Tag: living

To Live As Sacrifice
Psalm 105:1–11, 37–45 Genesis 22:1–19; Hebrews 11:1–3, 13–19

Post-traumatic stress is a real thing. There are many sources of trauma. We generally think of violence as the only source of trauma, but damaged relationships are equally the source of trauma for many individuals. Just like other forms of emotional scars, trauma may take years to heal if it ever does.

Some people have been miraculously cured of the various issues of trauma. They are not the norm. Many of those that still suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) don’t even recognize that they have it as they have not been taught how to perceive it.

Often, we don’t recognize potential PTSD in the scriptures. We often put it aside or dismiss any possibilities because “they were real ‘men’” then. Reminds me of the stories of the ’50s, and how great everything was with families and gatherings. The dark side of that being the mass amount of alcohol that was consumed not so obviously. One could easily conclude that the mass consumption of alcohol was a “tool” to numb the pain of World War II’s PTSD.

Imagine Isaac—the recipient of Abraham’s love and expectation —when his father ties him up and puts him on the woodpile intended for the sacrifice. The sole inheritor of Abraham and Sarah must have been shocked. He must have also felt betrayed. We can only imagine the effects that had on Isaac’s and Abraham’s relationship.

There may well have also been an impact on Isaac’s relationship with God. Many people feel betrayed by God because a loved one died, or because their life isn’t what they want or imagined. Being a literal sacrifice to God didn’t seem to affect Isaac’s faith in God overall, but it’s hard to see how that didn’t color Isaac’s view of God either.

Walking through life as “the almost sacrifice”. What a strange feeling, even at the end, that must have been.

As Christians, we continually observe the sacrifice that Jesus Christ was for us and for all of humanity (and Creation). If Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for us, we too are almost a sacrifice.

The Nation of Almost Sacrifices. What a fabulous ring it has to it! How could anyone not want to be part of that? Right? You just can’t wait to go there!

Except the author of Hebrews notes that plenty of people died before the fulfillment of the Messiah. Many of them waited for the Messiah. Many of them were waiting for the first Holy Nation of Israel. Others were waiting for the next Holy Nation of Israel. Some even today wait for the next Holy Nation of Israel.

Waiting for God’s timing is indeed often a sacrifice. Sometimes it can be our pride (of nation, gender, profession, race, wealth) that needs to be sacrificed. Other times it is our assumptions that need to be sacrificed.

The Christian Walk often seems to be one of constant almost sacrifice. However, the almost isn’t one of, “I almost did it.” It is one of, “I surrendered it, and God gave it back.” So, no, we are not to be a nation of almost sacrifices. We are to be a nation that has sacrificed and sacrifices continually. This not a sacrifice of misery, but a sacrifice of response to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who sacrificed for us.

※Reflection※
- What does sacrifice mean to you?
- What does it mean to live as an almost sacrifice? What about an actual sacrifice? What about living a life of sacrifice?
※Prayer※

Lord, we often don’t know what it means to live sacrificially or to live a life of sacrifice. Help us to know the cross that is ours to pick up. Amen.
2021-03-02
It Is Written
Psalm 110:1–4; Job 19:23–27; 1 Timothy 3:14–16

Job’s words of optimism amid the words of anguish provides quite the contrast. The context seems to be that Job wants his words of trust in God to be recorded (written on a scroll). Then he goes further and wants them engraved on stone. The implication being that a scroll is not permanent (or significant enough) to encapsulate the mercy and redemption of God.

The Book of Job is often thought of in the context of Job’s trials and misery. It might be that these few words of Job here show the heart of Job that every follower of God should also have. Imagine…if you can…how the church would be known…how the followers of Christ would be known…if they had the same trust as Job.

As people of “the Book” (as Christians are known in the Arab world), we speak as if we believe the Word (the Bible) was engraved in stone. Yet, we often don’t act that same way. The way we live out our lives often seems (and is) in conflict with the Word.

This is Paul’s concern for Timothy and the church in general. While the CEB (the primary translation being used for these devotionals this year) individualizes behavior (e.g., “you”) while other translations are more generic (e.g., “one”). The Greek as neither. Both “you” and “one” are interpretations of the “space” between the words (this really is an English problem).

I see the phrasing as being more like, “this is the knowledge required to live rightly as part of the household of God.” In the Greek, Paul is making clear that all who are known as/by “Christian” have certain rules and expectations to be part of the household of God.

In the current secular culture, the church has found itself in an awkward place. It wants to be welcoming to all (as it should be). On the other hand, it is also called to have expectations of behavior and spiritual growth (which it must be).

