Getting It Right

A lot had happened to Israel by the time Ezra the priest returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. It all began when God brought His people into the Promised Land and warned them about getting tangled up in the gods-who-are-not-really-gods in the land. They didn't listen and ended up rebelling against Yahweh and becoming indistinguishable from the people around them.

God removed them from the land as a discipline and then allowed them to return seventy years later. But even as they were celebrating the rebuilding of the Temple, Ezra was troubled. It seemed that some of the people had started intermarrying once again with the people of the land. This could have started the cycle all over again with rebellion and discipline.

Ezra made a strong plea to them to put away these marriages and remain faithful to God. What happened this time is encouraging:

(Ezra 10:2-3) "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it."


Israel had made promises before that they would remain faithful. But I like how this is put: "let us make a covenant with our God." This wasn't an idle promise but they took it seriously. Then the encouragement to take action on the covenant, and that others would be there to support them.

I like that. When God reveals something in us that needs to be addressed, may we respond like the Israelites: taking it seriously, making a strong promise to God to give this area to him, then seek the support of other brothers and sisters we trust to pray with us and support us in this work.

Pastor Tom

Weeping For Sorrow/Joy

After many years walking away from God, Yahweh disciplined Israel by taking them into captivity to Babylon. Jerusalem was destroyed, along with the Temple. The people stayed in Babylon for seventy long years.

The discipline worked. When Persian King Cyrus declared that the Temple could be rebuilt and Judah and Benjamin returned to the land, Israel never again fell into idolatry.

Today I wanted to focus on a little verse tucked away in the book that details the rebuilding of the Temple: Ezra. The people returned and laid the foundation of the Temple. In celebration all the people gathered and praised the Lord with loud shouts.

But among them were some priests and Levites who remembered the original Temple. When they saw the new foundation they "wept with a loud voice" (Ezra 3:12). No doubt they cried remembering the bitterness in which they left, the people who died, and the loss of their country.

So now read what happened next:

(Ezra 3:13) "... though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away."

The reason I think this is significant is that we are not that much different. As we see God build a new life in us through the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too remember how we were before. We remember the sin that destroyed us and the rebellion that pulled us away from the Lord. We weep with sorrow and with joy at the same time.

We are joyful for the new life and sorrowful for all that we have done against the Lord. And you know what? That's okay. We know that one day, God will wipe away all those tears and all that will be left is the joy of knowing that we will be with Him for all of eternity.

Pastor Tom

Until There was no Remedy

2 Chronicles 36:15-16 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. (ESV)

This Scripture stood out to me like a light on a hill on a dark night. It represents the last words before Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and Israel was carried off into exile. But it also could be spoken to today's world as well.

God is still sending messengers, speaking the gospel of grace and forgiveness for all who will repent of their sins and make Jesus their Lord. It is not out of vindictiveness or judgment that He speaks but out of "compassion on his people." God desires no one to perish and has created a way of escape from a world that will be destroyed because of rebellion and sin.

But as in the days of 2 Chronicles, people today mock the messengers of God, "despising his words" and scoffing at those who say that ultimate judgment is coming against anyone who rebels against the Lord and His Son.

In the end the wrath of God will rightly rise up against sin and there will be "no remedy" outside of Jesus Christ.

May we all listen intently when God speaks through his prophets and apostles. We have everything at stake.

Pastor Tom

Serving God at a Foreign Altar

Manasseh was an evil king over Judah. He led Israel back into idolatry after the wonderful example of Hezekiah had passed. But when God finally got through to him he repented big time. By then the damage was done, and it had an interesting effect on the people that lasts to this day.

When Manasseh repented of his sin it says in 2 Chronicles 33 that he removed the altars to the foreign gods and threw them out of Jerusalem. He also commanded that Judah serve Yahweh. The response of the people was this: (17) "Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God."

So the people went out to a place where Baal, Ashteroth and other abhorrent gods had been worshiped and tried somehow to redeem them into something pleasing to God - even though the Lord was very clear about where and how He was to be worshiped - at the Temple in Jerusalem as a picture of the coming Messiah Jesus. This was the same problem that Jeroboam had many years before and why Israel deserted Yahweh by serving a calf and calling is LORD. It wasn't.

How does this apply to you? Simply put, you cannot say, think, or do things that are clearly not in the character of Jesus and claim that you are worshiping and serving Him. If you get drunk all the time and just say "praise the Lord" there is something wrong. If you serve at the altar of Mammon (money) and just say "God is in this!" you are sadly mistaken.

I'm not saying that you need to make yourself perfect - that's the job of the Holy Spirit as you yield your life in submission to Him. But to think that you can twist the worldly system and call it godly is only a recipe for trouble. You also can't twist the Word of God to mean that approaching God through any other means than the God-man Jesus will work. It won't.

You can't earn your way to God. You can't change Jesus into the brother of Satan and think you are worshiping Him or that His blood will cover you. Jesus cannot be manipulated into something that we fashion. The good news is that by repenting and coming to Jesus on His terms there is forgiveness and cleansing and a wonderful life that will never end!

Pastor Tom

I'm Too Dirty For God

If you've been following along as we read through 2 Chronicles you know that Israel and Judah's kings were not always godly, and many times very ungodly. Judah had a better record than Israel, but not by that much. Kings like Ahaz did terrible things, including actually shutting up the Temple, purposefully keeping the people from worshipping Yahweh (2 Chronicles 28:24).The people went along with these bad kings and themselves abandoned God.

So along comes Hezekiah. One of the very first things Hezekiah did when he became king - within the first month - was re-open the Temple. He re-organized the priests, restarted the sacrifices and started up the feasts once again.

One of the feasts reinstated was Passover. I find an interesting verse in chapter 30. It says that "the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the LORD. For a majority of the people ... had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good Lord pardon everyone who seeks his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness."

Basically the people had been away from God so long they didn't know or were not used to the prescribed preparations for the Passover - yet the king, and the Lord, wanted them to celebrate anyway.

Do you sometimes feel so far away from the Lord, so dirty in sin, so unprepared to enter His presence that you simply don't? We need to remember that we don't come to God clean, we come to be cleaned. It doesn't matter what you have done, how long it has been, or how strange it might feel. Come before Him and worship. He is a good God and longs to draw close to you and show you His forgiveness and love.

Pastor Tom

Will Anyone Miss You?

Today I want to talk about Jehoram. Jerhoram was king over Judah after Jehoshaphat, who was a good king who followed the Lord and brought the people back into Yahweh worship. Jehoram was the anti-Jehoshaphat.

Jehoram had a bunch of younger brothers his fathered loved and lavished with gifts. He killed them all. Jehoshaphat did not seek the Baals but sought God. Jehoram not only sought the Baals but forced Judah to do the same. Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord and saw victory. Jehoram abandoned God and saw defeat. He was a horrible leader and king.

What I wanted to point out was how his life ended. It was pretty horrible - basically the Lord struck him with a disease and his bowels came out. Yuck! So then he died and look at this: "And he departed with no one's regret" (2 Chronicles 21:20). Wow.

It got me to thinking. What actions and attitudes do we have now that will form opinions of us when we are gone. Hopefully unlike Jehoram, we are serving God and seeking to be transformed into His image. I hope that when we die that people will regret it because of the good things God did through us and how those things positively affected other lives. What will people say about you after you are gone? Just something to think about.

Pastor Tom

Good News - Bad News

There is this great little story in 2 Chronicles 18 that I love. Israel and Judah have split, and Jehoshaphat is king in Judah and Ahab king in Israel. They get together and (supposedly) ask the Lord whether they should go up in battle against Syria. What happens is both very funny and very sad.

Israel had already abandoned worshipping Yahweh and worshipped a calf God they called Yahweh but wasn't. Ahab called prophets of this false religion together to "hear the Lord." They all said "Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king."

