What does it mean to be consecrated? At the most basic level it means to make holy, to set apart, to sanctify. All of these terms are essentially synonymous in Scripture.
In Exodus 29 there is a long ceremony, seven days, by which Aaron and his sons were consecrated, set apart, for the service of the tabernacle. The ceremony involved the killing of bulls and rams, the making of bread, the sprinkling of blood, the waving of hands, the burning of fat, the anointing with oil, and a host of other activities.
God said, "Thus you shall do to Aaron and his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Seven days you shall consecrate them. And you shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy."
Why did Aaron, his sons, and the altar need to be holy? Because God said He would meet with them there. God's presence is ultimately what makes holy.
Ex. 29:43ff, "And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory...I will dwell among the children of Israel and be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord their God."
That is a powerful proclamation. Holiness comes down to the presence of the Lord. Where God is, is holy. Where God is not, is not holy. So what makes us holy? What makes our assemblies holy? It is certainly not the blood of bulls and goats or the elaborate process of consecration that Aaron and his sons endured.
It is the presence of the Lord that makes us holy. It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that makes us holy before the Lord. It is the presence of God in us that makes our assemblies holy.
Have you ever been into a church and it seemed dead, as if there was no glory of God present? Perhaps the service was just like a thousand other services that observed Bible reading, prayer, singing, preaching, etc., but there was no "holiness" to it. Why? Because God's presence was not there. It's as simple as that.
So what can I do? Can I make anything holy? The answer is I can't make anything holy. Only God can do that. What I can do is pray for God's presence in me and repent of any sin that may hinder the work of the Holy Spirit. It is Christ who has done all of the atoning work. It is His sacrifice that God accepts and honors. By His blood we are made clean and holy before our God.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
God and a Golden Calf - Exodus 32
Surely you've all seen the great Charlton Heston movie, the Ten Commandments, where he comes down from being on the mountain with God, and all the people are dancing and worshiping around the golden calf. Heston, playing Moses, became so angry he cast the tablets of God down and broke them. But that wasn't all Moses did. He took the golden calf (Exo 32:20), burned it in the fire, presumably to melt it down, he ground it into powder, which he placed into water, and then made the people drink it. Wow! So much for the golden calf. What an object lesson for the people.
This particular episode in the life of God's people never ceases to amaze me on several levels.
The first is just how prone to wander into sin we really are. You would think that such an amazing encounter with God through His deliverance of the people from Egypt would so firmly set His power in their hearts and minds that they would never stray. But they did. Immediately. Sadly, this cycle would repeat itself over and over again in their history. No wonder God continuously calls them "stiff necked."
On a personal note I know that a day has not passed in my life that I did not struggle with sin. As a pastor other people think we do not struggle, but believe me, the temptation to forsake your faith and build a golden calf of even good things, preaching, a church, personal relationships, ministerial success, biblical knowledge, etc., can slip in so silently you hardly even notice, but it is just as real as a golden calf. John Calvin, the great reformer, pastor, theologian, of the 16th century, said the human heart is an idol factory. So true.
Next, is the nearly unbelievable forbearance of Moses. In Exo. 32:10 God told Moses that He would kill all the people and make a great nation of Moses. Let me say, that would have been a far easier path for Moses to take than to deal with the 2 million sinners at the bottom of the mountain. But Moses, man of faith that he was, pleaded with God to spare the people, calling on God to remember His covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God did remember and God did relent. Thank God. But what about Moses?
It wasn't the last time he would have a similar conversation with God to spare the people. Moses' compassion towards his people is incredible. I liken this to a man who is called to stay with his church and continue to lead them, although they are difficult and painful because of their stubbornness, versus his leaving to gather his own group. What if Moses had said, "Go ahead and kill them God, they deserve it! I'll start over with my own group of people." The history of the world would be very different. I'm not sure how that could have worked out since Jesus came from the tribe of Judah and Moses was of Levi. Perhaps that could be an interesting theology article one day...
But most importantly is the compassion of God. "The Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people (Exo 32:14)." That is a serious statement. When God said He would kill the entire nation He really meant it. He had already essentially destroyed the nation of Egypt and He would destroy several nations in the land of Canaan to clear it out. God isn't above destroying a nation. In fact, three thousand "unrestrained" men did die at the hands of the Levites that day. I take this to mean that they would not repent of their behavior, therefore, they were killed.
At the end of the age, which I do believe is near, God will essentially destroy all nations and set up His own kingdom rule. But thank God for grace, mercy, and compassion. God relented from the harm He said He would do, and He will relent from the harm that is coming. If He didn't, none of us would make it.
At the end of chapter 32 Moses goes back to God to make atonement for the peoples sins, offering his own life. God did not, however, accept the life of Moses, and Moses' plea was only partially successful. God did not completely cut off the people, but He did punish them for their sin.
