Holy Week Tuesday “Life and Death”

John 12:20-28

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!”

Life and Death

Death is life’s common denominator. At some point in the life of every living creature, death comes. Instinctively all life forms pursue what it takes to perpetuate life until the moment the pursuit of life ends. In essence, life ends in pursuit of life. This being said, it sounds peculiar to hear that this is a good day to die. Why would anyone say that or believe that? We tend to run from death, so how is it possible to be a good day to die? Jesus gives us a response to this query.

In our text, recorded in the Gospel of John 12 we find Jesus in the last week of his earthly ministry. He has arrived in Jerusalem to a crowd and this crowd continues to gather around him. Yesterday we said, “Don’t believe the hype”. Even though crowds may gather people are fickle and the mood of a crowd can change like the weather.  Knowing this Jesus senses a mood shift in the atmosphere and knows the praises of men and women are Not a foundation to build upon. Jesus responds to an inquiry of his presence by Greeks in the crowd by saying, “24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Reading these words knowing the end of the story makes it difficult to imagine how the disciples must have heard them. My sense is they heard Jesus, in essence, say “it’s a good day to die.” It is clear that Jesus sees that life has no meaning when all one is doing is avoiding death. Jesus begins to unlock a door in the hearts and minds of people that had long been a fear-inducing mystery. Death! nobody likes talking about or even hearing about it, yet the Master Jesus uses nature to teach, There can be no forest or fruit unless a seed is willing to sacrifice its life. As long as a seed holds on to its “seedness”, it misses its life-giving purpose. Inside the seed is life. This life, however, cannot be experienced without the death of what has been familiar. As long as we stick to the familiar spaces of our comfort zones, there may be no new life coming from us. As long as we fight for the status quo we ultimately refuse to live. Jesus challenges us by giving us a broader vision of life. Jesus offers eternal life to those who value the Spirit over the flesh. Those who love their life in this world which is temporary will lose it. Those who hate their life in this world will gain eternity. It’s a good day to die. It’s a good day to die to the pursuit of this worlds delusive dreams. It’s a good day to die to selfishness. It’s a good day to die to petty arguments and foolish pride. It’s a good day to die to greed and fear. It’s a good day to die to any ideas of scarcity when we deal with a GOD of abundance.

This week reminds us as we follow the steps of Jesus that Death is not to be feared as an ending but embraced as a new beginning. I encourage you to no longer be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. If anyone be in Christ they are a new creature. If you want to live you must die. #livebig

PRAYER: LORD, teach us to value your presence, more than your presents. Enable us to die to the things that compromise your glory from shining through. We surrender as our big brother Jeshua did, aware of the risk, help us to say yes to your will. AMEN

Point to Ponder: What death needs to occur in your life in order for you to be fully alive? How often have you gone through the motions of your faith journey, devoid of passion and vitality? Do you have the courage to say, “Not my will, but thy will be done”?

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 2019 Day 13 “Naked and Unafraid”

Scriptural Readings for today:

Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 64, Psalm 65, Jeremiah 1:11-19, Romans 1:1-15, John 4:27-42                  Click link below to open scriptures

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+56%2C+Psalm+57%2C+Psalm+58%2C+Psalm+64%2C+Psalm+65%2C+Jeremiah+1%3A11-19%2C+Romans+1%3A1-15%2C+John+4%3A27-42&version=NIV

^{Psalm 57:1} Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,  for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. ² I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. ³ He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me— God sends forth GODS love and GODS faithfulness.

^{Jeremiah 1:17} “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.¹⁸ Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. ¹⁹ They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Naked and Unafraid

There is a popular television show on Discovery channel called Naked and Afraid. In this show contestants are placed in wilderness situtions to live off the land and they are given no clothes. They are naked and must fight off the elements using only one personal item and their knowledge. Needless to say this is a challenging environment. Many of us although not on a television show may be living a life in which we feel naked to the problems and challenges of the world. We often feel overwhlemed by a series of ups and downs. During Lent may may feel even more vulnerable as we examine our hearts and realize some of our messes are self made. We may feel like everybody sees our flaws and recognizes the facade has fallen. We tried to wear the mast that grins and sighs like Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote of but now we are naked.

The writer of the Psalms is crying out for mercy and shelter. The writer expresses a sense of being exposed and chased. He wants a hideaway until the disaster has passed. I am sure we call all relate to this. WE just want a break from all this stuff. From Jeremiah 1 we find a word of encouragement given to the young weeping prophet. GOD tells him to get ready and stand up. Don’t be terrified I have built protections all around you and I will rescue you. In others words, “You can be naked and unafraid”.