Something didn't sit well with Jehoshaphat and he asked "Is there not here another prophet of the Lord whom we may inquire? And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil."

Hmmm. Perhaps, Ahab, because you need to hear that you are evil and need to repent like the kings of Judah had and stop worshipping a demon-god and instead really listen to and serve the one true God Yahweh.

He doesn't see it that way, of course, and when Miciaiah comes in and prophecies it comes about exactly as he says.

The word for us, I think is not to be afraid of bad news from the Lord. If you are reading the Word or listening to a Bible study and something really hits you that feels uncomfortable. Ask God to reveal what He is up to. What is He trying to say to you? Perhaps there are areas of repentance needed in your life.

Also, its usually a mistake when, after hearing from the Lord, you surround yourself with people or messages that say what you want to hear - what makes you feel comfortable. Spending time with God doesn't always make us comfortable but it always makes us more like Him.

Pastor Tom

"This Thing Is From Me"

In my last blog entry I talked about Rehoboam and how he listened to the harsh advice from his peers rather than heeding the merciful words from his elders. This didn't go over too well with the people he ruled. In fact, it led to the dividing of Israel as a nation. Oddly, though, God said He was in it.

In 2 Chronicles 11, Rehoboam recognizes that he's got to do something to restore his kingdom. He doesn't do it with diplomacy or with saying that he was wrong (something his grandfather David would have done) but seeks to go to arms against his brothers. He raises any army of 180,000 men for the job.

But Shemaiah the prophet comes to him and says (2 Chronicles 11:4) "Thus says the Lord, you shall not go up or fight against your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me." This time Rehoboam listened to good advice and a blood bath was averted, for the time being.

The point that hit me from this revelation was that there may come a time when you have blown it, and you think "I've got to fix this with whatever means are at my disposal." And your solution to the problem may be worse than the problem you were trying to fix.

I made that mistake once in dealing with someone who was acting inappropriately. Instead of coming alongside and discipling this person I made changes to the ministry I was involved with. In the end I alienated a lot of people and caused more harm than good. God is good, however. Years later we were reconciled and growth took place.

But next time I might just give away my pride and realize that although I blew it, God is in it to work "all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes." Then I'll let patience and repentance guide me into His will.

Pastor Tom

Youth = Wisdom?

Let's face it. We live in a culture dominated by youth ideals. Everyone wants to be young or act young or do and buy the things that young people do or buy. This actually started back in the 60's when a generation of American youth decided that anyone over 30 should not be trusted. It has hurt our country and has permeated the church. But it really began much much earlier.

In 2 Chronicles 10 Rehoboam, Solomon's son, has taken over the throne of Israel. The people come and complain that Solomon's taxes were too burdensome. So Rehoboam has a decision to make. First he went to the old men who had served his father. They told him to be kind to the people and they will serve him forever. That was probably good advice as the taxes needed to build the Temple were no longer needed.

Regardless, Rehoboam rejected that counsel "and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him" (2 Chronicles 10:8). These young men suggested an even harsher way of ruling than Solomon. That should have clued Solomon in right there that there was a problem. Often times the folly of youth is that no matter what way is right, doing things a different way than a previous generation is mandatory.

There are times when a young person has great wisdom, and there are times when a more mature person is a jerk. The lesson is that we should by no means cast out the wisdom of the mature, and we should by all means test the advice we receive based on the character of God.

Pastor Tom

What You Don't Ask For

I don't want to put down Solomon, he was a great king and a really humble man. In 2 Chronicles 1 God appears to Solomon and says "Ask what I shall give you" (vs 7). Solomon asks for wisdom to lead the people of Israel. But Solomon should also have thought about what he didn't ask for.

God is pleased because Solomon didn't ask for long life or riches or the lives of his enemies. And so God gives him the wisdom, and the riches and long life.

What intrigues me is the very next verse. The first thing Solomon does is to go out and buy 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. There are two problems with this. The first is that God told Israel that when they had a king that they should not multiply horses and chariots (Deut 17:16). So Solomon is disobeying God. The second is that Solomon didn't need them. He should have relied on God as Joshua and Israel did during the taking of the land.

I noticed that in the list of things that God gave he left out "the life of those who hate you." Perhaps God was testing Solomon a little bit. I'm not saying this is so, but maybe Solomon was trying to fill in the gaps in God's promise to him.

So the lesson for us is: when you do right, when your attitude is like Jesus and you think "yes - I did okay that time!" don't then let your guard down. The temptation will be to fall into doing something wrong in another area of your life.

Remember all of God tells you in His Word and trust in Him to accomplish all of it through you. He doesn't need our assistance, really!

Pastor Tom

A Willing Mind

1 Chronicles 28:9 "...know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought ..."

This was David's charge to his son, Solomon, as he prepared to turn over the kingdom of Israel. I just really liked how David characterized a life that is open to the Lord, especially the part about the "willing mind."

I wonder sometimes how willing our minds are. In our world today there are many whose minds are anything but willing when it comes to the things of God. They hear God's Word and dismiss it because it doesn't seem to jive with science or political correctness. Even Christians can find themselves unwilling to in their minds to accept that God is who He says He is. We tend to believe our minds before we believe the Lord.

My challenge to us today is to allow your mind to be open and willing to be taught, challenged, and changed by God's Word.

Pastor Tom

Judgment And Mercy

There is a really interesting story in 1 Chronicles 21. It's the story of one of David's greatest blunders which the Lord turned around into a wonderful act of mercy.

David ordered a census of Israel. I won't go into why this was wrong but suffice it to say that God did not order it or want it. So when David went ahead there as judgment to pay. God gave David a choice: three years of famine, three months of a foreign enemy, or three days of "the sword of the Lord."

David chose the three days of God's judgment saying "Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great" (1 Chronicles 21:13). Those three days were terrible, with 70,000 of Israel perishing.

Now get this scene: the angel of the Lord (many think this represents the pre-incarnate Christ) is poised over Jerusalem to destroy it. God has mercy as David cries out his guilt "It is I who have sinned and one great evil" (vs 17). Instead of destroying, God orders David to set up an altar.

He buys the threshing floor of Ornan. Though Ornan offers it for free David says "I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

This altar becomes the site of the Temple.

The Temple then becomes a picture of the sacrifice for all sins that Jesus would make. So here you have Jesus who bears both the sword of judgment and the altar of mercy. This is a good picture for us to remember. We will all face Jesus. You will either face Him as the Lamb who allowed the judgment of God to fall on Him for you, or you will face Him as the judge who not spare those who have sinned outside of His grace.

The next time you feel God's judgment gathering like a sword over your head, remember this section and give your heart to the mercy of God through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Pastor Tom

Where Do Blessing and Victory Come From?

I've just returned from a couple of weeks on holiday - a great relaxing time to rejuvenate and recuperate. As I got back into 1 Chronicles today I was struck by the way God worked in and through King David.

In chapter 16 we see David bring up the Ark of the Tabernacle and set it up in Jerusalem. I noticed that in verse 4: "Then he appointed some of the Levites as minister before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord."

I like that, by the way. We too should ask God's presence in our daily lives, thank him and praise him for what he has done and is doing. David then launches into a wonderful psalm of praise.

Directly from that he thinks "Behold I dwell in a house of cedar, but the Lord is under a tent." (17:1). He wants to build a temple but Nathan tells him that is Solomon his son that will build it. Then the Lord tells David that he will establish his throne forever (vs 12). What a promise!

What does this invoke in David? Humility. Later in chapter 17 he says "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?"

After this, in chapter 18, David defeats the Philistines and subdues them - something Israel had tried to do ever since arriving in the Promised Land.

So the pattern we see here is: worship that leads to blessing, blessing that leads to humility, humility that leads to victory. A great example for us to follow!

Pastor Tom

Sinner or Hero?

