Three Short Devotionals

This week I have thought about what to write, and I couldn't decide.  Couldn't narrow it down.  Couldn't discern one particular thought.  So tonight, I will lay down three separate devotional thoughts, and see if they have anything in common.  Maybe one will reach you where you are right now. Maybe you are searching for something to share at an upcoming talk, and you, like me, can't decide what to speak about.  Feel free to use one of these ideas, or maybe one of them will spur you on to your own study and the Holy Spirit may lead you to a thought or idea that He has for you to share.  Maybe one of these thoughts will be a stepping-off point for you, maybe not.

Here is what has been on my heart.

When King Ahab Obeyed The Lord

You probably remember Ahab as a wicked king.  He was a nemesis to Elijah the prophet.  He had married Jezebel, who turned his heart away from God.  However, there was a time in his life when God used him to defeat an enemy of Israel.

That enemy's name was Ben-Hadad.  We read about him in 1 Kings.  He was king of Syria after the nation of Israel was divided.  In chapter 15 we see a treaty between Ben-Hadad and Asa, the king of Judah.  Asa had been at war against Baasha, then king of Israel.  Asa was afraid that Jerusalem would fall to Israel and the kings of Aram (Damascus) and others.  So he took all the treasures of the Temple at Jerusalem, and sent them to Ben-Hadad with a plea for help.  Syria had apparently been helping Israel in their war against Judah, and Asa was asking Ben-Hadad to switch sides, and to fight against Israel instead of against Judah.  Beh-Hadad agreed, and targeted the king of Israel, and killed him.

Fast forward to the reign of Ahab.  In 1 Kings 20 we see that Ben-Hadad sent a message to Ahab, basically saying, "You know you wouldn't be king if not for me."  Ahab responded that he did, in fact, know this.  Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab, king of Israel:  "You and your entire family are mine.  Your wives and your children are mine.  And very soon, my army will come and occupy Samaria, and my servants will go house to house and carry away anything and everything that is desirable."

Ahab was frightened by this threat.  He went to his advisers and the elders of Samaria, who all told him he would need to stand up for himself.  Ahab sent a message to Syria saying no, you can't walk all over us.  We will fight you rather than have you come and occupy our land and carry away our wives and our children, our gold and our silver, our households and our servants.  This is where it ends.

The name Ben-Hadad means "Son of the mighty one".  Hadad was a mighty warrior in the book of Genesis; Ben-Hadad may have been his descendant, or he could have been named for an idol, a false god named for the original warrior Hadad.  In any case, Ben-Hadad was full of himself.  He sent a message to Ahab that said, "May the gods to so to me and more also" if the armies of Syria do not descend upon Samaria, and wipe them out as easily as picking up handfuls of dust; the whole city will be carried away, even the ground on which it stands.

I love Ahab's response.  He said, "Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off." (1 Kings 20:11).  In other words, show me more than words; show me what you got.  Before the fight, it's all words.  After the fight, we'll really know who won.  If you beat me, then you can boast after the fact.  But until then, shut your mouth.

After Ahab had sent this message, a prophet came to him and said, "God will give you victory."  You will go up and defeat this toad, and God will give him into your hand.  Ahab went up into the mountainous regions where the Syrian and Aramean armies were stationed, and they routed them.  The Arameans ran, but re-assembled in the flat-lands.  They said to themselves, "Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger there than we; but let us fight them in the plains, and surely we will prevail." (1 Kings 20:23)

Don't ever underestimate the power of God.  The Syrians and Arameans formed the battle lines.  "And the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country." (1 Kings 20:27b).  The army of Israel killed 100,000 of their enemy that day.  Ben-Hadad fled to a fortified city, and sued for peace.  He sent a message to Ahab: Please let me live.

Can you imagine?  This man who had been so full of himself, whose name means "son of the Mighty", who had been so cocky and arrogant in his original messages, now is pleading for his life.  Ahab sent for him, and Ben-Hadad stood defeated before him.  He promised to return the cities of Samaria that had been taken in war-time.  He even promised Ahab that he could have streets in Damascus--he could come in and occupy the city, just as Ben-Hadad had done in Samaria.

What's sad is that Ahab agreed.  He called Ben-Hadad his brother.  He made a covenant with him, and let him go.  A prophet came and admonished Ahab, saying that God had delivered your enemy into  your hand, and you let him go.  "Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people." (1 Kings 20: 42).

God had put it on Ahab's heart to stand up and fight.  He had gone from a humble leader of an occupied land to a victorious field general under the direction of God.  But when it was time to finish the fight, Ahab proved he was no better than his enemy.  He gave up too soon.

Friend, trust God.  Philippians 1:6 tells us that even if we feel defeated, we can stand, "Being confident of this very thing: that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

When God Worked Out His Will For The Shunamite Woman

After Ahab died, and after Elijah was taken into heaven, the prophet Elisha was ministering in Israel.  He had a servant named Gehazi, and they knew a woman in the area of Shunam.  This woman was apparently from a family of means, since she held some prominence in the area.  Whenever Elisha would travel through the area, she would invite him into her home to eat.  She finally told her husband to build a room up on the roof of their house, so that when Elisha came over to eat he could stay in his own room.

Elisha wanted to do something nice for her, but she said she had everything she needed.  He asked Gehazi what should be done for her, and Gehazi said she was barren; she had no children.  Elisha promised her a son, a miracle baby, since the woman's husband was quite old.  Sure enough the woman bore a son, and was very happy.  However, when he was about 4 years old the child died.  The woman sent for Elisha, asked why he had allowed her to bring a child into the world if God was going to take the child from her like this.  Elisha went and prayed over the child, and he lived.

The story of Gehazi goes south a bit.  You will recall that the captain of the Syrian army, a man named Naaman, had leprosy.  He came to Elisha and asked to be healed.  Elisha told Gehazi to tell him to wash in the Jordan River 7 times.  Naaman did it, and was healed.  Out of an abundance of gratitude, Naaman offered lavish gifts to Elisha--silver and gold and new clothes.  Elisha refused the gifts, and sent him away.  But Gehazi got greedy, and ran after Naaman and said that Elisha had changed his mind, and he would take 2 talents of silver and 2 changes of clothes, please.  Naaman gave them willingly, and went on his way.  Elisha, however, knew the heart of Gehazi, and said that God would punish him for his greed and his deception.  The leprosy that had been on Naaman, now was on Gehazi.  He was sick with leprosy the rest of his life.

