Psalm 46 - Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There

Psalm 46 To the leader. Of the Korahites. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. [Selah]
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. [Selah]
Come, behold the works of the LORD; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. [Selah] (NRSV)

 Guys – we’re the worst offenders in this category.  How often have we had our wife come to us with a story from work or a project she’s working on in a volunteer setting or maybe even with the kids a bit rattled and anxious.  She rambles on excitedly about all the troubles.  What is it that we are doing?  Solving the problem in our mind, perhaps even interrupting her to give her the answer to her “Simple” problem. 

Wrong answer!  She simply needs to download AND you simply need to listen. 
 

You need to really listen, not to solve but to empathize with her.  You need to really understand what she is saying to you.  You also need to understand what she wants.  I know – if we knew what women wanted … Regardless, beyond the immediate topic you need to listen to her to understand whether she is asking for your help or simply expecting your ear.  The solving will come soon enough.

David in his psalm gives us some perspective.  The perspective will help in this situation with our wives and it will also help in our own deep water times of trouble.  The bulk of Psalm 46 reminds us of God’s strength against the assaults that come our way. 

The imagery is fortress like.  “God is our refuge and strength” and “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge”.  Clearly, this God is strong and protective in nature.  The psalm also gives imagery of God’s unique strength with phrases like, “He utters his voice, the earth melts” and “God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved”.

Overall the intent is a reflection on the truth of who God is in His power, protection and strength.  He is in sovereign control over His creation and those upon whom he casts His love within it. 

Here’s a test for you.  Do you love God?  It is a yes or no question.

If the answer is yes there is a verse for you to consider.  (1John 4:19)  “We love because he first loved us”. (NASB)  Scripture tells us that if we love God – it is only because He loved us first.

So, this God who protects those He loves – if you love Him must have loved you first.  Otherwise you would be incapable of loving Him.  Get it?  If you love Him, He loved you first and He protects the ones He loves.

And now – we can come to where David lands in Psalm 46 and perhaps a phrase you have heard before.  “Be still and know that I am God”

When you stop the problem solving.  When you stop the worrying.  When you stop, stop, stop.  You give the Lord a chance to get through all the chatter and grant you the assurance that Psalm 46 gives us in black and white.  AMEN!

Joshua 10:7-11 Holy God; Holy Jesus

Joshua 10:7-11 (NASB) “So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors.   The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you."  So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.  And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.  As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.”

Who is Jesus to you?  Do you think of Jesus with the long flowing hair and smooth nearly effeminate features hung on so many Sunday School walls when we were kids?  Do you picture the Jesus who said, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16b (NASB)  Is God to you you a bit firmer as  you consider passages such as, Matthew 21:12 (NASB)  “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.”  Is He more ?  Is He safe passage?  “Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6 (NASB) 

While all these pieces of Jesus are true if left in isolation or even filled in with like passages it paints an incomplete portrait of our Lord and Savior. 

While it is true that Jesus is love, (1 John 4:8) there is much more to Him than our image of love.  Love is in fact more than warm and fuzzy.  Love is Holy.  Holy is incapable of tolerating anything unholy.  Holy equals Righteous.  And now you’re starting to get nervous – am I right?

Well, we’ve glossed over a few things that we have to go back and clear up.  First, that passage we quoted that says, Jesus is Love – actually says this, “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 (NASB)  So the first two points to make are first, Jesus is not referenced by name, it is “God” with a capital G who is mentioned.  And second, if you do not love, you do not know God.

So how can you get away with saying “Jesus is Love” Dale?  -- Here’s how.  John also writes,  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 (NASB)  So, the Word equals God.  So what you say – that doesn’t make Jesus equal to God.  Read on my friend.  “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” John 1:14-17  So, Jesus is God and Jesus is Love.

