ignorant of his design

How important is grace to you? How important is love? Forgiveness?

Would you forfeit God's love and grace to you because you can't afford such kindness to others?

There is something that we present day Christians ignore: Satan has a strategic, intelligent, subtle and long-term plan as well. The Apostle Paul in his Second Letter to the Churches in Corinth talks about this issue, chapter 2 verse 11. Paul is very aware of the Devil and evil. He and the Apostle Peter talk at length about the ways in which evil maneuvers and schemes; how pervasive the plans of the Evil one are played out in day-to-day life with the subtly of a slight breeze. This is not the evil of Paranormal Activity, ghost stories or any of the exorcism movies or accounts, but a bigger and eternal end, which is meant to leave as many possible foreign to the love of God.

While we may well be reminded that God, in his eternal wisdom, power and love has a grandiose design for all things, we cannot forget that the Devil, in his keen, observant and endless desire to ruin all that is and can become good, also has an end game. I think that we quietly ignore the craft of Satan when we relegate him to scarry movies and abandoned buildings. The Devil is active. The Devil is real. The Devil is not "out to get you" but to defame God and unsettle and make shipwreck people's faith in God.

In 2 Corinthians 2.5-11 we see Paul's specific concern regarding this area. In Paul's First Letter to these churches he brought about many deeply wicked and harmful issues that were fostered in the churches. He gave warning and instruction. Paul taught that some in the church could only be dealt with by excommunication, taking away the hand of fellowship. This is a hard word from Paul, but Paul always knew, and he stated it in his Letter, that this was so that the wayward one, the one stuck in his sin, might be returned to the faith: restored! And though it took more words from Paul the people obeyed his teaching, the teaching from the Lord. This is where the Devil came in--taking something good and turning it on its head all over again. While the people of Corinth were obediently following God's way they were becoming bitter of heart and cold to those who were outcast. The particular evil design of Satan that Paul is here shining light on is the Church not forgiving the repentant believers, denying community and fellowship.  

God has shown time and time again that he will do what is necessary to bring his children's hearts and affections back to himself. Love is not known by its niceties, rather its tenacity for that which it loves! God has darkened my own connection with himself in order that I may long for him anew; his heart all the while loving with a love whose breadth I could never chart.

But the Corinthians, it seems, have forgotten the reason for putting this brother out of fellowship. And when he repents they are not accepting him back! Paul jumps on the Corinthians: "the punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I beg you to reaffirm your love for him." These are not suggestions by Paul but desperate command/pleas. Surely it may be unkind to not forgive such a one, but why such a BIG deal Paul? I mean, he did some bad stuff you know.

Here it is: if the people would not forgive and bring back in the ones who they formerly put out of the church, then they don't have the love of Christ; they would be denying the very power they are wanting; forfeiting the forgiveness that they need and rely on. Do you see it? Jesus said it, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:15). If the Corinthians did not want to forgive and bring back in their once lost brother than they had no business being a part of God's people, for we are all wrapped up in the same story.

"The church is a cosmic relationship" one preacher said. We don't have the authority or luxury of choosing our blood-bought kin. God commands us to love and to forgive.

Obedience is tough.

Discipline is tough.

Forgiveness is tough.

So which will prevail in your own heart: the design of God or the designs of Satan?

Embracing you

I was recently listening to my paster preach a sermon in which he brought up the current culture's fascination with and determination to "be who you are." My mind went racing as this is a prevalent and predominant idea that has taken its place in the West's mind as certainty. The idea is that you should be who you are; wear your cloths how you want; laugh at what makes you laugh; pursue whatever is in your heart. Is that right thinking? Should a Christian, a follower of Jesus agree or disagree with this idea?

