The Power to Choose, the Grace to be Chosen

The title given by artist Norman Rockwell to the baseball themed work in his "Four Sporting Boys" series is, aptly, "Choosin' Up."  For those of you who never watched as two competitors suspended a bat between them, alternating placement of their fists gripping the bat handle until there was no more handle to grip, this was how team captains determined who would choose first.  As a player who was among the last to be chosen, I remember watching with interest, to see whether my friend would get to choose first, or if the class bully won this right.

The ritual was closely akin to flipping a coin, but most of the time my friends didn't have a flippin' coin between them.  I also recall once being one of the kids holding the bat, hoping that my hand would end up on top (but I think it was against my sister, and it was likely for no other purpose than bragging rights.)

The team captains were the most outgoing kids on the playground.  There was usually no debate about which two would get to choose their team--they were the most athletic among us; the most able to get the job done.  Their job, once the order of succession was established, was to choose a team from among their classmates that would have the best chance to win.

What would happen, though, if the two most popular kids chose everybody?  Nobody left out, everybody plays.  What would happen then?  Well, the friends would gravitate to the captain they were friends with, and those new to the playground might choose based on which group looked friendliest.  If the two leaders stood up and said, "I want every one of you on my team--come be a part of me," then the choice would fall on the players.

I think that's what Jesus meant when He said in John 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--so that whatever you ask in my name, the Father will give  you."  He wanted everyone to be on his team. Note the prior statement Christ had just made, before he said he had chosen us: "You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14). And lest his words be mistaken (since slaves and servants also follow commands), he added, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.  I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Now, hyper-Calvinists will look at verse 16 as a proof-text for their doctrines of "unconditional election" (God chose His people without condition, but He did not choose others), "limited atonement" (Jesus died only for the elect--those He chose beforehand--and His blood will not cover anyone else), and "irresistible grace" (once God chooses you, you cannot deny Him).  But I think we might look differently at what Jesus was saying right there.

First, Jesus was speaking directly to his disciples in this passage.  And if you look at the back-story (so to speak) of how they became disciples, you can see what he means.  Most rabbis would set up a place, either in a synagogue, or on a hillside, and start preaching.  Crowds would form to hear the message, and individual people might decide that they wanted to be disciples of this fellow, to follow him exclusively, and to ask questions and go deeper into his message.  Jesus went about this a different way.  He sought out his disciples intentionally, before he started preaching to the crowds.  He found Peter, James and John, all fishermen, and asked them to follow him and he would make them "fishers of men."  To the others, he simply said, "Come, follow me."  These twelve men, then, had the choice--they could answer the call, or they could refuse.  Each of them chose to leave everything and follow Christ.

Second, Luke 6:13 shows that many people did follow him, and many called themselves disciples.  "When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles."  So not only did Jesus have a whole bunch of friends who wanted to be on his team, he picked twelve out of the group to be his ambassadors, his envoys, his personal messengers.  Jesus knew that his team would be so big, that it would require trained overseers or lieutenants to maintain its momentum.  These were the ones he was talking to when he said "You did not choose me, but I chose you."

I think that Jesus is God, and God is omnipresent--that is, he is able to be in all places at one time.  Therefore, I believe that Jesus is able to call each one of us individually.  He offers his salvation to all, one person at a time.  He pricks the conscience of every man and woman in the world, showing them their sin and offering himself as a means of redemption.  I believe he comes to every person, individually, intentionally, with the same challenge he gave to the apostles: Come, follow me.  What we answer is up to us.

You will recall that in the Old Testament, God called Abraham.  He, too, was called a "friend of God." Look at James 2:23: "And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend."  The descendants of Abraham, the Jews, were called "a chosen people."  Deuteronomy 7:6 says, "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.  The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession."

Yet even they had a choice whether to follow God or not.  Remember the most famous speech given by Joshua, the successor to Moses:

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.  But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. --Joshua 24:15

The audience he was addressing were Jews, sons of Israel, and a people chosen by God.  But they were free to either follow God, or not.  Those who chose not to follow God missed out on the blessings of God.  When God withheld himself from them, they were miserable.

I saw a cartoon on Facebook that summed up the human condition.  There was a grumpy guy behind the wheel of his car, cursing the city government. "They should fix these potholes," he groused.  In the second frame, the same grumpy guy was behind the wheel, this time cursing the cause of backed-up traffic.  "Stupid road construction," he fumed.  Some people are never happy.