Now that we know the back-story, let's look together at 2 Kings chapter 8.  Elisha told the Shunamite woman to leave her home, as a severe famine was coming.  She left, and lived among the Philistines for seven years.  Seven years later, when the famine had lifted, the woman came back home.  Someone else had taken her husband's property.  "And she went out to appeal to the king for her house and for her field." (2 Kings 8:3).

Can you imagine what was going through her mind?  Shunem was a small village in the Jezreel Valley, in the territory of the tribe of Issachar.  The law of Moses did not give much protection to widows.  Perhaps she was thinking about pleading for possession of the land on behalf of her son.  Maybe she was counting the years until Jubilee, when the land could legally be restored to its family of origin.  Whatever her strategy, she was probably steeling herself for a long, drawn-out battle.

2 Kings 8:4 says, "Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying 'Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done'."  Now, there is no space between verse 3 and verse 4, but it makes you wonder what was going on in this situation.  Gehazi had leprosy, and no self-respecting Israelite (much less a king) would willingly go up to a leper and start a conversation.  And why now?  What prompted the king of Israel to inquire about the history and the signs and wonders of Elisha?  And just as the Shunemite woman was coming to plead her case?

Gehazi was in the middle of telling the king all about the miracles of Elisha.  Just as he got to the part where the boy had been raised from the dead, here comes the boy's mother.  "My lord, O king," Gehazi exclaimed.  "This is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life." (2 Kings 8:5).  The king verified it with the woman, then appointed an officer of the court to see that justice was done, and more.  "Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land until now." (2 Kings 8:6, emphasis added).

Friend, God knows what you need.  He is able to do abundantly more than we can ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20).  When you are in a situation that looks impossible, God can work it out.  "For we know that God caused all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

To Be Resurrected, We Must Die

I recently had dental surgery.  A tooth had to be pulled, and the tooth must be replaced.  I cannot spontaneously regenerate a tooth, so one must be implanted.  I could not do the implant on the same day that the tooth was pulled, so a bone graft had to be inserted into the void left in the jaw.  When it is healed, fused together with my jaw, then a post can be inserted so that a permanent replacement tooth can be attached.

When the dentist took the bone chip out of what looked like a medicine bottle, I asked her what it was and where it came from.  I wanted to know if it was bone from a cadaver, or if it was man-made.  She checked the invoice, and confirmed that it was cadaver bone.  That means it once belonged to a living, breathing person.  That person is now dead, but a part of them lives on in me.

Modern medicine has given us many examples of reusing tissue from deceased donors to prolong the life (or the enjoyment of living) of those in need.  Organ transplants are pretty routine nowadays.  Every once in awhile you hear of a parent who has lost a child, but because the child was an organ donor, the mother can hear the heartbeat of her child in another person's chest.

Even before organ transplants were pioneered in the 20th century, grafting has been done in agriculture for centuries.  Farmers and fruit growers know that you can cut off a branch from one type of tree and graft it onto another, and it will continue to bear fruit according to its kind.  A cherry tree branch will continue to bear cherries, even after it is grafted to a peach tree.

After my dental surgery, where another person's piece of bone was implanted into my jaw in hopes that it will graft together to form a solid base on which to do further surgery, I came away with this thought: out of death, life.  Jesus said in John 12:24, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls ito the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."  He was speaking of His resurrection, which would not have been possible without His death.  If Jesus had come to Earth, waved His hand over us and blessed us, and then was immediately transported back to Heaven, His mission would not have been complete.  It was only in His death that He could say, "It is finished."

Some say that the Resurrection was not necessary, that the death of Jesus was all that was needed to atone for our sin.  Some even question whether the Resurrection even happened.  The Apostle Paul argued that the resurrection of the dead is only possible because of the Resurrection of Jesus.  "For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:15-16).  He goes on to say that we must put ourselves to death in order to be raised with Him, and not only once, but every day.  "I affirm, brethren, by the boasting n you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily." (1 Corinthians 15:31).  What does he mean there?  Paul explains it in his letter to the Church in Galatia:  "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

We must die to ourselves daily, in order to be used by God living in Christ Jesus, His Son.  In case we slide back into sin, we must crucify the flesh each day.  Just like the person who donated the bone chip for my dental surgery, or the one who donated the heart, liver, kidney or lungs transplanted in other living body, a death had to occur to be useful in the resurrection of another.  In the same way, we must die to ourselves in order to one day be resurrected into the presence of God, the One who made us.  The only way that can happen is through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the One who died for  us.

God is my Pastor

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  --Psalm 23:1

Hi, God.  How are you?  I, um, just wanted to come talk to you a little bit about, well, about everything.  You see, things aren't going so well for me.  I guess You know that.  My job is so stressful.  And when I come home, my family--well, let's just say it's been better.  Our finances are in free-fall, and whenever we try to discuss it we always end up fighting.  It's affecting everything, even the bedroom.  I don't know, I've just always wanted more than this.

I don't know, it's like we are hurtling down these class V rapids in a leaky boat with no way to steer or stop.  If we do struggle to shore for a brief rest, it's like we're in a desert--no shade, no respite from the blazing sun, until we're sucked back into the water, over our heads and heading for class VI rapids just around the corner.

Who stole my joy?  My soul is so empty, God.  It seems like every temptation known to Man is hitting me from every side.  Under this constant barrage of fire, it's no wonder I fall.  There, I said it.  I have failed, over and over again.  Why, in God's Name, do you still love me?

I'm afraid.  Every night I lie awake in bed, afraid to die, but dreading life.  Each morning I think, "What fresh Hell is this?"  I feel so insecure, like Evil has no boundary, nothing to keep it from swallowing me up.

I just want to hide myself from everyone and everything.  They all expect me to smile and act like nothing is wrong.  I try, I really do.  More often than not, however, I don't have it in me.  I got nothing.