Where did I come up with this God is Holy stuff and who says anyone or anything is unholy?  We can clear this one up pretty quick with a New Testament quote from Peter, “Because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’" 1 Peter 1:16 (NASB) and the other part comes from Paul, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 (NASB)  Do we have to point out that sin is somehow less than holy?  That is clearly short of God’s standard of holiness.

Ok – what has this got to do with the passage from Joshua.  Simply this.  Joshua picked up the mantle as it were from Moses who had led God’s chosen people out of Egypt through the wilderness and to the Promised Land.  Moses led them there not once but twice you might recall.  On the first trip they arrived and sent twelve spies into the land to check it out and only two came back with reports that they should enter in.  Those two were Caleb and Joshua.

Because Moses failed to lead God’s people into the Promised Land they had to wander the wilderness another forty years and when they came back another generation had been raised up.  Only this new generation plus the two Caleb and Joshua were allowed to enter in.  Only Caleb and Joshua who had given the report that the inhabitants of the land could be defeated plus the new generation not yet circumcised until just before entering in as a way to separate the generations.

What was God’s command to Joshua and His people upon entering the Promised Land?    "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.  Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.  No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”  Joshua 1:2-6 (NASB)

He said take the land I am giving to you.  He said no one there will stand against you.  In later passages as the various battles are depicted even more explicit instructions are given about leaving no survivors.  This holy God commands utter destruction.

So my question comes back to this.  Who is Jesus to you?  Is He only the warm and fuzzy Teddy Bear Jesus or is He your Holy God Jesus?  For me, He is both.  AMEN!

Romans 2:28-29 Tender Hearted

Romans 2:28-29  For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.  But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. (NASB)

Have you ever wondered about the label, “Tender hearted?”  I don’t know the actual origin of the phrase and at this point I have no interest in looking it up but I do think it fits particular people or moments in life.  I also think folks can build up layers of “Protection” for various reasons and wind up callused.  That callus though protective can also become a barrier to relationships; it can be a problem.

In the book of Romans Paul goes to great length to explain our Christian faith.  Many great men of faith have made it their lifetime endeavor to study and write on just this great book from our Bible.  It is deep and chewy and rich in helping us to understand the depraved state from which we come and the great gift of grace by the shed blood of Jesus which saves us.  If you grasp and believe what Paul presents in Romans your faith is on a solid foundation.

One of the themes presented early on is that there is no partiality in God between Jew or Greek.  That is, Jews and the rest of us.  He illustrates this with the picture of circumcision which of course was the ritual performed on every young Jewish boy prescribed in the Law setting them apart.  This ritual has its origin alongside the origin of the covenant God made with Abraham as a sign of that binding agreement.  We see it used throughout scripture including as the people of Israel wander through the wilderness.  Those who left Egypt had all been circumcised but those born in the wilderness were not.  Because of disobedience, the former generation were not allowed to enter the Promised Land and the sign of circumcision sorted the generations.  Before entering, Joshua was commanded to then circumcise this generation about to enter – Ouch!  There would have been up to 80 year old men (40 years x 2) uncircumcised that had to endure this ritual.

Back to Romans

Paul continues making this argument that the distinction between Jew and Greek is now gone.  And one of the chief symbols, circumcision of the flesh, is not what we should be considering.  Indeed, it is the circumcision of one’s heart that matters.

The verse makes the argument, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly” – what?  I thought this covenant and ritual was all about Abraham’s children.  Yes, it is – but it is Abraham’s offspring by faith that are counted.  That is the point here.  “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly” – by faith having that same connection Abraham did.  That is the covenant relationship.  The symbol of that covenant was circumcision so Paul makes the comparison, “Nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh” and continues, “And circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter”.

Whoa!  Those are fightin’ words Paul!  Do you mean the prescribed circumcision that generation upon generation of Jewish people have followed is of no value?  Yep!  That’s right.  As a symbol of the covenant God made with Abraham – circumcision of the flesh is of absolutely no value!  NONE!  That is exactly what Paul is saying.  By contrast what is of value is the true circumcision which cannot be seen as faith cannot be seen – it is a circumcision of one’s heart.