The same can be said for people who reject God's message, and then when God removes His blessing on their lives, they blame God.  Our nation is following the same road.  Our government has rejected His message, but when God removes His protection from our Nation, we curse God, or at least wonder where He went.

Psalm 119:29-31 says, "Remove the false way from me, and graciously grant me your law.  I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed your ordinances before me.  I cling to your testimonies, O Lord.  Do not put me to shame!"  When Israel's enemies made an alliance against her, and the nation was afraid, the prophet Isaiah had these words to comfort them:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and will bear a son, and she will call his name Emmanuel.  He will eat curds and honey at the time he is old enough to refuse evil and choose good.  For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken. --Isaiah 7:14-16

There is only one baby ever born of a virgin, and his name is Jesus.  "Emmanuel" means "God with us."  When the angel appeared to Joseph, who was betrothed to Mary, the angel said that with the birth of Jesus, this prophecy would be fulfilled.  "Jesus" is the Roman version of the Hebrew name "Yeshua", which we have Americanized to "Joshua", and it means "to save or rescue." Jesus came to save us from sin and death; he is truly God who walked among us.

When you are faced with the choice of whom to follow, choose Jesus.  He chose you first.

God has chosen me, God has chosen me
to bring good news to the poor.

God has chosen me, God has chosen me
to bring new sight to those searching for light.

God has chosen me, chosen me:

And to tell the world that God's kingdom is near,
to remove oppression and break down fear,

yes, God's time is near, God's time is near,
God's time is near, God's time is near.

God has chosen me, God has chosen me
to set alight a new fire.

God has chosen me, God has chosen me
to bring to birth a new kingdom on earth.

God has chosen me, chosen me:

And to tell the world that God's kingdom is near,
to remove oppression and break down fear,

yes, God's time is near, God's time is near,
God's time is near, God's time is near.

God is calling me, God is calling me
in all whose cry is unheard.

God is calling me, God is calling me
to raise up the voice with no power or choice.

God is calling me, calling me:

And to tell the world that God's kingdom is near,
to remove oppression and break down fear,

yes, God's time is near, God's time is near,
God's time is near, God's time is near.

 

Faith in the Darkness

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant?  Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.  But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze.  This is what you shall receive from my hand:  You will lie down in torment.  --Isaiah 50:10-11

I like Bible passages like this that turn conventional wisdom on its head.  Usually, it is the darkness that is portrayed as evil, and the light is given a more positive connotation.  Yet God knows that His children may spend more time in physical darkness than in physical light.  We used to tell our kids, "Nothing good ever happens after midnight," just to try to urge them to get home before their curfew.  But the Christian who has the Light of the World living inside her is never truly in darkness.  She can close her eyes in prayer, and the Light of Life will illuminate her steps.

The concept of Jesus as the Light of the World is a spiritual concept.  "Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12). Anyone who has gotten up in the middle of the night to comfort a crying baby, and stepped on a Lego toy in the middle of the floor knows that we don't literally walk in the light all the time.  If you have ever been in a basement or windowless room during a power outage, you know that Christians don't glow in the dark.  Surely those persecuted Christians in North Korea and certain Muslim countries, who are thrown into dark prison cells for their faith, know that the Light of the World is in them, and that is their comfort.

Poet Patrick Overton wrote, "When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid for you to stand upon, or you will be taught how to fly."  So when you find yourself engulfed in a dark place, do not fear the darkness.  Instead, fear God, for "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10).  Then let the light that is within you guide your steps.

The world seeks a lamp, a road map, a list of instructions to follow.  Isaiah 50:11 says those who look to fires and torches, things they themselves have made to guide them out of the darkness will live in torment.  They will never see the light.  Just like when Jesus told his disciples that the Pharisee who prayed in public, loudly for all to see how spiritual he is, for the respect and praise of men--this is the only reward he will receive: the hollow praise of men, not the blessing of God. Even so are those who try to light their way using "natural" means--the wind will blow out their candles and they will curse the darkness. Hebrews 3:18-19 says, "And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?  So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief."

