Monday, December 30, 2013

HERO'S OF THE BILE: Samson

So, the children of Israel left Egypt.  They wandered in the desert for 40 years.  Finally, the time had come for them to go into their new home: the promised land.  The land they were to inhabit was called Canaan.  God had helped the Israelites conquer Canaan, which had been inhabited by a host of wicked nations.  As they settled into their new home, they changed the name of the land to… Israel.

However, Israel began to compromise.  They began to entertain sin.  They intermarried with the wicked people.  They became idolaters.  Before long the Israelites became captives.  Out of their desperation they begged God to rescue them.  In faithfulness to his promise and out of his loving-kindness, God would raise up a judge to deliver his people and, for a time, there would be peace. That’s what the book of Judges in the Bible is about.  Judges is a book about heroes—12 men and women who delivered Israel from her oppressors.

One of those Judges was named Samson.  His story is one of the most famous in the Bible.    Judges 16 shows how he compromised with sin and how it led to his downfall.

Judges 16:1 (NIV) One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.

Samson was a he-man with a she-weakness.  He was incredibly strong.  There was a powerful anointing on his life.  But he lacked character.  He had a lust problem (1 John 2:16).

Judges 16:4 (NIV)  Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah. 

Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah which became the beginning of his demise.

Four Life Lessons From Samson's Life

  1. We will all be tempted by sin 

Samson’s downfall was not temptation.  Every human to ever walk the earth has been tempted by sin (James 1:13-14).

If Satan tempted Jesus, you can believe he will tempt us also.  Additionally, because we all have a sinful nature, temptation is a part of our existence here on earth. 
   
2. Sin has its kicks

I’m sure Samson had a ball frolicking with the Philistine chicks.  Sin can be fun.  If it weren’t fun, we wouldn’t be tempted by it.  We wouldn’t do it.  Sin does not come to us in some ugly package.  It is always very attractive.

2 Cor. 11:14 (NLT)  Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light.

3. Sin has its kickbacks

Samson continually and deliberately went back to the same sin over and over again and it cost him big time.  I wonder if he knew that his lifestyle would result in him having his eyes gouged out and grinding grain in shackles, that he still would have ever started fooling around with Philistine women? 

4. God can still use you

There are many whose sinful choices have done irreparable damage to their life.  Yet God still uses them.  He can still use you.

1 John 1:9 (NLT)  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.






Saturday, December 28, 2013

HERO'S OF THE BIBLE: Moses

HERO'S OF THE BIBLE: MOSES

A hero is any person who is admired for qualities or achievements and regarded as an ideal or role model.  Over the next few days I would like to look into the lives of some Old Testament and New Testament saints and how they make an impact in our lives today.

Yesterday we talked about the life of Joseph.  He had become Pharaoh’s right-hand man over all of Egypt.  The children of Israel had moved to Egypt due to the famine.  As the years have passed, they have multiplied to approximately three million people. Joseph and his immediate family have passed on, and a new king is in power.  Pharaoh is intimidated by the number of Israelites and wants to get rid of them, so he tells the midwives, those who deliver the newborn babies, to kill the male babies (Exodus 1:22).

It is in the middle of this crisis that today's hero is born.  His name is Moses.  He is one of the most famous men in all the Bible.  In the NT, a man named Stephen summarized Moses’ life - Acts 17:1-36. 

FIVE LESSONS FOR US TO LEARN ABOUT LIFE

1. You and I Were Born On Purpose

Before Moses was born, God had a purpose for his life.  Not even the edict to kill all the Hebrew baby boys could get in the way of Moses’ birth.  God made a way (Exodus 2:1-10). God created you and me for a purpose.  No matter the circumstances surrounding your birth, you are not an accident.  

2. Mistakes Do Not Disqualify Us

Moses made a pretty big mistake – murder (Exodus 2:11-15). But it was while Moses was hiding in Midian that he met his wife and had a face to face encounter with God…   

3. We Need A Personal Encounter With God

The day Moses met God face to face in the burning bush changed his life forever.  We all need an encounter with God like that (Exodus 3:1-6).

4. No Excuse Is Good Enough For God

Moses tried to come up with every excuse imaginable to get out of going back to Egypt (Exodus 4:1-12). Have you ever tried to make up some lame excuse for not serving God?  

5. God Will Do Miracles To Accomplish His Purposes

God sent ten supernatural plagues to teach that God meant business to let Israel go: the Nile turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock killed, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and the death of the firstborn (Exodus 14:21-28). If God has ordained you for your purpose, there is nothing that can stop it unless you are disobedient.  Nothing is too difficult for God!     

     





HERO'S OF THE BIBLE: Joseph

A hero is any person who is admired for qualites or achievements and regarded as an ideal or role model.  Over the next few days I would like to look into the lives of some Old Testament and New Tetament saints and how they make an impact in our lives today.

FOUR THINGS TO MAKING YOUR DREAM A REALITY

Today we're going to look at a young man named Joseph.  He was Abraham's great grandson; the youngest son of Jacob - who was later renamed Israel.  You can read about Joseph's story in Genesis 37-50.  In these chapters you will read about the many challenges Joseph faced for his dreams to come true. (This is a little long but I think worth the review).

Joseph is the youngest of twelve sons to Jacob.  His father favors him over all the brothers and went so far as to make him a special robe of many colors.  His brothers despise Joseph and are jealous of him.  

When Joseph was 17 years old, he had two dreams that further ticked off his brothers (Genesis 37:6-10).  Because of their jealousy, they plotted to kill him.  Instead of killing him, they sold him into slavery to a caravan going to Egypt and lied to their father about what they did. 

The caravan sold Joseph to a rich guy in Egypt name Potiphar. God blessed Joseph and gave him favor with Potiphar.  Before long Joseph was in charge of Potiphar’s estate. 