Initially, there seems there is a dichotomy, if we wrangle particular verses from the Bible's New Testament. A particular verse that would say "no" to societies belief is 2 Corinthians 5.17: "Therefore, if any one else is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come." We see the dominant and very clear teaching of Jesus and his followers of repentance, which many would explain as a turning from what you once pursued and followed to what God desires his children to follow and pursue. Also, there is the New Testament belief that the Holy Spirit indwells in the life of the believer; this meaning that the very Spirit of God teaches our own spirits what it is, through the reading of God's Words, prayer and fellowship with other believers, that God desires of his people, his children.

So how do these ideas fit in with our culture's idea of being yourself?

I think part of our culture's thought of self-recognition and fruition is rooted in selfishness. This selfishness most clearly plays itself out in the fact that we are told to be who we are and to pursue our dreams is spite of anyone else. Sacrifice is a no-no with this ideology. To pursue all that you want or desire fully means that you can only be thinking of yourself as primary: if your pursuit is supreme all other pursuits not wholly your own are secondary. Sacrifice says I will take the desires of others, including God, and make them my own supreme or primary goal. This is part of repentance and God's Spirit indwelling in the believer: God's desires become the believers chief desire. 

But there is also a sense in which the thought of our day hits a beautiful Biblical nerve: God made us and he made each individual to be a reflection of His own glory. There is a sense of individuality that God crafted into each person to be who He made them to be. We are all made to reflect and display different things through a vast array of mediums for one purpose: glorify God, help all the world to see God for who He is. 

Paul speaks of this when he says that each believer is is a piece making the whole of the Body of Christ. There is no need for a body to be all eyes or feet or hands but all must come together--arms, mouth, ear, eyes, etc.--to form the whole oneness that best and most truthfully and clearly displays Christ's body. So in this we see that tapping into, recognizing our uniqueness as an individual is glorifying to God if we utilize our gifts and desires and concerns and dreams as art of what God is doing in our world. God's Spirit does not only change us--by shaking and shaping us into the reality of God and the world and seeing and believing like we were formally incapable of doing--but God's Spirit also enlightens us and makes us realize in the truest sense our own self. We who were formed and fashioned by God cannot know who we completely and wholly are without God. 

I conclude, therefore, that the Christian may take this supreme cultural thought in portion. We cannot in our pursuit of being who God made us to be, step outside the bounds of God's decrees nor His wisdom which is established by many practical modes. We must use ourselves for the glory of God in the manor God has assigned us, which requires wisdom of our own and above all patience and humility. But we cannot know who God intended us to be unless we follow God and abide by Him. We cannot glorify God rightly with our gifts and abilities and pursuits unless we are doing so in conformity with His plans and timing. We are all God's but only those who trust in God will be, in the most truest sense, who they are. When God calls one to Himself, to follow and trust Him, he takes the individual and, as it were, brings to fruition what they were to become, in part. The "in part" will vanish though when the believer  steps into eternity, for the believer will then fully become all that that God intended for that person to be in Christ Jesus' full and clear and perfect and holy and unhindered presence.

Son Number One: Reuben

In the Old Testament Jacob, that sneaky younger brother, was blessed by God and given a new name, Israel.Though we may be familiar with some of his sons, maybe Joseph, Benjamin and Judah, perhaps even Levi, I thought it could be interesting to do snippets of some of the lesser known sons.

Reuben.

Reuben is the first-born son of Jacob. His mother is Leah. Now if you recall the marriage of Jacob and Leah was . . . well Leah's dad, Labon, really worked one over Jacob. Jacob was beshnooked by Rachel the first time he saw her. And like any rational young man, Jacob agreed to work for Rachel's father, Labon, for 7 entire years in order to gain Rachel's hand in marriage. But Labon, being an honorable scum bag, tricked Jacob. After Jacob's 7 years of working for Labon the wedding was at hand; the party ensued and the veiled bride was brought into the marriage chamber. After consummating the marriage, morning broke and revealed a terrible truth the Jacob: he had married Leah, Rachel's older and uglier sister. Oops. (In some way though, Labon was doing his fatherly duty; sorry Jacob).

