Open the Book of Proverbs and in some ways it is like sitting on the front porch with the old folks, grandma and grandpa as they share the lessons of life in a loving voice, devoid of judgement. Consider these points…Solomon is the primary author with others contributing. It was written for all eras to enjoy and meant to be timeless. It has been called the wisdom book, and relates to these days we are living now and those that have gone by. Some of the more famous verses:

Proverbs 3:5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find?

    She is worth far more than rubies.

 Jesus Christ, for the most part, delivered his instructions to the people in parables. ( Matthew 13:3,  Proverbs 24:34.)  This   is taken from Coke’s Commentaries.

The best place to start would be at the beginning …Proverbs 1…

There are 33 verses in the first Proverb. We will break it down into  four sections.

 (1-7) Purpose and Theme  

(8-19) Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom 

( 8-19) Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

 ( 20-33) Wisdom’s Rebuke

Solomon was the first of the sacred writers to put his name at the head of his works. Then just as now this is an important fact… persons of sufficient reputation as to knowledge and intent were eagerly sought out for instructions and knowledge. The style of writing here turns toward the parabolically style, short, concise, and makes its point without a long and tiring discourse. Like a parable it is easy to read and pleasing to the ear and as was noted earlier a form used many times by Jesus. Verse two and the next six tell us the author’s perspective in how he wishes to instruct us in the acquiring of wisdom, instruction, understanding and knowledge. First we must possess in our minds an understanding of the wisdom, power, and goodness of God. This is the first step to wisdom; and the second is, to show reverence to parents, both natural and spiritual. As we continue on through the Psalm we note that we are to receive instruction and a need to develop discipline. A question asked most Methodist Pastors to start with is “are you going on to perfection?” The growth of our relationship with God is and should be a continuous journey, taking note of what happens along the way. We must not leave out understanding, which comes with developing a relationship with our God. Consider that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. All religions that lack a fear of God are in vain…piety, religion, the fear of God, are road marks along the way. There is a difference between the laws of man and those of God. Note…one small difference is that God’s law takes care to secure a just reverence to both parents. The old writings of scripture show, that fear prepares the way for the love of justice, which is perfect wisdom.

In this Proverb verses 18-19 warn us against evil companions. I believe, and you may feel differently, that as written here it also can apply to things as well as other people. The things of this life can come to us as gifts or questionable actions, they marginalize wisdom and can lead to our falling away from God. The remaining verses 20-33 alert us to the call of Wisdom. Wisdom is all around us, even in the streets or public places her voice calls out to us… Wisdom does not invite violence will not tolerate injustice. Wisdom invites God, and calls us to the highest good. Solomon decries this excuse of where shall we find this wisdom? Open your eyes and ears look for good examples, then imitate, and profit by them. Let the foolish ways of others teach you what not to do…you will learn nothing of value from a fool. It is only natural that we would ask…how Lord will I know these things? The answer is in verse 23. If you return at my instruction; or, if you turn your face at my correction; “I will make my Spirit flow upon you, as a source or fountain which produceth its water”. This proverb calls us to be mindful of the voice of Wisdom. We are warned that the enticements of this world will lead to our destruction. While it might be repetitive we must avoid the enticements of sinners, and we are told to heed warnings of God. This voice of Wisdom can only be understood when accepted as a divine revelation to us from God.

 Wisdom, Truth, and Justice, they live in the hearts and minds of those who hear God cry out to his people through the voice of “Lady Wisdom”.

Life is Good 

jk

The church I attend has started a new sermon series, “Road Trip.”  It is vacation time and many of us will soon take our own road trip. Gas may be high, with food prices going up every day but Americans are creatures of habit. There were many road trips taken by Jesus and the disciples and in the early days of the church the apostles, most notable Saul…Remember the road to Damascus and after that road trip experience we came to know him as Paul. There were two others who met Jesus on a road… Emmaus was a small town not far from Jerusalem and it was on that road that two men met the resurrected Jesus. People normally walked everywhere. Some did have a beast of burden to ease their journey and that me reminds of another road trip of note. Joseph traveled to Jerusalem from Nazareth with Mary the soon to be mother of Jesus riding on a donkey. Today I fall back on a phrase I have heard often…it is not so much about the journey, it is what happens Along The Way. There are three such episodes in the NT that come to my mind; the first being in Matthew Chapter 10: 1-15. I encourage you to read these verses, but for our purposes today…

Matthew 10:1

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.