Now, Joseph was a good looking young man and Potiphar’s wife got the hots for him.  She offered him sex daily.  Joseph refused because he didn’t want to dishonor his boss or God.  

One day she cornered him and came on really heavy.  Joseph ran out of the house and out of his clothes to get away from her. (Gensis 39:11-12). Potipher’s wife felt rejected and to get back at Joseph she accused him of rape.  Potiphar had Joseph thrown in prison.  

God gave Joseph favor again and soon, Joseph was running the prison. 39:21-2. The king’s cupbearer and baker were also thrown into prison.  They each had a dream they did not understand so Joseph interpreted them for them.  He told the baker that Pharaoh was going to have him killed in three days; he told the cupbearer that in three days Pharaoh would restore him to his position.  It all happened just as Joseph said.  Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him when he is free and to let him out of prison.  But he forgot about him. (Genesis 40:21-23).

Fast forward two years.  Pharaoh had a dream no one could interpret.  The cupbearer remembered there was a guy named Joseph who interpreted dreams.  Joseph is released and brought in to see Pharaoh.  Joseph interpreted the dream telling Pharaoh that there will be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.  (Genesis 41:28-30).

So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all the food in Egypt.  During the time of abundance he stored the food in preparation for the famine. When the famine hit, everyone in the whole region had to come to Joseph for food.  Including, guess who?  That’s right.  Joseph’s brothers had to come all the way from Canaan to Egypt to buy food.  They arrive and bow down to him – not realizing who it is. When the famine hit, everyone in the whole region had to come to Joseph for food.  Including, guess who?  That’s right.  Joseph’s brothers had to come all the way from Canaan to Egypt to buy food.  They arrive and bow down to him – not realizing who it is.

Joseph eventually revealed his identity to his family, they cry and are reconciled.  All of Israel’s family moved to Egypt to survive the famine.  Joseph’ brothers felt awful about what they did.  But what they intended for evil, God used for good.  (Geesis 50:18-20)

Joseph was seventeen when he had his first dream; he was thirty-nine when it finally came true. How many of you have a dream of a career or job that you want to achieve?  What about dreams about school or athletics?  I think it is normal for you to have dreams for your life.  I think many times God is the one who gives them to us. 

FOUR THINGS TO MAKING YOUR DREAM A REALITY

1. Don’t be surprised when people close to you do not believe in your dream.

After all, it’s your dream, not theirs.  They might not believe or support you because: They can’t see it; God didn’t show it to them.They are jealous. It doesn’t seem possible

2. Never give up on the dream no matter what happens to you.

Most of the success in your life is not based on what happens to you; rather on how you respond to what happens to you.  If your dream is from God, he will see it through. The realization of your dream might involve some pain.  Don’t become bitter, become better! If you’re faithfully serving the Lord, everything that happens in your life is God-filtered. Be patient when it doesn’t happen as fast you thought it would.  It doesn’t mean it wasn’t God, it just might not be the right time.     

3. Remember it is God who promotes

Through all the bad things that happened to Joseph, the Bible says over and over again that the Lord was with Joseph.  God gave him favor and promoted him. We must keep our hearts free from un-forgiveness and bitterness even when we are betrayed and done wrong knowing that God is in control and He is the one to give us favor and promote us.  

4. Others around you will benefit when your dream comes true.

Joseph’s family was saved because his dream came true.  God’s dream for your life will ultimately not be about you; it will be to glorify God and to benefit others.  

Whatever your dream is for your life, stay focused on it and trust God to order your steps and to cause your dreams to come true.  




Friday, December 27, 2013

HERO'S OF THE BIBLE: Abraham

A hero is any person who is admired for qualites or achievements and regarded as an ideal or role model.  Over the next few days I would like to look into the lives of some Old Testament saints and how they make an impact in our lives today.

The first one is Abraham, also known as the Father of Faith. Before he was known as Abraham, he was known as Abram.  One day God said to Abram, “Leave your country, your friends, and your family and go.”  Abram said, “Go where?”  God said, “I’ll tell you when you get there.”  Okay!  Then God said, “I’m going to make the whole world know your name.  Through your family, I’m going to bless the whole world.”  Now Abraham was 75 years old when God told him this and he didn’t any kids!  But you know what?  This guy did what God told him and sure enough, when Abraham was 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was 90, they had a son named Isaac.  So, Isaac was the sole heir to the promise that God would make Abraham’s family great and that the whole world would be blessed through his family.  There were no other kids in line for this promise, only Isaac.

That brings us to Genesis 22:1-18 - where God asks Abraham to sacrifice his Isaac - his son, upon the altar. That’s a pretty amazing story considering that Isaac was not only Abraham and Sarah’s only Son, he was the only heir to the promise.  There are some incredible lessons for us to learn from Abraham’s story.  Let’s look at three of them.

Like Abraham, we need to…

1. Trust God

God told this guy some pretty outrageous things and guess what?  Abraham believed him!  "Leave my country, friends and family and go to a land you’ll show me later?  Okay.  You’re going to bless the whole world through my offspring even though I am 75 years old and I don’t have any kids?  Cool."  God had an awesome plan for Abraham’s life and Abraham believed God and trusted that plan.

  • Genesis 15:6 (NIV)   Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.


  • James 2:23 (NLT)   And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous." He was even called "the friend of God."

Like Abraham, we need to believe and trust God with our lives.  Like Abraham we need to live our lives by faith.

2. Obey God

Abraham is a model of radical faith.  He is also a model of radical obedience. God told Abraham to go to a land he would show him later.  He went. When he was 75 years old, God told Abraham he would have a kid.  Then, twenty five years later, he and Sarah finally have Isaac.  What does God do?  He tells Abraham to sacrifice him!  He did.  You see, our faith doesn’t mean much unless we’re willing to act on our faith in obedience.  God gave the command to test Abraham’s faith.

