The Lord of Hosts is With Us

   In a season of uncertainty and fear there is one truth we need to be reminded of often.  God is still God he is in control.  The Bible is filled with examples of this truth from creation to consummation, from the Garden to Job to Jeremiah on to Peter and Paul, through Roman rule, dark ages, the reformation, and today.  God is still God and he is still in control.  If you feel like things don't make sense, like life is spiraling out of control, like God has forgotten you here is a Psalm for you.  Read it a few times and truly be still and know that he is God.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the

earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its

swelling.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad

the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be

moved:

God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the

earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the

spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!"

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Things to think about:

• If God is our refuge, doesn't that assume there will be trouble and strife?  God knows these lives we live will be filled with enemies (foreign and domestic) that attack us and threaten us.  But, He is our refuge.  Run to him today, he is waiting for you.
• I challenge you to make a list of all the things going "wrong" in your life and the dangers you face.  How do they stack up against what is mentioned in this Psalm?  Mountains thrown into the sea?  Oceans roaring?  The earth falling away?  If the earth fell away where would you live?  Where would your kids go to school?  Though the world would fall apart God is still our refuge!
• Verses 6 and 11 both have this phrase, "The LORD of hosts is with us."  Why do you think it is the only thing repeated?
• Do you think there are times when God allows difficulty and danger so that we would stop, be still, and look to him as our refuge so that he would get the glory and we would be truly protected?  I do.  Is now one of those times?  Perhaps, but whether it is or is not, let us go to him and trust his strength to protect and rescue.  May God be your refuge today!  
• For a song version of this Psalm Shane and Shane have an excellent version.  Click this link to watch and enjoy.  https://youtu.be/PKs_gQecaDY  

Steadfast Love of the Lord

 
          When you think of consistency or a guarantee what comes to mind?  What is a sure thing in your life?  There isn't much in life that is truly faithful and consistent.  So much changes around us, and in us that we could almost define life by that one word, change.  But, not everything changes.  There are some things that are steadfast.  We don't usually use the term steadfast, but it is a great term.  It comes from a couple Old English words "stede" which meant "place" and "feost" which meant "firmly fixed" so putting them together it was standing firmly fixed in a single place.  Standing your ground.  Not giving up.  Not changing.  Remaining faithful.  All these ideas wrapped up into one word, steadfast.  In the Old Testament the term steadfast appears a few hundred times and in almost every context it is coupled with one other word; love.  The steadfast love of the Lord.  If there was ever a thing that is consistent, that stands the test of time, never changes, and is firmly fixed, it would be the steadfast love of the Lord.  Today, I want you to read Psalm 107 with me and notice how the steadfast love of the Lord is explained and praised!  Let's take a look:

Psalm 107

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble

3 and gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south. 

4 Some wandered in desert wastes,

finding no way to a city to dwell in;

5 hungry and thirsty,

their soul fainted within them.

6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

7 He led them by a straight way

till they reached a city to dwell in.

8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

9 For he satisfies the longing soul,

and the hungry soul he fills with good things. 

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,

prisoners in affliction and in irons,

11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,

and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;

they fell down, with none to help.

13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,

and burst their bonds apart.

15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

16 For he shatters the doors of bronze

and cuts in two the bars of iron. 

17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,

and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;

18 they loathed any kind of food,

and they drew near to the gates of death.

19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

20 He sent out his word and healed them,

and delivered them from their destruction.

21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,

and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! 

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,

doing business on the great waters;

24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,

his wondrous works in the deep.

25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,

which lifted up the waves of the sea.

26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;

their courage melted away in their evil plight;

27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men

and were at their wits' end.

28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

29 He made the storm be still,

and the waves of the sea were hushed.

30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,

and he brought them to their desired haven.

31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,

and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 

33 He turns rivers into a desert,

springs of water into thirsty ground,

34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,

because of the evil of its inhabitants.

35 He turns a desert into pools of water,

a parched land into springs of water.

36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,

and they establish a city to live in;

37 they sow fields and plant vineyards

and get a fruitful yield.

38 By his blessing they multiply greatly,

and he does not let their livestock diminish. 

39 When they are diminished and brought low

through oppression, evil, and sorrow,

40 he pours contempt on princes

and makes them wander in trackless wastes;

41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction

and makes their families like flocks.

