“Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. ‘Let us break their chains,’ they cry, ‘and free ourselves from this slavery.’ But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury” (Psalms 2:1-5).
I need to read these verses periodically. In a world that seems to be spinning out of control, I tend to forget that God still runs the universe. It seems that there is always some nation plotting the destruction of some other nation. Another terrorist attack is a very real possibility. Every day brings further drift from the godly underpinnings that are vital to the success and well-being of any civilized society. God is openly mocked and His followers are caricatured as ignorant peddlers of medieval superstitions.
When faced with such a world, I often feel the need to defend God. So I begin rage against the “rage-ers.” I make battle plans against the “battle-ers.” I form plots against the “plot-ers.” After all, if I don’t do something, this country will fall completely in the gutter.
But then I read verses like Psalm 2:1-5 and I am forced to re-think my way of dealing with the world I live in. I must answer some important questions. Does God need me to defend him? No. He laughs at those who think they can overthrow Him. Can He run the universe without my help? Yes. He did it before I was around and He will do it after I am gone. Has God called me to change the government? Not unless it involves helping to change the hearts of those involved in government.
Instead of developing ulcers, perhaps I should turn the world over to God and concentrate on being who God has called me to be in spite of the world around me.
God loves you!
Mike
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Could God Be Here?
Jacob was on his way to Paddan-aram to see his relatives and, hopefully, find a wife. Recent events at home had been disruptive to say the least. His mother had convinced him to deceive his father and steal his twin brother’s blessing. Now, Esau was threatening to kill him because of it. The more distance he put between himself and his murderous brother, the better.
The sun was setting as Jacob stopped to make camp for the night. Not long after leaning his head against a stone pillow and closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep. But this night would not prove to be very restful. Strange dreams filled his mind. He saw an enormous ladder stretching from earth all the way up to heaven. Angels of God were going up and down the ladder, with God Himself standing at the top. As the dream unfolds, the Lord extends the same covenantal promises to Jacob that He had offered to Abraham and Isaac.
Jacob awoke with a start. While he may not have understood the full significance of what had just happened, there was no doubt in his mind as to Who had just communicated with him. He blurts out: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” (Genesis 28:16). It appears that Jacob certainly never expected to encounter the God of heaven at a lonely campsite in the wilderness.
God has a knack of showing up in the most unexpected places. He could show up in a fiery furnace. Just ask Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You might find Him in prison. Just talk with Joseph, Paul, or Silas. He could be in the midst of terrible pain and struggle. Ask Job. He was with Jeremiah in a cistern. He was with Elijah in a cave. He was with Stephen in a barrage of stones. He was with Jesus on a cross and in a tomb.
Be on the lookout! Keep your eyes wide open! You never know where you might encounter God.
God loves you!
Mike
The sun was setting as Jacob stopped to make camp for the night. Not long after leaning his head against a stone pillow and closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep. But this night would not prove to be very restful. Strange dreams filled his mind. He saw an enormous ladder stretching from earth all the way up to heaven. Angels of God were going up and down the ladder, with God Himself standing at the top. As the dream unfolds, the Lord extends the same covenantal promises to Jacob that He had offered to Abraham and Isaac.
Jacob awoke with a start. While he may not have understood the full significance of what had just happened, there was no doubt in his mind as to Who had just communicated with him. He blurts out: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” (Genesis 28:16). It appears that Jacob certainly never expected to encounter the God of heaven at a lonely campsite in the wilderness.
God has a knack of showing up in the most unexpected places. He could show up in a fiery furnace. Just ask Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You might find Him in prison. Just talk with Joseph, Paul, or Silas. He could be in the midst of terrible pain and struggle. Ask Job. He was with Jeremiah in a cistern. He was with Elijah in a cave. He was with Stephen in a barrage of stones. He was with Jesus on a cross and in a tomb.
Be on the lookout! Keep your eyes wide open! You never know where you might encounter God.
God loves you!
Mike
Family Feuds
“Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart” (Matthew 12:25).
Jesus had just healed a demon-possessed man, allowing him to once again see and speak. The crowd who viewed the miracle was amazed at such power and began to discuss among themselves the possibility that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. The Pharisees, of course, were adamantly opposed to such a suggestion. They viewed Jesus as an impostor and a threat to their influence among the people. To stem the tide of increasing support for him, they actually accuse him of being in league with Satan himself. “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24). Jesus responds with the words that began this article. His point is that it would be self-defeating for Satan to empower someone who is working against him. Even the devil is smarter than that!