Mark 3:13-15 is the next scriptural note of a road trip…

Mark 3:13-15  He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons.  

The third one would be from Luke Chapter 6:12-13… 

Luke 6:12-13

Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles….

The situation here is a bit different in interpretation, the other two callings are followed in scripture by a mission statement… We find in these verses in Luke a broader picture of what is taking place. From the writings of Jeremy Myers we find this interesting note… Jesus is praying for the choices he must make but also for the healing of the people and the teaching of the people that must be done. Consider this as written by Jeremy Myers in his article of  A Few Good Men. NOTE I am inserting it here as written:

In Luke 6, Jesus is faced with this sort of decision. He has come to earth to show and teach people what God is like and have an everlasting relationship with God. He only has three years of ministry, and by Luke 6, almost half of that is gone. He knows and realizes that one of the things he must do is pass on the essential truths of why He came to a few people who then in turn pass it on to others after He is gone. For over a year, He has been gaining hundreds of followers, but He knows that most of them haven’t a clue about who He really is, or why He truly came. So He must choose out a few to teach and train so that they might continue to minister to others when He goes back to heaven. The eternal weight of the world is on His shoulders, and He must choose a few good men to pass that heavy weight to their shoulders.

So it is that we read in Matthew and Mark, in both instances for the mission Jesus gave the twelve disciples authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. In Luke the opinion is that this was the initial election of the Twelve Apostles, a different meaning can be assigned to these verses in Luke. We must not be misled from the context of these verses…the intent of our Lord in calling these disciples forward was to prepare them to go forth, tell the story, heal the sick and toss out demons in the name of God. But there is still another road trip that has a huge role to fill in this study and it is also, in Luke Chapter 10 verses 1-12.

The Mission of the Seventy

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2 He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 

One point to be made here. In Matthew 10:1-42 and Luke 9:1-6 there is a difference in the instructions given to the Twelve and the Seventy. The main difference is that Jesus had told the Twelve that they were to preach in Galilee, avoiding Gentiles areas and Samaria, but the 70 were given no such restriction. Do you foresee a time when you might be sent out on a mission of service? Is there a road trip of such in your future? The church today is being attacked from many directions and is in need of the faithful to go forth and tell the story, prepare the way for His return. Keep these 10 points in mind. I am sharing with you from one of my favorite sites…gotquestions.com . 

The first thing you have got to do is…

1. Go (Luke 10:3). This is foundational.
2. Be wary (Luke 10:3). you will be surrounded by danger.

3)    Live by faith (Luke 10:4)

4)    Be focused (Luke 10:4) 

5)    Extend your blessing (Luke 10:5–6). Bless those that give you comfort.

6) Be content (Luke 10:7). The 70 were told not to seek better accommodations; they were to stay in the home that first received them.

 7) Receive your due (Luke 10:7). The laborer is worthy of his wages (cf. 1 Timothy 5:17–18). Doing evangelistic work is indeed work and is worthy of compensation.

8)  Be flexible (Luke 10:7–8). 

9) Heal the sick (Luke 10:9)

10) Proclaim the kingdom (Luke 10:9). 

We do not know the names of the Seventy, but the fact is that their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:20).  Let’s be realistic about today’s church world. We don’t knock on doors anymore, the digital world gives us the ability to reach many but… there is nothing more meaningful than a personal touch accompanied by a kind word. Imagine the miles they walked and the dangers these early Saints faced and as the Lord said to them…the harvest is great. Consider this, we will harvest what we sow. So, spread the word. Is there a road trip in you future? Consider this, Along The Way, share the story of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Life is Good

jk

The number of Biblical laws, 613 is rather ambiguous and there is no verse in the Bible that says this number is correct. In our search for these we are directed to the first five books of the Bible. The first five books of the Bible are known by Jewish people as the Torah, which in English means “the law.” So …the other point of view would be that these 613 commands, the most famous of which are the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. There is no agreement between Jews or Christians that the number 613 is the number given by God through Moses. Where did this number come from?  We start with the Talmud…

1. Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend comprising the Mishnah and the Gemara which is a rabbinical commentary on the Mishnah, forming the second part of the Talmud.

B)  There are two versions of the Talmud: the Babylonian Talmud (which dates from the 5th century ad but includes earlier material) and the earlier Palestinian or Jerusalem Talmud.

