2023 Holy Monday “

Matthew 21:18-22

JESUS CURSES A FIG TREE

¹⁸ Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. ²⁰ When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.²¹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Building upon 40 Days of Devotion we begin Holy Week. After 40 days of sacrifice, and repentance we are now faced with the prospect of an even more difficult task. Some might say we come out of the frying pan and jumped right into the skillet. Yesterday we had a moment to exhale, to celebrate. Palm Sunday reminded us that every now and then people get it right. Jesus enters humbly into Jerusalem but he is welcomed like the King he is. The people greet him with shouts of save us and blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. For just a moment it seems like things are going to get better. Still Jesus did not get caught up in the hype. Instead of relying on the emotions of the people to dictate his future actions, Jesus continue his pursuit to the cross. Jesus chooses the Hope of eternity over the hype of humanity.

Our text begins the next morning. After the hoopla of yesterday Jesus is on his way back to the city and sees a fig tree. Upon seeing the tree there is the expectation there would be figs on the tree. Jesus is hungry and is anticipating a breakfast of figs and fellowship. What he finds is an empty tree. Looks good but producing nothing. How often are we like this fig tree. We look good on the outside, we have our bibles, and we have memorized some key verses. We know “church talk” and can be seen in some of the “right” places. But upon closer inspection, we are full of sound and fury signifying nothing. There is no substance to us. Far too often we focus on our shell and neglect our soul. Jesus expects fruit and finds fakery. He then utters what I sense to be a scary utterance. Jesus says “may you never bear fruit again”. Wow and owww. The first law GOD gave creation was be fruitful and multiple. For Jesus to say be no more fruitful is to take away its purpose. Immediately the tree withers. Life without purpose is death. When I read this I can imagine what it would be like if all hope were gone. Even further when I read this I sense Jesus challenging us on being true to fulfilling our purpose. We are called to do more than look good and talk the talk. When we are fig trees in a world that is hungry, we are intended to bear fruit. Not just leaves, but fruit.

Jesus challenges us on bearing fruit and also uses this experience as a teaching moment for the disciples. Jesus replied to the disciples amazement by saying, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” When we pray we are exposed to an unlimited supply of power. Jesus helps us to unlock a treasure of incalculable value. Faith without doubt. The power is not in the praise of people but in the presence of GOD.

Today I am encouraged to be intentional about bearing fruit. The hype of should should not dictate the life we live. Beyond the hype, the work for the kingdom must still be done. Do not grow weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap a harvest i we faint not. #livebig

POint to Ponder: How will You choose hope over hype? Who have you hyped up only to find they disappointed you? Would you rather be loved for people pleasing  or respected for telling it like it is?

Lent 2020 Day 26 “The LORD Looks on the Heart”

 

Daily Scriptures: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=27

1 Samuel 16:1-13
16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”
16:2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’
16:3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.”
16:4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
16:5 He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
16:6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the LORD.”
16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.”
16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.”
16:10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”
16:11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
16:12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.”
16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

The Lord Looks on the Heart

Imagine YOu finally get the job interview YOU have lived YOUR whole life for. This is the job YOU believe was made just for YOU. You have heard that there are a few other applicants so you think to yourself, “How do I set myself apart?” The one idea YOU have is dress to impress. You take an extra few minutes in the shower. You starch and iron your shirt, shine your shoes, and get your hair done. YOU are ready. Looking good, and then you look at the job interview email and see written in small print, The interviewer will be looking for your heart. Wow. How do you prepare for that?

Our text from 1 Samuel 16 chronicles the anointing of David. The prophet Samuel is tasked with selecting and anointing one of Jesse’s sons to be the next King of Israel. Saul has lost favor with GOD as we shared a couple days ago and now a new king is to be selected. Jesse the proud poppa starts sending out his sons to meet the prophet. Now I know we are taught not to have favorites and as the father of three daughters, I love each of them. Knowing my daughters I would probably apply some logic to my decision and the oldest may go first because I have known her longer. Whatever method of choice I would use I would go from the most likely to the least in presenting them. Jesse does this and The LORD says to Samuel, “the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Seven sons come before Samuel and the response is the same, “neither has the LORD chosen this one”. Frustrated Samuel says Is this all YOUR sons? In a moment of clarity, Jesse remembers his youngest son David who is tending the sheep. To understand this is to know sheepherding was a dirty job and generally reserved for the youngest or least favored child. Upon arriving Samuel hears from the LORD and anoints David.

