Lent 2020 Day 12 “An Awakened Spirit”

Daily Scriptures: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=25

John 3:1-13 (NIV)

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

An Awakened Spirit

“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 of us have been infected by these seemingly innocuous sentiments. As a result, we have lived too much of our life locked in the prison of our minds. 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.

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 way 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 38 “Nevertheless”

Jeremiah 33:1-9 (NIV)

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: ² “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ³ ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ ⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siegeramps and the sword ⁵ in the fight with the Babylonians^[a]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.

⁶ “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. ⁷ I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity^[b] and will rebuild them as they were before. ⁸ I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹ Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

Philippians 2:12-18 New International Version (NIV)

Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[a] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Nevertheless

Outdoor life can be unpredictable. One experience the outdoors produces occurs when you start turning over rocks. Rocks can be obstacles and at other times they are stepping stones. They can also be hiding places for creepy crawlies. When we start moving rock we reveal the unseen hidden things in our midst. They were there all along, but we easily overlooked them because they were covered. Moving rocks can expose snakes. In similar ways that moving rocks can reveal snakes so too can moving the illusions we may be living with. We often look out the window and we can see all that is right and wrong with the world. The window is about others. The mirror, on the other hand, is about us. When we look close enough into the mirror we see our blemishes. We see the things we wish could be hidden but honest reflection exposes inconvenient truths. The truths have consequences we may be dealing with, and until the source is addressed we may feel powerless, fragile, and broken. Nevertheless…

In our text from Jeremiah the Prophet is addressing the exiled Israelite community. The prophet himself is writing from confinement. In other words he is not free to come and go as he pleases. He is on lockdown. From this state the prophecy goes forth, in verse 3 “‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ We may be exiled from our land but not from our LORD. GOD is saying I am available to share with my people in pain things that they have long wondered about. If the text stopped here it would be encouraging. But it doesn’t stop there. In verse 5 after describing the fate of the city, broken down and filled with rubble, the prophet says, “I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.” The mirror will reveal levels of wickedness and inconsistencies we thought were hidden. Like turning over the rocks, the mirror lets the snakes come out. Most of us don’t like the snakes. The snakes are our bad habits. The snakes are the lies we tell ourselves about ourselves. The snakes are the jealousies we harbor. The snakes are the sins we have covered up and now they are out. Thankfully, the prophecy continues with the most exciting word I have heard. The word is, Nevertheless. Even though we have been wicked, even though we have been treacherous, even though we have been unloving, even though we have been bathing in mud and are covered head to toe in our mess, Nevertheless, I will bring healing and health to the land. That is a shouting cue for me. When we get exposed for who we are, it is good to know that GOD is a healer. GOD will look past our faults and meet our needs. GOD will fix us even when our illness is self-inflicted. Nevertheless.

As our season of Lent may have revealed the snakes in our lives, when we cry out to GOD for help, GOD will hear us. The CREATOR is able to make all things new. If we are hurting, there is a healing. Not only will there be healing there will also be health. Healing is situational, health is long term. From our brokenness, there will come a blessedness that sustains us and makes us better. Let us call for hope with the confidence of knowing our past has not disqualified us from the promises of GOD. Live In Victory Every Day BIG. LIVEBIG.

Points to Ponder: Think about the rocks in your life. What are they hiding? What does it mean to you to call on GOD? The Israelites were in their situation due to their own disobedience and the bad behavior of others. How do you acknowledge your role in your demise without becoming hopeless and totally consigning yourself to the consequences? Who do you need to forgive to free yourself from mental bondage?

Lent 2018 Day 35 “Who You Gonna Call?