We do have a perfect atonement for our sins, one God will accept. Our hope is in the compassion of God found through the death of His Son Jesus Christ. Moses was a murderer. God could not accept His life as an atonement. Jesus Christ was a Savior. This was the only life God could accept, and it was acceptable for the sins of not only a nation, but the entire world.
This particular episode in the life of God's people never ceases to amaze me on several levels.
The first is just how prone to wander into sin we really are. You would think that such an amazing encounter with God through His deliverance of the people from Egypt would so firmly set His power in their hearts and minds that they would never stray. But they did. Immediately. Sadly, this cycle would repeat itself over and over again in their history. No wonder God continuously calls them "stiff necked."
On a personal note I know that a day has not passed in my life that I did not struggle with sin. As a pastor other people think we do not struggle, but believe me, the temptation to forsake your faith and build a golden calf of even good things, preaching, a church, personal relationships, ministerial success, biblical knowledge, etc., can slip in so silently you hardly even notice, but it is just as real as a golden calf. John Calvin, the great reformer, pastor, theologian, of the 16th century, said the human heart is an idol factory. So true.
Next, is the nearly unbelievable forbearance of Moses. In Exo. 32:10 God told Moses that He would kill all the people and make a great nation of Moses. Let me say, that would have been a far easier path for Moses to take than to deal with the 2 million sinners at the bottom of the mountain. But Moses, man of faith that he was, pleaded with God to spare the people, calling on God to remember His covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God did remember and God did relent. Thank God. But what about Moses?
It wasn't the last time he would have a similar conversation with God to spare the people. Moses' compassion towards his people is incredible. I liken this to a man who is called to stay with his church and continue to lead them, although they are difficult and painful because of their stubbornness, versus his leaving to gather his own group. What if Moses had said, "Go ahead and kill them God, they deserve it! I'll start over with my own group of people." The history of the world would be very different. I'm not sure how that could have worked out since Jesus came from the tribe of Judah and Moses was of Levi. Perhaps that could be an interesting theology article one day...
But most importantly is the compassion of God. "The Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people (Exo 32:14)." That is a serious statement. When God said He would kill the entire nation He really meant it. He had already essentially destroyed the nation of Egypt and He would destroy several nations in the land of Canaan to clear it out. God isn't above destroying a nation. In fact, three thousand "unrestrained" men did die at the hands of the Levites that day. I take this to mean that they would not repent of their behavior, therefore, they were killed.
At the end of the age, which I do believe is near, God will essentially destroy all nations and set up His own kingdom rule. But thank God for grace, mercy, and compassion. God relented from the harm He said He would do, and He will relent from the harm that is coming. If He didn't, none of us would make it.
At the end of chapter 32 Moses goes back to God to make atonement for the peoples sins, offering his own life. God did not, however, accept the life of Moses, and Moses' plea was only partially successful. God did not completely cut off the people, but He did punish them for their sin.
We do have a perfect atonement for our sins, one God will accept. Our hope is in the compassion of God found through the death of His Son Jesus Christ. Moses was a murderer. God could not accept His life as an atonement. Jesus Christ was a Savior. This was the only life God could accept, and it was acceptable for the sins of not only a nation, but the entire world.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
God is in the Details
Sorry gang, I've been a bad blogger. I'm supposed to make regular posts that are informative, engaging, life changing, remarkable, God glorifying, and so fantastic that you just want to run tell all your friends. That's pretty hard when I'm not posting anything at all....
Last week was a really busy week, and there are a hundred details going through my mind regarding the new Freedom Life service. Please keep this new adventure in your prayers. God is moving mightily and the devil will do anything and everything to keep it off track.
On that note, if you know me, you know I am a detail person. Perhaps that's why I made a relatively good engineer. Details excite me and I don't mind pulling something apart in order to understand the intricacies of design and function. That may at times hinder me from seeing the big picture and moving forward because "analysis paralysis" can be devastating to progress.
Exodus 20-31 gives me hope, however, that God is also in the details. We can fairly quickly grasp the big movements of God through human history; creation, fall, calling, redemption, gospel, coming of Christ, and final glory, but we struggle to understand the significance of how to eat, or not eat, a piece of meat. Why did God institute so many different types of offerings and feasts? Why did the Lord of all the universe specify the type and color of thread to be used in the curtains of the tabernacle (Exo 26), or tell the priests exactly what to wear when they served (Exo 28), or specify the exact smell He wanted in the temple (Exo 30:34)?
There is an old saying, "the devil is in the details," which means small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on. The little things can bite you. In these chapters of Exodus it seems, however, that God is in the details of how He wants His people to live, dress, act, eat, spend money, pray, worship, and etc. Apparently these details are very important to God.
I do not believe God has changed. God is in the details of our lives too. He may not specify to us the clothes we are to wear, but He certainly cares that we have clothes (Matt 6:28-30). He may not specify to us the meat we are to eat, but God cares that it does not cause us to sin or harm the conscience of others (1 Cor. 8). He may not tell us how the church is supposed to smell on Sunday mornings, but He cares greatly that our lives are to God the fragrance of Christ (2 Cor 2:15).
