Tag: Paul

Good Fire. Bad Fire.
Psalm 142; Amos 5:1–9; Acts 21:27–39

Depending on who you talk to, the ability to make fire may be the most important invention of humanity. It kept creatures of the night away. It allowed the cooking of food, purification of water, and it kept people warm. Fire was used as a tool to burn forests to encourage grazing lands for food source animals such as bison and deer.

As time moved along, humanity’s ability to harness fire grew. Humanity learned to melt metal. Then it learned to purify metal through more fire. Then there were things like glass and steam-powered. All through fire. Even in today’s metal smelting industries, fire is one of the key pieces of refining and purification.

In the Scriptures, fire performs primarily two kinds of cleansing. The most destructive is the burning away of everything. We might call it “scorched earth”. The other type is purification. This is where high heat is held for a sustained time to draw out the impurities within.

In the context of Amos, the fire could be either form. Despite the ultimatum nature of Amos’ words, there is still a measure of choice and optimism. “Seek me.” Those simple words and simple actions were what God was looking for. Note that it wasn’t even follow. Just seek.

Thus, the fire could be different, depending on whether the Israelites sought God, or chose not to. One path would lead to a (proverbial) cleansing fire that burned everything away, both good and bad. In hopes, like the aftereffect of a forest fire, new healthy growth would take its place. Should the Israelites choose to seek God, there would still be a fire, and it would still hurt, but there would be purification.

Sometimes only purification is needed. Sometimes a clean slate is needed. The same can be said about our lives. The same can be said about our actions.

Sometimes we think we’re doing one when we’re doing the others. Sometimes we just want to watch things burn. Fires of prophecy can take many forms. Many people have claimed that we have been seeing exactly that over the last few years.

Except what is at the end?

In Jerusalem, people made assumptions about Paul and stirred people up. The Jews of Jerusalem made no thoughtful inquiry. They jumped to conclusions and became the fire. Others joined, probably many ignorantly, and the fire grew.

So, out came the firefighters. The Roman soldiers were commissioned to deal with out-of-control people. Often they did it through bloodshed. The Romans also made assumptions. An Egyptian? This is madness!

It doesn’t take a stretch to see “those” people making “those” mistakes and stupid decisions, and starting a proverbial fire. We’ve seen such similar things ourselves. The Jews and Romans couldn’t blame the internet or social media, though. We try, but history shows that even in the first century the flames of presumption, assumption, and ignorance can still overtake people. It only takes a spark.

※Reflection※
- What “fires” have you experienced, and how were they fires?
- How might the fires of madness (Acts) resemble refining fires and cleansing fires?
- Why is fear present in each of these types of fires?
- What is the most Christ-like way to deal with each type of fire?
※Prayer※

God, the promise of Pentecost is in the flames. Lord, may we be on fire for you. Amen.
2021-07-12
Hear the Roar
Psalm 85:8–13; Amos 3:1–12; Colossians 4:2–18

The Psalm speaks of the land of Israel having God’s blessings. It needed it. God’s blessing was both a protection and a source of bounty. The gist is that if Israel’s people were being blessed by the land, including peace from war, bountiful crops, and growing families, then God should be at the forefront of the list of giving thanks.

The US has long held itself (with some rationale) as a blessed and fertile land. Yes, there were blips (droughts—including the blight that was part of the Great Depression, blights, pests, etc). As a whole, however, the US continues to have bountifully producing lands. Historically, we have been relatively free from war and conflict. Our families could grow large if we wanted.

Yet, a common refrain, especially during any so-call culture wars/battles, is that things would get better if we returned to God wholeheartedly. The problem with that is that people see all the blessings, so are confused as to why they should be looking to God. That may have well the same issue with the Israelites.

The refrain of returning to God is rising again. Most of us think only of the political “right” when it comes to that. It is true that many of the religious folks that are calling for a “return to God” are aligned to the “right” politically. However, there are voices on the political “left” that are also speaking prophetic language. Words such as “reckoning” are coming out. That’s a very Biblical concept. Those aligned politically on the “left” don’t use much religious language because the “right” appears to own it (they don’t), and will delegitimize those on the “left” who use religious language. However, for both “sides”, they actually have a similar vision…things will not work the way they have been.