There is nothing good in me, no love in my life.  I don't want to be here any more.

Have you ever felt like that?

A couple of days ago I was reading the Bible, and I came to Psalm 23.  For some reason, I tried to understand it better by thinking of how it might be different if God was not my shepherd.  I read it opposite of what it says, as if I were going through life on my own, in my own way.  Apart from God, each of the six verses would read something like the six short paragraphs above.

The thought occurred to me that another word for "shepherd" is the word "Pastor".  The Spanish translation actually says it--El Señor es mi Pastor, literally "the Boss, or Lord, is my Pastor, my Guide, my source of encouragement and moral teaching.  I was mulling this over in my mind for a couple of days, wondering how I could write about the alternative meanings of the 23rd Psalm.

Then the Lord really blew my mind.

There was a guest speaker at our church this weekend.  He said something simple yet profound.  He said that you sometimes have to give up what you want, so that God can give you what you need.  Sometimes you have to set aside what you think you know, so that God can reveal His truth.  He referenced Genesis 22:1-18, where God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

We all know the story.  Abraham goes up the mountain with Isaac, takes wood for a fire, and builds an altar.  He must have been thinking that God was asking the impossible.  Wasn't this the son of promise?  Wasn't this the child that he and his wife had dreamed about for 70 years?  Wasn't this the boy that the angel was sent to prophesy about, and about whom God Himself had said he would have descendants that would outnumber the stars in the sky?  When Abraham obeyed, it must have taken an extraordinary amount of faith.  What relief there must have been when, as Abraham raised the knife to kill his own son, that the angel of God stayed his hand.  God provided an alternative, a ram that got caught in a nearby thicket.

When David said, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want," most people translate it as a promise that His children will not lack for anything.  I don't think it would be too much of a stretch, given the command of Jesus in Matthew 16:24, to give a new meaning to this verse.  Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."  That is, you must set aside your own wants and desires, and follow close to Him.  "I shall not want" has a double meaning.  "I will not lack for anything," only because "I will lay aside my own desires" and allow God to speak in your life.

The guest speaker at church said this:  How can you expect to hear from God if you are consumed with your own goals, desires, wishes, and needs?  A friend of mine confessed that sometimes he longs for that time in his life when he didn't have anything.  He had no steady job, so he filled his days with serving God only.  He didn't have a car, so he didn't have to worry about a car payment, or gas, or insurance.  If he needed anything during that season of life, he would work a temporary job until he had the money to get it.  It was as if God provided all his needs.  Now that he is older, he has a family, so he has to have a steady job; he needs a car to get to the job to provide for his family; he needs gas and insurance to operate the car to get him to the job to provide for his family; and on and on it goes.  This is how consumerism can consume you, and destroy your relationship with God.

If we really believed Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus," it would relieve us from the worries of the world.  We would no longer be focused on making a buck and we could focus more on being used by God to accomplish His will.  We would be more attuned to hearing His voice.

When Adam conversed with God in the Garden, what do you think they talked about?  God gave Adam a job to do (name all the animals for one), so part of the conversation was a job review of sorts.  "And what did you name that animal, Adam?"  Part of the conversation had to be Adam asking questions, and then hearing God respond directly to him in an audible voice.  While we don't live in anything resembling Eden, we can still converse with God.  We can still bring Him our problems or our questions.  He can still be our Pastor.  Just like a Pastor, we don't have to wait to see Him at weddings or funerals.  His Pastoral ministry would be more effective if we talked with Him daily, and if we set aside our own agendas and really, really listened.

Truth or Consequences

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity.  --Proverbs 24:16

In life we are taught to learn from our mistakes.  Marilyn Monroe said, "I believe that everything happens for a reason.  People change so that you can learn to let go; things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right; you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself; and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."  I don't know whether she ever trusted Jesus in her life, but I do know she died young of an apparent drug overdose.  That one mistake, or series of mistakes leading up to that decision, proved fatal for her.  It was a decision she could not learn from.  Her words sound good, but they proved shallow.

Don't you sometimes wish that God would give you such wisdom that you could avoid all those costly mistakes you keep making over and over again?  Calvin Coolidge said, "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.  It may not be difficult to store up in the mind a vast quantity of facts within a comparatively short time, but the ability to form judgments requires the severe discipline of hard work and the tempering heat of experience and maturity."

I want us to look today at three examples of people in the Bible who lacked wisdom, or discipline, or both.  All three of these people are introduced to us in the book of 1 Kings.

We all know the first one.  Solomon is known as the wisest man who ever lived.  Just before he took the throne from his father David, he spent a day making sacrifices to God.  A thousand burned offerings were made by Solomon that day.  That night, God spoke to Solomon, and promised to give him whatever he asked.  Solomon said he was a mere child, not knowing how to go out or to come in (1 Kings 3:7).  He was about to undertake a huge task, one that he felt ill equipped for.  His simple request pleased God:  "So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil.  For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" (1 Kings 3:9).

Solomon's wisdom was known far and wide.  People from all over the world would come to hear him speak, to hear his answers to difficult questions.  These foreign visitors would bring with them gifts of gold and silver, which Solomon would put into the Temple treasury.  Speaking of the Temple, Solomon spent seven years and billions of dollars (in today's money) to build the Temple.  When he was finished, he spent thirteen years--almost twice as long-- building his own palace in Jerusalem.  Despite his God-given wisdom, there seemed to be a little skewing of his priorities there.  Sure, at the dedication of the Temple, Solomon had made sacrifices to the Lord of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep over 14 days (see 1 Kings 8:63-65).  Nevertheless, his heart was set on his own house, and expanding his influence.

He started marrying the daughters of the surrounding kingdoms, in order to form alliances with them.  It made perfect sense--the king of Egypt would not make war against Israel if Pharaoh's daughter was wed to Solomon.  The same with the kings of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and others.

