Category: Scriptural Application for Everyday Life
Whoops! Slam, Crash, Bang!
OK, this daily read-through-the-Bible thing is getting ridiculous! Ridiculous, I tell you! How is it that the daily reading matches daily reality so often? Am I the only one who is noticing this?
The great blizzard of 2011 being over, I drove home to a sunny, albeit cold sky. The garage door genie opened the door in accordance to my finger pushing the magic button on my sun visor as I pulled my filthy, salt and dirt stained car into its harbor. I gingerly made my way down the driveway toward the mailbox. I consciously was thinking that I needed to be careful due to the possibility of slipping on the ice.
Suddenly, with no warning, my feet shot out from underneath and I landed on my back with the back of my head slamming on the concrete driveway with a force knocked off my hat, popped the cell phone out of my pocket and left me senseless. I just laid there wondering if I was still alive. Why couldn’t I have simply landed on my butt?
Nope, I don’t think there is a lot of snow in heaven. I must be alive. Next question – did I break something? Can I still move my extremities? I just laid there on the ground for a minute thinking this couldn’t really be happening.
So, I collected myself and my belongings and made my way to the house like a whipped puppy dog. I’m a bit sore, but I don’t think I suffered any permanent damage. Nothing really hurt but my pride. Cheryl has been checking my eyes to make sure I don’t morph into a vampire or go cross-eyed or anything. So far I’m good.
Wanna know the first stupid thought that crossed my mind? The Psalm 18 reading from this morning.
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. (Psalms 18:30-36)
Here’s what I wrote in my journal this morning. I’ll translate to English below.
En este día fío de mucha nieve y hielo, me llama la atención esta porción que nos explica como andar en este mundo sin resbalarse. Comenzamos con un fundamento sólido debajo de nuestros pies, la roca, nuestro Dios. Su palabra acrisolada nos indica precisamente el camino perfecto. Dios nos da la capacidad para andar con la seguridad y agilidad de ciervas en las montañas. Nuestras manos están listas y entrenadas para agarrarse de cualquier cosa que sea necesario. Al andar en este camino, Él está con nosotros sosteniéndonos con su diestra. Además, cuando la senda es muy pero muy angosta como con un solo paso con el snowblower, Él ensancha nuestros pasos debajo de nosotros. Así que nuestros pies no resbalan.
On this cold day of much snow and ice, this passage caught my attention that explains to us how to walk in this world without falling. We begin with a solid foundation under our feet – the rock, our God. His pure word guides us in precisely the prefect way. God has given us the capacity to walk confidently and with agility like deer in the mountains. Our hands are ready and trained to grab hold whenever necessary. As we walk this path, his right hand supports us. Not only that, when the way becomes too narrow, like a single pass with a snowblower, he broadens the way beneath us so that our feet do not slip.
I guess life is like that. We can slip and fall before we even know what is happening. Praise God for the promises of this psalm!
Pharoah, Let My People Go!
Hosni Mubarak
Is it not ironic to you that as we are plowing our way through Exodus in our read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year challenge the world’s attention is riveted on Egypt? Fascinating!
Every time I turn around it seems someone is commenting on what they are seeing in our Bible reading or thanking me for the challenge to read through the Bible. We have approached this task not with legalistic duty mixed with a generous portion of guilt, but full of grace and anticipation. People are looking forward each day to spending time in the Bible.
So, here we are watching history being made in Egypt while we read about God raising up Moses to deliver Israel from oppression in Egypt. I know I’m a Bible geek, but I am utterly consumed listening to the news coming out of Egypt. Consider the following:
The place of Egypt in Scripture
- In the scriptures, Egypt represents the world. Israel was delivered (saved) from the oppression of Egypt, a picture of how God has saved us from slavery to sin in this world.
- As you continue reading through the Bible, you will notice that there is a constant temptation to trust in Egypt’s power, wealth, protection, etc, rather than to trust in God. Today, as believers in Jesus Christ we share the same temptation to trust in the resources of the world around us instead of trusting in God.
- God sent Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus into Egypt for their protection when Herod sought to kill the King of the Jews whom the Magi from the East had come to worship.
- God is not done with Egypt, and Isaiah 19 is an incredible prophecy of the coming conversion of Egypt to become followers of the true God. Read it and stand amazed!
