Amplified Paul

For this light momentary affliction...

far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, 
...this light momentary affliction 
and often near death. Five times I received … the forty lashes less one. 
...this light momentary affliction 
Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned.
...this light momentary affliction 
Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys,
...this light momentary affliction
in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;
...this light momentary affliction
in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

is preparing for us...

What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him
...is preparing for us
the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed
...is preparing for us
What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.
...is preparing for us
It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.
...is preparing for us
It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
...is preparing for us
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.

This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

(2 Corinthians 4:17, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44,52, 2 Corinthians 11:23-27)

Jonah

Some of us need a storm and a fish
We've bought the tickets, and we're on our way
Somewhere, anywhere, just away
Away from that intrusive, demanding Person
Who loves us more than we want Him to
And wants better for us than we want for ourselves

Some of us need a storm and a fish
To drag us out of that grave that we're busy digging for ourselves
And back, kicking and screaming
To the life that is more real and more painful and more hopeful
Than any fantasy we could possibly write for ourselves.
Some of us need a storm and a fish

May God in His mercy send them.

Inspired by today's service at Grace EV Free of Fullerton

I looked for God intently
I sought Him high and low
He showed his glory to me
But there I could not go

I wanted all the beauty
But not the sov'reign King
I hoped he'd make me happy
Instead He made me sting

His law showed my rebellion
His light revealed my heart
I learned I was a hellion
Born sinful from the start

I could not bear to see this
I shut my eyes and fled
But though I tried to flee this
God captured me instead

He called out, "Child, where are you?"
I whispered, "Here I am."
"I cannot stand before you,
for you will surely damn."

"Your wrath is all that's owed me
I'm blacker than I know"
He silenced me and showed me
His gifts for me, His foe

He gave His Son a ransom
For debts I could not pay
So I could have a welcome
In heav'n on Judgment Day.

He gave His Spirit to me
His light to light my road
His power to renew me
And strength to bear my load

How can I flee my Savior?
I'm pris'ner of His love.
I'm bound to Christ, the Victor.
En route to heav'n above.

One day I'll see His face there
And know as I've been known
Thank God for all His favor,
Praise be to Him alone!

Is Satan brother of Jesus?

Mormons claim that the Bible teaches that all spiritual beings (including Jesus, angels, human beings and Satan) are brothers under God the Father (http://mormonvoices.org/1/jesus-brother-of-satan)  The key points of the argument are:

1. God is "the Father of all spirits" (Hebrews 12:9).
2. We are spirits, as are Jesus and Satan, therefore God is our spiritual Father.
3. If we all have the same spiritual father, then we are spiritual brothers of each other and of Jesus and Satan, and they too are spiritual brothers of each other.

Straightforward enough.  But the word "all" is not present in the Greek text.  A literal translation such as the ESV reads as follows:

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (Hebrews 12:9, ESV)

All that this passage then affirms is that God is Father of some spirits, not necessarily of all of them.

A Mormon who was fluent in his Scripture might, however, point us to Ephesians 4:4-6, where it says:

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6, ESV)

Here it says God is "Father of all," but the question is "all what?"  All creation?  All living things (plants and animals alike)?"  All people?  All believers?  It doesn't say.  Given that this passage is part of a larger section that speaks to the church about the relationships that fellow believers are to have with each other, it seems most likely that, "Father of all" means "Father of all believers," in which case it does not support the claim that God is the Father of all spirits, or in particular, of Satan.

Jesus himself identifies "spirits" (according to the Mormon definition) whose father is not God in John 8:37-44:

"I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”  
They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:37-44, ESV)

Here the Pharisees with whom Jesus is talking agree completely with the Mormons that God is their Father but Jesus denies it and identifies their father as the devil.  God the Father loves Jesus and tells the truth, Satan hates Jesus and tells lies.  Because the Pharisees do the things that Satan does, they show clearly that Satan is their father and not God.

If God cannot be Father of those spirits who hate Jesus and tell lies, can He be Father of Satan?  Obviously not.  What spirits, then, is Hebrews 12:9 speaking of?  Certainly the Holy Spirit is included in the group, for He is the spirit that pre-eminently loves Jesus and tells the truth.  In Revelation 1:4, 3:1, 4:5 and 5:6, the Holy Spirit is described as "the seven spirits", so it would make perfect sense if Hebrews 12:9 were understood to mean "God the Father of the seven spirits," or "God the Father of the Holy Spirit."  God is also Father of those who have learned by the power of the Spirit to call Him "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6).