One of the lessons for us today in our dress for success, appearance driven society, is to focus on what really matters. So many of us judge a book by the cover and miss the content. How many times have we placed a label on a package we never took the time to look in? How often have we focused on some external accomplishments or accolades to fuel our sense of well being? Too often we major in minors. Fixing the shell but ignoring the core. Our challenge through Lent is to understand, while we may work out every day and buy the best clothes that fit just right, YHWH is not looking at our style or profile, YHWH is looking at our hearts. Being prepared for promotion involves our inner being. Are we loving? Are we compassionate? How do we treat the least of these in our communities? My prayer for you this Lent is to start with your heart, for it is from the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks and our words create our reality.

Points to Pinder: Are there blessings you may have missed by judging the outer appearance? How much value do you place on your heart? Who can YOU encourage today that YOU may have been overlooking? How will you proceed?

 

Lent 2020 Day 24 “Peer Pressure”

Daily Scriptures: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023;%201%20Samuel%2015:22-31;%20Ephesians%205:1-9

1 Samuel 15:22-31

²² But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.²³ For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” ²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them. ²⁵ Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” ²⁶ But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!” ²⁷ As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.  ²⁸ Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. ²⁹ He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.” ³⁰ Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” ³¹ So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

Peer Pressure

Nobody wants to stick out like a sore thumb. If I were to ask 1000 people if they enjoyed walking the road less traveled, most of them would say “Naa, let me just get in where I fit in. In some cases fitting in doesn’t pose a problem, but when fitting in is in opposition to what YHWH has instructed us to do it becomes a major problem. We often associate peer pressure with being a young person or teenager. I suggest today we do not age out of the pressure of fitting in. This pressure causes us to remain silent when co-workers are saying inappropriate things. Peer Pressure will lead us to turn the other way when injustice is occurring. Peer pressure can cause us to work overtime and chase someone elses dream of success. Peer pressure will make us say yes when we know we should say no. At one time or another, we have all felt the pressure to conform to the norm or be left out.

In our text, Saul has succumbed to the pressure. Chosen by YHWH to be the first King of Israel there was great promise in Saul. Saul was equipped by YHWH to lead the people who wanted so badly to have a King. Unfortunately, Samuel is now confronting Saul on his disobedience to YHWH. The first attention grabber for me in the text is, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” Its so easy to try to make ourselves feel better by sacrificing or making amends but the best pathway would be to not mess up in the first place. No matter how many sacrifices we make we can not unlive the past. We can learn from it but we cannot erase it.

Secondly, Saul confesses and his confession speaks to the pressure we can allow others to place on us. Saul says, “I have sinned… I was afraid of men so I gave in to them. Saul has placed more power into the hands of the created than the CREATOR. Saul has yielded power and gone along to get along. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and Saul caves to the pressure. Many of us do the same thing. We get scared. We may know better but we do not always do better. Thanks be to GOD it’s not all over. Our text concludes with Saul, though stripped of his kingdom desiring to worship GOD.

As we continue on in Lent 2020, our consecration time may reveal aspects of our lives where we have missed the mark. We may identify transgressions or just spiritual oversights due to inattentiveness to details. We may feel bad and despondent but I encourage YOU to worship in spirit and in truth. The truth is we mess up and the truth I YHWH will never stop loving us. We may not reclaim our status but we can reclaim the joy of our salvation. When we surrender we can truly stand.

Points to Ponder: How have YOU felt the pressure to fit in? What have YOU gained? What have YOU lost? How committed are YOU to YOUR spiritual identity?

Lent 2020 Day 22 “Worthless Idols”

Daily Scriptures: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2081;%20Jeremiah%202:4-13;%20John%207:14-31,%2037-39

Jeremiah 2:4-13

⁴ Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.