- Few peoples in the Bible have a greater place in scripture than the Egyptians. Time and space do not permit me to drill any deeper here. Just keep your eyes open for Egypt as you read through the Bible.
Meeting with God in the scriptures
- So, here we are cruising through the Bible and end up in Exodus at the very time the history of Egypt (and the world) is changing before our eyes. What does this mean? The Bible is a living book, not a dry, dead one. The question we should be asking our selves is this. What can we learn in the Bible to equip us to understand what is happening today?
- Here’s a start. Our Bible reading today began in Exodus 9 and 10. How does it begin?
Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. (Exodus 9:1)
- The king/dictator of Egypt is refusing to let God’s people go. God uses Moses to bring a series of plagues upon the land and the people until Pharaoh turns loose of God’s people. Today, a dictator has held Pharaoh-like power over Egypt for 30 years. The people are rising up; he doesn’t want to let them go. There is more to this drama than meets the eye.
- God still has people in Egypt. Some of God’s people there do not know him yet. They will. Whatever drama is unfolding in Egypt will ultimately lead to the accomplishment of God’s plan to have Egyptians praising him for eternity. When Paul struggled to proclaim the Gospel in Corinth, God encouraged him and reminded him, “for I have much people in this city.” God has his people in Egypt.
- What we see each day in scripture has the potential to direct, guide, instruct, encourage and minister to us as we follow God through this world as his servants.
The power of Kingdom praying
- A biblical understanding of the world around us enables us to pray intelligently, strategically and biblically. In our Tuesday night prayer ministry we have been emphasizing the need to do “kingdom praying,” praying according to God’s plan and not just throwing up random prayers in response to our daily trials and needs.
- Seeing God’s plan for Egypt and the world, coupled with the stream of current events, should channel us toward kingdom praying.
- We should pray that whatever happens in Egypt would be for God’s glory, for the calling out of a people for his name among the Egyptians.
- We should pray for those in Egypt who are already God-followers. They need protection, encouragement, wisdom, guidance. Most of all, pray that they will be emboldened to share their faith as God gives open doors. Pray that their lives will be a witness to Jesus.
Above all, remember that God is in control and that his ways are not necessarily our ways. This is not really about democracy versus dictatorships, or the Muslim Brotherhood versus more progressive elements of society. This is about God’s love for the peoples of the world, Egyptians among them, and his desire to raise up a people for his name among them.
There was a time when missionaries were expelled from China shortly after WWII, and many Chinese Christians were imprisoned or killed. What a tragedy many thought! God, though, was at work and used that pressure cooker to make China the country where more people come to Christ every day than any other place on earth. Chinese Christians are already becoming a powerful force in God’s mission, and in the next few years you will be amazed at what will be happening in China for the Kingdom of God! So don’t pray from an American perspective but from a biblical perspective.
KCBT has a wonderful family of believers in Egypt. Our key man, W___, just happened to be right here at KCBT as all this began to unfold in Egypt. His wife and two college-aged children remain in Cairo. Pray for their protection and encouragement during this time, and to give W___ guidance and comfort of mind. W___ was present in the third service today, and we prayed specifically for him.
Pray for S__r and A_y, two others of our family who serve much of the time in Egypt. Currently, they are here and safe.
Just about two or three weeks ago I met three young Egyptian men visiting our services on a Sunday morning. I can’t remember their names, and I really don’t know if they share our faith or not. But, I do know that they must be very concerned about the events unfolding in their native land. They obviously have friends and family and they are concerned for them. Pray that God will reveal himself strong to them during this time. We have other Egyptians in our church family who need our love and prayers.
Wow! What’s Wrong with Jesus?
Ever have that thought? What’s wrong with Jesus? I must confess I have a time or two in my first few readings through the Bible as a young believer. It has happened when I stumbled across an event in Jesus’ life where he responded in ways I initially thought to be inexplicable, like the time when he made a whip and ran the money changers out of the temple, turning over tables and opening the pens of sacrificial animals. How about in the final week of his life when he cursed a barren fig tree? Cursing fig trees?? Come on! Talk about having a bad day!
Fresh back from Costa Rica, I met with my Life Team this morning. We never have an agenda, and our conversation can head in any direction imaginable – all in the same morning! Today we talked about our personal lives, our businesses and ministries, our kids and marriages, our hopes and fears and – I can’t even remember.
