Devotion.al

Tag: prophetic

  • Who Wears Your Crown?

    Who Wears Your Crown?

    Matthew 5:13–16; Mark 9:43–50; Hebrews 2:1–18

    In a recent Leaders Podcast, the host (Jason Daye) said something that should deeply concern all of us. It’s not what was said was false or wrong. It’s that what was said was true.

    “…many people are quicker to share their political views—who they think is right, who they think is wrong—than they are to share their faith story; than they are to share the good news of Jesus Christ.”

    Let that sink in…all the way to your gut…where it should feel like a brick of lead or a of nausea.

    In much of our political “discourse” (that’s a generous description at this point), are we really any different than the so-called un-saved? Are we marching to the beat of a political ideology or groupthink that does not Jesus Christ first?

    Currently, there is no single political party that fully represents (if that is even possible) the Kingdom of God. In the mainstream political parties, there are many practicing and devout Christians.

    In those same political parties, there are too many (perhaps far more) that mouth so-called words, but do not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

    It is time for the church to be militant. Militant is an old term that is related to the military but was used to traditionally mean vigorously active. That is the militancy we need. The church must not militant in so far as walking in lockstep with a political party or against one.

    What this first requires is that we vigorously question every political view we have and put it to the . This is hard. Often, we can take a verse out of context, and use it to bolster our view.

    For a long time, the church has been guilty of not using the Scriptures when talking about issues and applying them to a view. Instead, the church has been taking a view and using the Scriptures.

    Jesus is King! Long live the King!

    ※Prayer※

    King Jesus, constantly remind us that you are both True king and savior, and nothing and no one of this world could ever be either for us. Amen.

    ※※

    1) When was the last time (outside of your comfortable group) you shared about Jesus? How about ?

    2) When you statements condemning everyone of a political party, do you agree?

    3) How can you and the church be the Christian to the world, rather than a political follower?

  • A Little Prophesying

    A Little Prophesying

    Deuteronomy 13:1–5; Deuteronomy 18:20–22; Jeremiah 28:1–9

    Doomsday prophets are certainly a thing. There are a lot of them, and of varying kinds: epidemiologist (disease), environment, morality, political, sexuality, education, , financial, and so on and on.

    Doom sells. Doomsayers may also be helpful to guide us toward some sort of preparation or . At this point, however, there are so many doomsayers that there are only two logical conclusions: we’re doomed or they’re wrong. That is really the two paths regardless of which or all the “dooms”.

    What is interesting about “prophesying” in the Scriptures is that not all prophesying is alike. Some prophesying is more akin to teaching, lecturing, discipling. That generally would fall under categories as preaching, pastoring, and life groups.

    Other prophesying is more like visions, dreams, and euphoric states. This is what we, as a tradition (versus language), understand as foretelling or forewarning that is spiritually driven, and is our default interpretation when reading the word in the Scriptures.

    The struggle is discerning whether the or “prophetic word” is from God, from other spiritual forces, or is it of self appearing to be “spiritual”. Especially (but not exclusively) with the internet, there are plenty of videos, blog posts, web sites all claiming some sort of divine connection.

    Sadly, there is no way to tag “fake ”. That takes , discernment, and positive Christian .

    ※※

    , strengthen your discerning in us. Father God, help us to look through your word so that we can see when someone is using your word falsely. Jesus, help us to keep in mind that you told us that there would be many false prophets before your return. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Have you had someone deliver a prophecy or “prophetic word” to/about you? How about as part of a public declaration (with or without you being the focus)?

    2) What are you actively doing to protect yourself from false prophesy or “prophetic word”?

  • Releasing Darkness

    Releasing Darkness

    2 Kings 25:1–12; Ezekiel 33:21–33 (read online ⧉)

    The fall of God’s City. The first taking of people had happened 9 years prior to the verses in 2 Kings. Then almost 1-1/2 years of a siege. The so-called People of God were people in misery.

    The warriors fled. Let that sink in. This is not COVID-19. This is war. Those that fight the wars and defend the people…they fled. It is likely some of them were paid, foreign soldiers. However, the army was still mostly Israelite. They fled their own blood. They left their own blood behind. Abandoned.

    King Zedekiah then compounded the problem and tried to flee with his soldiers that remained. They abandoned him. The King abandoned his people and was abandoned in turn. As a result, all but a very few were taken away.

    The very poor remained. These were the people that were likely oppressed by the other Israelites. They could have well been the remnants of the non-Israelite tribes (Anakites and Gibeonites, for example) who were the ones who stayed. Likely the thought process would be that they would grateful for the departure of the Israelites and be loyal.