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods."  Solomon held fast to these in love.  --1 Kings 11:1-2

Solomon was apparently a very loving guy, because he had 700 wives, all of them princesses.  This was to show his superiority to other nations.  He also had 300 concubines, to show his superiority to the people of Israel.  His house was so big, and his family so numerous, can you imagine what it cost to feed and clothe the king's household, including servants each year?  Much more, I would think, than the value of what he had sacrificed to God.  His heart was turned away from God and toward the foreign gods all of these princesses brought with them.

If only Solomon had been disciplined enough to follow God's laws, then he could have avoided the traps that God had warned him about.  God was not pleased, and in 1 Kings 11:9 and following, He let Solomon know about it.

So the Lord said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.  Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.  However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen." --1 Kings 11:11-13

Consequences.  Even the wisest man in all the world suffered consequences from disobeying God.  I have two other quick stories about men who faced consequences for their actions.  But first, a quick side-story.

I met a man last week whose name is Caleb.  I immediately recognized it as a Bible name, and told him it was a name he could take pride in.  Almost apologetically, he explained that the original meaning of the name was loyal or faithful, but now it refers to a dog (because of the characteristics of a dog, e.g. loyalty and faithfulness).  He said that over time, the meaning of the name has changed.  So he could be proud of the original meaning, but the contemporary meaning not so much.

I mention this because Solomon had a servant, a mighty warrior in his army, named Jeroboam.  His name could mean "whose people are many."  Perhaps he was born to a servant of the king and was named in honor of Solomon.  However, the name also came to mean "the people will contend."  It is this second meaning that has significance later in his life, and will lead to consequences.

Solomon chose his son Rehoboam (meaning "a people has enlarged" or "who enlarges the people") to be the heir to the throne.  Rehoboam's first act as king was to ask the people what they wanted.  Their answer was simple--they wanted tax relief.  Sure, being ruled by Solomon was a great thing, and the treasury of the temple was enlarged by gifts from all the dignitaries who came streaming through.  But building the Temple with stones hewn from quarries in Israel, lined with cedars imported from Lebanon, then overlaid with gold--all that was expensive.  Not to mention the building of the palace, and the upkeep of the royal family.  There were over 30,000 forced laborers serving the king, and it must have been very costly.

Rehoboam sought counsel with the elders in his cabinet.  They agreed, and advised him to lower taxes.  If he did, they told him that the people would love him and would serve him with all their heart.  Not content with that advice, he sought out counsel from his posse, younger men who had little experience and less sense.  They told him that acquiescing to the people would be a sign of weakness.  Unless he wanted to appear vulnerable, he had to make a stand.  "Tell them they ain't seen nothing yet.  If they thought Solomon's taxes were too high, just wait." (my loose translation).

This is where the ten tribes of Israel split from the two tribes of Judah.  Just like God had promised, Jerusalem and Judah had a king in David's family to rule over them.  But the bulk of the Israelites rebelled against Rehoboam, and set Jereboam as king over them.  But Jereboam knows that Jerusalem was not only the civic capitol of Judah, but also a religious center.  So he set about building civic and religious centers in the Northern Kingdom that were cheap copies of what God had set up in Jerusalem.  He told the people it was not necessary to go all the way down to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God--they could do it locally.  He set up a temple in Bethel, at one end of the country, and one in Dan, at the other end.  Unfortunately, he set up idols, golden calves, for the people to worship and to offer sacrifices.  Jereboam also knew that the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe, was loyal to Jerusalem and to the temple there, so he appointed his own priests who were not of the tribe of Levi.  Finally, since the people were used to holy days, he set up similar holidays to coincide with the days of feasting in Jerusalem.

Whenever agnostic or atheist people talk bad about religions and holidays, they say that there is no difference between the Christian holy days and the pagan holidays.  They create a false equivalency. God will deal with them the same way he dealt with Jeroboam.  Here is the consequence of Jeroboam's sin.  An unnamed prophet, a man of God from Judah, who showed up at Bethel during this ersatz feast.  This man of God spoke out publicly against Jeroboam and the altar that he had built.  Jeroboam extended his hand to point to the prophet, and gave a command: Seize him!  No one moved, because the king's hand was shriveled up and useless. I can imagine an audible gasp going on throughout the crowd.  As this was happening, the altar split open and the ashes from the sacrifices spilled onto the ground, just as the man of God had warned.

Jeroboam immediately sought God's help, asking the prophet to pray for him to restore his hand.  How many people cry out to God when tragedy strikes, only to forget about Him once things return to normal?  The prophet did pray, the king's hand was healed, but he did not change his heart.  He continued to worship the golden calf and to lead the people away from the Lord their God.

The last story of consequences has to do with the prophet, the man of God who had traveled to Bethel (which, by the way, means "house of God") to confront the king of Israel.  Once Jeroboam saw that he had been healed, he invited the prophet to his palace for a meal.  "Come, eat with me," he said.  The prophet declined, saying that he had received strict instructions not to eat or drink anything until he had returned to Judah.  His message had been delivered, so he left Bethel to go back home.

Now an old prophet was living in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the deeds which the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words which he had spoken to the king, these also they related to their father.  Their father said to them, "Which way did he go?"  Now his sons had seen the way which the man of God who came from Judah  had gone.  Then he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode away on it.  --1 Kings 13:11-13

This old man, who may have once been a prophet of God, chased down the man of God from Judah, and asked him to break his fast.  The younger man declined, saying that God had told him not to eat or drink until he had arrived back in Jerusalem.  The old man said that God had given him a vision earlier that day, that the young man should come to his house and eat bread and drink water.  Although it was a lie (1 Kings 13:18), the older man persisted.  He said he was a prophet, too.  He could be trusted.  God had given him a message, too, and it would be an affront not only to the old man, but to God Himself to decline the invitation.

No sooner had the young man eaten and drunk that the old man received a word from the Lord.  The young man of God had been disobedient, and he would die for his sin.  Chagrined, the young man got on his donkey and left, riding back toward Judah.  On his journey, a lion attacked him and killed him, leaving the donkey standing there.  Some men passed by, and reported to those in the city that they had found a man's body lying on the road, and a donkey standing beside him, with a lion standing over the dead body.  The older man, the false prophet, went to get the young man and bury him.  The old man told his sons that when he died, he wanted to be buried in the same tomb that they buried the young prophet in, because the word of the Lord had been with him, and the old man realized that all he had said would come true--Jereboam's places of worship would be torn down, his altars dismantled, and the idols would be destroyed.