I was just getting ready to head out when someone said,
“Got time for a Bible question?“
“Sure!“
We had already talked about how cool it is for the whole church to be reading through the Bible together this year. Anymore, we don’t even have to ask who is reading and who isn’t. Topics of conversations in Sunday school classes, family dinner tables, car pools and over coffee in Portico in the KCBT lobby have a way of pointing back to what we have been seeing in the Bible.
Him: You know that story we just read in Matthew about Jesus and the Canaanite woman who begged him to do something about her demon-possessed daughter? Jesus refused to talk to her and the disciples wanted to send her away. Then, Jesus called her a dog.!
Me: Oh, you mean in Matthew 15. Yeah, that’ s kind of tough, isn’t it? I used to wrestle with that myself. There is an explanation, however. In fact, not only was that our Bible reading Monday, I was just reading about that same story the other day as I was reviewing my Perspectives reader and saw a phrase used in explanation that I really liked. Jesus is once again emphasizing that his kingdom is for all peoples and not just his own people the Jews. Let me show you how the context flows.
We went to Matthew 15 and I showed how Jesus was embroiled in another controversy with the Pharisees and scribes. This time they were upset because Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands before they ate (or sang their music too loud, or didn’t dress like “Christians,” or … ). Jesus was very direct in saying that they were honoring God with their lips, but heart was distant. He then lowered the boom by saying that it isn’t what goes into the mouth that defiles us, but what comes out, because it reflects the content of the heart.
The disciples take Jesus aside to get him to crank down the volume a bit.
Jesus, don’t you know that you offended these guys?
Keep that in mind.
Jesus’ answer was not very comforting to them. “Don’t you get it either?” He then went into greater detail to explain his point. And, no, they really weren’t getting it.
After this encounter, Jesus headed straight for the beach! The beaches of Tyre and Sidon. This is where this Canaanite woman approaches him about her demon-possessed daughter. He totally brushes her aside, won’t even speak to her. She just keeps insisting.
The disciples were concerned he had offended the scribes and Pharisees, but they are probably glad to see he is pretty good at offending this bothersome gentile woman. After all, she is just a gentile and everyone knows that they can be a real problem.
Jesus, send her away! She’s making a scene.
So, Jesus turns to her and lets her have it both barrels blazing!. (You want offensive? THIS is offensive!)
It’s not right to take the children’s bread a toss it to dogs.
Say what?! Jesus calls this woman a dog!
What they don’t realize is that they are being set up. Jesus is ready to pull the rug out from underneath them.
As I offered this explanation this morning, I couldn’t remember exactly who had written what I had rolling around in my mind, but I went home and looked it up. The author was Don Richardson and the excerpt is taken from his well-known book, Eternity in Their Hearts. Here it is.
“It is not right to take the children’s bread.” Then He added the crusher – “and toss it to their dogs!” “Dogs” was a standard epithet Jews reserved for Gentiles, especially Gentiles who tried to intrude upon Jewish religious privacy and privilege. In other words, Jesus now complements his earlier “insensitivity” and “inconsistency” with even worse “cruelty.”
Was this really the Savior of the world talking? No doubt His disciples thought His reference quite appropriate for the occasion. But just when the chests were swollen with pride of race, the Canaanite woman must have caught a twinkle in Jesus’ eye and realized the truth!
“Yes, Lord,” she replied ever so humbly, not to mention subtly, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table!” (see also Mark 7:26-30).
“Woman, you have great faith!” Jesus glowed. “Your request is granted!” No, He was not being fickle! This was what he intended to do all along.
From offending the very self-righteous scribes and pharisees, Jesus goes to praising the faith of a Canaanite woman!
As we reflected on this remarkable event, we all agreed that we want to draw close enough to Jesus to see the twinkle in his eyes.
Our Daily Bread
So, how are you coming in your daily read through the Bible? If you are keeping up, more or less, you’ve already survived some of those dreaded spots in Genesis that are lists of names. There are more to come. Yikes!
It’s OK to cheat when you get to the begetting and begotting part. You can just kind of let your eyes glance across the page acknowledging what is there. Look for verses that pop out to give a short commentary and stand in contrast to the list of names. Don’t worry if you don’t see the point right now. Spend more time that day in Psalms, Proverbs, Matthew or whatever. Or, use that time to catch up if you missed a day or two – or not.
