's slave and we probably don't open up pits in our backyards, but as I was thinking about the overarching themes some things struck out at me.
There seemed to be three qualities of character that covered most of the situations mentioned.
Fidelity means faithfulness. Are we faithful to our God, not worshiping others? Are we faithful to our families and to our jobs and to our neighbors and friends?
Honesty is just that. Tell the truth always and encourage truth telling. Be honest with others as you deal with them in business and in life.
Equity means fairness. Give others a good deal and expect a fair shake from them. Treat other's things with care and consideration and don't mistreat anyone.
Now, of course, these are great ideals but if we can't perform on them they won't help us much. It is only by having the life of the person who gave us these ideals inside of us that we can be this way. That life only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pastor Tom
One of the first things that hit me was how much of our laws today are based on the values expressed in these chapters.
Okay, so none of us have oxen that might gore someone else's slave and we probably don't open up pits in our backyards, but as I was thinking about the overarching themes some things struck out at me.
There seemed to be three qualities of character that covered most of the situations mentioned.
Fidelity
Honesty
Equity
Honesty
Equity
Fidelity means faithfulness. Are we faithful to our God, not worshiping others? Are we faithful to our families and to our jobs and to our neighbors and friends?
Honesty is just that. Tell the truth always and encourage truth telling. Be honest with others as you deal with them in business and in life.
Equity means fairness. Give others a good deal and expect a fair shake from them. Treat other's things with care and consideration and don't mistreat anyone.
Now, of course, these are great ideals but if we can't perform on them they won't help us much. It is only by having the life of the person who gave us these ideals inside of us that we can be this way. That life only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Short Term - Long Term
When we read Exodus 16 and 17, when the children of Israel continually grumbled against the Lord after He brought them out of Egypt we tend to think: "What's wrong with these people, why can't they see that God is taking care of them?"
When the people needed rescue from a tyrant, God brought them out with the strong hand. When they needed water in a dry place, He brought it forth from a rock. When they needed sustenance He gave them manna, and when they needed military victory over their enemies He gave them the ability to win supernaturally.
Yet it seemed that just as one victory or blessing passed, they grumbled again at the next trial. I personally think we are a lot more like Israel than we'd like to admit. When something goes wrong and we cry out to God and He answers we are grateful, but only until the next trial comes and then we say "God you must not love me."
So what is going on? I think it is the difference of short term experience vs long term reliance. Israel's problem was that they couldn't see around the next bend and so were afraid. God had come through but they didn't put the pieces together that God loved them not just today but always and would care for them today and always.
We see today's trial and panic. God sees the long term care and sometimes allows short term trials in order to build long term reliance on Him. Try to picture your life, not like today's crisis, but like reading through the book of Exodus, seeing the episodes build up in your life where God comes through for His glory and your benefit over and over. Build that long term trust over short term satisfaction.
Pastor Tom
When the people needed rescue from a tyrant, God brought them out with the strong hand. When they needed water in a dry place, He brought it forth from a rock. When they needed sustenance He gave them manna, and when they needed military victory over their enemies He gave them the ability to win supernaturally.
Yet it seemed that just as one victory or blessing passed, they grumbled again at the next trial. I personally think we are a lot more like Israel than we'd like to admit. When something goes wrong and we cry out to God and He answers we are grateful, but only until the next trial comes and then we say "God you must not love me."
So what is going on? I think it is the difference of short term experience vs long term reliance. Israel's problem was that they couldn't see around the next bend and so were afraid. God had come through but they didn't put the pieces together that God loved them not just today but always and would care for them today and always.
We see today's trial and panic. God sees the long term care and sometimes allows short term trials in order to build long term reliance on Him. Try to picture your life, not like today's crisis, but like reading through the book of Exodus, seeing the episodes build up in your life where God comes through for His glory and your benefit over and over. Build that long term trust over short term satisfaction.
Pastor Tom
Monday, April 21, 2008
What's This Mean?
During the account of God bringing Israel out of Egypt after 430 years there are three places where God specifically talks about passing on the meaning of certain things:
Putting blood on the doorposts and lintel 12:27 "It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt..."
No unleavened bread: 13:8 "It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt."
Firstborn belong to the LORD: 13:14 "By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery."
I just thought it was neat in light of what the Passover really means - our passing from death to life through the blood of THE Lamb of God Jesus Christ.
We "apply" the sacrifice of Jesus on the doorposts and lintels of our heart when we rely on Jesus to protect us from the wrath of God poured out on sin ("the wages of sin is death"). This sacrifice "washes" us clean from sin (leaven being a type of sin) and this is something "the LORD did for me" we didn't do it for ourselves. The result is we, having been spared wrath and rescued from sin belong to the LORD.
