Andy Bonikowsky's Blog, page 13

Moses (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #9)

Most of us would not normally compare ourselves to Moses, the great leader of God’s people and the man who took millions of people on an adventure that stretched a real life experienced beyond what we could expect even in science fiction. But due to his own personality and choices, this tremendous example of faith had a pretty rough beginning. And for that reason, and in order to work on his character, the Lord sent him into a kind of really long quarantine from the ministry, in which He would prepare Him for service. (WT26)

https://youtu.be/1ptW_9xBR0U
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/2421125

The calmest and happiest of all

The leaders of the world are making decisions as fast as the news outlets can post them. Here in Spain they started locking down a few towns, then the entire country, finally closing the borders with France, and ultimately to anyone not a citizen or resident. Two weeks ago nobody I know would have dreamed of the internal lockdown experienced today by the citizens of Italy, Spain, France…, and now the closing of external borders of Norway, Belgium, Poland, all of Europe!
The crazy thing is, you can find piles of videos, articles, and graphs to back up any number of contradictory theories about the origin of the virus, its ability to spread, how dangerous it is, and what should be done about it. All of this highlights one supreme concept, one that every sane person really, really wants.
To know the truth.
As time goes on, we’ll find out more of the facts, of what the truth “was” all along. But by then, the consequences may well have changed certain aspects of our lives forever.
When times like these happen, the relativistic philosophy of our age sort of fades into the background. It is a useless bunch of nonsense. Why? Because the virus is either a threat to the nations or it isn’t. It can’t be both ways. Everyone has a very clear opinion about it, and acts accordingly. The emptying of the stores is proof of what most people obviously believe.
This is when the Christian can and should shine. We do not make our decisions based on the myriad of opinions expressed on our digital screens. And though we don’t deny common sense and prudent decisions, we do not fly into a panic. Why? Because our thinking is not governed by what others do, but by what we believe about and from the God of truth. If this is true,
Then the happiest, calmest, most content, most generous, and most helpful people in the world should be…
Christians.
Philippians 2:15

Ministry friends/our children

As we enter the 3rd day of shutdown, THANK YOU so much for your prayers, especially for this first matter. I just heard from one of our church mothers, how that her 8 year old boy was asking some serious & scary questions. So that put another important matter on the list for today -- to help our children, who are in some cases frightened out of their wits by all the alarming news being thrown at them. At any rate, we are staying in touch with our people more than ever, setting up an online prayer list, preparing an audio to answer those questions from our church children, and recording another devotional.
I will answer the questions the kids have made with this very wonderful list of verses: Matt 19:13-15, 28:20, John 14:1-3, Rom 8:38-39, and Joshua 1:8

Report from Basque country

Many predications are that Spain is about 10 days behind Italy, in terms of skyrocketing cases, deaths, and lockdown scenarios -- I honestly don't think we are that far behind. There are already entire towns quarantined.

From the Basque Country

I know many of you are also in the middle of special antivirus measures. Here in Spain I saw the number of deaths was up 140, making it 4th in the world, but I'm not sure that included the 64 new ones reported in Madrid for the last 24h. At any rate, pretty much everything is grinding towards a near standstill here in the Basque region.

The Best February

Friends, Dead and Alive

I’m always fascinated at the subtle parallels that show up in the Old and New Testaments. Here is one I hadn’t noticed before. In Acts 12 two apostles are imprisoned by Herod, James and Peter. James is executed and Peter is miraculously saved by the angel of God.
Today as I read Jeremiah 26, I ran across the story of two more preachers. One is Urijah the other is Jeremiah. Both were faithful to God in giving their message, but the first one was slaughtered and the second was providentially protected.
God knows what He does and why.
I have many good preacher friends, men who love or have loved the Lord and His ministry. Some have died young of cancer or accidents while others have enjoyed many more years of life and service.
So I ask myself why some of my friends have died while I've been so blessed with ministry for almost 30 years now.
The answer is “I don't know. But God does.”
And furthermore, I am very sure that none of my deceased friends would trade places with me if the Lord gave them that choice. We simply cannot comprehend, from our perspective, what it is like to enter His presence, early, late, or whenever. AB
Jer 26:20-24; Acts 12:1-2, 7; Phil 1:2

