Flashback Favorite - Why God makes us wait

I really don’t like waiting. I’m not obnoxiously impatient, but unless I’m the one causing the delay…I’m not a fan of waiting.

That’s likely why God has me practice it so often…

Why God makes us wait
originally posted on July 06, 2017  

I am a rather weak creature, much weaker than I care to admit.

When life is “good”, I am content to coast as long as possible.  I expend as little effort as I can, so I don’t rock the boat and change the comfortable circumstances.  However, my inactivity quickly leads to stagnation.  When I’m stagnant, I become sluggish and self-centered.  I neglect my time with God, and I resent my time around others.  I become fully focused on me and the protection of my comfortable circumstances.

It’s for these reasons that I believe God allows difficulties and adversaries into my life.  When life gets bumpy or takes a detour, I am jarred out of my stagnation.  I am forced to recognize that I am not the one in charge…and that my best course of action is to pray to the one Who is.

At some level, it’s comforting to me to know that I’m not the only follower of God who struggles with this.  Because of his adversaries, David also recognized his immediate need for God and His guidance.

Psalm 27:11-14
Because of my adversaries,
show me Your way, Lord,
and lead me on a level path.
Do not give me over to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing violence.

I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be courageous and let your heart be strong.
Wait for the Lord.

At the beginning of this psalm, David said: 

The Lord is my light and my salvation –
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life –
of whom should I be afraid?

When David referred to the Lord as my salvation, he wasn’t talking about eternal salvation from the penalty of sin.  David has confidence that he will see the Lord’s goodness in this life, that he would be saved from those who wanted to do him harm…but David also recognized that he would have to wait for the Lord’s assistance.

I believe that for the same reasons He allows adversaries and difficulties into our lives, God also allows us to wait for His rescue.  Our struggle to patiently anticipate the Lord’s salvation develops our faith in ways that only waiting can.

When life takes a detour, be courageous and let your heart be strong.  Salvation is coming, you just have to trust and wait for the Lord.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

I don't know what to read next

One morning, a guy got up early, made coffee, and sat down to read his Bible.  The problem was that he didn’t know where to start.  After a few moments of staring at the unopened book sitting on his kitchen table, he still didn’t know what to do.  So he prayed, “Lord, I don’t know what I’m doing here.  Please give me direction on what I should read and what I should do today.”

Not knowing where to turn, he decided to randomly open to a page and point at a verse.  He hoped God would guide him.  Not wanting to end up in the Old Testament, he veered towards the right side of his Bible.  He landed on Matthew 27:5, Then he went and hanged himself.  “That’s…weird,” he muttered. “God, I’m looking for guidance here…” So he flipped a few pages forward and stopped at Luke 10:37, Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”  Feeling a bit unnerved, he sought safety in the book of John.  Quickly turning there, he stopped at John 13:27, So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

I joke, I joke.

Randomly opening our Bibles, hoping God will direct our flipping around so we land on a piece of wisdom is never a good idea.  However, wondering what part of the Bible to read next is a very common concern for Christians who choose to spend time and effort seeking God.  There are lots of blog posts, study guides, and other plans out there.  Which one to choose?

You could treat the Bible like one big book and read it cover to cover.  In fact, many people do that – only to get bogged down in Exodus and then quitting at some chapter in Leviticus.  Read-the-Bible-in-a-year plans also take this approach.  You’ll end up reading 3 or 4 chapters a day, every day.  I have finished a yearly plan like this once.  It certainly had its benefits – knowing exactly how much to read, seeing some familiar New Testament references in Old Testament passages that I don’t routinely read – but you have to be aware of the drawbacks, too.  The challenges with this approach is that you’re mainly reading for information and not life change; also your daily chunk of chapters could easily become an anxiety-driven checkbox for your day.  All in all, I’m glad that I completed a full read of the Bible, because getting a 30,000 ft view of Scripture was great – but I do not have any plans to do it again.

