Our High Priest

Malachi 3:1-4

We had lost our way. We were wandering around, groping in the darkness. Then there was a voice, crying out. With every vocalization, a spark. With every spark, a flash of clarity.

John the Baptist was the prophet whose coming was prophesied (Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1). He was here to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord (Matthew 3:1-3).
He knew for whom he was preparing the way (John 1:29-36) and he had looked forward to this day since before he was born (Luke 1:39-42).

Then came the Light! (John 1:1-9)

Today is Christmas day. We are celebrating the coming of the Light. We are celebrating about being moved from death to life, from blindness to site, from ignorance to understanding. The coming of our Advocate, our High Priest.

In Malachi 3:4, God talks about offerings being pleasing to Him again. Christ Jesus is the One who accomplished this. He offered Himself and it pleased God.
(Hebrews 5:1-10)

Thank You, Father, for that voice that cried out in the wilderness. Thank You for the Lamb Who took away the sins of the world. Thank You for our High Priest in Whom You are pleased.

Back To It

I said I would get back to Malachi 2.

As I read what God had to say to the priests, I was reminded more and more of modern Christianity. So many who call themselves Christians today seem to have taken a more liberal view of God's grace. They have espoused the "many paths" theology, or what I call "Jesus plus".

In taking this point of view, many have been steered in the wrong direction.
(Malachi 2:8-9)

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful (Romans 1:16). But the modern church has watered down and candy coated the gospel of Jesus Christ and mixed it in with false doctrine to the point that it has lost it's power.

When bad things happen, the ones teaching false doctrines will point the finger of blame straight at God. They lament the fact that God isn't answering prayer in private, and continue to deceive their followers in public. (Malachi 2:13-14)

As followers of King Jesus, it is vitally important that we teach and practice sound doctrine. The doctrine that Jesus and the Apostles taught. It is time to be faithful to the wife of our youth and return to our first love (Malachi 2:11-14 and Revelation 2:4-5).

It is not Jesus plus. It is Christ Jesus alone.

Beautiful Scars

Malachi 3:1-3

I finished reading Malachi 2. I will get back to that.

I started Malachi 3. The first three verses captured my imagination. These three little verses are bursting at the seems with meaning.

"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

I marvel at our Great King and Wise Father. He set things in motion before the universe even existed. He raised up prophets and told them about what was coming. The day that no one could abide. And He let the prophets in on the Mystery (1 Peter 1:10-12).

God told Isaiah and Malachi about the great John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1 and Malachi 4:5).

John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the prophet whose coming had been prophesied. He was the greatest of them all (Matthew 11:11). But there was Someone else coming. Someone whose coming would leave a mark on this world greater even than the scorched top of Mt. Sinai.

God asks the question. "Who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand the day He appears?" (Malachi 3:2, Joel 2:11)

I pondered this question. (Pause for effect) Who has ever had an encounter with Christ Jesus and walked away unscathed? Who has ever been able to stand before Him and walk away unchanged? After an encounter with Jesus, we walk away either with a broken, healed heart or with a hardened heart. There is no in between (Luke 11:23).

After an encounter with the King of Kings, we are cleansed with a very powerful cleanser and a purifying fire.

How does a silver smith know when the silver is pure and ready to come out of the refining fire? When he can see his reflection in it.

God is AWESOME!

A Kingdom of Priests

I started Malachi 2...barely. There is a lot there!

God does not mince words. He believes in direct confrontation (I think He expects the same from us - Matthew 18:15).

In Malachi 1, it is established that the people, including the priests, had lost all reverence for God. Their offerings reflected that fact.

In Malachi 2:1-3, some very graphic imagery and strong words are used to express how God views the kind of job these priests are doing.

It would seem that God's mercy up to this point had been viewed by the priests as either complicity or as some sort of weakness. Either way, their irreverence and apparent disdain became more and more brazen.

God said that He would curse their blessings, in fact, He had already done so. He said that he would spread dung on their faces.

Sounds harsh, but they may have gotten off easy when you think about how God has dealt with priests in the past (Leviticus 10:1-2).

Malachi 2:4-9 could be called 'What Not To Do'. God juxtaposes good priests and the priests He sent Malachi to confront. He reminds them of the covenant with Levi (Numbers 25:10-13).

Malachi 2:6 brought to mind what was said in Daniel 12:3 - "And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever."

As believers in and followers of Christ Jesus, we are called to be priests as well (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:4-5; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:4-6; Revelation 5:9-10; Revelation 20:6).

How would you say we are doing? Will we shine like the stars for ever and ever or do we need a visit from Malachi?

A Love Letter From A Broken Heart

I've been reading the book of Malachi.

I almost had to stop reading. So much of what God had to say brought some of my own behavior to center stage. But that is what God's word does, isn't it? Shows us a reflection of who we are...who we really are when nobody is looking, or where nobody can see in the darkest recesses of our inner most being.

He starts by saying "I have loved you, but you say 'how have You loved us?'"

Wow. I had to stop there. How often have I said that? In my actions and in my words. In my willing, premeditated sin. In the hearing and ignoring of the promptings of the Holy Spirit. In my hesitation, even reluctance, to trust in Him.

"How have You loved me?" Can there be a more arrogant question? A more foolish question? The tone of this book reminds me of Isaiah 29:13.

I continued on through Malachi 1. God starts talking about the sacrifices. I felt a little relieved. After all, we don't do that anymore, do we? But wait...

