Sept 1 - 1 Kings 9:15

This is the account

of the forced labor Solomon used

to build the Temple and the palace.

1 Kings 9:15

 

It’s Labor Day.

 

Therefore, I went seeking for a verse about labor.

 

I didn’t expect such a depressing verse!

 

Yet isn’t that how many of us think about Labor? It’s “forced.”

 

Because we need a paycheck, we have to work. The boss is a slave driver. We’re chained to our desk. Even church “work” can become a burden. (Indeed, it took forced labor to get the Temple built.)

 

If you struggle with a burdensome view of work, I invite you to glance at God’s “work.” On the first six days, God did what? He created! It was fun! He was looping rings around Saturn and inventing duck-billed platypi! He painted in bold colors – the blue of the sky and the ruby of the stone. He stretched sound waves until they fit beautifully in harmonious (and mathematical) vibrations.

 

Not all human jobs are fun. But they’re absolutely deadly when we’ve outfitted our spirit with complaint. Whatever your job, I invite you to infuse it with creativity – even if you’re “just” stacking tomatoes on a grocery shelf. When you interact with people at work, I invite you to see in front of you a child that God loves  -- even if your job is in the complaint department at Wal-mart. I invite you to keep learning on the job – because not only will it enrich your mind, but it will bless your company.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s increasingly learning

that life is 10% what happens

and 90% what we make of it

 

 

Aug 30-31 - 2 Corinthians 13:7

Now I pray to God

that you do no evil,

not that we should appear approved,

but that you should do

what is honourable...

2 Corinthians 13:7

 

Appearances. 

 

That's the theme for today. How many of us want to "appear" nice or generous or important or "approved"?

 

The Apostle says that it is what we "do" that makes us honorable, not how we "appear."

 

On the Sermon on the Mount -- Matthew 6 -- Jesus took this a step further, saying that it's often what we do "in secret" that the Father will reward. For example, when fasting, Jesus doesn't want us to "appear" haggard and gaunt to draw attention to our own sacrifice. Fasting and all spiritual disciplines are between us and God. 

 

In another example, Jesus berated the wealthy for making a show of how much they were giving -- appearances -- and commended a poor widow who was quietly putting in her last two cents. 

 

When we focus on appearances, we run the risk of being like the Pharisees whom Jesus once called "white-washed tombs," We definitely don't want to be clean on the outside and full of death on the inside!

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who needs to be white-washed,

because on my own, I do have death inside

(Wash me white, Lord Jeaus.)

Aug 29 - 1 Corinthians 15:24

Then comes the end, when

he delivers the kingdom

to God the Father after

destroying every rule and

every authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:24

 

There are five parts to the Christian story. Past, present, and future are three of these parts.

 

My past, for example, includes kindergarten at St. John's Lutheran Church in Roanoke, Virginia. My past also includes the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, because Jesus has grafted my past into a greater past. 

 

When I marry a couple in the present, I'm also and often part of their future, baptizing the children that today are just a dream. 

 

But past, present, and future are only three of the five stages. 

 

I wasn't there to see the beginning, the earliest stage. But I daily enjoy the fruits of God saying, "let there be light ... and rivers ... and crawfish ..: and fruit trees. 

 

I (may or) may not be here to witness the "end" of this old earth. But that doesn't mean it's not coming. And that doesn't mean it's not part of my story. 

 

In 1 Corinthians 15:24, Paul the Apostle gives us a glimpse of the end, saying, "Then comes the end ..."

 

Jesus will "deliver[] the kingdom to God the Father." Just as God once required the action of his Son to deliver us from our sins, Jesus' action will be required to "restore" the kingdom to God the Father.

 

You see, God is THE King of Creation. But the King is allowed to delegate his authority. And God did just that in Genesis 1. He gave humankind dominion over the works of his hands. And while we retained much day-to-day authority to bless -- or break -- things in this life, we gave away practical authority of this world to the serpent in Genesis 3. That's why Satan is called "the (lower case) ruler of this world."

 

That's our present. That's our day-to-day future. But that's not the end!

 

"When" will Jesus "deliver[] the kingdom to God the Father"? After he "destroy[s] every rule and every authority and power."

 

Yes, Satan won't go easily. But let's focus on our part ,,,

 

We've given our authority away. To "deliver" us, God must "destroy" sin -- our sin. It's a Cosmic battle on a Cosmic scale. But it's also a personal battle on a personal scale. And it can start right now. 

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who prays

- hopefully with you --

"God I'm tired of trying to be

in control of my own life,

and I confess that that's code for

diverting authority from you,

and giving it ultimately to Satan.

Lord, destroy the bonds of false priority

and deliver me daily and eternally

Into the joy of your kingdom!"

Aug 28 - Psalm 28:1

O Lord ...

if you are silent to me,

I shall be like those

who go down to the Pit.

