Meditation

 

I have found this to be an excellent guide to study the Word. The key to meditation is to ask questions. Many believers are not accustomed to this practice and have a habit of regurgitating information they have heard from someone else but giving the information no further thought. They have never learned to think. Asking questions causes us to think.

We begin with Matthew 5:1.

1. Write the passage:

Matt 5:1 And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

2. Ask Questions:

And-what does this word connect?

Seeing-what did He see?

Multitudes-where did they come from? Was it a crowd? What motivated them to come?

Why did seeing the multitudes prompt Him to go up on the mountain?

(Not that we will answer each of these questions but it tunes our Reticular Activation System).

What mountain did He go up on? Why did He go up?

After He sat down, His disciples came to him. Did the multitudes come or just the disciples? If only the disciples came, why didn’t the multitudes?

Compare your answer to this question with Matt. 7:28-8:1.

Did your answer change?

As you visualize this scene, what other questions come to mind? Write them down.

 

3. Do a word study:

What do each of the words in this verse mean?

Ask more questions (this activates your RAS).

And=but, it compares two things. It is a transition to something new. It is a particle, not a conjunction. What is the word transitioning?

Seeing=to know, perceive with the eyes, be aware of, consider, understand, saw their needs. When you look at someone, what do you see?

Multitude=large group.

Went up=because of the needs that He saw, He went to address them. It implies a motion on His part.

Mountain=lifts itself up above the plains. (Using the Reticular Activation System, think about this when you see a mountain when traveling or on vacation. Picture Him walking up).

 

4. Look up cross references:

Mark 9- and they brought the boy to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit through him into a convulsion.

Matt. 9-He saw Matthew the tax collector.

Mark-He saw a fig tree.

Matt. 4-He healed the multitudes (individuals).

Matt. 15-fed the multitudes (individually).

 

5. Paraphrase:

When Jesus considered the throng of people that came out to Him seeking to get their needs met, He went up on the mountain.

 

6. Personalize:

When I see a group of people, I realize that I can treat them as a group or I could take time to understand the needs of individuals in the group. Like Jesus, I need to take time to get alone with needy people to teach them.

When we memorize a text, we get it into our mind.

When we do a word study, we get it into our will.

When we personalize it, we get it into our emotions.

 

7. Picture it:

Drawing a picture or visualizing the entire scene as it unfolds will help to capture and feel it. Visualize Jesus with the multitudes and Him looking at just me. Even though He is ministering to many, He has time for me.

Visualize Him walking up to the base of a mountain. Visualize the multitudes. How many do you see? What are they doing, wearing and talking about? Do you see any children? Now visualize the disciples and watch as Jesus sits. How is He sitting? What are the disciples doing? Can you hear the questions they are formulating as they watch the scene unfold? There was a time that Jesus was in the temple, bent over to write on the ground. Do you think He did something like that here? Why or why not? Do you think His behaviors and mannerisms made the most of the situation?

What time of day was it? What were people feeling at that particular time? Were they hungry or sleepy, exhausted or moody? When you listen to people talking, what do you do? What do you think about? Are you tired, hungry etc.? How does that affect your ability to hear?

These are a small number of questions that can and should be asked whenever we encounter God’s Word. They help us to personalize God’s Word and draw it into our emotions after it is a part of our mind and will.

 

8. Application:

What do I see when I perceive a group of people? Do I see their needs or do I categorize them according to the way I see people?

If I were traveling with Jesus, how long would it take Him to see their health problems in a crowd? Why is it that I don’t ever see peoples needs or suffering? “Lord, I need to see as You see”.

The first word, ‘and’, brought this Scripture together with the previous where Jesus healed many and THEN they came out and He taught them. How often do I get involved in peoples’ physical needs? Do I use this as a springboard to teach them?

Now, try it on your own.

"Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt. 5:31-34

                                                                                                                                                               borrowed

Reticular Activation System (RAS)

Reticular Activation System (RAS)

It’s a common phenomenon. You look for a new car, something not like anyone else’s, something unusual.  You pick out what seems to be a unique, unusual choice of a special red car and all of a sudden, there it is– your red car, the one you thought was only yours.  It’s on every street corner. It is at every stoplight.  You see three of these red cars driving down the freeway.  You never saw these cars before.  What happened?  How did all of these people get your unique red car at the same time?

Well the fact of the matter is that your brain is seeing the red cars that were always there.  Since you picked out this car for yourself, that car has become special for you and now you are noticing what was really there all along.

It’s called the “Reticular Activation System” or RAS.  It is the part of your brain that automatically filters out what is not important to you and brings your attention to things that are important to you. 

In this context, we will now hear a sermon or read a book containing some piece of information we had studied in the Scripture and it will reinforce and personalize what we had studied. borrowed

Waiting on the Lord

An often misunderstood verse in Scripture is Isaiah 40:31 where one is instructed to wait on the Lord.

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

In this text, one tends to believe that waiting is sitting back, being patient or not doing anything, however, the word "wait" in Hebrew, is to intertwine.

The implication is to intertwine our thoughts with His thoughts. When we do so, we gain a new strength; we mount up, with wings like eagles. We run and don't get tired. We walk and not become weary.

Most of our efforts are, at best, wearisome. Our efforts lack strength. We tire. As we intertwine our thoughts with His thoughts, through meditation on the Word, we will gain a new strength.

Pride

believing that we accomplished what in reality God and others have done in and for us.

Want to Change the World?

If each person helped two people in this world, we would all be affected for the better.  Please read this blog:  http://amandagoble.blogspot.com/2007/12/emotional-day.html  and comment me if you want at the comment link to the left of this page.  I rarely support Christian programs because I see too much "fleecing the flock" however, I am well acquainted with this ministry and know that 100% is used to aid the people in Kenya.

I am rarely moved by stories but this struck me very deeply.  She doesn't make an appeal for money or help but just reports the facts.

 

Anger

Someone finding a personal right that I have not yet yielded to God.

Angry Pastors

I am perplexed at how many so-called pastors are angry men. I have seen this many times and it was again brought to my attention by two friends who attend different churches.

Whenever confronted with a question (usually that they can't answer), idea (that conflicts with their agenda) or confrontation (concerning an error in their behavior), they most often respond in anger. It can be anger that explodes (destroying others) or implodes (destroying themselves). This response happens to be the norm rather than the exception.

Generally, anger is a response that one has when he feels he is losing control or authority. This plays out in parenting too.

It amazes me that many church goers have seen this, but have varied responses and it is usually the whipped dog response, curling the tail between the legs and bowing the head in submission.

Our response should be to follow the Word when it says: Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, Lest you learn his ways, And find a snare for yourself. Pr. 22: 24-25.

Why is it we ignore this verse? Do we like the feeling we get from angry people? Do we believe we need to stay the course despite a "pastor's" flaws? It dismays me that we have certain "Christian beliefs" of evangelism, witnessing, church planting, outreach, etc. but we ignore these short verses, which are also inspired?

One may say, "but he only blows up once in a great while". This, however, is evidence of a character flaw, not an occasional error in judgment. Would you buy a piece of property near a volcano that "only blows once in awhile"? Probably not, it would endanger you and your family. Solomon said the same thing, don't associate with a man given to anger or a hot tempered man, why, because you would learn his way AND find a snare for yourself. The same concern you have about placing your family at risk by moving near a volcano needs to be given when you are in a church with a pastor given to anger. This is why Scripture gives strict qualifications for the elder. (See Qualifications of the elder)

One friend did not agree with the direction of his church, the way they handled a new believer and some of the ideology. He discussed this with the leaders and was met with resistance and name calling; "you must be having marital problems or you are being divisive". Both statements put the friend both ill at ease and defensive. Whenever someone answers a question you pose with a critique of your character, they are trying to throw you off balance in order to avoid the question.

Why do “pastors” feel the need to manipulate and control under the guise of love? Why does one allow it?

Contentment

Realizing that God has already provided everything we need for our present happiness.

Lest I Come And Smite The Land With A Curse

God allows defects (as we call them) and circumstances that shape our future. They are not our fault. How we respond to them and what we do with them, however, will predict our future.

We also determine our children’s future by teaching them how to respond to their circumstances.