Points to Ponder: How do you handle your vulnerability? In what ways can you relate to being naked and afriad? How can you provide shelter or support for others in our midst who are vulnerable. Help someone today.

We Wear the Mask

BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

       We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

       We wear the mask!

 

Lent 2018 Day 25 ” Spirit Born”

Numbers 20:22-29 (NIV)

The Death of Aaron

²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. ²³ At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵ Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. ²⁶ Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.

John 3:1-13 (NIV)

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” ³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]” ⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^[d] 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. ¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.^[e

Spirit Born

I’m only human. What you see is what you get. Apples don’t fall too far from the tree and my tree is rotten. That doesn’t make any sense, it defies logic. If I can’t see it taste it touch it, smell it, or hear it, then it isn’t real. Many people live their entire life locked in the prison of their mind. Somehow many of us have been convinced of limitations and have lowered our life’s expectations accordingly. After settling for the life that we have, going along to get along we may just figure this is all there will ever be and we settle. Even as we settle we find ourselves often suppressing that feeling deep within us that there has got to be more to life than this. We know it but we suppress it until one day, like the phoenix it rises within us and says, “I will not be denied”. We can’t sleep deeply or rest completely. Something has to change.

Our text in John reveals such an account. Nicodemus a leader in the Jewish council, is no longer satisfied with this feeling. He is tired of sleepless nights, so one night he goes to visit Jesus. Jesus has been on his mind because he recognizes there is something different about Jesus. Something about Jesus is challenging, convicting, and calming all at the same time. Nicodemus recognizes the presence of GOD moving in the life of Jesus and wants to understand, how he can do the things he does and be the way he is. He says, “We know you are sent from GOD”. Jesus responds unconventionally by saying, “No one can see the Kingdom unless they are born again. This is confusing, I believe because Nicodemus was still looking through the lens of the flesh. He was still locked in this realm while Jesus was speaking of the SPIRIT realm.

Many of us today like Nicodemus need a new lens through which to view the world. We can hear the MASTER saying we must be born again. We need to release the stinking thinking of the past and embrace the fragrance of the impossible made possible. The challenge many of us face, however, is the unpredictable nature of the SPIRIT and our need for control. We have grown confident in our comfort zones and often cling to them in the presence of an unknown outcome. Nicodemus does not come to Jesus at midday possibly because he feared the views of others. Still, he came, and coming was a risk.

When we are born of the SPIRIT we become like the wind. We will be persistent. We will be free. This wind can be powerful and tear down strongholds. This wind can be focused bringing cool breezes on hot days. This wind can power boats across oceans and this wind will respond to the voice of GOD. When we are SPIRIT born we are under the control of the CREATOR.

This Lenten meditation is encouraging each of us to abandon any idea or thought process that causes us to cling to comfort over Christ. With GOD we may not always know where we are going to end up but we will know, there is never a time or place where GOD cannot see our face and with that, its already all right. We are spiritual beings having human experiences not the other wy around. LIVEBIG

Points To Ponder: What dream have you been suppressing due to fear? Who have you met that challenges you to be better? What are you willing to let go of in order to reach the next level in your life? Who will you inspire on your way?

 

 

Lent 2018 Day Nineteen “Rules and Regulations”

Exodus 20:1-17
20:1 Then God spoke all these words: 20:2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 20:3 you shall have no other gods before me. 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 20:6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. 20:7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 20:10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work–you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 20:13 You shall not murder. 20:14 You shall not commit adultery. 20:15 You shall not steal. 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Psalm 19
19:1 The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 19:2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
19:3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 19:4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, 19:5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 19:6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hidden from its heat. 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple; 19:8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes; 19:9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. 19:11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 19:12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. 19:13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock, and my redeemer.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25
1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1:19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 1:20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 1:22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 1:23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 1:24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1:25 For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

John 2:13-22
2:13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2:14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 2:15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 2:16 He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 2:17 His disciples remembered that iatot was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 2:18 The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 2:19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 2:20 The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 2:21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 2:22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Rules and Regulations

In this house there are rules and regulations. I cannot tell you how many times I heard this line from my parents. They were usually spoken after I had tested the boundaries and found them undesirable. After such a transgression, my parents felt it necessary to reinforce, the rules of the house and then let me know as long as I lived under their roof these rules would be followed or there would be….thats right, consequences and repercussions. I did not know it at the time but they were merely following the lines of the DIVINE PARENT.