We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).  Whether you are outside in broad daylight, or in a cold, dank prison cell, you can have a light in you that shines brighter than the sun.  You must close your eyes to truly see.

To hear with my heart
To see with my soul
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold
To trust in a way that I cannot see
That's what faith must be

When the universe fell from His fingertips
He decided He wanted some fellowship
But the man and the woman would not submit
So He made a better way

When the moment was right He sent His own son
And He opened the way so that everyone
Could have hope and believe that when time was done
He'd be able to make us one

To hear with my heart
To see with my soul
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold
To trust in a way that I cannot see
That's what faith must be

Now I understand that there is a key
It's Jesus in me, a reality
That God is in Christ and that Christ's in me
That with faith I see what is unseen

To hear with my heart
To see with my soul
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold
To trust in a way that I cannot see
That's what faith must be
That's what faith must be

Guard Your Heart

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.  --Ephesians 4:32 (New King James Version)

Finally, all of you should be of one mind.  Sympathize with each other.  Love each other as brothers and sisters.  Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.  --1 Peter 3:8 (New Living Translation)

A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life; a hardhearted person lives a hard life.  --Proverbs 28:14 (The Message) 

God cherishes a tender heart.  Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14).  Most children are innocent; they are not yet consumed by anger, bitterness, or callousness.  Yet as we grow and mature, the world exerts more and more influence upon us.  Unless we guard our hearts, they will too easily become hardened.

What does God do with a hardened heart?  He can do only what we let Him do in us and through us.  Hardness of heart is a human condition, shared by all.  To the degree we allow God access to our hearts, He will do one of three things.

Give us over to our rebellion
When the Pharisees were testing Jesus, they asked him a question about divorce. They wanted to know what he thought, because they taught that Moses permitted it.  In their minds, if the Law allowed it, then it was righteous.  Jesus disagreed.  "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.  But it was not this way from the beginning." (Matthew 19:8)  He went on to say, "But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female.  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.  So they are no longer two but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Mark 10:6-9)  Man's sin hardens his heart, so that he cannot continue in love, in joy, and in peaceful cohabitation with even the wife of his youth, so God gives them over to their sinful desires.  His heart breaks when he sees divorce, but he can forgive.

Hebrews 3, starting in verse 7 to the end of the chapter, quotes Psalm 95, a story about the Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt.  But along the way, they rebelled.  God warns us not to be like them.  "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."(Hebrews 3:7-8)  We all know what happened in that Old Testament story.  The people rebelled, and God said that they would not see the Promised Land.  They wandered the desert for forty years, until that whole generation had died off.  Then it was their children, the next generation, that God led into his Promise.

God uses our disobedience to show His glory
When Moses went to Pharaoh to ask permission to lead the people of Israel into the desert to worship their God, Pharaoh hardened his heart, and would not let the people go.  God sent the first of ten plagues, and still Pharaoh would not change his mind.  His intent was clear, even after the second, third and fourth plague.  Then the scripture starts to say that God hardened Pharaoh's heart.  We should make clear that Pharaoh himself had made the decision.  God just intensified it.  Before the seventh plague, God had this message for Pharaoh: "But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (Exodus 9:16)  The Apostle Paul echoes this verse in his letter to the Romans, then he says, "Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden." (Romans 9:18).

This, I think, is where our free will meets his sovereign wisdom and power.  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed into the likeness of his son...And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30).  Going back to the Exodus account, God was not about to let the foolish pride of Pharaoh keep him from working out his perfect plan for his people.  Pharaoh had made his choice, but God was able to work his will and his way in that situation.  Just as God foreknew that Pharaoh would harden his heart, he also foreknew that Moses and the people of Israel would be destined for great things; thus destined, they were called to go out from Pharaoh's presence; thus called, they were sent forth to engage with God in a way that had never before happened, and to encounter miracles along the way, to the glory of God.