Paul indicates this heart work is that of the Holy Spirit, “by the Spirit, not by the letter”.  That is instructive too, this heart work is not something a man with a sharp instrument does one to another.  This is in fact delicate work the Holy Spirit, God Himself accomplishes in the life of men. 

So was Paul coming up with a new idea?  Not at all.  Read this portion of God’s promise  … "The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.  “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live”. Deuteronomy 30:5-6 (NASB)

Did you get that?  Old Testament promise of God!  He will “Circumcise your heart” and so that you are able, “To love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

So, what does all this mean?  It means simply this.  Circumcision of the heart is the work of God that brings His covenant about in a person’s life through faith in Jesus Christ.  When His work on your heart brings about the necessary tenderness such that you may respond by faith, the circumcision is complete.  Only then are you enabled to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart.”  AMEN!

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 The Gift of Love

1Corinthians 12:4-7  “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good”. (NASB)

Being Valentine’s Day today many have quoted or thought about 1Corinthians 13 commonly referred to as the “Love” chapter.  You know the one, “Love is patient, love is kind …”.  While there is deep truth about the nature of love revealed it is helpful to look at that chapter in context.

The context of 1Corinthians 13 is a discussion of spiritual gifts.  Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit comes to live in every believer and in addition there are spiritual gifts that are given to each believer by the Holy Spirit.  There are several lists of gifts in Scripture and much debate about which gifts are or are not active today.  Likewise there is conjecture that the lists given are not exhaustive; that there are more gifts than the specific ones listed in Scripture.

The key is that there are spiritual gifts given to each believer by the Holy Spirit and that they are given for a purpose.  Today’s passage reveals the purpose; “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good”.  So, the gifts are for the building up of the body of Christ, the Church.  That building up of the body of Christ brings glory to God.  That is the goal if everything, the glorification of God.

But let’s back up the truck.  Why am I referencing the “Love” chapter and also speaking about spiritual gifts.  As stated earlier this puts 1Corinthians 13 in context.  You see the discussion of the spiritual gifts and their proper use in building up the body of Christ brackets the “Love” chapter.  Unfortunately, the first three verses of the “Love” chapter are routinely left off when they are shared or discussed.  In the context of the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the body and the glorification of God let’s read those first three verses.

1Corinthians 13:1-3  ”If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing”.

It is clear then that any of the spiritual gifts used in a context without love are pointless.  Worse, they are an irritation; “A noisy gong or a clanging cymbal”.  It is love that is the foundational to proper use, utilization and effectiveness of the spiritual gifts.  For love to have its effect it needs to be genuine.  Genuine love is what the remainder of 1Corinthians 13 reveals.  So, here is what genuine love which under-girds the spiritual gifts and ultimately the glorification of God looks like:

1Corinthians 13:4-13  “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.  When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.  But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love”.

AMEN!

2 Timothy 4:1-2 Preach the Word

2Timothy 4:1-2  “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” (NASB)

There are three letters in the New Testament of our Bible that are referred to as the Pastoral Epistles.  That is, they are generally considered to be instructions for pastors.  This is because they were written to two guys, Titus and Timothy whom Paul was instructing in ways to lead the church. 

Why did he do this?  Paul knew that his ministry would one day come to an end and that he should be pouring his efforts not only into evangelism of the lost but also into the next generation of leaders.  To that end, he gives instruction to Timothy and Titus in the three letters we have.  The three letters named for the recipients are Titus and first and second Timothy.

On Saturday at a dinner Pastor Joey said we would see something “New” in the sanctuary on Sunday.  It didn’t take long to see where.  Posted right on the front of the podium, center stage, was a new inscription.  IN GREEK!  Having been tipped off I actually brought my Hebrew / Greek Study Bible and had absolutely no results digging in with my virtually nonexistent language skills.  The inscription read, “khrucon ton logon” and at that I’m giving you the anglicized version of the words.  I was staring at Greek letters which I have no way to type into the BLOG.

