An old story example (part 1)

I don’t imagine that you’ve spent much time reading the Old Testament book 1 Chronicles.  Don’t worry, no judgment here…I’m not in it very often, either.  And if you’re like me, when you read through any Old Testament book, it’s very tempting to just skim past the genealogy sections, right?  So-and-so begat son-of-so-and-so, name-I-can’t-possibly-pronounce had a son with-another-name-I-can’t-pronounce.

However, genealogy sections were vitally important to the ancient Israelites.  Knowing where you came from had significant influence on your social standing.  Even though we can’t trace our own lineage back through those genealogies, that doesn’t necessarily mean those sections are empty of anything useful for us church-age believers.  While there are a lifetime of stories behind each name…oftentimes, there are interesting stories couched in between the lists of family lineage.  As the Apostle Paul said, the Old Testament is available to us for examples and insight into the God who loves us (1 Corinthians 10:11).

So, I want to share with you two little stories I found amongst the genealogies.  I think you’ll find them as interesting and as informative as I did.  We’ll look at the first one in this post and the second one in the next post.  The first story shows three of the twelve tribes establishing themselves in the Promised Land, but the local inhabitants weren’t willing to just hand it over.  As you read the following five verses, look for the reason why the three tribes were successful:

1 Chronicles 5:18-22
The descendants of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors who could serve in the army – men who carried shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for war.  They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.  They received help against these enemies because they cried out to God in battle, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them.  He was receptive to their prayer because they trusted in Him.  They captured the Hagrites livestock – fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand donkeys – as well as one hundred thousand people.  Many of the Hagrites were killed because it was God’s battle.  And they lived there in the Hagrites place until the exile.

Over 44,000 warriors…that’s a lot of skilled fighters; however, that wasn’t the primary reason they won the battle.  The three Israelite tribes were victorious because they cried out to God in battle…He was receptive to their prayer because they trusted in Him.  Despite their numbers and strength, their winning strategy contained two humility-filled steps: crying out to God and trusting in Him.  Not only did they seek God’s favor and assistance, they were counting on Him to fulfill the promises He had made to all the Israelite tribes (see Genesis 12, Genesis 26:3, Genesis 28:13, Numbers 34:1-12 for a few examples).

Since God had promised the land, the three tribes knew they couldn’t obtain the promise fulfillment without God’s involvement.  After the battle was over and the three Israelite tribes had won and taken control of the land, they recognized that it had been God’s battle all along.

Now, of course, us modern-day believers cannot claim this promise from God.  We’re not Israel, and God isn’t going to move us all to Palestine.  That said…what a great example this is for us…we can take this little snippet of history and be reminded that God fulfills His promises.  God keeps His word.  People may have lied to us.  Others may have let us down.  Our God isn’t like that.  He doesn’t leave us in the lurch.  He won’t forget.  God is good for His word, every time.

So, what promises are you crying out to God about?  What promises are you trusting in Him to fulfill?  We can’t do it on our own, no matter how skilled we are.  If you need a reminder, here are a few to consider:

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take up my yoke and learn from Me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

John 5:24
Truly I tell you, anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Hebrews 13:5-6
Keep your life free from the love of money.  Be satisfied with what you have for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.  Therefore, we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?”

There are many more promises available to us, and I encourage you to look for them as you read through the New Testament.  But let’s take the Old Testament story as our example, alright?  Cry out to God and trust in Him to fulfill the promises He’s made.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Flashback Favorite - Work and a hobo’s paradise

My job has been pretty demanding over the last few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I like what I do. However, the pressure has been to the point that I’ve thought about retirement life and not having to deal with the constant responsibility, expectations, and problems.

