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Transition
Transitional times are often difficult to predict and even harder to navigate. In some sense they can be dangerous or disheartening. In consideration of the children of Israel, there was a “time in-between” which existed from the crossing of the Red Sea until Mount Sinai. Those days were filled with the high’s and low’s of water and drought; praising and complaining. The people had escaped Egypt, but were still a long way from where God wanted them to be. This time proved to reveal their deep rooted flaws. Marah, the bitter water, was found in those days. Elim, with 12…
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Hidden Lessons
Psalm 78:1-4 O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying. For I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past – stories we have heard and known; stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord; about His power and His mighty wonders. When Asaph wrote Psalm 78, he made clear the intent of Israel’s historical review. Nothing was to be hidden, either good or…
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Day of Preparation
Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. In Jewish tradition, given by God and set in order by Moses, Shabbat (Sabbath) was commissioned from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday. This coincides with Genesis: Gen 1:5 And the evening and the morning were the first day. Jesus died on the day of preparation when families were about to gather for their Sabbath meal. Preparation was that period when meals were prepared and houses were being put in order. This was all in conjunction with the command of Moses given to the children of…
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The Settled Word
Perhaps most are not aware, but the thought of church adjustment has been set in relation to our current culture. With so many historical revisions, re-edits of books and literature, people are more inclined to accept changes in order to make the church more inclusive. These conversations are not only taking place, but actions are being taken. Customs, doctrines, musical selections, and verbiage is being reviewed in many places. Some proposals hinge around anecdotal arguments, i.e., people giving their personal experiences to propel change. The general thought is that the church needs to adapt to the culture. Parents fear that…
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Make Him Known
In consideration of current culture juxtaposed with the words of Jesus, it is evident that our understanding of the Lord is far from the scripture. Jesus spoke terms difficult for the American church to accept. Jesus said, Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. This doesn’t sound very inviting, especially for an ever advancing American society built on gain and ambition. There are no corporate ladders in God’s Kingdom. When Jesus called for a man to follow Him, the man replied, Mat 8:21 “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury…
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Honor
Cutting to the chase… Adhering to the scripture, which means obeying the Word, makes a demand on the way we speak to another. It presses us into banner subjects such as Honor, Respect, and Recognition. I am often reluctant to speak such things as it can be seen as self-serving. However, the lack of kindness through language is a damage not soon repaired by omission. If pulpits withhold scripture out of concern with how the Word is received, the hearer will be led by a secular culture devoid of righteous instruction. To be clear, Respect and Honor have fallen on…
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Where Your Treasure Is
The psalmist once wrote about the reality of this life. He said that those who are both “high and low, rich and poor” will all face death. This is an inevitable fact. It is appointed once for a person to die and this is an appointment that everyone will keep. Yet, so little emphasis is put on that day. Many consider the temporal things they own greater than their eternal soul. People often value their possessions greater than the intangible blessings of the Lord. This is true for all status; both rich and poor and everyone in-between. All are subject…
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Temporal Thinking
In the same chapter in which blind Bartimaeus asked Jesus for a healing, a few of the Lord’s disciples sought for a future prominence as they perceived a natural kingdom to come. James and John were young and obviously foolish in their request. It only seems reasonable for us to consider their new found pride in this powerful, Jesus of Nazareth. They were convinced of His authority; for no one had performed such miracles as He. To James and John, Jesus was destined to become the ruling, physical King of Israel. They could sense the progress of His power and…
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The Cost
Mark 5:17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. The opening line of Mark 5 depicts a demon possessed man who lived in the country of the Gadarenes. The Bible spares no detail of the horrid conditions of his existence or the havoc he caused among the people. The men of the city had often bound him, but the scripture says that he “tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.” The lot of them lived in fear as the demons cried out. He…
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The Coming Storm
The moment occurred many years ago. As it was told, a tornado warning was issued for the plains of Kansas. The people knew it was approaching. The swirling clouds gathering in their familiar darkened colors. However, one family was in the middle of an argument and said that they would find shelter after they had “ironed out their dispute.” The report was that a handful of them survived the storm, but most perished for lack of safety. They knew it was coming, but for whatever reason, the dispute was more important than the 150 mph winds. By the time the…