Okay, so to sum it all up, the wise make mistakes; the foolish make mistakes; and even the holy make mistakes.  All of those mistakes come with consequences.  God will deal with each man according to his works.  However, because of the grace of God, the blood of His holy sacrifice covers those who seek Him, and who are faithful to Him.  At the time 1 Kings was written, it was the blood of bulls and goats that justified men, and covered their sins.  Today, it is the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God who was slain for the sins of the whole world.

In a sense, we are all Calebs--dogs who do not deserve to be in the presence of a Holy God.  By His grace and mercy, though, He offers forgiveness to those who are loyal to Him.  It all depends on where your loyalties lie.  If you are given a word from God, do not be deceived by those who claim to have received a contradictory word, because God will not contradict His Word.  If you are given responsibility over the lives and livelihoods of other people, like King Jereboam, stay faithful to the God of your fathers.  Do not try to make cheap copies of the true way that God has shown you--do not fall for the false equivalency of the world.  Finally, after amassing all the wisdom the world has to offer, do not abandon His guiding principles outlined in Scripture.  If He said it, He will bless you for following it.  If not, you will be like the vicious dog guarding the house, chasing away the mailman--you might just drive away someone who is bringing you a blessing from God.

Fear not, it's just stuff

Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and brings out a weapon for its work.  --Isaiah 54:16(a)

The men's group I attend at church was watching a video.  A graphic of this verse, Isaiah 54:16, appeared on the screen.  As the music swelled, the scene shifted to a swordsmith heating the metal, then beating the white-hot molten mass with a hammer, shaping it into an instrument of war.  The voice-over was saying something about God taking us and molding us into His will, so that we can be used mightily (like a sword) in His hand.  It finished with an image of the white-hot metal being plunged into a barrel of water, while the voice-over artist said something about us being immersed in God's mercy and grace.

Powerful stuff.  Very inspiring.  Gets the blood pumping.  Makes a roomful of men want to stand up and with one voice shout, "HOO-RAH!"

It inspired me to go home and look up the verse, to study it and apply it.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that's not what the verse says at all.  Here is the full text of verse 16 of Isaiah chapter 54:

Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and brings out a weapon for its work; and I have created the destroyer to ruin.

Oh.  My.  That last phrase puts the verse in a whole different light.

You see, that's not something that gets preached from very many pulpits on very many Sundays.  I have heard preachers dance around this subject.  They say that God did not create evil, but that He gave men free will to do evil if they choose.  According to my reading of this verse, that is only half the story.  When people consider the problem of evil, they want to leave God out of it, because God is good all the time, and He cannot possibly be connected with evil, can He?  Social justice warriors decry war and the means of war, as if it came from the depths of hell itself.

But look at the verse closely.  What did God say He created?  He created the smith who fashions the sword.  To what end?  Last time I checked, the purpose of a weapon was to kill, maim, or destroy.  Yes, you say you would only use it in self defense, but the outcome is the same--if you had to use a weapon against an enemy or an intruder, that enemy would be either dead or injured.  That last phrase in the verse sums it up nicely.  "I have created the destroyer."  To what end?  To destroy, or to bring to ruin.

People forget that Satan is a created being.  Who created him?  Why, God did, of course.  Did God create the devil not knowing that he would fall from heaven and take a third of the angels with him?  Was God not aware that Satan would turn against Him, to fight Him tooth and nail?  Did God overlook the fact that Satan, once fallen from Heaven, would make Earth his domain?  That's not the God I know.  The God I know is omniscient.  He knows the end from the beginning.  He knows all things, sees all things, understands all things.  God made Satan, just like He made you and me.  The difference is that we are made for a better purpose.

Fear not, friends.  This is a lesson in context.  Unlike the producers of that men's video that took the first part of the verse out of context, I want to show you what comes before and after that verse.  Let's look at verse 17:

No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me, declares the Lord.  --Isaiah 54:17

So while "every thought in the heart of man is evil all of the time" (Genesis 6:5), God will uphold the righteous.  This is how the Church has survived for two centuries, when governments, religions, laws, armies and even the gates of hell have arrayed against it.

I want us to do a little word study here. I think this is fascinating.  Follow me here.  The same Hebrew word is used in both these verses, the word that my NASB translates "weapon."  The KJV translates the word "instrument" in verse 16, as in "I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work."  In context, I believe that this would be an instrument of war, as the very same word is translated "weapon" in verse 17.

The Hebrew word is keliy, and it is used a number of times in the Old Testament.  Sometimes it is translated "vessel", as in something used to hold your stuff.  In Genesis 42 we read the story of how Joseph, who was prime minister of Egypt, saw his brothers come to buy food.  He commanded that the men's money be put into their sacks of grain; the word "sacks" is this same word keliy.  In other places this same word is translated "weapons" or "armor", "furniture" or "thing", and my favorite, "stuff."   In Genesis 45:20, Joseph brings his whole family to Egypt, and tells them "also regard not your stuff, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours." (KJV).

Why is this important?  I think it puts it all into perspective.  God created men, who make the stuff of war.  Are the creations of men more powerful than God?  Of course not.  God made the men, the men made the stuff.  The same God who can snuff out the men can crush the stuff that men make.  Look at it another way:  God made Satan, Satan makes trouble.  Is the trouble that Satan makes more powerful than God?  Of course not.  God is greater than the trouble Satan brings into our lives.

Want more context clues?  Back up one verse, to Isaiah 54:15: "If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.  Whoever assails you will fall because of you."  Remain faithful, and God's got your back. Even if you know of someone who was martyred for the sake of the Gospel, do not be discouraged--they are in a better place, and you still have a story to tell.  "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper."  It's just stuff.

I love the song Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) by Chris Tomlin, but I especially love it when he comes to the bridge, and says "Nothing formed against me will stand, You hold the whole world in Your hands."