Yes, God is still in the details of our lives. What details is God working on in your life? Whatever it is, please know and be thankful that it is important to God. Nothing about you is trivial to Him. He loves all of you.
Last week was a really busy week, and there are a hundred details going through my mind regarding the new Freedom Life service. Please keep this new adventure in your prayers. God is moving mightily and the devil will do anything and everything to keep it off track.
On that note, if you know me, you know I am a detail person. Perhaps that's why I made a relatively good engineer. Details excite me and I don't mind pulling something apart in order to understand the intricacies of design and function. That may at times hinder me from seeing the big picture and moving forward because "analysis paralysis" can be devastating to progress.
Exodus 20-31 gives me hope, however, that God is also in the details. We can fairly quickly grasp the big movements of God through human history; creation, fall, calling, redemption, gospel, coming of Christ, and final glory, but we struggle to understand the significance of how to eat, or not eat, a piece of meat. Why did God institute so many different types of offerings and feasts? Why did the Lord of all the universe specify the type and color of thread to be used in the curtains of the tabernacle (Exo 26), or tell the priests exactly what to wear when they served (Exo 28), or specify the exact smell He wanted in the temple (Exo 30:34)?
There is an old saying, "the devil is in the details," which means small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on. The little things can bite you. In these chapters of Exodus it seems, however, that God is in the details of how He wants His people to live, dress, act, eat, spend money, pray, worship, and etc. Apparently these details are very important to God.
I do not believe God has changed. God is in the details of our lives too. He may not specify to us the clothes we are to wear, but He certainly cares that we have clothes (Matt 6:28-30). He may not specify to us the meat we are to eat, but God cares that it does not cause us to sin or harm the conscience of others (1 Cor. 8). He may not tell us how the church is supposed to smell on Sunday mornings, but He cares greatly that our lives are to God the fragrance of Christ (2 Cor 2:15).
Yes, God is still in the details of our lives. What details is God working on in your life? Whatever it is, please know and be thankful that it is important to God. Nothing about you is trivial to Him. He loves all of you.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Fear of God, the Law, and the Gospel
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We all know somewhere deep in our hearts that God is scary. That's not something we talk about much in church, because it's not politically correct in our churchy circles. Yet the writer of Hebrews said, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb. 10:31.
When the people of Israel came to Mt. Sinai, to the place where God had told Moses He would meet with His people, His people were not so anxious to meet with God. Even after God told the people that they were to be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, they were commanded to consecrate themselves, but then not allowed to even touch the mountain upon which God would descend lest they die.
Storms are scary. Lightening, thunder, and thick clouds are frightening, and that is how God descended upon the mountain. The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish." Wow. God threatened to kill anyone who dared approach Him to look upon Him. That is certainly not the way people think of God these days.
Yet it was under these conditions that God handed down the law, the Ten Commandments as we know them. On a side note, can you recite them 1-10, right now? Most people can't, even though many claim to live by them.We Christians don't live by them by the way, because we do not keep the sabbath, which was the sign of the Old Covenant, but that's a post for another day.
Have you ever wondered why God imposed the law upon His chosen covenant people under such fearful conditions? I think it was because that's the way the law works. The ten commandments were and are law. The other laws Moses passes along in Exodus 21-23 are just out workings of the first ten; practical ways to apply "thou shalt not."
The law scares us because we know it's only a matter of time before we slip up and break it. The law hangs over us waiting to judge, waiting to condemn, waiting to show us just how far short we fall of God's standards.
Breaking the law is a scary, and if you think blue lights flashing in your review mirror, or standing in front of a human judge in Raleigh is a fearful thing, then imagine standing before God, who knows all truth in perfection. We can't pull a fast one on Him. There's no talking our way out of our sins.
I am amazed at just how complacent so many people are these days regarding the holiness and majesty of God. We can be so lackadaisical, so trite, so mundane when approaching God or the things of God. What happened to our reverential fear?
I do not mean to make much of this aspect of God simply to make you want to avoid God, but rather to inspire appreciation for the grace of God we now find in Christ. Where there once was no way to approach God's holiness, there now is a way through Christ. Once where there was only the imminent expectation of judgment, there is now the imminent expectation of our Great Advocate making intercession on our behalf. Once where there was only fear, trembling, and the reality of death, there is boldness to come before the throne of mercy for everlasting life.
This is the gospel. Thank God we are no longer under the law, but now under grace. The law is fulfilled, perfectly, and completely, in Christ, and we are in Him.
This makes me want to worship, sing, praise, and tell everyone this wonderful good news.
When the people of Israel came to Mt. Sinai, to the place where God had told Moses He would meet with His people, His people were not so anxious to meet with God. Even after God told the people that they were to be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, they were commanded to consecrate themselves, but then not allowed to even touch the mountain upon which God would descend lest they die.