But God is not Father of all those who call Him "Father".  The Pharisees whom Jesus addressed in John 6 called God Father, and he showed them to be mistaken.  Just as not all who call Jesus Lord will be acknowledged by Him in the end (Matthew 7:21-23), so also not all who call God their Father will be acknowledged by Him in the end.  "You will recognize them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16).  These fruits will not be seen in their prophesying or casting out of demons or doing mighty works, but in their love of Jesus and the truth.  If people show these in their lives, we can conclude that they have God as their Father, but not otherwise.

Questions about the relevance of the Old Testament Law

A widely circulated letter falsely attributed to Dr James Kauffman and addressed variously to Dr. Laura and George W. Bush poses several rather sarcastic questions about the relevance of Old Testament law to modern society.  I don't know if anyone has ever answered these questions online, but if they haven't, I've answered the questions below for the benefit of anyone who has seen his letter and is curious about how to apply Old Testament law to modern society.


The important thing to note throughout is that in Jesus Christ, the purpose of much of the Old Testament law is accomplished and therefore no longer necessary. This is not true of the entire law, however. For example, the Ten Commandments are not superceded - we still are not to murder, steal or commit adultery. But many of the questions below relate to laws that are superceded (even though they may be based on principles which are still valid). If you would like to know more specifics about to what extent the laws and the principles which they instantiate are still relevant today, feel free to ask me, and I'll do my best to provide the answers.


My answers to the questions are in blue italics below

Dear Dr. Laura: 

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ... End of debate. 

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them. 

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are from neighboring nations. 

A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians.Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians? 

Answer: Since slavery was commonplace in the ancient world, laws were made to regulate it rather than attempting to abolish it. However Paul, in his letter to Philemon, essentially abolished any religious underpinnings for slavery by telling Philemon that he should welcome Onesimus, his runaway slave who had become a Christian, back as a brother and treat him as a friend. Though it took many centuries for the implications of this teaching to make themselves fully felt, it was a foundational motive for the abolition of slavery.

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? 

Answer: See the answer to the previous question.

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24.

The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Answer: Jewish law spoke extensively about uncleanness because God was teaching the people about his holiness and they needed to learn that we need to be made clean before we can approach him. However the kind of cleansing we need is the spiritual cleaning that is accomplished by Jesus Christ through his work on the cross as we place our faith in him. When Christ died, he fulfilled the primary intent of all of the Jewish laws regarding cleanliness, so they are no longer needed. However some of them can still be profitably followed for pragmatic reasons. This one, for example, had the practical purpose of restraining a man from trying to have sex with his wife during her period, a restraint which still might be desirable.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

Answer: Like the Jewish laws about cleanliness, the laws about sacrifices pointed to the sacrifice that Jesus would ultimately make on our behalf. Once he died for our sins, the animal sacrifices were no longer needed to pay for our sins, so it is no longer necessary to sacrifice a bull for that purpose. As for smiting one's neighbor, see the discussion on the next question. 

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death.Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

Answer: Old Testament law requires that in capital cases that there be two witnesses of the crime, so he must not kill the man himself, but must take it before a court with another witness to the event. If the man is convicted, the witness will be required to throw the first stones.

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

Answer: His friend is correct. The violation of dietary laws did not call for capital punishment while violating other kinds of laws did. But while there may be practical reasons for not eating specific forbidden foods (such as pork, which until recently in modern countries transmitted several kinds of diseases), as moral laws, the dietary laws were superceded by Jesus when he declared that people were made unclean not by what went into them (the food they ate) but by what came out of them - sinful words and behaviors. However the law against homosexuality was never superceded, and Paul emphasizes in Romans 1 that disordered sexual desires are a foundational consequence of our rebellion against God.

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here? 