The sad reality is that the church may have to suborn the expectations to earn the reputation of being welcoming. Yet, the church cannot keep kicking that can down the road, either.

Ultimately, our hope is that our Redeemer lives, and our Redeemer seeks to redeem all of humanity.

※Reflection※
- From your perspective, how does the knowledge of permanent redemption (from Job) affect, influence, and guide your understanding of and living out the obligations of being part of the household of God?
- Do you find yourself to be more “welcoming” or more “conduct” oriented? How is that lived out in the faith community? How is that lived out in the wider (i.e., non-faith) community?
※Prayer※

Jesus, guide our actions through your example. Thank you for being our Redeemer. Amen.
2021-02-16
You Stink!
Psalm 50:1–6; 1 Kings 11:26–40; 2 Corinthians 2:12–17

“You stink,” is not a compliment. In an era when most people bathe daily, human body odor has become almost offensive (exceptions being hard physical labor and workouts).

It is quite probable that you have smelled a skunk long before you saw it (if you saw it). The burning sensation is…unique. You could also have driven behind an older car that is burning too much gas or oil, or behind a diesel with its distinctive smell. You know what is coming (or what you’re following) by the smell.

Paul’s evocative imagery was meant to remind all of those in the Corinthian Church of incense. Whether they were Gentile or Jew, incense was used in religious observances. Such a smell was always intended to incite religious fervor. The smell was to “remind” people that God is (or gods were) near.
- As we think of ourselves as the incense of Christ, what might/should happen around us as we walk in the world?
Asking that question is important, as Paul then leaps to someplace uncomfortable. We want to be the “pleasing” incense that humanity finds enjoyable, and wants to partake in. Paul reminds us that the greatest smell to us may smell like death to others.

It is startling to think that if we truly are the incense of Christ (the Living One, the Living Water, the Light of the World), we smell like…death. We should smell like life! We do…just not to the dying.

Paul isn’t talking about our corporeal death. He’s talking about spiritual death. In other words, to those whose current path is aimed toward Hell, we smell like death. To those whose current path is aimed toward Heaven, we smell like life.

Where this gets interesting (and raises questions) is when we get to passages such as this one in 1 Kings. Solomon was following other gods (granted, at the behest of his too many wives/concubines). Jeroboam was going down the insurrection road. While Jeroboam was chosen by God, it seems, on the other hand, Jeroboam followed God just long enough to take control of “his” 10 tribes, and then did worse than Solomon or Rehoboam (Solomon’s son).

While Solomon is still revered as a wise man, he didn’t follow God wholeheartedly. We don’t if God smelled of death or life to Solomon. We can say the same about Jeroboam and Rehoboam.

On a slightly darker train of thought is whether God smells like death or life to us. This may seem to be an easy answer but look at Solomon. Look also at the Corinthian church. They had lots of troubles. We don’t know which people “smelled” God as life or death.

※Further Reflection※
- How does one know (versus hope) one “smells” God as life?
- How might a man whose wisdom was supernaturally gifted by God get so confused? What does that teach (or warn) us?
※Prayer※

God, you are the very breath of our lives. Let us breathe in your grace and breathe out your blessings. Amen.
2021-02-11
Walk Out Your Faith
Galatians 5:2–15

I’ve probably shared this before; forgive me. A number of years ago, I was in a bible study. In it was a woman who said, “I don’t believe in the God of the Old Testament, only the New One. Only the God of the New Testament is a God of Love.”

Our study leaders were not the most theologically conservative. Even so, they quickly (and gently) corrected her. Yet, I know many people like her who were raised with the “hellfire and brimstone” type of sermons and teachings which predominately used the Old Testament to cause people to be terrified of God.

The Jews of Paul’s time weren’t so much afraid of God as they were not following the rules. The rules were the source of fear alongside the religious leaders who instilled fear.

This same affliction has been part of the church for generations. People followed rules because they could “safely” belong following the rules. Of course, that does not mean they understood the rationale behind the rules, or believed it.

Rules can be good and beneficial. Having an understanding of eternal consequences of decisions is also good. When they become the religion or “proof”, they will often defy our relationship with God.

The biggest victim in that situation is grace. People like the woman in the story, or those who experienced hellfire & brimstone sermons often become unable to see God’s grace. That inability to see God’s grace then becomes the inability to see God’s love.

Paul’s words to the Galatians were to remind them that they had God’s grace. To put an exaggerated point on it, he was telling them that they traded a city of gold for a rotten turnip. They embraced the rotten turnip, and dumped the city of gold.