As God predestines us, we also predestine our children.

"And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." Mal 4:6

The goal of the Christian worker should be to restore hearts, specifically, the hearts of the fathers to their children.

When a child is exasperated by the father (Col. 3:21), a wedge is driven between the two. The curse to his child will be “moral impurity”. The son will be bound to immoral behaviors and the daughter will try to find a boyfriend who fulfils her desire for intimacy with her father.

Curse: Physically (as shutting in a net or trap, either literally or figuratively); usually a doomed object; a cursed thing, things which should have been utterly destroyed.

Loyalty

Adjusting my schedule to meet the needs of those I am serving.

Attentiveness

Listening for the true feelings of a person which he communicates through choice of words, tone of voice and facial expressions.

ADD ADHD

After spending several years observing youth with a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), I found that there is a common root to the behavior and I call it Absent Dad Disorder.

During his early years of development, a child needs his father's attention. Without this important relationship, he becomes attention seeking, acts out and is very hyperactive. One may try to discipline him, ignore him, seek therapy or medicate him but the cure is to restore the relationship with his father.

After coming to this conclusion, I spoke with a school psychologist who confirmed my suspicion.

When a family approaches me to discuss this behavior, I give the same advice and always get two distinct responses.

The answer I give: The father needs to take his child on dates, every week. He can NEVER miss a scheduled date as this crushes the child's spirit (or in Biblical terms, exasperates them. Col. 3:21)

The date is time spent one-on-one and never involves another family member (showing how important THEY are to the father). It is all about that specific child. The time can be as short as one hour and can be sitting having a coke. The father is never allowed to use the time to scold, correct or discipline, but rather just listening. The father may never use the child's bad behavior to cancel the appointment. Sometimes bad behavior is a way of determining the father's commitment.

The two replies I get:

When prescribed this SIMPLE solution, the father implements it and sees dramatic changes within a month or two.

Or

The response is, "I've tried that", "I give my child everything", "that will never work"... always an excuse and never a resolution.

It is obvious that there are other causes of ADD but the actual number of children needing "counseling" or medication, in my opinion, is small compared to what one sees today.

"And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." Mal. 4:6

A Servants Heart

Becoming excited about making someone else successful.

Wisdom

Seeing the relationship between the problems of life and the principles of Scripture which have been violated.

Were David and Jonathan Homosexuals?

The homosexual community often uses David’s relationship with Jonathan as their '‘proof text" that homosexuality is condoned by God. This is not the case however. Jonathan did exhibit a characteristic that may have been common then and is very common today, Same Sex Attraction (SSA). (See Crosswalk). This phenomenon is not indicative of homosexuality as we see later that Jonathan married and had a son.

SSA is commonly seen in men who have a poor relationship with their father in their early developmental years. It appears that Saul was too busy being king and fighting the Philistines. As a result, Jonathan’s time spent with his father was learning to be a warrior. This resulted in Jonathan’s rebellion. He was probably angry because he did not have his father’s affection.

As these children grow, their longing for male attention turns into a sexual attraction. Jonathan is said to have loved David as he loved his own life and David said, of Jonathan, “your love to me was more wonderful than the love of women”, (2 Sam. 1.26) David is not mentioned as having the same affection for Jonathan. It should be noted that he did not exhibit this SSA characteristic.

Jonathan desired his father’s praise but his father’s praise was showered on David after David killed Goliath and David was able to play the lyre and dispel Saul’s evil spirit. Jonathan projected himself on David and his desire was to be David, all in an effort to have the nurturing of his own father. This is further illustrated when Jonathan strips himself of his outer garment and weapons. Jonathan’s soul (mind, will, emotions) is knit (bound, tie in, love) to the soul of David.

Sometimes, these men continue in SSA and others mature and grow out of the desires as Jonathan may have done, getting married and having children.

The principle we learn is that a boy needs the praise and attention of his father. If he does not, the child’s spirit will be wounded. That injury will turn to anger and the anger bitterness and rebellion. As the youth matures, his orientation will be toward men, constantly seeking the affection and intimacy of a dad. Fathers need to nurture their sons and shower them with praise and affection. The result will be a bond and affection that continues for years beyond adulthood. The son will mature both emotionally and psychologically and will be able to bond with his wife and his own children.

Saul and Jonathan-continued

A man’s relationship with God is in direct correlation to his relationship with his father.

Jonathan was uncertain of his relationship with his father indicated by his uncertainty of his relationship with God. He may not have had a relationship with God at all, just an observer of how others related to God. He said, “PERHAPS the Lord will work for us”. (14.6)

Jonathan was able to discern the will of God however by “laying out a fleece”, a practice like casting lots, which he had seen others use.

Saul had little regard for his son.

Saul showed little regard for his son when he failed to tell Jonathan that there was a ban on food and goes so far as “cursing the man” who eats. (14:24)

A rebellious man can still be a friend of others.

Jonathan had a good relationship with others that may have sided with him against his father’s compulsive behaviors. We see them gather around him when Saul condemns him to death. (14.44) Jonathan also speaks well of others and knows how to make an appeal on their behalf. His appeals are persuasive. (19.4-6)

He was not a person who was prideful as he speaks of his efforts as, “giving them into the hands of Israel” rather than “giving them into MY hands”. (14:12)

Saul and Jonathan had no relationship.

Jonathan was told all that Saul did but in the light of their relationship, this may have been "table time discussions" or boasting on the part of Saul. (20.2)

Jonathan was deceptive with his father. (20.6, 28)

Saul’s anger burns against Jonathan and he claims that Jonathan is from the lineage of perversion and rebellion. This is an accurate statement as earlier noted: the perversion of the Benjamites and later: God’s condemnation of Saul’s rebellion and insubordination. (20.30, 15.23) Jonathan continued to struggle with these sins.

Saul’s true heart is disclosed when he tries to kill his son and he makes no effort to save Jonathan when the witch of Endor’s spirit foretells of their death the following day. (20.32, 28.19)

Next:  Were Jonathan and David homosexuals as stated by the Metropolitan Church?

The Pain of Rejection of the Father

Jonathan

(From 1 Samuel 14)

The roots of Jonathan’s character sprout not only from his relationship with his father but also from his lineage as a Benjamite.

The Benjamites were a people who were brought under the condemnation of the other tribes for their practice of sodomy. (Judges 19-20)

Jonathan was first mentioned when he was in his father’s military.

Jonathan’s father trained him as a warrior. He is first mentioned as one sent out with a troop of one thousand and conquered the Philistines at Geba. He and his father were the only two with swords. The Israelites did not have swords, as this was a weapon of the more progressive Philistines. The Israelites made weapons with their plowshares. This is significant later because Jonathan gives David his sword. It may be true that Saul’s relationship with Jonathan revolved around what he could do as a soldier. We see many fathers placing this type burden on their sons in that they will show them affection or praise only if they meet a standard or live the life the father plans for them.

Jonathan’s father sowed seeds of rebellion in his son.

Jonathan rebelled and showed little respect for his father, when he “crossed over into the Philistine’s garrison” without consulting his father, the leader of the campaign. (1 Sam. 14.1)

He also showed no respect for his father and undermined his authority when he said, “my father has troubled the land”. (14.29)

This rebelliousness and disrespect for his father may have been the result of a wounded spirit.

Saul was a man given to anger. His iniquity was passed down to his son.

Next, a man's relationship with God and his father as seen in Jonathan.

Gossip:

Revealing private information with someone who is not a part of the problem or a part of the solution.

Judge Not Lest You Be Judged

In Matthew 7:1, Jesus tells us not to judge, lest we be judged. With this Scripture in mind, we are often afraid to speak out when we observe sin. The misnomer is that we are judging when we call on someone to behave differently.

The confusion stems from the three Greek words to express one English word. The Greek word "judge" in this verse is Krino. It means to pass judgment on, to condemn. You rarely see this behavior encouraged in Scripture but rather, we are called to do this Greek word, Anakrino to ask questions, to examine, to evaluate, to investigate, to search out or this Diakrino-to make distinction between (persons), to weigh thoroughly.

Judgment involves opinions that are not checked out for accuracy resulting in krino, condemning, judging. Discernment (anakrino) involves a desire to restore.