God helps us overcome, if we allow him
As I said before, hardness of heart is a human condition.  But we are called to be like Jesus, who was fully human but also fully God, fully controlled by the Spirit.  Look at Hebrews chapter 3 again.  Remember the warning against rebellion, like the people of Israel had done, resulting in their losing out on seeing God's promise fulfilled.  "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." (Hebrews 3:12-13)

The world can really turn up the heat.  You may get burned.  Don't let your heart get stale.  This past week I had to ask forgiveness from God and from my daughter.  I was on a mission, and on a deadline, and traffic and circumstances were not cooperating.  I was stuck at a light on my way to the bank, and I wanted to get there before the bank closed, but our line had already sat through two cycles of red lights and I was not getting any closer to my destination.  Then my sweet, innocent daughter called to ask a favor.  I got caught up in my circumstances, and barked at her that I didn't have time to think up a solution to her problem right now, she would just have to wait her turn.  I let the stresses of life harden my heart, and missed out on showing grace and compassion to one I love dearly.  If only I had shielded my heart from the stressful situation by keeping my mind set on God.  "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on you, because he trusts in you." (Isaiah 26:3).  My trust was in my own strength to accomplish my own purpose.  God showed me that I had no control over traffic, or time, or anything having to do with that situation.  If I had trusted the Lord to get me where I needed to be, to meet my needs at that moment, perhaps I would have had a song in my heart rather than a growl in my voice.  My telephone call with my daughter would have been so much more loving and fruitful.

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)

"10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)"

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore

[Chorus x2]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
Lord, I'll worship Your holy name

Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
I'll worship Your holy name

Seeing with Spiritual Eyes

I have heard about three different things this week, and all of them have made the Bible more alive to me.  I may be the only one who thinks this way, but when I see or hear something that underscores a Bible truth, either intentionally or unintentionally, my heart leaps.  These three things have nothing at all in common, except that I heard about them all this week, and each of them made me think of scripture.  See if you agree.

The dream house that had to be burned down

When I was growing up, my father's dream was to own a travel trailer.  With it, we could stuff our family of four and some belongings into 160 square feet of living space on wheels, and drag it to the lake.  Little wonder, then, that my dream of the good life was to have a lake house.  It didn't have to be big--a lake cabin would have up to 10 times as much space, and would be a permanent structure.  It could be a quiet getaway.  A little piece of home away from home.  A staging area for all the fun things we could do at the lake, like swimming, boating, skiing, and fishing.

Imagine my horror, then, when I heard of a home on Lake Whitney, about an hour's drive south of Ft. Worth, that had been built on a fault line, and was condemned.  Built in 2007, the 4000 square foot mansion perched on a 75 foot cliff overlooking the lake.  Its construction was based on a geologic survey that said it was solid rock underneath.  This was not built on a beach, on shifting sand.  No, it was built on shale and limestone common in the area.  There are other homes built in the area that are much older.

Reportedly worth between $700,000 and $800,000, this mansion was everything that the new homeowners were looking for when they purchased the property in 2012.  They decided to make it their retirement home, so they spent the bulk of their retirement on buying and furnishing it.  What they didn't count on was that part of the cliff breaking off and falling into the lake.

The erosion didn't happen all at once.  A small crack snaked its way across the neighbor's yard and under the foundation of this dream home.  The foundation cracked.  Engineers were called, then the authorities ordered the family to get their possessions and move out.  The property was condemned.  Eventually, the crack will grow larger, and that part of the cliff will slough off onto the lake shore.

To add insult to injury, homeowner's insurance does not cover shifting ground.  It also does not cover cleanup costs associated with a house falling off a cliff and into a lake.  The authorities notified the homeowners that they would be responsible for cleanup.  Incredibly, the most responsible thing to do would be to burn the house down.  There would be less debris, less impact to the environment, and it would be more cost effective than taking it apart and hauling it off--especially since a demolition crew would not be safe on the property that could plunge down 75 feet into Lake Whitney at any time.  

So today, with news cameras and neighbors watching, firefighters placed gasoline-soaked hay bales into strategic places inside the home.  They used back-hoes and heavy equipment to punch holes in the walls for air flow.  Then they set it on fire.  They had to.  There was no other choice.

How do I make a connection with the Bible, you ask?  Well, the obvious parallel would be the parable about building your house on sand (or, a geologist could tell you, sedimentary rock). Luke 6:47-48 says, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?  I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.  He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on a rock.  When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built."  In this instance, the opposite is true: the house was built on sedimentary rock that seemed stable, but when subjected to years of drought conditions, it became brittle and small fissures turned into a larger fault line, causing the house to break apart.  The spiritual application is the same: we might find a preacher who "tickles our ears", who tells us what we like to hear, and makes us feel good.  But if our lives are not founded on the bedrock of Christ, who is the cornerstone, then one day we will find the way rocky instead of rock-solid.  All of our works will be tested by fire on the last day, and the dross will be consumed, and only the gold, silver, and precious stones will be left.  "But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.  The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:49).