Over the years of reading/studying/teaching the Bible, I have found that the slower approach is better.  Take the text in smaller pieces…think about it, pray about it, and then take what you learn into your daily life.  To help with that, I offer 3 suggestions:

·       Proverbs – Whatever day of month it is, read that chapter of Proverbs.  This is my go-to if I’m not sure what to read next or if I just want to read the Bible while I eat breakfast.  Chapters in Proverbs are easy to drop in anywhere and not lose any context.  Read through each proverb and look for truths you have experienced, perspectives you might not have considered, or situations you can trust God with.  It’s ok to linger on a proverb and just think through it.  Since this blog is posted on the 15th, when I turn to that chapter, I’m immediately challenged with the first verse:

Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away anger,
but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

 We can easily see the truth in this statement, but let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?  Allow yourself the time to think through questions like:

Why do I immediately recognize this to be true? 
How do I respond to gentle answers? 
How do I respond to harsh words?
Which one am I more likely to give at work? to my spouse? to my kids? to strangers?
Where in my life can God help me to be intentional about giving others a gentle answer?

I’m sure you could follow this train of thought with a few more questions of your own.  Just one verse…and a lot of good applications that can come from it.  These are easily found when you look at the Proverbs chapter that match the day of the month.

·       Psalms – Where the Proverbs are steady, logical life-principles, the Psalms are dripping with emotion and relationship.  The shortest one is just 2 verses (Psalm 117) and the longest is 176 verses (Psalm 119).  There are 150 Psalms, so you could easily read one Psalm per day and have a five month plan laid out for you (maybe spread out Psalm 119 over a few days).  What you’ll find is a lot of raw emotion, especially in David’s psalms.  He wasn’t afraid to tell God exactly how he felt, for better or worse, and in vivid detail.  Don’t get caught up in any graphic details or cultural references you may not understand…instead look for the theme of each psalm and think about why the Israelites would have sung these lines to God.  You might be surprised to find out that ancient people and modern people aren’t all that different in their struggles, concerns, and aspirations.

·       John – The book of John is THE place to start when reading the Bible.  John’s gospel is the only book explicitly written to non-believers to explain who Jesus is, the purpose and result of His mission, and – most importantly – how to obtain eternal life from Him.  The apostle admits that he could have written about any number of scenes in Jesus’ life, but the specific ones that he selected were to convince his readers that Jesus is the Son of God and that by simply believing in Him, anyone can have eternal life.  John gives no additional conditions or requirements.  In this gospel, you’ll find that in order to obtain eternal life, you don’t have to confess all your sins, believe certain facts in a certain order, promise to live better, repent, or make a commitment to follow Jesus – while all those are good things, they are not pre-conditions of eternal salvation.  The only requirement for eternal salvation is that you believe in Jesus for it.  Don’t believe me?  John’s gospel has 21 chapters – read one per day for the next three weeks, and ask God to show you exactly what He requires.

The main thing is that we continually get into our Bibles.  There are too many things that clamor for our attention every day, and this is the book that God has crafted over the centuries in an effort to reveal Himself to us.  Don’t get hung up on what to read next…just take the next step and don’t be afraid to take your time.  It’s more important that you grow in your relationship with God than checking the box on a reading plan each day. 

The focus isn’t on how many times you’ve been though the Bible…instead, how many times has the Bible been through you?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

I wouldn't pick me, either

When you were a kid and teams were being picked, were you ever the kid who was picked last?  Nobody wants to be in that position.  If you’re picked last, you’re essentially being told that if you weren’t there, you wouldn’t have been missed.  And if you’ve ever been picked last more than once…you start to expect it. 

When you are repeatedly at the bottom, you even begin to embrace it as “your lot in life”.  You see yourself as unworthy or even useless.  In retaliation to these feelings, you may even take on the mentality once stated by Groucho Marx: “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.”  So when someone actually chooses you…you reflexively don’t believe them, because bottom-level people don’t get picked for important jobs.

This is where Gideon’s story begins in Judges 6.  The nation of Israel was being kicked around by the neighboring land of Midian.  The Midianites stole Israel’s crops, destroyed the land, and took all the livestock.  This happened year after year, for seven long years, to the point that Israel was completely poverty-stricken.  Finally, the people of Israel called out to the Lord.

Judges 6:11-14
The angel of the Lord came, and he sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite.  His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites.  Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “The Lord is with you, valiant warrior.”

Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened?  And where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about?  They said, ‘Hasn’t the Lord brought us out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.”

The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the grasp of Midian.  I am sending you!”

While God doesn’t choose individuals for salvation, He does choose people, places, and things for specific service.  That’s what we’re seeing here.  At this point in the account, we might expect Gideon to get excited and finally feel validated to be chosen by God to do a great service – to be the one who rescues His people.  Instead, we see Gideon doing the opposite:

Judges 6:15
He said to Him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel?  Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s family.”

From a society standpoint, Gideon had nothing going for him.  He didn’t have the proper linage.  The oldest son in a family was the default, next-generation leader – and Gideon was on the opposite side of that spectrum.  So when God said “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel”, you can be certain that Gideon believed that he didn’t have enough strength to deliver anyone, let alone the entire nation!  After all, God approached Gideon while he was hiding out in order to secretly prepare food.  What “valiant warrior” sneaks around just to get his next meal?

The Lord’s answer to Gideon’s protests is the key to understanding the events that happened next. 

Judges 6:16
“But I will be with you,” the Lord said to him.  “You will strike Midian down as if it were one man.”

God reassured Gideon that he can do this work, because God will be with him.  Gideon wasn’t being sent off alone to figure it out along the way.  God would be there as well – to reassure and strengthen Gideon, as well as to fight against the Midianite army.  Like the Israelite’s stories of old, Gideon even saw several wonders (five of them, by my count), where God demonstrated that He was there and on Israel’s side.

God also promises to be with us believers in the church age.  Here are just two examples:

Matthew 28:20
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought at a price.  So glorify God with your body.

There is another famous verse along these lines.  While it’s famously misquoted, when it is read in context, we realize that Paul’s all things is referring to all things God has called me to do for Him:

Philippians 4:13
I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Whatever task or responsibility God has given each of us, we can be certain that He did not abandon us after handing out the assignment.  Even if we wouldn’t have chosen ourselves for this work…we are able to succeed because the Holy Spirit is in us, while Jesus promises to be with us and strengthen us.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

For my son - The greatest reward possible

My youngest son has officially finished high school and is getting ready to embark on the next phase of his life.  As I am nostalgically thinking of that time in my own life, I am also thinking of the things God has taught me since then.

This is the second post in a three-part series where I am remembering lessons I have learned later in life that I would love for my son know now...

I chose this post because for many years as an adult Christian, I had no idea about the incredible, eternal future God has in store for those who believe in Him for eternal life and choose to spend their earthly lives intentionally and intimately connected to Jesus.  God’s eternal rewards are great, and I hope my son earns many of them.

The greatest reward possible
Originally posted on September 26, 2019  

Assuming you had the necessary skills and the opportunity, what is the biggest earthly prize you would aspire to?

Maybe it’s directing the highest grossing movie of all time…or Quarterbacking your favorite team to a Super Bowl victory…or building a business up from your garage into a global empire…or perhaps you are content to win the lottery and retire to a private island.  What would be “the ultimate prize” for you?

How does thinking about this feel?  Scary?  Overwhelming?  Unrealistic?

As those who believe in Jesus for eternal life, we know this present life will continue on with Him into Eternity Future.  While there are big dreams and opportunities to be had here and now…we should also wonder if there are eternal opportunities that God has made available to us.  In God’s revelation to John, He reveals a big one:

Revelation 22:3-5
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will worship Him.  They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.  Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.

They will reign.

Those words carry a weight to them, and they should.  To reign means that a person has obtained or has been given the authority to rule, to lead, and to preside over the lives of others.  While we fully expect Jesus to reign in Heaven and over all creation…John tells us that in addition to Jesus, His servants will reign.

Servant Kings.

Those words don’t seem to go together, but it is exactly what Christ taught to His disciples.

