Theodicy

Readings for today: Esther 7-10, Job 1-2, Acts 6:1-7:22

Where is God in the midst of suffering? Why does He allow it? Is He complicit in it? Is there a point to it all? These questions are universal. Every single human being from every culture in every time and place has asked them. And all of the religions of the earth have attempted answers. The pagan witch doctors I’ve met in Ethiopia believe suffering happens because we displease the gods. We fail to make the right sacrifices. Fail to say the right magical incantations. Fail to humble ourselves before the right gods at the right times in the right ways. So they grow angry and they punish. The gods of the fields withhold their crops. The gods of the weather withhold the rain. The gods of the earth shake the very ground. On the flip side are my Buddhist friends for whom suffering is more of an illusion. A sign we are too tied to the cravings of this world. The way we deal with suffering is meditation which leads to a nirvana-like state that places us beyond suffering altogether. So how do Christians handle suffering? 

The Book of Job is one, long extended answer to this important question and it forces us to confront some uncomfortable truths. First, God is sovereign. The Book of Job ultimately is not about Job. All agree Job is righteous. All resonate with Job’s suffering. All feel Job’s pain. He is us. We are him. Everyone who has experienced deep suffering in their lives can identify with this man. But the Book of Job makes it clear that Job’s suffering is not the primary point of the story but rather how his suffering points us to the greater reality of God. It forces us to grapple with God’s nature and character. It implicitly and intentionally raises fundamental questions like is God sovereign? And if He is, can He be trusted? Job’s life is indeed marked by incredible sorrow and pain. He loses everything he has seemingly overnight. All that he has worked his entire life for is gone in an instant. Including his precious children. It’s a brutal scene that plays itself out to this day all over the world. Tragedies strike. Natural disasters hit. Lives are lost and livelihoods go up in smoke. So what are we to make of these things? We certainly struggle to make any sense of them in this world so what Job does is give us a glimpse beyond the dimensions of this life into the dimensions of heaven where a scene is playing out that brings us face to face with the sovereignty of God. 

Satan appears before God’s throne. He has come from walking to and fro on the earth. Destruction and devastation in his wake. We catch a glimpse here into this fallen angel’s pride and arrogance. The very fact that God doesn’t obliterate him where he stands is itself stunning. But God has a greater end in mind. A greater purpose. He is going to use humankind (as He always does) to demonstrate His glory and power and victory over Satan and sin and death.  So He baits Satan by asking him about Job. Satan takes the bait hook, line and sinker. God, in His majestic sovereignty, allows Satan to go after Job but always within limits. “Behold all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” “Behold, he is in your hand. Only do not take his life.” And Satan plays his part with gusto. Relentlessly taking away all that Job has. Relentlessly attacking Job’s health and well-being. Job’s suffering is so great, his own wife tells him to “curse God and die.” His three closest friends don’t even recognize him. And yet in all these things, Job did not sin.  

What we will learn throughout this book is that what Job treasures most - even amidst his anguish and pain and suffering and anger and questions and doubts and fears - is God Himself. More than his possessions. More than his children. More than his marriage. More than his health. Job treasures God. Job worships God. As John Piper writes, in the suffering of Job, “the superior worth of God becomes evident to all.” What God cares most about is His own glory and our primary role as human beings - creatures made in God’s own image - is to bring Him glory and declare His praises in this world and the next. And lest we think we are simply caught up in some divine ego trip, let’s remember God is not like us. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. He is infinite and we are finite and He sees things from His perspective that we simply cannot know or ever understand. 

So where does that leave us? At the mercy of a cold and uncaring God who will strike at us at a whim? No. God loves us. Deeply. Dearly. Completely. And we bring Him great joy when we remain steadfast in our faith amidst our suffering. We bring Him great glory when we praise Him amidst our pain. Imagine the scene in heaven when Job utters his cry of victory, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Imagine the utter shame of Satan as he stands before Lord and the throngs of heaven join Job in his declaration of praise! Imagine his horror as all his evil plans come to naught in the face of true faith! Satan has been defeated! 

Now fast forward several centuries. Imagine the same scene playing out before God as Satan comes to test His Son. Imagine the Father giving His Son over into Satan’s hands. This time without limits. This time no holds barred. Imagine Satan’s delight in the Garden as the Son begs for another way. Imagine Satan’s joy as he watches the Son suffer on the Cross. And then imagine Satan’s horror as the Son cries out, “It is finished! Into your hands I commit my spirit!” The cry of victorious faith coming at the point of death! Satan is defeated! This time once and for all! As Tim Keller has put it, Jesus is the greater Job who takes on our suffering in order to bring ultimate glory to the Father. And the Father vindicates the Son by raising Him from the dead just He will vindicate Job by restoring all he has and more. 