In our Exodus text DIVINE PARENT gives instructions to the children of Israel. These instructions are vital because they are in a new location and with this comes new expectations. When you enter a new situation it is important to get an understanding of how to act. This is especially true when you have been in bondage to a person, lifestyle, or way of thinking. The Israelite’s had been recently granted an answer to their prayers and the prayers of their ancestors. They are in unfamiliar territory. One of the greatest fears in humanity is fear of the unknown and there was a lot of unknown in this scenario. “How will we eat? What do we do from day to day? Who is this GOD? What does GOD want from us? Have we traded Pharaoh for another task master just as ruthless? So many unknowns, with fear and its residue was all over them the recently emancipated are being ensnared from within. DIVINE PARENT knowing this. “as parents seem to know things” makes clear the rules and regulations. Half of the rules deal with the vertical connection between GOD and humanity and the other half deal with the horizontal relationships of dealing with each other.

Lent has the opportunity to bring about new revelations and new destinations. With the newness it will be important to know how to act. Knowing how to act will always have its start in keeping the connection with the CREATOR strong. Staying spiritually focused, especially when we are tested and tried by the unfamiliar nuances of the next level. We must not trade the GOD of now with the GOD of then. When I write this I mean the Israelites ultimately were afraid of GOD and not in the reverence type of way. This was a conditioned response from years of life under the rule of the Pharaohs who fashioned themselves as gods. They carried the god of then (past) into the GOD of now. This transference of attributes caused them to see GOD like they saw Pharaoh. As you pursue all that DIVINE PARENT has for you, remember the rules. Love the LORD your GOD  with all your heart, mind, soul and strength: and love your neighbor as yourself. We must caution ourselves against stinking thinking, shackled to yesterday trying to live today. Essentially trying to drive forward looking in the rear view mirror. I read a quote, “If the past comes calling, let it go to voicemail because it has nothing new to say. LIVEBIG

Points to Ponder: Are there any memories that are keeping you from embracing where you are? Do you view rules as liberating or restrictive? What will you do today to share the rule, love one another?

 

Lent 2018 Day Seventeen “Coming Out of Hiding”

Exodus 19:9-15  (NIV)

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. ¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes ¹¹ and be ready by the third day because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹² Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. ¹³ They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.” ¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”

Acts 7:30-40 (NIV)

³⁰ “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. ³¹ When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say: ³² ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’^[a] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ³⁴ I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’^[b]

³⁵ “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness.

³⁷ “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’^[c] 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.

³⁹ “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. ⁴⁰ They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’^[d]

Coming Out of Hiding

Have you ever felt like you were meant to be doing more than you are doing? Have you ever felt unsatisfied going through the motions of life? Deep inside you know you have settled for less than your best. You could have a family, have a job, have friends, and still there can be that feeling gnawing deep within you, that this just isn’t enough. When you think about it, it appears the truest part of you is in hiding. You are a shell of the person you know you can be. The pathways to hiding can be many. Rejection, fear, Failed prior attempts. Whatever the cause, you are longing for the fire and desire to come out of hiding.

Moses is described in the Acts passage as being away from Egypt for forty years, For forty years he has been away from family and familiar places. For forty years he has sought to satisfy and soothe his hurt from rejection. Moses was in hiding from the Egyptian authorities and also in hiding from himself. In the midst of hiding, his curiosity is piqued and he sees a burning bush that isn’t consumed. Being drawn to this he hears the LORD say, “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’^[a] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” GOD sends Moses back to finish what he started.

As you read this you may be reflecting on some areas of your life where you have been hiding. You may like Moses need to go back and finish something you started. I believe you cannot erase what you will not face. The sense of being on holy ground and removing his shoes inspires me to know, let the past stay in the past. You can not bring old habits into new seasons.

Lent is a time to identify holy ground. It would be a shame to end Lent the same way you entered. To fast and pray only to pick back up your fears and follies. GOD is calling us to come out of hiding through a burning bush. A fire that won’t go out. You have felt it. Now, address it and let GOD be GOD. Take off your shoes. Release the past, knowing that you are anatomically designed to move forward. Even if the way forward is the way back. Somebody needs you to go back and get them even though they rejected you when you tried. You are born to LIVE BIG and anything else will be to die small.

Points To Ponder: What fears have caused you to go into hiding? What fires/passions are driving you out of hiding? What if the people you put your neck on the line for, let you down again?

 

 

Lent Day 5 Into The Wilderness

Genesis 9:8-17
9:8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,
9:9 “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you,
9:10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark.
9:11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
9:12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:
9:13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
9:14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,
9:15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
9:16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
9:17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Psalm 25:1-10
25:1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
25:2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
25:3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
25:4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
25:5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I ait all day long.
25:6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
25:7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!
25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
25:9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
25:10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

1 Peter 3:18-22
3:18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,
3:19 in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison
3:20 who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.
3:21 And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you–not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
Mark 1:9-15
1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
1:10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and he Spirit descending like a dove on him.
1:11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
1:12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
1:15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Into The Wilderness

Here on day 5 we are hopefully recognizing that life, as it was, has begun to change. Our locations may or may not be the same but our outlooks and spiritual disciplines should be clearer and more pronounced. This Lent is an adventure into discovery of GOD in spaces and places we may have missed before. Slowing down, being more intentionally present, we can begin to see more and more opportunities to bless and be blessed.