  •  Hebrews 11:17 (NIV)   By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son.

3. Surrender to God

God had given Abraham an awesome promise.  His whole life was wrapped up in his only son, Isaac.  And God asked him to sacrifice him?  Why?  Wouldn’t this short-circuit the whole plan?  See Genesis 22:12-18. Isaac was Abraham’s most prized possession.  He was everything to Abraham and that is exactly what God wants – everything. God wants all of you – your whole life.

  • Matthew 10:39 (NCV)   Those who try to hold on to their lives will give up true life. Those who give up their lives for me will hold on to true life.

It’s a biblical paradox, the more we try to cling to our lives the more we lose it.  The more we surrender our lives, the more we gain.  You see, God had to know from Abraham that Isaac was not ultimately his.  Isaac belonged to God.  The promise was to the glory of God.  If Abraham had selfishly clasped Isaac and kept him from God, the promise would not have been fulfilled because God can not use a life that has not been surrendered to him. God will not compete with an idol in your life.  Either he is more important to you than anything in the world – even your very life, or he’ll have no place at all.  To accept anything less would prevent Him from being God.

If you are afraid to trust God with your most prized possession, dream, or person, pay attention to Abraham’s example. Because Abraham was willing to give up everything for God, he received back more than he could have imagined.  The only way to enjoy life, therefore, is to loosen our greedy grasp on all that is prized to us.   It is only then that God knows he is LORD in our lives and God blesses whatever he is charge of. I want to challenge you to make God the only stronghold in your life.    

Thursday, December 26, 2013

TABLETS, COMPUTERS, SMART PHONES AND THE WORD OF GOD

I was laying in bed this morning and thinking about all the people who got a digitized device for Christmas and the many tools that are now connected with those items to enhance the Word Of God in our lives.

Communication has changed over the years in vast ways and the delivery of the Word Of God has adapted just as quickly.

In the beginning (no pun intended) God "spoke" the word and it was done.  It's how the earth was created and its how he spoke to man.  God walked and spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden.  And, for a number years - the "speaking" was sufficient for man to hear God's Word.

As languages were developed and as words began to be written - God then wrote the first TABLET called THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.  These were God's Words written on stone.  

As life evolved the word of God was put onto animal skins and eventually parchment for the preservation of time.  This led to the printing on paper which we still have today.

It is written with every age level and language level in mind.  When I was a young father - one of the joys I had was reading the Bible in picture form to my daughters every night.

But things are changing.  With the digitalization of computers, tablets and smart phones - the Bible is now changing again.  Youversion.com is downloading more Bibles now than have ever been printed over all of time.  Over 20 million downloads have taken place on over 50 million devices.  More and more - when I ask people to turn in their Bibles - many are taking out their devices and can instantly turn to the passage and switch to whatever version I'm using or in the language of their choosing.  They even now have a children's version with visuals for them to see what you are reading.

It used to be that commentaries were only available to pastors and leaders of a church but now they are available at your fingertips.  Go to Blueletterbible.org and utlize all the commentaries and word studies that I've used for years - but at the touch of your fingers.

Do you want to hear the word of God?  Youversion.com allows you to even listen to the Word Of God.  Or, it you would like to listen to it dramatic form go to Bible.is. This is a favorite of mine.

I like what God spoke to Mary - "No Word Of God will ever fail" (Luke 1:37).  

Isaiah also spoke these words...

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 ESV)

I really believe that we need to use all the technology possible to bring people to Christ.  We need to be on the cutting edge and allow the Holy Spirit to take the Word Of God to every heart.

P.S.  If you would like to receive my weekly sermons - send me your name and email and I will gladly do that.  Also, if you need help in setting up your device - I am more than willing to help or loan you a young teenager who "gets it."  They would be glad to sit with and help you get set up.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 25 - CHRISTMAS DAY

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Advent - Day 25 - CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas Day!  For weeks we've been on the lookout for this Christ child, trying to catch glimpses of His grace.  We've wanted to be like Mary, pregnant with this person, full up with God. No matter how we've gotten here, whether we've stumbled along in half-hearted reflection or  hiked purposefully with eager steps, Christ awaits us in His fulness.  it's time to celebrate!

Like a runner of a race - you've crossed the finish line and Christ is waiting for you. You've been running for 20 plus days to see this person Christ.  Perhaps you don't know it but there have been two advents that we've been following - the actual advent of Christ but also the advent of Christ being birthed you.  You've traveled this journey with me - Anticipating the Advent of Christ in your own hearts.  Now you've crossed the finish line and I pray that Christ is deeper in your hearts.  Like the shepherds and the wise men - you've come to see the king.  You have arrived at Christmas and He is cheering for you.  "You've made it.  I'm proud of you."

He is not a God who is not concerned for you but just the opposite - He is loves you very much.  Christmas will have a deeper meaning as you've anticipated this day and the delights it holds.

Advent now leads to the next season - Epiphany - the revealing of who Christ is within us.  Our eyes are opened and we now see how Christ in us is the hope of glory.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 24 - LIGHT IN A MUCKY WORLD

Advent - Day 24 - LIGHT IN A MUCKY WORLD

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 24 - Light In A Mucky World.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)

We're almost there - It's  Christmas Eve!

We've walked through a season greeting neighbors with "Merry Christmas," of sharing the season in our communities, of worshipping in our churches.  We've been involved in acts of community and neighborness: giving gifts, making cookies, singing carols, and decorating our homes for the enjoyment of others. All of this has reminded us of the joy and necessity of living in community.  God created us for relationship, reflecting the very being of the Trinity.