The political jostling distracts from the prophetic words coming from both “sides” of the political divide. That both agree (in different words, granted) that this is not as God intended should be something that everyone should be paying attention to…especially in the church. In an era that is becoming more politically rigidly divided, every prophetic bone in every Christian, along with the Holy Spirit present in each one of us is screaming, “LOOK AT THIS!”

In Amos, we see a picture of Israel that is so loved by God it had been—up to this point—able to avoid the natural punishment that had come to those around it. God’s love had kept them from the consequences. That protection was on its last legs. This is the roaring lion of Judah in Amos. It isn’t the lion that protects. It is the lion that warns.

The lion is roaring, church! Are you listening?

Once we listen, if we choose to, what then?

Paul tells the church to act wisely and to make the most of every opportunity to share about Jesus and the Gospel. If you read that passage, verses 5 and 6 almost don’t seem to fit. In my imagination, I see Paul writing this letter from jail, and one of his jailers comes in and it clicks with Paul as he has been sharing with his jailers about Jesus that the Colossians should, too. That Paul seems to interrupt his chain of thought to mention this should wrap this in neon lights and glitter. All our sharp rhetoric and political bludgeoning aren’t how this is supposed to work…not for the church, at least. Sharp rhetoric and political bludgeoning are the way of the world.

The lion is roaring, and we claim it’s at the culture, the system, etcetera. The lion is roaring at the church to say, “get to the work of the kingdom!”

※Reflection※
- What do you see with your heart when you read the Scriptures? Do you take away something different?
- How can prophetic voices from different political poles still speak prophetically to the church and the world and both be authentic?
- Is there a particular issue that the lion roars for you? What is the human (not political) person like on the “opposite” side? Is it really opposition rather than perspective? (Advice: don’t let the politics deceive you about people)
※Prayer※

Lord, we of your church have lost our prophetic voice with far more issues than we have retained. Guide our hearts to seek your will, to be your witnesses, and to be the needed prophetic voice to your bride—the church—and then to the world. Amen.
2021-07-09
Tossing Diamonds
Psalm 119:81–88; Ezekiel 2:8–3:11; 2 Corinthians 11:16–33

Don’t be rebellious…eat my words…sweet as honey.

God’s words to Ezekiel set Ezekiel apart from his people. As a prophet, Ezekiel would indeed be separated from the Israelites. By “eating” the words of God, Ezekiel set himself apart. This obviously wasn’t going to be an easy separation either.

By “hardening” his face, God was making it clear that Ezekiel’s mission to the house of Israel will be difficult. The house of Israel (the so-called People of God) would insult, hit, abuse, the prophet of God. Ezekiel couldn’t allow that to change his heart for the mission.

Ezekiel wasn’t the only one who had to face his own and be called a fool (or worse). Paul’s spiritual children (and probably grandchildren and great-grandchildren) were calling Paul a fool, for others had convinced them that Paul was indeed a fool and was not a person of God to follow. In these verses, Paul goes right to it. He tells them that they have been taken advantage of. He tells them that they have enslaved themselves. He tells them that it is they who are the true fools

.It appears that for the next few years and probably decades, we will have significant aspects of Ezekiel’s mission and Paul’s admonitions in our lives. We will be the ones whose faces will need to be like diamonds, and call friends and loved ones enslaved and taken advantaged of. We will be the outcast and despised.

※Reflection※
- What does having a face like diamond mean to you? What would it be like to have a heart of diamond?
- What similarities do you see from these passages between Ezekiel and Paul? What differences do you see?
※Prayer※

Lord, strengthen our hearts that we may bring your word to the world. Amen.
2021-07-05
Servant Life
Psalm 123; Ezekiel 2:1–5; 2 Corinthians 12:2–10; Mark 6:1–13

In certain cultures, and in certain times, it was not dishonorable to be a servant. In fact, being a servant could well lead to a different path than what could else be accomplished. One of the most famous servants in US culture is a man named Alfred Pennyworth. He is the butler of Bruce Wayne, whose alter ego is The Batman. Yes, he’s merely a fictional character. And, yes, he is one of the few positive US depictions of a servant.