42 The upright see it and are glad,

and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 

43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;

let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

 Things to think about:

• Notice the repetition in that first verse.  The steadfast love endures forever.  How much more could the author have said about the love of the Lord never changing, never fading, remaining faithful?  This love of the Lord, which is steadfast also endures forever.  Yep, doesn't get more reliable than that!
• From this Psalm what are you commanded to do?  You are supposed to say something...what?  See verse 2 for a hint.  :)
• Throughout this Psalm the author gives different examples of how in every circumstance the love of the Lord remained steadfast.  Whether in a desert, at sea, in trouble, or in peace the love of the Lord was always consistent.  Think about that in your own life.  No matter where you are, what is going on, or how you feel, the steadfast love of the Lord toward you has never changed.  Praise God!
• Besides the task of shouting out the steadfast love of the Lord we are also told to thank God for that same love.  Spend a little time today, regardless of the circumstances around you, thanking God!  He can always be thanked for his steadfast love!

Have a great day!  God bless.

I want to be beautiful

   I want to be beautiful.  That may sound like a strange statement, especially coming from me, a middle aged slightly overweight pastor who spends more time putting his shoes on than he does "getting ready" in the morning.  :)  Let me explain.  Have you ever heard of the saying, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder?"  Usually this expression is used to describe a loving couple who sees each other as handsome or beautiful...but they are the only ones that see that.  Or, it could be used for things in nature like the desert where one person sees great beauty in the colors and shapes of the desert and another person sees a brown landscape of death.  But, is this expression correct?  What is beautiful?  How would we know?  I was reading a book entitled Expository Exultation by John Piper yesterday and he had this definition for beauty that I just can't seem to get out of my mind. 
  "If God reveals that something is ultimately fitting, he has said the most ultimate thing he can say: it fits with his nature and his ways.  Given the way he is and the way he has designed the universe, this fits perfectly.  It is beautiful.  That is what beauty is - the quality of being in perfect harmony with the way God is."
  Think about that for a moment.  If beauty is being in perfect harmony with the way God is, then I want to be beautiful.  I want my life, my attitude, my desires, my passions all to fit in with the way God is.  I don't want to exchange the beauty of God for something less than, something small, something ugly.  But, sadly, this is far too often what I choose.  I choose the ugly over the beautiful, the broken over the perfect.  This is not just a me problem, but something we have been struggling with since the beginning.  Here are a few Bible passages that highlight this exchange of what is right, fitting, good for that which is not.   

When the Israelites were rejecting God before the invasion of Babylon Jeremiah called them out for this sinful exchange...notice how the heavens are called in as witnesses against them.

Jeremiah 2:11-13
  "Has a nation changed its gods,
  even though they are no gods?
  But my people have changed their glory
  for that which does not profit.
  Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
  be shocked, be utterly desolate,
                       declares the LORD,
  for my people have committed two evils
  they have forsaken me,
  the fountain of living waters,
  and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
  broken cisterns that can hold no water."

The apostle Paul spoke about this great exchange in his letter to the Romans as he described how humanity had stumbled into sin.

Romans 1:21-23
 "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things."

Finally, at the end we see all that is corrupt, broken, and ugly dissolve and God makes all things new, all things beautiful, all things fit the way they were designed to fit.  Here is a glimpse of that day.

Revelation 22:1-5
  "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month.  The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  And night will be no more.  They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever."

Things to think about:

• Notice in the Revelation passage how God is present and radiating life, and when we worship him and step into his presence we will have his "name" written on our heads radiating his glory out to the world.  This is fitting, this is beautiful, this is what I want to do now.  I don't want to  just wait until that day.  I want to radiate the life and glory of the Lord out to the nations so they can see God's goodness in me.  That is beautiful!
• How often do we exchange the beauty of the Lord for something that is far less attractive?  Every day?  Why do we do that?  
• In Jeremiah we are said to have committed two evils?  What are the two evils?  Why is that worse?
• Although most of us don't worship bugs or birds like Paul said in Romans, what do we worship that substitutes something for God?  
• My prayer is that we would all be beautiful!  May we fit into the design of God, the plan of God, the nature of God, the will of God, and the glory of God. The only way to become beautiful is to believe in the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ and his fitting death on the cross, possibly the most beautiful moment that has ever existed.  God perfectly bringing together justice and mercy, love and judgment, grace and suffering, unity and separation.  Let me conclude our time with this final beautiful passage from Romans 3:23-26:

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.  This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."  