Isaiah 44:1-8 (NIV)

44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. ² This is what the Lord says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun,[a] whom I have chosen. ³ For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. ⁴ They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. ⁵ Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel. ⁶ “This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. ⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let them foretell what will come. ⁸ Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

Acts 2:14-24 (NIV)

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. ²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. ²¹ And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[a] ²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,^[b] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

When floating on the sea of trouble with trials falling like rain from the sky what do you do? When trodding through life’s murky waters and troubles form the tears in your eye, how do you hold on? When the worst is bound to happen in spite of all that you may do, who you gonna call. A few years ago a popular television game show offered lifelines to get answers. When life presents you with unexpected challenges, we all need to have someone who we can call on. Thinking along these lines it is helpful to have an idea about who is in your circle and who would be most helpful. Different situations require different resources. Who is the most dependable, versatile, knowledgeable, capable person you know?

The Prophet Isaiah, speaking to the Israelites recently returning from forced exile addresses their frustrations and fears. The prophet says, “² This is what the Lord says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun,[a] whom I have chosen. ³ For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. Reading this we begin to understand that GOD always has a plan even when we do not see it. The plans of GOD are intended to bless us and stretch us. The Israelites were stressed out. Returning home and finding home in disrepair. Not seeing the resources to fix things and facing incredible odds. They feel like they are a desert with little or no life stirring. They are scared, wondering if things will ever be “normal” again. They may even be wondering if there ever was a “normal”. Here the Prophet is inspired to say, GOD who has watched you from the womb will help you. Help is on the way and if help is on the way, then hope is already here. This hope will inspire us to persevere. Not only will this generation be blessed but future generations will be blessed through them. In other words, they will leave a legacy. This is a word for us also. Don’t be scared GOD’s got you. GOD will pour out GODS spirit on us and we will regain our confidence. We will regain our footing. We will regain our hope. When the Spirit is poured out it will overflow. One person, one family cannot contain all that GOD is looking to pour out on us. The scene is Acts is just after the Spirit has been poured out on the day of Pentecost. It is so powerful the people look drunk. They are speaking in tongues and spiritual pandemonium has broken out. From that day till now nothing has been the same. 

This Lent when tempted and tried, call on GOD. Do not hesitate or wait, when you know you can’t GOD still can. Be open to the Spirit, whether you are young or old because GOD is looking to pour out his Spirit on ALL flesh. LIVEBIG

Points to Ponder: Who would you call in your greatest time of need? What is the legacy you intend to leave future generations? Make a commitment to leave this earth better than you found it.

 

Lent 2018 Day 29 “Upgrade”

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Isaiah 60:15-22

¹⁵ “Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through,
I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. ¹⁶ You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. ¹⁷ Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood, I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. ¹⁸ No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. ¹⁹ The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. ²⁰ Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. ²¹ Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. ²² The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”

John 8:12-20

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” ¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. ¹⁶ But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. ¹⁷ In your own Law, it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. ¹⁸ I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” ¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” ²⁰ He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him because his hour had not yet come.

Upgrade

Your phone is slowing down and the battery is dying faster. Your car has a new muffler you call, a louder radio volume. Your shoes have holes where once there were souls. You are going through the motions Sunday after Sunday but no new revelation for elevation has come your way in longer than you can remember. In each of these scenarios, I contend you may be in need of an upgrade. The time has come to address the situation and let go of that favorite shirt that started black and has faded to grey. The old ways which served you well, have now stopped yielding any increase. It feels like you are running in mud on a merry go round. You feel let down, forgotten, and blah.

Isaiah 60 addresses this feeling. The Israelites have been through exile and have returned to a mess. They look at their situation and get depressed all over again. Everywhere they look they see remnants of what was and is no more. The prophet communicates from GOD a message of hope. This hope and vision is of an upgrade. GOD says in verse 17: “Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood, I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler.” When I read this I am challenged not to downsize my dreams to the depths of my dilemmas. I am challenged to believe that my opportunities can overwhelm my obstacles. Hope is a contagious thing. When we have hope it filters through our whole being. We see launch pads where once there were landing strips. We see gold where once we saw bronze. We see bronze where once we saw wood. This message is for every person who is feeling down, falling down,  or fearing disaster. Lift up your head, steady your spine and believe that the creator of the universe has no limits or boundaries. Just because you have fasted and prayed and you see no results, remember that words are like seeds, They grow down before they grow up. The deeper the root the better the fruit.