Let's rejoice in that reality today!
Pastor Tom
Putting blood on the doorposts and lintel 12:27 "It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt..."
No unleavened bread: 13:8 "It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt."
Firstborn belong to the LORD: 13:14 "By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery."
I just thought it was neat in light of what the Passover really means - our passing from death to life through the blood of THE Lamb of God Jesus Christ.
We "apply" the sacrifice of Jesus on the doorposts and lintels of our heart when we rely on Jesus to protect us from the wrath of God poured out on sin ("the wages of sin is death"). This sacrifice "washes" us clean from sin (leaven being a type of sin) and this is something "the LORD did for me" we didn't do it for ourselves. The result is we, having been spared wrath and rescued from sin belong to the LORD.
Let's rejoice in that reality today!
Pastor Tom
Friday, April 18, 2008
Why Don't They Listen?
Do you ever wonder why people seem so deaf to the gospel? You try to live your life as a believer in the open where people can see your faith. When asked you are free to talk about Jesus and sometimes you might even venture to open up a conversation about the Lord.
But some people act as if you are speaking a foreign language. They look at you like you are a crazy or deluded person who has no sense. And yet you know that we as humans have evil inside of us that we can get rid of by ourselves and that we need a perfect rescuer to make us clean. You know that the only person ever to qualify was Jesus Christ. You love Him and want others to as well.
So I found a little clue as to people's attitudes in Exodus.
In chapter 6 God tells Moses to let the children of Israel know they are about to be rescued from Egypt. But when he tells them this is says "but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery."
I find that interesting. All the years under Pharaoh's thumb had broken their will to believe that anything good could ever happen. And the time spent as a slave, though terrible, was the devil they knew.
Some people have gotten used to being without God. Life is always going to be hard and there will never be anything really good that happens so why get my hopes up. Like a person kidnapped and sent into slavery to sin, they become comfortable in their condition because it is a survival mechanism.
So I guess we just need to understand it, let the miracle of Jesus new life slowly sink through the hardened layers until they realize that rescue is possible. That all they need do is open one ear and their heart and Egypt will be no more!
Pastor Tom
But some people act as if you are speaking a foreign language. They look at you like you are a crazy or deluded person who has no sense. And yet you know that we as humans have evil inside of us that we can get rid of by ourselves and that we need a perfect rescuer to make us clean. You know that the only person ever to qualify was Jesus Christ. You love Him and want others to as well.
So I found a little clue as to people's attitudes in Exodus.
In chapter 6 God tells Moses to let the children of Israel know they are about to be rescued from Egypt. But when he tells them this is says "but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery."
I find that interesting. All the years under Pharaoh's thumb had broken their will to believe that anything good could ever happen. And the time spent as a slave, though terrible, was the devil they knew.
Some people have gotten used to being without God. Life is always going to be hard and there will never be anything really good that happens so why get my hopes up. Like a person kidnapped and sent into slavery to sin, they become comfortable in their condition because it is a survival mechanism.
So I guess we just need to understand it, let the miracle of Jesus new life slowly sink through the hardened layers until they realize that rescue is possible. That all they need do is open one ear and their heart and Egypt will be no more!
Pastor Tom
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Who's is it Anyway?
I'm always fascinated by the story of Moses and the burning bush found in Exodus 3-4. Moses is just walking along, minding his own business when he sees a bush burning and decides to check it out. That ends up being a huge divergence of his life path.
You know the story, I wanted to focus on just one aspect of it. God tells Moses to go back and tell Pharaoh to let His people go. Moses says "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant." In other words - I wasn't a good speaker before I met you, Mr. Burning Bush, and you haven't exactly given me a radio announcer voice while I've been standing here.
Look at what God says: "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth..."
Earlier God asked Moses what he had in his hand (a staff). God told Moses to throw down his staff and it became a snake. This was to be one of the signs Moses would show Pharaoh.
At the end of chapter 4 God says "And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs." Then in chapter 5 "And Moses took the staff of God in his hand."
So what's going on here? What started out as Moses' staff becomes the "staff of God" after Moses threw it down. What was Moses' voice became the voice of God (through Aaron as his personal PA system).
The point is this: that God made your voice and has placed things in your hand - talents, gifts, desires. If you recognize that they can be used by God no matter how small and that they actually were created by God for His use - it is amazingly freeing to just let God take you and use you without worry about not being good enough.