We are to examine, to evaluate, to question and check facts for accuracy. Then, we are to follow the steps in Matthew 18.

"And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

"But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.

"And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. Matt. 18

The purpose of this principle is restoration not condemnation.

God's Grief

My friend Kenny answers a question I've had for years.

God was grieved that He had made man because of man’s pervasive wickedness. (Gen. 6:5-11). A couple of questions arise: did God make a mistake when He made man? That He is grieved by his own creation seems to suggest a flaw in the Creator: unless God intended to be grieved. And this should be intuitively understandable to all of us who like stories that make us sad. And many of us particularly like sad stories that turn out happy. Similarly, we like to see our sports teams in danger of losing, only to win. God also likes this kind of contrast, as Paul writes that God made some people for wrath so that he could off-set them against those people He showed mercy.
This is a hard teaching, but not one beyond our intuitive understanding.

Ask in Faith

Each Believer is given a measure of faith. (Rom. 12:3) All measures of faith are not the same. Faith is a gift.

When we make a request of God, we ask in faith. (James 1)

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for… (Heb. 11)

Why do we inherently ask God, then ponder how we can accomplish the task for which we asked?

I had a friend, Marc, who prayed about a ministry with Campus Crusade. He believed God was calling him into this ministry.

Soon, I received a "Prayer Letter" in the mail. I was requested to check boxes if I would support him on a one time basis, monthly basis or in prayer.

When questioned, he believed that this is a way that God could provide. God, being God, can provide any way He chooses, however, it does take faith out of the equation. If I believe God is calling me, then I also must believe He will provide without my intervention. True, he may use people to provide but that provision is through God's prompting, not man's. When the finances materialize without involving anyone but God, without asking man (or asking them to pray about it, which is another way of asking them for assistance), then He gets the glory.

Many pastors do the same. They say God is calling them to build a building (or some other project). They then go about asking the members to give, to dig deeper, to pledge… They even go to a secular banking institution and agree to pay a percentage of "God's money" to the bank to give them a loan.

More people are hurt by these tactics and leave the church. This can not be of God, the flock scattered over a building project. They are caused to stumble as they see clergy acting out secular techniques to do God's bidding. They never learn to walk by faith.

If God is truly calling, He will provide.

Mike's reply to the Little Foxes

We have a tendency to focus on the foxes.
But what is the vineyard?
If we don’t know what our “grapes” are, how can we recognize when they’re being destroyed?
Are we trying to grow obedience? Integrity? Knowledge?
When Jesus was asked what the “first” (most important) commandment was, He responded “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength”  and the second: “love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Love of God must be our primary crop - - everything else comes from or after it.  If we don’t understand God’s love for us, we can’t love in return.
And we can’t love ourselves, which means we can’t love our neighbor.
It is interesting that when the scribe showed his understanding of what Jesus had said (he had “repented”, or changed his thinking), Jesus let him know he was “not far from the kingdom of God.”
If others don’t see that we love them, they don’t see that we are disciples.  We may be “Christians” (saved), but we really aren’t His disciples.  The foxes (petty issues between people) are destroying the vineyard (the love of God).
A military Chaplain and friend was the best example of this to me.  I could spend all day picking apart his theology, but I couldn’t overlook the love that radiated from him.  It was very, very obvious that he was a disciple of the Living God.  And it was that love, more than anything else in my life, that made me want to have a relationship with God and continues to motivate me.

Little Foxes

Ken suggested writing a few examples of little foxes that ruin the vineyard:

Aimlessly surfing Internet or TV channels leading to pornography.

Reading novels or books that stimulate sensual desires.

Casual flirtation leading to relationship with non-believer.

Social activities with non-believers leading to ungodly activities and attitudes.

Gossip leading to slander and harmed reputation.

Using credit cards casually leading to huge debt.

Teasing or rudeness that leads to broken relationships.

Sleeping in later and later leading to slothfulness.

 

Telling “white lies” leading to bigger lies.

Catch The Foxes...

Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in blossom." Song of Solomon 2:15

The foxes, the little foxes, were not there to destroy the grapes, they were playing. They were cute. They didn't seem to be a problem. However, they ruined the vineyard.

There are things in our life that are major, but they most likely started out small, something we thought amusing.

If we don't take care of them, catch them in their infancy, they grow and become problematic.

They may not appear to be a problem but they grow and bring us to ruin.

Making Promises We Can't Keep

My friend Jon was wondering what one does if he has signed a pledge card to give to a church building or other financial commitment and then realizes that he has made a promise that he can not fulfill or believes it was in error.

Proverbs gives the steps to gain relief.

My son, if you have become surety (a cosigner) for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger, If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth, Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor. Do not give sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids; Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter's hand, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. Proverbs 6: 1-5

The writer of the Proverbs breaks down several ways we make promises:

1) becoming a cosigner for your neighbor (or companion).

2) given a pledge for a stranger.

3) trapped by the words of your mouth (making a promise).

4) captured by the words of your mouth saying you can or will do something you may not be able to do).

The way out, to deliver ones self:

1) go.

2) humble yourself.

3) importune your neighbor (a strong word meaning to beg even to the point of being arrogant).

4) don't sleep until you have accomplished what you are seeking.

5) deliver yourself like an animal fleeing the hunter.

The Foundation of Discipleship

“Teaching needs to address the inward; otherwise discipleship becomes a school of acting.  Discipleship should give a heart that has been cleansed from sin, an internal conscience that is useful in doing what is good, and a faith that is not the result of role playing. Love is to come from a changed person, not a well-acted part”.  Greg Whitten

Ministry

My friend Jon was discussing people who have left family to go into the ministry. The idea was that these men and women, who have led multitudes to Christ, are more worthy of the Kingdom. We often see this with pastors and missionaries and excuse their failures with their children because of the work they do, neglecting them to do "God's work".  Many missionaries send their children to schools in another country, not seeing them for months at a time.  Billy Graham did this and it caused a childhood of great pain, rebellion and grief in his son Franklin. The typical response of the children is to rebel.  Jon quipped, "but look at Franklin now, he has taken over his father's ministry".  My question, "At what cost?"

There is no other success that can compensate for failures in the family.

 

An Argument for Paying the Pastor

Concerning the blog on Paying Pastors, my friend Ken writes:

1 Cor. 9 seems to speak to this question, particularly verse 14: "In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel."
Now, I recognize that sometimes someone who actually is gifted as a "pastor" may be doing the preaching that should be being done by a "teacher," and vice versa. But, as a general principle, this verse would support someone who felt that it was appropriate to pay someone for full-time service in teaching the Bible.
And personally, I see no reason why not to generalize this principle to anyone who works full time in spiritual things, whether in their gifting (pastor, teacher, prophet, mercy, servant, whatever...) or by role (elder, deacon). For this principle, look at 1 Cor. 9:11: "If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?"  The principle I see here is that spiritual things are at least as valuable as material things, so that if someone works full-time in the spiritual realm, it is appropriate to pay them.

This was a section that I considered when looking into "paying a pastor" and heard arguments using these verses in the past. The conclusion that I had come to was this: Paul begins by calling himself an apostle. The gift is unique and one that is not often seen today. It was identified, from my perspective, as one who had all the gifts (2 Cor. 12:12). These were men who traveled to different countries to bring the gospel.

Paul continues that he and the other apostles had a right to eat and drink and take along a believing wife.

He then explains from the Old Testament his argument. "Those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel". I concur with Paul's claim and believe this to be the case with the apostle (but we don't see this with any other gift once the church is established) and that it is specifically room and board only, not a stipend or wage. If one wants to travel to establish churches, he would be free, if he so desired, to live with someone and take their food but would not plan for a savings account and not save for his retirement. He would be required to trust God to supply his future needs and not the church.

Circumcision

In Gen. 17, God prescribes an odd procedure in establishing his covenant with Abraham. God said, "Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations". "This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised". "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you".

Why did God choose this part of the anatomy to establish a covenant?

He chose something that was sensitive, something private, something that they never exposed, something that would be painful.

"And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin".

