Devotion.al

Tag: Holy Spirit

  • Only the Beginning

    Only the Beginning

    Psalm 104:24–35; Joel 2:18–29; Romans 8:18–24 (read online ⧉)

    We have lost a lot in the modern . One of the things is awareness of the land. In the current COVID-19 situation, we may be regaining some of that, as prices go up with agricultural workers being unavailable due to illness.

    The health of the land was deeply tied to the health of its people. We’ve seen some strange perspectives of that with both environmental activists and blind corporate juggernauts.

    For many the environmental ties to a flourishing people are obvious. To , not so much. In the era of Jesus and even today, when nature has severe weather, agriculture often takes the brunt of it. In Paul’s age, they were very much aware of that, especially as there were a series of famines. Thus the land needing healing was quite obvious to any person.

    The land was tied to prosperity. An unhealthy land made for unhealthy people. It was also the case, which was Joel’s point, that an unhealthy people made for an unhealthy land. Paul noted that it was just humanity that longed for a Savior…the rest of Creation longed for it, too.

    Pentecost wouldn’t seem to have much to do with that, yet, it is the empowerment by the Spirit of the people of God, that would be the new shepherds to heal the land. Justice and mercy were not just to be attributes of God, they were to be attributes of his people.

    The land isn’t just the land and the animals, it is the heart of the people in it, too. The land, our land, is very sick. It is not just COVID-19, it is something far deeper and even more ill. There is an illness that is infecting the souls of the people of our and even the people of the Body of Christ.

    We may not be able to fix it all, and we certainly cannot heal it all. We can be the messengers of , grace, and mercy. In so doing, as we guard our words and actions, we will be different than the world that seeks to attack and destroy others.

    The love of Jesus Christ cannot back down, and the Body of Christ cannot just let the vileness that pervades continue to build and lash out. We are not called to lash out as the world. We are to say that Christ died for them to heal their pain. We can only walk them on the journey.

    ※ Prayer [BCPOnline] ※

    O God, who on Pentecost taught the hearts of your people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

    ※ Afterward ※

    Questions seem superfluous. The recent death of George Floyd has taken an anxiety-ridden world and launched chaos. The rise of mayhem and violence will not heal or reconcile. It will only harden hearts. We are called to be the for such times as this. How we can and will in this and in all such, we can only pray that we bring honor and glory to God.

  • Falling Down

    Falling Down

    Numbers 11:24–30; Joel 2:27–29; Acts 2:1–21 (read online ⧉)

    Just in case you didn’t know, today is Pentecost. Some call it the “true” birth of the Church for the Holy fell upon the people of God, and has not left us yet. It is also called Whitsunday, of which part that is white (for purity) and the other is whit (Old English for wit, or ).

    It is not the case that Jesus left us bare. It is the case that Jesus left us with fire. The tongues of flame (whether in Numbers or Acts) were representative of the Holy Spirit and God’s word/ being active. It is not coincidental that the tongues of flame seen on Pentecost were previously seen in Moses’ time.

    Think of Moses’ words to Joshua in response to Joshua’s complaint that 2 elders who dishonored God and Moses spoke via the Holy Spirit, “If only all the LORD’s people were prophets and the LORD would place his Spirit on them!” This also goes hand-in-hand with Joel’s words, “I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity.”

    In all likelihood, you have not seen some with tongues of fire over their heads. You may have witnessed—or been part of a —where people spoke “in tongues”. Neither is required as evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift of God, and is God. Through the guidance (wisdom) of the Holy Spirit, we see the Scriptures for what they are…the Word of God.

    This is not to say that the Holy Spirit was never present before, quite the contrary. What this means is that the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church is distinctly different than what is and was present outside of the church. Theologians still try to discern the whys and wherefores of the difference.

    One of the biggest differences is that while the Holy Spirit was generally present (just as today), the Holy Spirit as expressed through prophets was unique to the calling of the prophets. The Pentecostal gift of the Holy Spirit was that all received the Holy Spirit expressly, not generally.

    This does not mean that all are gifted with foretelling (often called ) or -telling (also called prophesy, or preaching). The Holy Spirit works in and through each person differently. Your gifting may be quite different than another’s, that does not invalidate either.

    ※ Prayer ※

    Holy Spirit, we thank you for your ongoing gift of yourself to us. Help us to honor you, God the Father, and Jesus the , as we are the church, the of Christ, to the world. Amen.