We all go through storms, and droughts--rich and poor alike.  It has always been this way.  Thomas Paine wrote in 1776 that "These are the times that try men's souls."  Almost 240 years later, those words still ring true.

My father decided to sell our travel trailer when my sister and I were both approaching our teenage years.  We probably needed the money, and our family had less time as we were growing up to take those vacations to the lake.  I haven't yet gotten the chance to buy the little lake cabin of my dreams.  We are blessed, however, to not have seen our dreams go up in smoke.

Be blessed.  Be content with what you have.  But whatever you set your mind to do, remember the transience of earthly things.  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Leviathan--the great monster of the deep

When I was younger, I heard Bible stories about Jonah and the Whale.  Bible skeptics came out and said that it was impossible for a whale to swallow a man whole.  Marine biologists insisted that the esophagus of a whale was only about the size of a grapefruit, and that it fed on plankton and shrimp and other small sea creatures.  Preachers at the time were careful to point out that the Scriptures actually say that "a large fish" swallowed Jonah.  The Bible did not actually say that it was a whale--it could have been any of a number of sea monsters large enough to swallow a man, and then to have an air pocket inside sufficient to allow Jonah to breathe while he repented.  Conservative Bible scholars also pointed out that the Bible said that "God prepared a large fish" to swallow Jonah, so that He could have altered the whale or shark or guppy so that it could accomplish the task.  More liberal Bible scholars started saying that the whole Jonah story was a fable, an Old Testament fiction foreshadowing the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

So this week news surfaced of a nine-foot shark off the coast of Australia that had been tagged with a tracker.  The device gathered and stored data such as temperature, depth, and direction.  This tracking device washed up on shore, sans the shark.  When analyzed, it showed some amazing things.  It showed that four months after being tagged with the device, this healthy female shark suddenly plunged at a high speed to a depth of 1900 feet below the surface.  The temperature spiked from 46 degrees Fahrenheit to 78 degrees.  Evidence suggests that this shark got attacked and dragged down, and then was eaten by whatever attacked it--the temperature suggests it was not a bigger shark that cannibalized the female; it was more likely a killer whale.  According to The National Geographic website, a killer whale has a core body temperature high enough that it would register that warm inside its body.  

Hmm.  So a whale actually could have eaten a nine foot shark?  And if not a whale, then some other super-predator that we know nothing of?  Then it is actually possible for a five foot nine inch man (of average height) to be swallowed whole.  And since whales are air-breathing mammals, the man could have access to air during his ordeal.  And since the core body temperature of a whale is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the man would not have suffered hypothermia.

I'm not saying this proves anything.  I'm just saying it is possible.  "With God, all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26).  It just helps that a little faith does not counter natural laws, at least not in this instance.

The wailing wall and temple mound may be misplaced

Many Christians interested in eschatology (the study of end times) have interpreted the Bible to say that before Christ returns, one of the things that must take place is the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple.  Right now, the Jews believe that the archaeological site of Solomon's Temple, and Herod's Temple later on, is on what is called the "Temple Mount" which is bordered by "The Wailing Wall".  Many devout Jews pray at this wall, believing it to be the only remaining structure left after the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD.  They believe that the Temple cannot be rebuilt, because since 691 AD, there has been a Muslim shrine there called The Dome of the Rock.

Historically, the Crusades were centered around European Christians who marched on Jerusalem to take it from Muslim control, ostensibly to tear down the Dome of the Rock so that the Jewish Temple could be rebuilt.  And history records this was a colossal failure.

This week I was listening to Christian Radio (I think it was Family Talk, the radio program Dr. James Dobson has now that he has left Focus On The Family) and they were interviewing an author (I think it is Rabbi Jonathan Cahn talking about his book, "The Harbinger").  Anyway, this author, who has done some travel shows about the Holy Land on cable (you may have seen him on your favorite cable channel) says he has done some research into archaeological records and done some forensic history on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  His conclusion echoes the research done by Ernest L. Martin in the 1994 book "The Temples That Jerusalem Forgot".