I am many years away from retirement age, but we all have entertained the daydream of doing away with ‘work’ and somehow living the easy life. That’s when this previous lesson-learned comes to mind:

Work and a hobo’s paradise
Originally posted on May 16, 2019

The Big Rock Candy Mountain was a song made famous by Harry McClintock in 1928.  Every few years, it finds its way back into pop culture; with some versions a little more cleaned up than others.  The gist of the song is a hobo singing about his version of paradise – a land of ease, described in fanciful terms.  There are cigarette trees, lemonade springs, and hens that lay soft-boiled eggs.  The cops have wooden legs and bulldogs have rubber teeth, and if you happen to get caught doing something you shouldn’t, then don’t worry about it – because the jails are made of tin and you can leave just as soon as you get there.  I think my favorite line is hobo’s boast that in the Big Rock Candy Mountains “there’s a lake of stew and of whiskey too, you can paddle all around it in a big canoe.”

While it is a cute little song, no one would take it seriously when considering their eternal destiny.  However, there is one line in the song that stuck out to me when I first heard it.  Out of all the cartoonish imagery, there was one sentiment that made me think: “Wow.  That’s kinda funny and would be nice.”  Here’s the line:

I'm goin' to stay, where you sleep all day, where they hung the jerk, that invented work, in the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

Because work is…well, “work”…right?  It’s often a pain.  We view it as some “necessary evil” that we must endure because we like to eat food and have working light switches.  Given the choice between going to work and not going to work – I’m pretty sure that 99% of us would not go.  Throw in the idea that someone, somewhere may have invented the concept of work?  Yeah…nobody would care much for that guy.

But is work really our problem?  And who invented it, anyway?

I think most Christians and Jews would place the blame solely on Adam.  After he and Eve blew it, here’s what God had to say about Adam’s curse:

Genesis 3:17-19
And He said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’:

The ground is cursed because of you.  You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. 
It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it.  For you are dust, and you will return to dust.

Adam and Eve sinned by eating – from here on, they would suffer in order to eat.  Notice that God didn’t hand out working assignments.  He didn’t have to explain what “work” was; instead, God said that work would now become painful labor.  While his efforts would be able to feed his family, Adam would have to contend with thorns and thistles.

We have to go a little further back in Adam and Eve’s story to find the origin of work:

Genesis 1:27-29, 2:15
So God created man in His own image;
He created him in the image of God;
He create them male and female

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.  Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”  God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree who fruit contains seed.  This will be food for you…

The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.

To fulfill these directions from God, Adam and Eve would have to do some work!  But since this was before sin corrupted everything – including the ground – what do you think their work was like?  What would you do if all creatures and plants cooperated with you and your efforts? 

Don’t think of the garden of Eden as being a little vegetable plot.  This “garden” was more like an arboretum.  So in addition to their responsibility to rule over the world, Adam was also God’s official landscaper…and there wasn’t a weed, thistle, or thorn to be found.  Imagine what a master gardener could do if they didn’t have to fight off the weeds!

This was how paradise started – not with lakes of stew and all-day sleep-fests, but with Adam and Eve partnering with God.  They worked and managed creation.  They walked and talked with God.  The land readily produced food for them.

I look forward to the day when Paradise Lost becomes Paradise Restored.  In Eternity Future, we’ll be able to live and work without sin and selfishness thwarting our efforts.  Just like we were created to do.

Keep Pressing
Ken

Was Jesus short?

When our boys were young and prone to get in to trouble, I would sometimes tell them that the average height of a Jewish man in Jesus’ day was 5’1”.  If that warning didn’t click with them right away, I would then remind them that their mother is also 5’1”…Which means, boys, that your mom sees eye-to-eye with God – so don’t mess with her!

Most estimates have first-century Jewish men ranging in height anywhere from 5’0” to 5’5”.  The Bible doesn’t say anything about how tall Jesus stood.  It’s not like the Bible totally ignores physical descriptions of people – whenever there is a unique feature about a person, it’s acknowledged: Esau was red and hairy (Genesis 25:25), Saul was head-and-shoulders taller than everyone (1 Samuel 9:2), and David was “ruddy” and handsome (1 Samuel 16:12).  While the gospels may tell us about what Jesus taught and how He lived, they give us no clue as to how we would pick Jesus out of a crowd.