Psalm 28:1

Do you ever feel like your prayers go no further than the ceiling? That God is not listening ... not speaking ... not caring?

Psalm 28 compares each moment of God's (perceived) silence to Hell itself.

·       Hell is the literal absence of God. In one sense, it's a literal place that is void of God (and of light and hope and forgiveness and joy) to be sure.

·       But hell is also any circumstance where we experience the absence of peace and purpose, hope and joy.

And the silence of God is hell ... or at least it feels like it.

The New Living Translation renders the futility of this verse and this experience like this: "For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die." (Have you ever been there?!)

There are two primary reasons for God to be silent.

1.      The first is sin. People all the time ask God to bless their circumstances ... when their situation is not godly. For example, we all hope for the best for a nice young couple that's living together. But while God “hopes the best” for them too, He will likely be “silent” as long as they're mocking his command for covenantal marriage.

Indeed, God can't bless what he doesn't condone. So silence is often a symptom of sin.

But because sin is a major reason for God's silence, guilt often swallows us when we perceive a silence from heaven. "What did I do wrong, God? Why do you hate me?"

God's silence -- even while he is rejecting sin -- is out of love ... not anger.

Sin hurts us -- often progressively kills us – and this true even when we seem to be enjoying a sin temporarily. Therefore, to heal us, God will often do whatever if takes -- including the hellishness of his silence -- to woo us back.

Love! ("Thank you, God, for drawing us toward your continual best.")

2.      But ... lest we wallow in total guilt and grief over God's silence, there's another purpose to heaven's quietness; Pruning and Discipline.

Ask any grand prayer warrior and they'll tell you of seasons of silence.

When we begin to pray, we are like children. Our methods are sincere but elementary. Therefore, to grow us, God-the-wise-teacher has to occasionally raise the level of challenge.

Silence is one of those methods designed to produce growth. His silence forces prayer pupils to mine the depths of their present prayer techniques and to try (even in desperation) new-to-them techniques like solitude, fasting, and study.

God's silence often feels like hell. But it's really out of love. Whether he's turning us from sin or deepening our relationship with him, God's silence is designed to bless us.

Thank him, therefore for his occasional quietness. And use it as an occasion to listen more deeply. His whispers are usually deeper and more rewarding than his shouts.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who needs hearing aids

... and the greatest aids to hearing God

are patience, persistence, and confession

Aug 27 - 1 Timothy 3:16

Without any doubt,

the mystery of our religion is great:

He was revealed in flesh,

vindicated in spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among Gentiles,

believed in throughout the world,

taken up in glory.

1 Timothy 3:16

Yesterday, we talked about what a theological "mystery" is. Basically it is an opportunity to trust in God – even when we don’t fully understand something yet. (Or it is equally an opportunity to doubt and deny).

 

Today, let's ask what the mystery IS that the Apostle Paul is proclaiming. What, indeed, is the wondrous mystery of the Gospel?

 

To unravel this mysterious truth and revelation, let's look at the verbs. Jesus was

 

·         "revealed,"

·         "vindicated" (cleared victoriously of the false charges against him),

·         "seen" (witnessed),

·         "proclaimed,"

·         "believed," and

·         "taken up in glory" (exalted).

When we study those verbs, most of these are God's actions. The others are our response. And the wonderful blessing of the Gospel occurs when God's actions intersect with our response. 

What are God's actions revealed here through Jesus Christ?

 

·         Jesus was "revealed." Throughout the ages, our Lord was "hidden" in heaven (though his glory could be clearly seen -- see Romans 1:20ff). But with his incarnation, coming in human flesh, the Messiah -- and God's plan of redemption -- was fully revealed. 

 

·         Jesus was "vindicated." as we said above, he was victoriously cleared of the false charges against him. And what was the proof of his righteous innocence? His resurrection! He was accused of blasphemy, of saying that he was God. The resurrection validated his claims and vindicated his name. 

 

·         And he was "taken up in glory." He was exalted. He lives and reigns at the right hand of the Father. He is King. Victorious. Reigning forever. 

And what is our human response? 

 

·         The first response is to "believe." Do we trust this revelation or not? Do we bow our hearts to this King?

 

·         The second response -- to all who have "seen" him (whether we saw him resurrected in First Century Israel or whether we witness him powerfully with our heart today) -- is to "proclaim." If The Lord of heaven and your Savior is King of your life, don't keep it a secret!

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to witness

the wonderful blessing of the Gospel

which occurs when God's actions

(revealing, forgiving, and saving)

intersect with my faith and proclamation

 

 

 

 

 

What is a "mystery" -- especially in terms of faith and religion?

 

Well ... it's something that may be hard to explain, BUT it is not incomprehensible. 