Storms are scary. Lightening, thunder, and thick clouds are frightening, and that is how God descended upon the mountain. The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish." Wow. God threatened to kill anyone who dared approach Him to look upon Him. That is certainly not the way people think of God these days.
Yet it was under these conditions that God handed down the law, the Ten Commandments as we know them. On a side note, can you recite them 1-10, right now? Most people can't, even though many claim to live by them.We Christians don't live by them by the way, because we do not keep the sabbath, which was the sign of the Old Covenant, but that's a post for another day.
Have you ever wondered why God imposed the law upon His chosen covenant people under such fearful conditions? I think it was because that's the way the law works. The ten commandments were and are law. The other laws Moses passes along in Exodus 21-23 are just out workings of the first ten; practical ways to apply "thou shalt not."
The law scares us because we know it's only a matter of time before we slip up and break it. The law hangs over us waiting to judge, waiting to condemn, waiting to show us just how far short we fall of God's standards.
Breaking the law is a scary, and if you think blue lights flashing in your review mirror, or standing in front of a human judge in Raleigh is a fearful thing, then imagine standing before God, who knows all truth in perfection. We can't pull a fast one on Him. There's no talking our way out of our sins.
I am amazed at just how complacent so many people are these days regarding the holiness and majesty of God. We can be so lackadaisical, so trite, so mundane when approaching God or the things of God. What happened to our reverential fear?
I do not mean to make much of this aspect of God simply to make you want to avoid God, but rather to inspire appreciation for the grace of God we now find in Christ. Where there once was no way to approach God's holiness, there now is a way through Christ. Once where there was only the imminent expectation of judgment, there is now the imminent expectation of our Great Advocate making intercession on our behalf. Once where there was only fear, trembling, and the reality of death, there is boldness to come before the throne of mercy for everlasting life.
This is the gospel. Thank God we are no longer under the law, but now under grace. The law is fulfilled, perfectly, and completely, in Christ, and we are in Him.
This makes me want to worship, sing, praise, and tell everyone this wonderful good news.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sweet to Sour: Exodus 15:22 ff
When you're walking with the Lord, do you ever feel like life can go from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in 2.5 seconds? We often say that when things are going well you had better put your guard on because that's when Satan will attack or when the world will seem to turn on you. I can promise you this, if you're doing nothing to bother the devil, if your love for God is cold, if your service to the Lord is non-existent, if you're not reaching out to share the gospel, if your affections for the disciplines of our faith are on the back burner, then more than likely Satan will do nothing to bother you. But if you are out on the front lines of God's Kingdom, leading the charge into hell to win souls and follow Christ, then you better believe our enemy will throw some road blocks in your path.
It is amazing that in Exodus 15 we encounter the beautiful "Song of the Redeemed" people of Israel. In verse 21 Miraim, the sister of Moses, sings, "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea." (ESV) Then the people followed Moses from the Red Sea into the wilderness for three days and found no water. So what did the people do? Have a prayer service? No. Sing a new song to the Lord? No. Entreat Moses to go before the Lord on their behalf? No. Verse 24 says, "And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'" Moses calls out to God and God makes the water sweet via a log thrown into the water. Go figure.
Then the Lord says, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer." That's quite a promise. In other words the Lord tells the people to trust Him and He will provide for them and not "dis-ease" them as He did when He plagued Egypt those 10 times.
But look what happens in chapter 16, verse 2; the people once again grumble against Moses, this time for food, complaining even to the point that they would rather have died in Egypt as satisfied slaves than in the wilderness as hungry free people. God heard their grumbling and yet again provided for them the bread from heaven. They were to gather the bread for 6 days, and on the sixth day they were to gather enough for the seventh, sabbath (rest) day. They were only to keep the bread overnight on the sixth day, so they could rest on the seventh. Of course, they broke both commands. Good grief!
I can only imagine how Moses must have felt, but I can sympathize with him a bit. At times it seems the least little thing will set people to grumbling. Complaint seems to be the common denominator to many. But what is grumbling? What does complaining say to God? Grumbling is the opposite of thanksgiving and complaining says, "I do not trust you God. Either you're not able to care for me, or you do not care for me at all." Now none of us would say those words to God, but when we complain that is exactly what we're saying.
Not to be overly simplistic, but what should we do when things aren't going well, when perhaps we are thirsty and hungry? Answer: trust God. What should we do when people are complaining about us? Answer: trust God. If complaining is a failure to trust God then faith is trust in action.
Let us pursue faith, trust, and hope in God. He does care, and He is able to care for us.
It is amazing that in Exodus 15 we encounter the beautiful "Song of the Redeemed" people of Israel. In verse 21 Miraim, the sister of Moses, sings, "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea." (ESV) Then the people followed Moses from the Red Sea into the wilderness for three days and found no water. So what did the people do? Have a prayer service? No. Sing a new song to the Lord? No. Entreat Moses to go before the Lord on their behalf? No. Verse 24 says, "And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'" Moses calls out to God and God makes the water sweet via a log thrown into the water. Go figure.