Where you are you struggling today? What suffering have you had to endure in your life? How are you clinging to faith in the midst of it all? Would your perspective change if you saw your life as a trophy through which God displays His glory and grace? Do you believe God is sovereign over your pain? Do you believe God can be trusted even when you suffer? 

Readings for tomorrow: Job 3-6, Acts 7:23-34

Suffering for Christ

Readings for today: Esther 4-6, Acts 5:17-42

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians‬ ‭3:8-11‬)

Something very powerful takes place when we share in the sufferings of Christ. The Apostle Paul experienced it as did the Apostles Peter and John and the new believers in Jerusalem. Christians throughout the ages have experienced it in places like Russia, China, Uganda, and Ethiopia. I have had the privilege of meeting many of them. Over the past ten years I have personally trained hundreds of church planters in the Horn of Africa. Many of them bear on their bodies the scars of the persecution they face on a daily basis. They’ve been threatened. Beaten. Shot. Stabbed. Imprisoned. Some of them have even died in the field. And still they go. When I ask them how I can pray over them, they never ask for personal safety but always for boldness to preach the gospel in the face of the opposition. It is deeply humbling and inspiring. 

I think about these men and women when I read Acts 5. I love the boldness of those first believers. Peter and John are arrested, imprisoned, and tried for preaching about the resurrection of Jesus. They were not among the elite. They had no wealth. No power. No education. They were just ordinary men whom God used to proclaim an extraordinary message. The gospel stirred up the city - as it always does - and threatened those in power - as it always does. So Peter and John were threatened. They were roughed up. They were imprisoned. They were put on trial. But they return home praising God for the opportunity to share in the sufferings of Christ. They praised God for the persecution. Praised God for His sovereign will and plan. Praised God for the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” (Acts‬ ‭5:41-42‬)

What do you pray for when you come against opposition? What do you pray for when you experience suffering and hardship? What do you pray for when you are in pain? For most of us, I imagine we pray for relief. Healing. Safety. Comfort. These are not necessarily bad things to pray but they certainly are not the most important things. The Apostle Paul experienced all these things and more in his life. He was mistreated, abused, left for dead. He gave up his home. His family. His livelihood. He sacrificed everything for the sake of knowing and serving Christ. And what did he gain in return? Christ. Peter and John and the early believers made similar sacrifices. They considered everything “rubbish” when compared to knowing and serving Christ. And what did they gain in return? Christ. What if - instead of safety and security - you prayed for boldness to proclaim the gospel? What if - instead of comfort and peace - you prayed for courage to share your faith? What if - instead of provision and protection - you prayed for God to use all that you are and all that you have - even your sufferings and pain - to grow His Kingdom in this world?

Readings for tomorrow: None

Powerful Women

Readings for today: Esther 1-3, Acts 5:1-16

I love the women of the Bible. They live in incredibly difficult times. They live in cultures where they are treated more as property than people. They are subject to all kinds of abuse and neglect. They have no rights and no legal recourse. They are prized for their physical beauty and cast aside when it fades. Their worth is determined by the number of male children they bear and they are shamed if they cannot produce. It’s a brutal, harsh existence and it would be easy for the women to throw up their hands in despair. It would be easy for them to feel helpless and hopeless. Resign themselves to their lot in life and try to make the best of things. But then you read stories about women like Vashti and Esther. Women who are powerful. Fierce. Courageous. Bold. They dare to stand up to the men in their lives. They dare to be different. They refuse to accept the social and cultural restraints placed upon them.

One of the common mistakes we make when we read the Bible is to assume that because every word is “inspired” it must mean every word has God’s endorsement. For example, I’ve seen our passage from today used to support all sorts of misogynist thinking. Rather than celebrate Queen Vashti’s courage for refusing to bow down to the drunken wishes of an abusive king, they take the king’s side. They worry that Vashti’s example will cause all women to “look on their husbands with contempt” or they use Esther 1:22 where it talks about “every man being master in his own household” as a proof text for hierarchical notions of spiritual leadership. Such thinking is toxic and betrays a lack of understanding on how to appropriately interpret Scripture. Nowhere in the text does the king’s behavior receive God’s endorsement. In fact, God isn’t mentioned a single time in the entire book! The reason this book is included in the Bible is to teach us how God often works behind the scenes through the courage of His people. People He strategically places in pagan culture to carry out His sovereign will. People like Esther for example. “The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.” (Esther‬ ‭2:17-18‬) It’s important to note the king’s lecherous behavior never seems to change. He is a man driven by his unrestrained passions. As such, he is vulnerable to all sorts of manipulation. Left on his own, he would have killed all the Jews in his empire. But thankfully God was at work! Behind the scenes. Under the radar. Hidden from view. He orchestrates things in such a way that Esther is placed on the throne. And though she presumably has to endure some of the same abuse her predecessor Vashti did, she leverages her position to save her people.