The only approximate description of Jesus comes from the prophet Isaiah, when he gave a rather unheroic description of Jesus’ appearance:

Isaiah 53:2-3
He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.
He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for us to come to Jesus because He “looks the part” of what we want in a savior.

Instead of what Isaiah detailed, our modern-day pictures of Jesus align more with today’s standards.  Have you ever noticed how our portrayals of Jesus have him about 6’1”, a solid 210 pounds, and the tallest person in the picture?  In all media – paintings, movies, color book pictures, Bible covers – He always has long hair and often looks Swedish.  When in reality, Jesus was probably around 5’1”, had short dark hair, a middle-eastern complexion (likely much darker than us Westerners assume), a round face, and average-at-best looks.

But why even bring this up, right?  Does how we visualize what Jesus looked like make any real difference?  Honestly…yeah, it could…because it’s the start of a very slippery slope.  You see, whenever we imagine Jesus having physical traits more “like us” instead of what’s true, it is a very short trip to begin taking other aspects of God and making them in our image.  When Jesus is “like us”, we immediately assume that all those not-like-us or not-liked-by-us are the ones who aren’t acceptable to God.

I love Todd Agnew’s song My Jesus, as it challenges many of our assumptions.  Here is a portion of the lyrics:

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins.
But the Word says He was battered and scarred or did you miss that part?
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him.

'Cause my Jesus bled and died.
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these.
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable.
So which one do you want to be?

'Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church.
The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet.
But He reaches for the hurting and despises the proud,
And I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd.

How we imagine Jesus strongly influences how we expect to partner with Him in the here-and-now.  Let’s make sure that our portrayals of our hero, high priest, and king accurately reflect who He is – and not some picture of the American dream.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

For my son - The biggest threat to your eternal rewards

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 third 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 the world is not going to help him become more like Jesus.  In fact, he’ll find it’s just the opposite…he’ll be constantly presented with options that focus on the here and now, that he should fulfill any appetite or desire he feels in a given moment.  But that’s not the eternity-focused life God has called us to.  Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of sexual temptation.  I pray that he makes wise choices.

The biggest threat to your eternal rewards
Originally posted on April 05, 2018

Nothing wrecks a believer’s life faster than sexual immorality.  The author of Hebrews knew that, and he gave this warning to his readers:

Hebrews 12:16-17
And make sure that there isn’t any sexually immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal.  For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.

There are portions of our lives where there are no take-backs.  We can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.  Sexual purity is one of them.  The author equates sexual immorality with godlessness (i.e. – acting like there is no God).  Both of these behaviors are selfish; they can completely wreck a believer’s life and witness.  By using Esau as an example, the original recipients of this letter would have recognized the seriousness of our choices in these areas.

As a first-born, Esau was automatically entitled to a double portion of his parents’ estate and guaranteed that he would inherit the role of patriarch in the family’s lineage and decision making.  However, Esau thought so little of this inheritance that he was willing to trade all the future rights and privileges of a firstborn son…to fill his immediate, temporal appetite.  Sexual temptation is also like that.  The immediate appetite is satisfied…but the actions cannot be undone, our life’s course is altered, and the inheritance is lost…no matter how many tears we shed.

Does that mean if a Christian indulges in an affair that he or she are out of the family? 
Will God stop blessing them? 
Will they lose all inheritance?

No, they are not cast out of the family, but there will be permanent consequences – in this life, and in eternity future.  Esau is still our example for how we resolve our questions:

After trading away his future inheritance to fulfill his right-now appetite, Esau eventually returned to his father and repented of his actions, saying he would be content with any remaining blessing his father was able to grant him. 

