Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 - Remembering God While We are Young

Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

Message: Remembering God While We are Young

TimeThe Book of Ecclesiastes does not directly identify its author. The conventional belief is that the author is Solomon. The book was likely written towards the end of Solomon's reign, approximately 935 B.C. It is a book of perspective whereby the speaker reveals the depression that inevitably results from seeking happiness in worldly things. Most every form of worldly pleasure is explored by the Preacher, and none of it gives him a sense of meaning. He accepts that life is brief and ultimately worthless without God and advises the reader to focus on an eternal God instead of temporary pleasure.

What the Lord is Saying: The outcry here is summed up nicely in verse 1. We are to remember our Creator in the days of our youth. It reminds me of Proverbs 5:18 which says, "Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth." It's as if Solomon is saying that as we get old, life gets harder in some ways, and we need to stay focused on the days of our youth and not lose that sweetness and adventure.

I saw this quote by Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910), born in Glasgow, died in Manchester spent 65 years as a minister. His quiet routine of ministry was 2 sermons on Sunday, a Monday prayer meeting and a Thursday service and lecture.  He was an expositor of scripture and said this:
The temptation of the young is to live in the present. Reflection belongs to older heads; spontaneous action is more characteristic of youth. Therefore, they specially need to make efforts to bring clearly to their thoughts both the unseen future and Him who is invisible. The advice is specially suitable for them; for what is begun early is likely to last and be strong.It is hard for older men, stiffened into habits, and with less power and love of taking to new courses, to turn to God, if they have forgotten Him in early days. Conversion is possible at any age, but it is less likely as life goes on. The most of men who are Christians have become so in the formative period between boyhood and thirty. After that age, the probabilities of radical change diminish rapidly. So, ‘Remember . . . in the days of thy youth,’ or the likelihood is that you will never remember.
The rest of these verses in this chapter seem to speak of the same sentiment of verse 1, the evil days come. The language is sort of peculiar and to me it is just Solomon's perspective of old age at that time. In verse 3 the keepers of the house tremble are our limbs and our body that begins to deteriorate; and the strong men are bent, even the powerful men become hunched over and their liveliness to rule is diminished; and the grinders cease because they are few speaks of our molars or our teeth and they are not as strong as they once were, and those who look through the windows are dimmed is our eye sight.

And verse 8 concludes with the same sentiment that was expressed in chapter 1, verse 2, vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity to express that by the end of the book the message has been clear. He asserted this message at the beginning and now he has proven. It is like an opening and closing statement in a court case.

Promise: Life is vanity. Make the most of each day. Be content with what you have done. But, have no regrets. In order to get the rewards you want in life, you will have to do what is difficult now. It may be against the grain, but for the youth, these are the formative years and if you form yourself for only having fun and having no responsibilities, adjustment later in life will be very difficult. 

Prayer: Lord, I pray for my children, that you would help them each day to make decisions that honor you. Lord, challenge them in their lives. We live in a world of entertainment, where it is seen as the highest good. Lord, challenge me, them, to think of tomorrow. Help them to honor you in all they do. 


Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Song of Solomon 8:13-14 - The Only Love That Can Fully Satisfy

Song of Solomon 8:13-14

He
13 O you who dwell in the gardens,
with companions listening for your voice;
let me hear it.
She
14 Make haste, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
on the mountains of spices. looking through the lattice.

Message: The Only Love That Can Fully Satisfy

Time: Solomon wrote the book during his reign as king of Israel, meaning he composed it sometime between 971 and 931 BC.

What the Lord is Saying: 

According to my Bible, these two verses are the voices of the man (v. 13) and the woman (v. 14). These are the last 2 verses of the book. They seem to echo a sentiment that has been present throughout the book, the longing of each person to be with the other person.