The principle Jesus states is universally true. Any group that is characterized by infighting and discord is doomed to failure. It is true of nations. A country that has resorted to shooting at each other will ultimately destroy itself. It is true in athletics. A sports team can have superior athletes, facilities, and funding, but if the same team doesn’t work together, it can be defeated by a “weaker” opponent that is united in purpose. It is true in business. If the board of directors are fighting among themselves or if management and employees view themselves as adversaries, a company will never reach its potential.
What is true for nations, sports teams, and businesses is also true for congregations of God’s people. Any group of Christians that cannot work together for the common good will eventually wither or self-destruct. A divided church is a doomed church. Family feuds may provide a good game show format, but they will never be the basis of effective ministry for God.
God loves you!
Mike
Jesus had just healed a demon-possessed man, allowing him to once again see and speak. The crowd who viewed the miracle was amazed at such power and began to discuss among themselves the possibility that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. The Pharisees, of course, were adamantly opposed to such a suggestion. They viewed Jesus as an impostor and a threat to their influence among the people. To stem the tide of increasing support for him, they actually accuse him of being in league with Satan himself. “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24). Jesus responds with the words that began this article. His point is that it would be self-defeating for Satan to empower someone who is working against him. Even the devil is smarter than that!
The principle Jesus states is universally true. Any group that is characterized by infighting and discord is doomed to failure. It is true of nations. A country that has resorted to shooting at each other will ultimately destroy itself. It is true in athletics. A sports team can have superior athletes, facilities, and funding, but if the same team doesn’t work together, it can be defeated by a “weaker” opponent that is united in purpose. It is true in business. If the board of directors are fighting among themselves or if management and employees view themselves as adversaries, a company will never reach its potential.
What is true for nations, sports teams, and businesses is also true for congregations of God’s people. Any group of Christians that cannot work together for the common good will eventually wither or self-destruct. A divided church is a doomed church. Family feuds may provide a good game show format, but they will never be the basis of effective ministry for God.
God loves you!
Mike
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Have You Asked God?
“So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord” (Joshua 9:14).
God had been very clear about how Israel was to deal with the pagan influences they would encounter when they entered the Promised Land (Exodus 23:32-33; 34:12-16; Numbers 33:52-56; Deuteronomy 7:1-6, 16-18, 25-26; 20:16-17). With God’s help and guidance, the Israelites experienced a convincing victory at Jericho. After some costly lessons, the same results were achieved at Ai. As one would expect, news about the conquering Israelite forces traveled fast among the Canaanites. Most began to combine their armies in hopes of surviving. One group, the Gibeonites, decided to employ a more devious defense. They sent emissaries to Joshua who were cleverly disguised as travelers from a distant land and asked to make a peace treaty with Israel. God’s people were initially skeptical, but the Gibeonites played their ruse to the hilt. The Israelites examined all the evidence at their disposal and fell for the trick. One critical step was left out of their deliberations – they forgot to include God as a part of the process!
We all make decisions every day. How shall I spend my money? Whom shall I marry? Which job should I take? Where should I live? How should I raise my children? On and on the list goes. And we live in a time when we have a seemingly unlimited amount of information available to help us make our decisions. At the click of a mouse, we can instantly have more than we care to read on any subject at hand. A trip to the library can provide an armload of books written by well-credentialed experts. The airwaves are full of gurus that claim to have all the knowledge that you will ever need to succeed.
In the face of such an informational onslaught, it is easy to overlook the one Source that is more important that any other. Like the Israelites, we can also fail to “consult the Lord.” And any decision made without God’s input is just asking for trouble.
God loves you!