From there, we find that Esau went on in life and was blessed by God – he even has his own chapter of family lineage and prosperity in Genesis 36.  However…Esau never regained his rights of firstborn inheritance.  Throughout the entire Bible and for all of eternity, the nation of Israel does not list Esau as one of their patriarchs.  Additionally, we consistently find God identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…but we never find God describing Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau.

Because of his choices, Esau missed out on blessings and opportunities – both in this life and in eternity.  And the author of Hebrews is telling us that OUR sexual purity has that level of importance in God’s eyes.  However, if we blow it…all is not lost…some inheritance will be, but not all opportunity to earn more in the future.

Remember what the author taught us earlier:

Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

There is grace to help us when we are being sexually tempted and we can receive mercy when we fail.  Our relationship with God will remain intact; however, the consequences of our sexual sin will echo throughout eternity.

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 1

Last time, we put on our reporter’s hat and asked the questions: Who?, What?, Where?, When?, and Why?  Now, we’re going move to thinking like a detective so we can dig a little deeper into the text.  Today, we’ll cover the first two text clues:

Text Clue #1: Look for things that are emphasized.

There are 3 primary ways Biblical authors clue us in with emphasis: what they talk about the most, when they give a purpose statement, and the order in which they present their topics.

First off, the amount of space an author uses, or what subject they talk about the most, is a huge clue.  A couple of examples:

·       When we think of the book of Genesis, what typically comes to mind?  Creation, the fall, and the flood, right?  However, all those topics take up only 20% of the book.  The rest of Genesis is about Abraham, his family, and the birth of the nation of Israel.  It is in these stories that we find the early steps of God’s rescue plan for humanity, and that is what God is emphasizing in the book of Genesis.
·       There are 21 chapters in John’s gospel, but by the middle of chapter 12, we are already at Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  Of all the things in Jesus’ life that John could have written about, his focus is most definitely on the last week of Jesus’ life.

A second way an author shows emphasis comes when the author just straight-out tells us what his reason is for writing.  While we don’t find purpose statements in every book of the Bible, it is very clarifying when you find one.  The classic example is found in John’s gospel:

John 20:30-31
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book.  But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

John admits he could have written on many other stories from Jesus’ life – but he specifically chose seven signs to match his purpose: to show his readers that Jesus is the promised Messiah, and that you can believe in Him for His free gift of eternal life.

The last way an author shows emphasis is by the order things (lists, events, stories, etc.) in the material.  Here’s one example:

God places Adam and Eve in a garden to “work it and watch over it” the text says (Genesis 2:15).  Then the couple sin, and God drives them out of the Garden and curses the earth (Genesis 3:17-24).  That order becomes important when we talk about work, because some people believe that work is a part of the curse.  However, the order of events in Genesis prevents that interpretation.

As you can see, the first clue you look for when you come to the Scriptures is that which is emphasized.  The writers have left clues that say, “Hey, this is important.  Pay attention!”  When you look for the kinds of emphasis we’ve discussed, you’ll quickly catch on to what matters most.

Text Clue #2: Look for things that are repeated.

When our boys were young, we had to repeat directions and rules several times a day, for many days in a row (and then again at a later date) to make sure that a particular behavior would be shaped in them.  I’m sure you can relate.  Similarly, we need to look for words and phrases that are repeated when we read the Bible.

Have you ever noticed how often Jesus repeats things to His disciples?  The gospels record at least nine times that He said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”  And when John was recording the Revelation, what do you suppose the Lord told him to write to the seven churches?  That’s right: “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

That’s a lot of emphasis.  You get the impression that Jesus wanted His disciples (and us) to PAY ATTENTION to what He had to say.  By constantly using that phrase to flag His words, He gave His listeners a clue about the significance of His teaching. 