Here’s what hit me in our Matthew 14 reading today. After the wild boat ride in the storm with Jesus walking on the water and all that, the Lord and his gang of twelve arrive to the other shore of the lake. People are waiting there for Jesus and beg him to just touch the hem of his garment. They do that and are healed of their sicknesses. They go away content.
A lot of people are content just to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment and be saved from their sin. I’d much rather be in the boat with Jesus! I want it all!
Costa Rica Update!
This summer as I was preaching through The Mission, Montse had organized a couple of study groups in her house to go through the study with us. I thought she was teaching from the notes we passed out in the services. No. They were gathered around the TV watching me teach in Spanish via the Internet. So, these young professionals had been waiting for me to arrive. Some of them are now in the Perspectives class. Some are actively making plans to serve God in cross-cultural situations around the world. It’s pretty exciting.
Students from The Mission with KCBT's own Myika on the right who is here studying Spanish
These students of mine hired a chef to cater in a fabulous meal last night as we met at the scene of the study. We sat around for quite a while afterwards as I told them stories of some of the things that God is doing around the world that I can’t share in an open public setting. We had a blast and ended with a season of heartfelt prayer.
This morning a couple I married years ago in El Salvador picked me up for breakfast. He is an executive with Habitat for Humanity and they have lived in Venezuela, Bolivia and now these past five years in Costa Rica. They now attend Montse’s church.
Me, Montse, Pastor Jorge
Back at the house for lunch, Montse’s pastor came and we spent the afternoon together. We talked and talked and discovered that our approach to the Bible, ministry and life is scary close! We both felt an immediate chemistry – a click! His church is part of a
On the Coffee Tour
group of about nine churches here that come from a mother church pastored by an ex-soccer player. As it turns out, he was preaching in Montse’s church tonight and I got to meet him, too.
Loved the service tonight (Saturday). Honestly, I felt like I was right at home back at KCBT. The worship was great and to the heart. The preaching was passionate and biblical from Joshua 1 and 3 about the art of making transitions. Yea God! This is the first time in a long time that I have been able to walk into a church service as a regular person and just soak it up. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that!
I mentioned the video that Montse put together the other night when I spoke to the students. Here is the link to her FaceBook where she has it posted. I think this will work if you click here if you would like to see the short 3 minute video. The photos are her own that she has taken various places where she has worked around the world. The music is original, Dime (Tell me)and on the CD released by the youth band La Calle of her church and used by permission. The text is from Lamentations, Is is nothing to you? Check it out.
Stealthy Snow People and other Strange Thoughts
Not me, but this is for those of you who don't know what a snow blower is
The great American blizzard of 2011 lived up to its advance billing. Other than going to pick up some pain pills for Cheryl early Tuesday morning, I can’t remember the last time I just sat at home for an entire day. Sweet! The office was closed and all activities shut down, so I enjoyed watching the snow mount up and being blown around by the crazy winds. I had my new snow blower in position in the garage all ready to attack at the first opportunity. I knew, though, that it would be futile to do anything until the wind and snow backed off.
So, it’s around midnight and I’m just ready to head to bed. I’m having a hard time pulling away from watching the latest news roll in from Egypt. The crowds in the square are working up into a frenzy, and I am amazed at how vividly the background noises are coming through. Man! I’m sure glad I got that surround sound working!
Listen to that! Those are voices. Is that English? What are they saying? Then, I hear some scraping noise coming from my left. I am so impressed at the separation of sound. Wow! That’s really good!
No! Wait! That really sounds like someone outside. But that can’t be. Who in the world would be out running around at midnight in the middle of a blizzard?
I grab the remote control and hit mute. Sure enough! The noise is still there. There IS someone outside! What!!??
I run to the window and see three or four young men with shovels heading back toward the street after evidently clearing off our front porch. From the street a tractor enters clearing a wide swath of my driveway. A full size tractor! We don’t need no steenking snow blowers!
I never got a clear look at the stealthy snow people. I have some suspects in mind, but whoever you are, if you are reading this, thank you!!! Much appreciated.