Share the Burden Grow the Blessing

     Do you ever feel hesitant to share your problems with others?  You don't want to be the one to complain.  You don't want people to see your weakness?  You have to walk in confidence and strength.  Right?  As Christians, shouldn't we just trust God and move forward?  Should believers ever feel desperate, despondent, scared, afraid, and alone?  Doesn't that show a lack of faith?  Well, I was reading 2 Corinthians this morning and the book starts with a pretty honest look at how the Apostle Paul felt about being open and weak.  He was humble enough to share the burden he carried.  When he shared the burden he had faith that the blessings would grow.  Let's read this comforting passage and my prayer is that we would be there for one another to share the burdens and increase our blessings!

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

    3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  5For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.  6If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.  7Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
   8For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia.  For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  9Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.  But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  10He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.  11You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Things to think about:

• According to this passage from where does all comfort come?  Do you see that in your life?  Are you open to the comfort that God gives? 
• When we receive this comfort from the Lord what is the next step we are supposed to take?  Look at veres 4...what follows the "so that..."
• Are you known as a comforter?  Who could you provide a little comfort to today?  Take a moment and make that phone call, send that email, give that hug.  May we be people that receive the comfort from the Lord and then transfer it on to others.
• Verses 8-11 are fascinating to me.  Paul doesn't want the church in Corinth to be ignorant of the suffering that Paul and his companions were enduring while in Asia.  He wanted to share the burden with them.  If anyone could have put on a brave face and showed courage it would be the apostle Paul.  He was imprisoned, beaten, mocked, threatened, and yet he kept pushing forward.  But, Paul doesn't want us to get the wrong impression.  He kept going, but he still felt "utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself."  In our walk with the Lord there will be times when we despair of life itself, but keep moving forward.  Keep trusting in the Lord.  Keep sharing the burden with your brothers and sisters in Christ.  
• When we share the burden like Paul we invite others to pray so that when our prayers are answered more people will share the blessing!  Have you ever experienced that?  A care group or church all prays for something and God answers in a major way, there are more people to rejoice and praise God!  There are more people as witnesses of God's power.  More people that learned a lesson of faith.  Perhaps God has given you a burden for the specific reason of you sharing that burden to others could pray, join in your suffering, and all learn to grow in faith.  
• May we be people that share our burdens, pray for one another, share in comfort, and rejoice in the Lord working!  

God Bless

The Clothes We Wear

      What are you wearing?  Does that sound as creepy for you to read as it does for me to write?  Yeah, sorry, okay, moving on.  But, seriously we all put clothes on every day.  We may have favorite outfits or perhaps some of you are like me and get in trouble from your wife by just putting on whatever shirt is on top, whatever is furthest left in the closet, and whatever is most comfortable.  "That hoodie again?"  As kids we need help getting dressed, then we reach a point when our parents trust us to put on clothes by ourselves, maybe with a few corrections here and there, but if you are 30 years old and your mom still picks out your clothes and lays them on your bed...we might have a problem.  :) 
      The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Colossians to a group of Christians that needed some encouragement and a few reminders of the gospel that had been taught to them.  Paul starts his book with the truth of Jesus as the Son of God who died for our sins and made us new, then he transitions into the second half of the book that describes how these new people should live.  How Christians should live.  I want us to look at a short paragraph where Paul gives us a list of spiritual clothes we need to put on.  No matter you age we all need this reminder of what to put on.  Read it slowly.  Read it with an eye on yourself, not others.  Read it open to hearing from the Lord. 