Ishmael was the 13 year old son of Abraham. They never exposed their bodies in those days. It was condemned by God. The conversation between Abraham and Ishmael may have sounded something like this, "Guess what I have to do to you, son, in order to establish our covenant with God". Ishmael, who was going through puberty, probably said, "You want to do what to my what"? "I don’t think so".

The mode of circumcision was with a flint knife. The procedure lent to cleanliness and prevented infections later in life. It was a sign of belief. It was to establish a covenant and whoever was not circumcised was cut off from God’s people.

We read in 1Cor 10:11, Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Circumcision was an example for our instruction today.

Our application is circumcision of the flesh of our heart. "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My wrath go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds." Jer. 4:4 It is to expose our heart. God wants us to expose the sensitive parts of our life. Open up. It is painful, sensitive, it is private, and it hurts. To circumcise the flesh of our heart is to establish a covenant with God.

The process of circumcising our heart is to "confess our sins to one another and pray for one another…" this is exposing those private, sensitive, painful hidden areas of our life.

This leads to cleanliness and prevents infection. Confessing our sins to one another is cathartic and prevents the infection of sin from consuming our life.

We do this to establish covenant. If we don’t, we become cut off from God’s people.

During the original Olympic Games, there was a process of restoring the foreskin once circumcised. One sought a surgical procedure to assimilate themselves to the heathen around them so that they not be known as Jews while in the games.

Have you circumcised your heart but now cover it up to look like the rest of the world?

Should the Pastor be a paid gift?

A dangerous error is that we have made this gift a paid position. There is not a Scripture in the New Testament that requires or recommends this. If that were the case, then why shouldn’t we pay those with the other gifts? When one Exhorts or uses the gift of Mercy, shouldn’t we also pay them? Or better yet, when those with the gift of Giving use their gifting, should they also not be paid? This would be ludicrous.

The church has put too much emphasis on this gift to the exclusion of the others. We have elevated it to a position of authority, although there is no indication in the New Testament that a pastor has authority. We have made it a paid position, although there is no New Testament verse that authorizes this. In doing so, we have promoted failure. The failure comes due to haughtiness, a feeling of authority and superiority.

A Scripture that is most often used to justify the pay is:

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages." 1Tim 5:17-18

At first glance, this appears to say that they are to be paid double, using the example of the ox being fed and the laborer worthy of his wage. We make a connection that the pastor, should get a wage, since his is “laboring”.

However, when one looks intently at the verse, it is actually an analogy, showing similarity by making a comparison.

As an ox is worthy of grain, while he works, so one who labors is worthy of a wage. By analogy, the elder is worthy of, “double honor”.

What is honor? Is it money? No. It is defined in chapter 6, we see that the slave is to give his master the same; honor. Would we see a slave paying his master money or paying his master respect?

The Role and Gift of Pastor

Pastor is Spiritual Gift and mentioned only once in Scripture.

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, Eph 4:11

Definition: Pastor-(Greek- poime_n): a shepherd

The gift of Pastor differs from the office of the elder (overseer) in that it is a gift and not a position in the church. We often intermix or combine the two but this is in error.

As stated earlier, a Pastor can be an elder and an elder can have the gift of Pastor but it is not necessarily so.

It is important to make a distinction between the two. An elder has oversight. A pastor shepherds. An elder is a watchman while a Pastor could best be described as one who disciples.

The Pastor does not need to meet the qualifications of the elder.

Paul left Titus in Crete for the purpose of appointing elders but you never read anywhere in Scripture where Paul instructs one to appoint a Pastor. A church’s success is not dependent upon the Pastor.

By definition, the pastor is a shepherd. The early shepherds and those that are in Israel today (Bedouin), had a flock of not more than 20. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Gerhard Kittel, Ronald E. Pitkin

We see the roll of shepherd illustrated in the Psalms; the early shepherds knew their sheep. They cared for each, individually. In Ps 23, it says “Thou hast anointed my head with oil”. The picture is of individual personal care. The shepherd would put oil on the sheep to help heal any wounds that were inflicted while moving through brush. Oil, put on ticks, imbedded in the skin, would cause them to pull out of their host. These irritants, cuts and ticks, impeded the sheep’s ability to foraging and ruminate.

The picture is of a Believer, who tries to take in the Word and meditate on it. The shepherd, who knows his sheep, will look at the things in the sheep’s life that impedes this process and help him through the “irritants”.

Today, we don’t see the pastor taking this role, that of a shepherd, one who knows his sheep, who anoints them, individually. Having a flock of 20 provided for personal attention and the shepherd could not become inflated due to the size of his flock.

After years of watching the church, it is evident that the original plan of God has been abandoned.

Next:  Should the Pastor be a paid position?

God Breathed or Selective Reasoning

Review the original post "Is the Word Inspired?", ask yourself, "If I believe God's Word is inspired, would I do things differently or do I have selective reasoning?"

The Reputation of an Elder

And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Tim 3:7

Of these verses, this is the more complex to understand. In the church, we tend to overlook some faults and (hopefully) not listen to negative words concerning the reputation of others however; we are instructed here to consider how those outside the church perceive the prospective elder.

In meditating on this verse, I thought of two Believers with whom I was acquainted. Both were businessmen. They had a reputation for shoddy workmanship, poor follow through and shady business practices. In another case, I also know a so called Christian who attends church weekly, talks like a Believer in Christian circles, but has a reputation outside the church for being involved in the occult.  I wonder why, as a church, we are unable or unwilling to see and address these character and moral issues?  Perhaps it is that we don’t want to be accused of being judgmental or once we identify the problem, we don’t know how to provide a solution. No matter, the world is both willing and able to see and voice the faults of those in the church. And, we should consider what they say in regards to the prospective elder.

If we select such a person as elder, he may fall into reproach (shame, disgrace) and a snare (trap with bait).

And Not a New Convert

---and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 1Tim 3:6

Often times there are verses with commands that give no rationale for the mandate. It is not the case in this verse. Here, Paul gives insight into the reasoning. “Not a new convert unless they become conceited AND fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil”.

When I hear a word like “new”, I tend to think, “How old would one need to be before assuming responsibility for a thriving business”. I would not put a teen in charge. So too, I would not put someone who has not been a Believer, less than 20 years, in charge of church. The ages correlate to one another.  Conceit leads to the “condemnation incurred by the devil”. What was the condemnation? It is the “same judgment as”. The devil’s judgment was separation and condemnation.

The Home and Children of the Elder.

The most important portions of the Scripture concerning the qualifications of the elder are as follows:

…having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. Titus 1

Having children-in the Greek the order is to have children in one’s possession. He must possess children. As if you were told that you must possess a license to drive. It is not saying that you should be working to that end but it must be in your possession.

The word ‘children’ is plural. He must have more than one child. The reason will be explained in the next verse.

Having children who believe-the children must be older, not babies. They must be at the age where it is evident that they are Believers.

Not accused of dissipation or rebellion-this refers to the children, they must not be rebellious nor wasting their time, (riotous, as was the prodigal son). These too reflect on an older child. Why is this important? The children must be older as one will be able to see the “fruit” of the elder’s work. If he can not run his home, he can not run a church. Men can mask their character. We know this by all the news we hear of godly men leading double lives. However, children have not learned the fine art of hypocrisy. If the children are rebellious or without self control, so is the home and prospective elder.

This is borne out in Timothy, “He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)” 1 Tim. 3

“If a man does not know…” (oida-to have seen or perceived-to learn from observation). You see, one can not select an elder by personality or gifting, but rather he must be selected on how he manages his home. If he has no wife and has no children, he has not learned to manage people. Is not the body of Believers like raising a family, nurturing, meeting needs, giving of ones self for others, settling disputes, wiping noses, feeding? If a man did not learn this experientially, he is not to learn on or at the expense of other Believers.

Having one child, as opposed to more than one, does not teach the elder important aspects of parenting i.e. settling disputes among siblings, multi-tasking, giving more of ones self, etc.

Finally if a man must possess children, conversely, he must be married. As mentioned in the previous post, he can not be a single man and hold the position of elder.

The gist of these verses is: God prescribes elders to be married men and have older children. The character of the elder is modeled by his children and we are to observe his children to assist in making a selection for this position. God teaches men by allowing them the day-to-day experience and year-to-year faithfulness of child rearing in preparation to lead a church. If a man fails at raising children, he will fail at leading a church.