We still live in a world full of abuse. A world where women are often dismissed, neglected, or ignored. A world where women are not treated as equals. They often do not receive equal pay or equal access or equal opportunity. Their rights are now being further eroded as more and more men identify as women. I know many men who are intimidated by strong women. I know many men who are afraid of strong women. I know many men who weaponize Scripture in order to subjugate women. Thankfully, Scripture itself attests to the truth that women are made in the image of God. Women are co-heirs to the Kingdom of God. Women are co-equals in the eyes of God. Furthermore, Scripture gives us example after example of women of deep faith who courageously buck their traditional cultural roles as they seek to serve and honor God. Jesus Himself affirmed the women who sacrificed everything to follow Him. They were among His first and most faithful disciples. I myself have been incredibly blessed to be married to a strong, godly woman and to be raising three strong, godly daughters. For the Christian, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

Readings for tomorrow: Esther 4-6, Acts 5:17-42

The Danger of Compromise

Readings for today: Nehemiah 12-13, Acts 4:23-37

It usually starts small. A tiny step. A shift of one degree. One little compromise. We justify it in all sorts of ways. Surely God will understand. Surely God will make an exception this one time. Surely God knows we aren’t perfect. But then the compromises keep coming. A tiny step turns into several larger steps. One degree turns into two degrees then three. One little compromise opens the door to other, more significant compromises and the next thing we know, we are in full rebellion against God’s commands.

The last chapter of Nehemiah details a list of reforms he instituted for the people of Israel. It’s a startling way to end a book. No “happily ever after.” No “riding off into the sunset” for Nehemiah. His story ends in conflict. His story ends in confrontation. He even loses his temper and starts beating people and tearing out their hair! All this coming after an amazing time of worship where the entire population of Jerusalem gathered to sing the praises of God!

It is so easy for us to compromise. So easy for us to slide back into old habits. Someone once told me that humanity’s ability to sin is only surpassed by her ability to justify her sin. I believe it. I see it in my own life. The people of God compromised in all sorts of ways. They allowed people of foreign descent, people who worshipped other gods, to join them in worship at the Temple. For the sake of political expediency, they gave Tobiah - one of their sworn enemies - his own room in the Temple. They neglected to care for the Levites and other Temple servants by refusing to tithe, forcing them to fend for themselves. They refused to honor the Sabbath. They married foreign women. Even their spiritual leaders desecrated their priestly office by intermarrying with those who did not worship Yahweh. In each case, I can almost hear the justifications. I can imagine the rationale. Our wives promised to put away their foreign gods! We’re trying to rebuild our lives and local economy and have work on the Sabbath! If we give Tobiah a place of honor, perhaps he’ll leave us alone. From a human perspective, it all makes sense.

If I am honest, I too fall into these same traps. It’s easy for me to justify neglecting my time with God. It’s easy for me to enter into worship and make it all about me and what I get out of it. It’s easy for me to justify working 24/7 without ever taking a break. It’s easy for me to give in to certain people in my life simply to avoid conflict. It’s easy for me to compromise my convictions for the sake of those I love. Frankly, it never ends well. Eventually all the little compromises I make start to stack up along the way, creating a burden far too heavy for me to bear. Eventually, the house of cards I build comes crashing down around me, leaving me far worse off than I could have imagined. God demands my obedience. Jesus Himself says, “If you love Me, you will obey My commands.” Following Christ is not easy. Following Christ requires great sacrifice. Following Christ means dying to “Self” with all its disordered desires and unrestrained passions. Take an honest assessment of your life. Where are you compromising? Where are you rationalizing away your sin? Turn and confess, knowing God is faithful and just to forgive you for your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