He Speaks (v. 13)
The bridegroom calls upon the (Shulammite) woman to let his friends, who have come to congratulate him on his bride's safe return, listen to him. She seems to reside in the garden, perhaps a special spot for her. Like Solomon, I notice a simple delight in hearing the voice of my bride, my wife. Many voices of my day can make me impatient and I tire sometimes with people, but with my wife I never tire. I always look forward to her speaking. Often I feel like I am saying these words of Solomon, "let me hear it." It is possible the bride here is singing a song which she sang early on in their courtship. In essence, real love lasts.

She Speaks (v. 14)
In answer to his request, she sings. And her words point back to him and draw him in once again. His desire for her is met. He asks her to possibly sing or speak something from the past, a song that represented the foundation of their relationship. This verse echoes back to chapter 2, verse 9 when se says My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag, there he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice. Gazelle is used multiple times in this book. She uses gazelle to describe the dancing around or the way he leaps in her heart. He uses gazelle several times when talking of intimacy, namely her breasts, to speak of the delicate nature of them, it would seem. Delicate seems to speak of their smaller proportion. Bigger breasts are not appealing or attractive. The stag and gazelle also point to the speed at which he is coming for her.

On the mountains of spices paints a picture of ascending to a high place. Standing on the mountain results in a feeling that you are top of it all. And the spices augment this with a sweet aroma. Paul remarked that man is to love his wife and here the bride is experiencing the result of that great love. Once again, she is being set apart and is distinct from all others. How it hurts a woman to be compared to. My wife told me early on in our marriage that the thing that saddens her the most is my wandering eye. She dislikes seeing men peer at other women with their wife right next to them. It should not be done at all, but then it is done in her presence. This should motivate me. And yet I find myself digressing from this in moments of anger or resentment. And yet how childish this is. It's like I'm looking elsewhere having a temper tantrum of sorts. My love and devotion needs to be more mature. My wife envelopes everything I desire and there should be no reason ever to look elsewhere. So, let this verse be a reminder of the continual need to pursue my wife. 

Promise: It is true that God's love for us is the only that fully satisfies, and yet in this picture of marriage here is an encouragement to pursue one another. Obviously, as I age, that changes. We don't move around as fast and neither is in as good of shape. The times of intimacy are less, but they are still valuable. What I realize is my need to savor all that I have, even if what I have is different in these times. And in return, I see more and more the fullness of my relationship in Christ, who never changes. 

Prayer: Lord, I want to trust in You alone and I want to thank you for the gift of my wife. Her words are what I look forward to hearing each day. Her presence is what I value. Help me to center always on her and her alone. Keep me pure Lord and my eyes focused loving my wife and her alone. Forgive me for me not keeping vow, but today I begin again. Thank you for her faithfulness and the sweet gift that she is. 

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Psalm 149 - Our Duty to Rejoice in Our King

Psalm 149
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,

His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.
Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise His name with dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

Let the godly ones exult in glory;
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 The high praises of God in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations
And punishment on the peoples,
To bind their kings with chains
And their nobles with fetters of iron,
To execute on them the judgment written;
This is an honor for all His godly ones.
Praise the Lord!

Message:  Our Duty to Rejoice in Our King

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:
The Song (1-3)
The Theme (1a)
Praise the LordSing to the Lord a new song, I've read this before in various Psalms and scripture and have never thought that the new song is a new and distinct song from the other songs. And the song has a special point of emphasis that is possibly different from the other songs, perhaps. In the book of Psalms there are 6 new songs (33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1 144:9, 149:1). New songs anticipate the millennial reign of Christ. 

The Throng (1b-3)
     The Great Congregation is Assembled (v1b)
His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. Congregation could mean many different types of groups, but I think what is significant is it is a group of the godly ones. This group is separate and distinct and it should confirm the importance of assembling together. It saddens me to hear of people that suddenly find no time for church or regular community with other Christians. To me, it seems that when this occurs Satan is winning and pulling apart this formidable force. But, it also makes me think about the church as it assembles. Are we simply walking into a movie theater and watching a show or are we building community in the body to wage war against the darkness. 