There is, of course, the danger of developing in such a way of living needing grace that the way of living leads you to slavery. However, willfully (or ignorantly) skipping out on grace may be far worse.

Being grace-filled is counter-cultural. It has been for quite some time. Being grace-filled is not being a doormat, it is giving people what they don’t deserve…God’s love.
Read the scriptures for this devotional on BibleGateway.com
- If you were asked to live out your faith in grace, what would that look like?
- How does living out grace work with those with whom you disagree?
- If you were to choose grace or rules, which would it be? Which does your life display?
※Prayer※

Lord, let your grace flow in, through, and out of us more and more. Amen.
2021-02-03
Heart of God, Speak

Deuteronomy 18:15–20; Mark 1:21–28

Prophetic speech is not unique to the Judeo-Christian community, not by a long shot. In the current world, there are many forms of prophetic voice.

A short list (i.e., not exhaustive) of prophetic voices: environmental collapse; sustainability (related, but not the same as environmental collapse); gender identification; minority redress (including, but not limited to, white privilege); economic growth; and so much more.

From a Judeo-Christian standpoint (and certainly from a number of political points within the church), it might seem dangerous to call these “prophetic.” The Global Wesleyan Dictionary of Theology says that prophecy is, “…an urgent message from God to an audience.”

That being said, the only similar words with the same underlying (i.e., surpassing the human condition) meaning are revelation (firmly culturally tied to Christianity), apocalypse (mostly having turned into meaning the fall of the modern world), oracle (too new-age-y even for many new-age-ers), and vision (which has too many meanings to be useful).

The reason this is important is that for many of these “prophetic” voices they are sharing the urgent message from their “god”. In some of these cases, it should be understood that we are not talking about gods as if they were God. We are talking about a world understanding framework that for Judeo-Christians we would think God. This means that faith is as much a part of their prophetic voice as God is part of ours.

On the other hand, there are many prophetic voices in these areas that are believers in and followers of Jesus Christ. For them, there is a direct tie between God, their voice, and the issue. As with many important human issues, it’s quite a mess.

The great sage, Ben Parker, once said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Christians have been given a unique power, that of the Holy Spirit. In combination with the Word of God (the Bible), we have the ability to influence others, and thus must be very careful in using what we have. This is especially true when used with other believers.

What has become also very evident is that people are disregarding prophetic voices that don’t agree with their line of thinking. This is the most dangerous. When we disregard the prophetic voices solely because they do not align themselves with our brand of Christianity (including denomination, political-alignment, lifestyle choices, or national origin), we are in grave danger of repeating the patterns of the Israelites…casting out the voices into the darkness, while condemning ourselves.

※Reflection※

What prophetic voices have you been hearing? What makes them prophetic? What, if any, change in your life have they prompted?

※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, you are living and active in this world right now. Give us the heart, wisdom, and discernment to hear the prophetic promptings of your people called by your name. Amen.

2021-01-30
In All Things
Revelation 2:12–17

A conversation that I have had many times, and you may, too, is why are there so many denominations? Aren’t we all one? Don’t we all believe the same thing?

There are some things that are common among Christian denominations: God “the Father”, Jesus Christ (God “the Son”), the Holy Spirit, the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) that is One God, the fallen state of man, Jesus came to pay the penalty, Jesus came to reconcile man to God, Jesus died (penalty paid), Jesus resurrected (eternal life), by Christ we are adopted into the eternal family of God through repentance, Christ will come again, Heaven and Hell (though understandings differ). Not exhaustive basics, but you will find that Christians agree to these. If you want the full list, the Apostle’s Creed and Nicene Creed summarize this well.

So, again, why all the denominations?

Well, because we’re human. Some would say pride divided the church. Others would say fear divided the church. Others would say nationalism divided the church. This is not an exhaustive list…not by far. The letter to Pergamum actually helps provide light.

Pergamum was a city of many gods. The two prominent temples were one to Zeus (with supposedly 24-hour a day sacrifices) and one to Caesar (the emperor). Within the context of Revelation, it would not be surprising that Caesar is the primary focus, however, the regular sacrificing to Zeus is definitely important in this letter to Pergamum.

Who the Nicolaitans were is unknown (plenty of speculation, though). From what can gather, however, they were a group of “fallen” Christians who were as much in and of the world as they were of the church. As they had not denied Christ, they weren’t too far gone. One can readily conclude that it’s close.

While we don’t know the end result, recent (the last few hundred years) church history shows us what can happen…denominations. We do not want to dismiss the Nicolaitans, but if we re-read the Scriptures, we can see wording that is often used the separate ourselves from others.