Readings for tomorrow: Esther 1-3, Acts 5:1-16

Signs and Wonders

Readings for today: Nehemiah 9-11, Acts 3:11-4:22

The signs and wonders of God are a marvel to behold. I have seen the sick miraculously healed. I have seen the chains of addiction be loosed in a person’s life. I have seen the demonized set free. I have seen relationships irreparably broken by restored. I have seen the hardest of hearts be softened by the gospel. I have even seen the dead raised with my own two eyes. Each and every one a miracle. Each and every one a divine intervention by Almighty God. It’s easy to be dazzled by such displays of power. It’s easy to get caught up in the joy and excitement of it all. It’s easy to fall into the trap of craving more and more of God’s blessings. More and more of God’s good gifts. More and more of God’s eschatological goodies and miss out on the main point of it all. The Giver is greater than the gift. The Blessed One is more than His blessings. A relationship with God is more precious than all the silver and gold in the world.

In the passage we read today, the people marvel at the healing power that flowed through Peter when he made the lame man walk. The man had been crippled from birth. Everyone knew him because he was carried each day to the Beautiful Gate of the Temple where he would ask for alms. For forty years, he had been in this condition and now the people see him dancing and singing and shouting praises to God. It must been a wonder to behold! Immediately a crowd gathers. They want to know how and why this happened. They want to meet the man who could perform such miracles. But Peter is quick to point them beyond himself. “And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?” (Acts‬ ‭3:12‬) Peter knows he’s just God’s instrument. He’s just the conduit through which God has made Himself known. He also knows why God performed the miracle. Signs and wonders are never an end in themselves. They are designed by God to create an opportunity for the preaching of the gospel.

One of the things we get to do when we are over in Africa is interview church planters. We only send them to unreached villages. To people who have never heard the name of Jesus. They are often attacked. Persecuted. Beaten. Imprisoned for their faith. But usually somewhere along the way there is a power encounter. A sign is performed. Someone is healed. The dead are raised. The demonized are set free. And such miracles draw a crowd as you can imagine. That’s the moment the church planter has been praying and waiting for. The gospel is preached. Many come to Christ. A church is planted. It’s amazing to witness.

Friends, the same God who is at work over in Uganda and Ethiopia is at work in America as well. The same God who performs miracles in villages and communities all across Africa is performing miracles in places like Parker and Elizabeth and Denver as well. He is at work in our homes. He is at work in our communities. He is at work in our lives. He is making Himself known through signs and wonders so that we will get the opportunity to share the gospel with those who do not yet believe. God wants to make Himself known for there is salvation in no one else. There is no other name given under heaven by which we might be saved but the name of Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 12-13, Acts 4:23-37

Fundamentals

Readings for today: Nehemiah 6-8, Acts 2:42-3:10

I love it when both New and Old Testament passages come together to convey the same eternal message. Today, the people of Israel gather to hear the reading of the Law. They build Ezra a pulpit and he preaches for days. Teaching. Exhorting. Encouraging. Challenging the people to submit their lives to God’s Word and live according to His ways. The Levites are there alongside him. Interpreting the Law so God’s people can understand and apply it to their lives. It’s not a hard sell. The Spirit of God has clearly been at work in the hearts of His people, preparing them for this moment. I love how the Bible describes their reaction…

“And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.” (Neh. 8:3)

“And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” (Neh. 8:6)

“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” (Neh. 8:9-12)

Then I flip over to our New Testament reading. These are some of my favorite verses in all the Bible. It describes the heart of the first church. They’ve just heard the first Christian sermon ever preached. Miraculously, they each heard it in their own heart language. They were cut to the heart. Thousands were baptized. And then they must have looked at each other and said, “Now what?” There was no history to rely on. No tradition to fall back on. This whole “church” was brand new. At the same time, they were Jews. Their people had been walking with God for ages. They remembered their history. Perhaps Peter’s preaching reminded them of Ezra! So they do what’s natural for them. They devote themselves to the apostle’s teaching. They devote themselves to each other in deep, spiritual fellowship. They share meals together, especially the Lord’s Supper. And they pray. They don’t need programs. They don’t need some big vision. They don’t set hairy, audacious goals. They simply commit themselves to the same ancient spiritual disciplines that have always guided God’s people.