 

It is generally something bigger than our limited brains ... and rarely do we like admitting that! We like to be large and in charge. But Comprehending a religious mystery requires humble submission and trust -- and most of us don't like submission and generally it's hard to trust what we can't see or fully make sense of. 

 

But isn't that what faith ultimately is? 

 

It is admitting that there is a being bigger than us. 

It is trusting in the wonders of his revelations -- whether they are wonderful or mysterious. 

As it says in Hebrews 11:1, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." 

 

My translation of that is this: "Faith is a conviction in a few key mysteries, and it is the blessed assurance that comes increasingly when God's power and presence intersects with our feeble faith!"

 

Tomorrow, we'll focus on the content of the mystery proclaimed in 1 Timothy 3:16. Today, we'll simply pray ...

 

"1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.7 Where ... can I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there ...; 9 If I ... settle at the farthest limits of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me ..." 

 

Lord, you are bigger than I am. Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Help me bend my heart to the wonders of your ways ... and Truth ... and the revelations of your Word. And help me, along with the Psalmist, to "14 praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who turns 

mysteries to praise

... rather than 

mysteries into doubts

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

Aug 26 - 1 Timothy 3:16

Without any doubt,

the mystery of our religion is great:

He was revealed in flesh,

vindicated in spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among Gentiles,

believed in throughout the world,

taken up in glory.

1 Timothy 3:16

What is a "mystery" (especially in terms of faith and religion)?

Well ... it's something that may be hard to explain, but it is not incomprehensible. 

It is generally something bigger than our limited brains ... and rarely do we like admitting that! We like to be large and in charge. But comprehending a religious mystery requires humble submission and trust -- and most of us don't like submission and generally it's hard to trust what we can't see or fully make sense of. 

 

But isn't that what faith ultimately is?

 

·         It is admitting that there is a being bigger than us. 

·         It is trusting in the wonders of his revelations -- whether they are wonderful or mysterious. 

·         As it says in Hebrews 11:1, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." 

 

My translation of that is this: "Faith is a conviction in a few key mysteries, and it is the blessed assurance that comes increasingly when God's power and presence intersects with our feeble faith!"

Tomorrow, we'll focus on the content of the mystery proclaimed in 1 Timothy 3:16. Today, we'll simply pray (main along with Psalm 139) ...

 

"1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from far away.

4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord,

you know it completely.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is so high that I cannot attain it.

7 Where ... can I flee from your presence?

8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there ...;

9 If I ... settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

10 even there your hand shall lead me ..."

Lord, you are bigger than I am.

Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts.

Help me bend my heart to the wonders of your ways

... and your Truth ... and the revelations of your Word.

And help me, along with the Psalmist, to

"14 praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works [O Lord,] that I know very well.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

24 See if there is any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who turns

mysteries to praise

... rather than

mysteries into doubts

 

 

Aug 25 - Psalm 119:73

give me understanding

that I may learn

Psalm 119:73

School is starting. 

 

·         This week we pray for students: May they gain knowledge and discover truth. 

·         And this week we pray for teachers: Thank you for tending our children. May God give you patience ... and boldness … as you impart Truth (rather then just pass along information). 

·         And this week we pray for parents: Your role is crucial. You shape values, teach priorities, and inspire faith. May God equip you for this ministry … for the sake of your children in this vulnerable age. 

 

As we begin this week of learning and equipping, we turn to the Psalms -- in fact, to the longest Psalm. Psalm 119 is all about learning. And in Psalm 119:73 we cry with the Psalmist: "give me understanding that I may learn ..."

Look at those two key words. "Learning" is defined as "acquiring knowledge." "Understanding" is knowing what to do with that knowledge. Learning often focuses on facts and information. Understanding is deeper; it usually involves wisdom, application, values, and purpose. 

We don't just want our children to learn. We want them to understand, apply, and act wisely. 

And part of the most important learning is knowing what to learn. So ... what should we learn? Listen to the Psalms ...

 

·         Psalm 119:7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances.

·         Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I was humbled, so that I might learn your statutes.

·         Psalm 119:73 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

What should we really learn? What is the only thing that will endure forever? It is taking to heart God's "way of life"

-- including his righteous laws, commands, and statutes. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who is praying for

students, teachers, and parents

that chemistry, calculus, and ABC's

may be undergirded with

righteousness too

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

One Service 10am!!!! Awesome food after!!!!

Last minute iPhone reminder!!!!

See you at 10

By chance ... anybody driving to Georgia on Tuesday

Abby Baumbarger – a lifetime SOJ member and new Marine – was home on medical leave and needs a ride back to Georgia on Tuesday. Anybody going (or willing to go) that direction. If so, call her mom, Rebecca Gordon – 704-989-6006.

Prayers for August? Let me know!

Our August Prayer Time approaches

Come anytime, Saturday, Aug 2, 8-noon

And email me back …

How can we pray for you this month!