Andy Bonikowsky's Blog, page 20
July 24, 2016
Elijah's Dive
"What doest thou here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:9
In the initial stages of Elijah's trek south, the Lord does not give us much of a window into his mind. Like so many events in his life, this one begins abruptly and with little explanation. In short, he receives a threat from Jezebel and hightails it out of the northern valley of Megiddo.
By the time he had stopped running, he was on the other side of the country, though he did make a few stops along the way.
First, when he arrived at the southern city of Beersheba, he got rid of his servant. We don't know any more about his thoughts until after he had walked alone for an entire day into the desert and sat down under a rough, broom-like tree. There, presumably exhausted, he voiced some of his frustration.
"I've been a miserable failure," he said to God, "just like those who've gone before me!"
He then promptly fell asleep until woken up by an angel who gave him water and some kind of remarkable cake. With this nourishment he received strength to walk no less than 40 days, to Mount Horeb, wherever that was.
Again he went to sleep, this time in a cave. And when he woke up, he heard the question, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
And then more of his thinking surfaces.
"I have served you faithfully and all for nothing. Not only that, but I am the last prophet, and our enemies are now trying to kill me too."
At this point, anybody reading the story for the first time should be in some kind of shock.
What in the world had happened to Elijah?
Where was the great man of faith, so strong and bold? What had happened to the one who looked like he would charge the fiery gates of evil with a squirt gun. Never before had he shown such weakness, not at least on the pages of Scripture.
But alas, the truth was bound to come out sooner or later. He too had selfish, sinful passions, and a tendency to be governed by them, like every other human being.
By working back through the scenes of his life we can figure out some of the reasons for his sour attitude. And hopefully, by paying attention and applying what we learn, we can avoid this particular phase of his life.
It appears that Elijah had conjured up some pretty over sized expectations that set him up for a nasty and painful spiritual fall. Notice a few of them, and how easily we could have come to the same conclusions, if we had been in his sandals.
He obviously thought the Mount Carmel victory would be a definitive spiritual turning point for Israel. He was wrong. He apparently expected the opposition to suddenly melt away. And again he was wrong. He also must have thought his ministry would be appreciated by his countrymen. He was again wrong. And then he panicked, thinking Jezabel would be able to kill him.
Wrong again.
But how easy it is to criticize him from our comfortable Bible reading chairs. It seems so clear to us, doesn't it? He should have known better! He should have used simple logic. How on earth could he possibly doubt God's protection and provision after the crows, the brook, the widow, the bin and jar, the altar, the firebomb, the tiny cloud, etc. etc. etc...
His depression just doesn't seem to make sense.
And that's exactly the point.
Many times depression doesn't make sense, except to us. Inside our little thinking bubble we can come to many erroneous expectations that seem right. But they aren't.
We may think life is going to be more pleasant than it turns out to be. But then our job, our health, our mate, our ministry, our friends, our position, one after another come in less than what our private chart predicted.
Then some painful surprise blows into our world, the entire castle of dreams comes crashing down, and our outlook takes a nosedive.
For some reason, and against all Biblical teaching, we let our expectations become unrealistic, and God lets a dose of reality jolt us back into what life often is like on a sin cursed earth.
The unbeliever, who does not know God, or understand His ways, or grasp why anything is like it is, at least has that as an excuse. But we who know the Lord should not fall into this kind of trap.
He has lovingly warned us in the Scriptures that we can expect life to be full of challenges, often very surprising and sometimes unpleasant.
Dear Father, help me walk realistically today. May I face the battles you send by faith, without worrying about tomorrow's, for which You have not yet offered grace. Amen.
Andy Bonikowsky
JAM 164
In the initial stages of Elijah's trek south, the Lord does not give us much of a window into his mind. Like so many events in his life, this one begins abruptly and with little explanation. In short, he receives a threat from Jezebel and hightails it out of the northern valley of Megiddo.
By the time he had stopped running, he was on the other side of the country, though he did make a few stops along the way.
First, when he arrived at the southern city of Beersheba, he got rid of his servant. We don't know any more about his thoughts until after he had walked alone for an entire day into the desert and sat down under a rough, broom-like tree. There, presumably exhausted, he voiced some of his frustration.
"I've been a miserable failure," he said to God, "just like those who've gone before me!"
He then promptly fell asleep until woken up by an angel who gave him water and some kind of remarkable cake. With this nourishment he received strength to walk no less than 40 days, to Mount Horeb, wherever that was.