We don't forget for long, however, that relationship is difficult in our darkened world. We live in a mucky place: full of lies, divorce, anger, abuse and pride.  We've all had our shared of getting beat up by living in relationship, and we've all had our share of not respecting those around us.  Even on Christmas Day, there will be hard looks, sore feelings, disappointment and more mixed in with joy and celebration.  The healthiest of us keeps this to a minimum, while many of us continue to fail miserably at living with other people.

We need to hear John's words this day, "The Word became flesh and lived among us... full of grace and truth."

Christ enters into the muck to live with us, to be in relationship with us.  He is the only thing that we can see that is full of grace.  He's bursting with God-speak, bursting with generosity, never tired of our whinning, never beating us up.  He's a light for living with our families, grace for sticking at it with our neighbors, balm for our relational hurts.

The light has come into our world.  He has asked us to be a light to our neighbors, to all we are in contact with.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 ESV)

As we spend time opening presents and watching the lights tomorrow, let us remember that we, in whom Christ dwells, are gifts to a dying world.  May we be illuminated more and more by Christ, so we can become good friends and neighbors - persons with whom others long to be in relationship.

Monday, December 23, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 23 - CREATIVE WORD

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 23 - Creative Word

John lets us in on foundational Advent - the "first arrival" we might say.  This advent is described in the first three verses of John's gospel - lines that are as poetic and beautiful as any recorded.  They are a consise creation story describing the source of our world.  It's a foundational account speaking to a foundational question that is often asked - "Where did I come from?"  John gives us an answer both philosophical and theological.

The Greek word is "Arche" - the beginning.  We've heard this word before in Mark's Gospel story. It rings true in our ears.  John has carefully chosen it for his opening.  We're at attention, ready to be given an answer our question of where do we come from.  John doesn't miss a beat.  "The Word" - the Greek word is "Logos" stands at the end of all our questions.  We are all given a birthright - it is Logos.  We have "Logos."  It is personal.  It is capable of being incarnated.  All other questions about our beginning quiet down as we hear about this being.  God's Word, Christ Jesus, is an "Arche", wording all things into existence.  We are now at the source: original Advent.

As we celebrate Christmas and the Words incarnation, John reminds us that Christ has been around all along.  It's not as if He's been uninvolved, and then hears about us, only to arrive late.  He's been on the story since moment-one, working His purposes even in a world that has made itself hostile to His voice.  The Word speaks through the clanging noise of the fall of humanity and makes itself understood again.  Incarnation clears our ears, provides the makings of belief.  Belief throws us back to our divine ancestry: "Yes, this is where I came from.  This is home."

Sunday, December 22, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 22 - AN UPSIDE DOWN WORLD

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 22  - An Upside Down World

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)

It's not easy to think of God becoming something.  We usually think of God beyond the fray, unaffected by everyday affairs.  Becoming entails change - requires being affected by somthing.  The Advent of Christ changes the way we view God.  We have Christ, we have the Word, entering our universe, our time, and our space, and growing from fetus to adulthood. His body is subject to all the limitations and pains which to which ours are; He bleeds, sweats, tires, hungers, thirsts and desires.  God became fully human, came to involve Himself in our limitation, came to experience lack.  Heaven dipped itself down and experienced the consequences that humanity reaped when we lost ourselves to sin.

God's great gift to us was to experience that we experience, to know the separation that comes as a consequence of sin.  God in the person of Christ became less in order to give us the power to become more.  This is what we could call an "Upside Down Faith," in which less is more and more is less.

As most of us walk into Christmas full of things and full of providential care, John shows us a model for life.  Christ, the king of glory, lowering Himself and walking with brothers and sisters in their broken condition.

There is a hope in this Advent model.  The experience of limitation does not diminish Christ.  Rather, it provides Him with just what He needs to help our infirmity.  "For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." (Hebrews 2:18 ESV) And for us this Advent Season?  We are called to become like Christ, to walk with our brothers and sisters in their brokenness, to dip ourselves down, and get ourselves dirty that we might lead others to the light - "The true light that enlightens everyone" (John 1:9).

Saturday, December 21, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 21 - SALVATION WATCHED FOR

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 21 - Salvation Watched For

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:22-40 ESV)

Salvation and redemption are not always easy to see.  We'd like them to be happy events, like a cozy birth story.  However, nothing we've read about Jesus' entrance into the world has been cozy.  Salvation and redemption are acts of battle and confrontation, not things we go looking for without necessity.  Luke shows us people who long for salvation, whose eyes are on the lookout, and he wants us to develop similar eyes.  His Advent story draws us into what Eugene Peterson calls "salvation watching."

Simeon and Anna, of all people, recognize this baby for who He is: the Savior.  Why were they able to see Him?  What did they have that everyone around them didn't?  

It's not that they didn't have some special equipment, but their eyes were trained for this salvation watching.  And here is where we see this cosmic battle is no different than any other.  Simeon is no gladiator, Anna is no Xena.  Their training has been God training, their tools for war His tools: 1- A faithfulness to a sacrificial life; 2- A prayerful expectancy of help for Israel (Luke 2:25 The Mesage).  3- Constant worship and fasting; and prayer night and day.  Here are warriors so different that they need a different name: servant.

Though these servants of God are allowed to see the salvation of Israel in their old age, they still have no cozy words.  This babe, they know,  is destined for confrontation.  Mark's advent account has shown the advent of battle.  Notice what Simeon says, "this child is set for the fall and rise of many in Israel."  This battle is already joined; captives are being sought and freed.  But this baby's own mother will be pierced through the soul.  She will be not be spared from salvation work.  He wants to sharpen all those who will recognize Him, hone them "that thoughts out of many hearts will be revealed" as being for Christ, as being salvation watchers.