Answer: Similarly to the laws about cleanliness, this law was intended to remind the Jews that God is perfect and nothing that is flawed will survive in His presence. Jesus, in his death and resurrection, made a way for our flaws to be made right. His healing ministry was also a pointer in this direction, for one day he will heal all the hurts and flaws of his people and everyone who belongs to him will stand before God in heaven completely clean and perfect. So by faith in Jesus those with physical defects of any kind can now approach the altar without fear.

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27.How should they die?

Answer: This was never a capital crime, so talk of the death penalty here is absurd. Rather it was a command not to imitate the dress and style of the pagans around them, and no different in intent than prohibiting school children from wearing gang clothing on school campuses today.

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

Answer: See the discussion of the cleanliness laws above.

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16.Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

Answer: The question of mixing crops and fabrics is too complex to handle here, but the issue of blasphemy is simply a matter of societal survival. To blaspheme is not simply to say swear words, but to speak evil about or wish evil upon God - sort of like a teenager saying that she wished that her mom would be raped and have her purse stolen. When your community depends for your wellbeing on God, this is not the kind of thing you should say to or about him, and could result in punishments that would imperil the entire community. The threat of capital punishment was intended to protect the whole community from the consequences of making these kinds of statements. As for sleeping with one's inlaws - does anyone really think it is a good idea for a woman to have sex with her son-in-law or a man with his mother-in-law?

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Amazing Missionaries

One of the fun things about praying for my church's missionaries is that I hear such amazing news about these great people.  Richard and Ruth Dix are a couple of senior citizens (I don't know their age, but they are at least in their 70s) who are hard at work in the Congo with Samaritan's Purse rebuilding a hospital after it was destroyed in that country's brutal civil war.  Below is their email of May 26th to their prayer supporters.  To more fully appreciate this, you should also know that Ruth had a stroke about nine months ago and is now fully recovered.  When I grow up, I want to be like Richard and Ruth.

Rich has been very busy this month-doing what??  He has to keep the various crews working, supplies ready such as cement, sand, and gravel, fix the planer that would not start one afternoon, design furniture for the carpenters to make, and lay out the pathways for the masons to prepare and pour for examples. In the middle of such tasks, the pickup driver comes with a bill for stones and gravel, so Rich runs up to the house on his ATV to get the dollar cash which is the currency we use for all expenses.  Then the head nurse of pediatrics comes to him and needs power from the new solar system (which generates a lot of electricity) to run the oxygen concentrator for a child with pneumonia just admitted who also needs a transfusion.  Time is critical to keep the child alive.  Rich does have a couple of assistants who help a lot, but still he can not seem to get to the finish plumbing and the epoxy coating on the floors that he must do or at least get started.  We promise to send photos of the finished building inside and outside next month.  Continue to PRAY for stamina to finish well.

Ruth continues to feel well, see patients in the dispensary during the morning hours with one of the younger doctors so she can also be teaching.  We have been blessed at home to have visits from several of the Wolcott family with whom we lived and worked in our earlier years here.  Ruth will complete the study of John’s gospel in two weeks with the group of staff doctors.  We will host a two day spiritual retreat for Samaritan’s Purse staff from Bunia and Nyankunde in early June.  PRAY for each of these activities.

We  praise the Lord for the influence Rich’s forest lumber cutting crew has had on the local community where they have their base and sleep at night called Ofai.  When the men started two and a half years ago, there was a small church with about 20-30 people in attendance on a Sunday morning.  Through the active witness of the men there are now 150-200 hearing the Word of God each week.  Three of the crew-Mandala, Manganga, and Safari preach some times and have also have devotions daily with the entire team.  The “church building” is just poles with a metal roof and is too small for those who come!  PRAY for more people to trust Christ and be taught.

Chat with a skeptic

A chat session with a skeptic (slightly edited for clarity).  It began before this as a political discussion, but where it went from there is interesting.