Mike
God had been very clear about how Israel was to deal with the pagan influences they would encounter when they entered the Promised Land (Exodus 23:32-33; 34:12-16; Numbers 33:52-56; Deuteronomy 7:1-6, 16-18, 25-26; 20:16-17). With God’s help and guidance, the Israelites experienced a convincing victory at Jericho. After some costly lessons, the same results were achieved at Ai. As one would expect, news about the conquering Israelite forces traveled fast among the Canaanites. Most began to combine their armies in hopes of surviving. One group, the Gibeonites, decided to employ a more devious defense. They sent emissaries to Joshua who were cleverly disguised as travelers from a distant land and asked to make a peace treaty with Israel. God’s people were initially skeptical, but the Gibeonites played their ruse to the hilt. The Israelites examined all the evidence at their disposal and fell for the trick. One critical step was left out of their deliberations – they forgot to include God as a part of the process!
We all make decisions every day. How shall I spend my money? Whom shall I marry? Which job should I take? Where should I live? How should I raise my children? On and on the list goes. And we live in a time when we have a seemingly unlimited amount of information available to help us make our decisions. At the click of a mouse, we can instantly have more than we care to read on any subject at hand. A trip to the library can provide an armload of books written by well-credentialed experts. The airwaves are full of gurus that claim to have all the knowledge that you will ever need to succeed.
In the face of such an informational onslaught, it is easy to overlook the one Source that is more important that any other. Like the Israelites, we can also fail to “consult the Lord.” And any decision made without God’s input is just asking for trouble.
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, March 29, 2010
You Do The Math...
Goliath was an imposing warrior. He stood over nine feet tall. His armor alone likely weighed more than most of his opponents. It would have been work for normal men to even carry his weapons – imagine trying to throw a spear whose tip alone weighed 15 pounds! These are just a few of the reasons why Goliath was undefeated in combat. In fact, the rest of the Philistine army was so confident in his fighting abilities that they were willing to pin all of their hopes on him. Do you recall his boastful taunting of the Israelite army? “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” (1 Samuel 17:8-10, NLT).
Perhaps it was this over-confident view of himself and his abilities that caused Goliath to become so incensed when a young shepherd came to engage him in battle. To his way of thinking, this was the ultimate sign of disrespect. “Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. ‘Am I a dog,’ he roared at David, ‘that you come at me with a stick?’ And he cursed David by the names of his gods” (1 Samuel 17:41-43, NLT). He then boastfully predicts a swift and bloody demise for the presumptuous lad who dared to challenge his supremacy. ‘Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!’ Goliath yelled (1 Samuel 17:44, NLT). But the story doesn’t end as Goliath predicts. By the end of the day, the boastful giant lay dead at the feet of youthful shepherd.
Goliath boasted in his own abilities. David boasted in the abilities of God (1 Samuel 17:45-47). You do the math…
God loves you!
Mike
Perhaps it was this over-confident view of himself and his abilities that caused Goliath to become so incensed when a young shepherd came to engage him in battle. To his way of thinking, this was the ultimate sign of disrespect. “Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. ‘Am I a dog,’ he roared at David, ‘that you come at me with a stick?’ And he cursed David by the names of his gods” (1 Samuel 17:41-43, NLT). He then boastfully predicts a swift and bloody demise for the presumptuous lad who dared to challenge his supremacy. ‘Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!’ Goliath yelled (1 Samuel 17:44, NLT). But the story doesn’t end as Goliath predicts. By the end of the day, the boastful giant lay dead at the feet of youthful shepherd.
Goliath boasted in his own abilities. David boasted in the abilities of God (1 Samuel 17:45-47). You do the math…
God loves you!
Mike
Exercise Can Be Bad For You!
The soldiers of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had fulfilled their commitment to their fellow Israelites. Although they had asked for and were granted a territorial inheritance on the east side of the Jordan river, they had promised Moses that they would go on to help their brothers possess their own inheritances which lay on the western side. After many battles, it was time to go home to their families. As they made their way home, just before they crossed the Jordan, they paused to build an altar. Little did they know just what an uproar this altar would cause (Joshua 22:1-10).
When the rest of the tribes heard about the altar, they gathered together and prepared to go to war with their brothers whom they suddenly viewed as traitors. Thankfully, they halted their battle plans long enough to send a delegation to confront the rebels. To the leaders of the western tribes, this was a clear-cut case of rebellion against God. Was not the God-ordained altar at Shiloh enough for these rebels? The foolish presumption of the eastern tribes was going to bring judgment on the entire nation (Joshua 22:11-20)!