And "to all who are looking for the redeemption of Israel" - the redeemption of human kind - fellow watchers say "Did you see that?"  "There it is."  "No, no... it's over there."  "Quick, use my binocs!"  "You've got to see this up close."

Friday, December 20, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 20 - A HEAVENLY LIST

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 20 - A Heavenly List

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. (Luke 2:1, 2 ESV)

"Census Time!" An emperor's order sends the whole region on the move - back to their hometowns.  It's doing something you don't want to do at the most incovenient time.  It's a disruption of our life.

Caesar Augustus is a man who wants people to obey him. He's trying to control wages, tax lives, draft men and elicit worship.  It didn't matter that Mary was nine months pregnant and that the trip would be difficult and inconvenient.

The irony lies in this - the baby that Mary carried within her womb would never be controled or commanded by Caesar.  He is a person who will never be entered on any roll.  He is, as yet - not even officially named or on any list.  Yet, we've already heard the name that is stored up for Him.  He is someone who will rule and reign all kingdoms someday but yet He is not even on Caesar's list of names yet.

It is significant that this Christ, even as He arrives in the world has His own world, His own list of persons.  His is a list written "from the foundation of the world" (Revelation13:8), affected by no earthly ruler.  Salvation, not control is the hallmark of His roster.  We are on the list.  

Christ enters the world controlling world events, in control of where He will be born, who He will serve, what He will do; and in His mind the knowledge of the holy list.  He has come to take an accounting (His own list) of the entire world.  He is ordering us to our hometown, to His home.  "Census time, your name is written by me in heaven - written before you were ever conceived in the womb.  Find your name on my roster.  And, while you are there - look at all the others."

Thursday, December 19, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 19 - A PRAISE UNCORKED

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 19 - A Praise Uncorked

And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” (Luke 1:59, 60 ESV)

Do you like to hear a good story?  I know that I do.  My problem is when I want to jump in on the story to help it be told in a better and greater way.  It's really hard to stay quiet in moments like that. 
Zechariah was in on a good story except for the fact that his voice had been corked and he was not able to say what he saw and what he heard firsthad.

It's hard for a man to not speak at important gatherings.  Circumcision was an important ritual for a Jewish male when a boy would be named marking out the important task of his life.  And here he was, an educated man whose job whose job as priest was to offer up prayers and sacrifice for his people - and he was all bottled up.

Luke's Advent story readies us for us to hear something from this man.  We hear the story of Mary and Elizabeth sandwiched in between the middle of Zechariah's story.  Then we get the "lead in story" that the woman is going to name the boy.  Nobody in Elizabeth's male demoninated day could believe it.  They want Zechariah to say something, even if it was to write on a tablet.  They're looks all said, "C'mon Zechariah, Say something.  Be a man!"  Zechariah does it, but he must do it God's way, not his - empitied of himself.

In silence he writes a message in support of his wife - that backs up her God-spoken naming.  

Then something remarkable happens.  For nine months he had been chewing on God listening to God speak attentively, being empitied of himself, being emptied of male pretension and doubt.  His ears have been tuned, his lips have been readying themselves during this time.  What will he say?  It couldn't be another word of disbelief, can it?  That's what God him into trouble at the start.

No! Zechariah is a beautiful sharp Spirit-instrument.  He's primned for this moment.  He breaks forth into God praise.  Prophecy comes forth, about the future, about his people, about his son, about a coming Savior.  

Light has dawned and Zechariah, now the only person now prepared to speak well, speaks an illuminating word.  Like Joseph, Zechariah is emptied of himself and refilled  so that God has a choice bottle of Advent praise to uncork for the world.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 18 - JOY JUMPING

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 18 - Joy Jumping

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, (Luke 1:39-41 ESV)

When is the last time you leaped for joy - when got so excited about something that you expressed your joy by leaping high in the air over and over.  My grandkids leap all the time with expressions of joy for whatever makes them excited at the time.  They are unshamed to run around the house leaping for joy over the littlelist of things. Children are tuned in to rythm's of joy more then we as adults 

It's no wonder that John the Baptist did a jig inside the womb of his mother Elizabeth at the news of a savior would be born in his relative Mary.  There was an infusion of spirit into that womb.  The God-presence was real and alive. The Christ, The Lord was present at that time and at that place.  Advent had arrived.  

Advent causes us to be like children again.  It is a celebration of birth - a celebration that the Christ child will become human and relate to all of us.  We must become like children again and again to experience this.

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 ESV)

...“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3, 4 ESV)

Advent calls us back to childhood, back to the birth, back to the womb.  When we find ourselves as children, reborn into a kingdom of hope, we find legs again and the beauty of joy-jumping because of what Christ means to us.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 17 - ONE FAVORED

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:26-28 ESV)

The word "favor" is often used as a word in flux or as a time sensitive word - like "that's in my favor now." It is here now but could be gone tomorrow.  The word of God uses it more in regards to eternality and God time.  When the angel of The Lord spoke to Mary and said, "Greetings, O favored one, The Lord is with you" - she was fearful not understanding the weight of that word spoken to her.  

As humans, we live with the burden of having a corrupted language and it is not always easy to convey our meaning and thoughts.  We employ words harshly.  We hear humanity speaking to us with degraded slang.  God-speak has turned to babble.  Evil is on our ears and lips more than we know.  

But then a word of God breaks upon us and we tremble.  It thoroughly shakes us.  These types of words need to be illuminated and revealed to us before disbelief sets in.  But surely, and oftentimes slowly, the Holy Spirit puts wings to the God-speak words and they turn into faith and promise that carry into whatever path laid out before us.  The spiritual wax falls out of our ears and our faith begins to soar. And like Mary we say,"Let it be according to your words."  A message is birthed within our heart as we await the advent coming our way.