    Poor Ezekiel then had to deliver the news to the exiles. Jerusalem had fallen.

    Ezekiel delivered the message. The people heard but didn’t really listen. Then the messenger came (note that the timeline of this passage is not straight) and affirmed Ezekiel’s words.

    Sadly, despite the confirmation of Ezekiel’s ministry, he was still ignored. Despite all the prophetic words spoken to them (those of Ezekiel and ), they still would not believe.

    A number of modern music artists (and it really is nothing new) have songs of and pain (sometimes theirs, sometimes that of the writer). These songs often have a cathartic effect, and it would seem that the exiles took Ezekiel’s words that way. What is also interesting is that Ezekiel is compared to a great singer/musician. It is known that many prophets did to music, and that could be the context.

    Even when faced with all of this, Ezekiel remained , and the Israelites remained faithless. God wasn’t done with redemption. The Israelites were done with God.

    ※※

    Father God, help us be the to those that are done with you. Help us be your ambassadors that draw them to your . Amen.

    ※※

    1) Have you ever listened to a sad or dark song, and felt release after it? What was it like?

    2) Ezekiel was popular. He was attended to. He wasn’t listened to. Can you think of anything similar in your ?

  • Easy Listening

    Easy Listening

    Jeremiah 26:20–24; Matthew 23:29–24:2 (read online ⧉)

    The most famous Uriah in the Bible is not the one we read about in Jeremiah. The famous Uriah died because the king slept with his wife. He was…inconvenient for the king.

    Perhaps being named Uriah isn’t a blessing?

    Uriah, of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim, was also inconvenient. Just as Jeremiah, too, was not popular with what he preached as a warning against and condemnation of Jerusalem (as a symbol of the whole of the Jewish people), Uriah wasn’t popular either.

    Jeremiah had court protection and support. He was safe from the king and his underlings. For whatever reason, Ahikam had the influence and to protect Jeremiah from the people and the King.

    Uriah fled to Egypt. It was an odd place for him to flee to, as King Jehoiakim was still a vassal of Egypt. It is possible that Uriah believed that he might receive some protection from Jehoiakim’s overlords, but he was disappointed. He was killed. The Book of Jeremiah strongly implies that it was because of the message from God that he dared to (which was the same as Jeremiah’s). While we don’t hear about Uriah again, his story is important down the road.

    Jesus does not mention Uriah by name nor any of the other prophets (other than Zedekiah) that were killed after bringing God’s to the people. He called the religious leaders to account for their hypocritical attitude as they “mourned” the prophets that their forefathers killed, and yet were of the same as their forefathers when confronted by the Word of God.

    Jesus foretold that they would repeat not just the scorn, they would also repeat the murder of the prophets and representatives of God. They would likely also celebrate such deaths for they “preserved” the status quo.

    While Jesus puts to their “account” the death of all the , there isn’t an outright zero chance of escaping the judgment. If one looks at this as a prophetic warning (which it was), repentance was the way out. Judgment wasn’t fixed…yet.

    In addition, a number of commentators perceive the, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” both as a foretelling of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the return of Jesus as the Judge.

    While we are often quick to judge those who lived in Jesus’ day as ignorant or something because they could not recognize Jesus for who he was, how often are we guilty of condemning prophetic messages because they don’t match the culture.

    ※ Prayer※
    O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [BCP 1979]

    ※ ※
    1) What kinds of cultures do prophets against? In a non-religious setting, how would you test a prophet?

    2) What do you think is the biggest obstacle for people hearing a prophetic word? Have you been guilty of that yourself when a prophetic word was spoken to you?

    3) We focus on famous names, not like Uriah the prophet. How does that make us shallow? What might we be missing God doing?

  • Called to do or be?

    2 Kings 2:11–15, Malachi 4:4–6, Mark 9:11–13, Luke 9:18–21, John 1:19–28 (read online ⧉)

    Moses was the Great Propet of Israel, as he brought the Torah to Israel. Through the and humanness of Moses, the Israelites became more than a collection of related families. They became a . You would think, therefore, with his place at the forefront of Israelite history, Moses would be the one the First Century Jews would be waiting for. He, Moses, led them out of captivity to the most powerful nation (at that time) on earth. Who else would lead the Jews (the remnants of Israel) out of their current captivity/oppression of the First Century’s most powerful nation on earth, Rome? Yet, it was Elijah who was expected.