Their thesis is that what is now known as the Temple Mount was not the Jewish Temple at all.  It was a Roman fort.  The present Wailing Wall was a part of that Roman fort.  Parts of the Wailing Wall have fallen down, and under the stones there have been found Roman coins dating from 20 AD.  If the coins below the wall were minted in 20 AD, then the wall could not have been constructed when Herod was alive.  Instead, they believe that the site of the actual Jewish Temple was about 1000 feet to the south, near the Gihon Spring.  The water from the spring would have been used to wash up the blood of the animal sacrifices made there.

There are other pieces of evidence that were cited, but the one that stuck with me was the prophecy that Jesus made that "not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." (Matthew 24:2)  Today, Jews will say that Jesus was wrong, that the Wailing Wall was left as a remnant of the Temple.  They use it to "prove" that Jesus, while He may have been a good man and even a Prophet, was not right all of the time, therefore He was not God.  But if the wailing wall was NOT a part of the original Temple, then the Jews are wrong and Jesus was right.

We know that when Herod rebuilt the Temple in about 20 BC, he laid hammered gold on the dome which capped the building.  When the Romans burned it in 70 AD, the gold melted and flowed down the walls, into cracks between the building stones and the mortar.  So to get to all of the gold, the Romans took it apart, brick by brick, so that the prophecy of Jesus could be fulfilled.

The point of the book was that the Jews could rebuild the Temple tomorrow if they wanted to--if they accepted the premise that the Temple Mount, where the Muslim shrine stands, is not the location of either Solomon's Temple or Herod's Temple.  Perhaps the Antichrist will persuade them, because the Bible says that he will stand in the Temple and proclaim himself to be God.

This, of course, is speculation, but it is exciting to think about.  When you start looking at current events through the filter of the Word of God, you see the signs of the times coming to pass.  Lord, hasten the day of Your return!  I'm ready.

How to be proper, pleasing and perfect

 "Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is--what is proper, pleasing, and perfect." --Romans 12:2

Last week we talked about what the Bible says about finding and doing God's will.  Today I want to follow the three criteria listed in Romans 12:2 for knowing whether something is in fact God's will.  I want to find Scriptures about what is Proper (or Good), Pleasing, and Perfect.

Proper
People who come from a High Church tradition will immediately think of 1 Corinthians 14:40, where Paul was instructing the church to limit activities that might cause unbelievers to stay away from church services, or even make fun of them.  He specifically mentioned prophecy and tongues, saying in verse 39 that they are both good things for a Christian to do, but don't go crazy with it. "But everything (in a worship service) must be done in a proper and orderly way."

Okay.  But I want to go a different direction with this.  I want to look at the word in the context of receiving God's blessing.  Look at Psalm 104, and we see God's divine plan for all of creation:

The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.  You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.  The lions roar for their prey and see their food from God.  The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.  Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.  How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.  There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number--living things both large and small.  There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. --Psalm 104:19-28

Several scriptures come to mind--for everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:2).  God's timing is impeccable!  But his ways are not our ways.  We may want it now, but "they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31).  And if it seems like God will never answer your prayers, look at a similar passage in Psalm 145:

The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.  The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time, You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. --Psalm 145:14-16

God takes care of his own.  Psalm 37:25 says, "I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his children begging bread."  Most often, God uses his people to meet the needs of other people.  Jesus said, "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?  It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns." (Matthew 24:45-46).  Paul said, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:9-10).

So we see it is proper for us to trust God for our provision, and to provide for others when we have opportunity.  "Give, and it shall be given to you--a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)

Pleasing
If I want to find God's will for my life, I don't simply want to avoid things that displease him; I want to find out what is pleasing to him. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14).  Remember last week, one of the verses we read was 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18: "Pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  Well, we find this command throughout the Bible.  Psalm 104:34 says, "May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord."

When Paul was writing to the church in Rome, some of the young Christians there had participated in sacrifices made to pagan gods.  When the sacrifice was done, the meat from the animals that had been presented on the altar was sold in the open market there.  People knew that it was the best meat, because they chose the best animals to sacrifice to their gods.  Anyway, it became a controversy in the church whether Christians should buy meat in the market without asking whether it had been used in pagan worship.  Many mature Christians knew that the idols were not real, so it didn't matter to them--they could eat it in good conscience, whether it had been used in idol worship or not.  But others made it a point to ask where the meat came from, so they would not be guilty of being associated with pagan practices.  Those who abstained started judging those who ate, and those who ate were calling them names.  None of this was pleasing to God.  So Paul instructed them in Romans 14:17, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men."