Hopefully, over time, we begin to train our hears to listen to God-speak.  We should train our mouths to speak these syllables - "God has a plan for you and it is good."  

Mary became pregnant with God in her.  It is what needs to happen to each of us - that... we become pregnant with God in us.  The faith and promise that God wants to birth within us a faith to meet any of our situations before us.

In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (John 14:20 ESV)

We are pregnant with God.  He is in us.  We have favor from God!

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30 ESV)

Monday, December 16, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 16 - FEAR NOT

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 16 - FEAR NOT

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. (Luke 1:11-13 ESV)

There is a phrase that appears over and over in the New Testament in regards to the Christmas Story.  It is "Fear Not."  The Angel says to Zechariah - "Do not be afraid."  Mary is soothed with the same words.  Jesus grows up and uses the words to settle His disciple's hearts in regards to the storms.  Christ wants our fears to be eased - He wants to calm the waters of the raging storm around us.

When the storms come they often disrupt our lives and put our focus on things other than God.  It causes us to see no good for now or for the future.  God sees the disruption and speaks "Fear not."  People are filled with all sorts of fear and anxiety over a multitude of things. It has paralyzed us from doing God's perfect bidding in our lives.  

The Advent message breaks into our frantic and fearful lives.  It quiets us.  It calms us.  Like Zechariah, we must forcefully be muted so that we won't be distracted by all the voices trying to pull us to the sidelines.  He stills our hearts so that we will know that there is a God and that we would trust in Him - Psalm 46:10.

Our resolve should be... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

Fear not!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 15 - A FULL BIRTH STORY

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 15 - A FULL BIRTH STORY

It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:3, 4 ESV)

Going from Mark's opening chapter to Luke's birth narative is like moving from a deli-take out meal to a rich seven course dinner.  Luke is generous with details and desirous of providing an orderly account of the Advent of Jesus.  

Luke is the type of story you would like to hear from you mother 40 years after your birth.  "Tell me how I was born, Mom."  We want someone who is willing to take the time to give a biography of our beginning, someone who doesn't want to rush or miss any of the important details.  Many of us don't have an account like this, don't have mothers with great memories, or families doting on our history.  But in Luke we have something to whet our appetite for birth history. God made sure we had a great account of how He brought His son into the world.  

Our story ties into Christ's story just as much as John the Baptist or Paul the apostle.  We were set apart for a holy work, called even in our mother's womb and set apart for a great work for God.  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

You might not remember your birth or the details but someday God will recount it to you and remind you that before you were ever born - He had you on His mind.  His plans and purposes are great and wonderful for you.  Don't let life pass you by without getting on board of God's redemptive work to make you part of "His Story."

Saturday, December 14, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 14 - REPENT AND BELIEVE

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 14 – REPENT AND BELIEVE

Mark 1:14-15 (ESV) 14  Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15  and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

Belief was always the goal of Christ’s Advent.  We’ve seen some of the believers who circled around the Christ-child and we’ve seen an evil king who refused to believe.  Sin keeps us from belief, causes a cessation of belief.  It happens each day, little by little: We wander away from believing.  We are weak; we have difficulty charting a straight path. Belief, though present, often wavers in us.  We live much of our lives as if we are given over to a spouse who does not love us, as if we are trapped in an abusive marriage, drained of any energy for change. 

Christ returns from His encounter with evil with a ready message on His lips: “Believe!”  He understands that we’re weak but He proclaims His message anyway.  His command brings our ears to attention; we sit up, longing to hear who is preaching salvation to us.  We want to get with the program again.

This Christ returns from the wilderness knowing that we remain weak; but He has a message of encouragement for us.  “The kingdom of God has come near. And by the way, you should know that I can win this thing – I can win you back.”

We may be weak, but Christ now controls the battlefield.

Alone in the wilderness, alone at the cross, Christ fights a battle we cannot enter.  He endures what we are unable to.  His first sermon is given with the taste of victory in His mouth.  We can taste it too when we chew on His proclamation: “Repent! Believe! I have broken the knot!”

Friday, December 13, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 13 - A MUCKY WORLD

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Mark 1:12-13 (ESV) 12  The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13  And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

There is no flight into Egypt in Mark’s gospel, no rescue for the holy child from evil beings.  We are shown a mature Christ, readied for battle, who as an adult is initiating a time of confrontation.  It is a time for standing His ground, not a time for flight.  Equipped from birth, now set apart through baptism, Jesus is driven to make war with evil.

Mark tells us that the Spirit, which has just descended upon Jesus, takes Him out into the wilderness to meet God’s foe.  The Spirit acts forcefully, driving Him out, expelling Him, like a soldier equipped for battle being thrown into the middle of the fight.  All of Jesus’ life has led to this confrontation.  Herod may have seemed a threat to the child, but now the child-grown-to-full-strength must meet His real threat.

Christ has been at the center of the battle all along, even while He was making a nighttime escape to Egypt.  Only now is time fulfilled and readied for His active working.  Now is the time when His arrival assures God’s victory.  The incarnation story provides us with a taste of this scene that is to come.  The Christ-child divides the world into sidelines: those fearing Him and those worshipping Him.  We know something will come of this.  Mark lets us view the Advent of a battle unlike any other.  He shows us God walking out alone to endure all of our temptations.  No human can fight this battle, for we have all fallen to the enemy.  He fights this battle alone with His angels.  He has come, made His Advent, to reclaim us.  He has arrived for His fallen comrades - to ensure our total victory.  Wow!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 12 - BELOVED

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Mark 1:9-11 (ESV) 9  In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10  And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11  And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 

Do you ever wonder about Joseph’s first words to Jesus?  Do you wonder how he greeted this young miracle?  Joseph’s holy dream provided him some time to contemplate the wonder of this child conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus, who was not Joseph’s flesh, who was not given to him as a natural son, the child he is called to protect and for whom he becomes a legal guardian – what does he say to this child? We hope for a word of wonder.  We hope Joseph was not resentful or unenthusiastic.  We want a word of celebration for this baby – a smiling, leaping, light-the cigars fatherly greeting.