Skeptic:
Why not? We have been lied to since the beginning of time :)
wait till you see what's in store for us in the next 20 yrs
the enslavement
Myself:
I'm not expecting history to end pleasantly - anyone who reads the Bible knows that, but I think people will act "rationally" right up to the end
Skeptic:
why is the bible the only religious book that's accurate?
why are all the others wrong?
Myself:
 well, I believe that it is accurate, and any others are accurate at least as much as they agree with it
if they disagree, then I know which one I think is correct
Skeptic:
maybe we're all praying to the same god with a different interpretation
me personally even though I'm a christian, I'm more impressed with the Dali Lama than any other top religious leader
Myself:
Krishna = Allah = Jesus = Confuscious = ...?
Skeptic: 
strong in mind body and spirit
with much conviction
Myself: 
do you really believe that they're all the same?
Skeptic:
or were they all made up by a man?
Myself: well, if one man told a story 2600 years ago about another man who was going to die and rise from the dead to save his people, how did he know that 600 years later it would happen?
Skeptic:
and how did the story not get twisted?
and how do we know that it didn't?
Myself:
because we have texts from before the events that say the same thing as they say now
Skeptic:
maybe they put them in a washer and dryer many times so they look old
Myself:
you're funny
Skeptic:
and how do they know the earth is 4million years old
wheres noah's arc?
Myself:
the Jewish Bible has the story told 2600 years ago - why would they have twisted it if they don't believe in Jesus?
Skeptic:
shouldn't we have found animal carcasses?
why do jews believe the messiah hasn't come yet?
Myself:
because they don't believe that Jesus fulfilled all of the promises
Skeptic:
and why would they be god's people if they don't believe he has come yet
doesn't that show the ultimate form of historical ignorance by his "chosen people"
what about me? why am I not chosen?
as you can see I have a lot of questions :)
Myself:
why should you be chosen?  Do you want to be?
Skeptic:
if I was confirmed and convicted maybe I'd die for these sacks of trash that forsaked me too 
anyway I'm going to sign up to help "people"
not gods
Myself:
it looks to me like you've set up all kinds of barriers against being convicted - that every evidence that might point that way is a human invention and every evidence that points against it is gospel truth
so I really don't expect that you ever will be
Skeptic:
that's you're opinion and you're entitled to it
but at the same time I've been told that if I have ever been saved then I am always saved
so does that mean that I can do whatever I want now?
Myself:
saved people are saved from their sin, not saved to sin with abandon
Skeptic:
so what's worse, sin against myself or sin against others?
or are they the same
Myself:
all sin alienates us from God, some sin also does damage to our neighbors
Skeptic:
what if I treated everyone like god's chosen children but sinned against myself
am I going to hell for that?
but sin is still sin
Myself:
define "sin against yourself" - what do you mean by that?
Skeptic:
I'm sure you can think of some
how about suicide
drug and alcohol addiction
doing things in general to hurt your chances at this life
Myself:
ok - all of those have the common effect of making it difficult or impossible for you to use your life to glorify God or bless your neighbor.
so they are sins against both
they demand that I get to do what I want with myself and have no responsibility to others
which is the essence of sin
there are extenuating circumstances, granted
and God may forgive these too
Skeptic:
on what terms?
is this a case by case basis?
how does he have time for that?
Myself:
the same terms as He forgives all sins - with the blood of Jesus for someone who recognizes their need for it
God is omniscient and eternal - he has all the time he needs to deal with each of us individually
Skeptic:
it all sounds glorious
but is it real?
Myself:
it is
Skeptic:
in your opinion
Myself:
I'm not alone in that opinion
Skeptic:
there are 2 billion muslims that think the same thing of their religion too
Myself:
more Christians than that
Skeptic:
I heard there were only 1 billion christians in the world
Myself:
see here: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html  - 2 billion Christians, 1.5 billion Muslims
but majority vote doesn't prove things - all I'm saying is that if you think I'm a fool (which I may be), there are a lot more like me who are fools
Skeptic:
never said you were a fool
I respect your beliefs
Myself:
well, if I'm giving my money and my time away spending it on the hope of a future which is all wishful thinking, then I'd say that I'm a fool
why should I not spend it on my own pleasures instead?
Skeptic:
I know there is something there
I can feel it
and for which some of MY Christian friends think that I am a fool
I have to read the word to understand or know it
I can't feel it
thats too hard for them to grasp
Myself:
so you're sure that something is "there" - that you can feel it?
Skeptic:
of course
the true fools are the ones that can't make that distinction
all of this universe
multiverse
the galaxy the solar system
the sun the moon the planets
the rock were on 
and we are the only things that are here
gimme a break
my deeply religious friend told me the human was much more impressive than all of that
I vehemently disagree with that compared to the rest of whats out there
we are a mere biproduct
of brilliance
like a Mozart or Beethoven symphony across the stars
Myself:
so the big bang exploded and left behind Mozart or Beethoven...
I agree that the things that you describe are amazing, but I don't attribute that to the big bang by itself
I think they are evidence of God's shaping hand on the universe
Skeptic:
never said they weren't
I'm talking about what's out there
and here we are on this tiny little rock in one solar system
that's been around as long as a "vapor" according to the bible
and somehow we have aquired this divinity?
really?
Myself:
well, it wasn't by our doing, that's for sure
but evanescence doesn't say anything about our value
you can have two pieces of paper
one wrapped around a tube in the bathroom
one with the picture of a president on it with $10,000 in the corners
both paper
not equally valuable
we are dust, but dust with value
because we've been imprinted with a picture of God
Skeptic:
I hope your right
but I still find it hard to believe
Myself:
absolutely - it's the height of vanity to believe this if it's not true
Skeptic:
I'm not that attractive
Myself:
of course not - neither am I
money gets torn and damaged too - but remains valuable
and (as you well know from your Christian experience) Jesus died to make us clean again 
so it's not up to us
Skeptic:
good conversation my friend
Myself: 
yes - I very much enjoy talking about this kind of stuff