Something they said sounds hauntingly familiar. Malachi 1:13. "What a weariness this is..." Wow.

That sounds like me on almost any given Sunday morning.

More to come....I have yet to start on chapter 2....dang it.

Thank You, Father, for Your word. Thank You for the mirror it holds up, so that I may see myself as You do. So that I may see the person You want me to become. Please help me to look closely at the reflection, and never close my prideful eyes to the light of Your Truth. You are indeed a Great King! Forgive me for not honoring You as such with my whole heart.

Mighty Men of Valour

John 15:13

It is Veteran's Day. A day set aside each year to honor those who are serving and who have served our great nation.

I have had the honor that few others have had. The honor of having served during war time with some of the greatest and bravest men in the world.

This is just a quick post to say thank you to the men and women who make up the greatest fighting force on the planet. United States Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

It is because of you that we are able to go about our daily business without fear.

We attend church and boldly write and speak about our God. It is our right as Americans.

This right came at a great price. A price that each and every one of you say that you are willing to pay when you volunteer.

Thank you. Semper Fi.

Contents Fragile - Handle With Care

2 Corinthians 10:3-6


I cannot help noticing that a lot of bad things are happening in the families of friends. Tragic things. Illnesses, accidents and things that just don't seem to be fair.

Every time the news comes on, there is a story about someone's child dying, violent crimes that tear families apart, tragic car accidents or someone's home burning.

It just doesn't seem fair. There seems to be no explanation. It almost makes life seem pointless. People suffering for no apparent reason.

Then you hear about those who are living life outside the boundaries of the law, and prospering. It just doesn't seem fair.

It is in these situations that our faith can be shaken. It is in these trials that we are tempted to ask questions that begin with "How could a loving God..." or "Why".

We've all been through something bad. I know I have. My faith has been shaken. I almost walked away from God because of what happened. A friend recommended that I read the book of Job. It helped, eventually.

I remember how angry my wife was after she found out her mother had lung cancer. She confided in her friend just how angry she was. I'll never forget what our friend told Cheryl. "Kick, scream, yell. He's a big God, He can take it."

Prayerfully ask the questions "how" and "why". Not defiantly.

Unless we are gifted with the wisdom of Solomon, it is impossible to see in the midst of the trial or tragedy. Our wise Father has our best interests in mind. We often don't see it until we are far removed from the tragic time. (Job 42:5)

Psalm 73 is often comforting to me. All of the Psalms, for that matter, are comforting.

I started this post with the scripture reference 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. It is relevant. If we practice taking our thoughts captive in every situation, discipline our minds with prayer and meditation on the things of God, then our faith is not easily shaken. We will not be so quick to exchange the peace of God for doubt and anger.

Thank You, Father, for the hope You hold out and the peace You promise. Help us to trust You, even when we don't understand.

Excuses, Excuses

Romans 1:19-20

People who say that they do not believe God exists are being dishonest. They have exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:22-25).

There are those who, having come to know God in Christ, testify that before hearing the gospel, they knew.

My wife reads a lot. I will admit that she is smarter (or at least knows more) than me. We have book after book on shelf after shelf in our office at home. She has read them all.

Cheryl, my wife, told me something that she had read about Helen Keller. She said that the person who taught Helen how to communicate with others was a christian. Once Helen had a working vocabulary, the teacher shared the gospel with her. After doing this, Helen Keller's response was, "I always wondered what His name was."

I heard another story similar to Helen Keller's. It was told by my favorite singer and writer in the world. Michael Card. He said that he was in China one time. He was going to do a concert for a group of believers at a university there. The government found out about it, and made them cancel the concert. Michael met with some of the students and sang some songs for them. They started talking, and a few of the students shared testimonies.

A young Chinese woman said that as a child, she knew that there had to be someone who created all the beauty she saw around her. The flowers, the mountains, sunsets, sunrises, the sky, stars, etc....

The young lady said that she met some missionaries in her home town. They preached the gospel, and she said, "Imagine my joy when I found out He has a name."

God is AWESOME!

Standard Feature - GPS

Genesis 1:14-18

They are fixed points in the heavens. Each one ablaze from the sound of His voice and carried on His holy breath. Each one in it's specific place, held steady by the The One Who Is And Was And Is To Come (Colossians 1:15-17, Revelation 1:8). The Ancient of Days. Each one for His purpose. Each one because of His great wisdom and mercy.

He put them there for us to see and enjoy. He put them there to help our understanding of who He is and how His creation works. So we could marvel at our Creator.

He put them there so we would always find our way home.

There has only been one that really mattered. Only one that was used to navigate a group of wise men to the most significant event in all of history. (Matthew 2:1-10)


God is AWESOME!

True Genius

1 Corinthians 1:25-29

I saw something today that sparked my imagination. After turning it over in my little head for a while, the spark ignited a raging inferno.

I couldn't wait to get home from my walk to write this.

Okay, please bear with me for a moment while I set this up. It's pretty cool.

I don't know a lot about rocket science or aerospace technology, so if you are an actual aerospace engineer or rocket scientist, please forgive me.

From what I have read, when a space vehicle is going to be sent to another planet, many complicated (to me, anyway) calculations must be performed. They have to know where the planet is in relation to where the Earth is at the chosen launch date. They use this information to calculate where the planet will be in the time that it takes the space vehicle to travel the required distance. This takes teams of engineers and mathematicians and who knows what else weeks of planning and calculating and simulating. They have to eliminate every possible variable.
A lot of really smart people a really long time for a one shot, hit or go home deal.