Again he went to sleep, this time in a cave. And when he woke up, he heard the question, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
And then more of his thinking surfaces.
"I have served you faithfully and all for nothing. Not only that, but I am the last prophet, and our enemies are now trying to kill me too."
At this point, anybody reading the story for the first time should be in some kind of shock.
What in the world had happened to Elijah?
Where was the great man of faith, so strong and bold? What had happened to the one who looked like he would charge the fiery gates of evil with a squirt gun. Never before had he shown such weakness, not at least on the pages of Scripture.
But alas, the truth was bound to come out sooner or later. He too had selfish, sinful passions, and a tendency to be governed by them, like every other human being.
By working back through the scenes of his life we can figure out some of the reasons for his sour attitude. And hopefully, by paying attention and applying what we learn, we can avoid this particular phase of his life.
It appears that Elijah had conjured up some pretty over sized expectations that set him up for a nasty and painful spiritual fall. Notice a few of them, and how easily we could have come to the same conclusions, if we had been in his sandals.
He obviously thought the Mount Carmel victory would be a definitive spiritual turning point for Israel. He was wrong. He apparently expected the opposition to suddenly melt away. And again he was wrong. He also must have thought his ministry would be appreciated by his countrymen. He was again wrong. And then he panicked, thinking Jezabel would be able to kill him.
Wrong again.
But how easy it is to criticize him from our comfortable Bible reading chairs. It seems so clear to us, doesn't it? He should have known better! He should have used simple logic. How on earth could he possibly doubt God's protection and provision after the crows, the brook, the widow, the bin and jar, the altar, the firebomb, the tiny cloud, etc. etc. etc...
His depression just doesn't seem to make sense.
And that's exactly the point.
Many times depression doesn't make sense, except to us. Inside our little thinking bubble we can come to many erroneous expectations that seem right. But they aren't.
We may think life is going to be more pleasant than it turns out to be. But then our job, our health, our mate, our ministry, our friends, our position, one after another come in less than what our private chart predicted.
Then some painful surprise blows into our world, the entire castle of dreams comes crashing down, and our outlook takes a nosedive.
For some reason, and against all Biblical teaching, we let our expectations become unrealistic, and God lets a dose of reality jolt us back into what life often is like on a sin cursed earth.
The unbeliever, who does not know God, or understand His ways, or grasp why anything is like it is, at least has that as an excuse. But we who know the Lord should not fall into this kind of trap.
He has lovingly warned us in the Scriptures that we can expect life to be full of challenges, often very surprising and sometimes unpleasant.
Dear Father, help me walk realistically today. May I face the battles you send by faith, without worrying about tomorrow's, for which You have not yet offered grace. Amen.
Andy Bonikowsky
JAM 164
June 16, 2016
7,000--Elijah had no idea
God is always doing more than we think He is; He's definitely doing more than we can see. Elijah thought the Lord had only preserved him, but that was not true. God had been watching over 7,000 others. Have you been faithful to your Master but can see no obvious recognition on His part? Don't even begin to think He's forgotten you or overlooked your faithfulness. He never does that! He is ALWAYS doing much more around us than we can imagine. (1 Kings 19:18)
April 29, 2016
O taste!
To taste is to suck and chew on something, concentrating on the real sensations it brings to mind and body. We do not break that rule if we seriously want to enjoy food--like the berries in my hand. How sad that so often we don't pay apply this common sense to God's awesome invitation to taste of Him... (Psalm 34:8)
April 18, 2016
Thirsty?
Yesterday I walked by this tiny waterfall, which only appears for a few days after a good rain. I again drank about 10 palmfuls ... clean ... cold ... delicious ... refreshing. And yet it's just a mirage compared to the water of life that is Jesus Christ.Have you drunk from Him today? (If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. John 7:37)
If you haven't, your soul is thirsty.
"I DON'T HAVE A SOUL!", some might say. I'm just a random collection of atoms. All I am is matter and math, for a time, and I'll be gone. There will be nothing left...
Hmmm. Have you ever talked to yourself? Maybe every day that happens on your way to work or school?
...
Who is doing the talking and listening?
April 14, 2016
The Prison Surprise
Are you in some kind of prison today? Maybe it's not a penitentiary built of concrete. Perhaps the walls are made out of emotions, finances, imaginations, sickness... Though not behind literal bars, you may feel totally hemmed in by these circumstances. Take courage and insight from the word of God to Jeremiah. He was in prison, surrounded by unfriendly authorities, in a city about to be swallowed up in war. And these are the words he heard: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (33:3)
By faith you can see beyond those walls, call to the Lord of heaven, and wait for Him to surprise you right there in your prison.