 I have discovered that there are many theories as to how this particular number came into being. So I kept digging and it was worth the time. I will again post at the end of this blog the URL for a massive work…The 613 by Archie Rand.  “ The 613 refers to the 613 Jewish commandments (mitzvoth in Hebrew) extracted from the Old Testament. This immense work by Archie Rand includes one painting for each one of the 613 mitzvoth.” Mitzvoth being a a precept or commandment or a good deed done from religious duty. All of these Laws, Commandments…can and has added to a great deal of debate, confusion and adds fuel to those who would profane them and use them as a distraction to mislead God’s people. I can assure you as a Layman the more I search for what is God’s Law, which is in reality the way God wishes us to live, the more I want to know. To me it is not a laundry list of must dos’, it soon comes down to a matter of what is in our hearts…and our hearts often rule our minds. Scripture tells us God knows what is on our minds and in our hearts. Consider this…keep things simple, Theology for a layman can become a series of trails ending in another rabbit hole. What is it that God wants of us? 

Micah 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Looking to Jesus we might because of Matthew 5:17 become confused… “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” To keep it simple read Matthew 5:17-20. There is so much here in this chapter, there is not enough time and space to do it justice at this time. In the time of Jesus and Paul there were thousands of legalistic rules and regulations, ( those made by the Pharisees) many just petty and somehow they came to be literally matters of life, death and eternal destiny. The truth is that both Jesus and Paul broke them repeatedly and condemned them. So the Law being our focus this week what then did Jesus mean by the law? We know what he said in Matthew, some say take that to mean He came to bring out the real meaning of the law. All that scribal and oral law left one thing unsaid. One great principle which the scribes and the Pharisees had been unable to understand. That in all things people must seek God’s will but they would not find it in their man-made hordes of rules and regulations. The blood of Jesus on the cross freed us from all of that. Jesus was asked once which commandment of the Law was the greatest.  

 Matthew 22:37–39

37 And he said to him,  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And  a second is like it:  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

 God gave the Law to define sin and demonstrate our need for a Savior. Jesus is the only one who has perfectly obeyed the Law. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He fulfilled all of God’s righteous commands (Matthew 5:17–18). Be sure if time allows to read some of those 613 laws, go to the link at the bottom. I will close today with a simple view of a very long and complicated process of Biblical Law / God’s Law. 

“With the coming of Christ, God has established a new covenant with mankind (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25, Hebrews 8:8-13, 9:11-15). Jesus and His apostles gave us a radically new understanding of the true intent of the Old Testament Law; they brought a new era of the rule of love for all people and spiritual truth instead of rule by law (Luke 10:25-28, John 13:34-35, Ephesians 2:14-18).”

 http://www.christianbiblereference.org

Life is Good

jk

613 Link

https://www.jmu.edu/dukehallgallery/exhibitions-past-2018-2019/the-613-mitzvot.shtml

 The past few weeks of all this blabbering about the two most contentious rulings of the Supreme Court has encouraged me to look at the other side of, or as I am found of saying the rest of the story…those other laws. God’s law, Biblical law, the Law of Moses, The Ten Commandments and also 613 additional commandments or laws and let us not forget the Seven Laws of Noah.

What is the definition of the word law?… To me I always first ask which Law? To a Christian, or more directly…to God’s people, those who obey God’s Law, there will the always be a state of conflict of interest. It has been said that obedience is the first law of heaven. Why is that important? Well, Biblically speaking it has been established that to obey God brings blessings to those who do so and to love God one is assured everlasting life. That is scripturally correct. Obedience has always been a part of any Covenant  between God and his people. God is the controlling authority and enforcement is His exclusively. Here then lies the conflict… Secular law is made of course by Man, who even at the best of his intentions is never perfect. So the other definition would read as such, law is:

1a(1) : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed (see prescribe sense 1a) or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority. (2) : the whole body of such customs, practices, or rules The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law.Jun 13, 2022

 https://www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › law

What is God’s law?… That is a question of faith, source and discussion among God’s people. A little reminder here that Christianity is not a democracy and never even in the time of Christ was it meant to be a Theocracy either. My view is that accepting Jesus Christ as your savior is the initiating factor of the Covenant between you and God. God’s word today is the same as yesterday and the days to come. Cliché, I guess it could be labeled as such…but we have had well over 2000 years to prove that its true. What makes God’s law different? A rather simplistic answer… It has only one source… There are no committees, no political parties, no social justice warriors or special interest groups and no pressure to change due to evolving cultural enlightenment. There is only one God, the Alpha and Omega, First and Last….Point made…God’s law is the final decision in any situation. 