Then the Lord says, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer." That's quite a promise. In other words the Lord tells the people to trust Him and He will provide for them and not "dis-ease" them as He did when He plagued Egypt those 10 times.
But look what happens in chapter 16, verse 2; the people once again grumble against Moses, this time for food, complaining even to the point that they would rather have died in Egypt as satisfied slaves than in the wilderness as hungry free people. God heard their grumbling and yet again provided for them the bread from heaven. They were to gather the bread for 6 days, and on the sixth day they were to gather enough for the seventh, sabbath (rest) day. They were only to keep the bread overnight on the sixth day, so they could rest on the seventh. Of course, they broke both commands. Good grief!
I can only imagine how Moses must have felt, but I can sympathize with him a bit. At times it seems the least little thing will set people to grumbling. Complaint seems to be the common denominator to many. But what is grumbling? What does complaining say to God? Grumbling is the opposite of thanksgiving and complaining says, "I do not trust you God. Either you're not able to care for me, or you do not care for me at all." Now none of us would say those words to God, but when we complain that is exactly what we're saying.
Not to be overly simplistic, but what should we do when things aren't going well, when perhaps we are thirsty and hungry? Answer: trust God. What should we do when people are complaining about us? Answer: trust God. If complaining is a failure to trust God then faith is trust in action.
Let us pursue faith, trust, and hope in God. He does care, and He is able to care for us.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Sing to the Lord
I love Exodus 15 when Moses and the people of Israel sang a song to the Lord. Scripture does not say who wrote the song, but I suspect it was Moses. We do not often picture our great leaders sitting around writing songs, but I think this pleased the Lord in a way all of our busyness and activity can't possibly.
Why did Moses write this song? The reason is obvious; God had just worked a series of miracles that released the people of Israel from 400 years of captivity and fulfilled God's promise to Moses made back at the burning bush.
Why do we not write songs? Is it perhaps that we do not see God's hand moving mightily because we are not stepping out on faith in God and seeing that which only God can do? When God spared Isaac from Abraham's blade, Scripture says Abraham worshiped. I bet he sang. When Moses saw what God had done, he sang. When God gave Hannah a son, she sang. When God revealed His plan to Mary, she sang. When we see God work in our lives we should sing too.
So, in the spirit of this post, I have written a song. It's not a good song, but it is my song. It has no rhyme, but it does have a reason. I love the Lord. How about if you write a song and post it up?
-----------------
Keith's Song
I will sing of the Lord, of His beauty and love.
His promise is secure, His Word will never fail.
God has spoken, spoken to my heart.
His passion for His people compels me to love, love those whom He loves.
Why do I fear? Why do I doubt?
My Lord has never done me wrong.
His goodness flows beyond measure.
Comfort to the troubled heart is His way.
His compassions fail not.
Take strength in the Lord.
Look upon His beautiful face.
A rainbow hung in the sky. My heart raced.
Colors so bright, so beautiful.
Its perfections cause my heart to worship.
Praise our glorious God, crowned with the rainbow.
It's ends touch the earth, its arches circle the heavens.
God's promise is forever.
---------------------------------
Yesterday Anne and I were driving home from piano and saw the most beautiful, perfect, and bright rainbow I have ever seen. It was also a double rainbow on the ends. It was so clear you felt like you could just reach out and touch it. We stopped and looked for about 5 minutes. We worshiped God together there on the side of the road.
Anne showed me a website on youtube of a guy who saw a similar rainbow. He too worshiped, even to the point of tears. What amazes me about this youtube video is it has had 26 million, yes, MILLION views; views of a guy freaking out over a rainbow.
Why do rainbows do that to us? They remind us of God's promise and faithfulness.
Go check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI
I lover you all,
Keith
Why did Moses write this song? The reason is obvious; God had just worked a series of miracles that released the people of Israel from 400 years of captivity and fulfilled God's promise to Moses made back at the burning bush.
Why do we not write songs? Is it perhaps that we do not see God's hand moving mightily because we are not stepping out on faith in God and seeing that which only God can do? When God spared Isaac from Abraham's blade, Scripture says Abraham worshiped. I bet he sang. When Moses saw what God had done, he sang. When God gave Hannah a son, she sang. When God revealed His plan to Mary, she sang. When we see God work in our lives we should sing too.
So, in the spirit of this post, I have written a song. It's not a good song, but it is my song. It has no rhyme, but it does have a reason. I love the Lord. How about if you write a song and post it up?
-----------------
Keith's Song
I will sing of the Lord, of His beauty and love.
His promise is secure, His Word will never fail.
God has spoken, spoken to my heart.
His passion for His people compels me to love, love those whom He loves.
Why do I fear? Why do I doubt?
My Lord has never done me wrong.
His goodness flows beyond measure.
Comfort to the troubled heart is His way.