By faith you can see beyond those walls, call to the Lord of heaven, and wait for Him to surprise you right there in your prison.
March 28, 2016
The Lamb (JAM 163)
Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain,...
Thanks to Peter's powerful warning about Satan's strategies, when we think of the lion in the Bible we often think of the Devil. And this was undoubtedly part of God's intention, as it is a very effective wake up call for when we are spiritually ignorant, lazy, or careless.
However, in the Book of the Revelation, where the loose ends of history are tied down and no lingering injustices get past the last chapter, the lion imagery makes its final appearance with an interesting twist.
The first and only mention of it is in 5:5, where the title is applied to Jesus, the Root of David. The statement is given as a matter of simple fact. He alone is worthy to be identified with the majesty and authority of the Lion. On the other hand, Satan's character is forever linked to the evil and vicious image of the serpent.
But in the very next verse John completely switches imageries. Never again does He refer to our Savior as the Lion. This should really be a surprise as it goes against what we would normally expect. On a human platform, it would be expected that victory and mastery be associated with strong and imposing physiques, like those of powerful cats. Lions, tigers, cougars, or panthers, would be prime candidates for the occasion.
But in twenty-three references, the center of attention is on the Lamb that had been sacrificed.
Among the strong implications are at least these three. First, He wants to be identified with the meekness and humility of this tender, innocent animal. Once and for all, He will establish the fact that these characteristics are not signs of weakness but of eternal righteousness and truth.
Secondly, far from being dead, the Lamb is very much alive. He is not tied to the tomb. He is free!
Thirdly, He was at the same time the almighty, all knowing, totally-in-control God. John was going to prove this very convincingly...
This Lamb is lovingly worshipped by millions of followers, but the world's VIPs cry out in terror for the mountains and the rocks to crush them from His sight. Paradoxically, this Lamb is also the Shepherd who gently and generously provides living water for his dear flock. This Lamb is the Conqueror of every evil force and the Subject of the huge choir of the redeemed. Finally, this Lamb ushers in the ultimate phase of His redemption plan with the most magnificent banquet of all time.
Yes, He enters the stage as the Lion. But as He walks across the final page of human history on earth, the thunderous applause of every living being goes to the Lamb.
He is the Messiah who will eternally bear the marks of crucifixion, the scars of man's salvation. His claims will always be visible.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!
Dear Father, there was a Saturday long ago in which your children felt lonely, sad, vulnerable, and humiliated. But then came Sunday morning, and now we all look forward to seeing your Son, the living Lamb of God, and worshipping forever. Amen.
Thanks to Peter's powerful warning about Satan's strategies, when we think of the lion in the Bible we often think of the Devil. And this was undoubtedly part of God's intention, as it is a very effective wake up call for when we are spiritually ignorant, lazy, or careless.
However, in the Book of the Revelation, where the loose ends of history are tied down and no lingering injustices get past the last chapter, the lion imagery makes its final appearance with an interesting twist.
The first and only mention of it is in 5:5, where the title is applied to Jesus, the Root of David. The statement is given as a matter of simple fact. He alone is worthy to be identified with the majesty and authority of the Lion. On the other hand, Satan's character is forever linked to the evil and vicious image of the serpent.
But in the very next verse John completely switches imageries. Never again does He refer to our Savior as the Lion. This should really be a surprise as it goes against what we would normally expect. On a human platform, it would be expected that victory and mastery be associated with strong and imposing physiques, like those of powerful cats. Lions, tigers, cougars, or panthers, would be prime candidates for the occasion.
But in twenty-three references, the center of attention is on the Lamb that had been sacrificed.
Among the strong implications are at least these three. First, He wants to be identified with the meekness and humility of this tender, innocent animal. Once and for all, He will establish the fact that these characteristics are not signs of weakness but of eternal righteousness and truth.
Secondly, far from being dead, the Lamb is very much alive. He is not tied to the tomb. He is free!
Thirdly, He was at the same time the almighty, all knowing, totally-in-control God. John was going to prove this very convincingly...