Colossians 3:12-17
  "12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And, whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Things to think about:

• Remember that Paul is talking to believers in this passage.  This isn't a list of how to be saved, but rather a list of what you should be like once you are saved.  Only through the power of the cross and the work of the Holy Spirit can you ever live out this list.
• Which one of these is most difficult for you to "put on?"  Why?  
• Why, "above all these put on love?"  Above forgiveness, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience we are to put on love?  Why is love so important?  (see 1 Cor. 13)
• Have you ever thought about putting on thankfulness?  How can you wake up each day and after putting on your outer clothes you put on thankfulness?  
• Notice how many of these characteristics require others to be present in your life.  How can you forgive unless you are hurt by someone and need to forgiven them?  How can you show compassion if you are never around those that need compassion?  How can you bear with one another unless you have difficult people in your life?  How can you teach and admonish people if you are never around those that need to be taught?  Jesus came to this earth and lived out these attributes with difficult, slow, foolish, rebellious, mean spirited, stubborn, jealous people...and he called them his disciples.  
• May we be people that put on these attributes of Christ no matter what our situation, or who walks beside us. 

God Bless

Your Last Words

           One of my favorite scenes in a movie is near the end of the movie Braveheart.  William Wallace, a Scottish freedom fighter was captured by the English, was being tortured and executed, and was given one last chance to give honor to the king of England and receive a quick death.  Instead, Wallace cried out, "Freedom" as a final word that represented his struggle, his purpose, his mission.  I doubt any of us are Scottish freedom fighters or will be tortured to death, well I hope not anyway.  But, we will all have a final word.  You may not know it is your final word, may not know it is your moment, but we will all one day have the ability to speak and share our heart, and then a moment later be silenced in this life.  What would you want your final word to be?  What would you say if you knew it was the last thing you were able to share?  Who would you share it with?  King David lived a full life in the Bible with victory, defeat, glory, and shame.  He had served the Lord, trusted God to accomplish great things, and stayed faithful through the ups and downs of sin, repentance, and restoration.  David was old and in failing health so he strategically makes his son Solomon king in his place.  At that gathering David gives a final address to the people.  In a sense this is his final word.  Let's see what David said as he contemplated his life, his mission, his purpose and what he wanted to pass on to others.

1 Chronicles 29:10-22

10 Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. 16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. 18 O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. 19 Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision.”

20 Then David said to all the assembly, “Bless the Lord your God.” And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and paid homage to the Lord and to the king. 21 And they offered sacrifices to the Lord, and on the next day offered burnt offerings to the Lord, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great gladness.

Things to Think About:

• David was one of the most successful kings in Israels history, but who did he give all the credit to as he looked back at those victories?  When you think about your life and all that you have accomplished, acquired, or achieved who receives the glory?  Do the people around you know who gets the glory?
• That phrase in verse 14, "But who am I..." is found elsewhere in the Bible.  It is a spirit of humility and gratitude.  We should all ask God, "who am I? Why me?  Why so gracious to me, to my family?"  We can often ask that question when tragedy strikes, but how often do you ask it during seasons of thankfulness?
• What does David ask for in his prayer?  I ask the Lord that he would give my children a whole heart that they may keep God's commandments, testimonies, and statutes...and that they would know the Lord and honor him with their lives.  May we all pray that prayer for our children.
• I love how they gave the list of food and the amount of food.  So, I did a quick google search and some math and if the average cow can produce 1,800 1/4 burgers if all the meat is used for burgers than they had enough meat for 1,800,000 burgers!  Forget about the rams, lambs, and drinks...that is an awesome party!  Did anyone bring the ketchup?  No wonder there was great gladness.  On your final day do you want it to be a day of gladness, celebration, and rejoicing in the abundance of grace that God has given you?  I know I do!  

Contagious Joy

      As we all socially distance ourselves and cover our faces to protect our bodies from a deadly virus I am reminded that not only diseases are contagious.  Emotions, attitudes, hiccups, and yawning can all be contagious as well.  :)  Have you ever walked into a room and someone was in bad mood?  Before long, I suspect, your mood began to drift down to theirs.  Sadness breads more sadness; watch a sad movie alone and see how much you cry, but watch that same sad movie with others that start to cry and see if you can resist.  Laughter is also contagious.  There is a reason why TV shows use laugh tracks in the background, it makes you think the joke was funnier than it really was.  Joy is also contagious.  If I am going to spread anything in this life, may it not be a plague, grumpiness, or sleepy yawns, may it be joy!  There is a short passage in the book of 2 Corinthians where Paul talks about a contagious joy.  Let's read it together and see what we can learn.