⁵ This is what the Lord says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. ⁶ They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ ⁷ I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. ⁸ The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols. ⁹ “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the Lord. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children. ¹⁰ Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar[a] and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this: ¹¹ Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. ¹² Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the Lord. ¹³ “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Worthless Idols

There’s nothing like adversity to help us put things into perspective. Money rolls, cars, and clothes are signs of success and status in our world. Many of us work tirelessly to acquire money and the materials it can purchase. When we finally make the big purchase we have a tendency to be protective of it. I have seen fights break out over somebody accidentally stepping on someone’s new gym shoes. We cherish our things and at times we forget to remember who gave us the strength to work and the ability to get the job done. Our possessions begin to possess us. In short, we become worthless protectors of worthless idols. This will go on forever if we don’t pause and pay attention to YHWH. Adversity can help us to pause.

The Word of the LORD comes through Jeremiah for the people of Israel and we can draw meaning from it for us today. YHWH instructs Jeremiah to ask the people what faults did your ancestors find in me that they strayed so far from me? As they strayed they forfeited their value because they forgot to remember who was the ultimate provider. For us today, the question is do YOU have stuff or does stuff have YOU? What is really most important in YOUR life. Often times abundance can be just as distracting as adversity. We can become so smug in who we are and what we have that we forget to remember our CREATOR. The prophet Jeremiah says they exchanged their glorious GOD for worthless idols.

Let us be clear that not all idols are made of materials. Some of us may have made an idol of our health and others idolize their skillsets. An idol is anything that can distract us from the DIVINE. YWHW is ever-present yet we must be careful to keep our lives in a proper perspective. Scripture teaches seek first the Kingdom and all other things will be added. Lent gives us an opportunity to regulate ourselves and reclaim our joy. Lent is like a massage for the soul. We work out tensions, address problem areas, and prayerfully exit our forty days stronger and more faithful. Let’s do this.

Point to Ponder: What idols have YOU had to deal with. Is there anything between YOUR soul and YOUR savior? In what ways have YOU forsaken GOD and how will you respond?

Lent 2020 Day 21 “To Whom Much is Given”

Daily Scriptures: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+81%3B+Genesis+29%3A1-14%3B+1+Corinthians+10%3A1-5&version=NIV

1 Corinthians 10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. ² They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

To Whom Much Is Given

  If YOU are reading this YOU have been blessed. First, You can read. Secondly, You have internet access which means YOU have had electricty within the last couple of days. Third, You live in a time when anything YOU truly desire to know You can learn. There is more access to informatin now than there has ever been. Many of the blessings we have taken for granted. If this season of the coronavirus is teaching anything it is teaching us the abundance of things we have taken for granted.  What we may miss in the midst of  our abundance is our responsibility to help others. To whom much is given, much is required.

The Israelite communnity referenced in our text are being mentioned because they had access to the best and witnessed YHWH working miracles yet responded in selfish ways. The story is being told to the church at Corinth as a cautionary tale that “just because YOU are stuffed with stuff you may be empty of substance”. You can experience blessings sometimes by the company you keep, which is not a direct result of any action YOU have taken. This can give a false sense of bravado that can lead to a downfall. The text references that they all were blessed and passed through the sea. They all ate manna from heaven and they all could have prolonged their properity on their pilrimage if only they would have listened to YHWH. Instead they mishandled the blessing by ignoring the blessor. They constantly were disobedient and ultimately YHWH was not pleased with them. This challenges us today to recognize every good and perfect gift comes from YHWH. As a result, much is required. We are required to love YHWH with our total being. We are required to love each other. We are required to lift as we climb. We are required to acknowledge YHWH in all our ways. When we do this we can be broke and not broken. We will live to glorify YHWH and enjoy the PRESENCE among us.

As we count our blessings this Lent 2020 let us not assume YHWH is hppy with us. Let us identify intimacy with YHWH as central to our spritual growth. Failure to do this could lead to the tragedy of our bones being scattered in the wilderness.

Point to Ponder: How many blessings can you name in 30 seconds? How have YOU shared them? What if YHWH is displeased with YOU, are YOU ready to change?