Pastor Tom
You know the story, I wanted to focus on just one aspect of it. God tells Moses to go back and tell Pharaoh to let His people go. Moses says "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant." In other words - I wasn't a good speaker before I met you, Mr. Burning Bush, and you haven't exactly given me a radio announcer voice while I've been standing here.
Look at what God says: "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth..."
Earlier God asked Moses what he had in his hand (a staff). God told Moses to throw down his staff and it became a snake. This was to be one of the signs Moses would show Pharaoh.
At the end of chapter 4 God says "And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs." Then in chapter 5 "And Moses took the staff of God in his hand."
So what's going on here? What started out as Moses' staff becomes the "staff of God" after Moses threw it down. What was Moses' voice became the voice of God (through Aaron as his personal PA system).
The point is this: that God made your voice and has placed things in your hand - talents, gifts, desires. If you recognize that they can be used by God no matter how small and that they actually were created by God for His use - it is amazingly freeing to just let God take you and use you without worry about not being good enough.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Here's What We Don't Know
When God told Jacob to head down to Egypt in Genesis 46 it feels as if God isn't being totally honest. He tells Jacob "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again."
What God didn't tell Jacob was that after a honeymoon period the entire nation would be subject to slavery and oppression and genocide.
Do you sometimes think you hear God's direction, you follow it, and then you get into difficulty? Do you feel like God wasn't being completely honest with you to reveal the troubles that lie in that path He has you on?
Well, for one thing, I think Jacob probably wouldn't have gone if God had told him all that (and he actually had told Abram what was going to happen). For us it can be a comfort not knowing all the trials we are going to face because we probably wouldn't do half the things God tells us to do (I have some recent experience in that department).
But here's the deal. God was transforming a small clan into a mighty nation. He was also laying the foundation to be more than just an acquaintance but a God to these people. To do that work he had to bring them into slavery then rescue them out. Sometimes God has a mighty work to do through us but He first must do a mighty work in us.
The most important thing in Jacob's vision is this "I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again." As long as God is with us and as long as He is working in the situation then being led by God into trouble isn't such a bad thing after all.
Pastor Tom
What God didn't tell Jacob was that after a honeymoon period the entire nation would be subject to slavery and oppression and genocide.
Do you sometimes think you hear God's direction, you follow it, and then you get into difficulty? Do you feel like God wasn't being completely honest with you to reveal the troubles that lie in that path He has you on?
Well, for one thing, I think Jacob probably wouldn't have gone if God had told him all that (and he actually had told Abram what was going to happen). For us it can be a comfort not knowing all the trials we are going to face because we probably wouldn't do half the things God tells us to do (I have some recent experience in that department).
But here's the deal. God was transforming a small clan into a mighty nation. He was also laying the foundation to be more than just an acquaintance but a God to these people. To do that work he had to bring them into slavery then rescue them out. Sometimes God has a mighty work to do through us but He first must do a mighty work in us.
The most important thing in Jacob's vision is this "I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again." As long as God is with us and as long as He is working in the situation then being led by God into trouble isn't such a bad thing after all.
Pastor Tom
Monday, April 14, 2008
Passing it Down
I'll bet none of you regularly do devotions in Genesis 36. No, it's not the part about Joseph's dreams. That's in chapter 37. Chapter 36 lists the descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother.
Esau, if you remember, threatened to kill Jacob after his brother "stole" the birthright and the blessing from him. It led Jacob on a run back to his grandfather's home town where he married Leah and Rachel. On his way back Jacob so feared Esau's wrath that he sent a huge gift ahead of him and broke up the camp into two pieces hoping one piece would escape the slaughter.
Esau wasn't as angry anymore (at least he didn't show it) but Jacob didn't trust his brother and lived apart from him.
So now comes Esau's kids. Two names strike out at me: Edom and Amalek. Do these names sound familiar? The Edomites and Amalekites were sworn enemies of Israel and had to be wiped off the face of the earth.
I point this out because I think that somehow the anger of Esau got passed down to his kids and grand kids and so forth until it worked its way into the very fabric of the people. I think that it is important as parents and mentors to pay attention to those things in our lives that do not reflect the character of God. If they are persistent and pervasive they will have a tendency to get passed along to your kids and those around you that you influence.
It's not a one to one ratio - just because you got angry once doesn't mean you will have angry kids. But just pay attention to the trends. If there are things you are doing a lot that God wouldn't do, then change your mind about it, ask God's forgiveness and then cleansing.
The good news is that the things you do often that do reflect God's character get passed along too.
Pastor Tom
Esau, if you remember, threatened to kill Jacob after his brother "stole" the birthright and the blessing from him. It led Jacob on a run back to his grandfather's home town where he married Leah and Rachel. On his way back Jacob so feared Esau's wrath that he sent a huge gift ahead of him and broke up the camp into two pieces hoping one piece would escape the slaughter.