We can’t stop just yet at this point. There is another law we should be concerned with. Biblical law refers to the legal aspects of the Bible, the holy scriptures of Judaism and Christianity and Mitzvah which is a precept or commandment. A good deed done from religious duty or a divine commandment. We also have references to the Law of Moses, The Ten Commandments also 613 additional commandments or laws that include “positive commandments”, to perform an act (mitzvot aseh), and “negative commandments”, to abstain from certain acts (mitzvot lo taaseh) and lastly the Seven Laws of Noah; laws applicable to all of humanity, including non-Jews. Those 613 we listed above, here is a link to them…every last one. When you have time have a look.

https://www.jmu.edu/dukehallgallery/exhibitions-past-2018-2019/the-613-mitzvot.shtml

I do not know many Laymen who have read each one of these, I have not, but a quick look has got my interest up to do so. In the sixth century BC the Hebrews started to put these commandments and other legal principles in writing. They were contained in the Torah and some time later they became the first five books of the Bible. The Torah (teaching) provided the Hebrew people with a basis of religious and moral laws. The Ten Commandments are often looked at as moral laws…dealing with murder, honesty, adultery and such. Pay attention to the Moral aspect of this history. We are people who are constantly looking for ways to minimize morality and justify our disobedience to God. We are always “looking for loopholes” The Mosaic laws have three areas…Moral, Civil and Ceremonial.

Let’s fast forward a bit. What did Jesus say about Old Testament Law? 

In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 

Romans 15:4-5 NIV

 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Paul)

The roads are many and sometimes confusing…Hear what Jesus said as to law and commandments when asked which of these laws are the most important?

Matthew 22:37-40

37 He said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

The simplicity of scripture is often hid among the constant noise and blabbering of people who are always looking for a “loophole”. We don’t like or agree with that law, therefore we will not obey. It is not compatible with our lifestyle. 

I have so much more I could share with you and if you have been paying attention you will have noticed that I did not overburden you with scripture. All that is happening in our world… “don’t worry about it.” It is really quite simple… The gospel truth is His will be done… My hope is not of this world. 

jk

John 16: 4-5 ‘I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going away to him who sent me, and none of you asks me: “Where are you going?”

A short preface to this weeks blog. With all that is happening in the world around us we need a rock to stand on. There is no greater one than God’s word in a time of uncertainty it will comfort, teach and inspire while challenging us to stand firm in the uncertainty of the times. The disciples find themselves facing the challenge of taking the word to the world and doing so without the  physical presence of Jesus. 

Never easy to leave those we love behind even if we know it is necessary and will be better for them. It is hard for us to accept that these simple men after all this time with Jesus were still in some respects confused by the things that were happening around them. At this point in our scriptures we find these men bewildered and grief stricken. The simple truth was that Jesus was somewhat constrained in his present state. The disciples had only a snapshot you might say of what’s about to happen….They were going to lose Jesus. He told them this must happen so the Holy Spirit, the Helper could come. They had yet to see the bigger picture. The time of hello’s and goodbyes were over. He told them that in this body I cannot be everywhere. As it were now he was confined, but there will be no limitations in the Spirit, everywhere you go the Spirit is with you. I am sure they struggled to understand what he was saying. Matthew 28:20 ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age’ The Spirit would bring to men and women an uninterrupted fellowship forever. It would bring to the preached word a power that would change the people who heard it and the world they lived in. 

As with all biblical scripture we sometimes find words that can’t be fully translated and this is the case here with a word John uses to speak to the work of the Spirit…elegchein, which is translated in the Revised Standard Version as convince.  This is as good a time as any to ask this question. Why does the crucifixion of, in their minds a criminal 2000 years ago, still through all this time   weigh upon the hearts of people all over the world? It is nothing less than the work of the Holy Spirit! 

 (1) The Holy Spirit will convict people of sin. 

(2) The Holy Spirit will convince people of righteousness.

(3) The Holy Spirit convinces people of judgment.

One last point to be made here is this simple truth. When we believe with certainty that on the cross of Christ is our salvation and that with Christ we are forgiven, and saved, this too, is the work of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit we are convicted of our sin and convinced that our savior will forgive us of our sins.

