Devotion.al

Tag: respond

  • Separating Works

    Deuteronomy 18:9–14, 1 Samuel 28:3–25, Galatians 5:16–26

    The list of people not to listen to is interesting. As part of the Israelites’ preparation to enter the Promised Land, these people were to not be sought out. From a cultural standpoint, this is not a small thing. These people were the ones that were sought for wisdom and guidance. For many leaders, they were (so-to-) the behind the throne. In our modern-day, we tie these practices to Satan, yet there is much more than that in this. If one gets rid of the diviners, fortune tellers, omen interpreters, sorcerers, magicians, mediums, spiritualists, and dead relatives, who do you listen to? God.

    The of these practices is more about selfishness, pride, sin, and disobedience than it is about the Adversary. This is not to say that the does not use these to deceive, it’s just that it is human behavior and choices that make it these things effective in separating humanity from God.

    Saul’s own pride (and disobedience) resulted in God pulling favor from him. Saul mostly appeared to follow the visible laws, but it seems that his heart wasn’t there. When Saul finally seeks God (in desperation, not adoration), God does not respond. Saul decides to invoke the practices that God said were detestable. Saul, who had gotten rid of mediums and spiritualists (exile or death), goes to one to talk to…Samuel? That Saul would knowingly break the Law, go against his own actions, and want to talk to Samuel (a God-fearing prophet, leader, and deliverer of the news regarding the loss of God’s favor) all shows that Saul was not thinking well.

    Saul could have probably avoided the resulting disaster by abdicating to his sons or to David (God’s one). Saul’s pride resulted in a disastrous defeat of Israel, and the beginning of the end of his family line. Saul had a number of paths he could have taken after being told of the loss of God’s favor. He probably chose the worst.

    When we get to ‘s list of “works of the flesh”, idolatry and sorcery appear to be the only things in common with the Old Testament prohibitions. That isn’t so. The Old Testament prohibitions are, again, expressions of humanity’s desire to wrest control and authority from God. While the signs of what that is had changed, the underlying was still there. Today with New (which isn’t new anymore), (neo-)paganism, and occult practices on the rise in both practice and acceptance we now have both Old Testament and New Testament.

    1) Instead of wringing our hands and saying empty words, what can we do?

    2) Thinking of why people turn to such things, how can we show the better way (in , without lectures)?

  • Blaming God

    2 Chronicles 12:1–8, James 1:12–15
    When we read the Old Testament, the phrasing is often such that we could say God caused most suffering. In fact, there are many who truly believe that despite the balance of .

    Let’s take the story of Rehoboam and Shishak. Rehoboam was the of Solomon, son of David. David was the man that God promised would have a descendant on the throne of Israel, as long as they were . For 3 years, Rehoboam was faithful. Rehoboam used the Law to establish his and authority. Once that was done, he was done with the Law. Rehoboam’s reign didn’t exactly start well, but he could have done alright had he (and Israel alongside him) stayed faithful to God.

    This is the same with each and every one of us. We may about the innocents (like children) who, through no fault of their own, are pulled into the brokenness of the of humanity, and up suffering because of it. We may not even be aware of it.

    God does call Rehoboam to account. Rehoboam—and Judah with him—will be abandoned to the ravages of the latest military dominator, Shishak. Abandoned. There is a lot that can be pulled from this. The primary one is that Judah has been under God’s protection, guarding them against Shishak. God wasn’t going to make Shishak attack Judah. Shishak would have naturally gone against Judah. It would have been God’s protection that kept Shishak from attacking.
    Rehoboam’s and Judah’s humbled themselves (kind of surprising for Rehoboam), God relented…somewhat. The gist of it was that God would still let Shishak attack, but that the result would not be desolation, but becoming a subordinated people. Was it great? No. It was intended to be a learning lesson, but the hearts of Rehoboam and Judah were to set in their own ways (already!) to fully to God.
    The sad reality is that in situations like this, we ourselves can often become this type of hardhearted person. In certain instances, God may have kept the worst consequences of our behavior from affecting us, while still allowing some so that we would be disciplined. Instead, we can often see the lesser consequence of God not doing something and complain.
    James was obviously dealing with something similar but in the realm of . The lack of personal responsibility drew strong rebuke from James. He did not want people to blame God for their choices (and the consequences of those choices). Rehoboam succumbed to temptation (of not following God). He had a choice. God did not make him choose to succumb, nor did God try to tempt Rehoboam.
    1) Have you ever blamed God for temptation (or more specifically falling for it), or making you too weak?
    2) Have you ever heard someone else blame God for their succumbing to temptation? How did you ?