Stay with me.

I was watching some birds fly while I was out walking today. That is what sparked my imagination.

A bird of prey, from the altitude it is flying, can spot it's food. The calculations are made. Where the target is in relation to where he is. Where the target will be in the time it takes to travel the required distance. Wind speed and altitude. Angle and speed of descent. Size and weight of target. Depth of target (if it's in the water). Every variable eliminated.

All this happens in a split second. No consulting with others, no calculators or computer simulations. None of that. All the same planning in a millisecond.

These creatures have brains that are tiny compared to ours. Yet they can perform these precise calculations in the blink of an eye. (1 Corinthians 1:27)

God built it all in. Preloaded software.

God is indeed AWESOME!

The Little Things

I heard someone thank God for 'the little things' at prayer meeting earlier this week.

Sometimes a little phrase like that can get the wheels turning in my little head.

The more I think about it, the more blown away I am. God isn't interested in just the big picture. He is interested in every aspect of His children's lives. He is a loving and wise Father who cares deeply about even the little things.

In 2 Kings 6:1-7, the prophet Elisha is with some men who are cutting down trees for lumber to build with. One of the men was chopping away, and his axe head flew off and fell in the water. He was very distressed about it because he had borrowed the axe from someone. Through His prophet, God caused the iron axe head to float so that the man could retrieve it and return the borrowed axe. Cool, huh?

I have a friend who related a story about one of the little things God helped him with. He had a relative visiting, and he thought of a picture that she might have liked to have. When he went to get the picture out of the file he had been keeping it in, it was gone. He knew he had seen it there just a short time ago. He said a quick prayer, "Lord, I know she would really like this picture, please help me find it." (Something to that affect) Just then, a book fell from the top of the filing cabinet where it had been precariously sitting. My friend bent over to pick it up, and low and behold, there was the picture he had been looking for. Wow.

God is faithful in even the little things. If He is faithful in the little things, how much more is He faithful in the big things. We can trust our Wise Father with everything. We simply need to humble ourselves and obey Him. He will see to our needs, and even our wants (Matthew 6:31-33).


God is AWESOME!

Improvise, Adapt and Overcome

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

In His word, God promises so many good rewards to us. Of course, in order to receive a reward, something must first be accomplished. That is why most of these promises are conditional. The "If, then" promises. I cannot live my life with the goal of pleasing myself and others, and expect to receive the fulfillment of God's promises in my life.

I'm not talking about salvation. Salvation is free and it is eternal. It cannot be earned and it cannot be lost. (John 3:16, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 3:3)

What I'm talking about is rewards. We can earn and lose rewards.

The 'good works' that are talked about by King Jesus and the Apostles...what are they?

If we live our everyday lives with the goal of glorifying and honoring God and the motivation in our hearts for whatever we do is to bring glory to God, then I think these are the good works.

Jesus Himself said that if we love Him, we will obey Him. (John 14:15) In our love for Christ Jesus, we will not be able to avoid bearing fruit in our spirits. (Galatians 5:22-23).

If we continue to bear fruit, we will continue to grow and the Holy Spirit will take us deeper and deeper into an intimate relationship with our creator (Colossians 1:1-12). We will be accomplishing the goal of abiding in Christ. If we are abiding in Christ, then we will overcome. (John 16:33)

There are great rewards for the ones who have overcome: Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:26, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 3:21.

It does get hard sometimes. We cannot give up just because it is hard.

Press on.

Overcome.

Unexpected

So much of the time, when God does something, it is something completely
unexpected.

Nobody saw it coming. They were on the look out for a mighty warrior king to
come and wipe out the Roman Empire and establish His kingdom right away. Instead,
they get this guy from Nazareth, which apparently is not known for producing the best
and the brightest. (John 1:45-46) Not only was he from Nazareth, he was the son of
Joseph. And everybody knew that Joseph's wife was pregnant before they were married.
Scandalous!

One of my favorite examples of the unexpected things God does is in the book of Acts. In Acts 9:1-17, Saul had just finished asking permission to hunt down and
imprison, or even execute those 'belonging to the Way'. This, of course, lead to Saul's famous conversion experience on the road to Damascus, which in itself was something completely unexpected. But there was something else. I nearly missed it, but when it hit me, I was blown away.

The Lord visited a man named Ananias in a vision. He told him to go to Judas'
house on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. (I thought it was
pretty cool how Jesus gave him directions.) He told him that Saul was there praying and had seen a vision of Ananias lay hands on him and he regained his sight.

Ananias seemed to get a little indignant with the Lord, though. He recognized the
name Saul of Tarsus. Ananias had heard of Saul. He had heard about what Saul had
been doing to the saints in Jerusalem. He might have been harboring resentment and
unforgiveness for Saul in his heart, maybe even hate.

Jesus responded gently to his protest. He told Ananias that He had chosen Saul to
bear His name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel, and that He would
show Saul how much he would have to suffer for His name's sake.

Ananias went. I think when he heard Jesus tell him that Saul would suffer, it
made him feel better.

When Ananias got to Judas' house on Straight Street, he walked in and saw Saul
there. Who knows what went through his mind when he saw him, this man who had
imprisoned and executed his fellow saints. The air was probably thick with the tension of the moment.