Background:

• This is at least the second, probably the third or fourth, letter written by Paul to the church in Corinth.  He has had to write some difficult things and has been very bold and sharp with them, but throughout his writings he has expressed much love for these people.  
• He spent considerable time with this church and knows the people well.   He loves them and wants them to know Christ and enjoy Him forever.  See how that joy in Christ spreads in this passage.

2 Corinthians 7:2-9

Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.


5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.


Things to think about:

• Have you ever had to "make room in your heart" for someone? What does that even mean? Let down walls, let go of bitterness, forgive, reconcile, open up to...probably all of the above.
• Paul defends his actions and harsh words, but at the same time explains that it is for their good that he has been harsh, for their benefit that he had to send difficult letters. Out of love, he has acted. Can I say I act out of love, even when I am being harsh? Maybe, but probably not all the time.
• Count the times Paul uses the words: joy, rejoice, and comfort in these short paragraphs. What is the source of the joy/comfort and how is it spread?
• Look again at verses 6-7. God comforts the downcast, Titus was the deliverer/carrier of that comfort to Paul, and Titus received it from the Corinthians. So, God is the ultimate source of comfort, but sometimes he gives his comfort to us so we can give it to others! Who could use a little of your comfort and joy today? Where can you spread your infectious joy this week?

Sorry...Not Sorry

           Have you ever felt really bad about something only to do it again, and again, and again.  I know in my life I have had struggles with sin that go back decades.  I asked forgiveness for things in my journal last week that I could go back to confessions I wrote in high school and see almost an identical apology to the Lord.  Part of the Christian life is to be a repenting person.  On this side of glory we will all "wrestle with sin" much like the apostle Paul describes in Romans 7.  We will do things we hate and not do things we want to do, even though we really want to do them.  Broken, weak, sinful, and lost...that is what I am without the saving power of Christ!  But, thanks be to God who gave us salvation in Jesus Christ and a new way of holiness that I pursue every single day! 
         If it is true that all of us are continually repenting people, and even repenting of the same sins time and again, what does it even mean to repent?  Isn't repentance a turning away from sin and a new pursuing of Jesus and obedience?  If I have to keep repenting, did I ever repent in the first place?  Hmmm...now that is a question to ponder.  Maybe the following story from the Bible might help us think though this one. 

Background:

• John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
• John taught repentance, baptized people with a baptism of repentance, and called out sin so that people would see their need for a savior and look to the "lamb who takes away the sins of the world."  
• As John was calling out sin, he didn't hold back, even when it came to religious or political leaders.  One political leader was named Herod (different Herod than the one who reigned when Jesus was born).  Long story short he was in a relationship with his brother's wife who was also probably his niece...yeah, keeping it all in the family was around in Jesus' day as well, not just the middle ages in Europe!  
• Anyway, John told Herod he was sinning and the wife/mistress, niece, did not like that very much, so John was in prison.  Let's pick up the story there...but I want you to pay close attention to the feeling words, the emotions of Herod...and then notice the actions he takes.

Mark 6:17-29

       "For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her.  For John had been saying to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brothers's wife.'  And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death.  But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe.  When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

      But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.  For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests.  And the king said to the girl, 'Ask me for whatever you wish and I will give it to you.'  And he vowed to her, 'Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.'  And she went out and said to her mother, 'For what should I ask?'  And she said, 'The head of John the Baptist.'  And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, 'I want you to give me at once the head of John the baptist on a platter.'  And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.  And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head.  He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb."

Things to think about:

• What were Herod's emotions through the story?  Fear, perplexion, gladness, pleased, exceeding sorrow...
• I contend that Herod had the right emotions but the wrong object or cause for his emotions...Herod feared John when he should have feared God.  Herod was perplexed by John's teaching and life when he should have been perplexed about his own.  Herod was glad to hear from John but did not want to hear from God.  Herod was pleased with a dance instead of being pleased with the Lord, and Herod was exceedingly sorry for having to kill John for fear of the people, when he should have bee exceedingly sorry for his sin and feared the judgment of God rather than men.  
• We might have right emotions, with wrong motives and be unrepentant, stuck in our sin.  We can be sorry we got caught, fear how we might look to others, regret hurting someone else, or fear a punishment from authority; but if our emotions do not come from a broken heart in the presence of God and a desire to change so that you might honor him and enjoy him without a barrier of sin dividing you...you are unrepentant.  
• Look at the actions of Herod.  He put John in jail, rejected the rebuke, stayed in his sin, pursued other sins, killed John, and defended his pride. These are not the actions of one who is truly repentant.  So, he may have been exceedingly sorry, but he was not exceedingly sorry for the right reasons or in the right way that would lead to true repentance.
• So, the next time you feel guilty, sorry, ashamed, ask yourself; why do I feel this way?  Is it because I have sinned against my Lord, creator, savior, or for some other reason.  What is this feeling leading me to do?  Turn to God, run from God, hide from God?  
• May our repentance be true, may our sorrow turn to rejoicing when we truly give ourselves to the Lord who came to save us, to set us free from the trap that Herod found himself in.  There is hope for you and I, broken as we are...that hope is Jesus Christ.  Turn to him today and be set free.  

God Bless

Josh

Sent To Those Who Don't Want To Hear

            Have you ever had a conversation with someone who was obviously not listening?  The sudden turn of the head to face you with a puzzled, "What?"  "What were you saying?"  That is frustrating, isn't it.  It shows that the person listening didn't really want to hear what you had to say, or didn't really care.  Now imagine the person looks at you and says, "Go away, I not only don't want to listen, I am afraid of what you are saying and don't want to hear any more!"  Kind of shuts down the conversation doesn't it?  In our gospel story today I want to look at an event that has always fascinated me.  Jesus sailed across a lake to have an encounter with a demon possessed man, only to have the people fear Jesus and send him away.  What struck me afresh this morning as I was reading this passage again, is what Jesus tells the healed man to do when Jesus leaves the scene.  Let's read it and find out...

Mark 5:1-20

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Things to Think About:

• I love how the strength of the demon(s) is described in detail (he breaks chains, no on can subdue him, etc.)  but then Jesus walks up and there is no contest, no fight, no epic struggle with Jesus winning by the smallest of margins.  Jesus says go, and the demons obey.  Simple as that.
• Why do you think Jesus sent "Legion" into the pigs?  
• Notice that the possessed man begged Jesus twice.  Once, when he was possessed by Legion to not be cast out of the country, and then again when he was healed that he might go with Jesus wherever he may lead.  
• Jesus had so much power and authority that the people of the region were afraid of him.  So afraid, they asked him to leave!  Imagine watching Jesus perform an amazing miracle and then asking him to leave?!  
• This is what caught my eye this morning.  Notice that Jesus tells the man that he can not go with him on his missionary journey along with all the other disciples.  Instead, Jesus sends the man back to his own people to tell them the good news of God.  These are the same people that just sent Jesus away and wanted nothing to do with him.  Why does Jesus send a man to a people that don't want to hear from him?  Perhaps he knows they might only hear from one of their own, perhaps they will only hear from one who has been transformed and changed by Jesus himself?  Jesus in person was too intense, but Jesus expressed through one of his followers just might be what these people need most.  Often, I pray for people to hear the gospel and be saved, to see a vision of Jesus, to experience a great church service, but maybe sometimes I should be open to the idea that Jesus may send me, broken and weak as I am, because my frail voice is the only one that person may listen to at the time.  A vision may frighten them, a church service overstimulate them, a miracle confuse them, but my story of how I have been changed by Jesus...could be just right.  

A Joy Inexpressible

Do you have joy?  Don't answer too quickly, really think about it.  Is your life a joyful life?  I didn't ask if you were happy today, this month or this year.  I asked if you had joy.  There is a difference.  God does not promise us happy lives filled with smiles and bubbles...(bubbles are naturally happy, don't you think?)  Anyway, God doesn't promise us happiness, but he does say, as believers, that we will have joy. Not just any kind of joy, but joy inexpressible. That means it is a kind of joy that I am incapable of telling you about, a joy that can not be described, a joy that can not be shown to its fullest measure.  Joy inexpressible!  Want that joy?  It is only found in one place, Jesus Christ.  Here is a brief passage from the book of 1 Peter and then a few quotes from a book by Martyn LLoyd-Jones.  My prayer is that you would be ever closer to that inexpressible joy by the end of this post. 