His compassions fail not.
Take strength in the Lord.
Look upon His beautiful face.
A rainbow hung in the sky. My heart raced.
Colors so bright, so beautiful.
Its perfections cause my heart to worship.
Praise our glorious God, crowned with the rainbow.
It's ends touch the earth, its arches circle the heavens.
God's promise is forever.
---------------------------------
Yesterday Anne and I were driving home from piano and saw the most beautiful, perfect, and bright rainbow I have ever seen. It was also a double rainbow on the ends. It was so clear you felt like you could just reach out and touch it. We stopped and looked for about 5 minutes. We worshiped God together there on the side of the road.
Anne showed me a website on youtube of a guy who saw a similar rainbow. He too worshiped, even to the point of tears. What amazes me about this youtube video is it has had 26 million, yes, MILLION views; views of a guy freaking out over a rainbow.
Why do rainbows do that to us? They remind us of God's promise and faithfulness.
Go check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI
I lover you all,
Keith
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Between the Army and the Sea
With our Freedom Life service now moving forward, I find myself right now between the Army and the Sea. With a word from God now six weeks ago, a series of events was set in motion that is gaining momentum and will necessarily move towards some future conclusion. Like Moses, I am in a place where I cannot go back, but also in which I do not see a clear path forward. Wherever I look it seems there are troubles, complaints, and concerns. I am not foolish enough to think all these concerns will just go away, but I also know that we will need to move beyond most of them if we are going to realize God's promise.
That's where the Lord steps in. When we have done what God has called us to do, and when we have come to the end of our best efforts, that is when we must expect miracles; things that only God can do. Exo. 14:13-14 says, "And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
Holding our peace takes faith. We must trust in the Lord and expect to see His mighty power at work. There will never be any shortage of negative people who will say something cannot be done, and in one sense they may be right. It was not possible for Moses to defeat an army or to part a sea. But it was possible for God. There are many things in which I do not see the possibility, but with God, all things are possible.
If, however, we have never seen God show up in miracle working power, then perhaps we have never stepped out in faith and expected anything more than what we could do on our own. God didn't bring Israel out on a magic carpet. They had to pack up their homes and step out in faith. That was their part. They could do that. But they couldn't defeat an army or part a sea either. That was God's part. He could do that and He did.
We can preach, pray, sing, witness, visit, call, invite, etc. We can do our part and we should, but it is God who saves the lost soul. I cannot change anyone's mind on things they hold firmly, but God can change a heart. He did it for me. He's done it for you. He will do it for others.
Where are you today? What army and sea do you stand between? Do you believe God will show up in power and do something you cannot do for yourself, or do you believe God will abandon you and do nothing? It's one or the other. I encourage you to go with God.
That's where the Lord steps in. When we have done what God has called us to do, and when we have come to the end of our best efforts, that is when we must expect miracles; things that only God can do. Exo. 14:13-14 says, "And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
Holding our peace takes faith. We must trust in the Lord and expect to see His mighty power at work. There will never be any shortage of negative people who will say something cannot be done, and in one sense they may be right. It was not possible for Moses to defeat an army or to part a sea. But it was possible for God. There are many things in which I do not see the possibility, but with God, all things are possible.
If, however, we have never seen God show up in miracle working power, then perhaps we have never stepped out in faith and expected anything more than what we could do on our own. God didn't bring Israel out on a magic carpet. They had to pack up their homes and step out in faith. That was their part. They could do that. But they couldn't defeat an army or part a sea either. That was God's part. He could do that and He did.
We can preach, pray, sing, witness, visit, call, invite, etc. We can do our part and we should, but it is God who saves the lost soul. I cannot change anyone's mind on things they hold firmly, but God can change a heart. He did it for me. He's done it for you. He will do it for others.
Where are you today? What army and sea do you stand between? Do you believe God will show up in power and do something you cannot do for yourself, or do you believe God will abandon you and do nothing? It's one or the other. I encourage you to go with God.
Monday, March 7, 2011
God Passes Over
We had a wonderful weekend together as a family. Thanks for allowing us to have a couple days just to rest. Our weeks are pretty hectic when the kids are in school and Trish is working every day. With our schedule on Sunday that only leaves Saturday to rest, which is difficult with a house to clean, clothes to wash, groceries to buy, and a "honey do" list longer than my arm (ok, no short jokes). You all know the drill I'm sure.
At any rate, I didn't want to pass over the Passover in Exodus 12. This is the oldest and most important of the Jewish festivals, that commemorates the final release of Israel by Pharaoh and God's great works in bringing them out. In its most basic form the Passover involves the ritual slaughter of a lamb. The lamb's blood is placed on the lintel and posts of the door, and it's flesh is roasted and eaten by each family.
God commanded this be done in order that the first born of that family might be preserved from death in accordance with the 10th and final plague on Egypt. As God went through the land on the prescribed night, any family who He saw had the blood on their door would be "passed over." Notice in Exo. 12:23, it is the LORD who "will pass through to strike the Egyptians," but when He sees the blood, He will not allow the destroyer to enter and kill.