A special type of repetition is when we read the New Testament and find quotes from or references to the Old Testament.  Jesus refers to Jonah, as well as Adam and Eve.  Both Hebrews and Revelation are full of Old Testament quotes and references.  The authors are assuming you understand their references back to OT people, places, and events – so make sure you take the time to look up what they’re talking about.  It will help you understand what the NT author is saying…and if you don’t understand their references, you’ll likely misinterpret their intended point.

In short, whenever you study the Bible and notice that something is repeated – if it’s said more than once – mark it down.  It’s not because the authors couldn’t think of anything else to say.  It’s their way of pointing out something important.

Let’s stop here and try looking for these two Text Clues in our text from Joshua. 

What things are emphasized?  What is God’s purpose in giving Joshua these instructions?  Is there an order to what God is saying?

What things are repeated?  There’s an obvious phrase to notice here.  Why would God need to repeat this to Joshua?

If you look, you may find other things that are either emphasized or repeated.  Whatever you find, 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

How to see the good

There’s a lot of negative vying for our attention.  Election ads have been in our face for months.  Constant worries about the rapid swings in the stock market, the jobless claims reports, and individual company earnings.  Closer to home, we’ve all seen small businesses in our communities decide to close permanently – perhaps you’re one of them that had to make that painful choice.  And then there’s a pandemic to deal with.  2020 just seems to bring one hit after another.  No one has been left unaffected.  Families are struggling, churches are struggling, communities are struggling…leaders, governments, and nations – struggle, struggle, and struggle.

I’d say it feels a little overwhelming at times, but that wouldn’t be an honest statement.  Truthfully, it feels INCREDIBLY overwhelming A LOT of the time.  There’s so much negative and so much muck to wade through…where’s God while we’re in the midst of all this?

My church recently reopened for in-person services (with COVID protocols in place), and I was able to teach in the large group meeting for the elementary-age kids.  I’ve been doing it for years, and it was so good to be back with them again.  And it was in their lesson that I found the answer to our problem question of Where’s God in all this mess?

The verse their lesson focused on was one that most of us Christians would be familiar with.  Prepare yourself to not be shocked by which verse I’m about to quote.  It’s not taken from some obscure Old Testament passage.  There’s no deep-dive into the Greek words needed to figure out what Paul was saying.  God made this one easy for us…so easy, a child can apply it:

Philippians 4:8
Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is lovely, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.

Yep, that’s it.  Class dismissed.

Well, not quite.

I couldn’t just leave them with a simple thought of you know, you should just think about the good stuff even when bad stuff is happening…so after I talked about this verse, I gave them a very simple way to apply it:

I pointed out how every month, our elementary kids program focuses on a memory verse.  I explained to them that if they want to apply what Paul is saying in Philippians 4:8, then they need to learn their memory verse.  I told them how when I was their age, because of my mom, I memorized verses too.  And many of the verses I learned when I was their size are still burned into my brain.

If I need a verse that reminds me of how much God loves me, I have that (John 3:16-17).  If I need to be reminded that God’s path is best, then I know that, too (Proverbs 3:5-6).  When the Holy Spirit needs to kick me in the rear and remind me that I’m supposed to intentionally love others, He brings to mind 1 John 4:7-8.

However, memorizing Scripture isn’t just a kid’s activity.  I’ve continued it well into my adult life.  I’ve added verses like Genesis 1:1, Proverbs 22:29, and 2 Corinthians 5:10.  I’ve also learned to quote several verses together so I can grab hold of a complete God-thought on a subject – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and I’m currently working a chunk of verses found in Philippians 1:20-30.  Right now, I’ve made through verse 27 and will add 28 soon.  I’ve also memorized Titus.  Not just a verse or passage, but all of it. 

Before you put me on a pedestal of any level, hear me out.  Titus isn’t very long, just 46 verses.  At the time I was working on it, I was driving over an hour, one-way, to work each day.  My radio was lousy.  Satellite radio and streaming music wasn’t a thing back then.  So spending time during each drive memorizing Scripture broke up the monotony of driving the same roads for 3+ years.  It took many months to get the entire book down, but it was time well spent.  Over the years, God has honored that investment in more ways that I can recount in this post.