1 Peter 1:3-9
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Though you have not seen him, you love him.  Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 

Things to think about:

• Peter is not talking about super Christians or apostles, he is talking to you and I, everyday normally messed up, full of baggage, doubt filled, three steps forward two steps back kind of Christians.  Why can normal Christians have joy inexpressible?  What does Peter tell us?
• Why are we born again?  What does Peter say is the reason for our salvation?  If it originates from God and is for God, do you think God will let us mess it up?  I don't!  I think part of our inexpressible joy is the abundance of confidence that we can have in the Lord Jesus Christ to keep his promises and save our souls.
• If someone asked you, "what has your faith gotten you?"  How would you answer?  I pray part of your answer is joy in the Lord.  May it be so!  

Here are a few quotes to think about from a book called Seeking the Face of God by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (he was a preacher during the last century, much of his preaching after WWII at the Westminster Chapel in London.  

"Christians people were never meant to be miserable or unhappy.  And if you and I are, as it were, half turning back to the world, rather bemoaning the fact that we cannot enjoy what the people of the world are enjoying and that we cannot still be with them, if we are thinking that we are very wonderful in denying ourselves and taking up this cross and having this hard and difficult life, then we are in a terrible state.  It means that we are proclaiming to the world that God's way of living is a miserable one; that for true happiness and joy you must go to the world and that you cannot get it in the faith...God's people are meant to be a rejoicing people..." 

"Is there any person more miserable than the person who has just enough Christianity to make him miserable and to spoil everything the world has?  How awful!  But many are like that.  They have no joy of salvation; they have no joy in the Lord; they know nothing about these great blessings of the Christian life.  it is all negative; they have had to give up, and there they are, as it were, naked and negative.  Oh, what a tragedy!"   

"Oh, open your mouth wide; open your heart to the exceeding great and precious promises.  Do not give yourself any peace until you are enjoying fullness of salvation, until you are rejoicing evermore, until you know God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in a personal manner, until God's commandments are joyous to you and not grievous, until you can say,from the depths of your being, Thou, O Christ, art all i want, More than all in thee I find.'"

  

A Sparrow Finds Rest

           A few days ago spring was in the air, birds were chirping, the grass turned green, and I played catch with Judah in the backyard.  Today, there is snow on the ground, a chill in the air, and all seems to have gone quiet.  The quick weather change is a small reflection of the current state of our world; all seemed to be growing, markets moving, people busy, plans being made, then it all went quiet.  In a few short weeks our faith in the future has been shattered.  Where do we go in times such as these?  Well, consider the Sparrow, a small bird that flutters from branch to branch, bush to bush, up and down and all around.  Recently, we could watch lots of these birds fly past our back window, in and out of the trees, on the ground picking up blades of grass, but today they are nowhere to be seen.  Where did they go when the cold wind was raging and snow began to fall?  They went to their place of peace, safety, and comfort, their nest.  Today, I want to reflect on two passages of scripture that use that imagery of a sparrow returning to a nest of safety to help us see where we need to go in our current days of trouble.  One is a Psalm written almost 3,000 years ago, yet still applies today, and the other is a common story from the very mouth of Jesus.  Let's read these two passages and reflect for a few moments where we might find rest.

Psalm 84:1-4

How lovely is your dwelling pace,
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!

Matthew 6:26-34

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a singe hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?"  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to your.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Things to think about:

• The Psalmist is reflecting on how amazing it is to be in the presence of the Lord.  When he is with God there is joy, singing, a full heart, and true life!  To be with God is the greatest pursuit in our lives for it is only in his presence that we will find peace, love, acceptance, and joy!
• When the Psalmist thinks about entering into rest with God he uses the fluttering sparrow to paint a picture.  This anxious bird that is always nervous about the next enemy attack, never staying still, always looking over its shoulder, finally finds rest and a place to raise its young in safety and security.  Peace is found.  Where?  At the altar of God.  In our current world of anxiety and fear with so many unknowns and every day news of something else to be afraid of, where can we go to find peace?  Same place as the sparrow...the altar of God.  In His presence we will find a safe place of security shielded from all the toil and struggles of the world.  Take a moment and go to Him, go to that place, and feel a peace that surpasses all understanding that only he can give.
• In the passage out of Matthew Jesus changes the perspective to consider how God sees us in all of our anxiety.  We are unlike the birds in this passage because the Sparrow trusts in the Lord and we do not.  The Sparrow goes about its day, being faithful to what God has called it to do, and to be.  The Sparrow is not a sheep that needs to be put in a pen, not a horse tied to a post, not a mule working hard for his master, a sparrow is a bird that looks for food, flies around and trusts God; at least as much as a bird trusts God.  Jesus' analogy, not mine.  :)  
• I used to always have a problem with this passage because I had one objection and if I were listening to Jesus teach I might raise my hand and say, "excuse me Jesus, no disrespect, but just trying to understand...don't birds die sometimes?  Sparrows get eaten all the time, they fly into windows, break a wing, run out of food, or freeze to death.  Shouldn't they be worried about those things?"  I don't know exactly what Jesus would say to my objection, but it might go something like this, "yes birds die, people die, brokenness and death exist in this world.  I did not tell you there are no troubles, and nothing to worry about; what I am telling you is that in and through all of that God the Father is in charge of it all.  Do you trust him?"  
• Do you trust him?  Be faithful where you are, seek the Lord, seek his righteousness, live a life to honor and please him, and when all is said and done trust God that he is good, he loves you, he made a way for you to be forgiven and set free through Jesus Christ's death on the cross, and he wants you to have peace.  So, find your peace in the presence of the Lord.

Confidence

            Confidence.  When was the last time you walked into a situation confident?  A sporting event?  A work situation?  A speech or presentation you had to give?  I am not talking about over-confidence that comes from arrogance or pride, but a real confidence that comes from being informed, prepared, and sure of ability.  When you are confident you approach a situation differently than if you were uncertain or fearful.  Confidence breeds faith, produces plans, changes attitudes, and fights against fear.  During our current global crisis what we need is confidence.  Not a prideful arrogance in our ability to rescue ourselves, cure this disease, manage our funds, and teach our children while keeping them safe.  No, not a confidence in ourselves, but a confidence in someone who is truly informed for he knows all things, prepared for he knew this was coming since the creation of the world, and sure of His ability, which is immeasurable!  Yes, our confidence must be in the Lord.  I was reading in Deuteronomy this morning and saw this kind of confidence when Moses was giving the Israelite people rules regarding warfare.  Read this passage and consider the kind of confidence the Israelite army must have had in the Lord!  May we have that same confidence today to fight the armies that stand against us.

Deuteronomy 20:1-8

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. ² And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people ³ and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, ⁴ for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’ ⁵ Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. ⁶ And is there any man who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit. ⁷ And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’ ⁸ And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’ 

Things to think about:

• ·         Notice that in verse 1 God was not concerned with the power of the enemy, their weapons, greater numbers, or greater strength.  None of that mattered when the Lord fought for them.  God tells the people to not focus on the other army, but rather, to focus on Him for He is with them!  May we do the same.  Don’t focus on the problem you face in front of you, the strength of army, the power of the enemy whether that enemy be sickness, sin, broken relationships, financial ruin, and the list could go on…none of that is stronger than the Lord!  Have confidence in him today for He is with you!
• ·         I love how God weaned out the people to prove his ability to win.  Much like the story of Gideon it was the way God wanted every battle to take place.  Did you just build a house?  Go home, we don’t need you.  Did you plant a new garden?  Someone needs to eat that fruit, go home, we will be fine without you.  Did you just get married?  Go home, enjoy your wife, we don’t need you.  Maybe you can fight next time.  Are you scared?  Go home, God’s got this!  Soon enough the army of God dwindled down to just a small group, but that did not matter, their confidence was not in themselves or their own strength, but in the Lord. 
• ·         Are you so confident in the Lord that you would be willing to leave the battle that would decide life & death for your nation?  If the army loses the people get destroyed, forced into slavery, houses burned down, fields stollen, etc.  They had enough confidence in the Lord to walk away from the battle and trust that God’s got this!  Do you have that kind of confidence?  Are there battles you are fighting that perhaps it is time to lay them down, go home, and know that God’s got this? 

·         May our confidence in the Lord never falter and fail for he is faithful and fights for his children!