At one point, Peter struggled with comparing the life he left behind with his choice to follow Jesus as a disciple.  He could have believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, continued to work the family business as a fisherman, and still gone to Heaven.  What Peter struggled with was seeing the tangible benefits to accepting Christ’s invitation to intimately follow Him in Discipleship, to living his earthly life learning how to imitate Christ.  Let’s drop into their conversation:

Matthew 19:27-28
Then Peter responded to Him, “See, we have left everything and followed You.  So what will there be for us?”  Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Notice that Jesus does not rebuke Peter for asking this kind of “What’s the reward?” question.  Jesus replies that there is a reward – a reward of authority – to those who have followed him.  Jesus didn’t say that this magnitude of a reward was available to everyone who believes…rather those who will be great at the renewal of all things are those who, after believing, have spent their earthly lives learning how to imitate Christ.

Learning to imitate Christ, the greatest example of a Servant King, is what will qualify His servants to reign forever and ever.

You and I have the necessary skills and the opportunity to do the same.  Will we follow Christ now so that we, too, can become Servant Kings in eternity future?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your detective's hat, part 3

So far, we’ve used our detective’s hat to look for the first four clues: things that are emphasized, things that are repeated, things that are alike, and things that are unlike.  Now we move on to our last two clues, the ones I really like the most, for two specific reasons: one…because they are great at uncovering observations that I wouldn’t normally get by just reading a passage, and two…well…because I think they’re fun. 

Feeling skeptical about this being “fun”?  Well, try these out and then let me know if I’m wrong…

Text Clue #5: Look for things that are related.

By related I mean things that have some connection, some interaction with each other.  The two most helpful relations to look for are Questions/Answers and Cause/Effect.

Questions/Answers are a super powerful form of communication.  What’s also great about them is that they are easy to find!  When you’re reading the Bible, notice the question marks…and then look at who is asking AND who is answering.  Maybe the question is rhetorical, or maybe no one wants to answer.  Looking at questions make for some significant observations.  While Paul uses questions a lot in his letters (especially in Romans), take a look at some of the penetrating questions that Jesus asked His disciples:

Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying? (Matthew 6:27)
Why are you afraid?  Do you still have no faith? (Mark 4:40)
So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour? (Matthew 26:40)

Recognizing Cause/Effect can be just as powerful.  We saw this in the last series on Psalm 1:

Psalm 1:2-3
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

In these verses, we have a promise to claim: That God’s Word will sustain/grow me and there is happiness, delight, and prosperity as it does.  However, there is also a condition to meet in order to have this God-defined prosperity: Intentionally spend time in God’s Word, purposely meditating on it, and delighting to do so…knowing that God can/will develop me in the way I was created to grow and mature.  And…then…I will find happiness and prosperity.  

This tells us there is a direct Cause/Effect link between Scripture and God’s blessing.  Are you experiencing that effect?  The real question is, are you activating the cause by delighting and meditating in what God has said, as Psalm 1 points out?

Text Clue #6: Look for things that are true to life.

This one is my favorite.  The issue here is authenticity: What does this passage tell you about reality?  What aspects of the text resonate with your experience?  This is where you need to use your sanctified imagination.  You need to look for principles.  We obviously live in a culture that is dramatically different from the cultures of the biblical era.  Yet the same things that the biblical characters experienced, we also experience.  Just take away our technology, and you’ll find we’re not that different.  The human condition hasn’t changed much in the last 5,000 years.  We feel the same emotions they felt.  We have the same questions they had about life and raising kids and growing older.  They were real, live people who faced the same struggles, the same problems, and the same temptations that you and I face.

So as I read about them in Scripture, I need to ask:  What were this person’s ambitions?  What were his goals?  What problems was he facing?  How did she feel?  What was her response?  What would be my response?  What can I see in the text that helps me answer these questions?

Scripture is often studied and taught as if it were some academic lesson, rather than real life.  No wonder so many of us are bored with our Bibles.  We’re missing out on the best lessons of God’s Word by failing to pick up on the experience of the people in it.  ***Spoiler Alert*** The people you read about in the Bible didn’t know what the next verse was going to say.  When we read the Bible with that in mind, we recognize an authenticity to the text we had previously missed.

Let’s look at a couple of examples that will help us see truth in realistic terms.  Other than Jesus, no one in the Bible is perfect.  Every one of them had flaws and difficulties – and we can all relate to flaws and difficult situations.

