December in Deuteronomy

Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’    Deut. 9:4a (NASB)

It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land,  Deut. 9:5a (NASB)

Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people,  Deut. 9:6 (NASB)

I think what God is trying to subtly convey to the Israelites that they weren’t being given the “Promised Land” because they were good.  They weren’t receiving God’s blessing because they in any way earned His favor.  In fact, He was giving them the land, one might say, in spite of themselves.

That’s a good reminder for me.  I’m not a Christian man that God has blessed with salvation, health, a beautiful and loving wife, wonderful kids, great parents, good friends, and some material things I enjoy because I’m righteous.  I don’t deserve any of those things because of any good in me.  I’m simply a recipient of God’s amazing grace and generous hand.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Happy New Year!

Twilight or Morning Star?

It’s the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts.   2 Peter 1:19b (The Message)

Are you drawn to darkness and the last glimmer of the light before the day deserts you?  Isn’t that what twilight is?  Isn’t that like the opposite of Jesus?  The verse above talks about the Bible as the light we have as we wait on Christ to complete us.  He is described as the “Morning Star” here and a couple of more times in the Bible .  Over and over we’re given the imagery of Christ as light shining into dark, including John 1 (see previous post).

But as fallen creatures there is something in us that actually prefers the darkness.  We really want to believe that the dark is OK, that one day it will lighten up on its own strength, or even that even if it doesn’t it will remain twilight forever. 

I’m not a book-burner or boycotter, in fact those people drive me nuts, but the wildly popular “Twilight” series  bothers me deeply.  The centerpiece of the story is a teenage girl who falls in love with a good-looking teenage boy.  The dude just happens to be a vampire fighting his natural urge to murder her and suck her blood, which is actually endearing because he tries so hard to be good.  Even though he is a vampire he’s really noble because he fights that part of himself (and other evil characters in the stories) for this girl.  And so naturally she is willing to give herself completely to him, regardless of the consequences, because she loves him. 

This bothers me so much more than something like a ”slasher” movie or “erotic” stories because it is more subtle and more powerful and more dangerous.   It appeals to you ladies, and the younger the better.  What I mean is that if a dude decides to rent and view  ”Debbie Does Dallas,” he pretty much know what’s coming.  It may not be good for his body and soul, but there is no false advertising.   Both the porno and these novels are fantasy, but the books are more “mythic. ”   By that I mean that the ideas, good or bad, can deeply penetrate the soul….specifically the souls of women.  Here are a few I think reside in Twilight:

If someone is attractive on the outside, they are probably good on the inside. There is goodness in what is essentially evil.  Bad can become good by trying REALLY hard.  Love is irresistable and you should follow the feeling wherever it takes you.  Someone or something other than God will fulfill you and satisfy you.  You can give into temptation; it’ll be fine. 

Now in the book it works out fine for everyone, I’m sure.    But back here on planet  earth, does this sound like any women you know?  They fell in love with a good-looking guy from a family with some issues?  He wasn’t really a Christian or anything, but he was so thoughtful and he seemed to always defend her and was a “good person.”   Yes, there were some things about him that her family and friends warned her about…and deep down she saw them….but he was trying to do better and she believed in him.  She loved him and could help him overcome those issues.  If she had to choose between life and light ….or him, she would chose him. 

So how’s that working out for them? 

What we call “love ” is not God.  Anyone or anything not submitted to Jesus is not redeemed and will ultimately lead to death and destruction.  Our decisions have consequences that cannot be avoided.  Faint light doesn’t last forever.  It either yields to the Eternal Light or to complete darkness.

Christmas Post #3 – John

I usually feel pretty comfortable interpreting and putting prose into my own words.  For instance in the last couple of posts I’ve related the story of Jesus’ birth as Matthew and Luke wrote it as I would tell it to a friend.  Some of the folks that read it might like that and benefit from it, and others may, of course, dislike it or take exception to my take on the story. 

All that to say that I don’t feel at all inclined to do anything but pass John’s introduction to Jesus “as is.”   It’s way beyond me to do anything but read it in wonder, amazement, and gratitude.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.  He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-14 (NIV)

Christmas Post #2 – Matt

In Matthew’s version we have an angel explaining to Mary’s husband-to-be, Joseph, that his girlfriend was still a virgin…even though she was pregnant.  It would take an angelic visitation to believe that, I guess.  That is the only angel noted; there is no mention of a manger; and there’s not a shepherd in sight.  Joseph marries Mary and doesn’t sleep with her until she gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem.

In his account, we are then introduced to the magi, or “wise men” from the east that show up in Jerusalem asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship Him?”  Matthew 2:2 (NASB) 

Who ARE these guys?  Why do they know about Jesus birth when God’s chosen people, the Jews, are oblivious?  And doesn’t it seem very odd that they would travel to WORSHIP the king of a neighboring country?  Maybe this speaks to Jesus’ saying that “he who seeks finds,” and God graciously shows Himself to people we would never expect to be looking for Him.  I don’t know.

Of course, thing was, the Jews already had a king named Herod and he wasn’t interested in turning over the job any time soon.  After some research he aimed them at Bethlehem (just 5 miles from Jerusalem) and sent the magi on to track down this pretender to the throne under pretense that he wanted to come worship, too.  When they headed toward Bethlehem, the star showed up again and they followed it the house (not the stable) where Jesus was, where they fell down in worship to this Child and gave Him costly gifts inappropriate for a child.  Then they leave without going back to see Herod because God tells them not to.