Despite what we think, feel or experience, we must follow this prescription.

Qualifications-Part Two

The next 8 characteristics of the elder are self explanatory.

4.Temperate-sober and watchful

5. Prudent-self controlled

6. Respectable-orderly

7. Hospitable-friendly toward strangers

8. Able to teach

9. Not addicted to wine-not to be constantly around wine (drinking often).

10. Nor pugnacious, but gentle-not quarrelsome but patient

11. Free from the love of money.

Next: The home and children of the elder.

The Qualifications of an Elder

It is imperative that one differentiates a pastor from elder. Pastor is a Spiritual gift. Elder is an office in the church that one aspires to.

Ephesians 4:11 is the only reference to the gift of pastor. It is shepherding. A pastor can aspire to the office of an elder (overseer) and elder can have a gift of pastor but the two are not synonymous and they should not be viewed as the same gift/office.

I will write more on the gift of pastor following the qualifications of an elder.

Paul lists the qualifications of an elder in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

Each portion of the list is of utmost importance.

1. Paul begins with “an overseer then must be…” As he lists the qualifications, he starts with the most important point, he must be. The word must means that he has to have reached the point and moved on. It is not, “he is working toward or, it is his goal”; rather, he must have reached these points.

Living in Nevada one casino has on its entrance a plaque that reads: One must be 21 to gamble. This sign reveals the minimum age, 21. It does not say, you must aspire to this age nor does it say that it is one’s intended goal. He “must be”, having reached it and gone beyond.

So too, an elder “must be”. These markers are the minimum, not the intended goal for one taking this office.

2. Above reproach is living a life with no blame laid to his name. If he has past errors, he must have cleared his name by seeking forgiveness and making restitution, “having a clear conscience and pure heart…”

3. The husband of one wife is one of the most argued portions of this text. Some say, they can not practice polygamy, having more than one wife at the same time; others, not divorced; and some, they must be married. The polygamist argument can be easily eliminated as the same text is used in 5:9 of the widow, “having been the wife of one man”. History tells us that women never had more than one husband at the same time. This refers to: not divorced. We will delve further into the “must be married” further on.

We have heard, “but what if he was married and divorced before becoming a Christian, can he qualify? The answer is, no. It does not disqualify him as a Believer but it does as an elder. It references his character, not his eternal position. But, aren’t we “new creatures in Christ”? Yes, we are however, can we claim that in our new nature we don’t hold on to our old characteristics?

Next: More qualifications.

Is the Word Inspired?

My friend Ken and I were talking over coffee, again.

He was discussing his thoughts on the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture. He is not sure that the whole of the Bible is inerrant (as it's commonly understood).

He had an interesting observation about those of us who believe every word and idea is God breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), both the New and Old Testament.

He noted that the majority of Christians believe all Scripture is God breathed, inspired, infallible and applicable to the Believer today.

Do you?

Then, he remarked that most Christians actually DON’T believe that the Word is inerrant. He used as evidence, a simple few verses in 1Timothy 3:2-7 and Titus 1:6-9. They are references for the qualifications of an overseer (elder).

If we truly believed these short verses, and selected our elders based on these and not on personality etc., how would it change our church? How would it change how we do church?

I find it interesting how, when brought up, people know that this is God breathed, but rationalize it away: “well, that was important back then”, “society has changed”, “we are more enlightened today”, “that is not what God meant”, “it was a cultural thing”, …

Do we truly believe that God knew what our culture would be like today, when He inspired these verses?

The Value of the Trial

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Phil 2:14-15

Paul tells the church at Philippi that a situation, which may cause grumbling or disputing, is there to “prove yourself to be a blameless and innocent child of God…” The word “prove” is not as our translation, “to prove a point” or “proving one is right” but rather, in the Greek, its meaning is “to become or cause to become” and would best be translated, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God…” In other words, don’t grumble about your circumstances, as they are there to cause in you a blameless innocence. Your circumstances have a purpose. They are there to produce something in your life. Grumbling is counterproductive. The children of Israel could have completed their journey, to the Promised Land, in two weeks. It took, however, 40 years, because they kept grumbling.

James too reflects on this principle when he pens, “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance…” James 1

Rather than grumbling, meet the trial with joy, not because it is joyful but because of the end result, endurance and perfection, completeness and lacking nothing. 1:4

The value of the situation or circumstance, where God has led you, is to cause you to be perfect in Him. (The word "perfect" in the Greek is correctly translated "complete").

The Remedy for Bitter Waters

An important part of meditation is "visualization". Form a mental image of the people, standing at the bitter water, which they have spit out, grumbling to Moses.

So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them. Ex 15:24-25

Now picture Moses directing his people, to the tree he was shown, to throw it in the water. They push on it, back and forth until the roots begin to lift and dirt falls from the roots. The tree drops, with a thunderous thud, dust flies from the place it landed.

They drag it to the water. Can you see the lines in the sand from the roots as they are pulled to the shore? As it falls in, it slaps the water with a crack. Circular ripples emanate from the tree on the water’s surface. As they do, the water sweetens. The people, cautious at first, begin to fall into the water, as did the tree, drinking from its clear sweetness.

Ponder what this illustrates for the Christian. You have a situation, which is bitter. Your response: grumbling. You grumble to God, to others, to yourself. Rather, look to the tree. Apply the cross to the bitterness. It becomes sweet. It has value.

Next, the value of the trial (bitter situation).

A Way Through The Wilderness

God's desire is to lead us out of bondage through our wilderness experience.

The journey of the believer is a time of purging, testing and humbling.

There are many types in the Old Testament. Pharaoh typified Satan; Egypt was an illustration of the world; Moses of Christ; the wilderness experience represented the journey of the believer; the pillar of cloud (and fire by night), the Holy Spirit; passing through the Red Sea, baptism etc.

The children of Israel, upon being taken out of Egypt by Moses were led through the red Sea into the wilderness. They were led by the pillar of cloud (led by Holy Spirit).

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Ex 15:22

Visualize this scene.

It is important to remember, that the people are being led by the pillar. It should be noted that there were times when the pillar moved; the people looked around, no pillar. They had to quickly catch up. Other times, they uprooted their tents, began to travel to the Promised Land, looked around; no pillar. They had to return and wait.

Sometimes, as Christians, we just plod on, not waiting, and have to look around and return, waiting on God to move.

Now, they went for three days without water. This is the maximum time the body can go without. They were taxed to their limit.

I visualize the animals, being first to sense water, their heads lifting, nostrils flaring and their pace quickens. The Israelites too felt the tension of the animals and walked faster.

Keep trying to visualize the scene.

And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?” Ex 15:23

When they saw the water, it gave hope. But as they bent to drink and brought it to their mouth, they spit it out because it was bitter. It was named Marah, meaning bitter

Of interest, is that they looked to Moses and grumbled, as though they were not being led by the pillar. In essence, they were saying, God did not know what he was doing. This is what grumbling is in our life. We say, “God does not know what he is doing. He led me to this place and it is bitter”.

Have you had situations that God brought you to and then you grumbled? Have you been led to something and it was bitter? What was your response?

Next, The Remedy for Bitter Waters.

Self-sufficiency

My friend Ken and I were talking over coffee, discussing sin and why we don’t have consistent victory. He believed it was due to pride. "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6 I struggled with his answer as I don’t consider myself a prideful person, yet struggle.

He came up with a more plausible answer, self-sufficiency.

I became a Christian because I found I could not conquer my failures. After I “gave my life to Him, I began efforts to “clean up my act”, to be a better person, after all, aren’t we to be “a light unto the world”. This caused me to mask my failures because I didn’t want people to know me, the person that I was before becoming a Christian, and still am.

I find that I change the outward in my own effort, my own strength but in reality, am still me.

Training from my youth tells me that “I can do it, keep trying harder, raise the bar”.

Why is it that we can’t be holy so we become Christians, then when we do, we try to figure out “how to be holy”.

Self-sufficiency is iniquity.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1:6

Purpose

As Christians, we all seek purpose but we often seek the purpose that makes us look good or appears to be of value. This is iniquity.