In Genesis 22, God says to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him as a burnt offering.”  It takes a couple of days to get there by donkey…what must going through Abraham’s mind during this trip?  And then, when Abraham starts walking up Mount Moriah with his son, who is about 22 years old, Isaac says to him, “Hey, Dad, we’ve got the wood.  We’ve got the fire.  But where’s the sacrifice?”  Abraham knows that his son is the sacrifice…he’s even carrying the wood on his back.  How do you think Abraham felt?  How would you feel? 

Noah was the only one who got it right in his generation.  The only one!  He raised his family accordingly and followed God’s instructions despite the rest of the world being mired in an evil mess.  Because he obeyed God, he saved his family from the Flood.  But the only story in Scripture out of the 350 years Noah lived after the Flood is when after resettling his family, he planted a vineyard, drank a bunch of wine…and passed out naked in his own tent (Genesis 9).  As if that’s not bad enough, his sons had to take care of him so he wouldn’t disgrace himself.  And…I’m thinking…is this even the same guy???  Well, Scripture shows that Noah is not perfect, but a real, normal person…one who could, at times, do great things for God, and at other times, make some really embarrassing choices.  So, what implication does that have for us?

Elijah wanted to quit his God-given ministry (your pastor has felt this, too), John Mark abandoned his friends and family in the middle of a mission trip (we’ve all left the people we love in the lurch), Peter whacked off a guy’s ear in a clumsy attempt to defend Jesus (this could also be a description of a lot of modern attempts at “sharing the gospel”). 

When you read Scripture, put on your detective’s hat and look for things that ring true to life.  Remember, our lives are just like theirs were – without all the technology.  Look for situations where someone failed and paid the price – how did they respond to the consequences?  How would have you responded?  Did God use them despite their mistakes?  Or what about the one who stayed the course?  What did God do in their life?  Look for common, shared experiences and learn from the example of their lives.

Now, let’s try these last two Text Clues out on our verses from Joshua:

What things are related?  When you find the question, why do you think was God asking it?  Looking back through the text, do you find any cause/effect relationships?

What things are true to life?  Why does God need to remind Joshua, multiple times, to be strong and courageous?  What must Joshua be feeling for him to need to hear that?  Think back to a time when you have felt the same way.  Also…everyone wants success, but we know it’s not instant, there’s always work involved.  What steps must Joshua take to be successful in the mission God gave him?  Do you need to take the same steps to accomplish what God has given you to do?

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your detective's hat, part 2

Last time, we put on our detective’s hat and looked for our first two clues: things that are emphasized and things that are repeated.  Now we move on to our next two clues, which rely on something we humans do, almost without thinking about it – compare and contrast.  Typically the first thing we notice in any given situation are things are that are alike or things that are unlike, and those are great skills to use when we’re studying Scripture.

Text Clue #3: Look for things that are alike.

There are two major categories for things that are alike, and they are as simple as remembering your grade-school grammar. 

Our first comparison tool is finding similes.  These are super easy to find, because all you’re looking for are the terms like and as.  When you find them, you’re going to have a word picture that draws a comparison between two things.  A couple examples:

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation

With this like comparison, we immediately get what Peter is trying to convey to his readers – our desire for God’s word should be just like that of a newborn’s desire for milk…because we recognize Scripture as that important and life-giving for us.

John 3:14-15
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

Jesus is drawing the parallel between those who looked at the bronze snake and believed for their temporal healing with those who will look at Him and believe for their eternal salvation.  His use of an as comparison removes any doubt that belief is the only requirement for us to be restored because of His death on the cross.

Related to the simile is the metaphor, but this time we don’t have a clue word to look for.  Instead you’ll see some figure of speech that describes something in a way that isn’t necessarily true but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.  Even without the words like or as, if you’re looking for them, trust me, you’ll see them.  Any of Jesus’ “I am” statements are good examples:

I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (John 15:1)
I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)

Jesus is obviously talking figuratively, not literally.  He’s using a metaphor to illustrate His point in a way that we can identify with.

Similarities have a ways of drawing attention to themselves, so get in the habit of looking for them.  Whenever you find one, write it in your notebook.  The biblical author is trying to communicate with you through the effective tool of comparison.