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts‬ ‭2:42-47‬)

I talk to people all the time who long for a deeper life with God. They always seem to be looking for the silver bullet or some magic formula. They want to know the secret. The key. The one thing that will help them pierce the veil that they believe separates them from experiencing the fullness of God’s love. But here’s the honest truth. There are no shortcuts. There is no easy five-step process. It requires a life-long obedience in the same direction. It requires a faithful, consistent, daily engagement over the long haul with God’s Word and God’s people to grow in our faith. Yes, God is always there for us. But He is no cosmic bellhop. Yes, God always loves us. But He is not co-dependent. He doesn’t need us in the way we need Him. Yes, God’s grace is endless, boundless, and free. But He will not save us from the consequences of our sin. Instead, He promises to use even our pain to grow us into the image of His Son.

Friends, you may think you don’t have time to add one more thing to your already overloaded day. You may believe you don’t have the bandwidth to spend time with God each day or gather with God’s people each week. You may think it’s enough that you raised your hand and invited Christ into your heart. But if you want to experience then fullness of God’s presence. If you want to experience the greatest depth of communion with your Creator. If you want to live in the confidence of knowing you are loved with an everlasting love, you must re-orient your life around the fundamental spiritual disciplines of prayer, God’s Word, worship, and fellowship with other believers.

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 9-11, Acts 3:11-4:22

God of the Impossible

Readings for today: Nehemiah 1-5, Acts 2:1-41

I just returned home after 24 days in Africa. We hosted four training conferences in four different regions of Uganda and Ethiopia. We trained and interviewed and prayed over 743 indigenous church planters from South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia. 351 of those are brand new church planters who were commissioned and sent out to villages where they have never heard the gospel. These men and women go out as sheep amidst wolves. They contend against very real spiritual forces of evil. They are often persecuted and beaten and imprisoned and threatened with death by witch doctors, Muslim imams, and other followers of pagan, tribal religions. Some even pay the ultimate price for their faithfulness. From a human perspective, the task they face is impossible. The challenges are insurmountable. There is no rational way they can possibly succeed. They have no political power. Very little in the way of worldly wealth. They lack education. And yet God is using them to change the world, one village at a time.

Our God specializes in doing the impossible. Our God loves to show up when the odds are stacked against us. He does His best work when all hope seems lost. Consider the dire straits of the people living in Jerusalem. They had been faithful. They had answered God’s call. They had left their lives in Babylon to return home to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. They had rededicated themselves to living according to God’s Law under the leadership of Ezra. But they were still oppressed. Still at the mercy of the enemies who surrounded them. They had no protection. No way of defending themselves. The lack of a city wall was an open invitation to marauders to come in and destroy all they had worked so hard to build. I am sure many requests had been made over the years to the Persian kings to rebuild the city. All had been turned aside. The rebellious reputation of their city was well-known. The Persians purposefully left it in ruins to serve as a deterrent to the region. Decades of royal precedent stood in their way. The sheer size and scope of a potential rebuilding project was overwhelming. The political opposition was powerful and well-connected. In short, a change seemed impossible.

But Nehemiah believed God could do the impossible. So he prayed for the impossible. For days he prayed and fasted and wept before the Lord. He cried out to God on behalf of his people. He cried out to God on behalf of his city. He cried out to God to be faithful to His promises. But Nehemiah didn’t just pray for the impossible, he also prepared for the impossible. He prepared for the day when he would be given the opportunity to present his request to the king. He put together a timeline for the project. Made a list of the materials he would need. When Artaxerxes asked him what he needed to make it all happen, he was ready and the king agreed. Finally, Nehemiah didn’t just pray for the impossible. He didn’t just prepare for the impossible. When the time came, he stepped out in faith to do the impossible. Like Noah building the ark before the rain or Moses stepping into the Red Sea before it parted or the widow of Zeraphath feeding Elijah her last cake before her jars of oil and flour refilled; Nehemiah went forward trusting the hand of the Lord to be upon him. He knew the project would be daunting. He knew the people would get discouraged. He knew the opposition would be fierce. But he never wavered in his faith. He knew God could do the impossible. “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build…” ‭(Nehemiah‬ ‭2:20‬)

