Enjoy this

In my 30s, I got into sprint-distance triathlons.  These mini-tests of endurance (swim, bike, run = 3x the fun!) ended up being the gateway for me to dabble in long-distance running.  While I did end up running two marathons…my favorite running distances were anything from about 8 miles up to 18 miles.  There was something special about slowly adding the miles on each week, working my way up to distances that I once thought were impossible (or, at least, only for crazy people to attempt).

Between a significant shoulder injury and then moving to a new state, I lost the running bug.  However, I’ve never forgotten the feeling of a “runner’s high” or the accomplished feeling of hitting a new longest-distance mark. 

About a year ago, I took up swimming again.  Nothing fancy, just laps in a pool.  I haven’t been following a training regimen.  I swim to enjoy the feeling of moving smoothly through the water.  Running and cycling have gravity pulling on you from a vertical position as you maneuver through the air, but swimming is different – gravity pulls at you from a horizontal position as you maneuver through the water.  Each week, my endurance has increased a little bit.  How I can tell has shown up in a variety of ways: I feel not-quite-as-exhausted after a swim, less time needed to recover the next day, or that my breaks between laps have shortened.  And lately, my weekly distance has been increasing.

This past week, as I counted each 50m lap and kept an eye on the time, I began to realize that I had a shot at swimming a distance that I hadn’t made it up to yet.  However, I knew that if I was going to hit a new distance record, I would have to focus on my technique as my arms and core became more and more tired.  Concentrating on making smooth strokes, I felt a renewed strength as I continued the laps.  And then, a two-word thought popped into my head: Enjoy this.

It wasn’t a “Thus saith the Lord” moment, but I knew what those words meant – in this moment of struggle, enjoy the ability to push beyond what you thought you were capable of before.  And I did enjoy that feeling…even as my lungs burned, my shoulders ached, and my core felt tired.  Endurance is something that you may not realize you have until you’ve tested your limits…and there is strength to be found in the moment when our ability to keep going is challenged.

Before that lap was complete, this verse came to mind:

James 1:2-3
Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

I whine and grumble too much (especially internally) when life is harder than I want it to be.  Other translations say “Consider it pure joy” when trials come…and that’s always been a hard command to wrap my head around.  At least, until I went swimming this week.  Maybe you’re like me, and we’re prone to focus on the various trials…instead of what they produce in us.  I love that James points out our pity party, stating that you know this is good for you, I know that trials are good for me, because the only way to produce endurance is to test our perceived limits.

But God isn’t looking to just increase our ability to stick out tough times.  He has something bigger in mind:

James 1:4
And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Our pathway to maturity – living fully within the person God designed us to be – is paved with opportunities to increase our endurance.  Without the experience of various trials, we will be too weak to become who God created us to be.  When difficulties come – and you know they will – as you persevere through them, going further than you’ve gone before, please remember these two words:

Enjoy this.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

What's in the New Testament?

We commonly refer to the Bible as a “book” – in fact, it is the best-selling book of all-time.  However, the Bible itself is a collection of 66 individual books.  These books were written over approximately 1500 years, by 40 different authors, and in 3 different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek).

Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the authors to write His words and His message to humanity.  Each author brought their own experiences, concerns, and writing style…and as such, we have a variety of literature types within the Scriptures.  The major division of the Bible’s books is between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  For this blog post, we’ll look at what God has said in the New Testament:

New Testament – This is a collection of 27 books which details Jesus’ birth, ministry, death on the cross, His resurrection, and the world-wide impact of these events.  They are divided into 5 different categories:

The Gospels – These 4 accounts tell of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection.  The only other historical contemporary to Jesus who had four biographical accounts of their life at that time was the Emperor Tiberius.  The gospels show a remarkable consistency for having been written by four different authors writing for four different audiences.  The gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

History – Just one book, Acts.  It begins with Jesus giving the disciples their mission to tell the world about Him, and then He ascends into the heavens.  The rest of the book tells how this mission was fulfilled through the early church.  It also reveals Paul’s incredible conversion to Christianity and his role as a missionary.

Paul’s letters – Not only did Paul take multiple missionary trips, bringing the gospel to several nations around the Mediterranean, but he also wrote letters to the churches he established and specific people he partnered with in ministry.  These books contain a mixture of Christian doctrine/teachings and practical advice on how to live like Jesus in a messed-up world.  Paul’s letters include: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

General letters – These are smaller letters written to larger Christian audiences.  They contain additional teachings and practical applications.  These letters include: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.