In the time of the writing of Revelation, the food sacrificed to idols was a serious issue. While Paul (in 1 Cor 8:1–13) allows for eating such, it is with the expressed requirement that it not be a snare to those weak in the faith. In Pergamum, it was a problem and thus not to be done.

What happened in Pergamum is the failure of discipleship and discipline. This same charge can be levied at the church universal today.

The flip side of this is making sure one disciplines (or divides, if necessary) for the correct reasons. There are far fewer reasons to separate than the many denominations provide witness to.

In addition, there is the failure to disciple. Discipleship is divided into the why (theology, philosophy, information) and how (living life together). One without the other is only half-discipleship, and Pergamum is an example.

Honestly, discipleship has become a buzzword and discipline…well, nobody likes it. The only problem? God requires them.

※Reflection※
- What does “church” discipline mean to you? What would it mean to you if a friend “disciplined” you?
- What does discipleship mean to you? What does it mean to disciple another? What does it mean to be discipled?
2021-01-28
Flame Bright in the Dark
Matthew 25:1–13

The Nicene Creed (one of the statements of belief that cross all Christian denominations) is as follows (maybe even read it aloud):
```
 We believe in one God,
        the Father, the Almighty,
        maker of heaven and earth,
        of all that is, seen and unseen.
 We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
        the only Son of God,
        eternally begotten of the Father,
        God from God, Light from Light,
        true God from true God,
        begotten, not made,
        of one Being with the Father;
        through him all things were made.
        For us and for our salvation
                he came down from heaven,
                was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
                and became truly human.
                For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
                he suffered death and was buried.
                On the third day he rose again
                in accordance with the Scriptures;
                he ascended into heaven
                and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
                He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
                and his kingdom will have no end.
 We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
        who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
        who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
        who has spoken through the prophets.
        We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
        We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
        We look for the resurrection of the dead,
                and the life of the world to come. Amen.
```
In the Church of the Nazarene, we don’t say this creed much. Which really is too bad. It is the basics of the universal Christian faith.

In the light of today’s Scripture, it is “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end” that is our focus.

Today’s Scripture is a warning to be ready for the return of Jesus. We lose a lot of this story because so much of it is cultural. The bridesmaids are to escort the bride (and essentially the groom) to the groom’s home for the marriage ceremony.

There would be dancing and singing along the way. Sleeping was wise. However, part of the situation is that there was often last-minute negotiations between the families of the bride and groom.

So, the announcement of “the groom comes” could be done, and then something else would come up, and the whole thing would begin again. The reality was that “the groom comes” could be said many times without a groom actually coming.

The coming of Christ has been that way for 2000 years. “He’s coming…oh, wait…He’s coming…oh, wait…” That cycle has been repeated for generations. Many of us recall multiple times in our lives when people have been convinced that Jesus was coming back.

We are the bridesmaids. We are the bride (the church). It’s weird, I know. We are both bridesmaids and bride and yet still ourselves.

Christmas wasn’t that long ago. Part of the story is the glory of Heaven that shined down and declared the birth of the Savior. Epiphany (less than 2 weeks ago, and still the church season) is about a star that led unbelievers to venerate the new King.

Whether a thief in the night, a baby in a manger, a choir from Heaven, somehow Christ will come in glory. We are called to be prepared.

※Prayer※

Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again. May we be continually preparing for his return. Amen.
2021-01-15
Peace Bringer

“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
—Luke 2:8-12 (NRSV)

I am betting that you have felt fear. The longer you have lived the more life you have lived and the more fear you probably have experienced.

Fear after losing a job. Fear of being able to provide for your family. Fear in regards to your children or grandchildren or family members. Fear of death. Fear of having your freedoms stripped away. Fear can grip us. Fear can hold us down. If we let it.

But God says. Do not be afraid. God sent Jesus to be with us. Emmanuel. Because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us we don’t have be to be afraid. We don’t have to succumb to fear in any moment of our lives.

I have to be honest with you all. In this past year. I have felt fear a handful of times. I still feel it a little thinking about what might be ahead for us. Are you, possibly, in the same boat? Do you need the peace that surpasses any and all understanding? Do you need to be reminded in this advent season of the peace that Jesus coming to this world gives to us? Be still. The angel brought good news to all people. Not just the shepherds. That good news was for you, your family, your friends, even the people you might not like…that news brings us peace.

2020-12-05
Advent Set Aside

Zechariah 14:1–9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–18

So often, it takes destruction for transformation. Far too many stories, whether Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, Narcotics Anonymous, or others involve someone hitting rock bottom before a turn-around occurs.