    ※ ※

    1)How would you evaluate/discern whether someone was gifted by the Holy Spirit or by the natural talents they had? What is the difference?

    2) Why is Moses’ story so important in the context of Pentecost? What about Joshua’s response?

    3) Why do you think people thought the disciples of Jesus were drunk? What might their rationale be for how a drunk person would as if a native speaker of their own tongue(s)?

  • Responsible

    Responsible

    Exodus 34:1–7; Numbers 14:26–38; Jeremiah 31:27–34 (read online ⧉)

    For those of us whose American individuality is almost hardwired into us, it seems inconceivable that God would punish us for other’s sins, especially for those who sinned before we were born. In fact, in many respects, we struggle with the result of anyone else’s sins being borne by us.

    If we are honest with ourselves, our personal and national (and even religious) histories carry a lot of baggage, and a lot of that has to do with actions that took, for which we had no knowledge, or participation, or approval of. The purposeful and accidental killing of Native Americans by Europeans due to diseases (such as smallpox) is such a thing. It is unlikely any of us would condone such a thing, but the consequences remain even to this day. The clearances of Native Americans to reservations and all that went along with also remains today. Slavery, war, migration, all had and continue to have consequences.

    We are not unique in this. Much of the conflict in the Middle East is because of something that happened yesterday, but of something that happened generations and even centuries ago. The same can be said in Asia, as well. This is not unique to America or the States. What is unique, though becoming less so, is our individualistic response to it.

    For the Israelites, a tribal culture, what one’s did or grandfather did have great import for the current generation. The concept of holding the subsequent generations accountable for one’s own actions was actually quite reasonable for them. The blessing, too, made sense to them.

    As harsh as the words in Exodus seem to our modern years, we see the development of it in Numbers. Yes, the children pay the price. On the other hand, those children grew up into a powerful army. This army was needed for the next step. They also developed a rhythm when it came to God. Their food came from God. Their gathering was guided by God (6 days of work; 1 day of rest). Their habits revolved around God and God’s mercies.

    Did they receive the result of their parents’ misdeeds? Yes. Were the ultimate results bad? No. This wasn’t the ideal. The ideal would have been obedience and trust by their parents.

    This punish/reward pattern would remain for generations until God’s declaration to Jeremiah. The whole grapes quip showed that Israel had forgotten exactly what meant and intended. Now, it became everything (which it still was, but God was about sin, not failures).

    We read these verses in Jeremiah and can be immediately be lead to the concept of our salvation through Christ. It’s not that this is invalid, but that it is incomplete.

    As Christians, we are called to bear one another’s burdens. That often includes their failures and even their sins. While the ultimate cost (death) is paid, the consequences remain. Those consequences remain for lifetimes and even lifetimes to come.

    ※ Prayer ※

    Heavenly Father, we read you and often if we’re missing something, for we cannot understand the entirety of who you are. We thank you for your Son. Jesus, thank you for your time on Earth, allowing us the grace to see God’s face. , guide our hearts and actions, not just for the now, but also to heal the hurts of the past that are not our fault, but we, as your children, are called to heal. Amen.

    ※ ※

    1) Have you ever been held responsible for someone else’s action over which you had no influence or control? What was that like?

    2) What is the difference between consequences and punishment? Which path do you see God following?

    3) What if your salvation was dependent upon others? How would you behave differently?

  • Clean Up

    Clean Up

    Zechariah 3:1–10; Matthew 9:1–8; Revelation 22:7–17

    Most parents have to tell their children to clean their rooms. There are those rare exceptional (weird) children who clean up their rooms on their own. There are also those parents who have conditioned their children to behave in a manner contrary to their nature, and the children are very clean. There there is the last group of parents, who don’t bother (for various reasons).

    Part of the Christian walk is a that resembles Christ more and more. There are highs and lows. There are backslidings. There is a lot of hard work, and then there are miraculous leaps forward.

    Joshua the high priest (not to be confused with Joshua, Moses’ successor) stood before God with dirty clothes. They were reflective of the “dirty” condition of the Israelites. Now the dirty need to be contrasted with the holy part. The Israelites were called to be holy because they were the people God called by , and God was Holy.

    The Israelites always seemed to struggle with this. Whether it was Moses, or the time of Judges, even during Samuel’s life, the latter part of Solomon’s reign, and all the kings that followed Solomon. The Israelites often left God and pursue other gods and other ways that were not God’s. They were not holy. They were not clean. They were dirty.