Paul was a missionary.  Sure, he was a tent-maker by trade, but the more he traveled to share Christ with the Gentiles, the less time he had to support himself.  Some of the churches that he had helped to start would take up offerings to send to him.  The church at Philippi took up such an offering, and sent it with a man named Epaphroditus, a member of the church, to give to Paul.  Philippians 4:18-19 says, "I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.  They are a fragrant offering, and acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.  And my God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  In the same way, it pleases God for us to give to those in his service, to pastors and teachers and missionaries.

To summarize, good words, good works, good gifts are all pleasing to God.  Being full of the Holy Spirit and being righteous, peaceful and joyful is pleasing to God.  An evidence that God is pleased with us is when all of our own needs are met, after we have met the needs of others.  And isn't that how Jesus taught us to pray when he said, "Pray like this....give us this day our daily bread..."?

Perfect
Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48).  But how can that be?  We're humans, after all, with a sin nature.  How in the world can we be made perfect?  The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9, where Jesus spoke to Paul and said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness."

Remember that God's work is most often done through imperfect people.  It is all part of God's perfect plan.  "O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." (Isaiah 25:1).  In context, this verse is part of an exclamation Isaiah made when he saw that the enemies of God had been defeated in battle by the Israeli army.  If anything is imperfect, it is an army!  But God is faithful to his purpose, and can use you in whatever circumstance you are in to bring about his perfect will.  We don't have to worry about it.  "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on You, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3)

When we recognize our imperfections, we should study the scriptures together regularly.  There should be a leader or pastor whom we follow, one who is mature in Christ and can say with Paul, "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." (Colossians 1:28-29).

To summarize, then, we should try to be perfect, and to be faithful even when we are not perfect.  We should study the scriptures together to encourage one another to be like Christ, who is the perfect one of God.  Evidence of his perfection in us is faithfulness and peace.

 

Somewhere between passing and perfection

                                                                        

I graduated college 30 years ago this month.  I must confess that as a freshman, I was more concerned with my GPA than I was at the end of my senior year.  I started out trying hard to reach perfection--I didn't reach it, but I was this close, and I felt good about it.  I ended up just doing enough to get out--my rationale was "even the person who graduates last in medical school is still called doctor."

It is clear that I did not take to heart the truth in 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Now I am older, and have two kids who have graduated college.  What advice to I give them?  The same advice found in Romans 12:2. "Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is--what is proper, pleasing, and perfect."

Technology is advancing.  It is important to keep up your knowledge and skills, so that your career does not pass you by.  I have learned something about my profession this week that I have not known or done well since I began 24 years ago.  But it was a case of learn the new process, or start looking for another line of work.  It is amazing what your mind can do, given the proper motivation.

It is the same way spiritually.  We must follow hard after God, lest He leaves us behind.  I'm not talking about losing your salvation here--I believe that once I have given my life to Christ, I am kept by the Spirit, as a child of God, who will never leave me nor forsake me.  No, what I mean is that His perfect will is going to be accomplished, and we can either be in the vanguard, the forefront, or we will be in the rear guard.  In other words, we can step out in faith and be God's hero for our times, or we can be dragged behind, kicking and screaming.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family....By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even thought he did not know where he was going....By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren-- was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise....By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.  He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. --Hebrews 11:7a, 8, 11, 24-27

You may be saying, Wait.  These Old Testament heroes, they heard God's voice.  God audibly spoke to them, so they knew exactly what He wanted them to do.  I don't know about you, but God has never spoken audibly to me.  So how do I know what His perfect will is for me? How can I know what is proper and pleasing in His eyes?

I'm glad you asked.  If you want to know God completely, study what He said in His word.  "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to your word.  I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:9,11)

If you want to be called a friend of God, one with whom He speaks, be aware of some simple principles:

• Be thankful.  "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
• Be humble.  "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God." (Micah 6:8)
• Be submissive.  "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.  For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men." (1 Peter 2:13-15)
• Be hopeful.  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm  you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
• Be sold out to God.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

In today's parlance, you hang out with your friends.  The friends of God hang out with him, and by doing so they become more like Him.  But when we don't spend time with Him, don't talk to him every day, don't read his word so He can talk to us--that's when all our works will be burned up as with fire.  "If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:15).