Again, I do not admit these things to build myself up or to look good in your eyes.  Instead, I want you to realize that Scripture memorization is both possible and beneficial…just like I was conveying to the elementary-age kids (for the record, I didn’t tell them about Titus, just the first 3 verses I listed above).

Having Scripture at the front of our brain and the tip of our tongue will help us keep perspective in a world that constantly feels like everything is upside-down and spinning sideways.  Having Scripture handy helps us dwell on the good things that God has all around us.  And lastly, having Scripture memorized fulfills what Paul wrote to another group of believers:

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Memorizing Scripture will renew your mind and transform your thinking…only then, with clear thoughts, can we discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Yeah, it’s easier to memorize when you’re younger, but that’s no excuse not to start now.  Better yet, help a child memorize a verse and you’ll end up learning it, too.  Maybe you’ll be the one that inspires them to have God’s Word burned into their brain for the rest of their life.

Keep Pressing,
Ken  

It's been tough lately

One of the great things about Scripture is that it doesn’t whitewash anyone or gloss over any less-than-perfect situations.  Embarrassing and non-flattering moments are included alongside of impressive miracles.  This is one of the evidences of the Bible being supernaturally inspired: given the number of people who contributed to the Scriptures over the 1500 years it took to write, you would really expect that some author – at some point – would try to minimize their mistakes and/or failings. 

But that’s not what we see.  Instead, we find the heroes of the Bible don’t always act like perfect heroes.  We find them lying, cheating, and betraying each other.  We find them doubting God and His goodness.  Sometimes, we even find them saying really stupid things or just wanting to get away from it all.  Here is just a short list of examples (which would be easy to make into a long list):

·       Adam and Eve had the literal perfect life, and lost it because they thought God was holding out on them (Genesis 3).
·       Jacob leveraged his family members’ weakened conditions against them so he could get what he wanted (Genesis 26-27).
·       Jonah flat-out told God “No.” and ran away (Jonah 1).
·       David wasn’t where he was supposed to be, which led him to an affair with someone he wasn’t supposed to be with (2 Samuel 11). 
·       John Mark deserted his fellow missionaries in the middle of the mission trip.  He just up and left them hanging (Acts 13).
·       After the biggest single-day success of his career as God’s prophet, Elijah fell into loneliness and deep depression (1 Kings 18-19).
·       Noah got drunk and passed out, and his kids had to take care of him (Genesis 9).
·       On his watch, Aaron went along with a rebellion against his brother Moses and against God.  He even formed the golden calf “god” himself (Exodus 32).
·       Samuel, a great prophet of Israel, failed completely as a father.  While his sons were in the ministry, they were all corrupt and took bribes.  They used their religious positions for personal gain. (1 Samuel 8).
·       One day, Peter came to the conclusion that he needed a break.  He decided to leave for a while and go fishing (John 21).

Since the Bible doesn’t hide the flaws and failings of the people of God, I don’t think that we should work so hard to project a “perfect Christian” image.  It’s an easy trap to fall into, though.  We tell ourselves I don’t have the time to tell them the full story…or…they have their own issues and shouldn’t have to deal with ours, too…or…I’m embarrassed because I’ve been a Christian too long to be struggling with this thing…or…others would look down on us for getting stuck on this sin…or…<insert your own excuse here>

 When was the last time someone asked you, “How are you doing?”, and you gave an answer other than “I’m good.”?  But we have the insider information on ourselves, don’t we?  We’re fully aware of which parts aren’t “good” and where we’re struggling. 

So, in the interest of openness…I’ll admit that it’s been hard for me lately.  Of all the things you could imagine that I struggle with, your least-likely guess is my frustration…I’m having difficulty putting in the effort to study the Scriptures.  Ironic, right?  The guy who teaches the Bible is having difficulty with wanting to put in the effort to understand the Bible.  This isn’t a “because of COVID” thing either, it’s been a on-again-off-again struggle for a very long while. 