     The Great Creator of Israel is Acclaimed (v.2-3)
Our Great God adopted the nation of Israel as His own
Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.
Here is a Levite prayer on behalf of the nation in regards to sealing the covenant in the days of Nehemiah:
Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it: And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
Zion is the poetical name for Jerusalem and proverbial name for the city as the center of all political power in the coming millennial age. Thus, Israel's King (Maker) is to be rejoiced in as he is higher than any other king. 

Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
When a person dances, there entire body moves and thus in praising God with our dance, every part of us is moving and focused on Him. Their voices are singing praises with music instruments. It is good to see the encouragement to praise the Lord with song.

The Saints (4-5)
Their Blessing (4a)
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people. Much of the Bible is not simply about God but how God relates to people and people's worship of God. 75% of the book of Genesis speaks of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph and God's pleasure in his people.

Their Beauty (4b)
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. He will deliver those that are afflicted. Society likes the person that returns a tough word with a tougher word. We love to watch debates where people respond from an attack with a good defense or insult even. But, we are reminded often in scripture to let God take care of the outcomes and he mentions the beauty here of those that have been afflicted. And this is the picture of Jesus and his life because he willingly went to the cross rather than fight back when he was accused. 

Their Bliss (5)
Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. The Psalmist believes that people should be happy and they should be rejoicing even as they go to bed, thankful for the day and what the Lord has provided and then awaken with happiness as seeking to praise God. We have much to be praising God for. 

The Sword (6-9)
There is victory in the Lord

Trusting in that Sword (v. 6)

The high praises of God in their mouth. I am to be a person that is praising God. We are to be a people that praise Him. It seems in recent years as worship music becomes more popular, I tend to be moving away from it and yet, the Christian music I grew up on is worship music. The song we sang in church Sunday was unstoppable God. His Glory goes on and on. There is much we can praise God for. He is eternal, uncreated, self-existing, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, just, true, tender and living, gracious and kind. 

And a two-edged sword in their hand. The Word of God is a our sword in all of life. We use it to meet all attacks. In the list of Christian armor, it is the only weapon of attack, all other weapons are for defense (Ephesians 6:17). When Satan attacked Adam and Eve, what he attacked was the reliability of the Words of God. In his hour of temptation with Satan, Jesus' only defense was the word of God. The Word of God needs to be our defense. 

Trusting with that Sword (v.7-9)

To execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains
And their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for all His godly ones. 
Praise the Lord! In Revelation 19:15, when the Lord descends out of the sky to engage the enemy, it is the sword that comes out of his mouth. Could these verses be thinking of that moment? The remaining Gentiles on the earth here are the nations and peoples of verse 7. The restored Hebrew people will execute judgment in honor of all His Godly ones. Once again, the Word of God will be feared as we all Praise the Lord. 

Promise: No matter how we feel, no matter what is going on in our life, there can always be time to stop and Praise the Lord. 

Prayer: Praise the Lord, Sing to the Lord. Lord, revitalize Your church and the people of God. Help all people of God and Christians to put aside their differences and assemble together each week at church, supporting it with financial gifts and continuing to give glory to You. Lord, you are higher than any other. You are there for the afflicted ones, providing deliverance. Let the people of God continually praise you, at morning and night. I want to praise you more. May the people of this earth recognize the holiness of the Word of God. In the end, as in the beginning, the Lord will be praised. 

Friday, October 20, 2017

Psalm 119:161-168 - The Treasure of God's Word

Psalm 119:161-168
161 Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.
162 I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and despise falsehood,

I love Your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
165 Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
166 I hope for Your salvation, O Lord,
And do Your commandments.
167 My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.


Message:  The Treasure of God's Word

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:
The Persecuted Man (v. 161)
Men can do harm to us for only so long. But those people are temporary. God's word is eternal. So my heart stands in awe of Your words. It is somewhat hard for me to write these words and really understand their meaning because attending church has always been lawful for me; to worship God has always been my choice; I live in comfort, in security and freedom to worship what I wish. I haven't been placed in a position where I've had to choose. I can only pray and hope that, given the choice, I would hold to the Word of God. 