You might remember that when the first major snow storm hit I had a hizzy fit when my brand new snow blower refused to start and I discovered it came from the factory with a defective carburetor. My frustration was complicated when the next significant snow storm hit and I was in Costa Rica, leaving my wife at home having just had a total knee replacement. Not much snow to blow in Costa Rica and nothing I could do to help Cheryl.
Yeah, I really DID feel guilty! But, our oldest daughter was at the house when the repair guy came through the falling snow to put on the new carburetor. She had never touched a snow blower before, but learned from the tech guy how to start it and off she went. She figured it the choke, the transmission speeds and how to switch the flow of snow back and forth. She said she even had some fun doing it. I was so proud of her! Obviously she did not get her engineering skill from me!
This morning, I awoke to blue skies, near zero temperatures and the challenge of fresh snow. Thanks to the stealthy snow people, the major part of my drive was done. I just finished up the other half of our half circle drive, did the sidewalks and then headed for my neighbor’s house, a widower who is up in years and well past his snow-blowing prime.
Not me either, but this is how I usually look after blowing snow
By this time our cul-de-sac was a beehive of activity. There are a number of older residents on our street, and those are us who could were out and about and clearing off driveways of those who could not. When I finished I headed to my mother-in-law’s. Sadly, the snow blower is too big to put in my SUV, so this one was with an old-fashioned shovel.
People helping people. What a novel idea! No hidden agenda, no hook, no catch, no bait-and-switch – just being responsible and generous human beings. Why hasn’t someone thought of this before??
Now comes the inevitable theological question. What would Jesus do? Would Jesus blow snow for his neighbors? The truth is that Jesus probably never had to deal with snow. Could this be the meaning of that mysterious statement by Jesus in John 14:12?
OK, maybe not. But, the thought that I may be blazing a new frontier was kind of cool for a minute.
What about Paul? Paul spent time in Turkey, and if you have ever flown over certain parts of Turkey in the winter, you know that they deal with some serious snow!
No matter. The teaching of scripture is pretty clear. No less that eight times in the New Testament do we find the command to love our neighbor as ourself. Sadly, in the United States today not many people have even met their neighbors or know their names.
At KCBT we are praying for God to give us a spirit of hospitality and to focus our lives outward toward others. I think that’s a good thing to pray about and even biblical. It’s probably just as good an idea to be the answer to our own prayer by practicing being hospitable.
Here’s what I’m thinking. Over the years we (American Christianity) have spent millions upon millions of dollars and countless man hours organizing evangelistic campaigns, passing out untold amounts of Christian literature (both slick and cheesy), cold-calling people by telephone to invite them to church the same way we would sell insurance and even standing on street corners to preach at strangers in the attempt to convince them of the truth of our message – you know, sort of like the folks dressed up like the Statue of Liberty entice people to come and get their taxes figured.
I’m not against any of that, by the way. (I do wish you would lay off the cheesy Gospel tracts, though. If you’re going to do that try to do it with something Jesus would be proud of). Whatever it takes to get the message of Jesus out is good I suppose.
Here’s my thought. How about a snowblower? Instead of a stadium full of people, or a television broadcast to the multitudes, how about a snowblower? What about actually meeting your neighbor and developing a friendship (OK, maybe even an acquaintanceship) without inviting him or her to church in the same breath?
Alright. How about cookies? Yeah, cookies. You know, take some cookies to your neighbors. You might have to meet them first, otherwise they would be totally creeped out receiving edible food from stranger. Again, hold off on the invitation to church just yet. That would totally freak out most people.
Snowblowers, cookies, or whatever else you might think of to meet people and show yourself to be friendly. When you get a chance to chat, why not ask them to tell you a bit about themselves. Kids? Job? Hobbies? Dreams? You know, basic human information type stuff. If you can pull it off, it would good for them to think that you really care or are even interested.
Do this, and see what happens. Do this consistently until it becomes part of your nature, who you are, the way you live. If you convince people you really do care about them, they might even listen to you when you get the chance to talk about Jesus. I’m working on this myself. I haven’t been the best model.
By the way, the widower next door – I’ve been cleaning his driveway the past few years. I’ve still not invited him to church. He’s already a Christian, you see, and has been a member of a great local church for many years. So why would I clean off his driveway? He can’t and I can. It’s as simple as that.