When working through the Scriptures, we often try to “soften” the imagery around servants, indentured servants, and slaves. Part of it is our US ethos of rugged individualism. The other part is our darker history of human exploitation through both indentured servitude and slavery.

To add insult to injury, or misunderstanding to the Scriptures, US culture diminishes waitstaff (a respectable path elsewhere), cooks, or anyone who doesn’t fit certain narratives.

This becomes crucial when we read passages such as Psalm 123:3. As a servant waits for their master, so our eyes wait upon the mercy of God. Our cultural baggage with both master and servant removes our heart’s ability to see this verse as it is intended. The servant of which the psalmist writes loves their master. They love their master so much that it isn’t a burden; it is an honor. Their life orbits the master. They wait to do the master’s bidding so that the master is satisfied. The servant’s satisfaction comes from the master’s.

In our context, we usually then respond, what about the needs of the servant or our needs (if we read ourselves into the role of the servant)? Then, are we really any different than the hardheaded and hardhearted descendants of Israel and Judah that God points to in Ezekiel 2: 4? Or are we more like the braggart that Paul tries not to be in 2 Corinthians 12:6, yet still think that we are greater than being a servant (which Paul didn’t)?

The cultural shift that would make servants (and the service “industry”) more respectable or honorable may never come. Or, if Gen Z can become effective in many of its ideals, It may dovetail into the conversations around the minimum wage, livable wage, and permanent income.

As a result of a recent conversation with a Gen-Z-er (~born 1995–2015), I realized that perhaps we are more servants than we realize. As employees, we serve our organization. An organization serves its stakeholders. That’s a little oversimplified, but you get the idea.

However, most of us will immediately respond negatively to this imagery. We don’t want to serve. That should probably give us pause when we think of living our lives for God.

※Reflection※
- What is your response to being a servant (not serving)? Why? What is the difference between serving and being a servant?
- Jesus called himself a servant. If God calls himself a servant, and we are his followers, why do we have problems with this concept when it comes to living the Christian life?
※Prayer※

Servant of the World who stepped down into darkness. That you for your servant’s heart and sacrifice which brings us into the light. Amen.
2021-07-04
Seriously
Psalm 123; Jeremiah 7:16–26; 2 Corinthians 10:7–11

The Christian understanding of God is one of love, forgiveness, and grace. These are often the primary characteristics on which we focus. If we are honest, it’s because, with such a God, a lot of pressure is off of us. There are many, however, who claim these same three characteristics are God’s and yet talk only about God’s judgment, anger, and destruction. Today’s passages would seem to have that same division.

In today’s verses, the opening words to Jeremiah are brutal. “Don’t pray…or plead for them…” First, this tells us about Jeremiah. Jeremiah prayed. Jeremiah hurt for the people and the relationship with God that they had lost.

One could say that God’s words were unloving, except perhaps we have the wrong focus. What if God’s focus (in the opening verse, at least) wasn’t really the Israelites, but Jeremiah. Like a parent or grandparent long praying for the salvation of a child or grandchild, perhaps that was Jeremiah (God did tell him to not pray). Perhaps Jeremiah was deeply upset (he was often called the Weeping Prophet), and God wanted him to let go.

There is also the high possibility that God knew that the hearts of the Israelites would not be repentant before the time of reckoning. If this is indeed the case, the heart of “don’t pray” would have been, “release your burden, for it is not yours to bear.” That would be compassion in the face of holiness.

In some ways, Jeremiah is as Paul states, “The Lord gave us that authority to build you up and not to destroy you.” Jeremiah certainly didn’t want the power to destroy the Israelites. He wanted to build them up so that they returned to God.

This is where the hard reality of the Scriptures hits us, and we don’t like it…at all. We say that we don’t like this God of “meanness” and try to cover up what we think is “wrong” with language that God loves everyone.