When you read about David's mighty men in 1 Chronicles 11 and 12 you get pretty impressed. Guys like Benaiah who killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day and snatched the spear out of a seven and a half foot tall Egyptian guy. They weren't called mighty men for nothing. Thanks to them Jerusalem was conquered, the Philistines were overcome and Israel had peace from its enemies and a king was protected that was a man after God's own heart.

So its interesting to go back to the time when all these guys joined David. You wouldn't exactly call them "mighty" at that point. Back in 1 Samuel 22, when David was not king, but on the run from King Saul who was trying to kill him. David went and hid in a cave. Joining him there: "everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul." Sure doesn't sound like any "mighty men" to me. And yet these I think are the same guys that later are heroes of Israel.

Do you sometimes feel bitter or in distress or in debt? Do you feel like hiding in a cave and that God could never really use you? Take heart. God turned the disaffected into the mighty and he can do the same for you. How did it happen? These guys rallied around a man who loved God with all his heart. For us, we gather around one of David's descendants, Jesus Christ. Spend time with Him and He can turn you into a hero too!

Pastor Tom

Lost and Found

Have you ever lost something of great value? Most of the time you know it and you search frantically for it with that sick feeling in your stomach. But what if you lost something of tremendous worth and knew it not?

That's the position Israel and its king find themselves in. 2 Kings 23 finds Israel on the heels of the absolute worst king ever - completely evil and worse than the evil nations around them. A new king comes to power: Josiah. Josiah sends his staff to the Temple to find out what happened to the money given for the upkeep of the structure.

When there the men discover a book - but not just any book, but the Book of the Law. This book, God's Word, is carried very gingerly to King Josiah, because it contains the failings of the kings and the nation and God's retribution against those sins.

Josiah reacts correctly: 2 Kings 22:11 "And when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law he tore his clothes."

He repented and God relented and said he would spare Josiah from seeing the destruction and discipline planned for Israel.

So are you without something of great value to you and you don't know it? Perhaps for you, like Josiah, it is God's Word. Without the washing of His Word we too can drift off into sin. Also like Josiah, we should rediscover the book, blow off the dust, and let the words wash over us. Yes there might be hard words to hear, but they are also words of life and of great value.

Pastor Tom

Accountable

Sometimes we make the error of assuming that because we know God that we can pretty much do whatever we want. Not only is that pretty arrogant, it's also wrong.

King Manasseh of Judah may have thought that because his father Hezekiah followed Yahweh that that pretty much gave him a free pass. Manasseh was an evil guy through and through. For other kings that turned away from God the Scriptures often describe them as following the ways of Jeroboam, but Manasseh followed the ways of the kings around them. He burned his son in the fire and did worse sins than the Amorites that God wiped out when he brought Israel into the land.

But God did not let Manasseh lead the nation into utter abhorrent sin without cost. Just because they were the Chosen People did not mean that God would not deal with them severely.

In 2 Kings 21:11 "I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle."

If we sin without the blood of Jesus Christ covering us, we will be encounter just such a disaster: separation from God, not for 70 years like Israel, but for eternity. If we continue to sin as believers God will deal with us with severe discipline. His aim is to bring us back to Him, the source of all goodness. All we must do is repent - change our minds about our sin and agree with God.

We are accountable to God. Though He disciplines us, it is a good thing. Peter tells us that God disciplines every son whom He loves.

Pastor Tom

Holding Fast

As you read through the book of 2 Kings it gets a little depressing. King after king in both Judah and Israel "do what was evil in the sight of the Lord." Then comes Hezekiah. What a breath of fresh air.

Hezekiah, it says in 2 Kings 18:3, "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done." Hezekiah broke down the pillars and anything else that Israel had used as a way to worship other gods.

But I noticed something else that I hadn't seen before - its in verse 6: "and he held fast to the Lord."

You know, in our world where money and power and youth and beauty and political correctness are worshiped as gods, it is vital more than ever for us Christians to be like Hezekiah. We need to break down those altars in our lives and homes and we need to "hold fast" to the Lord.

Our culture is like a hurricane wind that seeks to blow Christianity out of the water and carry us away in a whirlwind of rhetoric and argument against the character of God. Hold on to Him no matter what your culture tells you.

And, by the way, as you hold fast to Him, He is holding fast to you. Just read John 15 for more on that.

Pastor Tom

The Godly Influence

Judah was in a pretty bad way in 2 Kings 11. Athaliah was ruling over the nation - a brutal and evil woman. She was so evil that she ordered all the possible heirs to the throne killed. But thanks to the foresight and courage of a woman and a priest, the nation changed.

Jehosheba took Joash, the dead king Ahaziah's son and hid him away. Later Jehoiada the priest guarded him and raised him. When it was time they declared Joash king. During all the time Johoiada was alive, many wonderful things happened in Judah, including the repairing of the Temple.

The simple lesson is that it is a valuable thing to have a godly influence over a young person. Joash's father Ahaziah was an evil man, and Athaliah the grandmother was horribly evil, but a couple of adults who took the time to nurture and protect an evil man's son reaped tremendous benefits.

Take the time to teach the young and care for them. Even if their parents do not know the Lord, who knows what good you will create in the presence of evil?

Pastor Tom

Who Is With You?

Do you ever feel surrounded by life? You wake up in the morning and go out to get the morning paper and realize that your circumstances are conspiring against you like an army surrounding your house. You despair and are ready to give up.

That's actually just where the Lord wants you. I know it sounds strange, but it is the way He works over and over. Barren women who could not have children did, a land that could not be overthrown was, and lives that could never be redeemed - are.

I'm reminded of the story in 2 Kings 6. Elisha's servant got up one morning to get the paper and saw his city surrounded by a terrible army. He panicked and said "what shall we do?" But Elisha asked God to give him a new perspective - a godly perspective. If you know the story, God opened the servant's eyes and he saw that the army surrounding him was surrounded itself by an army of angels with chariots of fire.

Elisha then said this: "2 Kings 6:16 Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than are with them."

When you feel life surrounding you like an opposing army, realize that if you belong to God through Jesus Christ, there is a much larger army of angels and God's Holy Spirit that will deliver you safely to his kingdom - that nothing can happen to you outside of God's power to redeem - and that He will in fact take care of you and cause all things to work together for the good in your life.

Pastor Tom

Who Ya Gonna Call?

When life really gets tough, the trials mount up, and life is at stake, a lot is revealed about a person's character and who he or she trusts.

In the beginning chapter of 2 Kings this happens to Ahaziah. Ahaziah becomes king of Israel and promptly falls through the lattice in his upper chamber in the palace. As he lay dieing, Ahaziah calls out for help. He tells his servants to inquire of Baal-zebub, one of the demon-gods left over from the Canaanites.

Besides the fact that there was no real Baal-Zebub god, the problem here is that Ahaziah is trusting in someone other than the LORD God. In fact, Elijah stops the servants of Ahaziah with these words:

2 Kings 1:3 "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub?"

It is a rhetorical question. There was a God in Israel: Yahweh. Ahaziah is turning away from the only real God to go after a fake god in his time of trouble. God wants him to acknowledge who God really is. The trouble is that Ahaziah knows he has sinned and that to face God he must face his rebellion against God, so he thinks he can find answers outside of God. He can't.

Neither can we. When life gets tough we don't want to reach out to God because to do that we must deal with our sin and our failures. So we go to any source we can to find answers: self help books, pop-psychology, friends advice, fake healing scams, getting money wherever we can, or even lying and cheating to get ourselves out of trouble.

It won't work. Trouble won't go away. The only way to permanently deal with it is to face your sin and failures, take them to the cross where God put them to death, and then seek Him with all of your heart. The answer won't always be what you want - Ahaziah's answer from God was that he was going to die - but it will be the answer God wants, and that is always the best answer.