The text in Genesis comes after a life-changing, scary, unpredictable experience. Life after the ark was probably just and stressful as on the ark. Dealing with the unknown has a tendency to unnerve us. The sense of having gone through a challenge puts one on heightened alert. Knowing this GOD works to calm the fears of the Noah and his sons by establishing a covenant. No matter how bad it gets from here GOD comforts them by saying, “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Hearing this I am sure brought comfort. It says just because it rains again, you will not be utterly destroyed. It says you can take comfort in knowing You are cared for by the DIVINE caregiver.

As we grow through our Lenten experience we may have to go into the wilderness. The wilderness can be anywhere anytime. It could be an emotional wilderness where we lose our drive and joy of life. It could be a spiritual wilderness where it feels like our prayers go no further than the ceiling and GOD is on vacation. Whatever the wilderness we may be driven to we are reminded that the MASTER Jesus also went to the wilderness and was tempted forty days. Each day of Lent we are in good company and no matter what the temptation we are never. Keep the faith.

Point to Ponder: Describe your wilderness. What does it feel like? what are you learning? How will You share this learning?

Lent Day 13: In GOD I Trust

^{Psalm 56:3-4} When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
⁴     In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?

What are you afraid of? What is it in your life that gives you cause for pause? Many people among us struggle each and every day with fears and anxieties that cause us to modify our behaviors. What ever we fear has the power to control us if we are not vigilant in our fight for fulfilling our purpose. It is easy to succumb to fears when we don’t have a clear view of the value of our faith. When I say value of our faith I am saying we need a deep understanding that we are called and led to something great and if we don’t get it done there will be consequences.

As we continue to progress through this season of Lent we may find ourselves facing fears, or facing the reality that we have been compromised by fears we didn’t identify in the past. We all have a comfort zones. We all have the things that come easy to us and we enjoy working in those areas. But what happens when GOD calls us to a new season and a new place? What happens when we can no longer rely of familiar spaces and places? The unfamiliar is often a catalyst for fear. The text for today is found in Psalm 56.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+56&version=NIV

The Psalmist asks GOD for mercy because his enemies are in hot pursuit. He is on the run and asking GOD for a break. I don’t know about you but I know how that feels. Needing a break from the adversaries that pursue me all day day. Sometimes it feels like I can’t catch a break. Nothing I seem to do makes anything better. The odd thing is many of these adversaries that pursue me are thoughts that have been harbored in my mind. Our adversaries are often exaggerated like the boogie man and are allowed to control us because we will not confront them. Our Psalmist makes a powerful declaration when he writes, “When I am afraid I put my trust in you.”

Where we put our trust determines how we go forward. When our trust is in man, we can be sure to have continued fear and disappointment. No matter how good a human may present him or herself, sooner or later they will let you down. Humankind does not always intend to let us down, but due to the residue of sin that clings to us we will often let ourselves and others down. It is when we put our trust in GOD that we find true comfort. For the mature believer I am saying nothing new, yet it is our maturity that can hide our complacency. We can grow so accustomed to scripture that it loses it’s meaning. Our challenge is to be willing to confront ourselves to root out how we may have acquiesced to fear and adopted coping mechanisms that have diminished our spiritual potency.

Going and growing through this day I remind us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the overcoming of it. There will be times we feel fearful. Even the strongest believers have to be honest enough to say, “Yeah I was scared”. We may have fear but we don’t have to be frozen. We may be persecuted but we are not forsaken, we may be cast down but we will not be destroyed. No matter what comes our way, our trust in GOD is the key to our deliverance. The Psalm ends with,  I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Sisters and brothers, Let us walk in the light of Life. Faith is life giving.

Prayer: LORD forgive us for losing sight of the purpose you have placed on our lives and allowing fear to dictate our behaviors. Forgive us LORD for placing our trust in the frailties of humanity. Lead us today into the shelter of your protection and grant us the confidence to face our fears. Heal our brokenness and restore to us the joy of our salvation. In the name of Jeshua the Christ, through the intercession of the Holy Spirit we pray, AMEN

Practical Application: Today identify your fears and your goals and take one step toward building your confidence.

Additional Scriptures: Psalm 57-58

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+57-58&version=NIV

Romans 1:1-15

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A1-15&version=NIV

Helpful resource for facing fears:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/who-am-i/201210/5-steps-facing-fears