Jesus once said, “Ask and you will receive.” James once said, “You have not because you ask not or you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions.” You see, the reason we do not see God do the impossible is often because we do not ask for it or we do not ask for it rightly. We are far too content with our lives. We settle for comfort and security when all the while Jesus is calling us to risk everything for Kingdom-greatness. The men and women I train have nothing so they rely on God for everything. They pray in expectation for miracles to take place and God answers their prayers. He does the impossible by healing the sick, delivering the demonic, and raising the dead. He does the impossible by converting witch doctors and Muslim imams. Sacred trees are cut down to build church buildings. Mosques become Christian houses of worship. Yes, they suffer. Yes, some of them even die. But they keep their eyes on Christ. They belong to a Kingdom that is not of this world. It’s simply incredible to witness. Nehemiah risked it all as well. He gave up the comfort and security of the king’s court to take on the impossible task of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. He prayed in expectation that God would be faithful. He prepared in expectation that God would answer his prayers and change the heart of the king. He took action in expectation that the hand of God would be with him until the project was complete.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He’s the same over here as He is over in Africa. He’s the same today as He was back in Nehemiah’s time. He’s still the God of the impossible. So what impossible thing are you facing in your life today? What insurmountable challenge is confronting you right now? Are you willing to give it to God? Are you willing to surrender it to God? Are you willing to leave it in God’s hands and trust Him with the outcome? Will you commit to pray for the impossible? Prepare for the impossible? And when God calls, step out in faith to do the impossible?

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 6-8, Acts 2:42-3:10

Genealogy

Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 8-10, John 8:39-59

One key verse from today’s reading is 1 Chronicles 9:1, “So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith.” Why are all these names important? Why are the generations laid down with such detail and specificity? Why record Israel according to their respective tribes? What’s at stake here? Identity. Connection. History. Even their relationship with God. Israel took their history seriously. They took God’s Word seriously. Even after they were carted off to exile in Babylon and were faced with the temptation to intermarry and lose their connection to their past, Israel remained faithful. They knew God had set apart the Levites to serve Him as priests. So the Levites remained set apart even in exile. They knew God had given authority to the tribe of Judah to reign and to rule. So the tribe of Judah continued to serve as princes and leaders for God’s people. They knew David and Samuel had set apart certain families as gatekeepers, guardians of the Lord’s treasury, etc. So they made sure these families retained those roles. And when Israel finally did return from exile, you see the descendents of these great men and women re-connecting to their glorious past. 

Many of us have never been carried into exile. We’ve not had our identities wiped out. We’ve not had our history erased. We’ve not had our connection to our ancestors severed. At the same time, many of us have had this terrible and tragic experience. I think of my Native American friends. Their people lived on this continent for hundreds of years before the arrival of the first European explorers. Their land was stolen. Their tribe forcibly relocated. They were compelled to forgo the key rituals and give up the key rhythms that connected them to their history and their tribal identity. Their stories are terrible and heartbreaking. I think of my African-American friends. Their ancestors were brought over on slave ships across the Atlantic. Their connection to their homeland severed. Their connection to their history erased. Their connection to their past lost. They were given new names. They were forced to take on new identities. They suffered in slavery for hundreds of years. Even after the Civil War, they suffered under intense, systematic economic and political oppression. Their stories are terrible and heartbreaking. Sadly, these stories are all too common no matter where you go in the world today.

It’s vital for those of us who have not suffered at the scale of others to humble ourselves and listen to those who have endured tremendous pain and loss. It is important for us to become advocates for them and allies with them in their fight to re-connect to their glorious past. We must pluck up the courage to face the difficult and complex issues that arise as a result. Issues such as national repentence, formal apologies, legal and economic reparations, etc. are not easy to tackle. There are no easy answers here. At the same time, we can look back at events like the restoration of the nation of Israel in 1948 for the inspiration we need to work for a similar restoration for our friends of color who’ve suffered so much right here at home.

I certainly don’t pretend to have all the answers. I’m often overwhelmed when I stop to think about all the complexities involved. But I have to believe as we work for the good of one another. As we refuse to resort to guilt and shame and fear to force change but instead allow faith, hope, and love to be our guide. As we celebrate the history and culture and diversity God has created among human beings on this planet. As we help each other re-connect to something deeper. A deeper identity. A deeper story. A deeper truth. I have to believe God will reveal Himself in that process in a powerful way because this “genealogical impulse” exists within all of us. In a very real sense, Israel’s story is our story for all of us can ultimately trace our lineage back to the same common source. Adam and Eve. The first man. The first woman. Made in the image of God by the hand of God for the glory of God. This is truly our heritage.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 11-13, John 9:1-23

Postscript: I will be out of country and range of internet access until June 19th. I look forward to resuming the blog on June 21st. Rest assured, I will be keeping with my reading in the meantime! ;-)

Connection

Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 3-5, John 7:53-8:11

There is an old story about a pastor who went to visit a parishioner whom he had not seen for a while. It was a cold morning so when the pastor showed up, the man had the coffee hot and a roaring fire going in the fireplace. They both sat down and the pastor asked how things were going. The conversation ranged from work to family to health to life in general. The man was doing well. Finally, the conversation got around to faith. And the man started to talk about how he didn’t need the church to worship God. He was doing just fine on his own. Praying. Reading the Bible. Walking through the woods. As he spoke, the pastor didn’t judge. Didn’t condemn. He simply reached over and with the tongs, took a coal out of the fireplace and placed it on the hearth. As the man spoke, his eyes kept going to the coal. At first it burned nice and hot but as time went on it began to grow cold. Having lost it’s connection to the fire, it eventually burned out. 