Oh, God does. Without question, God loves all of Creation, even these broken and dysfunctional parts called humans. There does, though, come a point where it all has to end.

We don’t like this point. We don’t like the thought of lost loved ones not knowing God at the end. GOOD! We’re not supposed to like it! Perhaps, just perhaps, that God is showing us that it is a serious matter (even deadly), and we ought to be serious about it, too.

※Reflection※
- What were your initial thoughts about God when reading Jeremiah? How about Jeremiah? The Israelites?
- What lessons can you learn from God’s words and actions?
- What lessons did you learn from Jeremiah’s words and actions?
- What lessons did you learn from the Israelites?
※Prayer※

Lord, loving you is often easy, but your love for us and our betterment is often beyond our understanding. Guide us in your ways. Amen.
2021-07-02
Knowing Limits
Psalm 88; Leviticus 21:1–15; 2 Corinthians 8:16–24

What is your limit? Or, perhaps, who is your limit? Republicans? Democrats? Communists? Libertarians? Capitalists? Roman Catholics? The homeless? The hungry? A different skin color? A different nationality? A different religion? Neighbors? Friends? Family? Children? Spouse?

Relations and relationships are some of the biggest variables in human existence. One child may sacrifice everything to take care of their parent. Another child may do nothing at all. The driver of the car in front of you may give money to a panhandler, and you may not (a description, not a judgment).

For early and non-Western cultures, the family was a critical relationship. Not having a family was risky. The family was what defined and supported you. Unless that is, you were the High Priest of Israel.

Commentators come to different conclusions about what was meant by leaving the temple. Some commentators interpret verse 12 as only apply when family died to keep them safe from defilement. Other commentators propose that the High Priest never left, though none of those commentators could figure out ultimately how that worked.

Regardless, the COVID-era gave us an idea of the kind of sacrifice required by the High Priest. People lost loved ones they could never visit. Loved ones died and funerals and memorial services didn’t happen. Many people were angry, sad, and hurting for they lost the opportunity for closure. A taste of the High Priest’s sacrifice for us all.

It may be a stretch, but there is a similarity between the passage of Leviticus and 2 Corinthians; doing right in the eyes of God.

Paul definitely was concerned about “doing right” in the eyes of others. It was, though, secondary to doing right in the eyes of God. What is the point of being right in the eyes of men, if you will be wrong in the eyes of God? Of course, one has to be careful about that.

In our era, a person such as the High Priest would be looked down upon for abandoning his family to serve God in such a way. Granted, our understanding of things has somewhat changed, both in regards to family, priests, and ritual holiness. If we were to meet such a man today, we would probably think there was something wrong with him.

※Reflection※
- Where have you found conflict in your life in pursuing God’s glory versus the acclaim of man?
- Have you experienced what you thought was following God’s plan and then discovered it was not?
※Prayer※

Lord, help us to know your will. Holy Spirit, guide us to learn the right things before you and our fellow humanity. Amen.
2021-06-28
Fairly Cruci-Formed
Psalm 30; Lamentations 3:22–33; Mark 5:21–43; 2 Corinthians 8:7–15

Grace. Unmerited favor. Overwhelming love. Not words that would usually be associated with Lamentations. With the content of Lamentations being a result of the fall of Israel (and in particular, Jerusalem), it is peculiar to think of grace.

Lamentations is poetry, lament, and theology all wrapped into one. In Lamentations, probably more than even in Job, someone (or someones) wrestles with grief, loss, death, the (un)fairness of life, and other things that people question when in the throes of significant pain of the heart.

Despite all that they have gone through, including their recognition of their sin and transgressions, God hasn’t abandoned them. For a time, they would be wandering in a new kind of wilderness, but God would not let that way remain forever.

The world really isn’t fair. We often aren’t fair to the ones we love, or even ourselves. One of the biggest and most painful lessons we learn as children is that the world is not fair. What makes that even more interesting is that no matter how deep that wound is, there is something that we cannot tolerate about things not being fair.