  • Spirit Grades

    Jeremiah 23:30-40, 1 John 4:1–6
    What is a ?

    In the Scriptures, there is the . That is certainly one. However, often the time spirit is used, it is not a good thing. There are evil spirits. There are deceptive spirits. It is the deceptive spirits that make an appearance all too often. What is even sadder is that many of these deceptive spirits deceive with wonderful sounding things like peace. In the case of Jeremiah, the deceptive spirits led people to provide false dreams, false promises, and deceptive ways. The ways, as God says, that are not good for the people. These, of course, are the most subtle, most attractive, the hardest to see, and the hardest to escape.

    This is why it is no small reason that John encourages us to test the spirits that come to us. We are to rely on the Spirit, along with the fellowship of mature believers. Of course, there is also the darker side of that, where group-think is in play, and the Holy Spirit is lost in an attempt to sustain the ways of old. The spirits that say is not from God, or that Jesus really didn’t die, or that Jesus did not rise from the dead? They are all active today, just as they were in John’s time. The world, the part that wants to remain deaf to God, seeks spirits, just not the Spirit of God.

    Zeitgeist is a concept from German philosophy. It means “spirit of the ”. The basic concept is that there is a dominating understanding or a group of characteristics that accompany and define a certain time or era. This is a different spirit, but it affects the life, and the world, often as much as the deceptive spirits (as if the deceptive spirits are part of it). , the other, hatred, anxiety, loneliness, and so much else are the signs of illness. They are also the zeitgeist of our day.

    As much as we don’t want to fear or hate, we still turn to it. There is a form of deception that appears like living. The world is so full of negative emotions, that often without them people do not feel alive. Let that sink in. Without negative emotions, people feel as if they are dead. It’s strange. In the time of Jeremiah, it was the ways of peace that were a lie and people sought it. From Christ to now to tomorrow, the way of peace is the truth, and people cling to the negative.

    1) When you watch or read news stories, do you see positive or negative?

    2) When people call one of your tribes (religion, nation, state, political party) evil or misguided, how do you ?

    3) The practice of and need for testing the spirits have not stopped. One could that practice and need are even more important now. What are you doing to strengthen and your ability to test the spirits?

  • Respond How?

    Haggai 1:4–14, Amos 7:10–17

    It would be nice if nice things just happened. It would be nice if all the stuff that needs to happen, just happened. It doesn’t work that way. Someone has to take responsibility.

    God had fulfilled his that the remnants of Israel would from exile. Now they were starting to recover and thrive. They had homes, buildings not tents. They were rooting themselves back into the land. At the heart of their thought processes, one would think that God would be front and center. It seems, however, that this wasn’t the case. Despite their return to the land and their homes, they were merely surviving, not thriving.

    Haggai goes to them and pronounces that they have their shelter. God should now have a place for them to worship Him. To their credit, they listened. The house of God was rebuilt. God blessed the people again.

    Amos, on the other hand, did not receive a positive reception. The of the powerful was antagonistic, at best. Amos was a prophet when the nations of Israel and Samaria were at relative , had mostly restored the boundaries of David and Solomon, and were doing well. The was doing well. Actually, the powerful were doing well. The powerful were living lives of excess, and not thinking about tomorrow.

    God did not well to their selfishness. God informed them that the exile was certain and that all they treasured would no longer be there. That made them very unhappy to hear these words. They wanted to silence them.

    Haggai and Amos faithfully delivered God’s words. The people responded quite differently.

    1) How are you responding to God’s on your ? Are you more like those who responded to Haggai or those who responded to Amos?

    2) We often look at the superficial and say we’re fine. We often do not see the . Where are we not fine? Where are you not fine? Where is the church not fine?

    3) Being to God’s house, and being faithful to God’s church often have tension between them. Why do you think that is? What can you do to ease it?

  • Sharpening and Armor

    Matthew 15:10–20, Luke 6:39–42, Ephesians 6:12–18

    In our current political and cultural climate, there are plenty of sharp barbs being thrown out. If we wanted to, we could say flaming arrows, which is metaphorically accurate. It’s pretty nuts, and certainly unloving, unpeaceful, impatient (i.e, doesn’t bear), unkind, bad (i.e., not good), unfaithful, ungentle, and lacks a lot of self-control (see Galatians 5:22–23, for what it should be). The sad part? That’s what we see from Christians. Christians are placing themselves firmly in the world on one “side” of the (left/right) political aisle. It’s very sad.