Lent is a season of an upgrade. As we are intentional about our spiritual journey we are able to see areas of our life that are in disrepair. We acknowledge our fragile moments have fractured our faith and are accountable. This Lent, GOD is saying to each of us through Jesus, I am the light of the world. You may have been in darkness, unable to see, but if you follow you will never be in darkness again. Follow me and I will give you hope. Follow me and you can have inner peace. Follow me and you will be inundated with light.

Points to Ponder: You are the light of the world, how are you shining? In what areas of your life are you in need of an upgrade? What does it mean to be a child of GOD and what are your responsibilities?

 

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 24 “Our Inheritance”

Daniel 12:5-13 (NIV)

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. ⁶ One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” ⁷ The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time.^[a] When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” ⁸ I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” ⁹ He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. ¹¹ “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.¹² Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. ¹³ “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

Ephesians 1:7-14 (NIV)

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he^[a] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹¹ In him, we were also chosen,^[b] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Our Inheritance

Many a family has been torn apart and emotionally bruised over the loss of a loved one. There appears to be a toxic mix between grief, guilt, and greed. As a pastor I once had a family that required a restraining order at the burial, resulting in two committals. It seems like everybody wants something for nothing. When I say this I am saying everything received from an inheritance comes from no work or effort done by the recipient. The family and friends anxiously gather to hear the will read with no guarantees yet expecting something grand. When the disappointment hits arguing and all other disruptive behaviors emerge.

In both of our text today we have a reference to an inheritance for those in connection with GOD. In Daniel we have an end time prophecy that encourages Daniel to go his way while trouble and tribulation occurs on the land. He is told that he will rest and when the season of turbulence is over, he will receive his allotted inheritance. The question is how do you rest while persecution is breaking out all over the land? How do you maintain composure when trouble is knocking on your door and your neighbors door? I believe it is in believing the promise that in the end everything will be all right. It may be tough and waves of affliction may seek to drown you, but you can rest because you believe in the promises you are given. This confidence is highlighted in Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus. Written to encourage primarily non-Jewish believers Paul speaks of a shared an inheritance, but also of a guarantee. I wonder how many families should invest in living wills? Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit as a guarantor of the inheritance to come. Not just to the Jewish believer but also to the gentile. This is kinda like being adopted but written in as a heir.

During this Lenten season we may have some turbulence on our spiritual journey. There may be hard times and feelings of wanting to quit. We may want to throw our hands up and say whats the use? We see a world in chaos and often feel powerless to change anything. We know that trouble don’t last always, but… This word is for you, trust the Holy Spirit living within you. Trust that you have come this far by faith and you will make it. Rest in the promises of GOD.

Points to Ponder: How has the Holy Spirit been alive in your life? What is your expected inheritance as a believer? What will your legacy be for future generations?

Lent 2018 Day 21 “Cleaning House”

2 Chronicles 29:1-11, 16-19 (NIV)

Hezekiah Purifies the Temple

29 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.

³ In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. ⁴ He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side ⁵ and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. ⁶ Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him. ⁷ They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. ⁸ Therefore, the anger of the Lord has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes. ⁹ This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity. ¹⁰ Now I intend to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. ¹¹ My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.”

¹⁶ The priests went into the sanctuary of the Lord to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the Lord. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley. ¹⁷ They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month, they reached the portico of the Lord. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the Lord itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.

¹⁸ Then they went in to King Hezekiah and reported: “We have purified the entire temple of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table for setting out the consecrated bread, with all its articles. ¹⁹ We have prepared and consecrated all the articles that King Ahaz removed in his unfaithfulness while he was king. They are now in front of the Lord’s altar.”