Lent 2020 Day 15 “Feeling The Pain”

Daily Scripture: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20128;%20Ezekiel%2036:22-32;%20John%207:53-8:11

 

²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. ²⁸ Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. ²⁹ I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. ³⁰ I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. ³¹ Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. ³² I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!

Feeling The Pain

Whew! You dodged the bullet. YOU know deep down inside YOU have messed up and yet the full weight of the consequences has not been felt. YOU have escaped a punishment that YOU deserved. Now what? Do YOU bask in the glory of escape or do YOU do the hard work of getting YOUR life together and avoiding the pitfalls that swallowed YOU in the first place? So often in our lives, we move on without any reflection. We just act like the blessings we have received we somehow had earned.

Our text in Ezekiel 36 addresses. The word of the LORD comes to Israel that GOD is about to move on their behalf. A blessing is on the way that will erase the shame they have been experiencing. The LORD is moving and yet Ezekiel is told to remind them this move of GOD is not because of them. Nothing they have done deserves anything but punishment. The LORD is going to bless to preserve the LORDS name which the Israelites have profaned.

Lent is a time of reflection and this scripture challenges us to truly count the cost of our blessings. Instead of the arrogance that makes us believe we deserve all the good and none of the bad, we need to see that we can disappoint the CREATOR so badly that the CREATOR has to rescue us from ourselves. We cannot unlive the past but we can learn from it. The challenge for us is to reflect not deflect. Reflect on the unwarranted blessings and allow ourselves to take responsibility for our disobedience. Vs 32 says Be ashamed and disgraced oh people of Israel. I am convinced the intent of this shame is not for us to wallow in our pain but to feel it so deeply that we course correct and don’t make the same mistake. The writing in John 8 speaks of a woman who escapes a death sentence for adultery and is admonished by Jesus to leave her life of sin. Today face YOURSELF and leave YOUR life of missing the mark (sin).

Point to Ponder: In what ways have YOU been unaccountable for YOUR actions? When counting YOUR blessings can YOU identify the pain YOU may have caused GOD? Commit to go and sin no more.

Palm Sunday 2019 “Needed By Jesus”

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29        John 12:12-16      Luke 19:28-40          Matthew 21:1-17
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A1-17&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+118%3A1-2%2C+19-29%2C+John+12%3A12-16%2C+Luke+19%3A28-40&version=NIV

Its Palm Sunday. We have arrived at the end of our 40 Days of Lenten Devotions. I am grateful for all who have followed or read these devotions over the last 40 days. I will continue to post up to Resurrection Sunday and then as the spirit leads.

Have you ever recognized the gap between where you are and where you want to be? Have you examined yourself honestly and recognized your blemishes and flaws. IN short have you ever in the presence of GOD felt, awkward, unworthy, even ugly? After forty days of reflecting and drawing closer to GOD, repenting of my past wrongs, I now see how much further I have to go. Whenever we draw closer to the light, we are able to see more details. We have a tendency to only see the gaps but miss the glimpses of grace and glory. What I am driving at is even though we may not yet be all we can be, after forty days of discipline we are better than we would have been. The triumphal entry of Jesus on a donkey is an example of how GOD can use the ordinary to fulfill an extraordinary purpose.

In our text we have the Master preparing to enter Jerusalem for what would be the last time. He prepares by asking two disciples to run ahead and get a donkey and a colt to ride on. There is no indication that Jesus was anticipating the crowds gathering yet they did. As Jesus rides in on the donkey, a beast of burden, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan in THE LAST WEEK, indicate there was another procession on the other side of town. The sense is Pilate was also arriving around the same time. The contrast between these two arrivals is stark. Pilate would have arrived with military guards on Stallions with pomp and circumstance and the show of power and authority was intentional, for all to see. On the other side of town, arriving through an olive grove on what would have been a side street, Jesus arrives, with a crowd that seems to gather and they start a commotion, shouting Hosanna. Now Hosanna literally means save us. As we say Hosanna today we will be saying save us. The question is, save us from what? From the oppression of external pressures? From sexism, racism, ageism, or any other ism? Or save us from what we have learned about ourselves over the last 40 days. How we can be cranky or prone to acting out on our worst desires? What are we asking to be saved from and saved to?