Prophecy – The book of Revelation is God’s foretelling of the end of earth’s history and the beginning of Jesus reign into Eternity Future.  You’ll find lots of symbolism and references back to many Old Testament people and situations.  Whereas Genesis begins with the story of Paradise Lost, Revelation ends with Paradise Restored.

A few things to keep in mind:

The Bible isn’t a science text – but it does contain some science references.  The Bible isn’t a history book, but there’s never been an archeological find that has contradicted a historical statement in the Bible.  The Bible never claimed to be “the book of every explanation”, but it does contain everything we need to understand God’s love and design for humanity.  The Bible tells us of God’s original partnership with us, how we fouled it up, and God’s plan to rescue us from the mess we’ve made.

I hope and pray that this brief description is helpful to you…perhaps even spurred some questions or curiosity about a book of the Bible you haven’t read in a while.  I’ll end with Paul’s encouragement to his protégé, Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Believe me, I swear!

Growing up, it seemed like any time another kid wanted to be believed, he would say something like, “I swear on my mother’s life” or “I swear to God”.  It was because he wanted to be seen as telling the truth, no matter how outlandish his claim was.  Even still now, among adults, I hear similar phrases like, “That’s the God’s-honest truth” or “May God strike me down if I’m lying” or simply “On God”. 

These qualifiers have always seemed to me as, well, a little weird to say.  And apparently, so did Jesus’ half-brother James:

James 5:12
Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath.  But let your “yes” mean “yes”, and your “no” mean “no”, so that you won’t fall under judgment.

Another translation for so that you won’t fall under judgment would be so that you won’t fall into hypocrisy.  Ouch.  No one wants the stigma of being viewed as a hypocrite.  This thought isn’t unique to James, either.  Because his big-brother Jesus covered this same topic in His Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:33-37
Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, “You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord”.  But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.  Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.  But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ mean ‘no’.  Anything more than this is from the evil one.

How bad of a look is it if we’re “swearing” by heaven or by earth…and we are actually wrong on whatever it is we’re trying to convince others about?  We have no control over the heavens, the earth, or what color our hair naturally grows out as.  So what does all this “swearing” mean?  A whole lotta nothing, honestly.  But wow, phrases like this are commonly said in today’s culture.  It’s as if we’re so used to people not following through that we need an extra layer of promise to get people to believe us.

It might not seem like a big deal to simply let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ mean ‘no’, but the difference is that it will stand out in comparison to what people have typically experienced.  If that statement sounds far-fetched, I would have likely agreed with you, if it weren’t for a recent experience at work.

I was given a small task of updating a few accounts, so I contacted each of the account owners via email on a Friday, telling them that their account credentials would change on the following Wednesday afternoon.  Then, on that next Wednesday afternoon, I communicated their updates.  I thought nothing of the task until I received an email back from one of the account owners with the following statement:

Thank you for making this process so smooth!

I was pretty surprised at getting a “thank you”, but also really surprised at being told that I made the whole thing “so smooth!”  All I did was follow through with what I said I would do – and that apparently stood out to this particular person, enough for him to feel the need to express his gratitude to me.

It was still just a small thing…or was it?  If we are to be Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), then it is appropriate for us to be reliable ambassadors.  If we’re not following through on the “small things” or we have to “swear” or “On God” what we say…how will they believe us when the opportunity comes to talk about the most important thing they could ever know?

And it’s really just as simple as James and Jesus made it out to be – let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ mean ‘no’.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Round 2: Pausing on unexpected prosperity

Pausing on unexpected prosperity
Originally posted on November 25, 2021

There are many examples and proverbs in the Bible which teach that hard work often results in wealth and opportunity.  While there’s nothing wrong with having money, God doesn’t want us to just ask for prosperity so we can accumulate money and stuff.  Even Jesus’ brother James warned against doing so (James 4:3).   

Sometimes, however, wealth is just dropped in our laps: A relative dies and leaves you a large sum of money.  Your job gives an unexpected bonus to you and your coworkers.  You might win a raffle that you had forgotten you entered.  What are we to do in those situations?