But there are also little ways I can do this as well. There are conversations I could go along with, that don't glorify God. I do have opportunities to choose God and not the world. And I know there are times I've failed at this in order to keep the applause of men predominant in my life. 

The Praising Man and What He Discovered (v. 162)
How do I treat God's Word in my life. Is it more important than anything else? Do I count it as the highest treasure in my life? Would I trade all I have, the worldly wealth, my earnings, my possessions for it - if that was the choice that was presented to me that I had to take? Again, I hope I would. I hope that I would rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great spoil. I do know that I need to continue to look to it and study it.. I never graduate from the Word of God. I never reach a point in my life when I know it all, It remains a needed part of my day to return to it. 

The Praising Man and What He Detested (v. 163)
If I love God's word and set it on high, then inversely I detest what is not God's word. I hate and despise falsehood. What is the common phrase today: Coexist. It is the idea that all spiritual roads are equal, that they all lead to the same destination. What is important is something not nothing. But I am not to tolerate those beliefs that don't agree that Jesus is God and his sacrifice on the cross is the only way. And I also believe that I should not argue with those other denominations that agree in Jesus but practice in a different way. On that front, I need to stand with them. But, I need to be clear that what is good is not just doing something. The other day I met a person and he made the comment that as long as a person finds what he believes to be his faith then that is fine. It's as if, it doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you believe in something. But, this is not what is meant here. 

I think the difficult is the world views hatred toward falsehood as hatred toward people that put forth the falsehood. And so they don't believe that the two can, coexist. But, as I learned years ago, hate the sin, love the sinner. I think I need to love people with the Gospel of Jesus and seek to always bring it before them. But, I also need to be clear that I hate sin and hate the culture of sin that I often live in. I am not to be a friend to the world. I need to be more careful of this because the ways of the world continue to seep more strongly into all of life. 

The Praising Man and What He Did (v. 164)
Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances. What an encouragement this is to pray like this each day. If I did this each day, wouldn't it change my perspective throughout the day. One of the things I think I struggle with each day is praise and thanking God for what He has done in my life. If I took the time to praise Him, maybe as I eat, wake up, morning, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack, bed time - and that would be seven times. "Thank you Lord for this new day and for all I shall learn today of Thy wondrous love and care." 

The Peaceful Man (v. 165)
Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble. Everyone is looking for peace and here is a formula, per se, for peace in our life. We are to love the Law of God. Laws of this land, we often think, are there to constrain us and keep us from enjoyment. But they are to protect us and how good it is then to love the law. Do I love God's laws and commandments? Do I love the Gospel and seek to follow it carefully all of my days? 

The Patient Man (v. 166)
 I hope for Your salvation, O Lord, and do Your commandments. There is something sweet about doing the right thing and then stepping back and saying, "Yes, I did it." Last night I stayed at work later than normal, like 3 hours later, but it felt good. There wasn't much going on at home, but it sure felt good to get the weight of work just out of the way. I hate living a life of regrets and missing out. I want so much more to be able to do the right thing and then enjoy the peace of having done it. And so any time I do anything for the Lord, once again, there are no regrets. 

The Passionate Man (v. 167) 
My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. Keeping the law can often be done out of duty. But, this says that my soul keeps...and i love them. The innermost part of my being desires to keep the promises that God has extended to us, what he holds dear. Again, as I have seen, doing the will of God, when it is not out of guilt, yields peace. And in this phrase the Psalmist reminds me that that practice of doing it is out of not just love, but exceeding love. 

On this earth, I see this exceeding love with my wife. The joy of being with her yields a desire to do anything for her. I see this in my kids in my desire to want them to have the best yields a desire to do anything for them. Thus, acts of service seem easy, so why is it with me that giving at times seems hard. Maybe God it is because I am a pleaser, meaning I like to please people. And I get caught sometimes wanting to please my family and yet wanting to please those that need it as well, and often need it more. 