Whom Shall I Fear

Chris Tomlin

You hear me when I call
You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light

Whom shall I fear

You crush the enemy
Underneath my feet
You are my sword and shield
Though troubles linger still

Whom shall I fear

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

My strength is in your name
For you alone can save
You will deliver me
Yours is the victory

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in your hands
I'm holding on to your promises

You are faithful
You are faithful

Nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in your hands
I'm holding on to your promises

You are faithful
You are faithful
You are faithful

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

Songwriters: Chris Tomlin / Ed Cash / Scott Cash

Whom Shall I Fear lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Music Services, Inc

Famous Last Words

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and  power.  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be abolished is death.  --1 Corinthians 15:22-26

When Groucho Marx was dying, he let out one last quip:  "This is no way to live!"  As Benjamin Franklin lay dying at the age of 84, his daughter told him to change positions in bed so he could breathe more easily, to which Franklin responded, "A dying man can do nothing easy."  When convicted murderer James Rodgers was put in front of a firing squad in Utah, he was asked if he had a last request.  He replied, "Bring me a bullet-proof vest."

No one can control events as their life ebbs away.  Whatever control they had in their lifetime is lost at the end.  Marie Antoinette stepped on the executioner's foot on the way to the guillotine.  Her last words were, "Pardonnez-moi, Monsieur."

One can try to put his or her affairs in order, but how can you truly prepare for the unknown?  You can have faith, but you can't rely on first-hand testimony of others who have gone before you, because "No one has seen God and lived."

Over the last few weeks I have read the story of David, king of Israel.  Yesterday I read 2 Samuel chapter 23, and these words caught my eye:  "Now these are the last words of David." (2 Samuel 23:1a).   David is one whose life had seen a lot of victories.  From slaying Goliath to evading Saul to wiping out the Philistines, David seemed to always come out on top.

At the end of his life, however, things had started spiraling out of control.  From the time of Bathsheba onward, the sword never left his household:  his son Amnon raped David's daughter Tamar; another son Absalom took vengeance on his sister, and killed Amnon; after spending some years in exile, Absalom returned to Jerusalem with the goal of killing his father and taking hold of the throne by force.  When Absalom died, David was inconsolable--his general Joab had to yell at him to straighten up, to congratulate the army that had but down Absalom's rebellion, lest they lose face.  David gave no thought to the morale of his fighting men.  His favorite son, whose name means "his father is peace" was caught in a thicket by his long, flowing hair, and was run through by the sword.

This man recorded these final words:

Now these are the last words of David.  David the son of Jesse declares, the man who was raised on high declares, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, "The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'He who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is as the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through sunshine after rain.'  Truly is not my house so with God?  For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in all things, and secured; for all my salvation and all my desire, will He not indeed make it grow?"  --2 Samuel 23:1-5.

Indeed, David had sung the very words of God.  The Psalms include admonitions to morality, praise to God for all good things, vows to bring enemies to justice, and prophecies that even included a prophecy about the death of Jesus Christ (see Psalm 22).  He had been a spokesman for God.  He had been set up by God as the ruler of all the people.  As king, David had expanded the borders of Israel.  He had been very blessed.

Still, I can't help but think about the way his life had gone there toward the end.  Everything he had worked for all his life seemed to be spiraling out of control.  Have you ever felt that way?  I know I have. Yet look again at verse 5.  "Truly is not my house so with God?"  What does he mean, "so"?  He compared it in verse 4 to the light of a sunrise on a cloudless morning in springtime, when little grass shoots pop out of the earth after an evening shower.  In his God there is life.  With all the death and blood and muck of the battlefields David had led his armies through, God brought him peace.

Not only peace, but order.  The word "order" means "to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array (as in a battle), prepare, order, ordain,  handle, furnish, esteem."  Remember how David's life was spiraling out of control?  His faith remained grounded in God.  It was God who made the everlasting covenant.  It was God who ordered all things, and made them secure.  That secure covenant would nourish and protect his longing and desire to see God, to know His salvation.  The salvation of God, in turn, would spring forth as a sprout or young plant.  Rooted in that covenant relationship, David felt secure.

Friend, no matter how bad your circumstances are, or how much your life seems to be spiraling out of control, remember God's promise.  He is our hope and our salvation.  He is our shield and defender.  When we are grounded in him, our lives can take root and grow, and our hearts' desires will bear fruit to abundant and everlasting life in Him.

All My Hope

Hillsong Worship

Light in my darkness
Peace for my soul
You are my rescue
You never let go

Light in my darkness
Peace for my soul
You are my rescue
You never let go

All my hope is in You
All my strength is in You
With every breath
My soul will rest in You

Here in my weakness
Always the same
Your love is my shelter
Your life is my way

All my hope is in You
All my strength is in You
With every breath
My soul will rest in You

Constant Savior
Friend forever
Lord You have my heart
Sure foundation
Never failing
Lord You have my heart

All my hope is in You
All my strength is in You
With every breath
My soul will rest in You

All the earth beneath You
All my life before You
With every breath
My soul will rest in You
With every breath
My soul will rest in You

Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Reuben Morgan

All My Hope lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group

 

Flash Drought

O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. --Psalm 63:1

I heard a meteorological term this week that I have not heard before.  The term is "flash drought", and it apparently was popularized (if not actually coined) during the rapid onset of the central US drought in May and early June, 2012.   These events are described as decreases in soil moisture associated with unusually high temperatures coupled with increases in evaporation in a relatively short period of time.

The air temperature rises so rapidly that the moisture in the soil evaporates.  The soil is so dry that the vegetation dries out or dies completely.  It is so dry that any spark, such as that caused by a horseshoe striking a rock, can lead to a major fire, covering thousands of acres.

I have heard meteorologists before speak of "fire season", where wildfires will start in the Western United States.  Firefighters during the summer months may be called to help fight local fires in California, Nevada, and Arizona.  Some of these fires could have been caused by careless campers not dousing their campfires completely.  Some of them could have been started by lightning strikes.  More recently, however, wildfires have sprung up in less arid places, such as Montana and Wyoming.  It is these recent fires that have been attributed to flash droughts.