Pastor Tom

Food For the Journey

Elijah was having a great day followed by a terrible day. In 1 Kings 18 we see one of the high points of the war against God's enemies as Elijah sets up an altar and the priests of Baal set up their altar and God sends down fire from heaven on Elijah's altar and nothing happens to the one put up by the priests of Baal - proving which god was the real God.

But right after than Elijah is threatened by Jezebel and he runs away. Not only that, but Elijah is so afraid that he basically lays down under a broom tree and gives up. Here is the mighty prophet of God afraid of a woman and telling God to kill him.

But something interesting happens to Elijah while under that tree. He is not done with his pity party and not finished questioning God and his role. But we see the compassion and understanding of God while Elijah is on his journey.

Twice an angel appears to Elijah and encourages him to eat. The food and water appear supernaturally and the angel says he should eat because "the journey is too great for you." God is helping Elijah not to die, but to survive and continue his wandering until it is over.

Maybe you are having a hard time with something and are maybe even questioning God and perhaps want to just lay down under a broom tree and die. Know this, that God is watching over you, not judging you, and will actually help you in your quest - not to die - but to know Him more and your relationship to Him.

"Come let us reason together," God says. He encourages the journey because it will ultimately bring you closer to Him.

Pastor Tom

Spiraling Down

1 Kings 17:25 "Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him."

I know this isn't the most encouraging verse, and its far more common than I thought in the annals of the kings of Judah and Israel.

King after king was more evil than the last. It's a sign of the human nature. Humans, without God, will tend to drift downward into sin. Without God man quickly loses sight of what is after the character of God and what is after the character of Satan. We become like our king.

Sometimes we experience sin in the lives of those we trust, or even in our parents or loved ones. The natural tendency might be for that sin to infect us, influence us, move us away from God. It doesn't have to be that way.

When Jesus came and died to pay for those sins, he changed that dynamic. Instead of going from bad to worse in a continually downward spinning spiral, we are transformed, as Paul says, from "from one kind of glory to another" as our character is made to be like God's character.

Don't fret at a world that more and more embraces sin as sainthood, and instead embrace the God who gave all to make us like Him.

Pastor Tom

Be Careful Who You Love

Solomon appeared at first to be just like his father David - loving the Lord, humble before the Lord. But later something happened, and Solomon following the flesh found himself being bitten by the very thing he liked.

Solomon's weakness was that he loved women of all types. In 1 Kings 11 it says he loved women from tribes the Lord commanded be destroyed and that Israel not intermarry with them. Among those that Solomon was attracted to were Edomite women. These women drew Solomon's heart away from serving God and he instead served the god's of his wives.

Then God showed his anger against Solomon and sent an adversary to torment him. The man is identified in 1 Kings 14:14 "And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite."

Being friends, even lovers, with an Edomite did nothing to stop this enemy of Israel from attacking. Being friends, even lovers of the world will not stop the king of this world, Satan, from attacking you to make you weak and ineffective for God.

Our lesson? Don't think giving into worldly attitudes buys you any goodwill from a system diametrically opposed to God and you as a child of God.

Pastor Tom

David Learns His Lesson

In a previous post I suggested that David had problems dealing with family or relationship problems. I noticed that finally, at the end of his life, David learned his lesson.

In 1 Kings 1 David is about to die. His second oldest son Adonijah decides that he would like to be king and gets some allies among David's leaders.

Like David's other sons, Adonijah was not disciplined as a child (vs 6). So he thinks he can just steal away the throne. This time, though, when David catches wind of this plot he acts decisively. He calls Solomon and the High Priest and hands over the throne to Solomon.

The old David, when confronted with the Absolom coup, ran away. This time he confronts the situation and makes it right right away.

I think one of the things that made the difference was that David realized this was his legacy, this was what he was leaving behind to influence the world in his place. And David wanted that legacy to be a godly one.

Our lesson? Take the time to bring your children up in the "training and admonition of the Lord" and watch out for opportunities to create a godly legacy, not avoiding relational problems, but handling them with love and firmness.

Pastor Tom

Which God do You See?

2 Samuel 22:26-28 With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 27 with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.28 You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

I sometimes hear people say that God is mean, unfair, vindictive, and judgmental. How dare he tell us not to judge others when he is so free to judge anyone he pleases and without apparent reason.

Well, for one we misunderstand who God is and who we are. God is pure good. He is so pure that anything that is not good cannot withstand his goodness. For anyone who is not pure it would be like walking unshielded into the middle of a nuclear reactor. You could not hope to survive. But through the washing of the blood of Jesus Christ, who died for all of our impurities, we become like a nuclear reaction ourselves - we become like God.

In the process from a human stand point we are transformed into his image and we actually begin to think like him - to have his character.

God appears differently to different people because to those who belong to him and have his character and act like he acts his purity makes sense. But for those who do not belong to him they experience his repulsion against evil as a foreign entity.

And look also at the character traits: mercy, purity, and humbleness. Gives you a clue what God is like, huh?

Pastor Tom

Getting What's Due You

David gets some disturbing news as he flees Jerusalem, news that causes him to make an error in judgment. That error could have cost an honest man his life.

In 2 Samuel 16, as David runs from a coup brought about by his son Absalom, he is met by Ziba, servant of the former king's son Miphibosheth. "And where is you master's son?" David asks. "Ziba answered the king, 'Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father..."

That was a lie. David believed it, and gave all of Miphibosheth's lands to Ziba. As it turns out, Miphibosheth was lame and when he tried to leave with David, Ziba left without him-no doubt an opportunist. Later, in chapter 19, Miphibosheth comes to meet David as returns, triumphant, to Jerusalem.

What I want to focus on is Miphibosheth's response. When David tells him to split the land with Ziba, Miphibosheth says "Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home."

In essence, this was David's way of telling which man was a liar. But because Miphibosheth is willing to give it all up, presumably David gave it all back to him. It sort of reminds me of what David's son, Solomon did with the baby claimed by two moms.

So how do you react when someone deceives you, lies about you, then steals from you? You get mad, don't you? You want to exact judgment against them, don't you? And if it comes time to get back what was taken you jump at the chance, right?

Well, it was worth more to Miphibosheth to show his loyalty to the king and tell the truth than get what was rightly his. It's a lesson in humility, loyalty, and priority. His relationship with David was more important that getting justice.

Kind of reminds me of when Jesus said that if someone forces you to walk one mile you should walk with them an extra mile. It might put you out, but it might also show that person that the love of God is more important than getting what's yours.

Pastor Tom

David's Biggest Weakness

2 Samuel 11-13 are among the darkest times for David. It shows the weakness in this man of God and in his kids.

It's among the few times we see David actually make mistakes. Usually we focus on the big mistake: sleeping with Bathsheba. But if you read all of these chapters there is another weakness that comes to light.

David was an avoider. He didn't like confrontation, especially when it came to problems with relationships. When it came to his sin with Bathsheba he did everything but confront Uriah, Bathsheba's husband. Instead he made up all this stuff to try to either obscure his sin or destroy the man.

Then when David's son Amnon raped his sister Tamar, and Absalom killed Amnon, David did nothing. We know he was angry but we also know that David avoided confronting Absalom and even when his son returned from exile it took a huge blow up just to get the king to bring his son back.

I'm not trying to fault David, especially since many of us avoid conflict and confrontation. Part of the problem is we don't know how to "speak the truth in love."

I think the lesson we take from these chapters is by contrast. When relationships are broken we should really try to fix them, instead of ignoring them hoping they'll get better on their own. They rarely do.

Pastor Tom

True Humility

What would you think if someone told you that you were going to be rich and powerful - that your family's power would not diminish over time and that even the God of the Universe was pleased with you? That's what happened to David.

I'm just amazed at David's response to a promise God makes to him that "your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me." (2 Samuel 7:16).

What is David's response? "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?" (18).