The Lord spoke to Moses to ask the children of Israel for funds in regards to building the tabernacle and he didn't just want givers, but wanted every man that giveth it willingly with his heart (KJV). Just like doing the work of the law exceedingly, I am to give willingly. 

The Perfect Man (v. 168) 
I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You. Nothing is not seen by Him. His ways are ever before Me. Lord, if I could continue to live life with no regrets, it would be a beautiful thing. And Lord, it seems to be that the hallmark of doing that, at least by this text, is begin a person that keep your precepts and your testimonies. In the previous verse the motivation was from the heart and now it is motivation from the head, from the logic that God already sees all that I do anyway, so I might as well do it right the first time. 

Promise: The Word of God is nothing more than a great treasure. And with its practice yields great peace. I ask the Holy Spirit to remind me of this continually, all my days. 

Prayer: Lord, I want to continually stand in awe of You and Your words, more than any other power in this present life. Lord, I want the Word of God to the highest and most valued treasure in my life today. I ask that as I love your word, I would make it clear that I stand in opposition to that which is not your word and is falsehood. I don't want to play both sides of the fence. Lord, I want to praise you and think of praising you more each day. Help me to take a moment to praise you 7 times a day. Lord, I need a smile on my face each moment of each day. I need to be happier in the moment and excited about what you have before me. Help me Lord to love your law. Lord, there is such great reward in doing the right thing. Help me Lord to do that each day, to choose the good. Lord, you have shown me how easy it is to love exceedingly and serve others and do things for others in service to  you, but I also want to be a cheerful giver. Teach me this Lord. Teach me to give in peace with no regrets. Remind me that you are watching anyway and I can always know that I will please you. 

Monday, October 16, 2017

Galatians 3:23-29 - All Sons and Daughters

Galatians 3:23-29
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

Message: All Sons and Daughters (presented by Josh Swanson, Hope Church, Eastside, August 28, 2017)

Time: Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor. Paul wrote the book a few months before his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49. The Galatians fell away quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them and their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Paul began the letter defending that very issue. In chapter 3 he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.

What the Lord is Saying:

Josh started out with a discussion of orphans, mentioning how many of our stories in movies and characters are about people that are orphans. We all have a need to belong - to be embraced - we connect with characters - humanity feels a lostness - alienation - we feel disconnected - we feel homeless - the Bible speaks to this - answers the question “What is wrong with me?” - Adam/Eve paradise lost; Paul strangers and aliens (Not of this world) - Yet God is the healer of what is wrong - God brings reconciliation - God adopts us, bringing us home.

The key message of today's text comes from verse 26 - For you are all sons of God