    To be clear, this is not a reincarnation story. Neither Moses nor Elijah were expected to be reincarnated. Our familiarity with other religions can actually lead us down false trails, as we all use the same language and words to convey different understandings. The language used is similar, but its intent is to convey something different. From the perspectives of the Scriptures, whether we’re talking about Malachi or all the words spoken about John the Baptist or Christ regarding Elijah, it is not literally Elijah, but the person whose time and place it is to be an Elijah. In other words, the person called has called at a particular time or place to bring the descendants of Israel back into with God.

    Malachi expected this “ of Elijah” to lead Israel back to God, restoring relationship and right to the people. By the time of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, Elijah was more of—though not solely—a cleansing spiritual that would restore the people’s desire for God, not just relationship and worship. In that regard, John the Baptists did “carry” the “spirit of Elijah.” People came to him in repentance and to be spiritually restored and healed. Jesus Christ, himself, recognized that John the Baptists bore the “spirit of Elijah.” Only John denied it.

    There could be a number of reasons why. There are two likely reasons. The first reason would be that he didn’t want to draw attention away from the Messiah. That is a reasonable thing, as everyone was looking forward to a Messiah, just as they were looking for an Elijah. There would be pressure and expectation (as if John the Baptist probably didn’t already have it) to be an Elijah. John the Baptist already knew he wasn’t the Messiah.

    Probably the most likely reason is that John the Baptist didn’t seem himself as Elijah. Yes, John the Baptist probably did see ministry in himself. Whether it was quiet (does not see himself as an Elijah) or studied humility (did not want to take away from the Messiah), either one is defensible and either one is good. John also, however, did not stop being who God called him to be and doing what the Spirit led him to do.

    1) Does it really matter whether John the Baptist bore the “spirit of Elijah?” Why or why not?

    2) Often people dismiss themselves, their abilities, or their calling by saying something like, “I’m not like…,” or “I don’t have….” How have you dismissed your calling lately?

    3) People expected whoever had “the spirit of Elijah” to lead them. What is wrong with that expectation? What is valid with that expectation?

  • Blowing Smoke Into Our Own Eyes

    Isaiah 30:8–13 (read online ⧉)

    Hearing the about ourselves is often uncomfortable. We like to good stuff, but do our best to avoid that feels bad, or might cause us to look at ourselves badly. We are not alone. When Isaiah is sent to confront the Israelites with a bad report, you can imagine how well it was received.

    Who wants to be called a rebellious child, except for those who take pride in being rebelling. Rare is the person who wants to be called deceptive. Yet rebellion and deception can often be attributed to ourselves. It never feels good to confront it. The reality is that rebellion and deception often go hand-in-hand. Where we can lose a little bit of the meaning is that sometimes the deceiving is of ourselves, leading us into a life or choice of rebellion. That’s where the words in Isaiah go. People didn’t want to hear the truth. They want to be lied to rather than having to deal with the truth.

    In the current separated world that is the “” States of America, there are many prophetic voices speaking out with the heart of Jesus Christ. However, even they have become blind. Whole swaths of people are challenged for a single point of or policy, while their own politics or policy have their own parts that are not in line with Jesus Christ. In many respects, the Israelites had it easy.

    Christians are called to love, starting with one another. Yet, what is love? How is lived out? In fact, our understanding of love may very well affect the love of Jesus Christ that comes from us. That is potentially the biggest problem of all. People can disagree on the right (and ) way to help a person get out of poverty (for example). Their perspectives may be very different. That doesn’t mean that one is right and one is wrong. Our world is very much playing the zero-sum game. In other words, somebody loses. All too often, Jesus Christ gets lost in the mix and noise.
    The and its people must begin to focus on Jesus Christ. That’s obvious, you may say, but it really isn’t. If you love Jesus Christ, you can’t support (some person). That’s the way things are currently going. We no longer show and love to those of different politics. We’ve lost our first love.

    1) Think of your least favorite politician. Can you say, I love you (their name)? Do you think Jesus can?

    2) and love flow through the Scriptures. How should that affect our view of ourselves? How should that affect our views of ?

    3) Why is it important that politics can play a useful role in expanding the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth? What is the (ongoing) danger with that same thing?

  • Child Identified

    Exodus 3:1–12, 1 John 2:28–29, 1 John 4:7 (read online ⧉)

    Moses was not a shining example of humanity. He was…. He had a temper. He certainly had a confused . He was a child of the court of Egypt. How he fit (or didn’t ) into the courts of the Pharoahs is an unknown. A Pharoah’s daughter pulled him from the Nile, knowing he was a Hebrew. Then she gave him to a Hebrew to be a nurse. We don’t know anything that really occurred in his life from his assigning to a Hebrew nursemaid to the day he killed an Egyptian overseer. We can reasonably that Moses dealt with two identities, one as an adopted child of the Pharoahic court, and one the blood child of a Hebrew. Moses was, in many respects, destined to be forever confused and torn by his two identities. This is much the same with us. We have our human earthly identity, and we have our heavenly identity. We often become confused between them.