Even in the verses of Mark, there are “not fair” examples. Some leader gets to ask Jesus into his home. Normal people wouldn’t get to do that. Some random woman touches his outer garment and is completely healed. There were probably others touching Jesus’ garment, and they didn’t get healed. It’s not fair.

Then Paul dares to ask the Corinthians to send money. He doesn’t demand it. He puts it in nice gentle language. He still wants our money. It’s not fair.

Except, Paul’s point, God’s point isn’t fairness. It’s not even reciprocity. It’s doing right because it is right. Not because it’s fair (or unfair, honestly).

Fair and right are often at odds. When we add time to the mix, it becomes even more difficult, for the long-term consequences may well change what is truly fair and right.

With this in mind, it is important for us, as followers of Jesus, to pursue fair and right from the perspective of God. Of course, what that means is up for debate in the current era, which is a problem in and of itself. When we are no longer able to determine fair or right, or we really the children of God?

※Reflection※
- What does fair mean to you? How does “fair” reflect the nature and/or character of God? What does a “fair” Christian do that a non-Christian wouldn’t?
- What does right mean to you? How does “right” reflect the nature and/or character of God? What does a “right” Christian do that a non-Christian wouldn’t?
- How do you learn and discern fair and right in your daily life?
※Prayer※

God of judgment, may the Holy Spirit shape and form us to be reflections of you in how we see and do fair and right. Amen.
2021-06-27
Aiming to Change
Psalm 30; Lamentations 2:1–12; 2 Corinthians 8:1–7

The implication of today’s reading in Lamentations is that this came suddenly, or that all the preparations were annihilated. The sad reality is that sometimes things that came “suddenly” were actually quite predictable. God sent multiple prophets. Before the Israelites even entered the Promised Land, Moses had warned them. It shouldn’t have been a surprise.

We can look around us and see plenty of people who follow this same pattern. Whether they make bad relationship decisions, money decisions, career decisions, education decisions, or something else, they continue to make the same mistake and wonder what went wrong.

God wasn’t upset with the Israelites for making mistakes or even wandering away, except that they continued to do it until it became the lifestyle.

God knows that we all will make mistakes. That’s part of the current human condition. That wasn’t supposed to be, but we chose (and choose) to go our own way.

We are embraced, loved, adopted, and reconciled as we are. We aren’t supposed to stay that way. The world understands this Truth. If you were to actually visit a physical bookstore (yes, they still exist) or look at the slate of newly published books, the biggest movers and often the greatest number of published titles are all “self-help”. The world knows that we are to improve and grow. We are not to stay the same.

Despite that, when the Scriptures (or the faithful Jesus-following community) call us to account to change, we push back. We say, “no” or “God made me this way.” And before you think (too late, I’m sure) that “they” should know that too (“they” being whomever many progressive or conservative Christians oppose), it isn’t about “them” or “they”, it is about us.

Paul calls on the Corinthians to be “the best” in regard to faith, speech, knowledge, commitment (there’s a really hard one these days), and love (okay, maybe this one’s harder). The best. Not okay. Not good. Not satisfactory. The best.

We don’t start out as “the best”. As individuals, we may never be “the best” at any or all. Collectively, as the church, we have the potential to be “the best” at them all, but only if we are willing to be changed and work in partnership with the Holy Spirit and our fellow believers.

※Reflection※
- What struck you about the passage in Lamentations? Do you see yourself or your circumstances anywhere?
- What areas of your life have you had the greatest struggle surrendering to Jesus? What areas of your life do you think need the greatest amount of change to be in line with the character and nature of Jesus Christ?
- “The best” is a high mark. Why should we aim at a mark we probably will never hit? How do we keep from being discouraged when we miss?
※Prayer※

As we seek to do your will, may we be transformed. As we pursue holiness, may we not be discouraged. As we fail and err, may we recognized that it is you who picks us back up. Amen.
2021-06-25
Show Stopper
Psalm 65; Exodus 9:13–35; Acts 27:39–44

But I’ve left you standing for this reason: in order to show you my power and in order to make my name known in the whole world.
Exodus 9:16

Depending on your context and current life situation, these words could be good or they could be bad. The Scriptures have plenty of examples of where this was good for the God follower and bad for the person (or people) who doesn’t believe in God. There are, too, examples where the Scriptures point to the people who are followers of God who experience trials while others succeed.