Esau wasn't as angry anymore (at least he didn't show it) but Jacob didn't trust his brother and lived apart from him.
So now comes Esau's kids. Two names strike out at me: Edom and Amalek. Do these names sound familiar? The Edomites and Amalekites were sworn enemies of Israel and had to be wiped off the face of the earth.
I point this out because I think that somehow the anger of Esau got passed down to his kids and grand kids and so forth until it worked its way into the very fabric of the people. I think that it is important as parents and mentors to pay attention to those things in our lives that do not reflect the character of God. If they are persistent and pervasive they will have a tendency to get passed along to your kids and those around you that you influence.
It's not a one to one ratio - just because you got angry once doesn't mean you will have angry kids. But just pay attention to the trends. If there are things you are doing a lot that God wouldn't do, then change your mind about it, ask God's forgiveness and then cleansing.
The good news is that the things you do often that do reflect God's character get passed along too.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Whose Work Is It Anyway?
Do you remember the story of Abraham's servant going to get a wife for his son Isaac?
It's a pretty cool story. As the servant arrives at the well at Nahor he prays "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today." (Genesis 24:12)
He asks for some pretty specific signs that the woman is the one God has chosen for Isaac - and the prayer is answered!
I've sometimes thought, wouldn't it be cool if we could ask for signs like that and that wherever we went God would guide us. Now I'm not saying that God wouldn't do that but I thought of one interesting aspect to this story that might inform us as we want God to answer our requests in the way he did this servant's.
The difference is that this guy got nothing out of it except the satisfaction that he was doing his master's bidding. He was a servant sent on a mission by his master. Is that not us as well? The Bible tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). When we go out we are doing our master's bidding and do we really get anything out of it except the satisfaction of knowing we are bringing glory to God?
Food for thought.
Pastor Tom
It's a pretty cool story. As the servant arrives at the well at Nahor he prays "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today." (Genesis 24:12)
He asks for some pretty specific signs that the woman is the one God has chosen for Isaac - and the prayer is answered!
I've sometimes thought, wouldn't it be cool if we could ask for signs like that and that wherever we went God would guide us. Now I'm not saying that God wouldn't do that but I thought of one interesting aspect to this story that might inform us as we want God to answer our requests in the way he did this servant's.
The difference is that this guy got nothing out of it except the satisfaction that he was doing his master's bidding. He was a servant sent on a mission by his master. Is that not us as well? The Bible tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). When we go out we are doing our master's bidding and do we really get anything out of it except the satisfaction of knowing we are bringing glory to God?
Food for thought.
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Circumcision
This is a bit of an unusual post so kids, avert your eyes!
I was reading about God's covenant with Abram. The sign of that covenant was circumcision, the cutting away of the male foreskin.
I know there are lots of spiritual symbols for this, and the New Testament counterpart is baptism. But I got to thinking about why this act to represent God's agreement with man?
Three things hit me: God is taking over man's strength (in his ability to reproduce), he is striking at man's most vulnerable area, and it is an intimate place that almost no one sees.
In that way, God is saying "I am your strength, you must rely on me, and I will have a deep relationship with you that no one else will have."
Do you feel that way in your relationship with Him? Is he your strength, are you vulnerable before him and do you feel that intimate relationship with him, spending time with him, sharing your inmost thoughts and desires?
Might be a good idea!
Pastor Tom
I was reading about God's covenant with Abram. The sign of that covenant was circumcision, the cutting away of the male foreskin.
I know there are lots of spiritual symbols for this, and the New Testament counterpart is baptism. But I got to thinking about why this act to represent God's agreement with man?
Three things hit me: God is taking over man's strength (in his ability to reproduce), he is striking at man's most vulnerable area, and it is an intimate place that almost no one sees.
In that way, God is saying "I am your strength, you must rely on me, and I will have a deep relationship with you that no one else will have."
Do you feel that way in your relationship with Him? Is he your strength, are you vulnerable before him and do you feel that intimate relationship with him, spending time with him, sharing your inmost thoughts and desires?
Might be a good idea!
Pastor Tom
Monday, April 07, 2008
Who Are You Afraid Of?
If you have read the Bible very much you know Jesus' famous statement about fearing God more than man (Matthew 10:28). But have you ever thought about fearing God and fearing man?
I bring this up after reading Genesis 12 where Abram has just believed God and gone to the Promised Land. That land didn't hold much promise for him then and a famine forced him to go to Egypt. There Abram decided that because Sarai was so good looking he would say she was his sister not his wife.