Life with God is like that. Life with community is like that. I cannot tell you the number of people I have spoken with over the years who have experienced this loss of connection. Their lives are so busy. Their feelings of isolation and loneliness so strong. The pain they carry is so great and my heart breaks for them. So many of them have nowhere to turn. Their relationship with God has grown cold. Their connection to community is tenuous at best. They have no one to call when they are in crisis. No one to lean on when times get tough…as they always do.  

God designed us for relationship. We are made in His image after all and He exists eternally in relationship with Himself - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As such, we have a deep longing in our souls for connection. Connection with God. Connection with each other. It’s why one of the worst forms of punishment is solitary confinement. It’s just not good for us to be alone. It’s why I’ve learned to love reading through the genealogies in the Bible. It reminds me I am surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Men and women of God who have walked this road before me. People with a story to share. Each name represents a person and each person represents a connection to God and to the people of God and ultimately, to the promises of God. Maybe it’s David, the man after God’s own heart. Maybe it’s Jabez who prayed to God for protection. Maybe it’s Judah who experienced the grace of God covering His sin. Over and over again, these names tell a story. Our story. This is our family history, friends. Our family tree. And as we tap into this story, we experience a deep connection to the One who made us. The One who loves us. The One who has come to rescue us. Even Jesus Christ.  

As we emerge from the isolation of this past year, how are you intentionally rebuilding your connection to God and to His people? How are you helping others rebuild their connection? It’s not easy. Especially when we’ve gotten used to being apart. It takes hard work and intentionality to re-introduce ourselves to each other. To shake another person’s hand or give someone a hug. It may be uncomfortable at first as we exercise relational muscles that have atrophied over the last year. But it’s absolutely essential if we are to thrive moving forward. So if you don’t know where to start, let me recommend four spiritual practices that will help…

1. Daily Devotional Time: Spend time each day in prayer and reading/reflecting on Scripture. Find fifteen minutes or thirty minutes or an hour just to be with God. Use your commute. Use your lunch hour. Use your break time. Accept God’s gracious invitation to spend time with Him.

2. Weekly Gathered Worship : Find a local church and plug in. Gather physically when you are able with God’s people for worship each week. Don’t approach it as a consumer experience (i.e. what did I “get out” of it today) but rather trust God to create a “cascading” effect in your life on a subconscious level through His Spirit as He draws you to Himself.

3. Join a small group: Find a few Christian friends and start meeting together intentionally for encouragement, vulnerable sharing, and accountability. Pray for each other. Talk to each other. Intentionally do life together. Will it be messy? Yep. Pursuing authentic relationships always is because we are all “authentically” sinful! :-) Press through the difficult conversations. Practice forgiveness and grace. You will find deep connection as you do.

4. Find a place to serve God’s Kingdom: Don’t just build this “connection” for yourself! Find a way to share it with others. As you go out to serve Christ and His Kingdom, you will become someone else’s point of connection to God and to community. Isn’t that awesome? God will use YOU to be His hands and feet in another person’s life.

Do these four things over the course of a lifetime and I guarantee...GUARANTEE...you will grow a deep, abiding relationship with Christ and with God’s people. Will there be disappointments along the way? Yes. Will you feel hurt at times? Absolutely. Is it easy? Nope. Not in our world. But nothing worth doing is EVER easy and that is particularly true when it comes to the most important relationship in our lives! So place your trust and your hope in Christ and let Him lead you to the abundant life He promises! 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 6-7, John 8:12-38

Spiritual Blindness

Readings for today: 2 Kings 23-25, 1 Chronicles 1-2, John 7:1-52

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. 