About nine O’clock last night I was about certain I had deciphered it.  “Preach the Word” from 2 Timothy 4 was what I came up with.  So after this rather long introduction let’s take a quick look.

Paul exhorts his protégé, Timothy “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus”.  Does that get your attention?  As a Timothy, it would me.  He goes on to remind Timothy a little about Jesus who, “Is to judge the living and the dead”.  Tuned in yet?  But Paul isn’t done, yet another reminder about Jesus “Appearing” which is a reference to His incarnation or walking among us; God among men.  Finally comes a reference to “His kingdom”.  “His kingdom”, reminds Timothy not only of His reign as King but also the eternal nature of that kingdom.

Now with all the emphasis Paul could muster he finally gets to what he’s asking Timothy to do.  “Preach the word”.  And be always ready to preach it regardless of the season; be ready.  Be ready with the word to, “Reprove, rebuke, and exhort”  all of this, “With great patience and instruction”.

So to put it in a nutshell, Paul wants Timothy to understand how serious his work for God’s kingdom is, to be ready to “Preach the word” whenever the opportunity or the need arises.  Perhaps the last is the most important.  Paul reminds Timothy to be gentile with the flock.  Paul knows Christians are just weak vessels that have been greatly blessed with the call of their Savior Jesus.  Elsewhere a similar reminder is given, “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ”. Ephesians 4:15

So being a pastor is a serious even a solemn charge.  It is the choice of God to use the human vessel; to use a pastor to proclaim the truth of Christ with the love of Christ.  “Preach the word”!  AMEN!

John 13:34-35 Love One Another

John 13:34-35  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (NASB)

When I was in Jr. High at the little Methodist church in Shafter what I would call “Folk” or “Camp” songs were pretty popular.  One of the songs I recall contained the phrase, “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord and we know that all unity will one day be restored, and they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. They’ll know we are Christians by our love”.  Why do I remember that?  Who knows, but I do.  And within this simple folksy tune is some solid truth. 

John records in his gospel the passage I have referenced.  In it lies the Biblical source of the catch phrase in that little ditty.  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”.  So it is this idea of love for one another that I’d like to explore further.

While Scripture gives plenty of examples and instruction concerning care for others, this isn’t one of them.  By that I mean that this passage is confined to the relationship between and among believers.  In other words, how Christians behave with other Christians.  This is the meaning of “One another”.

In context, this passage comes toward the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth.  In fact, it comes in the same setting as Judas being identified as His betrayer.  It also comes immediately following the scene when Jesus surprises His disciples by washing their feet.  This kindness of washing the disciples’ feet drew a reaction from Peter who challenged Jesus and insisted that he should wash Jesus feet instead.  Peter’s reaction was from his understanding that Jesus was superior; he was inferior.  Jesus insisted though and when He did Peter made another suggestion saying, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head” John 13:9  Jesus told him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean”. John 13:10

This is typical of Peter and probably typical of us too.  First he wants to do it his way and then he yields but asks of Christ more than He’s offered.  Peter’s reaction will be fodder for another time.  The point I’m trying to get to here is that Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, Creator and Sustainer of all things chooses to serve His disciples by washing their feet.  He explains, “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” John 13:13-15

So when He comes to the passage referred to today it should be considered in context.  The way Jesus showed or demonstrated his love for the disciples was by serving them.  He instructs them to love one another in the same way; by serving one another.  The serving of one another should include the most humbling of ways; the equivalent of washing “One another’s feet”. John 13:15

The bottom line then is that as Christians we are to follow this example.  We are to serve each other in whatever way necessary, no matter how humbling as the expression of our love.  We should also follow the model of Christ in that He, though superior, served His disciples.  This is one area of Scripture from which we learn the concept of servant leadership.  The leadership of the local church should be first in serving the body, figuratively washing feet at every opportunity. 

And yes, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  AMEN!