Needless to say, coming from Leah, Reuben was not the most favorite of Jacob's sons. Leah had put all her hope in her son, hoping that because of Reuben Jacob would like her; in fact, the name Reuben means 'See, a son.' So she is saying to Jacob at this time, 'Look! Look what I've given you; won't you love me now?'

In Chapter 35 of Genesis we see Reuben take his elder brother privileges a bit far, for he sleeps with his father's concubine. That's right, he sleeps with the one whom his father has made children with--more about that alter.

You remember when all of Josephs older brothers were jealous of him and wanted to kill Joseph? Well remember that Joseph was not actually killed, rather he was sold into slavery? That change in plans was because of Reuben. So some of the brothers were sitting around plotting Joseph's murder and Reuben walks up with a staff in his hand and asks, 'What's up guys? Just tending to some sheep or what?' They reply, 'We are going to kill our young brother. That's what's going on.' Reuben, a bit taken back, 'Ugh, I don't think that's a fantastic idea like y'all do. I hate him too but if he I don't want that blood on my hands. Let's sell him in a pit instead.' (Reuben actually wanted to throw him in a pit so he could save him later.) So there you have it, Reuben came in (sorta) for the rescue. And when, I guess when Reuben was on a smoke break (?), the brothers sold Joseph to some passer-by and Reuben found out about it he tore his clothes--which was what they did in distress back then--and took Joseph's old robe and dipped in blood and telling his father that Joseph, unfortunately, was eaten by wolves.

Reuben never forgot about this incident and years later when the famine came and Joseph, who was in disguise, wanted to make his brothers nervous in Egypt, Reuben looked back and said, 'See!! I told you God would not let this go!' He, apparently, was backing-packing this guilt the whole time.

Well when ole dad was gettin up there in years he decided to go ahead and bless all of his boys. At this time and place in the world the oldest brother would receive almost, if not, all of his father's inheritance, along with all the power. So Reuben should rightly be thinking to himself, 'This is it, this is when I finally get all the blessing my father received from his father and God.' And when Jacob began, it seemed like it would happen that way. But it didn't turn out so good for Reuben. Jacob said clearly that because Reuben slept with Jacob's concubine he would not receive his inheritance normally due him. This would have rocked the socks off of Reuben in the worst and most disappointing of ways. In addition, it was said in that Reuben's line would be small--not a lot of people in comparison--this coming from Deuteronomy 33.

In the end, in Revelation, Reuben is still favored by God and blessed along with most of the other tribes of Israel.

It is important, I think, to see that sin has some very real and very lasting consequences. But we can also see that God's grace and love fulfill his promises and desires to do good to those who love him and repent.

helping others? I need help!

Have you ever had this thought: ‘I can’t help; I don’t have all my ducks in a row either’? Well I have. You’ve, no doubt, heard the saying, ‘I’m just a beggar showing other beggars where to find bread.’ We should accept this, realizing that the beggar is still begging. I’ve often wondered if Peter felt like an idiot saying anything after he betrayed Jesus and left his leader and friend to be killed all by himself. If I’m honest, if I were Peter I might not say anything ever again in public. Mess-ups and failures and sins are not the end; they are not what define those who are God’s children.

Take it from one who has, messing up in life does not disqualify you from helping others. Actually, if we are smart, we look to older people who have messed up but kept going. Wisdom fears God and within that idea is repentance, courage, hope, accepting God’s forgiveness, proceeding. If we are tagged only by what we’ve failed at we will be of no help to others. 

We sin. I hate sinning. It sucks the life out of everyone. But it isn’t the end. Jesus said so when he woke up from the grave. Life together with God is the end. Though all may be against you today, God is for you. And that gives us reason to help out our co-beggars. The bible doesn’t say we must be without fault before we can give a parched person some water; God doesn’t say, ‘You better have all your spiritual ducks in a row before you forgive that person!!’ No, the sinning and screwing up does not need to be our life pattern anymore and if we have a way of encouraging another who is walking this difficult path we should use it, for ‘we all have gone astray, everyone to his own way’ and ‘there is no one who is righteous, not even one.’ 