    Note that neither Joshua nor Zechariah did anything. In fact, even Satan didn’t have (so it seems) even the opportunity to accuse Joshua. God just commanded…and it was so.

    In Hebrew, often when Satan is presented in English, we should know that “the” accuser is the more literal meaning. This is particularly interesting when we come to the story of the paralytic, the accusers are the scribes.

    While the scribes didn’t say anything, still knows their hearts well enough to know their accusation. Jesus declares the man clean. Just like that. Oh, and just in case they didn’t get it the first time (they didn’t), he cleansed the man’s clothes (being the body).

    Yet, the reality is that we, and our clothes, still get dirty. Perhaps there is one person that you “know” is a saint (and they might be). That person, however, probably would see their own stains that you cannot. “Bless those who wash their robes(!)”

    We’re going to get dirty in this life. Usually through our own faults, but undeniably there are times when people will chuck the muck at you to make sure you look dirty. Why that might be is irrelevant to this message. What is relevant is that our clothes are not us. Through the power of Jesus Christ, and our submission to his authority and our submission to the work of the Holy , we are made clean!

    ※ ※

    Merciful , you have declared us clean through the of your Son. Lord Jesus, we thank you for your work on Earth and the words that you have given us. , allow us to see our stains clearly. Help us to understand your conviction of us while knowing that you do not condemn us, but us to a (w)holy deeper life. Amen.

    ※ Questions ※

    1) Are you an accuser? If someone with “dirty” clothes comes to a small group, a gathering, or even (gasp) church, what do you do?

    2) Ask someone who you deeply admire (or, again, think of as a saint), and ask them if they still see their spiritual stains?

    3) How are you working through the stains in your life? Do you have an partner (or better, 2 or 3)?

  • Planned Disruption

    Planned Disruption

    1 Samuel 16:1–5; Luke 14:28–33; James 4:13–17 (read online ⧉)

    But mouse-friend, you are not alone
    in proving foresight may be vain:
    the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men
    go oft awry,
    and leave us only grief and pain,
    for promised joy!

    Still, friend, you’re blessed compared with me!
    Only present dangers make you flee:
    But, ouch!, behind me I can see
    grim prospects drear!
    While forward-looking seers, we
    humans guess and fear!

    From “To a Mouse”, by Robert Burns
    modern English translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

    The current situation with COVID-19 should put to rest how fleeting our plans really are. However, while everything is in an uproar and rather chaotic, we are still coming up with plans. What becomes emblematic of human behavior is that we know we are making plans for a target that doesn’t yet exist.

    These are strange times indeed.

    Samuel had a plan. In fact, at one point it seemed a pretty solid plan, since it appeared to be God’s plan. The Israelites decided they wanted a king, “just like the countries around them”. So, while Samuel was upset (along with God), it was done. This king, Saul, seemed to be destined for great things. He was physically imposing. He was successful militarily. He even had a starting bought of prophesying.

    While we cannot say that Samuel loved Saul, there does seem to be some sort of strong emotion that Samuel had for Saul. We see this in God’s words to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul?” Samuel knew that Saul wasn’t dedicated to God, yet Samuel still mourned the fact that Saul would lose his kingship and was not blessed by God.

    The plans for the King of Israel changed. Now, a new path would be before Samuel. In obedience, he followed it to a boy named David. While it might have not been as abrupt as all that has come with COVID-19, for a culture such as this “just” changing the king was a big deal. This is clear when Samuel brings his worry of being killed before God. It shouldn’t be ignored that God gave Samuel a way around a reprisal coming from the king or his minions.

    Plans are worthwhile. It’s not as if they should not be made. even used the example of construction and war plans to lay out to wannabe disciples that they need to plan for the costs of following him. Jesus makes it clear that if we follow him, we can expect a lot of worldly things to be prioritized at a much lower ranking than the .

    Often we count the cost…and we lie to ourselves. “God doesn’t really want…” “I can grow by just…” “My is too busy to…” “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” We count the cost, and determine that following Jesus isn’t really the price.

    Sometimes, and especially in times of turmoil, our plans need to be laid at the feet of God, and not at our . When James talks about people making plans (in particular speculative plans about enterprising and wealth-building), he’s warning each an everyone of us that all of our plans are worthless if they do not begin with God.