If there was one thing that David did not suffer from, it was pride. David was among the greatest people that ever lived. He could kill you before you knew it, he was a leaders leader, he was a diplomat, an extraordinarily talented musician and poet, and a kind man to boot.

Yet for all this the key to David's success were not his talents but his attitude towards himself and God. David loved God more than he loved himself. David's life was not his own and he lived to please his master. All the successes were nothing compared with serving Yahweh.

David always knew who the truly great one was. Do we?

Pastor Tom

Don't Rush - Don't Grab

I have often wondered why David acted like he did. He was the anointed king of Israel yet he ran away from Saul instead of having one of his men kill him. And when Saul died David mourned his loss and executed those responsible. Not only that but David did nothing to overthrow Saul's house once Saul was dead and even came out against those who murdered Saul's military leaders and others.

We see this in 2 Samuel 1-5. David doesn't seem in a hurry to become king, nor does he try to grab for power but sticks to a true character, a godly character, and waits for God to lift him up.

When it was time, David assumed the throne, after a covenant was made with the other tribes. And immediately the fortunes of the nation changed. David captured Jerusalem and defeated the Philistines and God began speaking to the king of Israel again.

As David waited patiently and didn't compromise his character God rewarded him by accomplishing his goals, removing his obstacles and speaking wisdom from His heart.

It's a good lesson for us too.

Pastor Tom

The Lengths We Will Go

I feel kind of sorry for Saul in a way. His pride ended up costing him the kingship over Israel. It's kind of a metaphor for when we decide that we know better than God.

Saul abandoned God and so God said he was taking the kingdom from Saul. It's possible that if Saul had really repented and been healed from his pride and arrogance that God might have changed His mind, but then again, God knew Saul wouldn't change.

So Saul in 1 Samuel 28 faces a major adversary. He knows he is incapable so he tries to seek the Lord. But it was way too late for that. God was letting Saul have what he wanted, autonomy. You can't have it both ways with God. Either you trust and cling to Him or you don't.

So Saul ended up seeking out a medium - something specifically prohibited by the Law of Moses and something even Saul himself had outlawed. But apparently wasn't really interested in hearing from God, he just wanted advice from whatever superstitious supernatural source he could find.

Let's not make that mistake. First, cling to the Lord and let Him renovations on your soul to rid you from pride and independence. Secondly, if when you seek the Lord you don't get an answer don't just go out and get any advice you can. Wait on the Lord. Sometimes no answer is the answer.

Pastor Tom

Serving Interests

In 1 Samuel 22 and 23 there is a great contrast between Israel's current king, Saul, and its future ruler, David. It shows us the difference between serving our own interests and God's.

David had been anointed king after Saul disobeyed God in the battle with the Amalekites. Saul was trying to kill David, and so David had fled. At Nob David had been spotted by an Edomite on the payroll of Saul (by the way - what was Saul doing consorting with an Edomite who were sworn enemies of Israel?).

So we see Saul coming down to Nob saying "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as is this day?"

The accusations were not true, of course, but Saul was deluded and was willing to commit murder in order to protect something God had given him but that he had squandered (the kingship). Saul had Doeg the Edomite kill Ahimelech and all the priests at Nob - a terrible crime.

Then we see David in chapter 23. He is not yet king but when he hears that the Philistines were attacking a city he asked God if he should go and fight against the Philistines and God said "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

Here is David, being chased by Saul and under a death sentence, and he is less worried about his own life than in protecting the lives of God's people. Pretty gutsy and it shows us a model: David looked out for God's interests, not his own. Sometimes it's good for us to take a look at whether what we are doing solely serves us at the detriment of others, or serves God sometimes to our own hurt.

Pastor Tom

Attracting the Unattractive

1 Samuel 22:1-2 David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

At first blush it sounds as if David got a pretty raw deal there at the cave - all the miscreants and no-gooders from Israel went to him!

But you know what happened? David was such a good leader, a god fearing and obeying man, and a role model, that the men who started as as bitter and in distress ended up being molded into a cohesive fighting force of patriots never again seen in Israel. David transformed this group of baddies into a kingdom.

Did you know that the Son of David, Jesus Christ, also attracted the sinners and outcasts of His day? You'd think then that the group of disciples and believers would be the lowest of the low and not worth much.

But the transforming power of Jesus touched the lives of those rejected and accepted them into His kingdom. He cleanses the sin, He changes the heart, He bandages up the wounds and transforms us into His glory for His glory.

Don't think that God is of the opinion that he got a raw deal. Jesus loves you and if you belong to Him he calls you friend (John 15:15)

Pastor Tom

Values Exchange

King Saul of Israel had a choice. Samuel the Prophet had delivered the command from God: destroy everything of the Amalekites, including all the oxen and sheep. Saul went to war as God told him but something happened on the way to victory that cost Saul dearly.

1 Samuel 15:9 "But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatted calves and the lambs and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction."

That one act cost Saul the kingdom. Saul's problem (one of them anyway) was that he misjudged what was important to God. When Samuel anointed Saul king he hid away showing to others that he felt little of himself. In doing so he denigrated the fact that whom God chooses God uses. Later here we see him misjudge what is of value to God. Saul perhaps thought that God wouldn't mind if he decided what should be kept. Not only was that wrong, it was also disobedient.

Just because the Word of God doesn't seem to make sense doesn't mean we have the option to disobey. When Jesus said "Pray for your enemies" He didn't mean "pray for your enemies except those you want to blast off the face of the earth!"

God's values are not the same as our human values. When it comes down to a choice I encourage us to determine what God considers worthy and focus on those things.

Pastor Tom

Mixing It Up

Judges 17:3-4 And his mother said, "'I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.' 4 So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image."

This is an unbelievable story that gets even more weird, but shows how we humans get our gods all mixed up.

The period in which this story happened was among the darkest in Israel's history. The people had allowed the religions of the land to infiltrate their lives and they didn't pay close attention to their relationship with Yahweh.

So here we have a son who stole money from his mom. When she finds out instead of punishing him like a good parent she tries to turn it into some kind of religious expression.

How could she think that she could dedicate something to the LORD (the capital L-O-R-D stands for the name of God: Yahweh) and then use it to make a carved image, which is something God specifically prohibited (Exodus 20:4) and was used to worship gods other than Yahweh?

Do we sometimes make the same mistake, though? You can't just say "I'm giving this money to the Lord" and then turn around and use it to buy something that creates sin or temptation in yourself or others. Neither can you dedicate your life to Jesus then pray to Buddha just to "cover your bases." Just be clear about it. Either you are serving God or you are not serving Him. Don't try to mix hot and cold water. That results in luke warm, something God will spew out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16).

God wants an exclusive relationship with you, and the only way to have it is through a one-on-one relationship with His Son Jesus.


Pastor Tom

Quick - Send for the Ark!

The story in Judges 4 - 6 is one of the saddest in Israeli history. I don't know what got into the minds of the elders of Israel, but they had the brilliant idea of bringing the Ark of the Covenant into battle with the Philistines thinking that "it may come among us save us from the power of our enemies." (4:3) What were they thinking?

The Ark was taken, of course, and the battle lost. You can't superstitiously use God as a magic talisman to do your bidding. You can't put God in a box. Perhaps they saw the Ark used at Jericho and thought that was some kind of formula for using God's power. There is no formula. You don't use God, He uses you.

So, interestingly enough, once the Ark goes to the Philistines all kinds of bad things happen to them. I think that may be where the scene in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark came from - you know - where the Nazi symbol is burned black and where the beautiful-then ugly creatures come out and attack the Nazis who opened the Ark?

So what's the difference? Well, for one thing, I think that while the Israelites denigrated Yahweh - knowing full well who He was - the Philistines thought they had captured a god and put him on par with Dagon, their god. They didn't know Yahweh, but soon found out.