    While much of it is happening over social media (), it really is more akin to speech (i.e., coming out their/our mouths). Jesus calls us to task, saying that these words are coming out from our hearts. Ouch! What you write on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or what you “like” comes from your ? What does that tell you about what is inside your heart? What about that question that you posed about the other “side” of the political aisle? Was it honesty inquiry, or was it spite-filled rhetoric?

    It is so, so very easy to respond. It makes us feel better. Yet, is that the right ? Sadly, the rush (and rash) response is not conducive to sharpening one another. It actually hardens hearts for all involved. How is this living a Christ-filled, -following, -honoring life?

    Of course, the problem often is that those that need to hear and take the lesson to heart will often use the splinter and plank story to justify disregarding the lesson. There is some in that. This is why both of these parables should be taken as a pair, to prevent either from being taken too far, one way or the other. The other necessary part of this is community, true community (i.e., not Facebook). Facebook and other social mediums are quick to their platforms a community, but community is only formed when doing life continually, not just highlights.

    Often the reason we respond the way we do is that we feel threatened. This is where the final tool in this comes out. The Full Armor of God passage can be used in many ways. Why not take it a different way? “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full clothing of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like a strong shirt on your chest, and your feet booted with readiness for the gospel of . In every situation take up the gloves of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the hat of salvation and the book of the Spirit—which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:12-18 (CSB with Ian’s revisions).

    We are so accustomed to the war-like clothing that is talking about that we can miss the intimacy of it all. Changing the armor to something we actually wear these days—rather than what the Ephesians were accustomed—may help you better understand the Armor of God. The pieces may be different but have the same result. Imagine as you are putting on your shirt saying, “I am putting on God’s righteousness.” As you put a belt on saying, “I am putting God’s Truth on.” Gloves may not work when it’s not Winter, so choose something else. The Full Armor of God is an allegory. Reframe it in modern terms to help you when you feel attacked, or even better, feel “armored-up” before you walk out the door.

    1) When you the armor-maker (yes, armorer), can you calmly trust the armor to take the hit for you? Do you?

    2) How should you respond when someone attacks (whether actual or perceived) a firmly held belief? Do you?

    3) How do you handle people when they honestly come to a different conclusion on what the Scriptures say than you do? What happens when the resulting behavior from those different conclusions appears to be in conflict?

  • Boundaries of Service

    Numbers 32:16–22, Matthew 3:13–17, John 13:1–17, 2 Corinthians 5:14–17

    Service takes many forms. We are often tied into our mind’s understanding of service, and thus become blind to what service can look like. In the case of Reubenites and Gadites, their service took place in the form of aiding their fellow Israelites to secure the Promised Land. The Reubenites and Gadites would have to that their families and livestock would be safe while they were away. There was no guarantee that they would nor when. We would not normally view this as service, but it is, for they put their own interests (and the concern’s for their families) beneath the needs of .

    Often the biggest issue to service is not the task, but ourselves. We put ourselves before others. This is not to say that we need to be floor mats. Nor does this mean that we must where we do not feel called. The issue is when we are called and we choose not to because it is not convenient. Or we choose to not respond because it must be someone else’s responsibility. Or we choose to not respond because we might fail.

    Sometimes we think we aren’t serving because it is the “right” thing to do. When convinced John the Baptist to baptize him, it wasn’t that Jesus needed to be baptized for his , but to show others what the right way to begin is. He could have been the prideful type, saying that it was below his station (even though he would have been correct). He could have commanded John the Baptist, but instead requested that it be “allowed” which gave John the Baptist a say and also recognized his calling as the last Old Testament prophet.

    When we come to the washing of the feet at the Last Supper, we say Jesus made himself a (which he was). However, he was leading foremost by example. As the “host” of the dinner, he made sure that his “guests” were cared for. However, when Peter went further than appropriate (“wash all of me”), Jesus did draw a line. Yet, often we say, “Jesus did this,” and fail to follow that with, “and so should I.”

    reminds us of this , when he writes, “…those who live should no longer live for themselves…” We are all guilty of living for ourselves. It is not to say that there are no healthy boundaries. It is just that what we often call “healthy” boundaries are not Jesus boundaries. The “healthy” boundaries of the world are for the selfish, sinful, fallen, unredeemed person, not of “…the one who died for them and was raised.”

    1) Whose boundaries are you using to define your service, the world’s or Jesus’?