Ananias walked over to Saul, and in an act of pure obedience to the Lord, he lay
his hand on Saul. As he did, something happened, his facial expression changed. He felt warm tears rolling down his cheeks. The realization had hit him. The full impact of what Jesus had done washed over him. He became overwhelmed with it. He fell to his knees next to Saul and said, "Brother Saul, ... " (v. 17)

Two hearts were healed that day on Straight Street; Saul became a new creature in
Christ, and as for Ananias, the Lord Jesus taught him how to forgive in a very unexpected way.

God is AWESOME!

With A Thankful Heart

I've been pondering thankfulness for a while now. I would like to live my life with a thankful heart.

I heard something a few weeks ago that helped put some things into perspective for me, and helped me understand a little better what a life lived in gratitude is.

A brother in Christ in my Sunday School class said something that has stuck with me. I've been turning it over in my mind and really thinking about what he said.
It had an impact on me. It was a little thing, and I almost missed the depth and significance of it.

"Most of the world is a miserable place to live."

That's what he said. The more I think about it, the more thankful I am to God. There are countries where most of the population is starving to death, or live in perpetual violence. There are places where the government keeps people oppressed and living in constant fear for their lives. Places where being a Christian carries a death sentence.

Most of the world, indeed, is a miserable place to live. (John 15:18-22)

Here in The United States, we have freedom (for how long remains to be seen). We are free to worship our God without fear of the government. We have abundance here. The poorest among us, for the most part, are wealthy in comparison to those living in most of the world. I pray I never take this for granted and allow my heart to grow hard toward those who are in such need.

Father, thank You for giving me what I'll never fully understand. Please help me to always live with a thankful heart.

Two Cents

I've been thinking about the Apostle Paul. He spoke of a 'thorn in the flesh' that he was given in order to keep him humble (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

I've heard a lot of speculation about what this 'thorn' may have been. Some say that it was some sort of health issue. After all, Dr. Luke traveled with him. I've also heard that it was because he was nearly blind from his encounter with King Jesus on the road to Damascus. After all, no one comes away from an encounter like that unscathed.

I was thinking about what this 'thorn' could have been. Not that it is all that important in the big picture. But while everyone is speculating, I may as well throw in my two cents.

When the Apostle Paul said anything about himself, the one negative thing that he talked about the most was his sin. (Romans 7:19-24) I believe the 'thorn' he talked about was his sin. He wanted to be free of his sin once and for all. (2 Corinthians 12:8 and Philippians 1:21-26)

God said that His grace is sufficient. That His power is made perfect in weakness. Our sin is our greatest weakness, it is where God's grace is most abundant (Romans 5:20-21).

Paul had an encounter with Christ Jesus that very few (only a handful of men in all of history) had ever experienced. An encounter that was so significant that it left Paul with a passionate hatred for his sin. An absolute disdain for his own flesh. He, through his encounter with the King of Glory, was able to see sin the same way God does, and it sickened him.

Thank you, Father, for Your grace. That it is sufficient. Help me come to the point of humility that I am able to view my sin as You do.

Artsy Fartsy

God's love for us is so much bigger than anything we can comprehend. He poured out His wrath and judgement on His very own Son so that the relationship He so longed for could be restored.

God's Word is so rich with the poetry of His love for us. We are His living poetry (Ephesians 2:10). When we allow the Holy Spirit to take the helm of our imagination, such beautiful art spills out (Exodus 31:1-5).

Here are a couple of poems I'd like to share with you.


God’s Robe
(Matthew 27:51 and Isaiah 53)

He knew suffering
He knew affliction
He came to break our sin addiction
He is the beloved Son
He is the despised One
He took on my sin and put on my pride
He is the Advocate spoken of by Job
He poured Himself out and then He died
God limped away and tore His robe


Lamb of God, Lion of Judah
(Luke 22:39-44, John 28:30, Revelation 5)

In the garden begging and bleeding
The Lamb of God awaits the beating
In the cold night air as demons were leaping
His friend wandered shivering and weeping (Luke 22:54-62)
On the cross broken and bent
The Word accomplished the reason for which He was sent (Isaiah 55:11)
In a vision filled with despair an elder tells John to look
The Lion of Judah steps forward and takes hold of the book

Thinking About Stuff

I watched a movie today. It had aliens and car chases and space ships. It was a good one. The main characters in it espoused the evolutionist/atheistic world view. Christians were (of course) portrayed as irrational superstitious bumpkins.

That got the wheels in my head turning.

Let's say, for argument sake, that the big bang theory is true. That, somehow, these gases and materials started moving without any outside cause. They collided and it caused this huge, chaotic explosion. Out of this chaos, somehow, order. Okay.

Then, through a series of (for lack of a better term) miraculous events, life sparked in this primordial muck. Then, without any outside guidance or intelligence, this life, over billions of years formed into countless forms of life. Fliers, swimmers, eight legs, six legs, four legs, two legs. Wow. Okay.

If we are the result of an accident billions of years ago, I have a few questions. Where did we get the ability to reason? Why did other creatures not develop that ability? From where did the desire to know our origin come? Why did orderly, civil societies form? How did such order come from such chaos with absolutely no guidance whatsoever?

Just wondering.

Does this make me an irrational superstitious bumpkin?

The Source

Who, exactly, is Jesus Christ? Why is His name the source of such controversy? Why do governments forbid the use of His name? Why are we told not to pray in His name? Why does the name of Jesus Christ evoke such a strong response?