Hebrews 9:23-28 (NIV)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. ²⁵ Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.²⁶ Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Cleaning House

Have you ever wondered what is the point of cleaning up your house when it’s only going to get dirty again? Have you ever wondered what the big deal was behind making up your bed every day only to get back in it and mess it up at night especially when no one is going to see it? Many are the excuses used to validate not putting in the extra effort do house cleaning. I confess I have used some of them. When my daughters were younger I worked on instituting the first five rule. This rule stated the first five minutes of arriving home were the most critical. If we put things away, right away they wouldn’t pile up. Five minutes could save hours of hard work. (Reminder to self, I need to follow my own plan). Just as our homes miraculously accumulate work that needs to be done when neglected, so does our spirits.

In the passage from 2 Chronicles 29 the writer highlights the story of King Hezekiah and how he responded to the negligence of the house of the LORD. The first thing he does is fix the doors. Imagine walking by or driving by a church and the doors are hanging off the hinges. I am sure this is not what the preachers have meant when they say, “The doors of the church are open”. In this case, the doors were open because they were broken. Yesterday we read about being the temple of GOD (1 Corinthians 3) and how we must build with care. This text from Chronicles reminds us that after building the house, we need to take care of the house.

Lent is a time of Spiritual house cleaning. We use this time to purify ourselves. To be intentional about creating and maintaining a dwelling place worthy of the King of Kings. When we like the people of Judah and Israel neglect the temple there are consequences. We are tasked to consecrate ourselves as we seek to consecrate the temple. In other words, it’s hard for an old broom to sweep clean. We must work on ourselves as we seek to work on others. We must develop a new attitude that resists the temptation to let things go. I am a witness, the more we let things go the more they tend to grow. The senior saints used to say, “If you let the devil ride, sooner or later he will try to drive.” The day is the LORD has made for us to practice the first five. Here are my first five for building spiritual clarity using the acronym CLEAN

1. Consecrate Yourself. Take time away from hustle and bustle and listen for GOD
2. Love. Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart mind souls and strength, and know that you are loved by the CREATOR unconditionally.
3. Excavate. Dig up and clean out any debris of doubt or unrepentant sin. Warning, when you lift the rocks in your life, you might find hidden snakes.
4. Acknowledge. We must acknowledge we have messed up in order to avoid falling back into the same level of disrepair. We cannot erase what we will not face.
5. Nurture. We must nuture our relationship with the DIVINE. Nurture means to spend time with GOD, Feed our spirits, Take out weeds in our spiritual garden

When we practice these first five we will find the clean up next year will be a lot easier. LIVEBIG.

Points to Ponder: In what ways is your spiritual temple in disrepair? What steps are you taking to address this clutter in your soul? After cleaning your house, how will you help others to clean theirs?

Lent 2018 Day Eight “Show Them Who You Are”

Proverbs 30:1-9 NIV

Sayings of Agur

30 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man’s utterance to Ithiel: I am weary, God, but I can prevail. ² Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. ³ I have not learned wisdom,  nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. ⁴ Who has gone up to heaven and come down?  Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know! ⁵ “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. ⁶ Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. ⁷ “Two things I ask of you, Lord;  do not refuse me before I die: ⁸ Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. ⁹ Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Matthew 4:1-11  (NIV)

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a]by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]” ⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]” ⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’  ¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Show Them Who You Are

In the movie Black Panther while in the heat of battle, T’Challa the rising king is in a precarious situation about to lose the challenge to his throne. In the heat of battle, his mother shouts out, “SHow him who you are”. Needless to say, this is the key moment and the battle turns on this awareness. Many of us are in battles like T’challa and like Jesus in the Matthew text. When in battle we often become so focused on what we are doing that we forget who and whose we are.

The text in Proverbs spoken from the point of humility acknowledges that compared to the DIVINE we are not much. The writer says, “I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. ³ I have not learned wisdom,  nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.” The real question for this writer was found not in who he was but in whose he was. He begins the passage by saying, “I am weary, but I can prevail”. During our Lenten season, the truth is the weight of self-examination and spiritual intentionality can wear us down. We can become weary. Day and night our focus is on drawing closer to our Creator and yet there are obstacles in our path.