I don’t write this looking for your sympathy.  I’m not asking for a prayer vigil.  I admit this to you because I want you think about how you look at your pastors and teachers.  Just because we write/teach/preach God’s big ideas and partner with God to bring His truths to your attention…this doesn’t mean that we have everything else in our lives perfectly together or that we don’t also struggle in our walk with God.

Sometimes this living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) wants to crawl off the altar, check out of my responsibilities, and just coast for a while.  I get tired of daily taking up my cross (Luke 9:23) where “self” is to be crucified, and honestly, on somedays…I just don’t pick it up.  When talking about this blog, I have readily told people that I do not write because I am some super-spiritual, strong-Christian type…instead, I believe that God has me write this blog because I am too weak to not have this teaching responsibility.  Part of what keeps me in the Word is knowing I’m accountable to you all on a weekly basis – whether I feel like reading God’s Word or not.  If I wasn’t doing this ministry work, I’m not sure how much (or how little) time I would spend in the Scriptures.  And without God’s voice being intentionally and regularly added to my life, I am unable to withstand the constant barrage of the world’s messaging, distractions, and lies.  This teaching work God has given me is as much for me as it is for you.  While my struggle with studying Scripture is not an “always every day” struggle, it’s definitely there…don’t let a well-written, regularly-delivered email suggest to you otherwise.

So, let’s not hide our struggles from each other.  Let’s not pretend to be the perfect Christian; after all, those don’t exist.  Talk to your spouse about where you are in your walk with God.  Speak with a good friend.  Find a Christian counselor, if need be.  When you think about your pastor or Bible teacher, don’t assume that their walk with God is easier than yours or that they don’t have struggles.  Instead, let’s all take to heart the encouragement given by the author of Hebrews:

Hebrews 12:1-2
…let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us.  Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.  For the joy that lay before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Persevering in whatever ministry God has given us will keep us on track for God’s will in our lives now and eternal rewards in the life to come.  Even when we struggle.  Even when we don’t feel like it.  Even when we admit to not having it all together.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

She didn't get it

Jesus is making the Samaritan woman an incredible, no-strings-attached offer:

John 4:13-15
Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again.  But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again.  In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”
“Sir,” the woman said to Him, “give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.”

She wants Jesus’ living water for 2 reasons:
·       so she won’t get physically thirsty again
·       so she won’t have to come to the well to draw water

She didn’t get it.  She didn’t catch that Jesus’ metaphor was about giving her eternal life.  He wasn’t talking about physical thirst.  However, Jesus doesn’t get upset with her for not immediately grabbing on to spiritual truths.  Instead, He goes on to address her real thirst problem:

John 4:16-19
“Go call your husband,” He told her, “and come back here.”
“I don’t have a husband,” she answered.
“You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’” Jesus said.  “For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.  What you have said is true.”
“Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet.”

I find this portion of their dialogue border-line hilarious: I see that you are a prophet.  What an understatement!  But let’s step into her sandals for a moment.  The re-occurring fault in her life was just called out by a complete stranger.  This part of her life is very likely why she comes to the well alone and at the hottest part of the day – to avoid the all-too-knowing glances of others in her community.  A relationship history that included five husbands plus another lover would raise eyebrows in our modern society…but in ancient times?  Practically unthinkable. 

Broken relationships are not a new, modern problem – she’d had many husbands and was now living with someone else (either that, or she has a relationship with someone else’s husband…).  And yet…don’t miss this…Jesus knows this about her and still offers her eternal life.