Jesus Christ is the The Way, The Truth and The Life. (John 14:6)

The Way: There is no other way to Heaven apart from Christ Jesus. He is the only way. That is a very controversial thing to say these days. Other religions teach that there are many ways. Some say that it is unreasonable to teach that there is only one way, and a narrow way at that. But this is what Jesus and the Apostles teach. (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12)

The Truth: I think we, as human beings, naturally react with hostility toward truth. Truth brings to light things that we don't want to acknowledge and things we don't want seen. Who among us wants anyone else to be able to hear the deepest thoughts or able to peer into the darkest recesses of the mind? The light of truth is something that we naturally recoil from. John the Baptist and a Christian named Stephen are two people who come to mind when I think of how people react to truth. (Mark 6:17-28 and Acts 7:54-58)

The Life: John 1:1-4. Jesus is life. We have heart beats and breath in and out because of Him. He is the source of all life, and all life is sustained in Him (Colossians 1:15-17). In Him is eternal life (John 3:16).

So, who is Jesus? He is the Source. He is the Source of all meaning, all knowledge, all of existence. In Christ Jesus alone is our salvation.

God is AWESOME!

Tapping Out

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:17)


There are some fleshly appetites and urges that are very strong. Sometimes the urges become so persistent that it just seems easier to give in than to try to fight it any more. (Romans 7:15)

I know that when I give in to my flesh, I feel guilty and ashamed to talk to God about it. After a while, it's easier to give in again. The guilt and shame grows, so does the distance that I put between myself and God. Soon, I'm drifting farther and farther away. My mind is more and more on the things of the world and not on the things of God.

Soon, even if I want to turn back, it is hard. Sin has taken root in my mind and in my heart. It has given the enemy a foot hold. I willingly put the broken chains back on. (Genesis 4:7)

I could hear the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit reminding me that the chains wrapped around me were, in fact, broken. They no longer had any real power. I was once and forever free from sin. (Jeremiah 31:11) There was no need to feel guilty or ashamed. My loving Father was waiting with open arms, ready to forgive me. (Romans 8:1, Luke 15:11-24, Jude 1:24)

Father, thank You that You are merciful and that Your word says that You are faithful and just to forgive me when I confess my sins to You. (1 John 1:9)
Thank You for a clean heart.

God is AWESOME!

Your Mission...(should you choose to accept it)

I've been thinking a lot lately about my purpose or function in the body of Christ. Every one of us, as believers, has been given a specific purpose. (1 Corinthians 12:12-18)

I teach a Sunday School class at church, and the more I teach the class, the the more convinced I am that teaching is not where I'm gifted.

So...I've been thinking about where my place is in the body. Our wise Father has given every member of the body a specific purpose. A purpose that is helpful in growing the body and moving it forward.

I believe I have been given a talent for writing. I have always (since I have learned to read and write, anyway) been able to express my thoughts and emotions in writing far better than I can speak them. When I write, I can express a thought or idea exactly the way it is in my mind. When I speak, something happens when the thought goes through the filter between my mind and my vocal chords.

Some of the most intimate times I have had with our Father, the most meaningful communion with the Holy Spirit, was when I was writing. The most intense worship, when I have felt His presence the strongest has been when I was writing. There have been times when words of worship were flowing out of my fingertips and spilling out onto my keyboard. Sometimes I will start to write something and the Holy Spirit will reveal more deeply to me Who He is, and as I write, I will weep tears of joy and awe.

I love those times. I have never been to a praise and worship service or a concert where the worship is more intense for me than it is when I write.

I believe that when God created me, He put this in me. He gave me this compulsion to write down my thoughts and ideas. I will use it for His glory. Even if it is on this little blog. One day, He may decide to speak to the world through me, or maybe He just wants to speak to you right now.

For the masses or for just one or two people. For His glory, I will write.

Recommended Reading

Just a quick post to say that I highly recommend John Bunyan's 'The Pilgrim's Progress'.

It's not an easy read (at least not for me), but it is a very meaningful one.

The main character is a guy named Christian. It's the story of his journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.

Feel free to put any other recommended reading in the comments section.

Thanks!

Jots and Tittles; Semantics and Splitting Hairs

People are funny.

We (I say we because I think all of us do this) will try to make things that are written and things people say mean what we want them to mean and not what they actually mean.

Take the bible, for example. There are groups of people who will make the scriptures mean whatever they want them to mean by taking things out of context. And some will even try to make it say things that aren't even there.

Others say that some teachings in the bible aren't relevant for today. Those people are wrong. Everything the bible teaches is completely relevant, always.
(Isaiah 40:8 and 1 Peter 1:25)

I know some who say that it makes them feel more comfortable to refer to God as a 'she'. Nowhere in the bible can you find that it even almost means that God is female. Every time God is referred to in the Hebrew and in the Greek, the word is for the masculine gender, not the feminine. God, as my friend Mark pointed out, is called Father. He is referred to as a Great King. Both Masculine.

Other groups try to make the bible say that believers should not drink alcohol at all. I have even heard some say that where 'wine' is mentioned in the bible, it means grape juice.

I did a little research on this. In Numbers 6:1-21, the law of the Nazirite is spelled out. In this law, there is a section that differentiates between wine and grape juice (Numbers 6:3).
The Apostle Paul even recommends drinking a little wine (1 Timothy 5:23), suggesting that it is good for digestion and for your general health.