This Lamb is lovingly worshipped by millions of followers, but the world's VIPs cry out in terror for the mountains and the rocks to crush them from His sight. Paradoxically, this Lamb is also the Shepherd who gently and generously provides living water for his dear flock. This Lamb is the Conqueror of every evil force and the Subject of the huge choir of the redeemed. Finally, this Lamb ushers in the ultimate phase of His redemption plan with the most magnificent banquet of all time.
Yes, He enters the stage as the Lion. But as He walks across the final page of human history on earth, the thunderous applause of every living being goes to the Lamb.
He is the Messiah who will eternally bear the marks of crucifixion, the scars of man's salvation. His claims will always be visible.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!
Dear Father, there was a Saturday long ago in which your children felt lonely, sad, vulnerable, and humiliated. But then came Sunday morning, and now we all look forward to seeing your Son, the living Lamb of God, and worshipping forever. Amen.
February 14, 2016
The Greatest Race (JAM 162)
Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. . . . The blood of righteous Abel . . . By faith Abel . . . Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. (Gn. 4:8b, Mt. 23:35, Heb. 11:4, 12:1)
Many unusual and remarkable races take place on our planet. Some are individual; others require team effort. Some span entire continents; others cross forests, glaciers, or oceans. Some are on foot; others are on wheels, on animals, inside machines. Some use primarily muscles; others use mainly brains and savvy. Some take minutes; others take hours, days, months, or even years. Almost all have in common that they are in some way grueling and exhausting, and require dogged determination. Many also include the risk of serious injury or even death--and on and on.
But there is one race that dwarfs them all; so much so, that it really does not deserve to be placed alongside them for comparison...
Think about a race, a kind of relay race, that spans at least 6,000 years! What man or organization could keep the records? Who could possibly monitor and supervise it? By all human standards, a race that went beyond the death of all its directors and participants would not even make sense.
But this race is a real, literal race. It has an Organizer, start and finish points, registered participants, a specific timespan, and final rewards.
However, it does have some rather odd characteristics. For one thing, back when the race started, there were no human beings watching it. The first runners, after participating, then became the first spectators; well, sort of. To this very day, as each one finishes his or her leg, they are promoted into the heavens, from where they watch the rest of the event.
Each runner is unique, in almost every way, and so are their races. Some run for a long time, others hardly even seem to get warmed up. There are men and women and children from nearly every language, country, century, and social category. Each receives a brand new stage, customized for them, specifically prepared for their time and place.
This massive event has been going on since the Garden of Eden and a selective list of some of its important runners is found in Hebrews 11. The brief summary of each of their performances provides much food for thought.
For example, take the first on the list, Abel. I am always tempted to feel sorry for him. He had so little opportunity to run, being cruelly and abruptly bumped off the course before he could accomplish much at all. I've sometimes wondered if he could be nursing a tiny grudge because of his bad luck.
But that way of thinking is totally off track.
Why? Because the Master of the race is Jesus, the Eternal One. He's the One who gave the initial pistol shot and who is calmly waiting at the finish line to announce the end of the contest.
He will individually and perfectly reward every faithful runner.
But is there any possibility that He might forget someone like Adam and Eve's unfortunate boy?
Not a chance.
A few thousand years into the race He personally jumped in to run alongside some of His created ones. While running, He specifically honored His martyr Abel, and then had Matthew record His words, so that there would be no doubt that Abel was still on His mind! But just in case there still remained a few skeptics out there, He placed him on the first pedestal of faith in that famous eleventh chapter.
The Race Master's records are perfect.
Now . . . I am in this race too.
And so are you, if you have believed in Christ. Moreover, it is a privilege beyond words to enter it and we only get one opportunity to run.
My only goal should be to be faithful and run well. The length of my race depends entirely on the Lord and is ultimately of no real importance.
Dear Father, many have run before me, but those in this list are carefully chosen for me to study and learn from. Please don't let me ignore or neglect such an opportunity. Amen.
Many unusual and remarkable races take place on our planet. Some are individual; others require team effort. Some span entire continents; others cross forests, glaciers, or oceans. Some are on foot; others are on wheels, on animals, inside machines. Some use primarily muscles; others use mainly brains and savvy. Some take minutes; others take hours, days, months, or even years. Almost all have in common that they are in some way grueling and exhausting, and require dogged determination. Many also include the risk of serious injury or even death--and on and on.
But there is one race that dwarfs them all; so much so, that it really does not deserve to be placed alongside them for comparison...