    John writes, “ Everyone who does what is right, has been born of him.” Most of us look at these words and ask, “What about me?” We see them in the light of our own weaknesses and failures. With that , it’s hard for the words to bring us . Knowing to whom John was writing (people he loved, cared for, and wanted the best for), we can be assured that it wasn’t his goal. Our identity in Christ is something far different than our identity on earth. It is to that identity that John writes. That identity has done what is right and has been born of him.

    When John speaks later about everyone born of God loves, we are again tied back to the one of whom we are born…Jesus Christ. So much of who we are is our identity. Some of our identity is nothing we can control (i.e., of origin, birth nation, native tongue, etc.). Other things we can identify with. Hopefully, you have —at this point—to identify as a Child of God through Jesus Christ and the Holy . Holding onto and affirming this identity is what creates the space in our hearts and lives to be right and (Godly) loving.

    Moses, like us, had two identities, Hebrew and of Pharaoh. In many respects, both are earthly identities prone to failures and flaws. Yet, Moses did choose to be a Hebrew. Then he accepted (granted, somewhat grudgingly) the leadership of a people taking them from earthly nation to Godly nation. Moses made mistakes before and during the journey. The Hebrews made plenty of their own mistakes. Despite all of that, however, God still identified them as his chosen people.

    1) What do you see as your earthly identities? How do they coexist, and how do they conflict?

    2) While God calls us his children, why do we tend to undermine that identity by identifying with our failures, mistakes, and tendencies?

    3) Say out loud, “I am a loved child of God.” What was your emotional and physical reaction to that? Why do you think that is?

  • What Promise?

    Psalm 146, Mark 13:14–27, Mark 13:32–33, Hebrews 11:13–22 (read online ⧉)

    The New Year is no longer new. By now many New Year’s Resolutions are broken. People have already surrendered to their loss. Often people telegraph or expect their loss, and behave as if they have already lost. By God’s , many of those who went before, especially those that are revered in some aspect, didn’t behave the same way.

    The Founding Fathers (of the United States) were human beings. They were marred by and imperfection…just like us. The system they developed, a hybrid of multiple governmental ways of thinking, was an experiment. The Founding Fathers had many fears about this system they created. Oddly enough, on both sides of the political spectrum is a growing belief that it has failed. That it failed (or hasn’t yet, or won’t, or…) is not the question or issue, nor has it ever been. The amazing thing is that it was tried at all. That a bunch of (granted) well-educated “aristocratic” men were able to motivate others not as fortunate to take on the ruling empire of the world (at that time) is amazing. It actually means, a cynical point of view, means that nothing has changed. Still to take on the British Empire was insane. These same men feared that democracy would fail, no matter what fail-safes they put into the system. They did anyway. Were they going against the flow? Would failure be catastrophic? Yes to both. Again, they did it anyway.

    When the U.S. system was designed it really had no in princes nor did it really have trust in people. It’s odd, wouldn’t you say, to put the fate of your legacy in the hands of people you don’t really trust? Much of the angst of the current “feeling”* really boils down to putting our faith and trust in princes (and people) who haven’t really earned it. The ones that earned it are the ones we know, not usually someone on a website or a TV screen (though in this day and age that may no longer be so).

    While it is wise to not trust humankind without some serious and discernment, people still do it. We have to. We cannot survive being paranoid. However, during his statements, Jesus still advises people that there will be false messiahs and false prophets. Jesus advises that the end will come with God the Father decides, and that is not for anyone else to know. Despite these words, men and women for ages have declared “special” of the end. People then feel betrayed when the end doesn’t come.

    Those that know the end date, or those who will us power or stuff or safety, we put a lot of trust in them. Then we become upset because they failed us. When it comes to politicians and leaders we really treat them like New Year’s Resolutions…something will go wrong. We have no real in them, yet we still feel disappointed. Yet, we should actually be relieved when they disappoint us. Whew! They’re human just like us. That is the point of the author of Hebrews, God is not human like us. God is far more. God is faithful. God fulfills his promises.

    1) What (s) of God do you hold onto?

    2) What promises of people do you hold onto?

    3) Why do you think we hold onto people’s promises, yet often turn away from God’s promises?

    : As you read the Scriptures this week, write down the verses that seem to be promises.