Let’s go back to when Jesus was born.  Joseph and Mary were poor, simple people.  They didn’t have great wealth.  Due to Caesar’s decree, they had to go to Bethlehem to be registered as part of the census.  Jesus was born in a Bethlehem barn, and on that night both angels and shepherds rejoiced.  But sometime later, others arrived looking for Him:

Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

Apparently, no one in Jerusalem was wise enough to notice this star-rising event, because the whole city was “deeply disturbed” by the wise men’s question.  King Herod even held a secret meeting with the wise men to discover when the star appeared.  He also told them to report back after they found this new king, claiming that he, too, wanted to “worship” the child.

Matthew 2:9-11
After hearing the king, they went on their way.  And there it was – the star they had seen at its rising.  It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.  Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Let’s pause right here for a moment and look at this situation from Joseph and Mary’s perspective.  It was a normal day.  They were doing normal, everyday things…like taking care of a child, planning meals, doing work…and then, completely unannounced, a caravan arrives at their doorstep. 

Come to think of it, the wise men probably arrived at some time during the night or even very early morning.  I mean, when else are they going to be led by star-light?  (not during the day…)  But whenever they arrived, no one was expecting them.  God had spoken to both Mary and Joseph about Who Jesus was and what he would do, but the worship and celebration by foreign strangers would have been quite a shock!

And to top it all off – they brought gifts!  Not just any baby shower gifts, either.  While we don’t know exactly how much gold, frankincense, and myrrh they gave…I think it’s safe to assume it wasn’t a small amount.  In the ancient world, these gifts were given lavishly at the birth of a new king.  These items were not trinkets, they were highly valued at this point in history.  Notice, too, how Matthew describes the scene…he states that they opened their treasures to take these gifts out.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the family’s financial situation changed.  An unexpected windfall had come to them.  After the Magi left, can you imagine the scene at the house?  Stunned silence, followed by ‘I can’t believe what just happened!’.  And now they have these rich items just sitting there, in their home.  What should they do next?

For the next part of the story, we pick up in verse 13.  However, what we don’t know is how much time passed between when the wise men left and when these next events occur.  It could have been the next night, a few days later, or even longer.  But for at least that first night, Joseph and Mary went to bed wondering what to do with these expensive gifts.  And then…

Matthew 2:13-15
After they [the wise men] were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying “Get up!  Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.  For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.”  So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt.  He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.

Without warning, the family had hundreds of miles to travel.  Without warning, there were unexpected expenses…but funds had already been provided, through an unexpected gift.  They likely had no idea that King Herod was coming for them.  Because of the angel’s warning, Joseph suddenly uprooted and moved the family.

By pausing at the in-between moment – between receiving the gifts and the angel’s news – we can appreciate the tension Joseph and Mary must have felt.  They were just living their lives.  They didn’t know the next verse.  They had no idea that a major life upheaval was just around the corner.

What would we do if God randomly blessed us?  Immediately by a new car?  Take the vacation we’ve been putting off?  Pay off some bills?  Any of these choices could be good, in the proper context…but Joseph and Mary’s story shows us something that we need to consider.  We’re so used to getting into a crisis and asking God to fix it that we tend to forget that sometimes God prepares us financially before the need arises.

So if unexpected money shows up – a bonus, a raffle, a settlement, an inheritance – don’t give into the immediate urge to spend on something shiny.  God may have a different purpose on the horizon. 

Keep Pressing,
Ken

No, God doesn’t think you’re a badass

Over the years, I’ve seen this meme make the rounds of social media multiple times:

God only gives us what we can handle.
Apparently, God thinks I’m a badass.

We might snicker at this (I did), but after reading it, it’s very easy to puff out our chests a little bit and think, “Yeah.  Look at all the crap I’ve dealt with.  God must think I’m pretty tough to handle going through this.”

The problem with this kind of thinking is that it is very self-centered – which is the total opposite of what is taught by God in the Scriptures.  Here are examples from both the Old Testament and New Testament:

Proverbs 16:18
Pride comes before destruction,
and an arrogant spirit before a fall.

James 4:6
But He gives greater grace.  Therefore He says:

God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.

So…this notion of “God only gives us what we can handle” must’ve come from somewhere, right?  Then where did people get the idea from?

Turns out that “God only gives us what we can handle” is based upon Scripture, from one of Paul’s letters to the believers in a town named Corinth…but it’s a verse that’s been twisted a bit.  Here’s the actual text:

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity.  But God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

While you can see how “God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…to bear” can morph into “God only gives you what you can handle” – it’s also pretty clear that Paul is not talking about all of life’s circumstances that come our way.  Paul’s only talking about the times that we are tempted to do the wrong thing…and God’s help in this will be to provide the way out (even if the way He provides isn’t a way we would prefer to go).