Text Clue #4: Look for things that are unlike.

The flip side of comparison is contrast – so we’re now looking for things that are unlike.  While there are several ways the biblical writers signify contrast, the main one to look for is the use of the term but.  The word but is a solid clue that a change in direction is coming. 

Many Proverbs use contrast to teach their wisdom:

Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses. (Proverbs 10:12)
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1)

Another example of contrast is found in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus repeatedly says, “You have heard that it was said…but I tell you” (Matthew 5).

Similar terms include however, yet, and now.  These are variations of the term but – so it depends on the translation you are using.  Although it is a small word, but is one of the most important words you’ll ever come across in your study of Scripture.  Whenever you see it, always stop and ask, “What is the contrast being made?”

Things that are alike and unlike make use of the strong human tendency to compare and contrast.  They are huge clues to help us understand what the author is trying to communicate in the text.  Let’s stop here and try looking for these two Text Clues in our text from Joshua. 

What things are alike?  As with any step, if there’s nothing obvious, don’t force anything.  Move on to looking for your next clue.

What things are unlike?  Scan the text for the word but.  Even if you don’t find that exact word, there are some contrasts made here.

Remember, if you find things that are alike or unlike, be sure to write it down.

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Puzzle pieces

During the past year, my wife and I have started doing an activity together that I would not have expected – we do puzzles.  Occasionally, we’ll buy them brand new from a big box store, but mostly our go-to is a thrift store.  Although we’re risking that there are only 998 pieces instead of the 1000 advertised on the box, it’s worth spending just a dollar or two for the hours of non-screen time entertainment that we can then re-donate back when we’re finished with it.

While we’ve put together landscapes, collages, mystery pictures, and other various scenes, what I’ve noticed is that no matter what the end result is supposed to look like, we have a distinct pattern of attack when it comes to putting the puzzle together.

I suspect you follow the same steps that we do when completing a puzzle – first sort through the pieces, largely ignoring the design, looking for any pieces with a flat edge.  Then, once you believe you’ve found all flat-edge pieces (or at least a good number of them), you start building the outer frame of the puzzle.  After getting the top, bottom, and side boarders in place, the next step is to sort through the remaining pieces, looking for similar patterns of design.  The big, easily identifiable portions of the picture are the best place to start.  You do your best to figure out where in the puzzle these large sections belong, and in a little while, you have the major sections of the puzzle picture laid out.

The last step has to do with filling in the details.  I particularly don’t like the puzzle pieces of sky or water that look like every other piece of sky or water (or that could pass for either one).  But after looking at these pieces for some time, in relation to the borders and picture sections we’ve already completed, these seemingly monotonous pieces start to look different from one another.  Nuances that were not previously seen slowly become visible.  Eventually, the last piece goes in – and in honor of our triumph, we typically leave the completed puzzle on the table for a full 24 hours for everyone (mainly us) to enjoy.

But other than offering you a suggestion for a non-technology-focused family activity, why would I bring this up?  In our last series, we looked at Psalm 1 and learned about the type of life that God honors and blesses.  The psalmist listed multiple benefits, in this life and the next, for those who walk through life taking the path of the righteous instead of the way of the wicked – and all the blessings happened for those who intentionally pursued God through His Word. 

If you missed any of that series, I highly recommend going back and reading through them.  You can find the start of the series here.  However, if you tracked with me through the entire series, you may be thinking:

That’s great, Ken.  I would like to pursue God more, but I don’t know how.  I can only read and re-read a verse so many times.  What if I don’t understand what I’m reading?

If you are thinking anything along those lines, I wouldn’t want to leave you hanging like that.  So our next series will help equip you to actively engage God in His Word.  In short, I’m not going to tell you what a passage means – instead, I’m going to turn the pen over to you, literally.

But don’t panic…you can do this.  Just like there is a systematic approach to completing a puzzle, there’s a good systematic approach to studying Scripture.  I’ll walk you through it, and if you have any questions, I’ll walk with you through it.  As always, you can reply to the email or reach out to me via the Contact page at www.trustingson.com.