Yahweh will compete with no one, so that's why Dagon and his followers suffered. It wasn't the Ark as much as the Lord of the Ark.

So what's the lesson? Religious rituals, beads, rote prayers, or even just using God's name indiscriminately, will not get you anywhere but defeated. Call out to the Lord and through yourself on His mercy and allow Him to use you. He'll quickly turn defeat to His glory.

Pastor Tom

Infant Baptism or Dedication?

There is a lot of controversy between Christians on this topic. Many believe that infants should be baptised. I myself was baptised as an infant. I don't knock anyone who holds to this, though I personally think that baptism should be the choice of someone who gives their heart to Jesus. Baptism itself does not save you but what it represents, a heart washed by the blood of Jesus (see 1 Peter 3:21).

So for many Christians there is an alternative: dedication.

Where does this come from? 1 Samuel chapter 1. There we read about Hannah who was barren. She prayed to God and he granted her a son: Samuel. Hannah said that if she were to have a son that "then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life..." (1 Samuel 1:11).

There is no Scriptural mandate to dedicate children in this way. But it is a great story that acknowledges that 1) children belong to the Lord and that 2) we should create an environment where our children can serve the Lord all of their days.

Ephesians 6:4 tells us to bring up our children in the training and admonition of the Lord. Many Christians find it a blessing to have the pastor, themselves, and the congregation of their church pray for this effort as they publicly dedicate the child to the Lord.

Again, nothing mystical about it and nothing really happens, except perhaps that the Lord hears and answers the prayers!

Pastor Tom

The World Loves You (?)

Judges 16:4 "And after this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, 'Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him.'"

Samson loved a woman of the Philistines, and later she used this love as a hook to get Samson to tell her the secret of his strength (which was God in him - and when he told them about his hair he was breaking the Nazirite vow and God's Spirit left him at that point).

Delilah didn't really love Samson, she was a plant by the enemy to make Samson ineffective.

If you think about your relationship with the world - the world is full of Delilahs: beauty and fame and riches and power. They seem like they are your friends and you can easily fall in love with them (even if you don't end up attaining them).

But the world doesn't love you. Sin and temptation are there as plants of the enemy, Lucifer, to get you to compromise and give up the secret of your strength (the Holy Spirit in you). Unlike Samson, if you are a Christian God doesn't take salvation or his Spirit away from you every time you sin, but it does hurt your effectiveness and fellowship with God.

Don't be fooled by fained love by the world.

Pastor Tom

Loving What You Hate and Vice Versa

Judges 14:3 "...But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes." Samson saw something appealing in a Philistine woman - a people God would call him to destroy. How could he love an enemy of God?

You probably know the story of Samson. Israel rebelled against God and so the Philistines oppressed them until they cried out for a deliverer. That person was Samson. But when Samson grew up his first encounter with the Philistines was that he lusted after one of their women. This woman later became a real snare to him (not Delilah, that comes later).

It took this incident and others to show Samson who the enemy was. For those of us who call on Jesus as Lord and Savior, sometimes the world around us appears very attractive. We see the success of others, the appeal of beauty and sensual pleasure or the power of money and fame. Sometimes it takes a real taste of that to see how much of enemy to your spiritual life these things can be.

Now I am not suggesting that you live in sin in order to know God better. But I think it is sometimes true that the bitter taste we get from trying to be satisfied with the world can lead us to our true mission: to put to death the deeds of the flesh.

Think back on the true results of sinful behavior. Paul in Galatians 6 says that if you sow to the flesh you will from the flesh reap corruption, or death. Look beyond the shiny appearance and see the slavery and death that await you. Learn from Samson and identify your enemies early.

Pastor Tom

The Problem With Fleeces

You probably know the story of Gideon; how God called him and how Gideon wanted a sign to know if God was going to deliver Israel by his hand. We find the story in Judges 6.

Gideon asked for a sign and many Christians have used what Gideon asked for as a way to gauge God's will. I'm not so sure that's wise.

Judges 6:37 "Behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said."

God did as Gideon asked, but that didn't satisfy him so he then asked for the opposite: that the fleece be dry and the ground wet. Now God doesn't fault Gideon for doing this so I'm not saying that he did anything wrong.

But often we use a "fleece" as a way to judge God's will. I think this is a mistake. We treat God like tea leaves: we ask that if a door opens it means we are to walk through it. We ask that if someone says a particular thing to us that it means a particular way is the right way.

I'm not convinced this works. I think we end up walking through doors we really shouldn't and relying on "signs" instead of the Spirit's witness in our lives.

So how to determine God's will? Ask Him and check your attitude about it (James 1:8). Seek his peace in your heart and test the answer by the fruit of the Spirit and the wisdom from heaven (Galatians 5:22, (James 3:1-17). Finally, if it will bring God glory then it's probably okay. God expects us to depend on Him and use our heads as to what is reasonable.

As a good pastor friend of mine says: it is hard to miss the will of God if you just love him.

Pastor Tom

Finishing The Task

After rebellion in the desert, a re-born Israel started out great in the Promised Land. So what happened?

Israel finishes up in Joshua on a high note having driven out the people who inhabited the land that God gave them. And they start out great in Judges where now individual tribes take on the Canaanites and win.

But something happens in Judges 1:27 "Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of ..." That same phrase is repeated over and over again. It's almost like the Israelites grew tired of the battles and just gave up, allowing the Canaanites to live with them in the land. What a mistake!

God told them to completely wipe out the Canaanites or they would become a snare that would lead Israel into idolatry and rebellion once again. And that's exactly what happened.

I think the lesson for us is to not give up on getting rid of the flesh and wordly influences in our lives. We get saved and forgiven but the old nature still tries to bring us down from within and the world system around us tries to draw us away from God.

In the meantime the Holy Spirit is in the process of transforming us into God's image. He does this through our relationship with Him and through trials. James tells us to let those trials have their perfect work. In other words, let the process continue. Don't get to a certain point and think you have arrived as a believer. You may find yourself being drawn away or down. A boat in a river will always float downstream unless someone is paddling.

Pastor Tom

You Can't Do It

Joshua 24:19 "You are not able to serve the Lord for He is a holy God."

Believe it or not this verse is very hopeful. For many generations the Jews thought they could do it. They thought that they were capable of actually serving God enough to be His people.

I wish they had taken Joshua's words to heart. Just before this Joshua tells the people to make a choice: serve the gods of Egypt where you came from or Canaan where you are, or serve the Lord - but make a choice.

They said they chose to serve God but Joshua knew better. He knew the fallen human nature would be drawn off to sensuality and practicality and that their hearts would go away from faith in God.

If only they had fallen on their faces and said "we know we are incapable of serving this holy God. Lord have mercy on us and help us!"

If only we'd do that too. The only way we can serve God is to have His holiness. And the only way to have that is to get it by giving your life to Jesus Christ then living day by day by the power of the Spirit; yielding your life to Him and yielding your desires and weaknesses to Him.

Choose you this day whom you will serve ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (by His power)!


Pastor Tom

Getting A Raw Deal from God

At a certain point in our Christian walk we begin trusting God. We start small; asking small things and getting small answers. It boosts our faith to begin asking for bigger things and entrust to God situations in our lives that really matter to us. You'd think that the more faith we have, the more maturity we have, the more likely God will answer us. Not so.

As the children of Israel settled the Promised Land God gave out large portions of property to the various tribes. I'm sure the various tribal leaders were excited to learn what God was giving them after they had worked so hard to take the land from the Canaanites.

But one tribe got this response: Joshua 18:7 "The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance."

So, in other words, they served in the Temple (or Tabernacle at that time) and that was it. Yes, they got some towns to live in, but no huge tracts of land to own and look over and say "that's my spread!" Perhaps they were a little jealous of their other brethren. After all, it was their faithfulness to God against sin that got them named as priests. What did their loyalty get them really?