And lest you think that it’s ok to stretch this verse to include any/all of life’s circumstances…Paul’s own experiences warn us how that’s not accurate.  In a second letter he wrote to the believers in Corinth, Paul had this to tell them:

2 Corinthians 1:8
We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia.  We were completely overwhelmed – beyond our strength – so that we even despaired of life itself. 

That sounds like they got more affliction than they could handle.  Paul continued:

2 Corinthians 1:9
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

Paul recognized that if they puffed out their chests and relied on how tough they were, they were as good as dead.  Looking back, Paul sees that God allowed a completely overwhelming situation so that they would not trust in [themselves] but in God.  Because they humbled themselves, here’s the lesson they learned…and were later able to teach:

2 Corinthians 1:10-11
He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and He will deliver us.  We have put our hope in Him that He will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

Paul learned that their completely overwhelming circumstance not only brought his team closer to God, but it also provided an opportunity for others to see God in action as He answers prayers.  That is a great way to look at our suffering and trials and difficulties in life – they can drive us (and others) closer to God, but not if we attack them with a puffed up sense of self.

So no, God does not think you’re a badass.  In fact, He knows for certain that none of us are.  Life is going to beat us down, sometimes to the point where we despair of life itself.  But that doesn’t mean we’re abandoned…instead, we can be like Paul and not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.  If He can raise the dead – and He can – then He can handle getting us through whatever life throws our way.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Fish sauce and faith

My wife is half Filipino – that’s where her dad’s family is from.  And because of this, I, your average American white guy, have been exposed to (and enjoyed!) lots of cultural differences from where I grew up in rural southern Nevada.  One of the biggest differences has been the food.  First off, to say “rice is a staple” is an understatement.  For our entire marriage, we’ve had rice with nearly every dinner meal.  And when we visit her family, there’s rice at every meal.  Every.  Meal.  For example, breakfast is scrambled eggs, a meat, and rice.  That’s just “normal” for Filipinos.

For me growing up, we had rice probably once, every-other week.  So having it every day has been a bit of an adjustment, but overall, I don’t mind.  Other “normal” dietary adjustments have been a little tougher for me, though.  One of them is cooking with a substance called “fish sauce.”  I had never heard of this liquid before, but I was quickly introduced to it – and its pungent smell.  Fish sauce is made from a mixture of fish and salt that is allowed to ferment for up to two years.  Oily fish, like anchovies, are traditionally placed in a barrel with salt and slowly pressed to extract the liquid.  Sounds yummy, doesn’t it?

When cooking with it, the smell intensifies – to the point that our entire kitchen stinks of fish sauce.  At first, I couldn’t stand it.  I’d have to leave the room.  But now, after a couple of decades, I can tolerate the smell – but I still don’t particularly like it.  The dish most commonly cooked in our house that uses this stinky sauce is affectionately called “crunchy meat.”  The recipe calls for cubed pork shoulder steak and its fat cooked in water with a quarter cup of fish sauce – cooked low and slow in an open skillet for a couple of hours.  And you can’t cook it fast, or else it won’t come out right.  You have to go low and slow…but that means smelling the simmering fish sauce for a while.

Why would I even “put up with it” if it smells that bad?  Because I know that the outcome of the dish will be really tasty.  Crunchy meat mixed with rice and steamed broccoli is a fantastic dinner.

I’m not sure that Jesus’ brother James would refer to surviving stinky cooking smells as a “trial,” but I still see a parallel with what he wrote to believers in the first century:

James 1:2-4
Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

When life stinks, it’s easy to forget that there’s more to life beyond the trial of the moment.  As James reminded his readers, the testing of your faith produces endurance – and the only way to develop endurance is to endure hard things.  Learning to have faith and trust God’s promises requires situations we generally don’t want to deal with or choose to go through. 

James isn’t telling us to ignore the difficulties, but rather embrace them for what the outcome will be.  The hard situations that make us strong, mature, and complete are typically “low and slow” processes.  But they are worth going through…and what comes out on the other side is worth looking forward to with great joy.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

I stepped in it. Literally.