So, let’s start easy.  Grab a pen and a notebook/notepad – preferably new, but at least with some pages to write on.  Together, we’re going to look at a small group of verses.  Just four verses total.  And all I want you to do to get started is take two small baby steps:

1.       Write down the verses in your notebook.
2.       Write down any general observations that jump out at you.  We’re not going deep here, just looking at anything obvious to you as you read through the verses a couple of times.

That’s it for this week.  Seriously.  We’ll do some more steps together in the coming weeks (they’re not all that difficult, either), but these first two items might cost you 10 minutes.  So, ready for the verses?  Here you go:

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from you mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

What two or three things do you notice?  Is there anything here that you have a question about? 

Jot those things down.  Your initial impressions and questions are much more important than you realize at this point.  I’m sure we’ll find answers to them in the coming weeks.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Two paths, final analysis

The Israelites wrote psalms as both poetry and songs to be sung.  Putting concepts into word pictures and to music are a great way to both express ourselves and help us remember truths.  Even today, Christians still use this art form in order to engage God and teach His truths. 

We’ve learned a lot by looking at and thinking through the lyrics of Psalm 1.  But now, let’s put it all together:

Psalm 1:1-5
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

The wicked are not like this;
instead they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

The final verse sums up the entire psalm:

Psalm 1:6
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

The way of the wicked leads to ruin because the Lord does not watch over it.  Multiple translations render the Lord watches over the way of the righteous as “the Lord knows the way of the righteous”.  The NET Bible translation really strikes a chord with me: “the Lord guards the way of the righteous”.

How comforting it is to know that someone has your back!  Flying solo means you are exposed in some area because you cannot manage or see everything going on around you.  Having a partner or someone who provides supportive oversight will give you confidence to forge ahead with the task at hand.  This confidence comes from knowing that someone else will warn you of potential issues, fight off problems so you don’t have to, and back you up when someone else challenges your work.  How much more inspiring is it when the Lord is the one who is watching over you!  He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good…and as we walk the way of the righteous, the way He designed us: He’s got our back.

But it is possible for us Christians to take a different route, to walk a different path than the one God desires.  However, the result of walking through life without God’s support because we ignored His Word ends in just one place: ruin.

That’s not a word we typically dwell on.  Ruin isn’t something we like to think about.  If we consider what a ruined life looks like, we quickly become uncomfortable.  And for good reason…here’s the definition:

ruin – destroyed, to be lost, i.e. – be in a state of hopelessness, lacking confidence in a future situation. |to wander away, i.e. – lose oneself/by implication, to perish and not escape or surely be undone or have no way to flee

A ruined life is one that is wasted, stuck, hopeless, and of our own doing because of the choices we made.  At the end of our earthly life, there will be no way to fix it, escape it, or avoid it.  A ruined life is self-inflicted and cannot be undone.

The way of the wicked leads to ruin because it runs antithetical to God’s design and His path.  How could it lead to anything else?  When everything is made good because it was made for/by/through Him, there is no other alternative “good” ending if we’re not on the Lord’s path.

Solomon also wrote about this theme in the book of Proverbs.  Here’s just one example of when he notes the contrast between the path of the righteous vs the way of the wicked:

Proverbs 4:18-19
The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;
they don’t know what makes them stumble.

If we want to be the happy and prosperous person in Psalm 1, we need to abide in God’s Word and God’s Word needs to abide in us.  That is the only path that leads to God’s approval of a life well-lived.  All other paths lead to ruin.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Two paths, different outcomes

We’ve learned quite a bit as we have traveled with the psalmist through his writing of Psalm 1.  We’ve seen that happiness is something that God gives as a reward to those who seek Him and His path.  We’ve learned about the impact of filling ourselves with God’s Word and what it means to mediate on the Scriptures.  The psalmist also showed us God’s definition of prosperity and how our choices now will impact God’s evaluation of our individual lives.

And now, fittingly, as we come to the end of Psalm 1, the psalmist gives us our final takeaway – the over-arching theme of the entire song:

Psalm 1:6
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

The psalmist’s point is this: to choose the wicked path is straight foolishness.  All the good things in life, all of our desired benefits – both short term and long term – are found by those who walk the way of the righteous.