That, my friends, is the difference between passing and perfection.  As for me, I still don't have a perfect score in God's grade-book.  But I am running the race as one who will grasp the prize (cf 1 Corinthians 9:24).

Give me one pure and holy passion.
Give me one magnificent obsession.
Jesus, give me one glorious ambition for my life:
To know and follow hard after You.
To know and follow hard after You,
To grow as Your disciple in the Truth,
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing You my Lord.
Lead me on, and I will run after You.

 

 

Heads up!

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. --Isaiah 43:18,19

Are you a prisoner of your past?  Do the former things paralyze you with fear?  May it never be!  The past can be constructive, in that we can build on it.  The past can be instructive, as we can learn from it.  But the past should never be destructive of our present or of our future.

Yes, some of the decisions we make have long-lasting consequences.  We may hate ourselves for making them.  Yet through God in Christ we can replace our self-hate with his love.  "Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called the sons of God." (1 John 3:1).  His love can take a wrecked relationship and make it new.  "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.  They are new every morning.  Great is Thy faithfulness!" (Lamentations 3:22,23).

Two Sundays ago, our pastor made an interesting distinction.  Many times in the Bible we read the promise, "I will remember your sins no more."  We tend to mis-read that, because our minds are trained in opposites.  The opposite of "remember" is "forget".  So we think that God forgets our sin.  That is not true.  It is not God's nature to forget, for he is all-knowing.  The promise that he will remember our sins no more indicates a conscious decision on God's part--he chooses not to recall our sins.  How wonderful our human relationships would be if we would follow God's example in this fashion.  Many of us say, "I'll forgive, but I can't forget."  That means we choose to recall the trespass.  It sits in the back of our minds and marinates.  If we let it stew long enough, but keep it bottled up, any little thing might make us explode.  "Honey, would you please pick up the dry cleaning on your way home.  Try to remember; write it down.  I don't want you to forget, like YOU FORGOT THAT YOU LOVED ME AT THE BEACH THAT SUMMER WHEN YOU WERE EYEING THAT BLOND IN THE RED BIKINI!!!" 

Do not dwell in the past.  The Hebrews in the Old Testament were traditionalists.  They always remembered being rescued from slavery in Egypt.  But when they were carried off into exile by their neighbors from the north, God told them to keep hope fresh and alive, not because of what God had done in the past, but because of what he was doing in the present.  Jeremiah 16:14-15 says, "However, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when men will no longer say, 'As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,' but they will say, 'As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of the north and out of the countries where he had banished them.' For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers."  He wants us to look up to Him for His provision, not over our shoulders for lessons from the past.

Jesus came to foment a sea-change in our relationship with God.  The Jews would not believe it, for they were stuck in their old ways.  "But if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away, behold the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Embrace the new.  Do not be tied to tradition.

The graphic at the beginning of this piece references Revelation 21:5, "He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'  Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.' "  Acts 2:17 promises that "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."  Traditionalists will point back to Advent, the first time that the Holy Spirit came upon multiple people at one time.  This is described later in Acts chapter two, and was evidenced by them speaking in languages that all present could understand.  Some, however, see this prophesy coming true in our own time.  It is true that we are closer now to the coming of our Lord to establish His kingdom on Earth, closer than we have ever been before.  Who is to say that the Spirit is not moving in a fresh way among us?  

In the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25, Jesus told of two different groups--The five who were unprepared had their lamps, but their oil had run out and their wicks were burned down.  They were living in the past, hoping that the lamps would not need trimming.  The five who were prepared had oil set aside, for they were looking to the future.  All slept, but maybe those who had no oil were dreaming of things past; perhaps those who were prepared were dreaming of the future.  When the bridegroom arrived, the forward-looking girls were included in the wedding feast.

Do not miss the marriage-supper of the Lamb by being imprisoned by the past, or by being tied to traditions.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.  Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.  Who is he, this King of Glory? The Lord Almighty--he is the King of glory. --Psalm 24:7-10