Sometimes we might feel that same way. We grow in God, we mature, we learn right from wrong, we stand up for God in situations, we allow ourselves to be used by Him and we give up lots of stuff others, even younger Christians, don't give up. And yet God still doesn't give us materially what we wish for. We are still struggling financially or with our health or relationships and we wonder why.

We need to take a lesson from the Levites. They got the better part of the bargain. Material things will waste away and will eventually burn. The best thing is knowing God personally and spending time in His presence. That's what heaven will be like.

So why not rejoice that you can come boldly into the throne room of God at any time; that you can worship Him and have Him inhabit your praises? Let God be your inheritance.

Pastor Tom

It Takes A While

Joshua 11:18 "Joshua made war a long time with all these kings."

We like to think of God moving quickly when we are in need. In fact, even when we read passages like the conquest of Canaan we are left with the feeling that God just swept in and in a couple of days all the enemies were toast. Not so.

That's why it's interesting to read Joshua 11:18. Just so we don't think that it happened overnight, God tells us that Joshua fought "a long time." That meant many days fighting on the battlefield and many nights sleeping on the ground. It meant many times when he had to rely on God just to survive and many times when he saw God come through in the pinch.

God does the same with us. We get very impatient, especially when He's given us the promise that He will be victorious on our behalf. We want answers now and we don't want to have fight anything or anyone to get it. But the flesh, the world, and the enemy stand in our way and they are not easily defeated.

We too must spend many days in the battle, and many nights away from comfort. The process of changing a life into the image of God takes time. Victory takes time. Let God take the time He needs in you to win the battle on your behalf because it is just as much about changing you through the battle than winning the battle for you.

God is patient, the victory is ours in Christ Jesus. We need to be patient too.

Pastor Tom

The Next Gen

Joshua is a really exciting book where we see God move in miraculous ways and make city walls fall down and armies crumble at the mere mention of Yahweh. But as I was reading the first five chapters something struck me about a very personal application.

In Chapter 5 we see the Israelites having just come across a Jordan at flood stage - a mighty miracle of God that will pave the way for victory over Jericho. The Jordan crossing is very similar to the Red Sea crossing when Israel came up out of Egypt.

All that generation died out because they refused to follow God into the Promised Land. Now a new generation stands ready to receive that victory and that land.

I find it interesting what they do, though, prior to their first battle, right after they actually set foot on the land. They get circumcised. That's right. Apparently that practice, which set them apart as belonging to God, had been abandoned.

There are a lot of ways we could apply this, but here's my take for today. Circumcision can represent the cutting away of the flesh spiritually. Today we would call it baptism - dieing to the world and the flesh and coming to life in Jesus Christ.

But as it relates to a cutting away of the flesh in general, I think that every generation needs to make that stand for God; to not rely on the faith and repentance of their parents, but devote themselves wholly to God who will make us holy.

Have you made that declaration to God? Your whole life? Let Him take it all and mark you as one of His.

Pastor Tom

Remembering Our Roots

Deuteronomy 26:1 "When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground which you harvest from you land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the Lord you God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, 'I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.'"

This section of Deuteronomy goes on to say that the person is to recite the history of Israel beginning this way: "A wandering Aramean was my father ..."

I like this for two reasons. One: when God does good things for us we need to stop and give thanks. How often do we pray for things, God grants our prayers, then we just go on as if we should have gotten that answer all along. We forget that it is by God's grace and mercy that He brings these to us.

Giving a first fruit to the Lord might be spending some time in prayer or worship, or literally giving of the first of what benefit the Lord has given you and giving it back to him by donating to the Lord's work.

But then I also like the recitation of the story starting with "a wandering Aaramean." That was Abram, of course. Instead of "a great and mighty man of God," Abram is described as a "wandering Aaramean." That's us too. We should remember that we are nothing without the Lord working on our behalf.

We should never forget our humble beginnings, sinners in need of forgiveness wandering around lost in the world. And we should never forget to give God the first of all He gives us out of his grace.

Pastor Tom

Making God's Law Your Own

I really like this little tidbit in Deuteronomy 17. God has told the people that when they enter the Promised Land that they may have a king over them. There were a couple of provisos but I really think this one in particular is great:

17:18 "And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law."

I can just picture the high and lofty king of the land bent over a desk copying letter by letter the law into his notebook like a school boy practicing his cursive writing. It would have been somewhat demeaning, but then, I suppose that is the idea.

When we get into places of authority it is easy for us to let the office go to our heads. Then more than ever we need to be reminded that there is a much higher authority than ourselves, and a standard to which we must hold.

Pastor Tom

Who's The Boss?

You may be familiar with the story of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram - the three stooges who rebelled against Moses' authority in Numbers 16. But do you know the whole story?

Korah decided that Moses had "gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" (16:3-4)

This sounds very reasonable on the surface. They accused Moses and Aaron of having a power trip. They were wrong in that God really did call Moses to lead the people, and that though God was with them all, Moses was the leader - end of story.

But what I wanted to point out is that it really wasn't about Moses and power. It was really about Korah and the Lord. Look at verse 30.

"But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord."

See, it wasn't their relationship with Moses that was the problem, it was their relationship with the Lord. They "despised" the Lord and so they despised the Lord's servant.

So sometimes when we have problems with God we take it out on those around us, especially those that God is using to help us grow, like pastors and elders and others in the body of Christ that we should respect.

So the next time someone attacks you, pray for their relationship with the Lord (as well as seeing what God wants to change in you).

Pastor Tom

Our Peril and our False Needs

Numbers 11 and 12 contain a couple of interesting stories that bear some application to the Christian. In them we see man's lack of awareness of the peril he is in outside of God and how what we think we need can harm us.

The Children of Israel have just received the instructions for the Tabernacle and their marching orders (literally) from God. But as they travel through the desert on their way to the Promised Land they begin to complain to Moses.

Numbers 11:1 "And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned some of them and consumed some of the outlying parts of the camp."

It reminds me that as we go about our merry way and take potshots at the Lord for allowing us to go through difficulty that we don't realize what happens outside the grace of God. It's hot; it burns; it destroys.

We are not righteous on our own. If we are not part of the camp of God the family of God, then we are in mortal danger because no one can exist in God's presence unless he is perfect. And it is only in Jesus that we can be perfect.

The second story is only a few verses later when the people have a "strong craving" for the meat they had in Egypt. Egypt is a type of the world. Sometimes we Christians think back longingly to the way it was before we belonged to God. We think of the things we did that were sinful but seemingly pleasurable and we want that again.

In this case God gave them what they wanted: meat in the form of quail. They ate it until their tummies burst and then they experienced a plague because of it (starting in 11:31).

What they rebelled against was the Manna. Jesus said that He was the bread that fell from heaven. When we try to satisfy ourselves with the "meat" from the world and not the character of God in Jesus Christ, we may feel satisfied for a while, but it will only bring heartache in the end.

Pastor Tom

The Movable Cloud

In Numbers 9 we read that the after the dedication of the Tabernacle, that a cloud from God would hover over the tent. As long as the cloud was there, the children of Israel would remain. Once the cloud lifted, they would set off. So what does that mean to us?


Here's my thought: how flexible are you for God? I noticed that in some cases the cloud remained over the Tent many days, but sometimes it was only for from evening till morning. That would mean that the Israelites needed to be ready to go at all times. It meant they couldn't put down deep roots where they were; plant gardens or build houses or buy property.

For us, we need to be ready to go when God calls us. The Bible tells us that we are simply "sojourning" here on earth (1 Peter 2:11). In fact, Peter tell us to:

"1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

We need to have shallow roots in the world system. Don't get so caught up in the values that are at odds with God's character that you have to rip up vast stretches of your life and value system when God says to move on. Yes, we can own property and things, but let God have real ownership of them, including your hopes and desires and goals.