Think about a race, a kind of relay race, that spans at least 6,000 years! What man or organization could keep the records? Who could possibly monitor and supervise it? By all human standards, a race that went beyond the death of all its directors and participants would not even make sense.
But this race is a real, literal race. It has an Organizer, start and finish points, registered participants, a specific timespan, and final rewards.
However, it does have some rather odd characteristics. For one thing, back when the race started, there were no human beings watching it. The first runners, after participating, then became the first spectators; well, sort of. To this very day, as each one finishes his or her leg, they are promoted into the heavens, from where they watch the rest of the event.
Each runner is unique, in almost every way, and so are their races. Some run for a long time, others hardly even seem to get warmed up. There are men and women and children from nearly every language, country, century, and social category. Each receives a brand new stage, customized for them, specifically prepared for their time and place.
This massive event has been going on since the Garden of Eden and a selective list of some of its important runners is found in Hebrews 11. The brief summary of each of their performances provides much food for thought.
For example, take the first on the list, Abel. I am always tempted to feel sorry for him. He had so little opportunity to run, being cruelly and abruptly bumped off the course before he could accomplish much at all. I've sometimes wondered if he could be nursing a tiny grudge because of his bad luck.
But that way of thinking is totally off track.
Why? Because the Master of the race is Jesus, the Eternal One. He's the One who gave the initial pistol shot and who is calmly waiting at the finish line to announce the end of the contest.
He will individually and perfectly reward every faithful runner.
But is there any possibility that He might forget someone like Adam and Eve's unfortunate boy?
Not a chance.
A few thousand years into the race He personally jumped in to run alongside some of His created ones. While running, He specifically honored His martyr Abel, and then had Matthew record His words, so that there would be no doubt that Abel was still on His mind! But just in case there still remained a few skeptics out there, He placed him on the first pedestal of faith in that famous eleventh chapter.
The Race Master's records are perfect.
Now . . . I am in this race too.
And so are you, if you have believed in Christ. Moreover, it is a privilege beyond words to enter it and we only get one opportunity to run.
My only goal should be to be faithful and run well. The length of my race depends entirely on the Lord and is ultimately of no real importance.
Dear Father, many have run before me, but those in this list are carefully chosen for me to study and learn from. Please don't let me ignore or neglect such an opportunity. Amen.
January 9, 2016
Two Elderly Voices (JAM161)
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; And there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age... (Luke 2:25, 36)
Guided by the Holy Spirit, along with his natural medical discipline in details, Luke gives some unique insight into events surrounding the Lord's birth. In one of these stories he focuses on two interesting people, one a godly old gentleman, the other an aged and saintly widow.
Who were they and why did he choose these two? What claim to fame could they have had? Why were they important to the Author of Scripture?
Though not too much information is given, there is enough to discern some answers, and then also to see a door of opportunity for us to go through.
Undoubtedly, the two old believers were quite overlooked by the troops of Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers that regularly walked by them at the temple. Interpreting the Law and parsing it down into a multitude of rules and regulations, the religious authorities had little real knowledge of Jehovah.
Entirely unknown to them, this pair of saints, of the common people, had the very ear of God and were privy to some of the most significant news of history.
Of Simeon we know that he loved the Holy Spirit, that with quiet and tireless patience, he waited for Isaiah's prophesied Counselor of Israel. Once his eyes saw the Child, he was totally ready to die. That Baby, the Christ, who turned simple shepherds and elite magi into worshippers, was all that Simeon wanted to see.
Anna, on the other hand, had presumably led an entirely different life, experiencing the horrible tragedy of early widowhood. But she, like Simeon, possessed an unusual depth of faith.
This faith led her to make an astonishing decision. Instead of griping and moaning about her lot in life, or desperately praying for another husband, she shocked everyone be giving herself to God. And just how did she do that? She attached herself to the temple, and became the cheerful, spiritual encourager of anyone who went in.
And this she did, it appears, for at least 60 years!
These two were brought together by divine appointment to help a young married couple who were walking, as it were, in a dream. Joseph and Mary needed confirmation and support, and God knew exactly how to bring it to them, and who to use.
For the sacred chore He had prepared these two jewels, two seemingly random voices. They would do the job perfectly.
Maybe we should follow Luke's example, and look around for the unnoticed Simeons and Annas. These are the elderly voices of those far ahead of us in the race, some maybe very close to their earthly finish line. They are men and women with a powerful story to tell, of God's faithfulness in time and tragedy.