Apparently, there are two different kinds of flash droughts.  The first is caused by a heat wave.  High temperatures cause an increase in evaporation, and lead to decreases in soil moisture.  Heat Wave flash droughts have nothing to do with lack of precipitation.  The second kind of flash drought is called Precipitation Deficit flash drought.  This type is caused by a lack of rain, which in turn causes the soil to dry out.  The dry soil causes temperatures to rise.

The effect is the same for both kinds.  Both involve heat, evaporation, and lack of moisture.  One dries out the moisture stored in the ground.  The other is caused by lack of precipitation feeding moisture to the ground.  One is caused by heat in the environment; the other causes heat in the environment.

I don't mean to get so technical, but there is a point I'm driving to.  Be patient with me.

The Bible speaks of cataclysmic events in the end times.  Revelation 9 describes the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse:

And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.  A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.  --Revelation 9:17-18

Many modern Bible scholars have theorized that the cataclysm that would cause the death of one third of mankind would have to be a nuclear war or something similar.  Thoughts like this are fresh in our minds with current events such as the saber rattling of North Korea, a fledgling nuclear power, and the fierce response by the United States, the only country to have used nuclear weapons in war.  Indeed, the major deterrent for the use of nuclear warheads over the last fifty years has been something called Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).

I don't know much about eschatology (the study of the End Times), or about nuclear war.  I believe that if there was an all-out nuclear war, much more than one-third of all mankind would die.  Much more than one-third of the fish in the sea would perish, as was prophesied in Revelation 8:9--besides, this prophecy about the sea appears to be a separate event.  I think it could be just as likely that there could be widespread flash droughts, causing multiple wildfires, that could set off a chain of events resulting in cataclysmic death rates.  If the wildfires are near major metropolitan areas, the flames and the smoke could cause the deaths of millions, even a couple billion.  God could use a discarded cigarette butt here, a lightning strike there, a few unattended campfires and even a horseman riding over a rock causing a spark--all of these could be used by God to bring about His will and the fulfillment of His Word.

Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with times of drought closer to home.  No, I don't mean a lack of precipitation.  I am talking about a spiritual drought.  There have been too many times when I have neglected prayer and Bible study.  The lack of communion with God through my speaking with Him (through prayer) and Him speaking to me (through His word) has often caused me to wander in a spiritual wasteland.  Other times, the worries of the world and the pressure Satan builds up against us has worn me down, causing a deep thirst for God.

In the Old Testament, there are two different words for "drought".  One is the Hebrew word choreb, which is translated heat, dry, drought, waste, and desolation.  This is the word used in Genesis 31:40: "Thus I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes."  This use of the word "drought" can be thought of as environmental.  It is like the heat wave flash drought--it has nothing to do with precipitation; that is, it doesn't matter how much we pray or study Scripture, the devil brings this drought to bear on us.  And if we don't hydrate, if we don't continually be subject to "the washing of the water and of the word" (Ephesians 5:26), then we can become parched, desolate, and laid waste.

God's mercy covers this possibility.  Isaiah 4:6 says, "There will be a shelter (or Tabernacle) to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain." Later, that same writer said, "For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a rain storm against a wall." (Isaiah 25:4).

The second term used in the Old Testament for "drought" is the word tsiyah, translated dry land, wilderness, dry places, solitary place.  It is the word used in Job 30:3, "For want and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste." (KJV).  I think of this kind of drought as more self-inflicted or voluntary.  If we isolate ourselves from God and from His provision for us, it is like the flash drought caused by a lack of precipitation.  Without water, the soil of our soul evaporates what little moisture is left, and it causes life to heat up around us.  "But they sinned even more against Him by rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness." (Psalm 78:17).

Even then, the solution is by the grace of God.  If you are a Christian, you can see Him strike the rock and see Living Water flow out and fill the dry places.  If you have not  yet accepted Him, you can come out of the wilderness and accept His free gift of eternal life.  "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5).

We can wallow in sin and reap destruction, or we can come to the Fountain.  "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11).  Hebrews 10:22 says, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

I hope you are seeing a pattern here.  The key to avoiding spiritual drought is hydration.  When the heat is on, or a heat wave comes in out of nowhere, realize that evaporation will follow.  If that water is not replenished, you could be consumed.  Alternately, if we fail to tap the Source and partake of the Living Water frequently, then our reservoir will run dry and we will be in danger of faltering in our faith, or wandering in a desolate death spiral.  The time of testing is coming.  The prophet Zechariah said this:

And it shall come to pass in all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it;  I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested.  They will call on My name and I will answer them.  I will say, "This is My people," and each one will say, "The Lord is my God."  --Zechariah 13:8-9

Bring on the heat--just don't forget where the water is.


I KNOW WHERE THERE'S WATER
by Ponder, Sykes & Wright

In a dry and thirsty land I know where there's water,
In the burning desert sand I know where there's water;
There's a place where I can go where the living waters flow,
To refresh my weary soul I know there's water.

I know I can't live my life based on how I feel,
But at times there is a famine across the land in which I dwell;
But I know there's a mountain where blood from His side fell,
And the blood became a fountain, the fountain a living well.

In a dry and thirsty land I know where there's water,
In the burning desert sand I know where there's water;
There's a place where I can go where the living waters flow,
To refresh my weary soul I know there's water.

This world takes my strength until there's nothing left,
And it's a hopeless battle to fight it by myself;
So when the times I'm weak from this journey I am on,
There's a wellspring that I drink from flowing from the Cornerstone.

In a dry and thirsty land I know where there's water,
In the burning desert sand I know where there's water;
There's a place where I can go where the living waters flow,
To refresh my weary soul I know there's water.

To refresh my weary soul I know there's water.
I know where there's water;Yes, I know where there's water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVUJbSfZTAc

The Battle is the Lord's

If you are a Christian, you are a theologian.  You have no choice.  Theology is simply knowing about God.  In fact, since Christians are called to grow in their knowledge of God, part of the very goal of the Christian life is theology.  Theology is a normal part of the Christian life--a part that gives rise to everything else.  --James White, The Forgotten Trinity.

I have had the day from you-know-where today.  If not for the grace of God, well, all kinds of things--let's not go there.

On second thought, let's.