    What should especially concern us is when we hold so tightly to our plans, that we do not to God’s prompting to the plan.

    ※ ※

    God, you know the plans you have for us. May we be ready to respond. Jesus, help us to follow your example of obedience and submission even unto death. Holy Spirit, guide our hearts into all , hope, and love. Amen.

    ※ Questions ※

    1) What are your current plans (personal, professional, family, religious)? How does God fit into those plans (even the religious ones)?
    2) How will you know if God wants you to continue your plans, or change them?
    3) How often do you still count the cost of following Jesus, whether it’s your family, your profession, your stuff, your time, or something else?

  • Foot Care

    Foot Care

    John 17:1–11; Ephesians 1:17–23 (read online ⧉)

    I thought how ironic it was that I’d dismissed dog meat as a cultural idiosyncrasy in Vietnam; that “who I am to judge?” extended to Islamic laws in Uzbekistan and Buddhist restrictions in Cambodia, but not to Republicans, hunters or gun owners. I’d shaken my head at the prejudices some nations had for their closest neighbors, only to discover that, among my cultural neighbors, I was just as prejudiced.

    Liz Dodd, Welcome to the New World

    Liz Dodd is a self-avowed liberal who, on a spiritual journey, discovered a few things about herself. If we’re honest about ourselves, we all have some serious issues with this. You may the Republican, hunter, and gun-owner who struggles with the Democrat, vegan, pacifist who you think is un-American.

    And? We are called to pray for one another. Often when praying for the other, it is not they who are changed, we are the ones who change.

    When Jesus prayed to the for the Father and the Son, it can seem a little odd. If the holds true, God is praying for God and, well, God. On top of that God is praying for the glory of God, which could seem selfish and arrogant.

    In this unique time, Jesus isn’t “just” God. Jesus is human. Jesus isn’t quite on the inside of the Godhead. It’s strange. It’s okay that it’s strange.

    Jesus then prays for others. He specifically prays for those that have accepted him as the Messiah, and in Jesus’ obedience, the will come to them. It should be noted that Jesus does not pray for the world. Later, he commissions them to go into all the world. He is focused, at this time, on those that are (less Judas Iscariot) going to move forward with the Gospel.

    Moving forward with the Gospel often means that we have to let go of a lot of things. In the Newsboys song, “Landslide of ” they say, “Every time we shout our rights out we get all grouchy and gray.” In the USA, letting go of our rights is a hard thing, and we often hold one “right” tightly, while another person calls it a “privilege”.

    tells the Ephesians that he prays that they receive Spirit empowered revelation and knowledge of God. This is so that they have a hope beyond what is going on around us. For this hope to be effective, often the Holy Spirit will nudge us out of our comfort zone of political association, hobbies, work, career. The Holy Spirit will nudge us when we don’t have God in mind.

    However, often we are too immature or blind or deaf to hear the Holy Spirit nudges. If we haven’t felt or heard the Holy Spirit nudging us, then the likelihood is that we have become blind or deaf, or have a new place of spiritual immaturity to be worked on.

    Our prayers for others must exceed our discomfort with others. Our rights are under the feet of God. Our enemies are under the feet of God. We are under the feet of God. In other words, everything is equaling under the feet of God. We are to be One , Under God. Everything else may well be a barrier between us and a full relationship with God.

    ※ ※
    Father, help us to pray as Jesus did…for your glory. Thank you, Jesus, for your earthly example of what it means to serve the Father. Holy Spirit, bind us to the plan and goals of the Father. Amen.

    ※ Questions ※
    1) Why has what divides us overwhelmed what unites us, whether as Christians or as humans (who bear the image of God)?
    2) What is your immediate “gut” to the lyrics from the Newsboys? What rights do you hold onto?
    3) What has the Holy Spirit been nudging you regarding breaking the barriers you have placed between yourself and others?

  • Glorious

    Glorious

    Psalm 109:1–7; John 5:41–47; Acts 18:9–18 (read online ⧉)

    Tar and feathering is a few hundred years old. They did not really use tar (usually), but other sticky substances. It also was not just feathers, but other garbage that people tossed at those being cast out.

    Today we use this phrase to convey a sense of a person who is overreaching, exaggerating, dangerous, annoying, or simply wrong (we think). “Tar and feather ‘em” is usually applied to politicians and salespeople (definitely from the era of traveling door-to-door salesmen). Oddly, in the , it seems to have grown in popularity as a phrase, and certainly has been fulfilled with social media.