So do you have that friend who you can help today? Don’t grow your past faults by withdrawing, go and help. We must not want others to experience the fire as we have. This is to love others more than yourself.

how often can you fail?

Failure is a word I hate. Not that I infrequently encounter it, rather that it and I are too acquainted. For many, failure is associated with 'losing,' with 'not measuring up,' with 'not good enough,' with 'others are better,' with 'messed up,' and so on. And with some, it quickly unravels to the thought of 'no one, not even God or my closest family likes me.'

Failure is a field where lies can grow. Failure is also a pause in time where, if it is not met with goodness, can harm for years to come. I've felt many many times. Whatever arena it is found--sports, morality, relationships, writing--it can crush a soul.

But we don't have to live in the presence of our past; we don't have to wake up and live in the memory of yesteryear. It is not some magical mind trick; it is Jesus. 

All the times toy have not failed will never satisfy you. You can do 1,000 things perfectly right and the one thing you failed in will ruin it all. And if you did 1,000,000,000,000 things right you'd feel even WORSE about the one failure! You can't escape the imperfection of who you are. But we can go to Jesus in our imperfection and know that we are forgiven, we are loved, our existence is worth maintaining.

We are all going to fail in a multitude of magnitude and type. But if we are walking with Jesus our failures don't win; he wins. Death won't sting, it'll open a big door entering Jesus' brothers and sisters into an eternity without the torment of those mistakes we all have made.

God is good in his grace he grandiosely provides. If we are his, our failure loses, not us.

forgetting your memory

We sometimes like to use Paul's words in Philippians, where he says, 'forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,' as a reason to never ever be thankful or delighted to be the Christian God has made us. We reason that if Paul is ditching everything in his past to go hard after more and more of God then, by golly, so should we!

The over-the-top people always offend everyone else because they tell everyone how terrible of a Christian they are by not being like them; but then there are others who are all about some self-abasing-but-I-actually-pride-myself-a-lot inner thoughts kinda folks--it's easier to harbor my feelings of arrogance than manifest them. But both run with Paul's words of forgetting what's behind.

Is this past-neglecting really a commendable mental exercise?

No.

In the Old Testament God often told people to make memorials. This usually happened after God did something to save the people or fulfill a promise. The purpose of these, usually, mountains of rocks was for the purpose of remembering what God had done, how God blessed his people. When a family was traveling or exploring and they came across, say the monument built after the Jordan River crossing, it was to be used as a reference for a story; a story of how God, the YHWH they still worshiped, freed them and brought them, after 40 years of chasing their tail, to a Promised Land.

I personally, like some red-faced and sweating boss, want results immediately--YESTERDAY!--and it better be new and exciting. I have a hard time soaking in what God has done already. And Paul isn't saying Be unsatisfied with your worship; be unsatisfied with God; be unsatisfied in your walk with Jesus! Paul goes on to say Let us hold on to what we have already attained.

So let's remember what God has done. Let God's acts of time past give faith for today.

Jesus needed help

The Gospel according to Luke has some different perspectives than the other Gospels, especially with regard to Jesus' last days. So in Luke 22.43 we read that an angel from Heaven appeared to Jesus in his distress and strengthened Jesus.

Don't miss that: an angel from Heaven strengthened Jesus! 

I think it would be far too easy, though helpful, to summarize and say, 'If Jesus needed help, so do we.' But there is something bigger and better going on! God the Father knew that his son needed strengthening and the Father provided that strength for his son.

I don't know what the Greek word translated into 'strengthen' means, except strengthen; meaning, there was a lack or a need of provision form without. The Man needed God. God needed God. And God provided what was needed.

I'll be the first to admit that I also don't understand all the intricacies of Jesus' manhood and divinity at play here, it's all as clear as mud to me. That isn't the point though. This doesn't mean that God will give you everything you think you need. We can't take one story and mean it will happen for everyone.

But, as the children's song goes, 'when we are weak he is strong' because God loves us, his sons and daughters.