    2) Do you continually pray how you may better serve “…the one who died for [you] and was raised?”

    3) What is one new way that you can serve this week?

  • Just a Corner

    1 Samuel 24:1–19, Revelation 6:12–17

    The tug-of-war between King Saul and King-to-be David lasted a number of years. The man who could have been Saul’s Number One and led Saul to victory over the enemies of Israel was instead hunted by Saul. In many respects, Saul felt betrayed by David and probably God. David, on the other hand, definitely felt betrayed by Saul.

    Saul wasn’t betrayed by David or God. Instead, Saul failed God and himself. Saul tried to maintain his place and , but the “weight” of God was against it. It was only a matter of time. What is interesting about this story is that God had removed his from Saul, yet David still called Saul God’s Anointed. David still respected the original anointing despite the situation.

    Many people would not have blamed David if he had to kill Saul. In that era, it would have been expected and often viewed as “right”. Still, David chose not to. This is one of those stories that people point to as supporting David’s righteousness (relatively). We need to view it as an appropriate response to .

    Robbers, thieves, murderers, and rebels hid in caves. The dead were put into caves. David may be viewed as a rebel who hid in a cave. However, unlike the kings of the earth and others who hid in caves to hide from God (Revelation), David hid to avoid Saul so as to live. The kings and rulers of the earth hid in the caves to die. It was as if they assumed by they would escape the wrath they knew was coming their way.

    Just like Saul, the kings and rulers of the earth were betrayed by themselves. The whole reason they wanted to hide in caves and die was that they had not fallen to their knees before the King of . Yet, the King of Creation is not God of the dead. The King of Creation is God of the .

    Taking this in a creative (liberty) direction, David is often considered a prefigure of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus cuts off a corner of our garments of worldly wealth. He then lets us walk out of the cave of our own demise. He then presents us with proof of his . How do we ?

    1) Interacting with people and having a with them, probably means that if there is not actual betrayal, we may feel like it. Compare Saul’s, David’s, and Jesus’ responses to betrayal.

    2) When it comes to betrayal, far too often we look at the other before we look at ourselves. Think of a time you felt betrayed. How did you contribute to the situation?

    3) Betrayal and grace. Knowing that betrayal (or at least the feeling of it) will occur, how can we develop patterns of grace? How can we be better at not causing others to not feel betrayed by us?

  • Circumcised Relationship

    Genesis 17:1–14, Deuteronomy 10:14–22, Luke 1:59–80

    The ritual of circumcision existed before the people of Israel came into being (yes, Abraham was their forefather). This was a ritual the physically made the people of Israel different than those around them. It was (and is) the ceremony that “enters” a boy into the covenant. In the modern ceremony (which, in all likelihood, had similarities to the ceremony John went through), the parents respond with, “As this child has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into Torah, the wedding canopy, and good deeds.” This is also the time when the boy officially receives his Hebrew .

    While we’re certain that John didn’t get married, he certainly learned (“entered”) the Torah and did “good” deeds. When we recognize the receiving of a name as part of this ceremony, we understand where the is a bit confused regarding the name that John receives, which isn’t Hebrew. John’s name in and of itself indicates that John is set apart at the tender of 8 days (plus the whole angel visitation) to be different. The Brit Milah is a big family occasion. What a time to make waves!

    While obeying the (Jewish) Law is good, obeying the Law for the Law’s sake is not. As we talked about a few days ago, the Law was never the point. It was a with God. The event of Brit Milah was both the entering into the covenant and recognizing the One who created that community…God.

    Often we get sidetracked by the good things: church, Bible reading, Life Groups, even . As we “check-off” the list, we neglect a relationship with the One around whom all these revolve. The tasks overtake the relationship. That being said, there are far too many people who say, “I can worship God better (here) than at (church/life groups).” They might be correct…for a time. However, when we worship God in isolation, we become the only one who holds us accountable. Except in rare cases, that means the worship (let alone the relationship) fades away.

    When Moses talked about circumcising the , it wasn’t supposed to be a task to be “checked-off”, it was a relationship to be had.

    1) When we look at the of circumcision, we can see the similarity with infant . What are the similarities? What are the differences? Why do those differences matter?

    2) At the circumcision, there are 3 aspects of life that are addressed. What are they? How do they echo the Christian life?

    3) Age is no barrier to making waves; John’s parents were well advanced in years, and their was 8 days old. What does this tell you about the age barriers in living the Christian life? What does this tell you about making a difference for God’s kingdom?