Jesus observed the Passover in obedience to the command of the Lord, but as we now know, He changed its observance at the "Last Supper," as it is commonly called since it was His final earthly meal with His disciples before the crucifixion. I've often thought it should be called the "Last Passover" since we no longer observe this festival annually, but the "First Supper" since we observe the Lord's Supper regularly until He comes again.
We no longer slaughter Lambs in the prescribed manner, and we do not place their blood on our doors. Rather, Jesus is the final Lamb of God to be slaughtered, and His blood is applied to the doorway of our hearts. In the Lord's Supper we observe the ritual now in eating the bread, which is the body of Christ, and drinking the wine, which is the blood of Christ. In this manner we participate with Christ in His sacrificial death, and the destroyer passes us over.
Praise God!
At any rate, I didn't want to pass over the Passover in Exodus 12. This is the oldest and most important of the Jewish festivals, that commemorates the final release of Israel by Pharaoh and God's great works in bringing them out. In its most basic form the Passover involves the ritual slaughter of a lamb. The lamb's blood is placed on the lintel and posts of the door, and it's flesh is roasted and eaten by each family.
God commanded this be done in order that the first born of that family might be preserved from death in accordance with the 10th and final plague on Egypt. As God went through the land on the prescribed night, any family who He saw had the blood on their door would be "passed over." Notice in Exo. 12:23, it is the LORD who "will pass through to strike the Egyptians," but when He sees the blood, He will not allow the destroyer to enter and kill.
Jesus observed the Passover in obedience to the command of the Lord, but as we now know, He changed its observance at the "Last Supper," as it is commonly called since it was His final earthly meal with His disciples before the crucifixion. I've often thought it should be called the "Last Passover" since we no longer observe this festival annually, but the "First Supper" since we observe the Lord's Supper regularly until He comes again.
We no longer slaughter Lambs in the prescribed manner, and we do not place their blood on our doors. Rather, Jesus is the final Lamb of God to be slaughtered, and His blood is applied to the doorway of our hearts. In the Lord's Supper we observe the ritual now in eating the bread, which is the body of Christ, and drinking the wine, which is the blood of Christ. In this manner we participate with Christ in His sacrificial death, and the destroyer passes us over.
Praise God!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Hardening and Hard to Understand: Exodus 5-12
Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart? Why did God plague Egypt, even to the killing of all the first born children? Why didn't God just blind all of Egypt until Israel had made their escape? Why did God kill all of Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea?
These sorts of questions are difficult to answer from within our modern context and our present age of grace. But they are the same sorts of questions we ask when a young child dies, or a fire destroys a families home, or an earthquake wipes out a city and thousands of lives.
In the modern evangelical church we have emphasized the grace, mercy, and love of God far above the sovereignty of God to rule over His creation. I believe this emphasis to be correct, but it does not lessen the fact that God is sovereign over His creation. It is His to do with as He wills, and that includes not only nature, but individual human lives. This means, furthermore, that God is certainly sovereign over circumstances and events, but He is also sovereign over life and death. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
It is also true that God does not see life and death constrained by the limits of space and time in the same way we do. We mourn the loss of our loved ones not because they have ceased to exist, but because they do not presently exist with us. We comfort ourselves knowing that we will see them again one day. God does not have that problem. He lives in the eternal present and He is always with us.
Death is the curse of sin, and the pain of it are very real to us. God is not unaware of this pain. Simply look to the cross of Christ. Certainly God rules over life and death but in Christ God has suffered through death not only with us, but for us. Indeed, Christ died the death not due Him as it is due every other living human being. Thus, in some sense only Jesus would have any right to complain about the when's or why's of death. But He didn't of course. He willingly suffered that we might be set free.
I cannot give you a rational explanation for why the firstborn of Egypt had to die, or why perhaps your loved ones have had to die out of season, because death is the result of sin and sin is at its very root irrational. It makes no sense why we would sin in rebellion against God, but we did, and we do. What truly makes no sense to me is how or why God could die in our place, but He did. That is the wonder and majesty of our faith.
Is there some tension between God's justice and love? Yes. Is there some tension in God's sovereignty and the responsibility of humanity? Surely. Is there some tension between life, death, and new life in the resurrection? Without a doubt. But thank God He has reconciled all things to Himself in Christ Jesus our Lord.
These sorts of questions are difficult to answer from within our modern context and our present age of grace. But they are the same sorts of questions we ask when a young child dies, or a fire destroys a families home, or an earthquake wipes out a city and thousands of lives.