The relationship between Joseph and Jesus isn’t given much play, however.  The Gospels emphasize a different relationship, the relationship with another parent – the Father who hung the moon and the stars.  This is the relationship we all long for no matter how good our earthly fathers were and are.

Mark gives us the first recorded words of the Heavenly Father to the Son.  It’s a perfect greeting that includes an affirmation of family, an assurance of love and an encouraging word about the Son’s work.  The Father says, “You’re a part of me, My Son.  I love you and I’m happy with what you’ve become.”  

God’s love-words point us back to Christ’s growing up years.  Jesus couldn’t have come to the Jordan, He couldn’t have received such affirmation, without a fruitful past.  He has become a man in the fullest sense of the word, and His Father is proud.  God accepted Him just as He was - "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

God throws Jesus an impromptu party, with celebratory display (a ripped-open heaven), and a gift (the Holy Spirit coming upon Him like a dove).   

It is no different with you or I - coming to God with a heart to know and love Him - imperfect as that may be.  We move toward Him in relationship and are so blessed to hear those words, "You are my beloved son or daughter in whom I am well pleased."  Let the arms of God wrap around you today and say, "You are my beloved."

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 11 - ONE MORE WORTHY

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 11 - One More Worthy

Mark 1:4-8 (ESV) 4  John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5  And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6  Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7  And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8  I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

It’s not easy to keep the thought in mind that there is a person we’re not worthy to be around.  Try focusing for any length of time on the idea that there’s someone out there who shoes you are not even worthy to lace up.  We’re so used to thinking of ourselves as equals and giving ourselves self-esteem pep talks that, more often than not, we think of ourselves as better than the rest of the world.

Consider two lines of thought: 

1- “People would be pretty lucky to have me around!  I’m a valuable asset to the community.  Don’t forget it!”  OR...

2- “His/ Her shoe?  Are you kidding?  I’m not good enough to lay a little finger on it.”  

Which line sounds more how you think?  Truth is, we feel very comfortable with our selves – even those of us with self-esteem problems.

But someone out there is more grace-full, more power-full, more worthy than we are.  Next to him or her we look like slug bait.  It's not exactly the tingly Christmas-is-coming pick-me-up we’ve been looking for in Advent.  We’re in the same boat with John, even if we don’t realize it.  John - a star in God’s kingdom work – couldn’t hold a candle next to this Christ.

But notice what John tells the people (what he tells us) about this One-more-worthy.  “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”  This advent – this “arrival” of the Christ – is a giving of Himself, of His Spirit, to those not worthy.  It is as if the queen has stopped her carriage next to us to say, “You are my lost son/ daughter.  You are full of my spirit.  Come and live with me.”  

So, the arrival of Christ is our arrival into true person-hood through the entrance of His Spirit into our very being.   His arrival gives us importance in His Kingdom - no matter how we feel on earth.  His Holy Spirit empowers us and takes us above our daily insecurities.  We are now "accepted in the Beloved."

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 10 - MAKING THINGS STRAIGHT

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 10 - Making Things Straight

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” (Mark 1:2, 3 ESV)

We're often crooked - we even enjoy being crooked.  I'm talking about our sins here.  It's not easy living a straight life.  Ask anyone who is suffering from some sort of addiction (which all of us suffer with in some measure in our life).  Crookedness is part of the human condition.  It wasn't meant to be like this, and fortunately for us - it is not part of God's condition.  God loves to walk straight roads; He loves to straighten our paths.  This "way" that John the Baptizer is called to straighten out is us - you and me.  Christ didn't come to earth just to take a vacation.  He came to help and straighten us out.  He came to this earth to walk into you - to walk through you.  He is our path. He is our way.  
Together our paths should be as one. His path.  The straight path.

John's message is important to us.  It comprises of two commands: 1- Prepare the way and 2- Make straight the paths.  The way is through humanity - the paths are you and me.  But the amazing gift in this Advent, this announcement to get this road prepared, is that we're supposed to be doing this preparation.  God enlists us for the work of His kingdom.  His walking ground is in our actions, in our lives, in our being.  He wants to get rid of our boulder and rock slides, to clear dead branches from before His feet, to build bridges over our stagnant swamps, to blast away any impending piles.

The straightening is for His benefit as well as for our. Crooked feels good when we do it, but it doesn't feel good afterward.  Plumb and square is the only thing that stands the test over the long haul.  Ask any junkie if he likes being addicted and he will tell you yes when he is high.  Crooked highs don't last.  And yet, there is a natural high in spending your time and energy for The Lord.  It is what we were made for.  It is God's condition for our lives.   

Monday, December 9, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 9 - A NEW BEGINNING

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent Day 9 - A NEW BEGINNING

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1 ESV)

Mark's theme at the start of his gospel is repentance, getting us back on track, starting us anew.  He captures us with his opening word: "beginning" - (arche) in Greek.  "Arche" is a central concept with gospel - where time is renewed, lives started again.  John's gospel starts with the phrase - "In the beginning" (arche), and Luke uses it in the opening lines of his gospel, speaking of those "who from the beginning (arche) who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word" (1:2).  The word (arche) draws us in and produces a longing in us.  We want to be in on (arche) and we don't want to miss a thing.  Like the play we're dying to see or the concert we want to hear - we don't want to be caught in traffic and to be there when the opening curtain rises.

As we read Mark during this Advent week - we are given a remarkable and sacred gift.  We, like eyewitnesses in Luke's story, have gotten in on this (arche).  We are getting ready now and anticipating and preparing for the coming of the Messiah.  We have time now to get ready and enjoy the coming event.  