We decorate our house for Halloween with the same “cute monster” theme each year.  The main part of the decoration are the huge pairs of googly eyes that we put into several bushes in the yard.  They are absolutely hilarious looking, and our neighborhood loves them.

The morning after putting them up this year, as I was walking our dog back to our house, I was looking at the googly eyes and chuckling to myself about how they make our bushes seem like they have expressions and goofy personalities.  I was so wrapped up in admiring my own work, that I stepped in another dog’s feces.  This shouldn’t have been a surprise, because it had been on the road for a day or two. I knew it was there, but since I was distracted, I stepped directly in it.  Immediately, I knew what I had done and that it was going to be inconvenient to clean up.

Soon after, my mind went to a story from the life of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  One night, he had a dream that frightened him.  When he described it to his wise men and court officials, no one could interpret it for him.  He eventually sought out Daniel for help.  Daniel’s news wasn’t good.  He warned the king that judgement from God was coming…on him personally.  God was going to take away his rulership and cause him to go crazy.  The king would abandon his palace and go live with the wild animals for a set number of days, until he recognized that Israel’s God was the true ruler of everything.  Daniel was troubled by this interpretation as well, and he ended with a personal plea for the king to change his ways now so that maybe God would relent.

Perhaps the king took Daniel’s advice and changed his ways, at least for a time because the dream’s interpretation did not transpire right away.  But one year later, it did happen:

Daniel 4:29-32
At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built to be a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic glory?”

While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you.  You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler of human kingdoms, and He gives them to anyone He wants.”

And so it happened…for seven periods of time his life of ease and authority were taken away.  He really “stepped in it”, didn’t he?  Although he was warned, he was still so full of himself and self-promoting that God had to intervein directly into his life.  Fortunately for him, his punishment had an expiration:

Daniel 4:34, 36-37
But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me.  Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified Him who lives forever…At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom.  My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me.  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all His works are true and His ways are just.  He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

The last line is the lesson God wanted King Nebuchadnezzar to learn – that He is able to humble those who walk in pride.  To get His point across, God had to take drastic measures in the king’s life.  The king had to lose it all before he realized Who had given it all to him to manage.

How many times in life have we “stepped in it” because we’re too wrapped up in our own stuff? 
How many times has God had to step in and knock us down a peg so we remember where our blessings come from?

To keep the first century believers from falling into the same trap, two New Testament authors (James and Peter) quote Israel’s King Solomon:

1 Peter 5:5
All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6, 10
But He gives greater grace.  Therefore he says: “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

After Nebuchadnezzar’s humble-pie-adventure, perhaps Daniel taught him Solomon’s wisdom.  Nebuchadnezzar’s example encourages us to learn the same lesson now, before our self-centeredness needs God to step in and give correction.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

When is a bible not a Bible?

My freshman year of college, I joined a fraternity.  At my pledge class’s first meeting, an upperclassman, who was our trainer/teacher, handed out a copy of the fraternity’s manual and said, “This is your Bible.  Study it.  Know what it says.  You will be tested on this.”

Although there was an underlying ribbon of humor in his statement (he was Jewish and self-proclaimed “not a Christian”), we understood what he meant – this manual was going to have a significant influence in our lives.  We needed to not only read it, but understand it.  We would be expected to be able to recite the history it contained and know the motives behind our fraternity’s founding.  Parts of it were going to be memorized.  Understanding and applying the fraternity’s ideals would then influence how we, as representatives of the fraternity, would relate to each other and how we would treat other people.

At the time, his use of the word “bible” struck me, because I had grown up going to church and had never heard anything other than “The Bible” be referred to as “a bible.”  But, like I said, we all understood exactly what he meant. 

It seems that most people think the same way.  Or, at least, many authors think that people readily understand this kind of reference.  With a simple internet search for “The ________ Bible,” I found all sorts of books that have nothing to do with the Scriptures:

The Food Bible
The Triathlete’s Training Bible
The Shooter’s Bible
The Pro Football Handicapping Bible
The Sewing Bible
The Photography Bible
The Gaming Bible
The Computer Programming Bible

I’m sure if you tried the same search, you’d find all sorts of interesting “bibles”.  Whatever the topic, the author wants to convey a simple message: THIS BOOK is the authority on THIS TOPIC. 

When we go looking for information on food or sewing or photography, we’re drawn to this kind of title.  Isn’t it a little strange that we treat all these other books and their authors as instant authorities, but we don’t necessarily give the same emphasis to the Bible?