The list goes on. My point is that, if you are going to call yourself a 'Christian', then you need to get over yourself and pay attention to what God is actually saying. Advance His agenda, not yours.

Groanings Too Deep For Words

My friend Larry died yesterday.

It was sudden and unexpected. If you are reading this, stop now and pray for Larry's wife and family.

I never know what to say when I get the news that someone I know has died. Usually, anything I say will only make things awkward.

I have known Larry for a good many years. We didn't get to spend time together as often as I would have liked, but the time that we did spend together was wonderful. Larry was one of those rare people that gave you the feeling that you had always known him, even if you had just met.

My wife met him for the first time a few years ago when he and his wife came for dinner at our house. She instantly loved him.

It is sometimes an overwhelming feeling when searching for the words to speak to the families of those who have passed when words are far too clumsy a thing to express the cries of the heart. I can pray for them, but there too, words are not enough.

The Apostle Paul offers some comforting words in his letter to the believers in Rome.
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26)

Larry Oden was a dearly loved brother in Christ and a great man.

Love Or Lies

I once said to God, "I love you."

Seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to say to God. I mean, He is our Father, after all. The only problem is that God doesn't view "I love you." as casually as we often do. (Isaiah 29:13)

Jesus answered me before I ever said it. He answered me before I ever existed.
He said that if I loved Him, I would do what He says. (John 14:15)

He gave a commandment to us before He left. He said that we should love each other so that the whole world would know who we are. (John 13:34-35)

I've been learning a hard lesson. I've been learning that love is not a feeling. Love is a choice. It is an act of will. We are emotional creatures with a fallen nature. We often cannot control how we feel about certain things or toward individuals. A choice, a conscious effort, has to be made to love someone.

It is very difficult in our current circumstances to love certain people who make it difficult to love them. There are people who will go out of their way to embarrass others in front of people in order to make themselves look smart or witty. Then there are those who think they know everything. We all know people like these.

When I say "...our current circumstances..." I mean our state of mind. We must guard our minds continuously. We must don the helmet of salvation and hold high the shield of faith. (Genesis 4:7, Galatians 5:17)

We are at war. People often talk about spiritual warfare as if it is a metaphor for some of life's challenges. Make no mistake...it is real. The way wars are won is by taking away the enemy's will to fight. Don't let that happen to you. Stay on guard. Trust in the strength of the Holy Spirit to help you love that person.

There is a lesson that I learned from reading about an incident involving the Apostle Paul and his friend Barnabas and Barnabas' cousin John Mark.
In a nut shell, Paul and Barnabas had a falling out over John Mark.
(Acts 13:13, Acts 15:37-39)

Paul, it seems, didn't care for John Mark. But there is a really neat progression through Paul's letters. He got over it, and made the decision to love John Mark anyway. (Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11)

Be careful about the condition of your heart before you say "I love you." to God. John warns us about doing that. (1 John 2:9, 1 John 4:20) This is the lesson I've been learning.

Father, help me to obey you. Help me to love others with a pure heart so that I can tell you that I love you.

Fire, Anyone?

I've been thinking a lot about something the prophet Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah was enduring some very heavy persecution. His life had become a living nightmare. He was saying what he was told. The more he spoke, the worse it got.

He said something that caused a stirring in my soul. (Jeremiah 20:7-11)

He didn't want to keep making life hard for himself, but he couldn't help it. God's words were like a 'fire shut up in his bones' (Jeremiah 20:9). He couldn't hold it in. Wow.

In my own life, I want this to be the case. There are times when I know I need to speak and say nothing. I need to take a stand on an issue or share my faith with someone who is in desperate need of Christ Jesus, yet I say nothing.

There should be in my heart a burning like a fire shut up in my bones. I should hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit and obey. I should know it's time to speak and not be able to hold it in. Even if it makes life hard for me.

Father, thank You for the examples You give us in Your Word. Thank You for putting Your Holy Spirit in me. Please help me to be still and listen. To take the focus off of myself long enough to hear You, and to speak when it is time.

God is AWESOME!

Our Living Hope

It is Easter again.

The years seem to be moving by so much faster now. I suppose that's a sign of getting older.

All these years (not that I'm all that old), all these Easters. I am amazed every time. When it is time to sit down and really think about why we celebrate Easter. The hope that we were given.

Jesus willingly went through what He did. The humiliations, the beatings, the false accusations, the insults...He took it. He had the power, the whole time, to pronounce judgement on all the earth. He could have stopped it at any point. Legions of angels at His command. All He had to do was say a word. He could wipe us out of existence with a thought.

He did not. He took it. He was our whipping boy. He was not compelled or coerced. He layed down His life voluntarily.

He did it because of the fact of His love for us. (John 3:16)

He layed down His life. But wait....there's more.

He took it up again. He took away death. (John 10:14-18)

Now, He sits at the right hand of the Father. He holds out hope for all who will believe.

For those of us who believe, He has taken away all reason for fear of anything...even death.

God is AWESOME!

In Other Words

I have learned a few Latin phrases over the years.
My favorite one is, 'Simul Iustus et Peccator'. It means 'at the same time just and sinner'.

It's basic meaning is that we have no righteousness apart from Christ Jesus. He is our righteousness.

In Christ, we are able to stand in the presence of the glory of God with no wrong in us and instead of trembling with terror in His presence, we are able to stand there with great joy. (Jude 1:24) Wow! Because of Jesus, we are able to approach the Throne of God with confidence. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

The reason I named my blog 'Beyond All Reason' is because a Holy God loves me. A fallen, sinful man. (Romans 5:8) It's just beyond all reason that He should love me. But He does.