Women and men of the church have a basic purpose and that is to train the younger believers. The original churches, which met in homes, did not have Sunday School, Children’s Church or child care. They did not take the youth on Mission Trips to give them that Spiritual high or separate them from the elder. Everyone sat in a common area in a symbiotic relationship. This was how growth occurred.

If one looks at today’s church, we see major separation and the separation is not good.

I was viewing several church web sites and noted that all had made a distinction of groups: Children’s Ministry, 18-20’s, Youth, Adults, Singles, Preschool… And, they had many different roles: Senior Pastor, Executive Director, Director of Life Skills, Director of Operations, Director of Outreach, Administration Pastor, Music Pastor, Office Manager, Multi-Media Coordinator, Creative Director, Christian School Director (Day Care), and many different ministries: Parking Lot Ministry, Television Ministry, Drama and Dance Ministry, Visitation and Touch Ministry, Recovery (divorce, 12-step)…

It is important that we look at the early church and compare it to what we have made the church today.

It has been my experience and that of many I have spoken with, that most of these ministries and roles are ineffective. We have reduced the church to a corporation. If I can quote a local, so called pastor, he referred to himself as a CEO.

Paul prescribes this direction to the believers:

[The older women are to ] encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be dishonored. Titus 2:4-5

[The older men] likewise urge (encourage, exhort) the young men to be sensible; Titus 2:6

This is very easy for women and men to accomplish. It is done without fanfare and in a quiet manner. Progress is slow and not easily measured; however, it is the mandate. It grows strong families. Strong families make strong churches.

Simple prescription. Simple practice. Lasting results.

What Is God’s Will For My Life

Today, I heard an ad for a local group that was interviewing people about God. They made statements as, “I don’t know if I can know God’s will for my life”, “I would like to know His will”…

My thoughts turned to the question, “what IS His will for my life” and “am I accomplishing that goal”?

I am often asked this question. It appears that many become Christians find themselves lacking purpose. They wander in a Christian haze hoping that someone, some where and in some way will direct them in knowing God’s will.

As a result, some meander down path of the ultra Charismatic or swing the other direction into schemes and ideas that God’s desire is to bless with financial abundance. One seeks physical benefits and the other, emotional. They desire to see the hand of God in their life, God’s direction, God’s prospering but the end is one of want.

Both are amiss.

We have discussed the means to know His will.

I am sure His will for people is individual, unique, and specific, however, in a generic sense, I see in Scripture that it is His will that our energy be directed specifically to one end: …to present every man complete in Christ. Col. 1:28

When we are Born Again, we receive the Holy Spirit and gifts of the Spirit. We are to employ them in serving in our effort to cause others to be complete.

This gives us direction. This gives us purpose.

Are you pursuing that goal?

What is Iniquity?

In the book of Genesis ( 20:2 ), we see Abraham on a journey. He fears that the king of the foreign land will harm him in order that he can take Abraham’s wife Sarah. Because of this fear, he tells Sarah to say that she is his sister.

Now, Isaac, Abraham’s son, lived in the land of his father and at a certain time, he too feared that his wife would be admired and taken from him (Gen 26:6 ) so he, like his father, told her to say that she was his sister because he feared the people.

Now comes Jacob, son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham (Gen 27:32). He goes into his father and says, “I am Esau, your first born”.

We see a pattern of deception. Something was passed on from father to son. God calls this deception iniquity.

In Exodus 20:5, God tells Moses that the iniquity of the father’s will be passed on to the children of the third and forth generations.

We often think that it is the ‘sins’ of the father that is passed on but it isn’t. It is the iniquity. It is important to make a distinction between the iniquity of the fathers and the sins of the fathers. Sin is not passed down, iniquity is.

So, what is the definition of iniquity?

Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven".

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles' "?

"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice iniquity'". Matt 7:21

When is preaching iniquity? When is casting out demons iniquity? And, when is doing good works iniquity? The answer is given in the verse. It is when we do these activities in our own will rather than according to the father’s will.

Iniquity is, “doing my own will even though it is something good”.

King Saul provides a powerful study in the concept of iniquity. After a battle with the Philistines, Saul offered a sacrifice to God. Samuel arrived and reproved him because it was not done according to God’s command. God commanded the priest to offer the sacrifice, not the king. In 1 Sam. 13:11, Saul tried to justify his behavior.

Again, in 1 Sam. 15, we see Saul save sheep and oxen from the battle against the Amalekites in order to offer them to God. Samuel reproves him because he was to utterly destroy everything in the battle. Once more, Saul tries to justify his behavior.

Samuel replies: "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king."

The mystery of iniquity is that we will follow our own faulty reasoning when we have available to us the infinite wisdom of God.

The opposite of iniquity is “good works” as we see in the following verses.

2Tim 2:19-21, Titus 2:14

The definition of iniquity is verified in Isaiah: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our ‘iniquities’: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have ‘turned every one to his own way’; and the LORD hath laid on him the ‘iniquity’ of us all.

______________________________borrowed______________________________

An Illustration of the Double-minded Christian

Double-Minded (link)

I want to make a comparison between Abraham’s decision to have a son in his own strength and Christians who use their own strength to accomplish God’s work.

God told Abraham that he would give him a son in his old age. Gen 15:4-6

-A Christian believes God wants them to go on a mission trip, build a church, start a project.

After God made this proclamation to Abraham, God was silent.

-A Christian “hears” from God, and then He is silent.

Abraham began to waiver in his belief and sought ways to fulfill God’s promise on his own.

-Christians do the same. We start to panic when we don’t see God fulfill what we think is His will. This often happens when we talk to others about things we believe God is doing. We don’t see God move, we need to save face so we plan how we are going to fulfill God’s “project”.

Abraham and his wife, questioning God, begin to plan ways to make God’s proclamation a reality. As a result, Abraham took Sarah’s maidservant and she bore a son, Ishmael. Gen 16:2-3

It is important to note that Hagar the maidservant was an Egyptian. In the Old Testament, Egypt was a type of the world, those opposed to God’s people and God’s plans.

-Christians question God and begin to make plans to fulfill His will. They take on the practices of the world to complete God’s work. They will take out bank loans to build a church, send out “prayer letters” to seek support for their mission trip, or pressure believers in “financing” their endeavor, forgetting that the God who calls them, will fulfill it in His power.

Abraham’s decision resulted in division in his household and raised a people who were a thorn in the side of his son, Isaac and his descendants. Gen 16:12

-Christians who pursue God’s work through efforts of the flesh will reap similar results, division in the house of God, a thorn in the sides of believers, shame in the eyes of the world.

We miss God’s blessing.

We practice iniquity.

In what ways are you seeking God’s will in your own strength?

What God Allows To Teach Us To Fight

Names in the Old Testament are important and bring clarity to the problems that God’s people encountered.

…they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1Cor. 10:11

In the Book of Joshua (3:10), God said that He would drive out the people who were living in the land. Thus, God commanded Joshua to move forward. God dealt with the enemy in three ways.

1. God told Joshua to completely annihilate them.

2. God told Joshua to stand back and watch as He conquered.

3. God allowed nations to survive “to test and strengthen” Israel in order that subsequent generations might be taught war. Judges 3:1-5

God does the same in our lives where there are challenges, sin, things by which we feel defeated.

Some, He tells you to “completely annihilate”, some; He will have you watch while He displays His majesty. But, God allows some to remain in our life to teach us to fight. He wants men who are “strong and courageous”, men who are willing to fight and men who are willing to be tried. Judges 3:4

God’s desire is NOT for us to learn to adapt or succumb but rather to learn to fight. Eph. 4

The names of the six groups of people, that God left to teach His people war and the significance of their names to our generation, are as follows:

Canaanite-to compare (to become like)

Hittite-terror (fear of man)

Hivite-impulsive (easily defeated)

Perizzite-unwalled town (moral decay)

Amorite-publicity-prominence (pride)

Jebusite-trodden underfoot (polluted)

These are important names. We struggle in the same areas. The first thing a Christian does is to compare themselves to others and those in the world. With comparison comes the desire to become like.

This comparison promotes insecurity. Insecurity brings a fear of man. From there, we find ourselves moved by impulsiveness. The sign of maturity is control over our impulses. Those that easily make us feel defeated, worthless and ineffective.