I'm sure you can think of a few names--I can--of silent heroes nearby, who have kept the faith. In many cases their lights are growing dimmer as health issues take a toll. But they will soon hear "Welcome, good and faithful servant" from Him who is the very definition of faithfulness.
To as many of these who may read this article, I say,
"Thank you for being faithful to the end!"
Dear Father, give me the wisdom to search out these elderly, godly voices, and listen to them. Amen.
Guided by the Holy Spirit, along with his natural medical discipline in details, Luke gives some unique insight into events surrounding the Lord's birth. In one of these stories he focuses on two interesting people, one a godly old gentleman, the other an aged and saintly widow.
Who were they and why did he choose these two? What claim to fame could they have had? Why were they important to the Author of Scripture?
Though not too much information is given, there is enough to discern some answers, and then also to see a door of opportunity for us to go through.
Undoubtedly, the two old believers were quite overlooked by the troops of Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers that regularly walked by them at the temple. Interpreting the Law and parsing it down into a multitude of rules and regulations, the religious authorities had little real knowledge of Jehovah.
Entirely unknown to them, this pair of saints, of the common people, had the very ear of God and were privy to some of the most significant news of history.
Of Simeon we know that he loved the Holy Spirit, that with quiet and tireless patience, he waited for Isaiah's prophesied Counselor of Israel. Once his eyes saw the Child, he was totally ready to die. That Baby, the Christ, who turned simple shepherds and elite magi into worshippers, was all that Simeon wanted to see.
Anna, on the other hand, had presumably led an entirely different life, experiencing the horrible tragedy of early widowhood. But she, like Simeon, possessed an unusual depth of faith.
This faith led her to make an astonishing decision. Instead of griping and moaning about her lot in life, or desperately praying for another husband, she shocked everyone be giving herself to God. And just how did she do that? She attached herself to the temple, and became the cheerful, spiritual encourager of anyone who went in.
And this she did, it appears, for at least 60 years!
These two were brought together by divine appointment to help a young married couple who were walking, as it were, in a dream. Joseph and Mary needed confirmation and support, and God knew exactly how to bring it to them, and who to use.
For the sacred chore He had prepared these two jewels, two seemingly random voices. They would do the job perfectly.
Maybe we should follow Luke's example, and look around for the unnoticed Simeons and Annas. These are the elderly voices of those far ahead of us in the race, some maybe very close to their earthly finish line. They are men and women with a powerful story to tell, of God's faithfulness in time and tragedy.
I'm sure you can think of a few names--I can--of silent heroes nearby, who have kept the faith. In many cases their lights are growing dimmer as health issues take a toll. But they will soon hear "Welcome, good and faithful servant" from Him who is the very definition of faithfulness.
To as many of these who may read this article, I say,
"Thank you for being faithful to the end!"
Dear Father, give me the wisdom to search out these elderly, godly voices, and listen to them. Amen.
November 4, 2015
The Joy Verb (JAM 160)
Than he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. . . . Rejoice in the Lord alway; . . . I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Nehemiah 8:10, Philippians 4:4,13)
Neither group receiving these words could possibly have expected them.
The one was listening to Nehemiah, the other was reading from Paul. These two peoples had never met, no more than the two leaders. They lived in different centuries and continents.
Nor were there situations the same. One was a huge gathering of Jews who had heard the razor sharp truth of the Law and were convicted to tears. Having come face to face with their sin, they were shattered, and as one large body they cried.
The other was a congregation reading a strange letter. The writing told them of the apostle's imprisonment and of harsh criticism from those who should have been his friends. Surrounded as well by their own set of difficulties, these believers could not have predicted the contents of the epistle.
But both peoples were in great anxiety and needed encouragement. The builder had spoken in the Old Testament; the evangelist had written in the New.
Yet their message was the same: Be joyful! Be strong!
In that order.
In the case of Nehemiah, we see the immediate effect on the people. After repentance, they obeyed and were invigorated as a result. In Paul's situation we are not given the response of the Phillipians, but are allowed to see the truth worked out in his own life. He first speaks of rejoicing in everything and then pens the famous verse, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me."
The key is in the joy.
We often think of joy as a gift from God, and it is.
But it is much more than that. It is more than just a passive virtue, something that merely comes to us. According to Scripture, there is an active, transitive, energetic, and powerful aspect of joy. It is easier to see if we switch the noun into its verb form, as Paul did.
In other words, "Rejoice!” Or, "Have joy!” Or, "Be joyful!"