He adopted me and invited me to call Him Daddy. (Romans 8:15 Galatians 4:6)

God is AWESOME!

Have Mercy

There is a book out there that I think every Christian should read. It is called 'The Holiness of God' by R.C. Sproul.

This book moved me to a deeper appreciation of God's mercy.

Dr. Sproul sited three major examples of God's justice. These three examples may cause people to consider how harsh God seems and to say that His actions aren't 'fair'. But if we pay attention to scripture, then the very last thing we want is for God to be 'fair'.

He is the Creator of all things. He is the Giver of life. He will have mercy on whom He has mercy (Romans 9:15-16).

The three examples were:
1) (Leviticus 10:1-2) The sons of Aaron when they submitted an unauthorized offering. In the book of Leviticus, God is very specific about how He wanted the priests to go about their work.

2) Uzza the Kohathite (1 Chronicles 13:6-10). Uzza was from the tribe of Levi, and a son of Kohath. The Kohathites were NEVER to touch the holy things.
(Numbers 4:4-15)

3) Ananias and Sapphira. You can read about them in Acts 5:1-10.

As Christians, we are to have a deep reverence for God. He is Holy. He's not your buddy. He's not 'The Big Guy' or 'The Man upstairs'. He is the Most High God.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul said to "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12-13)

He wasn't saying that we have to work for our salvation, he was saying that we need to live in reverence for God, and be obedient. We need to abide in Christ.

For a true believer, salvation is not at stake. Rewards, however, are a different story. If we do not live in obedience and reverence, and hold God as holy, we may miss out on some things in Heaven.

Moses missed out on a big thing because of his disobedience. He didn't get to enter the land that God had promised Israel. All those years leading Israel. All those years living in obedience. Just that one time Moses did not act in reverence, but out of arrogance and anger. He lost that giant reward.

Of course, we know Moses didn't lose his 'salvation'. We know he went to heaven. He was there on the mountain with Jesus and Elijah (Matthew 17:2-3).

God is a Holy God. He is a just God. And praise His Holy Name! He is a merciful God.

I want His mercy. I don't want His justice. He owes mercy to no one. He chooses mercy for us.

There are those who would stand and shake an angry fist at God, demanding He give them what He owes them. I fear for them, because they will recieve it.

God is AWESOME!

Partners in Crime

It's so good to have friends. We all have that one friend. The one we love dearly, above the other friends. The one we know that we can trust with anything.

In my case, there are several men of great integrity who I would feel comfortable confiding in. Who I feel very encouraged by.(Proverbs 27:17)

I feel honored when someone thinks enough of me to trust me with something. When someone comes to me and tells me something in confidence. They trust me.

It seems to me, that as followers of Christ Jesus, we should be able to trust each other with our burdens. We're supposed to, anyway(Galatians 6:1-2). There is no one who is better than anyone else(Romans 3:23). We all struggle with sin (Genesis 4:7; Romans 7:19). I suppose that is why the writer of Hebrews urges us not to forget to assemble ourselves together(Hebrews 10:23-25).

It is important to know that there are others who are enduring the same kinds of struggles that you are. It's encouraging to know that there is someone who understands what you are going through.

We're not supposed to go to church just to sit there once a week and coldly mouth the words of God. Our gathering together is supposed to be meaningful. It is for fellowship and for encouragement.

In finding community with others who struggle just as much as we do with sin and have endured the same difficulties in life, we lighten our load and are encouraged to keep going. We are able to move forward in a much more meaningful worship of our God. He is the One who established this system of community in the body.

In our fellowship, God reveals more of Himself and gives us a deeper understanding of who He is.

God is AWESOME!

Kingdom Work

In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus teaches that seeking after His kingdom should be highest on our priority list.

So how do we seek the Kingdom of Heaven?
Do we go to bible college and seminary? Do we move to third world countries and minister to the poor? Should we stand on street corners and preach the gospel?

There are some who are called to do those things. We need to be faithful and pray for them.

There is another calling, a more common calling, I think. In I Timothy 2:1-4, the Apostle Paul teaches that we are to pray for others so that we can live quiet, peaceful lives. Of course, we share our faith with others and be faithful witnesses as we travel down life's road.

Prayer is a powerful thing. God instituted it as a form of communication between Him and His children. In Revelation 5:8, our prayers are described as incense.

Kingdom work can be done from a kneeling position. The gospels tell us of how Jesus would rise early in the morning and pray. John 17 gives us an inside look at one of Jesus' prayers.

One of the Apostle Paul's friends, a man named Epaphras, is described as someone who 'wrestles' in prayer for others. That is how I want to be. I have friends in ministries all over this country and around the world. I should be faithful and wrestle in prayer for them that they will be safe and affective and strengthened and refreshed daily. That they grow strong in their faith and are sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I should wrestle in prayer for those around me who are lost and groping in the darkness. That their eyes will be opened and their hearts softened. That I will be able hold up the Light of Truth and hold out the hope that Jesus offers. I should wrestle in prayer for my brothers and sisters in the local church, that they will be strengthened and refreshed daily so that they too will be able to wrestle in prayer and wield the Sword of Truth.