 Life is Good

jk

Last blog we spent some time in John chapter 14 and equated the uncertainty of the times the disciples were living in and how in some ways it mirrors  the times we as the church and nation are facing today. This week we move to chapter 16 and explore the warnings and challenges Jesus spoke of with his disciples. Jesus continues to teach the disciples after the Passover Meal about the things He wants them to be aware of and prepare for. There are some hard times coming that will test their faith and endurance and that is an appropriate thought now, in our day and time. I should make it clear that I am not of the doomsday mindset. A wise man looks to the future with a clear eye and seeks God’s guidance but there are always those that seek the comfort of the day and wear those rose-colored glasses. I don’t intend that remark to be disrespectful but let’s all admit that there is a bit of serendipity in most of us, not a bad thing, unless we let it blind us to reality.

At the time John was writing this there was a predictable falling away of many Christians as the persecution of the Church  intensified. In the first four verses Jesus makes it clear that there will be times of trouble for those of the faith. Jesus even says that many will do them harm, believing they are doing a service to God. He evens instructs them that when this happens remember ‘it was I that spoke of them to you.’  In Revelations 21:8 we get a warning of what is in store for those who fall away from the faith.

Revelation 21:8    

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.’

We do not want to put aside or forget the heroism of the early church but must take note that there were many who whose faith was not great enough and thus unable to resist the constant persecution and their endurance was not strong enough to keep them from falling away. Jesus wanted all of His followers from the very start of the ministry to never be able to say they didn’t know the cost. There was a certain glory in following the way but there was also a cross as well. We as the church today would do well to remember and understand that. Jesus said there were two ways his followers would be persecuted. Being excommunicated from the synagogue was one way. This was particularly painful for a Jew. To the Jew the synagogue was life and the Rabbis were always saying that unless prayer was offered in the synagogue it was not effective. One point to remember and often misunderstood is that the synagogue was the center of Jewish life and fellowship. Jews tended to stay together and did much of their business among themselves. To be excommunicated  was a big deal. There are some people that feel they do not need human company but these disciples were simple men and they needed the fellowship, they needed the synagogue and its worship. Joan of Arc said, ‘It is better to be alone with God.’ Sometimes, loneliness in society is the price of fellowship with God. (DBD) It does not exactly jump out at you but there is a plea, subdued as it may be…for unity of spirit, a coming together. We see it today if we look closely at the Christian Community.  Many things are done in the church community in the name of God but in actuality it is their own idea of religion. In their minds they believe they have sole possession of God’s truth and grace. This lack of unity in the faith leaves us with a barrier of unity between believers and churches. While today it does not always lead to exclusion from God’s house, we still are faced with those who believe there is only one way to Him. To put these first four verses in simple laymen’s terms…Jesus is saying to the disciples….I am offering you the hardest task in the world… Are you big enough to accept it?

From across the centuries  there comes that question again but phrased differently… Are We? The way of the cross is not one of ease but it is the way to glory. Jesus wants men and women who with eyes wide open are ready to venture forth in His name. Next week we will move on to verses 5-11…Hope you will join us then, in The Pew. 

Life is Good

jk

As a nation we are uncertain about our future. The cultural and societal changes being driven by the social justice warriors and generational culture changes have brought this uncertainty on us. The uncertainty has found its way into our churches as well.

For the disciples this was a time of great uncertainty. Taking some literary liberty I get the impression that they were confused and uncertain about what Jesus is saying to them in this chapter. Consider this…there are many things happening in our world today that impact our life and not always in a good way. I try hard to keep the blogs from “The Pew” out of the politics of the day. If you are a Christian and have done your homework you know that from the Garden to this very day sin and the cost of it have always been with us. As an example…Leviticus is a book of the OT that is mostly about laws that kept the Hebrew people safe, healthy and peaceful. The laws found here were applied from 1445 bc until shortly after the death of Christ and the Temple being destroyed in 70AD. It is an important book because of the many laws contained in it are for the Jewish People and are seldom studied by Christians because Jesus freed us from the letter of the law. Scripture is always easily applied to situations of the current day. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

I believe we all would welcome some good works right now. I find it hard to believe that most Americans are satisfied with the “State of The Union” at this point in time. Let’s go back aways to the conversation Jesus was having with his disciples in Chapter 14. The ministry had never been an easy one and as time went by and His following increased, the pressure from both the Roman Government and Jewish influencers was I am sure felt by Jesus, the disciples and followers. Allow me to make another point…These 12 ordinary men were walking, talking, being instructed by no less than God incarnate …. How awesome is that! Jesus is slowly bringing them along on His journey to the cross and they fail to see not just a promise but a revelation! 