Last night in my quiet time, I was reading in 2 Samuel 10.  The enemies of Israel were arrayed against David and his kingdom.  More importantly, they were arrayed against the Kingdom of God.  The Ammonites hired mercenaries from Aramea.  20,000 battle-tested soldiers were joined by 12,000 men of Tob, and a thousand more from the king of Maacah.  Don't worry, I don't know who these people were, either.  That's the point--only the victors are remembered in history.

Aw, nuts!  I've gone and spoiled it already.  Let's start again.  Thirty-three thousand battle-tested soldiers and mercenaries storming the gates of Jerusalem.  Half were standing at the main gates in front, and half stationed in the fields behind the city.  Joab, David's general, knew this was a good battle plan, a wise war tactic.  If David's army fought against those at the front gates, the enemy would come in from behind.  If the Israeli army fled out of the back of the city, those at the front would storm the gates while the Lord's army was engaged with those in the fields.  Brilliant!

Joab's solution was to set half of the King's Guard at the front gates, led by himself.  The other half would fight in the rear under the direction of Joab's brother Abishai.  His plan was simple--if Joab's forces were having trouble, Abishai's troops would help them; but if Abishai's warriors were overwhelmed, then Joab's men would come to their aid.

Joab left them with this rallying cry:  "Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight."  (2 Samuel 10:12, emphasis added.)

He did not give them false hope.  They were outnumbered and outflanked.  There was no, "We've got the power!"  No "This is OUR HOUSE!"  He didn't say, "This is where we fight; this is where they die."  An honest assessment meant that they were not entirely sure of victory that day.  Yet they gave it to God.  "May the Lord do what is good in His sight."

I like that.  We are engaged in a spiritual battle. By ourselves we are out-manned and out-maneuvered.  Our trust is not in ourselves, it is in God alone.  You find this sentiment echoed in many Old Testament scriptures.  One of them is Esther 4:16: "If I perish, I perish."  The thought is that if I live or if I die, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Even today, we trust not in ourselves.  Our trust is in God alone.  This is the very meaning behind grace.  After this riveting Old Testament story in my quiet time last night, I read the New Testament story of the birth of John the Baptist in Luke 1.  In my Bible I highlighted the prophetic word John's father Zacharias spoke over his new-born son.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant--as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old--"Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;" --Luke 1:68-71

Now that sounds more like a battle cry, doesn't it?  He goes on to describe what we are saved to, or saved for:

To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.  --Luke 1:73b-75

Now, most of us are not soldiers, airmen, or marines.  We are civilians, engaged in commerce, not commando raids.  We are more used to the sound of idyllic banter than to the noise of intense battle. However, just beyond the realm of what is seen is an enemy who "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8).

In light of the spiritual battle before us, let's read further the prophetic word that Zacharias spoke over his son John.  "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways." (Luke 1:76).  Jesus Himself verified this statement, and validated John's mission when He said in Luke 7:28, "Among those born of women there is no one greater than John."  Jesus made this statement even while John was in prison, awaiting execution at the hand of Herod.  Think about that.

Zecharias went on to prophesy what his progeny's purpose would be:  "To give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins."  (Luke 1:77).  The Greek word for "salvation" is the word soteria, which can mean deliverance, preservation, and safety.  How can we be delivered, preserved, and safe from Satan and the effects of sin?  By the forgiveness of our sins.  John's message was "repent", but it was a message of grace.  Sin separates us from a holy God.  The only antidote to sin is God's forgiveness.  We cannot be good enough on our own--we are always stained with sin.  Only the covering of the righteousness of Christ through His blood shed on the cross can cover our sin. God Himself saves us from Himself, unto Himself, for Himself.  Who knew the doctrine of soteriology could be so simple and yet so deep?

The prophecy of Zecharias goes on to say, "Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us." (Luke 1:78).  The word translated "mercy" can mean "Kindness or goodwill towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them."  Charitable men and women can exhibit this godly quality, but at the end of the day we humans are only in it for ourselves.  We do charity to feel good about ourselves, or to be seen as good to other people.  God's mercy is not for our applause but for our need.  He doesn't show mercy so we will think better of Him; He shows mercy because it is His very nature.  It can be counted upon as surely as the sun rises in the East every morning.

As if to underscore the mercy of God, Zecharias's prophecy over his son John the Baptist ends this way: "To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."  This is the gospel, the good news.  No matter how bad your day has gone or is going, we have the promise of peace.  Not peace like the world gives, but the peace of God, which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).  Strong's concordance (the major study aid of this entire post) defines peace in this way:

1. Exemption from the rage and havoc of war.
2. Peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord.
3. Security, safety, prosperity, and felicity. (Because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous.)
4. Of the Messiah's peace, the way that leads to salvation.
5. Of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.

Are you having a bad day?  The worst day on earth is better than the best day in hell. Peace be with you.  Are you facing and enemy that has you overwhelmed? Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart: I have overcome the world."  Peace be with you.  Are you facing certain death? "May the Lord do what is good in His sight."  God's peace be with you.

We have a sure defender
A strong and mighty captain
Leading us in battle
His Name is Lord of all

Celebrate His conquering raise his banner
Lift him high, lift Him high

Not with a sword to destroy
Not with a shield to defend
Not with a spear to kill
But in the name of Lord
The battle is the Lord's

Not with a sword to destroy
Not with a shield to defend
Not with a spear to kill
But in the name of Lord
The battle is the Lord's

His Name is Our salvation
A strong and mighty tower
We will exalt Him
The Son of Righteousness
Worthy of Glory, sing His praises
Lift Him high, lift Him high

Not with a sword to destroy
Not with a shield to defend
Not with a spear to kill
But in the name of Lord
The battle is the Lord's

I will lift up the Name
The Name above all names
All Heaven and earth must bow
Before the Name almighty, God (all mighty)

Not with a sword to destroy
Not with a shield to defend
Not with a spear to kill
But in the name of Lord
The battle is

Not with a sword to destroy
Not with a shield to defend
Not with a spear to kill
But in the name of Lord
In the name of Lord
The battle is the Lord's 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJb6PY_U8S8