Christian joy (is there any other kind?) is a potent force that is every believer's privilege.
Do I want to be spiritually strong? Do I long for power in my war against sin? Would I like to see victory in the battles of my mind?
One missing ingredient may be simply a change of attitude. Repentance is necessary, but so is the joy that should follow on its heels! Some never get past the sadness of their sin.
God loves to hear His people rejoice. It speaks of confidence, of faith, of wisdom!
One of the greatest military victories ever won by a Jewish king came to Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. A multinational, bloodthirsty horde of enemies invaded from the east and Judah was facing swift extermination. But the king humbled himself before the Lord and obeyed His very odd instructions. As they headed out to the battle site they began to rejoice. A choir made up of two Levite families started singing and praising God.
For some unknown reason an argument started between the enemy factions. It turned ugly and ended up with them slaughtering each other. A secular observer would say, “Coincidence.”
We know better.
Who of us doesn't face things that threaten to discourage us and flatten our hopes? Maybe we're spending too much time letting the difficulty rule our thinking. What if God has not changed and sometimes He's just waiting for us to shift our focus and start rejoicing?
Dear Father, to choose joy when the going is rough and complicated is never my natural choice. Remind me quickly and help me throw off my sour attitudes. Amen.
Neither group receiving these words could possibly have expected them.
The one was listening to Nehemiah, the other was reading from Paul. These two peoples had never met, no more than the two leaders. They lived in different centuries and continents.
Nor were there situations the same. One was a huge gathering of Jews who had heard the razor sharp truth of the Law and were convicted to tears. Having come face to face with their sin, they were shattered, and as one large body they cried.
The other was a congregation reading a strange letter. The writing told them of the apostle's imprisonment and of harsh criticism from those who should have been his friends. Surrounded as well by their own set of difficulties, these believers could not have predicted the contents of the epistle.
But both peoples were in great anxiety and needed encouragement. The builder had spoken in the Old Testament; the evangelist had written in the New.
Yet their message was the same: Be joyful! Be strong!
In that order.
In the case of Nehemiah, we see the immediate effect on the people. After repentance, they obeyed and were invigorated as a result. In Paul's situation we are not given the response of the Phillipians, but are allowed to see the truth worked out in his own life. He first speaks of rejoicing in everything and then pens the famous verse, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me."
The key is in the joy.
We often think of joy as a gift from God, and it is.
But it is much more than that. It is more than just a passive virtue, something that merely comes to us. According to Scripture, there is an active, transitive, energetic, and powerful aspect of joy. It is easier to see if we switch the noun into its verb form, as Paul did.
In other words, "Rejoice!” Or, "Have joy!” Or, "Be joyful!"
Christian joy (is there any other kind?) is a potent force that is every believer's privilege.
Do I want to be spiritually strong? Do I long for power in my war against sin? Would I like to see victory in the battles of my mind?
One missing ingredient may be simply a change of attitude. Repentance is necessary, but so is the joy that should follow on its heels! Some never get past the sadness of their sin.
God loves to hear His people rejoice. It speaks of confidence, of faith, of wisdom!
One of the greatest military victories ever won by a Jewish king came to Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. A multinational, bloodthirsty horde of enemies invaded from the east and Judah was facing swift extermination. But the king humbled himself before the Lord and obeyed His very odd instructions. As they headed out to the battle site they began to rejoice. A choir made up of two Levite families started singing and praising God.
For some unknown reason an argument started between the enemy factions. It turned ugly and ended up with them slaughtering each other. A secular observer would say, “Coincidence.”
We know better.
Who of us doesn't face things that threaten to discourage us and flatten our hopes? Maybe we're spending too much time letting the difficulty rule our thinking. What if God has not changed and sometimes He's just waiting for us to shift our focus and start rejoicing?
Dear Father, to choose joy when the going is rough and complicated is never my natural choice. Remind me quickly and help me throw off my sour attitudes. Amen.
September 12, 2015
The Swift Swish (JAM 159)
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil . . . And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written… (Matt. 4:1, 3-4a)
Some things about this scene I don't even know how to process — they generate more questions than answers!
For example, Why in the world did Satan even attempt to make the Lord Jesus sin? Did he have the tiniest hope that he could succeed? Did the Serpent really think he could trick his Maker into doing evil? It seems preposterous to answer these with a "Yes".
And yet he did try.