  1. Before Faith - Israel is confined by laws, ceremonies, rituals.
    1. But this was temporary
    2. in Christ, we are full sons of God
    3. in Ch. 4, we are moved from slaves to sons
  2. Rich Text - we are heirs, so what does this mean
    1. In Exodus  - children of Israel were brought out of slavery
    2. Reason you are a son is being united with Jesus
    3. What is true for Jesus in his relationship with God is also true for us
    4. Verse 26 says "All" and in verse 28, "all one" (I was reminded of the Sheila Walsh song from the 80s, "We're all one.")
  3. Adoption as defined in the Greco Roman world
    1. Families cared for families, specifically Jewish
    2. But in Greco-roman world adoptions occurred
    3. 7 or 8 Caesar leaders were adopted; Caesar Augustus was adopted by Julius Caesar to maintain the hierarchy
    4. Octavion said that Julius thought by Octavion to be one of God's so Caesar Augustus gave him the name son of God.
    5. Every President of the United States makes a similar claim that he will make America great again
    6. This is the tone in this world that Paul proclaims his message
  4. Jesus divests himself to the lowest type of person - "a slave"
    1. The meaning of adoption in that day was infant exposure or taking a child and throwing it on the trash heap where it would end up a slave or in brothels and have no dignity or worth
    2. Jesus becomes the lowest class person once again - "We are all sons of God."
    3. The only recipient of heirs are sons, but God here is making everyone a recipient; this is an explosive message
  5. This was a radical message
    1. A whole new community; our new identity in Christ
    2. But do we show partiality in our faith
    3. Do we treat each other the same?
    4. God is forming a new community
    5. It's a new social movement
      1. western nations all have dignity and worth (humanistic values)
      2. equally birthed in Christian movement
      3. Luke Ferry, philosopher in France wrote - "Christianity introduced concept that all classes of people have equal identity; Christianity was the pre-cursor of modern democracy; "All men are created equal."
      4. people like equal dignity
      5. Civil Rights movement is another example
    6. All these movements ideas, at their core, is found in Jesus Christ's message of adoption of the lowest class of people
    7. Do we care about everyone?
  6. A new Vision of God
    1. In the pantheon of god's you go to a different god to get what you want
    2. But everywhere Jesus calls him My Father
    3. He invites us into same relationship
    4. How do I become a child of God?
  7. What has God done for us
    1. God becomes man, a slave, exile, suffers, dies
    2. Every time Jesus speaks to God he calls him "Father" except for 1, when he is dying on the cross
    3. Faith is the open hand that receives the gift
    4. Turn from wandering to welcoming
    5. Read the prayer of belief
Prayer of Belief: Lord, Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever imagined, but through you, I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared to hope. I thank you for paying my debt, bearing my punishment, and offering forgiveness. I turn from my sins and receive you as Savior. Amen. 

This is a strong message. We are all children of God. There are no class systems. The true message of the Gospel is everyone is a priest. We are all made in the image of God. Jesus was a different kind of leader, he submitted himself to others. Each person is filled by Jesus' presence. The new humanity is one of equality.

Promise: We are all full sons of God. We are this way because of our unity with Christ. What is true of Jesus is true of me. I have been adopted. All men are created equal.

Prayer: Lord, it is difficult sometimes to see how we are trained in this world. It is hard to see the messages of church and religion and the separation that takes place between people in society. Lord, thank you that this isn't your message. Lord, you came to save us. You came to make us fellow heirs of the promise. You came to remind us we are all made in your image. Thank you for showing us this about ourselves and seeing such value in us. Thank you for truth. Thank you for making me a son of God.

Proverbs 14:4 - The Mess of Productivity

Proverbs 14:4
Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, but much revenue (abundant crops) by the strength of the ox.

Message:  The Mess of Productivity

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying: There are multiple messages in this passage, but the central one is that productivity is messy. Much revenue comes from the strength of an ox. An ox was a key component of agriculture, especially during times when there wasn't automated equipment. An ox can do more than a person. It is a hard working, large animal. But, it also must be fed and cared for. It is an animal that can be messy. So, if you desire cleanliness and always keeping things clean and never making a mess, then you will have to accept sometimes not being very productive. There is nothing wrong with keeping things clean but its okay to let things get messy as well. Do we try to find ways to be productive without being messy. That seems to be the message here. Harvesting is a long-term result or consequence and for that, we may have to experience temporary disarray.

I think there is also a word here toward animals and their usefulness which often gets lost now in our technologically savvy way of the land.  

Promise: The issue here to me is trusting the process. God has provided animals to help us succeed. And this help may be messy and that may be hard for people that like things to be clean. But, we must be willing to sacrifice something that is important to us to yield a long-term benefit. 

Prayer: Lord, you are good. Your ways are right. Help me Lord to trust in your outcomes and realize what you have provided for me in this world to assist me. Help me, at times, to roll with the punches and not stare to quickly at the here and now, but to trust you for the outcomes that you have clearly set up. Thank you for overseeing all of life and providing me what I need 

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Proverbs 7:21-27 - The Gatekeeper of Death

Proverbs 7:21-27
With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him.
Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as fetters to the discipline of a fool,
Until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it his life.