Let’s be honest – the Bible contains all sorts of claims, that if they are true, then the Bible deserves every sort of respect and priority the word “bible” has come to mean in our society.  Here are a few:

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In one verse, the Bible claims that in order to live life correctly and be best equipped to do good things – then we should be turning to it because it contains the words of God Himself.  That’s an incredible claim, and borderline absurd…unless it is true.

We also have to consider that the Bible’s central person, Jesus, makes an even more fantastical claim:

John 14:6-7
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.  If you know Me, you will also know My Father.  From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”

So many big claims here, in just four sentences.  Jesus states that He is the only way to reach God, and then takes it one step further and claims that God is His Father.  On top of that, Jesus declares that He is God’s representation to us.  These statements are absolutely bonkers…unless they are true.

And if the claims the Bible makes and the claims that Jesus makes are, in fact, true…then we should be treating the Bible with the same priority and authority that modern authors expect us to treat their “bible” books.

The Bible should have a significant influence in our lives.  We need to not only read it, but understand it.  We should know the history it contains and know the motives behind God’s plan for human history.  Parts of it should be memorized.  Understanding and applying God’s ideals will then influence how we, as representatives of God’s family, will relate to each other and how we will treat other people.

We also find this promise in James’ letter to believers:

James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Search for God in the Bible, and He will meet you there.  Not sure where to start?  When in doubt, go to the gospel of John.  Read one chapter a day, for 21 days.  Look for who Jesus is, what He says, and what He does.  Other good starting point options are Philippians and Colossians.  These are short letters that contain a lot of applicable truth.

So, when is a bible not a Bible?  When we don’t give it the priority it deserves.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Skeleton key: Wisdom calls out

Imagine this scene with me:

After taking up the challenge to find the Book of Life, you’re on a plane for Tel Aviv.  Ever since leaving the old man in the bookstore, you’ve been mulling over the “skeleton key” he gave you:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Shortly after takeoff, you settle into your seat and drift off to sleep.  In your dream, you find yourself in a small ancient city.  As you watch the townsfolk ago about their business, you notice a beautiful woman moving amongst the crowds.  Somehow, you know her name is Wisdom.  Her face conveys a warm confidence; her voice is clear and strong.  At various points in the city – the busy streets, the shopping district, the city’s main entrance – she stops to call out:

“How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge?
If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words.”

But no one replied.  Hardly anyone even acknowledged that she was speaking.  After each stop, Wisdom’s countenance darkened, but grew more sad than angry.  After making her final plea at the city’s main entrance and having no one respond, she gave one last pronouncement:

“Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention,
since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction,
I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.
I will mock when terror strikes you,
when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.”

And then she turned to leave.  As she started to disappear among the crowd, you decide to give chase.  After almost losing her down a busy street, you finally catch up to her.  Out of breath, the only words you can get out are “Don’t go”.

She looked at you with a disappointed frustration in her eyes and replied:

“They will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me.
Because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose the fear of the Lord,
were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction,
they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes.

For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.

Dread began to creep into your mind as you realized how much trouble the town was in because danger was coming…and they were willfully ignoring her warnings to prepare.  Wisdom stepped back into the flow of people, and then you lost sight of her.  You were left standing there, trying to process her warning, but a running child bumps into you – and a sudden jolt of turbulence shakes both you and the rest of the plane awake.

As you shake the cobwebs from your brain, Wisdom’s words are still running through your mind: Calamity was coming because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose the fear of the Lord.

-----------------------------------

How often does that happen for us modern believers?  We don’t prepare, grow, or invest during times of plenty – and when a real crisis hits, we’re not ready?

You can’t train for a 100 mile race by going out for a jog the night before.  It’s too late to prepare for the earthquake when The Big One hits.  You can’t mend fences after the other person has died.

Wisdom’s words listed above are from Proverbs 1:22-33.  Solomon’s warning to his son is clear: Dangers in life and hard situations will come, and you need to be prepared for them.  In order to be ready then, Solomon’s son needs to use the skeleton key now:

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Wisdom and discipline are the guides on the path God has set in order for us to skillfully navigate this world.  However, both wisdom and discipline are intentional choices – they won’t happen by accident or through wishful thinking. 

If we’re going to respond to Wisdom’s warning, if we want to live securely and be undisturbed by the dread of danger – knowing that the lady Wisdom isn’t going to just walk up to us in the grocery store – how are we to intentionally find what she teaches? 