Be ready to move on when the cloud moves on, both literally, and also spiritually, being aware of when the Holy Spirit wants to move you to another point in your walk with Him.

Don't put your tent stakes too deeply into the soil of the world.

Pastor Tom

Servicing the Tabernacle

As I was reading through Numbers I noticed something that had no caught my eye before. In Chapter 4 there is a lengthy discussion giving specific instructions to individuals in how they go about doing their daily duties in the Tabernacle. It made me wonder about how we go about tending to our own daily duties with God.

Numbers 4:16 "And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of the whole Tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels."

What I got to wondering is, when we get up each day, wouldn't it be great if we thought of ourselves like priests at the Tabernacle? If we thought carefully about asking for God's Holy Spirit to be a light in and through us, that we took time to actively lift up worship to God like a fragrant incense, and thanked Him in a purposeful way for all He has done, like a grain offering, and asked for Him to anoint us for service in doing His will that day.

It might be a good idea - after all, we are priests of our God (Revelation 1:6).

Pastor Tom

Giving God The Leftovers

There is a really strange passage in Leviticus 21 having to do with the holiness of the priests and then in chapter 22 about the type of sacrifices that were acceptable to God.

Essentially, a person who has any physical defect was not allowed to enter the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices, though they could eat the holy things set aside for the priests and their families.

The same held true to sacrifices. If an animal was blind, blemished, or otherwise marred physically, it could not be offered.

Surely this was not solely to paint a picture of God's holiness, though I suppose this could picture that Jesus, our High Priest, was completely without sin when He entered the heavenly Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for our sins.

But if that was the sole reason for the picture the why not also rule out the mentally ill? What about someone with cancer or some other internal disease?

Without doing an entire exposition on the matter I just wanted to make one point. Especially with the sacrifices, the Israelites could have been tempted to pick out the "less than marketable" animals and said "here, this one I can't sell for much so let's give it to God."

God won't have that. He wants the best; He wants the first; He wants the thing that is most precious to us, not the leftovers. It's about our dedication to Him, our honor for Him, and our reliance on Him. If we give God those things of our life that we don't care much about, then it means we hold back those areas that mean a lot to us.

For instance: maybe you are an expert electrician. You make a lot of money doing that work. Then a poor widow down the street has an electrical problem. You have no trouble praying for the need, but when it comes time to fixing it you want to charge because, after all, you are a "professional."

Instead, give God the things that you do well or that you consider "good" about you and let Him govern and control you. It doesn't mean you won't ever get paid for what you do, but let God have it all and then provide what you need.

Pastor Tom

Do What's Right

Sounds pretty simple, huh? Perhaps too simple. But that's what I noticed reading Leviticus 19. Sure, there are some strange things in there about not rounding the hair on the your head or marring your beard, but by and large the message is clear - do the right thing (sorry, Dr. Laura).

If you read this blog before you know that I believe we are incapable to doing the right thing apart from the blood of Jesus washing away our sins then filling us with the Holy Spirit who transforms us into His image.

Given that, then, I think we should approach each situation in life with the principals God has outlined here, and ask the Holy Spirit to write them on our hearts.

Love God before anything else
Love your family and live your life so that it honors them
Treat the people around you fairly - pay them what you owe
When someone comes along that for some reason is at a disadvantage, don't use that for your gain - treat them fairly too.

God gives us a conscience - use it - and let His Word guide you when your conscience doesn't. Most of the time we really do know what the right, just, and fair thing is; our problem is doing it because it fights against our fleshly desire to get more for us.

Pastor Tom

Silly Laws or Symbols for a Savior?

Leviticus 11-15 contain some of the most interesting laws God gave. We have what animals are clean and unclean (fish with fins and scales are okay, cormorants are not). We also have the laws regarding how long a woman must remain unclean after childbirth (41 for a male child, 81 for a female). Following that are laws about leprosy and for cleansing houses ("if the disease breaks out again in the house, after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it ... he shall break down the house...")

So what gives with these laws?

Some argue that they have more to do with public and personal health and safety than anything else. They argue that shellfish might have bad stuff in them but fish with fins and scales don't, and that the population was especially susceptible to outbreaks of disease and so the house rules were in place, etc.

I'm not here to argue for or against that position. It may or may not be true. Know this, that all the Law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. But I want to simply point out that the reason for the laws doesn't really matter. What matters is that God told them to follow these rules and it was up to them to decide whether or not to obey.

The truth of the matter is that no matter how much we try, we cannot obey God's Law perfectly. We cannot be like God. That is the real purpose of the Law, to show us how weak we really are, and how sinful we really are.

Paul the Apostle told us that the Law was designed then as a tutor, showing us our need for a Savior to fulfill the Law for us.

Galatians 3:23-25 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

So don't sweat the details and the whys and wherefores. They are great for studying the symbolism of the Law and how Jesus fulfilled it, but what we should really focus on is letting Jesus Christ fulfill God's Law in our hearts as we become more like Him.

Pastor Tom

When Power Goes To Our Heads

I'm reading along in Leviticus all about the incredibly beautiful and symbolic clothing worn by Aaron and his sons, and about the ceremonies that accompanied their introduction into service as the priests of Israel. It's all very symbolic and stately, until I get to chapter 10.

It says that Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron's sons, right after this incredible ceremony commissioning them as priests "each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD."

Needless to say, they got a rather "heated" reaction from the Lord, who killed them with fire that came out from His presence. I don't want to focus on just what the thing was that they did wrong in this space. Suffice to say that the operative word here is "unauthorized." Somehow they thought that their office as priests made them more important than the One who ordained them as priests.

That can happen to us as well. As we "step out for God" and see Him do amazing things through us. sometimes we start getting the mistaken idea that it was because of us that these things happen. It is very subtle and happens over a period of time, but it is pride and focuses on self, not on God. You could call this unauthorized fire.

Now I'm not saying that fire will come out from the Lord and consume us, but I am saying that we should always watch the spirit with which we offer service to the Lord. And we must always keep in mind that He is the One calling the shots and doing the work, and getting the glory. We are simply along for the ride.

Pastor Tom

Guilty Even When We Don't Know It

Leviticus 4:27 " 'If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, he is guilty. 28 When he is made aware of the sin he committed, he must bring as his offering for the sin he committed a female goat without defect. 29 He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering."

I remember reading this verse before, but it struck me anew today. Even if someone does something against God's Law and doesn't know that its wrong, they are still guilty. It means we can't make up our own rules and morality. It means there is a standard of holiness that if violated means it is violated whether we know it or not.

I know this isn't very vogue. We like to think that as society changes so do the morals of that society and so must the god of that society. The problem is that is simply not true. God is God and He is so pure that whether we know it or not, if we are not like Him we cannot be with Him and will be judged by and separated from Him for all of eternity.

Pretty depressing, huh? Well, here's the good news. Jesus Christ paid for those sins of yours, even the ones you don't know about.

Romans 5:8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Notice that - not "when we got our act together" but while we were still sinners Jesus died for our sins - all our sins. So don't be worried that a sin you are unaware of will keep you from heaven. God Himself died to pay for those sins. The key is whether you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Pastor Tom

How Long Should I Wait?

In Exodus 32 it says: "When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, 'Up, make us gods who shall go before us.'"

Most of us know the story of what happened, they made a golden calf and worshipped it. But I want to focus on something else.

The people were waiting to hear from God. That was what Moses went up on the mountain to do - bring word back from God. The people grew impatient and when Moses "delayed" they turned to other gods.

It made me wonder about when I ask God for something. How long before I grow impatient and turn to other things besides God for my answer? Isn't it very much like what the Israelies did?

God doesn't give us what we want when we want it so we figure out a way to do it for ourselves. God doesn't give us wisdom when we want so we just use our brains only.

How long should you wait on God? Till He answers.

Pastor Tom