"...with the utmost patience in teaching."
- 2 Timothy 4
Paul urges his young disciple, Timothy to convince people, to preach, to exhort, without ceasing. Yes, "urges." And do we stop to think that, when you "urge" someone, there is a sense of "urgency"?
The message is urgent. Not because Christ was fooling people by promising He'd return soon, and then taking at least two thousand years to do so, but because the day of salvation is today. The time for salvation is now.
The Kingdom of God is eternal. It's neverending now. It's this very moment, continuing.
And so we have to preach now. We need them to receive Christ now. We can't put it off, because now is always right now. You cannot put off this present moment. And that's the point.
And Paul says to proceed in any manner that is practical, and practicable.
But this part here was very impactful to me this afternoon: "with the utmost patience."
That's where we blow it. We take an urgent message, and then ruin it by sharing it in a way that is too pushy. If it's urgent, you need to take time to do it right. And so Paul says to be patient. We all know what "patient" is. We know what it looks like. We know when we're around a patient person, versus someone who is impatient. And we know which is more appealing.
So remember that we do have an urgent message to spread. But also remember that it will not spread if we are not patient.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Search. Seek.
Thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.
- Ezekiel 34
This idea of painstakingly seeking for the lost sheep of Israel;
This unending mission of God, actively looking for His own.
He will gather all of them. They will be placed in Zion, in Israel, and will be treated as people born there. Israel and Zion are the home of God's people . . . all of God's people, no matter where on earth they began their journey.
This seems like a practical lesson for us. When we are separated from someone else - a family member, a friend, a neighbor - our response should be as one that searches. We seek them out. We don't give up.
What's God's will for your life? Search for His sheep.
Do walls divide you from others? Walls of denominationalism or of political party? Walls of family strife? Walls of geographical separation? Walls of hate?
Seek them out.
God doesn't berate His sheep when they are found. When they leave He doesn't say "Good riddance!"
He smiles, he laughs. He hollers with glee that His sheep has been found. And then He carefully cradles the sheep, once lost, and carries him or her home.
Today I'm thinking about two things:
1) Alienation on social media. When you're having a really rough time debating people on Facebook, stop thinking of them as a rival, or opponent. They are God's own, as are you, and some artificial wall is erected that keeps you apart. Seek them out. Welcome them. Do NOT judge or treat them harshly.
2) Family. Always family. The lost sheep narrative has special relevance in the family setting. Families are automatically connected through DNA. And when there is a separation it's like you've torn a rift into nature itself. You must go seek out your estranged family member . . . for your own good.
(Yes, I know . . . love lets go. And Christ came to divide father from daughter, etc. That's another lesson).
"Feed my sheep."
- Ezekiel 34
This idea of painstakingly seeking for the lost sheep of Israel;
This unending mission of God, actively looking for His own.
He will gather all of them. They will be placed in Zion, in Israel, and will be treated as people born there. Israel and Zion are the home of God's people . . . all of God's people, no matter where on earth they began their journey.
This seems like a practical lesson for us. When we are separated from someone else - a family member, a friend, a neighbor - our response should be as one that searches. We seek them out. We don't give up.
What's God's will for your life? Search for His sheep.
Do walls divide you from others? Walls of denominationalism or of political party? Walls of family strife? Walls of geographical separation? Walls of hate?
Seek them out.
God doesn't berate His sheep when they are found. When they leave He doesn't say "Good riddance!"
He smiles, he laughs. He hollers with glee that His sheep has been found. And then He carefully cradles the sheep, once lost, and carries him or her home.
Today I'm thinking about two things:
1) Alienation on social media. When you're having a really rough time debating people on Facebook, stop thinking of them as a rival, or opponent. They are God's own, as are you, and some artificial wall is erected that keeps you apart. Seek them out. Welcome them. Do NOT judge or treat them harshly.
2) Family. Always family. The lost sheep narrative has special relevance in the family setting. Families are automatically connected through DNA. And when there is a separation it's like you've torn a rift into nature itself. You must go seek out your estranged family member . . . for your own good.
(Yes, I know . . . love lets go. And Christ came to divide father from daughter, etc. That's another lesson).
"Feed my sheep."
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Extreme Measures
"...that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins."
- Isaiah 40
The setup for John the Baptist (this verse precedes the "A voice cried out" passage), was a reminder that Jerusalem has just paid heavily, for sinning against God. It says that she received the punishment from the Lord's own hand.
So, a couple of things. As we go about considering the terrible acts of a "loving God," ("Why would a loving God permit evil?"), we have it right here that, not only does He permit evil to happen, but His punishments may very well be twice as bad as we deserve.
We say "why do bad things happen to good people?" But the point is, they're not good people, or the bad things would not happen. John the Baptist preached repentance, and we all need to repent. Yes, it is true that within Jerusalem, there were charitable people. There were kindly grandparents that loved their grandkids. There were artists and philanthropists. There were people that worked hard and saved. There were people that did not lie, or cheat others. There were faithful husbands and wives. There were very friendly and respectful teenagers that got all A's and called adults "sir" and "ma'am."
But still those people died, eventually. And really . . . what's worse than death, itself?
God hates sin so much (it is a blot on His creation), that the penalty for it is twice the worth of the sin, (except that you can't be "twice" as dead.). God's judgment is horrible.