One of my favorite examples of how prayer helps is found in Acts 12:1-17. Christian brothers and sisters are earnestly praying for Peter, who is in prison. God hears them, and sends an angel to bust him out. It's kind of a funny story.

Prayer. It's important for Kingdom work.

Empty Smiles

I was looking at a picture of some movie stars today. They looked so happy with great big smiles on their faces. But there was something about their eyes. They just looked so....empty.

Of course, I don't know anything about them personally. They may be quite happy. This is not about them. This is about people whose lives are empty. People who don't know the Joy of the Lord.

More and more, Hollywood types and those in academia are presenting God and Jesus and the bible as mythology. 'The world' in general seems to have taken on a more atheistic point of view. Deep down, this must make life seem rather pointless. Empty.

In Psalm 1, we read that the believer is like a tree planted by streams of water and that unbelievers are like chaff that the wind drives away. They are...empty.

In Psalm 3, we see that we can sleep and not be afraid, even though there is trouble everywhere around us. Our Great God sustains us. Not so for the unbelievers. Their peace is fragile at best. Empty.

In Psalm 4, we see how God has set us apart for Himself and how, in Him, we dwell in peace and safety. The unbelievers make fun of us for clinging to our 'myth'. They love vain words and seek after lies. They are so easily deceived in their desperate search for acceptance and happiness because their hearts are so....empty.

If you are reading this, and you are one of the unbelievers, remember what I'm about to say. If you are reading this and you are a believer, then be encouraged by the words of Jude:

God is strong. He is able to keep you from falling, and can bring you into the presence of His glory with no wrong in you, and give you great joy!

Thank you, Father for giving me the gift of salvation and the great joy that comes with it. For making my heart and life so...full.

Born To Be Alive

I heard a song on the radio today while I was doing my work. It was a Queen song. One of the lyrics caught my attention for some reason. It started the wheels in my little head turning.

The lyric was '...sometimes I wish I had never been born...'

I'm glad I was born. I'm very thankful that I was born. I have experienced so many things in my time here that I wouldn't trade for anything. Experiences that have shaped me into who I am today. I'm thankful for even the worst of my experiences.

God took the time to create me. He put in me a mind and a spirit. He gave me a memory and the ability to learn. He made me an individual, a special child of His. He gave me a way to have a relationship with Him that not even the angels have.
(1Peter 1:12)

If I had never been born, I would have never experienced the love of family and friends. I would have never had the special love of someone who is put above all others...a wife. I would have never experienced heart break and the things learned from it.

If I had never been born, I would never have experienced the adventures I had in the military. I would never have experienced the absolute awe of the beauty of His creation as seen from the top of a mountain.

If I had never been born, I would have never experienced the salvation of our Great God.

Thank You, Father, for creating me. Thank You for the experiences. Thank You for giving me Your Son, and for giving me to Him. Thank You for the bad things and what You taught me through them. Thank You for the good things. Thank you for allowing me to marry the one that was made for me. Thank You for putting people in my path that You taught me through. Thank You for using me to teach others. Thank You for forgiving me when I disappoint You. Thank You for being my wise and loving Father who will never forsake me.

Nerd Alert!

In Genesis 11:1-9, we read the account of the construction of the first sky scraper.

The city would end up being called Babel, because of something God did there.

We see in this passage that there was a common language and a united group of people.
So united, in fact, that they could accomplish anything they wanted to.(Genesis 11:6)

It is in this verse of scripture where my nerdy imagination bounds out of control. In the previous verse, we see that the tower had already been built. It must have really been something to see, for even the Lord came down to see it.

What else had man accomplished in this time period? Had they developed more advanced technology than we know about? Could that civilization have advanced at a much more rapid pace than ours? We live in a world of diverse and conflicting views and different political and religious ideologies. Building projects sometimes stay in the planning stages for years before a single design can be agreed upon. But the society in Genesis 11 was united in purpose and ideology.

Is it possible that they could have developed technologies beyond what we have today? Could they have been further along in their understanding of science and mathematics than we are now? With such a Utopian society and such singularity in purpose, I suppose it is possible. It's kind of fun to think about, anyway.

The only problem is that what they were united in and what they were building a monument to was themselves. (Genesis 11:4) A whole city and a wondrous tower dedicated to the worship of man kind.

This was just a couple of generations past the sons of Noah. It was starting again already. (Genesis 6:5-6)

God could have gone ahead and scrapped everything and started over. But He chose mercy. What He did at Babel was an act of pure grace. He confused the languages. He took away their unity and dispersed them throughout the earth.

This jolt was needed for them to remember their dependence on God, not themselves. For them to return to Him. To remind them.

Job said it best. "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)

God is AWESOME!

Happy New Year

Well, another year is gone. They seem to be going by a little faster now.

I no longer make New Year's Resolutions. I rarely kept them when I did.

There is one resolution that I am going to make. It is not a yearly one, but a daily one. I want to purpose in my heart to be a follower of Christ Jesus. To be a 'doer' of His word and not a 'hearer' only.

I want to be resolved in my heart to be a more focused Christian (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Life doesn't last long. I'm starting to see that more clearly as the years begin to pass more quickly. I don't want to continue wasting the time that I have been allotted. What comes after this is a vast and unmeasurable eternity. I would like for my brief time here to be more than just a blip on the radar screen.

I want for people to know the love of God in Christ Jesus because of how I obeyed. Not just a fond memory of a funny fat guy.


As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;

for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,

to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

Psalm 103:13-18