In the case of Pharaoh, this was definitely not to his (or Egypt’s) advantage. Granted, Pharaoh had the opportunity to fix the issue but chose not to. On the other hand, and we often ignore them, there were Egyptians (including Pharaoh’s officials) who listened and obeyed. They, too, were also examples. They obeyed; their servants and livestock survived.

Sometimes, obedience is not the most pleasant, either. Paul was obedient insofar as heading to Rome. In fact, he could have avoided the whole situation, but we can infer that he believed that taking advantage of rules would dishonor the faith, and so chose the path to Rome, Caesar, and death.

The centurion wasn’t a particular enemy to Paul or God. Yet, he felt obligated or even connected to Paul for whatever reason and sought to keep him safe. In a different way, he, too, was there to display God’s power.

Humanity has plenty to be proud of. We have gone to the moon. We have sent exploratory devices to distant planets and comets. We have delved deep into the oceans (though there is still more to see). We have generated many theorems and rules to understand the universe. We have analyzed the very makeup of our biological existence (DNA).

All our achievements still cannot outshine God’s glory, will, or plans. We’re not really any closer to understanding them than the Disciples who walked with Jesus by the Sea of Galilee, but we know him. That all that really matters.

※Reflection※
- Have you seen where someone in opposition to God, ended up glorifying God? What were the circumstances, and how did it glorify God?
- Have you seen where the pain or trial person trusting in God glorified God, even when their pain or trial ended badly? How about where it ended well?
※Prayer※

Lord, help us be the light, even when it isn’t easy to bring glory to you. Amen.
2021-06-22
Prayer Signs
Psalm 65; Exodus 7:14–24; Acts 27:13–38

Do the right thing! Then, do the next right thing! If there is a question of what the right thing is? You’ll just know. Right? Sounds completely rational. You’ll just know.

Except it doesn’t always (or even often for many) work that way. Many times awe-inspiring stories are told of how God answered prayers or provided guidance. If it hasn’t worked for you, yes, perhaps your prayer life needs some work. On the other hand, perhaps God is expecting you to work it through yourself.

Moses and Paul are great examples to look at. They are also not.

Both Moses and Paul are powerfully connected to God. Although the Scriptures tell us all the high and powerful points. They also don’t tell us the times between.

Were Moses and Paul always deeply and intimately connected to God? No. While we can be sure that Moses learned about the God of the Israelites from his biological mother, his life in the court of the Pharaoh would have definitely tempered some of that (though likely there was some warmth for the faith of his mother).

Paul was a strict observer of the Jewish Law. So strictly did he follow the Law, that he vigorously attacked the fledgling faith community of the Way (that became later identified as Christian). We could easily say he was an observant Jew. However, his pre-conversion life would not have had the same connection to God based upon his conversion.

This is not to say that your relationship with God is not significant or deep. It is to say that each of us lives different lives, and how that affects our relationship with God may be significant.

What we can do is to temper ourselves by reading the Scriptures, prayer, and a group of fellow believers that we can be fully open with all our flaws and failures. As we become more shaped by the Scriptures, prayer, and the faithful lives of others, we can begin to expect to understand the guidance that God has been providing to this point, but we were unable to grasp it.

Lastly, though, is the hardest part…and it’s all ours. It is our free will. We can choose to pursue God and God’s will. We still may choose our own.

※Reflection※
- What is the one thing you are looking for an answer from God about?
- What about it is something that you cannot determine yourself?
- What have you done in finding wise Christian counsel to work through this?
※Prayer※

Lord, we pray and wait for answers. Yet, while we wait, you still call us to walk forward day by day trusting in you. Guide us into your will, and mold our hearts to respond to it.
2021-06-21