As Jesus arrives a few things come to my mind. First he chooses a donkey. Donkeys are low to the ground, they are generally, beasts of burden, and rarely have you ever heard that’s a fine looking donkey you have there. They may resemble horses but they aren’t admired of adored like horses. I believe Jesus chooses to enter like this and even say the LORD has need of the donkey to remind us, no matter how scarred we may be, no matter how ignored we may be, no matter what our past may be, The LORD still has need of us. GOD can use us no matter what we look like. GOD can use us despite the gaps in our life or the gaps in our teeth. The LORD has need of you.

Today and as we continue into this Holy Week, be encouraged. GOD can use you to do a mighty work for the kingdom. The challenge is for us not to simply get caught up in crowd celebrations because as we follow the story throughout the week, crowds can be fickle. One moment they cheer and the next they jeer. One moment they can say Hosanna and the next they say hang him up and kill him. Beyond the crowd check the core of your heart. Save us from us and from others. Live In Victory Everyday, Believing In GOD. LIVEBIG.

PRAYER: LORD you have revealed yourself in so many ways. Unfortunately our vision has been obscured and we have not noticed you. Open our eyes that we may see your royalty on a donkey. Guide our footsteps on the pathways that our praises are sincere and we resist the pull of the crowd.  Grant us courage and compassion. AMEN

Point To Ponder: How many times have we missed the presence of GOD in our midst because he didn’t meet our expectations? How will you look in the unfamiliar places for the faces of Yeshua in our midst?

Lent 2019 Day 29 “Birds of a Feather”

Wed Apr 3

am: 101, 109 pm: 119:121-144

Jere 18:1-11

Rom 8:1-11

John 6:27-40

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+101%2C+Psalm+109%2C+Psalm+119%3A121-144%2C+Jeremiah+18%3A1-11%2C+Romans+8%3A1-11%2C+John+6%3A27-40&version=NIV

PSALM 101:3 -6 I hate what faithless people do;

    I will have no part in it. ⁴ The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
    I will have nothing to do with what is evil. ⁵ Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,    I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.⁶ My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

 

Birds of a feather flock together. I have heard this statement my entire life. On the surface it makes good sense. Why wouldn’t geese be with geese and eagles be with eagles? It makes sense. However No person is an island and no person can stand alone. Humanity was created for community. While we are all human, we must distinguish how we will allow ourselves to be influenced by the company that we keep. What I am driving at is the people and places that we interact with operate in an intricate balance between influencing and being influenced. When we don’t pay attention to the company that we keep we may find ourselves manifesting behaviors inconsistent with our core beliefs.  An example of this can be seen in mob generated behavior. Many people of normally reserved emotions and good character can find themselves in a mob and all of a sudden get carried away and before they know it they are shouting crucify him.

The Psalmist in Psalm 101 speaks of being careful to live a blameless life. Needless to say this is a tall order. The only possible way I can imagine living a blameless life is to be careful and rely on help from GOD. YESHUAH the Christ taught the disciples to pray “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Evil is all around us and without proper spiritual disciplines it will rub off on  us. One will not remain blameless by luck. This being said we must be careful not to miss the fact that we are all made in the image of the Divine creator. YESHUAH was criticized for the company he kept because he believed it was not the well that needed the doctor but the sick. YESHUAH kept a balance between who he was called to be and the people he was called to serve and to save. As it was with YESHUAH so I believe it should be with us. We are called to be a light that shines. Like a flashlight, we cannot shine continuously without changing or charging our batteries. Lent is such a time. During this season we recharge our batteries through spiritual nurturing so that we can handle the challenge of being in the world and not of the world.

As you go and grow through this day, I encourage you to recharge your spiritual battery. In that same way, share love with all you meet, regardless of their response. Maintain the balance between hating sin and loving the sinner.

PRAYER: DIVINE CREATOR, may your kingdom come and your will be done through us today. May the nourishment from our daily bread empower us to glorify you in word and in deed. Forgive us for getting off track so easily and becoming overly influenced by the world as it is and not as you desire it to be. AMEN

Point to Ponder: Who has influenced your life the most? What is your plan to live a blameless life? Remember failure to plan is a plan to fail.