At this point, an angel shows again and tells Joseph to take his family to Egypt to hide because Herod is not going to take this new king thing lying down.  Joseph obeys that very night, which is another good lesson in and of itself.   Herod then has all the baby boys in Bethlehem under two years of age murdered….just to be on the safe side.

The story of God’s arrival in human form isn’t really a cute children’s story is it?  Pregnant virgins?   Star-gazing strangers?  Murderous kings?  Somebody better tone this story down some and make God look a little less reckless…..

Christmas Post #1 – Luke

 Luke 1 is very interesting because it actually starts with the circumstances of John the Baptist’s birth.  His dad is a priest named Zacharias and his mom was Elizabeth.  They were a bit long in the tooth when this angel named Gabriel drops in and tells Zacharias he’s gonna have a son that will be special and to name him John.  Zacharias is skeptical and is stuck dumb, but evidently not impotent because Liz shows up pregnant pretty shortly.  Meanwhile, Gabriel visits Liz’s younger cousin Mary and tells her she’s going to have an even more special son and to name him Jesus.  Mary is troubled by this since she is a virgin, but seems to take it well and is ready to be used by God.  So then Mary goes to visit Liz and stays for three months…which probably really looked bad to the neighbors since she came back pregnant.  Anyway, Mary sings the Magnificat, John is born, and Zacharias gets his voice back and prophesies.  Just as an aside, in my mind’s eye Mary is always pretty, but it doesn’t say that in the text anywhere.  When we cast the pretty girl in the Christmas play as Mary that’s our idea; not necessarily God’s…..

Luke 2 is the “Charlie Brown” part of the story, you know the part Linus knows by heart.  Joseph and Mary end up in Bethlehem where she delivers the baby outside in a barn and uses a feed trough for a cradle for the Son of God.  She probably wondered where the angels were when it was time to deliver the child, but as it turned out angels were aware of what was happening because later that night, angels told some shepherds, “today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  (Luke 2:11)  They decided a Savior was just what they needed and hustled to Bethlehem to check up on this.  There’s no mention of a star or wise men to follow.  Their special sign was to  look for a kid wrapped in cloths in a feed trough….so I suspect they had to ask around a bit.  But the shepherds found the baby and told Mary and Joseph the story about the angels, which Mary wasn’t sure what to make of.

I’m telling you you need to read your Bible.  You couldn’t make this stuff up!

It’s Not Pretty

“Ministry should be ugly.  If it’s pretty, I don’t think we are touching the lives of the lost.” – janis@janisandkaci.com 

I don’t know Janis (or Kaci for that matter) but she posted this comment on www.mondaymorninginsight.com today and I really like what she says and the clarity with which she says it.  Sometimes people living without God make really wise choices and have their stuff together.  Occasionally they lead very successful lives, are embraced by polite society, and never face any consequences for ignoring God…..but that’s certainly not the norm.   For individual Christians and churches  and ministries that venture into the world where people actually live, we need to expect it to get pretty ugly, really quickly, and most of the time.

I don’t like dirt, filth, stink, evil, sickness and decay either…..but frankly that’s where people really are.  And when I look inside of me, I see the seeds of every one of the horrible sins that entangle and choke the life out of those living apart from God.  Yet Jesus showed up, unarmed, smack dab in the middle of our wrecked and dying world to save me, and He has the scars to prove it.  If I really follow His example, it will not be sanitary and it will never be safe.

I want my church to be willing to do whatever it takes to reach people for Jesus.  I really, really do.   I would just prefer someone else to do the really  messy part and handle the creepier folks.  I mean, that’s why we pay those people on staff, isn’t it?

But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”     Matthew 9:11 (NLT)

Better Blogs

http://chrism08.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/love/

http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2008/12/03/fanning-the-spiritual-flame/

http://devastationandreform.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-am-nothing-challenge.html

I yield to three links that are way better than anything I have to offer today……Steve

Sacrifice

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us…… Ephesians 5:2a

So this verse says we’re to love sacrifically like Christ loved us. I’m pretty practical.  I’m always asking, “What does that look like?” or “How do we live that out?”  

I just read THE REASON FOR GOD by Tim Keller and he offers this:

“In the real world of relationships it is impossible to love people with a problem or need without in some sense sharing or even changing places with them.  All real life-changing love involves some form of this kind of exchange.

It requires very little of you to love a person who is pulled together and happy.  Think, however, of emotionally wounded people.  There is no way to listen to and love people like that and stay emotionally intact yourself.  It may be that they may feel stronger and more affirmed as you talk, but that won’t happen without you being quite emotionally drained yourself.  It’s them or you.

…..All life-changing love toward people with serious needs is a substitutional sacrifice.  If you become personally involved with them, in some way, their weaknesses flow towards you as your strengths flow towards them.”

This hit me like a ton of bricks.  I’m no theologian, but this just shouts truth to me.  It explains so much about the love of God, the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and how to imitate Him….and why I freeze up with people so often….because, deep down, I know it’s them or me.  Ouch.