The opening words from this passage from Zechariah are brutal. The cruelty that the Israelites would receive went from financial, to property, physical. There was nothing positive regarding the effects of this day.

The living water, though, should be of particular interest to Christians. In some respects, the fall of Jerusalem leads to the living water going out into the world, rather than being “captured” by Jerusalem. As Christians view Jesus as the Living Water, it can be inferred that this particular fall of Jerusalem leads to God no longer only calling the Israelites. This is capped by God “becoming” King over the whole world. As Christians, we can see how God “becomes” the King of the world as the Living Water fills thirsty souls who cry out to God.

In many respects, sadly, Christians seem to have far too much in common with the Israelites. It’s that this is particularly new. There was a reason for Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.

There is something to be said about being admonished about holiness and sanctification as the world twists the meaning of Christmas to be more about presents and family than Jesus. This is especially true on this Friday. This Friday has almost become a spiritual event at the altar of the register.

This particular holiday season will likely be one of the more interesting. Many governments will continue encouraging people to stay home. Much of the hype that goes along with the holiday season will be about new (or revisited) technology that gathers distant families digitally. The need to connect with family will still be there.

With, theoretically, less chaos having to do with family visits that upset the schedules and spaces of homes, people will be more focused on those that are within their walls, or even next door. Ideally, this means that Christians will turn more to the Scriptures and (perhaps) relearn about this God who came down.

※Reflection※

What are your plans to set aside more time between yourself and God this Advent season?

※Prayer※

Jesus, as we begin the season that observes both your birth and your promised return, may we not neglect you as we are surrounded by a world that is in a flurry with buying stuff, gatherings, lack-of-gatherings, and the desires for a restart. Amen.

2020-11-26
Prepare to Prepare

Psalm 80; Zechariah 13:1–9; Revelation 14:6–13

If you’ve ever watched a professional chef (besides the competition ones), they will often have pre-cut and -measured ingredients so that when a customer orders a dish, most of the time-consuming work is completed. If you’ve ever ordered a sandwich at Subway, the meat and cheese are already pre-portioned. Ingredients have been prepared to better prepare your meal when you want it.

Today is Thanksgiving (in the US, at least). A holiday that is culturally identified as involving overeating and family gatherings. COVID has changed that. Many, if not most, families will not be having extended family gatherings.

Thanksgiving has also been the “gateway” to the Christmas season. It used to be that mere hours after people recovered from overeating, all the malls would turn everything over, and the Christmas (shopping) season would begin.

Not every Thanksgiving, but this Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Advent season. In the church year, one prepares for the Sunday to come. As this Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, so it is time to prepare for Advent.

What is Advent? We often shortcut it to mean the days before Christmas. This is certainly true. It is also incomplete. For the ancient church, Advent wasn’t just about the birth of Jesus; it was about the return of Christ. Depending on the era, there would even be an emphasis on the Return rather than the birth.

There hasn’t been a year like 2020 in decades. This might be the time to look at Advent as something far more than Christmas.

Asaph (the Psalmist) wants God to come back (not that God really left). Asaph is looking for a restoration of the relationship between the people and God. Asaph recognizes that it really is that the people turned their backs on God, and yet he has faith in the faithful God. As Asaph was part of David’s retinue, we can imagine what must have still been going on around David, as David chose to follow God, and not the unknown gods.

Zechariah’s words are strong, too. In them we see that the place of prophets and seers is nothing when it does not honor God. In fact, the implication being that the prophets and seers might even be “living” idols, rather than faithful followers of and speakers for God.

Zechariah’s and Asaph’s words still trust in God and expect God’s restoration of the people.

While the Asaph’s and Zechariah’s words are full of trust in God, neither avoid a harsh reality. The people need redemption. They needed to be the people of God again. In Zechariah’s time, the temple was being rebuilt. However, the people whose ancestors had lost their way (with God) were just as lost and needed something greater.

Regardless of your perspective of who the Beast is, the vision in Revelation is that the people of God, the church, will go through trying times. The implication is of pain, being outcast, and even dying. All because they believe in Jesus.

Whether you believe that Jesus is coming back tomorrow, or you are just waiting for 2020 to end, expectation is part of that. Advent is the anticipation of something new, whether it is the birth of a child or the return of the King.

※Reflection※

How do you prepare your life and heart for Advent? If you knew Jesus would come back on Christmas Day, what would you do?

※Prayer※

Jesus, as we prepare our hearts for this Advent season, may we look to the innocence of a baby and to the righteousness of the King. Amen.

2020-11-25