Psalm 100

[His Steadfast Love Endures Forever]
[A Psalm for giving thanks.]

[100:1] Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
[2] Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

[3] Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

[4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

[5] For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
(Psalm 100 ESV)

This morning I was thinking about why our Christian witness is so feeble sometimes, and it occurred to me that it may be that we have forgotten how to truly rejoice in the Lord. We are burdened down with the cares of our own life and flooded with bad news from TV, radio, newspapers and the web to the point where the cares of the world threaten to completely swamp us. Under such circumstances, rejoicing in the Lord seems to be little more than whistling in the dark, a futile attempt to deny the real pains of this world.

But the ancient Jews also knew much about suffering, yet somehow they managed to write poetry like Psalm 100. And they begin by urging "all the earth" to make a joyful noise to the Lord. Even pagans, idolaters and deadly enemies of both the Lord and His people are called to serve Him with gladness. It is something to imagine the noise that would be made by this polyglot crowd, each proclaiming the goodness of God in their own tongue.

The Psalmist then goes on to proclaim with joy the reason why his people in particular should celebrate. "The Lord," that is the One Whom they worshiped and Who called them out of Egypt, this One is truly God, not a dead idol. And the people He chose are the sheep of His pasture, the people whom He faithfully watches over, protects and guides into good places.

So it is good to celebrate, and we are urged to do so, to enter into the gates of His temple with thanksgiving, rather than long somber faces burdened down with the cares of the world. We are to be grateful for the Lord's steady provision and rejoice in His goodness and greatness, "for the Lord is good, and His steadfast love endures forever." Implicit in this is the idea that we ourselves will also live forever, and so be able to enjoy His love and provision forever.

This is perhaps the reason why the Psalmist could rejoice; he saw beyond the troubles of his day, real though they were, to a life in which the Lord had overcome all these evils. Evils are transient, but God's love never ends. The people of God will outlive all of the sufferings that might plague them and will enter into a joy that makes those sufferings tame by comparison.

Do we live this way ourselves? Do we see that we are part of an eternal kingdom, that Jesus has prepared a place for us in it, and that we shall live forever with Him in glory? Can we look honestly at our sufferings and the sufferings of others and know with confidence that they will fade away, and that God is able to work them all for good? If so, does this realization engender joy in our lives, a joy that shows even in the troubles of life? If we live with a vision of the sure joy that is ours, then that ought perhaps trickle out a little into the rest of our lives, and may add something to our witness that is missing now, and might help some people to believe that there really is something in Christianity that they might want.

May it be so!

Psalm 103

Of David.