    In the current culture and environment (and whether it is deserved or not), sharing the may incur the tar-and-feathering visceral reaction to a significant. was goaded and encouraged by God to continue to preach the Gospel. So, Paul was obedient and did so.

    The Jews were riled up. They brought Paul to the Roman Tribunal. They likely brought Paul to the tribunal with the excuse that Paul was riling them up (i.e., encouraging a riot, a big Roman no-no). However, the proconsul did not buy it, and apparently was not impressed with whatever eloquence (if any) the Jews had.

    After being “defeated”, the Jews turned their rage and/or embarrassment against the man that likely lead them. They beat him. Tar and feathering him might have been kinder. They were so upset that they likely did something they would not have normally done, especially to their religious .

    When a mob mentality strikes, people who are normally rational and considerate toward other people behave in ways that are not . Some excuse this as “herd” mentality. Others believe that it is more a form of “permission” to behave in an anti-social way with minimal consequences or to be anonymous in one’s bad behavior.

    The internet can be seen as an instigator of mob mentality. It really is more of a tool to make it somewhat easier. However, with the advent of the social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) the anonymity of the internet is beginning to fade. Through social media, we can see who is part of another’s social network. In other words, escaping the consequences of bad behavior may begin to fade.

    However, the biggest attractions of the internet and social media is the glory. That may well have been Gallio’s fault, too. He wanted to “get” Paul and stirred up the people to do so. We can fall prey to this, too, and try to get people to pay attention to us for our glory. Instead we ought to take the internet as a tool to point people to God, so that God gets the glory.

    ※ Prayer ※
    , teach us to follow your example to point people to God, and to give God the glory. , us and guide us to greater , letting ourselves be only the ones that point the way. Amen.

    ※ Questions ※
    1) What are instances you can think of where people sought their own glory, especially to their detriment?
    2) Have you ever succumbed to a mob mentality, whether in person, on the internet, or even within your social circles?
    3) What are ways you have seen Christians succumb to mob mentality to non-Christians? How about Christians?

  • It’s Pretty Simple

    It’s Pretty Simple

    Psalm 138; Mark 1:14–16; John 16:5–11 (read online ⧉)

    Some of you know just how simple our really is. On the other hand, within its simplicity is great complexity. The tension within that “entertains” theologians, and can drive the of us a little crazy.

    Part of the complexity is not that our faith is truly complex, but that we understand ourselves and our fellow humanity. Humanity seeks to find the “gray” areas. We seek to get away with whatever we can.

    Many of the arguments (or strongly-worded discussions and schisms) revolve around what “exactly” the say. Often, sadly, some of the biggest struggles are over what the Bible doesn’t say. In the of the Nazarene, we say that the 66 Books of the Bible contain all that is necessary to understand (gaining it is something different). Yes, that leaves it open to a lot of discussions. Many of those are good discussions; some of them aren’t so good. Yet, the “faith” remains simple.

    Mark says proclaimed, “ and believe…” That’s pretty simple.

    John, on the other hand, begins to show that it isn’t quite so simple. The Counselor (the ) will come to convict. Of course, only after one is convicted (spiritually, not legally) can one repent. So quickly the simplicity is peeled away.

    There is something odd about this. His 11 disciples (we’ll skip Judas Iscariot) would be saved at this point, would they not? Yet, Jesus implies that it is not quite the case; it is, and it isn’t. Or, perhaps, it is more of a “saved to the best of your understanding now” and “better saved later”.

    Jesus died for us. There isn’t a question about that. The Holy Spirit convicts. Jesus doesn’t. So, we need the Holy Spirit. Still sort of simple, but we can see how quickly, just with Jesus’ words, that simple is not simplistic, and complexity hides the simpleness.

    ※ Prayer ※
    God, help us to keep the simpleness of the faith in our hearts. At the same time, help us not be confused or overwhelmed by trying to understand you, our infinite Creator. Amen.

    ※ ※
    1) How do you know someone has been saved? What do you them?
    2) Once you know they’re saved, do you talk about the mysteries of God? Why or why not?
    3) If you had to choose between the faith being simple or the faith being complex, which would you choose? Why?
    4) Do you think simple and complex are the right words? What other words might you use?