When there are no boundaries on our life, no protections, no walls, the defeats turn to moral decay. Like our teeth which have a strong enamel, after years of acids and no protection, decay begins to erode the enamel, exposing the teeth to harm and in some cases, irreparable damage.

Interestingly, when we begin to make poor moral decisions, when decay begins, we protect ourselves from exposure and cover our sin with pride. Pride works against humility.

The final stage of the decay is polluted, which started simply by comparison. We are worth nothing except to be thrown out and trodden underfoot. Matt. 5:3

Which ‘people’ has God allowed in your life to teach you to fight? What hinders you?

Two Good Articles

1. Tithe

2. New Testament Church

Government Authority

I was asked, “What about people who smuggled Bibles into Russia”
as in God’s Smuggler.

Although it is a favorite book, I have to believe that Scripture is true and the “end does not justify the means”.

My answer was that we need to be under authority and authority is established by God.

“Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil. Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor”. Rom.13

In America, we have, I believe the statistic is, four Bibles to every Christian. We rarely meditate on the Word. We are just like the world. We are spiritually bankrupt.

In these countries, where Bibles were smuggled, the Believers were “separated”, they were vibrant, and they knew the Word, even though it was scarce. They were rich.

God knew what the people needed for their own well-being. He used authority to that end.

In discussing this, my brother added this note to an email concerning Bill Gothard and the IBLP program:

A group of ATI (IBLP Homeschool Program) students and leaders traveled to a country to teach in their schools. I think it was communist, but can’t remember exactly. They were “provided” a number of government persons to oversee their actions. They were allowed to teach, as long as they didn’t mention Jesus.

After a few weeks of work, the person responsible for allowing them to be in the country called in the group leader. He praised them for being the FIRST Christian group to follow their instructions regarding not mentioning Jesus. Therefore, he wanted them to continue teaching, bring more people over, and they could teach on anything they wanted to – no restrictions.

Another similar situation - - the ATI group met with government officials prior to beginning ministry in another somewhat antagonistic country. They asked how they could serve the government officials. The officials were amazed, as no other group had ever done this and most were sneaking around and “ministering” in ways the government had forbidden. The officials were so impressed that they provided transportation (including helicopters) for the ATI group and sent senior government leaders along with them. They realized that, because the ATI group wanted to work with the government, any benefits the ATI group provided would also bring credit to the government.

Question on Authority

I received this email: Why are the churches and employers not authorities?

Both church and employment are on a voluntary basis. If they were an authority, we would not be able to leave at any time we chose.

If we are not satisfied with a church, we have nothing forcing us to stay and endure.

Church

There are no New Testament indicators that one has to submit to a pastor or elders. There is, however, Scripture that commands us to submit ourselves one to another, but nowhere specific to a hierarchy in the church.

Two verses that one might point to are Heb. 13:17 “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you”. There is not a specific indicator that this is a church setting rather than a government command.

Even if it might be an edict to the church, the word ‘obey’ has more depth of meaning in the Greek as: to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty): - agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be content, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.

The only other verse in the New Testament, that commands this type submission is in 1PE 2:13 “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right”. This again is specific to governmental authority.

Employment

In the Old Testament, when one was employed, it was generally for a day, but could have been longer. It is akin to our “day labor” office. One would stand outside and wait for an employer to come by. He chooses you, you work for the day, and he pays you. Your commitment is for the day and you receive what was promised, for that day’s work. Matt. 20:1

In today’s economy, one has a choice to work or not for any employer. If you don’t want to work, you can quit. If they were your authority, you would have no choice.

Knowing God's Will

How Does One Know God’s Will In A Given Situation?

As I wrote earlier, God’s desire is not to involve ourselves in great matters or in things too difficult for us. (Ps 131)

So too, Paul tells us to pray for our authorities so that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life. (1 Tim. 2:2)

There are two earthly authorities set up by God, our father and the government but not, as most believe, our employer or the church.

Our tranquil and quiet life comes from direction and protection of the government and of our earthly father. Once married, our father is no longer our authority but rather an adviser, we are then in the direct line of God’s authority.

In the Old Testament, there were many ways to know God’s will, some were casting lots, laying out a fleece, Urim and Thummim, Prophets, etc.

Today, we have a different means of knowing God’s will; peace.

An example of this is when the disciples wanted to select a replacement for Judas in Acts 1:24, they drew lots and chose Matthias. They used old techniques to determine God's will but should have waited until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus instructed in Acts 1:8. We see that Matthias was never mentioned again in Scripture however, it appears that God had chosen Paul for the position.

Paul pens, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. (Phil. 4)

When we pray about a matter, God gives us peace (or a lack of peace). God's peace is important. He gives it from His Spirit to comfort our soul (mind, will, emotions). It surpasses our comprehension (the way we understand things). When Paul says it shall guard your heart and mind, in the Greek, this is one’s thoughts or feelings and your perception of things.

To know God’s will, know His peace.

What does one do to know peace?

When you do, it will give you direction, guard your thoughts, feelings and perception of things.

Breaking Up the Fallow Ground

The Hardened Heart

Hosea says, “break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord”. A farmer finds that below the topsoil, the ground gets compacted. This is called the plowpan. It creates a barrier for water, air and plant roots. As a result of not being plowed, heavy rains flood and puddle. Breaking up the plowpan allows the roots to grow deep and the water to insure the soil is kept moist. The plowpan seals off the flow of water. The plowpan causes stress on the roots, not allowing them to stretch, confining them to a smaller space. This stress is harmful to both growth and fruitfulness. The stress on the roots increases the vulnerability to disease.

This happens to the Christian who has a hardened heart. The water of the Word just runs off and doesn’t penetrate. The Word that we do meditate on does not take root. We have little or no growth or fruit. We are then vulnerable to the philosophies (disease) of the world. Matt. 13:5

The only way to break up the plowpan is through deep tillage. Hosea says that it is “incumbent upon US to break up our fallow ground”. This is done through accountability and “deep confession”, getting a clear conscience and then a pure heart (a pure heart in Greek is a continual purging).

Difficult Matters

What does it take for God to get your attention? I find myself getting complacent, relaxed in my walk, not thinking correctly.

God often deals with his people in the area of finances and possessions.

I get financially secure. Bills are paid. Nothing looms over the horizon.

If something happens, I could, with some effort, pay a thousand, maybe two. But, when my car needed repairs this week, it came to nearly $6000.00. I knew I was shouldering a burden when my mood kept fluctuating. I was depressed.

Isn’t that the way God often brings us back to Him. I have to trust in Him again, and not myself. Not my abilities, not what I can produce.

It works for me. I get centered again.

David pens: O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother; my soul is like a weaned child within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever. Psalm 131

Illustration of the Ox

Although he has energy to burn, the young male ox would exhaust himself before completing the task set before him, should he not be yoked with a mature older ox.

Given a plot of land to plow, the young ox would be reckless, carefree and lack direction to plow straight rows. In his enthusiasm, he would expend needed energy before completing the task at hand. However, yoked to an older, experienced male, the young one would learn patience, how to stay the course, and how to work without burning out before the field is plowed.

The D Acres of New Hampshire Organic Farm & Educational Homestead pamphlet on Sustainable Forestry with Oxen, 2004, notes, “Trying to train a two year old ox to follow commands can be difficult. A rowdy ox can be yoked to a well-trained ox in order to train the wild ox about proper yoke etiquette. It must be considered, however, that this can be an unpleasant experience for the well-trained ox. Similarly, older oxen can be used to train a new or younger team by working them in tandem. The mature boys will be helpful for training the young, and the boys will remain useful until the young calves are trained and large enough to be of use for woodlot management”. (edited)

As to this training, John Bowen writes, “One use of the double yoke was to train young oxen. The farmer would link together an experienced ox and a young ox, and, as they pulled the plough together, the older ox would demonstrate how it was done: the discipline, the patience, the obedience, the stick-to-itiveness”.

Picture a young one being yoked to the older. In his youth, he starts by pulling against the master, rebelling, fighting, and ignoring the steady pace of the leader. The older walks with purpose, steadfastness, with his eye on the goal. Months later, the younger submits to the others gait. They plow together, the elder gathering renewed strength from the youth’s enthusiasm, fresh approach and eagerness to work. Together, they get the job done. They pace themselves for the days work.