And when it says that the penalty comes "from the Lord's hand," it means that even if it's the Assyrians coming in and terrorizing everybody . . . it's still the Lord's doing.
This is heavy material. The Isaiah passage is all good. It has a beautiful ending. It points to John the Baptist and Christ. It leads to life and liberty. But it starts out with this reminder.
And so it's not for us to question God and His wise judgment (why would He want selfish people to go on, unimpeded, for all eternity? And we're all selfish). But rather to realize how excessively, and even lovingly, He wants us not to sin.
He wants us to get the point. And this requires extreme measures.
- Isaiah 40
The setup for John the Baptist (this verse precedes the "A voice cried out" passage), was a reminder that Jerusalem has just paid heavily, for sinning against God. It says that she received the punishment from the Lord's own hand.
So, a couple of things. As we go about considering the terrible acts of a "loving God," ("Why would a loving God permit evil?"), we have it right here that, not only does He permit evil to happen, but His punishments may very well be twice as bad as we deserve.
We say "why do bad things happen to good people?" But the point is, they're not good people, or the bad things would not happen. John the Baptist preached repentance, and we all need to repent. Yes, it is true that within Jerusalem, there were charitable people. There were kindly grandparents that loved their grandkids. There were artists and philanthropists. There were people that worked hard and saved. There were people that did not lie, or cheat others. There were faithful husbands and wives. There were very friendly and respectful teenagers that got all A's and called adults "sir" and "ma'am."
But still those people died, eventually. And really . . . what's worse than death, itself?
God hates sin so much (it is a blot on His creation), that the penalty for it is twice the worth of the sin, (except that you can't be "twice" as dead.). God's judgment is horrible.
And when it says that the penalty comes "from the Lord's hand," it means that even if it's the Assyrians coming in and terrorizing everybody . . . it's still the Lord's doing.
This is heavy material. The Isaiah passage is all good. It has a beautiful ending. It points to John the Baptist and Christ. It leads to life and liberty. But it starts out with this reminder.
And so it's not for us to question God and His wise judgment (why would He want selfish people to go on, unimpeded, for all eternity? And we're all selfish). But rather to realize how excessively, and even lovingly, He wants us not to sin.
He wants us to get the point. And this requires extreme measures.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
The Angry Wicked
"The wicked will see it and be angry . . . "
Did the writer of Psalm 112 have some magic mirror that saw into the future? Could he or she summon images of the year 2016 AD, and look upon the mess that is the modern world?
How is it that the "wicked" of our times, can be so stirred up in rage against God's people, that they would want churches taxed and Christians punished simply for expressing their faith?
Consider the phenomenal charitable work that is done by the Roman Catholics, the Mormons, the Methodists, and hundreds of other associations of local churches, in disaster relief, food for the poor, home-building, doctors without borders, World Vision, Operation Christmas Child, etc., etc., etc.
Are the wicked really so agitated about the proclaimed moral code of pure Christianity, that they would be willing to shut down such organizations that, frankly, run circles around what governments are able to do, to help the world's needy?
That's hate. And the Psalmist of 112 (it was not David) understood that, it didn't matter what the people of God did; even if they did "good" deeds, the wicked would still hate them. Indeed, they hate them the MORE they express the love of Christ, if that can be believed.
So let's look back earlier into this Psalm. It says that the righteous are "merciful and full of compassion."
They are "generous in lending." They manage their affairs with "justice." Justice? Isn't that everything to the Left?
They give "freely to the poor."
And all of these are done today, by God's people, both through their churches, and many times over, in private, via their own personal donations.
Is it true that the wicked are angry at this? Yes it is, indeed. Look about you!
And if you want a biblical definition of a "wicked" person, perhaps you need look no further than at a person that is angry about something being done by churches.
Now . . . if we come across believers that are not merciful, or generous, or just in their dealings . . . well, that's another matter entirely!
Did the writer of Psalm 112 have some magic mirror that saw into the future? Could he or she summon images of the year 2016 AD, and look upon the mess that is the modern world?
How is it that the "wicked" of our times, can be so stirred up in rage against God's people, that they would want churches taxed and Christians punished simply for expressing their faith?
Consider the phenomenal charitable work that is done by the Roman Catholics, the Mormons, the Methodists, and hundreds of other associations of local churches, in disaster relief, food for the poor, home-building, doctors without borders, World Vision, Operation Christmas Child, etc., etc., etc.
Are the wicked really so agitated about the proclaimed moral code of pure Christianity, that they would be willing to shut down such organizations that, frankly, run circles around what governments are able to do, to help the world's needy?
That's hate. And the Psalmist of 112 (it was not David) understood that, it didn't matter what the people of God did; even if they did "good" deeds, the wicked would still hate them. Indeed, they hate them the MORE they express the love of Christ, if that can be believed.
So let's look back earlier into this Psalm. It says that the righteous are "merciful and full of compassion."
They are "generous in lending." They manage their affairs with "justice." Justice? Isn't that everything to the Left?
They give "freely to the poor."
And all of these are done today, by God's people, both through their churches, and many times over, in private, via their own personal donations.
Is it true that the wicked are angry at this? Yes it is, indeed. Look about you!
And if you want a biblical definition of a "wicked" person, perhaps you need look no further than at a person that is angry about something being done by churches.
Now . . . if we come across believers that are not merciful, or generous, or just in their dealings . . . well, that's another matter entirely!
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