Could it be that we fall very short of understanding the full degree to which the Lord became man? Was He so boldly human that the tempter saw what he thought was a weak spot in the incarnation? Again, the mind gets dizzy trying to wrap itself around these ideas.
But there are a few things we can nail down with good confidence. One is that the Holy Spirit led Christ into the desert for the temptation and recorded what happened in selective detail. Another is that He was tempted at a level far beyond that of mortal man—these were no ordinary temptations! And then, of course, that He very simply and completely neutralized Satan's attacks.
Now we might say, “Sure, but He was God! It must have been easier for Him."
That totally misses the point.
The key here is HOW Jesus won. The Spirit did not lead Him into the place of temptation to see what would happen. He took Him there and recorded the critical facts, so we could witness the event and learn from it.
Christ's strategy was the one accurate defense against temptation, always relevant for you and me. He cleared the road to victory and paved it for us.
According to the text, the Lord answered Satan in a flash, with the written Word.
There simply was no debate, no argument, no consideration, no deliberation. Nothing separated the temptation from the swift swish of the sword.
And the more you think about it, the more logical the reason.
If when we are tempted, to anger, to lust, to envy, to complain, or whatever, we pause to think things over . . . at that moment we are already finished. It's as simple as that. It takes no more than the first second of hesitation to begin the nosedive into sin.
But if we have decided beforehand that we are vulnerable, weak, and unable to stand up to the Devil, and arm ourselves with swords of truth that we will instantly use to swipe the head off the temptation...
The Word will rapidly transform our thinking, even as we quote it. It will miraculously cleanse our mind and change our desires. By the time we finish the passage our whole perspective will be different.
One of the main challenges is exercising that mustard seed of faith to draw and swing. It's not that hard to do if the decision has already been made before the assault. It is supposed to become a spiritual reflex as real as the reaction to duck when somebody throws an object at your head.
So why do we not live in this victory?
Most of the time it's just a matter of pride. We keep thinking we can manage ourselves...
And the years go by.
Dear Father, the Lord Jesus has left me without a whimper of an excuse. Help me obey. Amen.
Some things about this scene I don't even know how to process — they generate more questions than answers!
For example, Why in the world did Satan even attempt to make the Lord Jesus sin? Did he have the tiniest hope that he could succeed? Did the Serpent really think he could trick his Maker into doing evil? It seems preposterous to answer these with a "Yes".
And yet he did try.
Could it be that we fall very short of understanding the full degree to which the Lord became man? Was He so boldly human that the tempter saw what he thought was a weak spot in the incarnation? Again, the mind gets dizzy trying to wrap itself around these ideas.
But there are a few things we can nail down with good confidence. One is that the Holy Spirit led Christ into the desert for the temptation and recorded what happened in selective detail. Another is that He was tempted at a level far beyond that of mortal man—these were no ordinary temptations! And then, of course, that He very simply and completely neutralized Satan's attacks.
Now we might say, “Sure, but He was God! It must have been easier for Him."
That totally misses the point.
The key here is HOW Jesus won. The Spirit did not lead Him into the place of temptation to see what would happen. He took Him there and recorded the critical facts, so we could witness the event and learn from it.
Christ's strategy was the one accurate defense against temptation, always relevant for you and me. He cleared the road to victory and paved it for us.
According to the text, the Lord answered Satan in a flash, with the written Word.
There simply was no debate, no argument, no consideration, no deliberation. Nothing separated the temptation from the swift swish of the sword.
And the more you think about it, the more logical the reason.
If when we are tempted, to anger, to lust, to envy, to complain, or whatever, we pause to think things over . . . at that moment we are already finished. It's as simple as that. It takes no more than the first second of hesitation to begin the nosedive into sin.
But if we have decided beforehand that we are vulnerable, weak, and unable to stand up to the Devil, and arm ourselves with swords of truth that we will instantly use to swipe the head off the temptation...
The Word will rapidly transform our thinking, even as we quote it. It will miraculously cleanse our mind and change our desires. By the time we finish the passage our whole perspective will be different.
One of the main challenges is exercising that mustard seed of faith to draw and swing. It's not that hard to do if the decision has already been made before the assault. It is supposed to become a spiritual reflex as real as the reaction to duck when somebody throws an object at your head.
So why do we not live in this victory?
Most of the time it's just a matter of pride. We keep thinking we can manage ourselves...
And the years go by.
Dear Father, the Lord Jesus has left me without a whimper of an excuse. Help me obey. Amen.