103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all (every bit - nothing left out) that is within me,
bless (make Him happy with my praise of) his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits (why is it so easy to forget these?),
3 who forgives all (every bit - nothing left out) your iniquity,
who heals all (every bit - nothing left out) your diseases (indeed, the life in my body that enables it to recover from sickness is all from Him),
4 who redeems your life from the pit (again and again, as I lose myself once more in the pit),
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy (oh yes! love and mercy that endure through a thousand failures and missteps - what a splendid crown!),
5 who satisfies you with good (if it were up to me, I'd be dissatisfied with good - always looking for something "more" that is really far less - but He teaches me to be satisfied and more than satisfied with what is truly good).
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's (woohoo!).

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed (wait patiently - it will yet come).
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel (how wonderful for God to choose this little people).
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious (not giving us what we deserve and giving us what we don't deserve),
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (how sweet the endless undeserved good).
9 He will not always chide (not like my wounded pride, which constantly chides me),
nor will he keep his anger forever (not like the resentment that gnaws my heart).
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins (that's for sure),
nor repay us according to our iniquities (whew!).
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him (this is incomprehensibly wonderful);
12 as far as the east is from the west (keep going...),
so far does he remove our transgressions from us (they are gone! - all of them!).
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him (the good father, the one who runs to meet the prodigal son).
14 For he knows our frame (better than I know it myself);
he remembers that we are dust (how often I'd rather be more than dust - a superhero - but I wear myself out trying) .

15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more (the promise was that we'd be like gods - but on my own I can't be. I'm too weak and wilt like grass under the summer sun).
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him (in His love, I will live from everlasting to everlasting - as enduring as His love),
and his righteousness to children's children (thank you, Lord, for loving my children better than I can),
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments (by your grace, Lord...).
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all (everything - nothing left out - He is Lord).

20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels (yes!),
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts (yes!),
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works (yes!),
in all (every one, none left out) places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul (Amen and amen) !

Isaiah 13-20

Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Damascus, Cush, Assyria, Egypt - all powers in the land, none of them friends of the people of God. Yet despite the power with which they dominated or seduced God's people, the Lord will have the final word.

The Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day (19:21).

In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying "Blessed by Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance."

Assyria, Judah's most dangerous foe, and Egypt, her most dangerous ally, will be united with Judah and they will all be God's people. Thank you, Lord, for overcoming your enemies by making them your friends and your people.

Numbers 4

God was dangerous then. Only designated people could handle His things, and then only in the appropriate way, lest they die. He is still dangerous, and if He were to approach us so closely again, we would be in the same peril. Only the designated people could stand. Today we celebrate the birth of the One by whom we become the designated people of God, a kingdom of priests, who may touch His things without peril. It is His blood that cleanses us, that sets us apart so we may enter the Holy Place of God and stand in His presence without dying. Thank you God, for sending your Son so that all who believe in you may stand before you and live.

Numbers 2

Everything decently and in order. For those of us who feel like order and structure stifle the Spirit, this passage is an antidote. Thank you God for working in orderly ways as well as in the unexpected, for being the Creator of patterns and structure and order as well as the One who interrupts all of our tidy arrangements. Help me to learn from your ordering of things and to joyfully submit to the order that you establish for my life.

Psalm 98

Rejoice, celebrate, make a racket for the Lord, the righteous judge, comes! All we have had until now are unrighteous judges, who could not tell evil from good, whose own interests interfered with what was really right, who were blind to the truth. Even I myself have unrighteously judged myself, condemning what was right in my life and excusing what was sinful. But now the righteous judge comes and he will show the unanswerable truth about who we are. The good will be seen and celebrated for what it is, and the evil will be seen and condemned for what it is. No more wolves in sheep's clothing, no more invisible and unacknowledged good. And for those who have turned their lives over to the good shepherd, the evil that is condemned will be washed away by the blood of the Lamb and the good will be raised to new life. Praise God, for He will make things right at last!

Leviticus 26

Thank you God, for making it hard for us to not follow you. Thank you for the burdens that make life on our own insupportable, that finally drive us back to you to seek what we should have been seeking all along. And thank you that it doesn't matter when we turn, or what we were doing before we turned, that you will receive us back. Your arms are open and you will run to us and celebrate our homecoming even though moments before we were fighting you with all our hearts. Thank you for your forbearance and love.