Lent 2019 Day 24 “Truth or Dare”

Fri Mar 29

Psalm 88, 91, 92

Jeremiah 11:1-20

Romans 6:1-11

John 8:33-47

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+88+%2CPsalm+91%2C+Psalm+92%2C+Jeremiah+11%3A1-20%2C+Romans+6%3A1-11%2C+John+8%3A33-47&version=NIV

^{John 8:34} Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me because you have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.

Truth or Dare

I once had a humurous exchange which ended in my friend saying, “Lying to yourself will get you sent to the crazy house”. Now I realize there is nothing funny about mental illness, however there is a certain irony in convining oneself that all is well when in reality everything is in shambles. We live in an age where we are told we can handle any and every situation by thinking a certain way. Truly there is power in positivity. The mind is truly a powerful gift given by GOD for humanity to utilize. Unfortunately the mind can play tricks on us. We can convince ourselves that we are free and actually we are trapped in a viscious vortex. We can walk around blind to the truth and dare not place ourselves in any proximity to having our bubble burst.

In our text Jesus addresses the decendants of Abraham who are so caught up in who they think they are that they miss the truth in their midst. Jesus says, “³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me because you have no room for my word.” Jesus offers freedom to a people who can’t handle the truth of their slavery to sin. They had no room for his word. Truth or dare? Can you handle the message of truth or do you dare to try to kill the messenger? 

Point to Ponder: Is there an inconvenient truth you will not acknowledge? How do you handle it when someone sees through the facade of your self deception? How can you speak truth to power?

Lent 2019 Day 16 “GOD in Our Image”

Thur Mar 14

am:  50, 59, 60 pm:  19, 46

Deut 9:23-10:5

Heb 4:1-10

John 3:16-21

 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+50%2C+Psalm+59%2C+Psalm+60%2C+Psalm+19%2C+Psalm+46%2C+Deuteronomy+9%3A23-10%3A5%2C+Hebrews+4%3A1-10%2C+John+3%3A16-21&version=NIV

^{Psalm 50:16} But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws
    or take my covenant on your lips?
¹⁷ You hate my instruction
    and cast my words behind you.
¹⁸ When you see a thief, you join with him;
    you throw in your lot with adulterers.
¹⁹ You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.
²⁰ You sit and testify against your brother
    and slander your own mother’s son.
²¹ When you did these things and I kept silent,
    you thought I was exactly like you.
But I now arraign you
    and set my accusations before you.

²² “Consider this, you who forget God,
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
²³ Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
    and to the blameless^[d] I will show my salvation.”

 

GOD in Our Image

The story is told of a young pastor who was visiting his oldest member. This member was known far and wide as a cantankerous meanie who liked little and complained a lot. During the visit the scurrilous senior “saint” said, “GOD must be pleased with me because I have lived so long”. After a long pause the young pastor said, “Have you considered the possibility that GOD is just trying to give you enough time to get it right?” Many people like this old member,  may be under the delusion that just because a consequence has not yet manifested everything is ok. After a while of getting by without immediate penalty we grow confident that GOD is in support of our behavior. Unfortunantly this may not be true.

In Psalm 50 the writer highlights the plight of the wicked. The writer says, “…²⁰ You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. ²¹ When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. Each of us if not careful can associate grace with our goodness. Because we like doing what we are doing, when there are no consequence we start to  think GOD must be just like us. We create a god in our own image. Our god, likes what and who we like and condems who and what we don’t like. Our god cosigns on our actions and works to maintain our comfort zones. Our god is just like us. YHWH on the other hand does not conform to our image. YHWH is gracious, patient, and just. YHWH will challenge us to do better, be better, or risk being torn apart. Psalm 50 ends with, But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. ²² “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: ²³ Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,  and to the blameless I will show my salvation. Today offer a thank offering for another chance to get it right.

Points to Ponder: In what areas of your life might the silence of GOD not mean consent? How have you assumed GOD must be like you? How will you today challenge your comfort zones and change your behavior?

Prayer: LORD YOU are the potter and I am the clay. Although I am stubborn, Please have YOUR way. Mold me, shape me, bend me break me, until all in me conforms to YOU.