John 5:6-7

5 Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 6 Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

In verses 15-17 of chapter 14 Jesus promises to send a helper to the disciples…

John 14:15–17  ‘If you love me, keep my commandments; and I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, I mean the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive him, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him because he remains among you and will be within you.’ 

Notice, Jesus equates their love for Him by keeping His commandments. One test of love is obedience. Jesus showed his love for God by His obedience to him.A bit of trivia here. Jesus knew we were weak and he prepared us for that weakness he knew would lay heavy on us after he was gone. The authorized version gives it as the comforter. The Greek word is really untranslatable…one early theologian translates it as helper. If that does anything for it, it certainly adds a richness to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit…it simply means someone who is called in. Works for me. How often in the turmoil of this world do we have to call in the spirit to strengthen and lift us up in times of uncertainty? 

John 14:18-24

18 ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ 23 Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

Here is yet another promise to not forget. We wrap this blog up with verses 25-27 chapter 14, another promise.

John 14:25-27

25 ‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 

There is much in this world to cause us to fear the day or hesitate to give thanks for all we have…just remember the Promises. 

Life is Good

jk

2 Chronicles 7:14 New International Version (NIV)

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

The word of God cries out to us as never before. Just as our scripture today demands to be contextual it is abundantly so that this tragedy in Texas be treated in the same way. There will be many theories as to why and how that day came to be, none will do justice to the tragedy and in all probability will be nothing more than and exercise in placing blame. Truth is, we all share in the blame and the shame of allowing our nation to have fallen so far from God that our Morales have become nothing more than slogans and our faith in God a matter of convenience to often influenced by cultural and societal agendas.  

Here is 7:14 in its context…

12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

This verse 7:14 is tied to the Temple and to Israel with a warning that from time to time it is possible that God could come against them. If we read on we have more insight into the context.

2 Chronicles 7:19-22 “But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21 And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 22 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this disaster on them.’ ”

In Deuteronomy 28 God entered into a Covenant with Israel. God tells them he will take care of them and they will prosper as long as they obeyed Him. You can view it anyway you want but the simple fact was their prosperity was dependent on their obedience to God. 

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. (ESV)

Solomon would have recognized that the divine blessing and divine punishment on Israel were conditional on their obedience or disobedience. It is at this point that we must acknowledge that covenant with Israel was much different from what we have today. The covenant was to the nation of Israel…en masse…the nation as   a whole. We are in a completely different situation…we are not a theocracy. Now I am sure that not every Israeli went to their knees in prayer but the plea went to the nation as a whole. There are some  scriptures involved here that would be of some help.  

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Biblical history reminds us of those who came before us carrying high the Cross of Christ. We should turn from our evil ways, pick up the Cross and continue the race.

1Timothy 2:1-2

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

It is only right and just that as a nation we turn to our God in humble prayer.

Romans 8:1

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

We serve a God of restoration…not condemnation. 

We will find no comfort in those who rail, accuse and condemn in pursuit of their own agendas…But know this…All across this great nation there are those on their knees in their churches and the privacy of their homes that may be assured that any loss of his creation is felt by our Father in Heaven. Sometimes there are no words…just the groaning of the believer that only God can understand. Sometimes life ain’t all that good but…

God is Good

jk

Resource:  gotquestions.org

There are many times in our life where we apply the phrase I believe, most of the time it is a general statement to any issue that crosses our path in living our everyday lives. I believe it to be one of two things, truth or opinion or a commitment or a thought regarding a certain situation. Looking back there was a song sung by Elvis Presley in his early years, it was on a gospel album he recorded. The title of that song was I Believe. The lyrics are below….

I believe, for every drop of rain that falls, 

A flower grows…

I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, 

A candle glows… 

I believe for everyone who goes astray, 

Someone will come, to show the way,

I believe, I believe…

I believe, above the storm the smallest prayer, 

Will still be heard… 

I believe, that someone in the great somewhere, 

Hears every word… 

Every-time I hear a newborn baby cry, 

Or touch a leaf, or see the sky, 

Then I know why, I believe! 

I believe, above the storm the smallest prayer, 

Will still be heard . . . 