In the modern evangelical church we have emphasized the grace, mercy, and love of God far above the sovereignty of God to rule over His creation. I believe this emphasis to be correct, but it does not lessen the fact that God is sovereign over His creation. It is His to do with as He wills, and that includes not only nature, but individual human lives. This means, furthermore, that God is certainly sovereign over circumstances and events, but He is also sovereign over life and death. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
It is also true that God does not see life and death constrained by the limits of space and time in the same way we do. We mourn the loss of our loved ones not because they have ceased to exist, but because they do not presently exist with us. We comfort ourselves knowing that we will see them again one day. God does not have that problem. He lives in the eternal present and He is always with us.
Death is the curse of sin, and the pain of it are very real to us. God is not unaware of this pain. Simply look to the cross of Christ. Certainly God rules over life and death but in Christ God has suffered through death not only with us, but for us. Indeed, Christ died the death not due Him as it is due every other living human being. Thus, in some sense only Jesus would have any right to complain about the when's or why's of death. But He didn't of course. He willingly suffered that we might be set free.
I cannot give you a rational explanation for why the firstborn of Egypt had to die, or why perhaps your loved ones have had to die out of season, because death is the result of sin and sin is at its very root irrational. It makes no sense why we would sin in rebellion against God, but we did, and we do. What truly makes no sense to me is how or why God could die in our place, but He did. That is the wonder and majesty of our faith.
Is there some tension between God's justice and love? Yes. Is there some tension in God's sovereignty and the responsibility of humanity? Surely. Is there some tension between life, death, and new life in the resurrection? Without a doubt. But thank God He has reconciled all things to Himself in Christ Jesus our Lord.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Expect the Unexpected
It's been a crazy week. There are a thousand details to work out in beginning the Freedom Life service on Easter Sunday morning. Thank God for the wonderful group of people who are helping out. They have done so much already. It's amazing. God continues to provide opportunities and blessings through people all over the place.
As I've been reading about Moses' encounter with God in the book of Exodus, it occurs to me that we should expect the unexpected. Moses wasn't really looking to be chosen as the leader of Israels exodus from Egypt. Moses wasn't planning how he would confront Pharaoh or guide a million people from their historical home (over 400 years in Egypt) to a new land. Moses had no staff or sharp business plans. What did he have? He had a call from God.
Moses was not looking for God when God came looking for him. We all know the story. Egypt began to oppress Israel after Joseph's death and Israel's remarkable growth. Moses was spared from the killing of the male children and grew up in Pharaoh's home. He murders some Egyptians and flees for his life to Midian, where he makes a new life complete with wife, children, home, and job. Then God shows up.
There are so many things that could be said about the first few chapters of Exodus, but I only want to say one key thing. Expect the unexpected. Don't be surprised when God shows up and changes your plans. One day you're a sheep herder and family man, the next day you're the leader of a nation. One day you're a career engineer, the next day you're a minister. One day you're sitting on the same pew, in the same church, with the same lethargic attitude, the next day God sets you off on a mission adventure.
Expect the unexpected. The Christian life isn't about playing it safe, or crossing all the i's and dotting all the t's. It isn't about being a good little boy or good little girl, or getting your ticket punched to heaven. It's about encountering the living God who shows up and rocks your world, because after all, it's not your world, it's His.
Six weeks ago I had no intention of leading Live Oak to start an early, contemporary worship service. Today it consumes my thoughts and fires my hopes and dreams. Why? God showed up and called. What's going to happen this year? I am not 100% sure on the details, but I know this, God will show up.
I plan to expect the unexpected.
As I've been reading about Moses' encounter with God in the book of Exodus, it occurs to me that we should expect the unexpected. Moses wasn't really looking to be chosen as the leader of Israels exodus from Egypt. Moses wasn't planning how he would confront Pharaoh or guide a million people from their historical home (over 400 years in Egypt) to a new land. Moses had no staff or sharp business plans. What did he have? He had a call from God.
Moses was not looking for God when God came looking for him. We all know the story. Egypt began to oppress Israel after Joseph's death and Israel's remarkable growth. Moses was spared from the killing of the male children and grew up in Pharaoh's home. He murders some Egyptians and flees for his life to Midian, where he makes a new life complete with wife, children, home, and job. Then God shows up.
There are so many things that could be said about the first few chapters of Exodus, but I only want to say one key thing. Expect the unexpected. Don't be surprised when God shows up and changes your plans. One day you're a sheep herder and family man, the next day you're the leader of a nation. One day you're a career engineer, the next day you're a minister. One day you're sitting on the same pew, in the same church, with the same lethargic attitude, the next day God sets you off on a mission adventure.
Expect the unexpected. The Christian life isn't about playing it safe, or crossing all the i's and dotting all the t's. It isn't about being a good little boy or good little girl, or getting your ticket punched to heaven. It's about encountering the living God who shows up and rocks your world, because after all, it's not your world, it's His.
Six weeks ago I had no intention of leading Live Oak to start an early, contemporary worship service. Today it consumes my thoughts and fires my hopes and dreams. Why? God showed up and called. What's going to happen this year? I am not 100% sure on the details, but I know this, God will show up.
I plan to expect the unexpected.
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