Now therefore, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths.
For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain.
Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

Message:  The Gatekeeper of Death

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying

Background
For me, the crux of the first 20 verses of Proverbs 7 is the pleading from a father to his son to treasure the commandments that he is passing along. Treasure the words of the sage, of the Father God. Stay close to them. Adhere to  them in your life, for only then will you be able to withstand the temptations that will be present in this life. And temptations will be many. But, the sexual temptations, or the carrying away of ourselves to abandon our principles will be the strongest. We can't even give them a moment. The door opens when we allow ourselves to be in a dangerous environment. For the young boy, it is walking down the road of the adulteress, where she lives. There are other ways to get to our destination, so we should not even go there. 

The Problem
These remaining verses catapult the encounter and we get to witness first hand what is in store for the person that gets pulled away. I must admit, as a man, these verses resonate with me because I am pulled away too easily, it would seem. The clothing manufacturers have continued to make clothing that simply show off too much of a woman. I struggle with my eyes and it is a struggle when people are bending over in front of you or wearing short dresses. I'm captivated by my wife, but would prefer it in the privacy of my own home. It's really a horrible thing for the man to live with for it is everywhere. And the phone makes it worse. It is too easily accessible. Thus, the title of this message: the gatekeeper of death.

Studying this passage
Verse 21 begins "with her many persuasions." Again, these to me are not just verbal, but they are visual persuasions. They could be a glance, an alluring look, but most likely they are the way a person carries oneself. 'Many persuasions' also speaks to the many different ways we are confronted with this. The temptation now shows itself in so many different ways. But also in these verses is the inference that the person is reluctant because "she entices" and "she seduces." Thus, even in these verses, one could apply I Corinthians 10:13 in that there is a way out when the temptation presents itself.

And then the striking words of verse 22 "suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to slaughter." The road to death is set. The man is walking it. He is captivated, and yet, his life will never be the same. The visual expression of an ox going to slaughter is such an assault; it is such a picture of what the sin does to us. It because a drug that overtakes all of our senses. The ox is obviously not realizing his destination. The ox is being led somewhere that it is thought will only yield good outcomes. The "slaughter" represents the end, not the journey. But "he does not know it is his life." He is consumed with the moment, not the end. The consequences or results of this act are not overtaken by the momentary high.

And so the chapter ends the way it begins. There are words from the wise one to the son, "Listen to me" and "pay attention." Here is the reason: "Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways" and "do not stray into her paths." In these words is the idea I think of 1 Corinthians 10:13 and it is "don't go there." Don't put yourself in a position that is hard to come back from. Once the ox is on the way to the slaughter, it is too late. I must think about this in my life. For instance, I just realized that when I am down on life, or angry, then it is not good to have my phone with me and so, like going to bed - don't bring it to bed. Leave it in the other room. 

At the end of this passage is more ammunition. It is the father building the case. He hopes that the son would simply listen to his words. He would hope that this is compelling enough. But, he also then shows the son the results of the sinful lifestyle. This paints the picture of any addiction in our lives.
For many are the victims she has cast down, 
and numerous are all her slain.
Her house is the way to Sheol, 

descending to the chambers of death.

The language is final. They are victims. They are numerous. This is a problem many have. They are slain - again death. Her house is on the trek to death. Her house is lower than any person really wants to go. It should be clear, but instead deception has taken over. 

PromiseThe foolish young man who heeds the call of the adulteress will find nothing but destruction in her arms.

Prayer: Oh Lord, I need help in this. I am not strong. I am too easily lured away. Once the sin starts, it just continues to be a problem. I'm embarrassed as to what this sin has done to me over the years. To think that I can be so easily enticed. Lord, place a hedge around me. I need your protection. Give me strength. Give me rest today. Lord, I want to be free. I hate the feeling of being a slave to it. I want to follow you. Help me Lord.