And, if the truth be known - Christ is waiting for you and I also.  He is waiting for us to journey with Him to His birth.  Time stops, reverses on itself and ticks in Bethlehem again.  Time whirrs past and leaps forward to the new beginning - the next advent of Christ - where beginning and end are one.  Christ, the Alpha and Omega become one and bookend our lives (and time itself) shouting - "He's here" (in God-time) and we haven't missed a anything."

Sunday, December 8, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 8 - A WAY PREPARED


ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 8 - A WAY PREPARED

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” (Mark 1:1-3 ESV)

Mark is a different advent account than Matthew's - it's not the usual story that is told during the advent season.  Unlike Matthew and Luke's account - Mark bypasses Jesus' birth and childhood in order to get immediately to the adult life and ministry of Jesus: bringing salvation to a dead world.

There is a sense of urgency that we find in Mark's writings that we don't find in the other gospels - a sense that Christ is active and moving quickly in our world.  Jesus is presented full of power and the Spirit of God.

John the Baptizer tells us that the Christ who will come is "more powerful than I."  As we will see in Luke's advent story next week, John's parents - Elizabeth and Zechariah had been promised by an angel of God that their child would have the spirit and power of Elijah, one of Israel's most powerful prophets.  What a different introduction to the life of Jesus.

We are forced by this advent story to leap forward past 30 years of Jesus' growing up years, past the swaddling clothes of a manger, forced to see the incarnation as preparation for a future advent - the advent of the Gospel in a world emptied of good news.

We have the barest hint of the incarnation story as we listen to God calling "You are my Son, the Beloved."  Our imagination springs on the word "son," and we wonder how a blood relative of God came to be in our world.  The immediacy of the account leaves us wanting to race forward through Christ's life, but the account also makes us want to review history.  When we read the words "the time is fulfilled for the coming of the Kingdom, we want to run into the past.  We are full of questions.

How did the time get fulfilled?  Where was this Christ before He walked to the Jordan?  Why wasn't it in the papers?  Why didn't we hear about it? We are caught between the past and the future - anticipation and imaginative memory.  Mark's account  leaves us surprised, leaves our mind racing backward and forward.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 7 - A REFLECTION OF A FURIOUS RAGE


ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent Day 7 - The Reflection Of A Furious Rage

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. (Matthew 2:16 ESV)

Most of us have dealt with rage in our lives - even furious rage.  Yet, none of us has ordered all the boys in a city under the age of 2 to be killed.  There is a rage that comes on us when we don't get our own way or when there is no response to our commands.  We want it done (our way) and it really doesn't matter why someone doesn't get it done.

It's easy to look at someone like Herod and say that we would never do that.  On the other hand, we have never been in his shoes and having to run a country.  But in reality - the evil in Herod is probably in all of us in some way or another.  Romans 3:10 tells us that none of us "is righteous, no not one."

This baby enters a world that wants to kill Him - yet He doesn't respond to that evil intent.  Christ responds to the needs of the world.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV)

He chooses to come into this world as we all do - helpless.  It is a moving picture - a king who chooses to be helpless set against a king who chooses to grasp power and destroy anything that gets in his way.  We are related to the side that will grasp for power but praise God for the king (Jesus) who fights for us to help be victorious in every area of our life.

Friday, December 6, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 6 - HEARING GOD'S VOICE IN THE MIDST OF EVIL

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent Day 6 - Hearing God's Voice In the Midst Of Evil

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15 ESV)

It's difficult to leave one's place in the world, but when our children are in danger - nothing moves us faster.  The flight of Joseph and his family into Egypt has been the theme of countless works of art because it is a central theme for human beings: protection of a family in the face of evil.  Joseph is warned in a dream to get up and take his family to Egypt to avoid the destructions Herod was about to bring to them.  This second dream to Joseph is in a staccato pattern - "rise up, take, flee and remain."  The staccato rhythm of imperatives get our attention.   They require action in the face of trouble.  The Lord is telling Joseph exactly what he needs to hear.  The words to Joseph have their intended impact and Joseph immediately takes his family into Egypt by night and remains there.  We are called to care for our families as Joseph was called to care for his.  Evil is abundant in this present life but not as abundant as the voice of God.  You and I can depend on this voice to guide us through any and all situations that come our way.  It is a voice that is razor sharp when it needs to be and yet can speak with compassion to us and speak to our heart.  As you anticipate Christmas today, think about the fact that you are God's child and there is nothing that will move a parent faster than caring for his children in the face of evil.  God loves you and want to help you just as you love and want to help your own children - just more.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

ADVENT - DAY 5 - A WILLINGNESS TO GIVE UP CONTROL

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent Day 5 - A Willingness To Give Up Control

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:7-9, 11, 12 ESV)

The wise men came to Jerusalem asking the question, "Where is the child that will be king?"  This was a dangerous question for men who didn't know the disposition of the king.  Had Herod been a good king, a secure king, the question would have been appropriate.  But this was a man full of himself and hiss power.  He was a king full of insecurities about losing his power.  The wise mens questions to him evoked fear in him and as a result in those who served under him.  His was a fear of losing his power and theirs was a fear of losing their lives as the king became more and more unstable.  As the wise men searched out and found Jesus they bowed down and worship.  They gave their worship to Him and they gave him control of their lives.  It is a picture of humility and submission of their lives to Christ.  It is a picture of surrendering of their who being to be a Christ follower.  Surrender is not something we do well because we don't want to lose control and let go of our self interest.  They bowed down and they brought great gifts to Him.  As you anticipate Christ this season - are you willing to bow down to Him and surrender every part of your heart and life to Him?  Remember that in giving up control is the first step of getting control of your life today.