So too, the young Christian is energetic, bold, powerful and eager to work however, he lacks direction and has the propensity to burn out before a task is completed.
For this reason, he needs to be yoked to a mature believer who can help him to learn obedience, humility, loyalty and how to complete the given task, one who will set the pace.

Who are you yoked to? Are you burned out, before your time?

Are you completing the given task with enthusiasm or are you bored?

Growing Pains

Jay,

I have been thinking about the angst you are experiencing and hope that some understanding of the process of God might encourage you.

Now that you are studying the Greek at your school, it will be fruitful to use some of the things you are learning.

There are several words in Greek for the English word ‘know’. Oida is to perceive or know intellectually. As an example, I know you because I have an email from you; I have read some of your blogs, etc.

Another word is ginosko. This is an experiential knowledge; the type of knowledge that is gained by spending time with someone, having an intimate relationship with them, experiencing what they experience, "weeping with them that weep…".

Paul says, in Philippians 3, that I may know (ginosko) Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.

God’s desire is for you to know Him. This is not the intellectual knowledge but that of the heart, the experiential knowledge, the ginosko. He wants you to experience Him. There are many Christians around you that have a “head knowledge” of God, but, they have not “experienced” Him. God’s desire is for you to experience Him. So far, this sounds good, but how? How do we experience God and the power that raised Him from the dead and why aren’t we experiencing that now?

Paul continues to tell us how, “through the fellowship of His suffering, conforming to His death”. The only way that God designed for us to know Him, to go those 12 inches from “head knowledge” to “heart knowledge” is through the things that we suffer, through conforming to His death (dying to ourselves).

The pain you are experiencing, the “growing pains” are from suffering, from God allowing you to see and experience the pain of conforming to Him. When you conform to the world, you experience the pain of separation from God, when you conform to Him; you feel the growing pains of repair and restoration.

Although He was a Son; He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. Heb 5:8

What if?

Greg asked me why he experienced such pain from his youth. His mother became pregnant, with him, during a brief encounter. Greg never knew a father. He and a sibling were put in foster care after his mother attempted suicide when they found themselves locked out of their mobile home, due to nonpayment of rent.

His youth was marked with neglect and feelings of abandonment.

Why would God allow this?

We all ask this question about our past, adding, "if only I had…". "If only my father loved me". "If only I had not become involved in…". "If only…".

Let's look at this question from God's frame of reference.

I asked Greg, what if, before you were born, God came to you? What if He sat with you and explained that He had a people on earth that were unreachable, a people who experienced rejection, abandonment, and despair? He needed someone to reach out to them, to identify with them and to comfort them. What if God asked your permission, before you were born, to put you in a place where you felt rejected and alone, in order to minister to His people? Would you consent, Greg? Would you be willing to endure this for the sake of the Kingdom to be a living testimony of His love, His power and His Grace to be a part of His story? After all, isn't our testimony a record of what God has done in and with our life?

After pondering this question I saw the mental turmoil on his face. But, he agreed, "of course, if God asked me to endure such a childhood, to later be used to help His people, of course I would agree.

Perhaps God did, Greg.

I asked, "Doesn't this bring a new light to your pain"? "Doesn't this make it all worth it"?

Jesus agreed and came to earth to endure suffering, rejection and death. Luke 9:22

If you would believe this, would it change your perspective on your past, present and future? Would it give your life meaning and purpose? Would it change your complaining to joy? Joy, that God needs a representative on earth, someone to reach His people, someone who has experienced the pain of rejection and grief?

Would this thought transform you from an angry victim to a wounded healer?

What if?

Meditation Continued

Meditation on Scripture is not what we commonly think of as “Bible study.” Bible study is good, and it certainly assists meditation; but Bible study is often learning about God and meditation is about knowing God.

I caution about reading commentaries because when we read other’s opinions about a passage of Scripture, sometimes it can block deeper insights and understanding that the Holy Spirit may wish to reveal or it can hinder a work that He is seeking to do in us. Books can be useful tools and aids, but reading them and learning from them is not the goal of meditation.

Once the passage is in our minds, the next step is to implant the Word in our hearts. While one may agree with Scripture, one often does not believe Scripture. What we truly believe in our heart will be acted out in our lives. The step of going from agreeing with the Word in our minds to believing the Word in our hearts is accomplished through meditation.

Biblical meditation is speaking the memorized words of Scripture over and over to oneself and to God. It is speaking those words in the first person, and speaking those words in prayer to God. Meditation is rolling every word around in our minds, thinking of its meaning, its direction, its application to us, how it addresses our lives. It is emphasizing each word and phrase in a sentence and pointing its message at our lives and our souls.

Borrowed

Meditation

Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. Psalm 119:11

1. The Law exposes our sin (without the law, there would be no sin)

2. Man’s constant struggle is against sin

3. God also gave the “antidote” to sin

4. Why, then, do we try everything EXCEPT what God has prescribed

5.

borrowed

Meditation on the Word

If you were to meditate on this portion of Psalm 1, what would you get from it?

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

The last sentence tells the benefit of meditation. It is of interest that we don't teach more on this discipline if that is the reward. "In whatever he does, he prospers". Wow!

Paul continues in Romans 12 with his discourse of worship and the role of the Believer when he writes, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect".

The description of the clean animal was the cloven hoof illustrates "not being conformed to this world" and, chewing the cud, "being transformed by the renewing of your mind".

Renewing of the mind is the crux of the Christian life. This is the only way to transform the life of the Believer. Behaviors, that we try to change in our own power, will be modified by God through the power of His Word. The writer of Hebrews reports this when he pens, "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart".

The process is simple, taking a section of Scripture, reading it, thinking about it, its meaning, the setting and pondering it. Bringing it back up later, to think about it again, put it in the context of your life and the lives of those around you. Critique it, test it, ask what God meant by it. Challenge it. Argue it. God's Word stands the test.

This is meditation. This will change your thinking which in turn will change your behavior.

"You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. Deut. 11:18

The word transformed (by the renewing of your mind) is metamorphoo, the origin of the English word, metamorphosis. The changes are sometimes not noticeable and changes take time.

The result of not conforming to the world and transforming the mind is that we will know or discern what the will of God is.

This is the most asked question in the church, "What is God's will for my life"?

When we meditate on the Word, the benefit of making this a habit is that you will begin to know what God's will is for your life.

What is worship?

When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, as recorded in John 4, He said, "… true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers".

Paul clarifies this in Romans 12 when he writes, "…to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship".

He says that worship is presenting yourself as a living sacrifice.

A clean animal, fit for eating and sacrifice, in Leviticus, is described as, "Whatever divides a hoof, thus making split (cloven) hoofs, and chews the cud…".

When we combine Paul's instruction, "to present your bodies as a 'living and holy (set apart) sacrifice' and God's description of the sacrifice, 'cloven hoof and chews the cud', we can surmise that God wants us to be identified by two specific characteristics, which is worship: those who are separate from the world and those who meditate on His Word.

The cloven or split hoof is an illustration of one who has "come out from their midst and be separate," (2 Cor. 6)

It is imperative that the Believer be in the world but not of the world. We are to be separate in our thinking which will result in our being separate (from the world) in our behavior.

Clean animals have several stomachs for the purpose of digestion; they ruminate or chew the cud. The animal will eat grasses and swallow it into the first stomach. It will later regurgitate and once again chew the pre-digested grass. The process continues until the grass is broken down into cellulite which can be digested. It is then passed to a second stomach to continue the process of digestion. Thus, ruminating on grass is taking a large area and eating from it, swallowing and bring it up later to process it further. God specifically uses this animal to depict the process of meditation on the Word. We take large sections, eat (read) from them, then bring them up in our thoughts, ponder (chew) them, swallow, bring them up again in order to digest and benefit from the food.

We see several times in Scripture where the Word is described as food, milk, meat, something to be eaten.

In conclusion, our worship of God, that which is of spirit and truth, is done by offering ourselves to Him as a living and holy sacrifice. It is one who separates himself from the world and who meditates (ruminates) on the Word. This is worship.