Jesus the MAster encounters this in our Matthean text. While fasting and praying, committing his life to an even deeper walk with GOD, the Enemy comes along to tempt him. The temptations begin with, ” If you are the son of GOD then…” It is this model of life in the wilderness that we connect with during Lent. We are placing our selves in a vulnerable position and open to temptations. We can easily become hungry and know that actually have the power to do something about it. Where there is no desire there is no temptation. So I am convinced that Jesus wanted to show the tempter who he was in the most dramatic way possible. Here is where, by not showing off, Jesus shows off. When you know who you are you realize there is no need to show off. Only insecurity or internal turmoil causes one to prove it. Jesus is the Son of the MOST HIGH. We are children of the MOST HIGH. Knowing who we are and whose we are allows us to define for ourselves what it means to “Show them who we are”.

Points to Ponder: Who are you? In what ways are you compelled to prove who you are? We are called to let our light shine, what is your brightest light and how will you let it shine today?

Lent Day 30: When Words Fail

 

^{ROMANS 8:26-27} In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Have you ever been at a loss for words? Have you ever in the presence of GOD wondered if you were praying right, or asking for the right things? I can’t speak for anyone else but I can say that there are times my mind and my heart wrestle in my prayer time. My mind wants to say there is a right and wrong way to apporach GOD. my mind wants to place boundaries on the experience. At the same time my heart just wants to pour completely out. My heart just wants be in the moment with no sense of long term implications. In these moments I can get frustrated. I sense Paul in our text addresses this feeling.

Our text is found in Romans 8:12-27.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+8%3A12-27&version=NIV

In this text Paul begins with a word of encouragement for walking in the Spirit. Paul states that we are GODS children, a co-heir with Christ. In our relationship with GOD it helps to remember that GOD loves us as GODS children. As a Divine parent GOD is watching over us and always has our est interest at heart. There is not a situation that we find ourselves in that GOD is not in charge of. Knowing this helps us to walk in confidence and know that the sufferings of this present time, cannot compare to the glory that will be revealed in us. This is exciting to me. It reminds me that suffering, sacrifice, and even sickness are temporary setbacks but are not final. With GOD we will get through it. Now usually I would just stop right here. (I have for years). But today my heart and mind collide on the thought, when I am going through, what should I pray for. Usually I just want it to be over. My prayers tend to be, “LORD deliver me right now, don’t delay, Hook me up!!” Yet I am thinking about how weak and anemic I would be if at every challenge I simply gave up and got rescued. If GOD just jumped at my command it would be like a child who in attempt to help a butterfly cut open the cocoon. The butterfly got out but it could not fly. This attempt to help actually crippled the butterfly. And so it is when we are prematurely released from our struggle. We would never develop spiritual perseverance and resilience if we never had to endure some hardship. Our witness would be incomplete. We would stop at a GOD is Santa Clause theology and not GOD is a deliverer. We would not be able to relate to those who may feel like they are between blessings, or even more challenging that have lost all hope in GOD.

So as we go and grow through today, I am grateful that the Spirit intercedes for us on our behalf. We don’t always know what to say and we need some help. Like a child with older siblings we need somebody to explain to us and our parent whats going on. Keep the faith throughout this Lenten season, GOD hears the words we don’t know to say.

PRAYER: Hear oh LORD the words we don’t know to say when we pray. You know whats best for us, even if it requires us to experience challenges. Grant us your peace and reveal your glory through our story. Through the intercession of the Holy Spirit we pray in the name of Jeshua, AMEN

Point to Ponder: How would your life be different if you never had to struggle? What struggle are you grateful for that GOD allowed you to grow through?

Additional Scriptures

Jeremiah 22:13-23

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jeremiah+22%3A13-23&version=NIV

Psalm 69

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+69&version=NIV

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