No Random Events

Dear Father,
If Your Word wasn’t so perfectly balanced, we might look around at what seems like random, sad events, and wonder how You can really be in control. But just in the area of life and health, Bible heroes also suffered their measure of the effects of sin. We know of some who had lives cut very short, like Abel, Naboth, John the Baptist, and Stephen. Elisha and Paul suffered sickness and others experienced deep disappointments. Who on earth can figure it all out? Nobody. But You know exactly how every detail fits the puzzle. Indeed, there is no puzzle for You. All is one grand portrait of Your wisdom and grace. And in the end, we will eternally join our voices to sing Your praise. Amen.
Psalm 23:4

The Laver and the Basin

Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein… So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not:
After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, 
(Exodus 30:18, 21 and John 13:5)

It is common knowledge that the emphases of the Old Testament and the New are many times quite different. There are, of course, no contradictions between them, for every word in both comes from the very same perfect mind. Whenever there are two perspectives, that is exactly what they are -- two angles that help us gain a better understanding of the whole truth or event. One subtle example of this kind of Biblical harmony shows up in these two seemingly unrelated recipients for holding water.
The bronze laver, placed between the altar and the Tabernacle entrance, had as one of its purposes, that of highlighting the seriousness of coming to God. It is no small thing for fallen, feeble, and finite human beings to have access to the presence of the Almighty, eternal One. The priests were to use its water to wash themselves before going in to continue with their duties. It was essential for them to be clean when they entered the Holy Place. The laver was not there for convenience or comfort. It was absolutely necessary, and to ignore it was a death sentence.
However, as we move forward and into the Gospels, specifically to John 13, we find an extraordinary scene right before Jesus’ death, one that helps us see a complementary aspect of the character of God.
In this passage, the Lord Jesus shocks His disciples by grabbing a basin, filling it with water, and beginning to wash each of their feet! Naturally, they were dumbfounded and really didn’t know what to do. Peter, never one to sit back and follow anyone else’s example, took the initiative and said what the others probably just didn’t have the nerve to say: “No way, Lord!” But the Lord insisted, even as He explained the reason behind His actions.
And so we once again see that beautiful and amazing marriage of God’s grace and truth. In Exodus we see the truth, the unbending reality of Who God is and what He wants from His creatures, along with the penalty for not measuring up. Yes, there is to be a relationship between Him and sinful man, but the emphasis is on the terms He dictates, and nobody should ever forget it.
But with the Son of God, the powerful doctrine of grace comes to the front. After all, He is full of grace and truth, in that order. The offended One, against Whom every man has sinned, steps forward in love, to help make the reconciliation happen. He is not fudging on the truth, nor ignoring the guilt. But He sees the dirty feet and brings out a solution, and a lesson.
Therefore, though the two passages are far apart and occur in different contexts, they harmonize the two attitudes of God towards stained and soiled humanity. On the one hand He orders a laver for purification and on the other He picks up the basin and the towel.
Dear Father, it is quite obvious that Your standard of holiness is far beyond my reach and that all would be hopeless if I had no help. But I praise You for being gracious and kind, for not only the laver but also the basin. Thank you for providing a way, so that through Your Son, I can be clean and enter Your presence. 

Andy
(JAM#168)

Just Now

Dear Father,We often think quite highly of ourselves... of our talents, our opinions, our accomplishments. But You remind us that our lives are very much like grass, the common green stuff we walk on. From a distance, whether of space or time, we aren’t much different than a blade in the pasture.
Except that we are made in Your image! That adds to us a whole new and marvelous dimension. In Your image we have a transcendent NOW to obey in. We can’t change the past nor do we have a guarantee of being here tomorrow, but we can live for You in the present, for ETERNITY