I believe, that someone in the great somewhere, 

Hears every word…

Everytime I hear a newborn baby cry, 

Or touch a leaf, or see the sky, 

Then I know why, I believe!

Written by: AJA VOLKMAN, DAN EPAND, DANIEL COULTER REYNOLDS, RICH KOEHLER

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC  Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Back in the day I volunteered at the US Parks Service, White Water center in Polk County Tn. I remember when I entered the Cherokee National Forest on my way to the center how majestic and peaceful were the mountains and my thoughts were always how great is my God who has created this wonderful place. There are many reasons all around us to make our hearts sing…I Believe… The lyrics of this song do a good job sharing some things that lead us to believe. Savor the words of this song…then take the time to ask yourself….Why do I Believe?

Life is Good

jk

We travel back to a time in the early church and here in Acts 7 we meet Saul, who would soon become Paul, a driving force in  establishing  the early church. But on this day we see Saul stand by while the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul…and scripture says,

 8:1 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

The him they were killing was Stephen.One of many who answered God’s call.  Stephen is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as one of seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to distribute food and charitable aid to poorer members of the community in the early church. Other than the scripture as a guide in writing this blog I will look to one of my favorite commentaries…DBS, William Barclay. We have met Saul and now we shall meet Stephen, THE MAN WHO ANSWERED GOD’S CALL. The bible tells us that Stephen was full of grace and power and did much good among the people. There were some who argued with Stephen because they did not understand the wisdom and spirit he possessed. They contrived to get some other men to say they heard him blaspheme through spoken word both Moses and God. All of this stirred up the people and he was arrested and put on trial before the High Priest and the council. Stephen then stood up before them and defended himself. 

Stephen chose history as a means of defense and cited certain truths as condemnation of his own nation. He reminded them that  the people who heard God’s command were a great part of Israel’s history. He pointed to the fact that they, the Jews of their time , now at this time were afraid to step out. Their desire was to keep things as they were and regarded Jesus and his followers as dangerous innovators. Stephen reminded them that people had always worshiped God, even before there was a Temple. Now to the Jews the Temple was the most sacred of all places. Stephen believed that God dwelt everywhere the people would gather to worship and that did not sit well with the Jews. Then he made an astounding statement. All through the ages they had persecuted the prophets and abandoned the leaders whom God had raised up, including Jesus Christ, it was a natural conclusion to a disagreement. They were angered even more for these were hard truths for those people who believed they were chosen by God.  

Standing before the High Priest and the Council Stephen proceeds with the history lesson and he starts with Abraham, it is with him that Jewish history began. Abraham was a man who answered God’s summons. As the writer to the Hebrews put it, Abraham left home without knowing where he was to go. Abraham was a man of faith. He did not know where he was going, but he  trusted God’s guidance.  Even though never seeing God’s promise fulfilled Abraham was a man of hope. As with Abraham we should be a people ready to answer God’s command, to move forward and not cling to the past. Stephen then moves on to Joseph his family which had sold him into Egypt. Joseph did well in Egypt and rose to a position of power there. When the famine struck the land Joseph’s father sent his brothers there to look for food. You know the story when they came before Joseph they were afraid he would kill them because of what they had done to him. He did not. He brought all his family there to be with him and gave them all they needed to live. Stephen sums up the characteristics of Joseph in two words – grace and wisdom. His grace transferred to a generous charm that put their fears to rest. Wisdom simply put for a Christian is the ability to see things as God sees them. It is as if Stephen is saying to these Jews…you are mired in the past and prisoners of your own law. Yours is not the view God sees of the future. Stephen continues on with the example of Moses. This was the man that answered God’s command to go out. It is said that this was a man that literally gave up a kingdom to answer God’s summons to be the leader of his people. Stephen now begins to raise the tempo of his defense….He says there is the continued disobedience of the people. He reminds them that they have been blessed with an abundance of the most amazing privileges. Their condemnation is justified because they had every chance to know better, they continuously rebelled against God. They had limited God to a Temple….his reasoning was they loved the Temple more than God. Their God was a God of all people and his Temple was the whole universe. Now comes the end…You have consistently persecuted the prophets…and then he slams the door in their faces by telling them….you have murdered the Son of God. For Stephen there is the sorrow that sees a people who have refused the destiny that God offered them. 

I hope you will read Acts chapter 7 in full. We need a Stephen today to remind us to remember our Christian history, to look back at the courage of those whose willingness to step out gave us hope, courage, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Life is Good

jk