Leviticus 25

Thank you, Lord, for having in mind for us sabbatical years, when we and our land can rest. I have no idea how that would work today, but I want to get closer to that in my life; to find seasons where I need not drive myself to achieve, but can step back and rest in your provision. It would be sweet to enter into your rest that way. Indeed it is necessary to; the Israelites were exiled one year for each sabbatical year they did not observe. May I not find myself set aside that way because I would not rest in you.

Leviticus 24

Light and bread, the two signs of the presence and provision of God through all the ages. Thank you, Lord, for being with us in the basic stuff of life, the essential provision we need.

An eye for an eye does not fix anything - that has to wait for the Second Coming - but it does make the pain of the crime felt by the one who committed it, and limits the vengeance of the one who would take two eyes in return for the one he lost. Thank you, Lord, for ordaining justice rather than injustice.

Leviticus 23

God gives His people holidays woven out of our walk of faith with Him. One day out of seven, the Sabbath teaches me that I can trust Him and let go of my agendas and my struggle to do it myself. Passover and Booths remind me to look back to God's provision for His people in delivering them from slavery and walking with them in the wilderness. First Fruits and Weeks remind me of His present provision in giving me food, clothing, my home and all that I have. Trumpets points me forward into a new year in God's care and Atonement brings me face to face with my need for cleansing from my sin and God's provision of Christ to make that once-for-all atonement for that sin.

How far my celebration of holidays has drifted from the spirit of Leviticus. Father, though I am not a part of a community that celebrates the holidays you gave your chosen people, help me to walk in their spirit in my day. Fill my Sundays, and Christmas and New Years and all of the seasons of the year with reminders that you have been faithful, you are being faithful and you will be faithful through all the seasons of my life, and help me to rest in that faithfulness and give you the praise and glory for being our faithful God.

Psalm 127:3

Sons are a heritage from the Lord,

 children a reward from him.

It's sad to think how our attitude towards children has changed.  This was brought to mind for me when I saw the dismay some people had towards the recent birth of octuplets.  Instead of celebrating the arrival of new babies, many people were horrified by the burden it placed on the parents and society, and talked about the irresponsibility of the parents (or fertility doctors) in having so many children.

Contrary to popular belief, we are not threatened with overpopulation, in fact the world will reach its maximum population this century and start declining from that point on.  Some countries, such as Russia, are experiencing near catastrophic population decline and will encounter serious social problems as a result of the diminished number of young people in their society.  Far from loving children and receiving them as rewards from God, we are now increasingly begrudging them, and only willing to accept the challenge of having children after we've got home, career, hobbies and everything else under control, by which time it may be too late.  And woe betide the baby if it comes "too soon," when it's "not yet convenient" - we insist on our right to abort inconvenient babies, and some are even promoting infanticide if the child doesn't turn out as expected.

Lord have mercy on us and teach us again to prize our children even as you do.

 

Jeremiah 49:12

If even those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished?

Who are the innocents who must drink the cup of God's wrath? Have we, who have "become like God," also become self-appointed agents of God's wrath, pouring out the cup on those who, in our self-serving judgment deserve it, even if in God's holy judgment they do not? One could certainly find evidence enough in human history of this kind of behavior, from Abel down to the gulags and concentration camps and the contemporary holocaust of abortion.

Oh Lord, how we have sinned, taking on the "right" to judge which lives are worth living and which are not. Have mercy on us and open our eyes to what we have done and continue to do, that we might fall our our faces in horror and abject repentance for the devastation we have wrought by seizing from You the judgment that is Yours alone. Turn us from our devastating ways, that you might not have to pour on us the cup which we have poured so recklessly on those who did not deserve it.

Mark 7:6

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

Where is my heart this morning? In today's news, with the latest about the economy, the housing market, sports, Obama... Is it in my job, with thoughts about what I'll be doing when I get back to work tomorrow? Or in the sports or comics section, looking for a distraction? Where is my heart, and how do I bring it back close to the God who is Lord over my life, whether I attend to that fact or not?

Lord, draw my heart back to you. Let my worship not simply be the repetition of familiar phrases, the delight in intellectual knowledge, the subtle strutting of my abilities before friends who like the same lifestyle I do. Help me to desire You first and to do all things with an eye towards knowing and pleasing You better. Make the words of my lips be the fruit of a heart that is truly close to You, that You might be glorified.