James’ letter to other believers gives us the answer:

James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God – who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly – and it will be given to him.

We need to ask the source, because He promises to give it to you – and God always fulfills His promises.  Asking God for wisdom is a practical use of the skeleton key, because when you ask, you are going to Him out of respect and honor that characterizes the fear of the Lord.  But once you ask…be ready to be taught.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Pausing on unexpected prosperity

There are many examples and proverbs in the Bible which teach that hard work often results in wealth and opportunity.  While there’s nothing wrong with having money, God doesn’t want us to just ask for prosperity so we can accumulate money and stuff.  Even Jesus’ brother James warned against doing so (James 4:3).   

Sometimes, however, wealth is just dropped in our laps: A relative dies and leaves you a large sum of money.  Your job gives an unexpected bonus to you and your coworkers.  You might win a raffle that you had forgotten you entered.  What are we to do in those situations?

Let’s go back to when Jesus was born.  Joseph and Mary were poor, simple people.  They didn’t have great wealth.  Due to Caesar’s decree, they had to go to Bethlehem to be registered as part of the census.  Jesus was born in a Bethlehem barn, and on that night both angels and shepherds rejoiced.  But sometime later, others arrived looking for Him:

Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

Apparently, no one in Jerusalem was wise enough to notice this star-rising event, because the whole city was “deeply disturbed” by the wise men’s question.  King Herod even held a secret meeting with the wise men to discover when the star appeared.  He also told them to report back after they found this new king, claiming that he, too, wanted to “worship” the child.

Matthew 2:9-11
After hearing the king, they went on their way.  And there it was – the star they had seen at its rising.  It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.  Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Let’s pause right here for a moment and look at this situation from Joseph and Mary’s perspective.  It was a normal day.  They were doing normal, everyday things…like taking care of a child, planning meals, doing work…and then, completely unannounced, a caravan arrives at their doorstep. 

Come to think of it, the wise men probably arrived at some time during the night or even very early morning.  I mean, when else are they going to be led by star-light?  (not during the day…)  But whenever they arrived, no one was expecting them.  God had spoken to both Mary and Joseph about Who Jesus was and what he would do, but the worship and celebration by foreign strangers would have been quite a shock!

And to top it all off – they brought gifts!  Not just any baby shower gifts, either.  While we don’t know exactly how much gold, frankincense, and myrrh they gave…I think it’s safe to assume it wasn’t a small amount.  In the ancient world, these gifts were given lavishly at the birth of a new king.  These items were not trinkets, they were highly valued at this point in history.  Notice, too, how Matthew describes the scene…he states that they opened their treasures to take these gifts out.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the family’s financial situation changed.  An unexpected windfall had come to them.  After the Magi left, can you imagine the scene at the house?  Stunned silence, followed by ‘I can’t believe what just happened!’.  And now they have these rich items just sitting there, in their home.  What should they do next?

For the next part of the story, we pick up in verse 13.  However, what we don’t know is how much time passed between when the wise men left and when these next events occur.  It could have been the next night, a few days later, or even longer.  But for at least that first night, Joseph and Mary went to bed wondering what to do with these expensive gifts.  And then…

Matthew 2:13-15
After they [the wise men] were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying “Get up!  Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.  For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.”  So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt.  He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.

Without warning, the family had hundreds of miles to travel.  Without warning, there were unexpected expenses…but funds had already been provided, through an unexpected gift.  They likely had no idea that King Herod was coming for them.  Because of the angel’s warning, Joseph suddenly uprooted and moved the family.

By pausing at the in-between moment – between receiving the gifts and the angel’s news – we can appreciate the tension Joseph and Mary must have felt.  They were just living their lives.  They didn’t know the next verse.  They had no idea that a major life upheaval was just around the corner.

What would we do if God randomly blessed us?  Immediately by a new car?  Take the vacation we’ve been putting off?  Pay off some bills?  Any of these choices could be good, in the proper context…but Joseph and Mary’s story shows us something that we need to consider.  We’re so used to getting into a crisis and asking God to fix it that we tend to forget that sometimes God prepares us financially before the need arises.

So if unexpected money shows up – a bonus, a raffle, a settlement, an inheritance – don’t give into the immediate urge to spend on something shiny.  God may have a different purpose on the horizon. 

Keep Pressing,
Ken