But why does Jesus tell her to go get her husband?  It seems kind of random in the story.  The request doesn’t appear to fit the conversation to this point.  However, we need to keep in mind the historical context:

From Dr. Constable’s online notes:
Jesus’ instruction to call her husband was proper, because if He was really going to give her something valuable, her husband needed to be present.  This was necessary to avoid any misunderstanding about the reason for the gift – especially in view of Samaritan/Jewish tensions…The woman wanted Jesus’ gift, so she admitted that she had “no husband.”  She probably hoped that He would now give it to her.  Instead, however, Jesus gave her a shocking revelation.  He knew about her marital relations intimately, but He related what He knew tastefully.  He commended her twice for telling the truth about her present marital status, but He also unmasked her past.

While she’s still focused on quenching her physical thirst, Jesus shows her that she’s been looking to the wrong wells for intimacy, and that His living water will satisfy her deepest need.  By asking for her husband, Jesus shifts gears to her personal relationship situation.  Jesus did not ignore her sin, but He gently pointed out that her life choices have still left her thirsty.  Her real thirst is for relationship (see Eve’s curse, Genesis 3:16) and she’s been trying to quench it through intimacy with multiple men.

Sometimes God tries to talk with us about spiritual, real-life things, and, like the Samaritan woman, we don’t get it.  We tend to stay focused on our physical needs.  But thankfully, He is patient with us.  Even though it may sting, God reveals how we’ve been trying to fill our deepest need with people or things that do not satisfy…but then He offers to fulfill that desire with Himself.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The tree of life...is a reward

Revelation 22:12-14
“Look, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to his work…Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life…

Based upon the context within the book of Revelation, we saw last time that to wash their robes was something that the believer did and was responsible for – to do what the Lord commands and live a life that He approves of.

From these verses in Chapter 22, we see that Jesus is proclaiming a specific blessing, a reward for those who wash their robes…but what is it?

that they may have the right to the tree of life

I would venture to say that most Christians immediately equate eating from the tree of life with having eternal life.  They would likely base that assumption from Genesis, when God was casting Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden:

Genesis 3:22
The Lord God said, “Since the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever.”

However, as we’ve seen before, we must interpret Scripture first by the book it is in (the author’s context) before looking at the rest of the Bible for context.  So what does John say about the tree of life in the rest of Revelation?

In Jesus’ letter to the believers at Ephesus, He said

Revelation 2:7
To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Within the last words of the book, John also gives this warning:

Revelation 22:19
And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city…

From these two sections we clearly see that the right to the tree of life can be earned, and it can be lost.  Rewards are like that; however, salvation from our sins and the gift of eternal life from Christ is not.  We cannot earn eternal life, nor can we lose it – because our eternal security depends upon Christ alone.

So how do we rectify what John is clearly teaching in Revelation (that eating from the tree of life is a reward) with what God says in Genesis (that eating from the tree of life causes man to live forever)?

The key difference between the two situations is the physical body of the person.  If Adam and Eve, in their earthly, natural bodies had eaten from the tree of life, then its fruit would have sustained their original bodies for eternity.  However, in the New Jerusalem, all inhabitants will have new resurrected bodies, just like Jesus.  These new bodies are given by God, are not corrupted by sin, and will not need to be “sustained” by food – these bodies do not need anything added to them to be given eternal life, because God made them to live eternally!

So if our resurrected bodies don’t need the tree of life to live forever…why should I care if I eat some of its fruit?

A few verses back in Revelation 22, John made this observation:

Revelation 22:2
The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month.  The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations

So from across Revelation we find these observations about the tree of life: New fruit every month, the tree is located in the paradise of God, and is only made available as a reward.  In addition to these personal-reward qualities, we see that there is some applicational reward as well – the leaves of the tree are for healing of the nations.  Truthfully, I have always been intrigued by that statement, and I expectantly wonder at what, exactly, participating in the healing of the nations will entail.

This understanding of the tree of life as a reward also fits in perfectly with the larger context we’ve been observing in Revelation – that the believers who partner with God now in this life will have earned the reward of greater partnerships in the next life.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life…

Keep Pressing,
Ken