The rapid-fire accusations stopped long enough for the incredulous easterners to explain their actions. Their altar wasn’t built for sacrifice but as a memorial. They would never run competition with God’s altar! Upon hearing the explanation, the delegation of western leaders softened their harsh rhetoric. After learning the facts, they realized that the situation wasn’t what they had initially imagined (Joshua 22:21-34).
Jumping to conclusions. Sadly, it is the only spiritual exercise some believers get. Someone hears something about someone else (usually second- or third-hand) and before you know it, war is declared. Sinful motives are assumed. Characters are assassinated. All before any time is taken to discover all the facts in the matter.
Jumping to conclusions is a dangerous exercise! Let’s stop before we hurt ourselves and those around us.
God loves you!
Mike
When the rest of the tribes heard about the altar, they gathered together and prepared to go to war with their brothers whom they suddenly viewed as traitors. Thankfully, they halted their battle plans long enough to send a delegation to confront the rebels. To the leaders of the western tribes, this was a clear-cut case of rebellion against God. Was not the God-ordained altar at Shiloh enough for these rebels? The foolish presumption of the eastern tribes was going to bring judgment on the entire nation (Joshua 22:11-20)!
The rapid-fire accusations stopped long enough for the incredulous easterners to explain their actions. Their altar wasn’t built for sacrifice but as a memorial. They would never run competition with God’s altar! Upon hearing the explanation, the delegation of western leaders softened their harsh rhetoric. After learning the facts, they realized that the situation wasn’t what they had initially imagined (Joshua 22:21-34).
Jumping to conclusions. Sadly, it is the only spiritual exercise some believers get. Someone hears something about someone else (usually second- or third-hand) and before you know it, war is declared. Sinful motives are assumed. Characters are assassinated. All before any time is taken to discover all the facts in the matter.
Jumping to conclusions is a dangerous exercise! Let’s stop before we hurt ourselves and those around us.
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, March 15, 2010
Equal Opportunity
A significant part of the early chapters in the book of Isaiah is devoted to warnings concerning the coming judgment of God upon human sin. Some of the most pointed words of rebuke are reserved for God’s own covenant people. Due to the rebellion of Judah and Israel, the discipline of God was imminent. But surrounding nations also come under the scrutiny of the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. Assyria, Babylon, Moab, Ethiopia, Egypt, Edom, Arabia, Tyre – each receive their own personal word of warning from the prophet of God. In fact, the jurisdiction of God over the nations of earth is so complete and far-reaching that, by the time you reach chapter 24, the judgment of God is described in global terms: “Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth and scatters its people” (Isaiah 24:1; NLT).
Notice, though, what the text goes on to say about God’s judgment: “Priests and laypeople, servants and masters, maids and mistresses, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, bankers and debtors – none will be spared” (Isaiah 24:2; NLT). We learn that everyone who persists in rebelling against God will experience his judgment, regardless of their place in human society. The wealthy won’t have an advantage over the poor. The powerful won’t have an easier time than the weak. All rebels stand on equal ground before the God of heaven. In that sense, God is an equal opportunity Judge.
But, thankfully, the opposite is also true. God is also an equal opportunity Savior (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28). Racial, economic, or gender distinctions are irrelevant when it comes to God’s deliverance. The poor are just as valuable to God as the wealthy. The weak are just as welcome to salvation as the powerful. Remember, God “…does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9; NLT). We can also affirm that all redeemed rebels will also stand on equal ground before the God of heaven. Thank God for that!
God loves you!
Mike
Notice, though, what the text goes on to say about God’s judgment: “Priests and laypeople, servants and masters, maids and mistresses, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, bankers and debtors – none will be spared” (Isaiah 24:2; NLT). We learn that everyone who persists in rebelling against God will experience his judgment, regardless of their place in human society. The wealthy won’t have an advantage over the poor. The powerful won’t have an easier time than the weak. All rebels stand on equal ground before the God of heaven. In that sense, God is an equal opportunity Judge.
But, thankfully, the opposite is also true. God is also an equal opportunity Savior (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28). Racial, economic, or gender distinctions are irrelevant when it comes to God’s deliverance. The poor are just as valuable to God as the wealthy. The weak are just as welcome to salvation as the powerful. Remember, God “…does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9; NLT). We can also affirm that all redeemed rebels will also stand on equal ground before the God of heaven. Thank God for that!
God loves you!
Mike
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