That got Abram, Sarai, and Pharaoh into a lot of trouble.
And I wonder. Abram feared God but he also feared man. Many times we get the fear God part right and we want to do what pleases God, but then we end up fearing man and wanting to look good in the world's eyes as well.
Had Abram been honest and not cared what the Egyptians felt he would have risked a lot as the Egyptians could have killed Abram and taken Sarai. But it would have provided a great opportunity for Abram to not only fear God but also trust him to protect his family and also get glory.
Pastor Tom
I bring this up after reading Genesis 12 where Abram has just believed God and gone to the Promised Land. That land didn't hold much promise for him then and a famine forced him to go to Egypt. There Abram decided that because Sarai was so good looking he would say she was his sister not his wife.
That got Abram, Sarai, and Pharaoh into a lot of trouble.
And I wonder. Abram feared God but he also feared man. Many times we get the fear God part right and we want to do what pleases God, but then we end up fearing man and wanting to look good in the world's eyes as well.
Had Abram been honest and not cared what the Egyptians felt he would have risked a lot as the Egyptians could have killed Abram and taken Sarai. But it would have provided a great opportunity for Abram to not only fear God but also trust him to protect his family and also get glory.
Pastor Tom
Friday, April 04, 2008
Waiting for Rain
Do you ever anticipate something happening and it never seems to? In Genesis 7:1 "Then the LORD said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household." Noah obeyed got and went on board. Then nothing. I mean nothing. It isn't until verse 10 that we read "And after seven days, the waters of the flood came up on the earth."
So what was that week like for Noah. Did his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law begin to talk quietly among the stalls? Did they give Noah strange looks while glancing up at the dry sky? Did Noah wonder to himself "how long am I supposed to wait here?"
Noah didn't know that it was going to be a week before the flood. All he knew was to get on the boat. Many times we send up a prayer to God and he tells us to wait and we want to know "how long?" So often we simply don't know how we are going to have to wait.
But knowing the "when" wasn't as important as trusting in the "who" - that is Yahweh. If you are anxiously awaiting something to happen or a prayer to be answered. If you know Jesus then you know the Father has heard and will answer in His time. And isn't that better than our time anyway?
Pastor Tom
So what was that week like for Noah. Did his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law begin to talk quietly among the stalls? Did they give Noah strange looks while glancing up at the dry sky? Did Noah wonder to himself "how long am I supposed to wait here?"
Noah didn't know that it was going to be a week before the flood. All he knew was to get on the boat. Many times we send up a prayer to God and he tells us to wait and we want to know "how long?" So often we simply don't know how we are going to have to wait.
But knowing the "when" wasn't as important as trusting in the "who" - that is Yahweh. If you are anxiously awaiting something to happen or a prayer to be answered. If you know Jesus then you know the Father has heard and will answer in His time. And isn't that better than our time anyway?
Pastor Tom
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Touching the Tree
I was going through the first five chapters of Genesis and was thinking about Eve's encounter with the Serpent in chapter 3.
I find it interesting when Eve is asked about what God said about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that she said God told them not to touch it. He didn't actually say that at all.
God said not to eat from the tree or they would die. Why would Eve add that? I wonder if perhaps she had been thinking about the tree and about what it would be like just to touch the fruit, not eat it of course, but just touch it to see what it felt like.
For us, contemplating sin is often what gets us to fall for the enemy's temptations. We can't imagine ourselves actually doing that thing we know is wrong, but we imagine what it might be like to be close to doing it, to just feel what the options would be like if we were "free" to do that.
Doing things that are against God's character isn't actually freeing at all but enslaving, but that doesn't stop us from contemplating touching the forbidden fruit.
My encouragement to us is to stop it there. When the thoughts come, arrest them and throw them out by the power of the Spirit.
Pastor Tom
I find it interesting when Eve is asked about what God said about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that she said God told them not to touch it. He didn't actually say that at all.
God said not to eat from the tree or they would die. Why would Eve add that? I wonder if perhaps she had been thinking about the tree and about what it would be like just to touch the fruit, not eat it of course, but just touch it to see what it felt like.
For us, contemplating sin is often what gets us to fall for the enemy's temptations. We can't imagine ourselves actually doing that thing we know is wrong, but we imagine what it might be like to be close to doing it, to just feel what the options would be like if we were "free" to do that.
Doing things that are against God's character isn't actually freeing at all but enslaving, but that doesn't stop us from contemplating touching the forbidden fruit.
My encouragement to us is to stop it there. When the thoughts come, arrest them and throw them out by the power of the Spirit.
Pastor Tom
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