Those who walk with the Lord are successful because the Lord watches over the way of the righteous.  Conversely, the way of the wicked is not successful because the Lord does not watch over those who choose that path.  God offers no protection or blessing to those who ignore His guidance for life.

From the psalmist’s description, the Israelites who were living righteously are certainly blessed by God; and if the nation is living righteously, then the whole nation is blessed.  But the flip side is also true…which means that input affects outcome.

What is it about the Lord’s instructions that leads to our significant growth, strength, and prosperity?  We see time and time again, throughout Scripture, that the Lord honors those who honor Him. 

Who you spend your time with has a serious impact on the trajectory of your life. 

Who do you spend the most time with? 
Who are the top 5 “influencers” in your life? 

Stop for a moment and list them out.

Is God one of your “Top 5”? 
If so, who are the other four?
If you didn’t include God, why is that?

Is your “Top 5” a good list?  Do they help keep you on the way of righteousness or are they swaying you toward a life that ends in God’s disapproval and ruin?

This is something worth mulling over.  Let’s be intentional with who we allow to have influence in our lives.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Useless chaff

Throughout Psalm 1, we’ve found out a lot about what happens to those who seek God through His Word.  But what happens to those who do not do this? 

 Psalm 1:1-3
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

And now, the psalmist provides a contrast:

Psalm 1:4
The wicked are not like this;
instead they are like chaff that the wind blows away.

The wicked do not look to the Lords’ instruction and instead rely on the advice/direction of godless others.  But honestly, if they’re avoiding God and godly advice…who else is there to turn to?  If we are not getting God’s plan for our lives constantly added to us, what other source of fuel is there?

As one of my former bosses was inclined to repeat: In the absence of truth, people will make up their own.  There is plenty of advice, paths to take, and company to keep out there…but not all of it is beneficial for guiding a person’s life.

This chaff analogy may be little strange to us non-farming society folks, so here’s what chaff really is – a non-fruit part of a grain plant, which includes the seed-covering husks.  

Chaff is ultra-light and easily blown away by the wind.  Chaff is not the useful part of the plant.  Chaff is the total and complete opposite of the tree planted beside flowing streams.  Also keep in mind that chaff is never a “good” comparison in Scripture.

But does chaff or husks serve any purpose?  Albeit a temporary good or help to the plant, it has no lasting impact.  Without God’s word consistently soaking into our lives, people eventually become like flittering-in-the-wind chaff…no root, no life, no fruit; a missed or ruined opportunity, wasting the time given to us.

God takes very seriously how humans approach His word, how we regard His revelation of both Himself and the purpose of human creation.  God is so serious about it, that He warns us of both present life and future consequences.  When the wicked ignore the Lord’s instruction, not only will their lives amount to useless chaff, but they also will not receive a favorable judgment from the Lord:

Psalm 1:5
Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Both the wicked path and the righteous path have short-term (in this life) and long-term (eternal) consequences.  However, we still must reject the urge to interpret this psalm as “saved vs not saved”.  We are not talking about eternal destinies here. 

Remember the context of the psalm – it was written by and for God’s chosen nation, Israel.  We’re dealing with an in-house situation here.  Similarly, can a church-age believer waste his or her life?  Absolutely.  And how would we expect God’s evaluation of their life go?

The wicked are not godly.  They may do kind acts or charitable deeds, but God’s evaluation of how they spent their lives is that they had no eternal impact.  Chaff has no root or strength to stand on its own, therefore the wicked and sinners are incapable of standing.  It’s not so much that God prevents them from standing, rather they do not have the capacity to do so.

The contrast used by the psalmist is almost absurd, when you think about it – a prosperous, full-of-life tree vs chaff.  There’s no comparison here.  Given the choice between the two, no one would choose to be the chaff.

And that’s the psalmist’s point – the choices we make, how we walk the path that we walk, affects not only this life, but our standing in the next life.  Joe often reminded me that “this life is just boot camp for the next”.  I’ve also heard the analogy that this life is like being in the womb, and we are developing now what we will need when we are born into the next life. 

For those who walk the righteous path and fuel their life with God and His word, their choices will be vindicated when God does His evaluation.

Keep Pressing,
Ken