Those words always run through my head when we read about the final days of the Kingdom of Judah and the end of Zedekiah. It’s a pretty gory picture. The King of Babylon captures him as he tries to escape the destruction of Jerusalem. Makes him watch while he slaughters his sons and then puts out his eyes. It’s that last detail that I find myself pondering yet again. It’s just a painful reminder of how utterly broken Zedekiah had become. I also wonder if there wasn’t something more symbolic at work as well. After all, Zedekiah had been spiritually blind for years. He reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem but did evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not honor God. He did not walk in God’s ways or according to God’s commands. He disdained the Word of the Lord and rejected the worship of the Lord. So perhaps his physical blindness is simply the logical consequence of his spiritual blindness and that’s why it’s mentioned more than once in Scripture. (See Jeremiah 39 and 52)

I remember my own spiritual blindness. I was raised in the church. My parents were faithful to take me to worship every Sunday. I sang in the choir. I hung out at youth group. By all outward appearances, I was incredibly engaged. However, my heart was hard. Selfish. Locked in sin. I was blinded by my own desires. My own fears. My own doubts. I could not see God. Could not hear God. Did not want to follow God. This was all exposed my freshman year of college. Once outside of the protective rhythms and accountability my parents set, I floundered. I was lost. I wandered aimlessly. I drank heavily. Skipped class. Avoided God. When confronted, I blamed others. I blamed my professors. I blamed my friends. I was so blind I could not see the wretch I’d become.  

That’s when I met Jesus. He confronted me on a sidewalk right outside the UMC on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder. He opened my eyes and it was like I was seeing the world for the very first time. The light was blinding. The exposure painful. All my sins were laid bare before Him. There was no escape. I was overwhelmed by sorrow. Overwhelmed by grief. Overwhelmed by the depth of my sin. The road back to health was not easy. It was one tentative step after another. It required facing the consequences of my actions. The brokenness of my relationships. The anxiety of my failures. But Jesus was faithful. He was the light for my feet. The lamp for my path. Because my eyes had been opened, I could actually see the way He laid out for me.  

I have no idea where you find yourself this morning. If you are blind or if you can see. Perhaps you are like Zedekiah or like I was prior to receiving Christ. Groping in the dark. Stumbling around in the shadows. Blinded by your desires. Fears. Doubts. Failures. I pray you come to Jesus! The One who specializes in restoring sight to the blind! Let Him open your eyes! Let Him show you His glory! 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 3-5, John 7:53-8:11

Leadership

Readings for today: 2 Kings 20-22, John 6:60-71

Everything rises and falls on leadership. Several years ago, I spent time in Rwanda. One of the most impactful moments of my trip was visiting the National Genocide Museum in Kigali. Standing at the mass graves of over 250,000 people was sobering to say the least. In all, the genocide claimed the lives of over 1.1 million people. Most of whom were killed by friends, neighbors, even family members. A national trauma survey by UNICEF estimates that 80% of Rwandan children experienced a death in their family in 1994. 70% witnessed someone being killed or injured and 90% believed they would die. How could such a thing happen? Leadership. An unholy alliance between the racist government of Juvenal Habyarimana and the “Hutu Power” promoting media run by Hassan Ngeze combined to create the conditions whereby such a horror was possible. Aided and abetted by the French government who supplied arms and training, the government worked hard to gain control over the country as they prepared to implement their own version of Hitler’s “Final Solution.” As the international community turned their backs on Rwanda, evil was allowed to flourish and the results were beyond tragic. 

Such leaders are not unknown in the Scriptures. Manasseh reigned for over fifty years and in that time, “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.” (2 Kings‬ ‭21:2‬) He reinstituted pagan idol worship, rebuilding the high places his father had torn down. He defiled the Temple by setting up altars to foreign gods. “He burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭33:6‬) In short, he did more evil is reign than all the kings who had come before him and after he died, his son Ammon continued in his ways. It was the darkest period in the southern kingdom’s history and the people were led astray. Everything rises and falls on leadership. 

All of us are leaders. Leadership begins with self. Learning to control our thoughts and desire and channel them to godly action. Leadership continues in the family. We lead our families as fathers and mothers and teach our children to walk in God’s ways. We lead at work as we use our influence - whether supervisor or employee - to impact the health and well-being of others and our organization’s future. We lead at church by the way we worship and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ. We lead in every sphere of life so here’s the critical question...what kind of leader are you? When the final analysis is in and the impact of your life is measured, will it be for good or for evil in the eyes of the Lord? 

Everything rises and falls on leadership. How are you doing? 

Readings for tomorrow: None

Revival

Readings for today: 2 Kings 18-19, John 6:22-59

“The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.” - Dwight L. Moody

Hezekiah is a remarkable man. The polar opposite of his father. Where his father was unfaithful, Hezekiah was faithful. Where his father was morally compromised, Hezekiah was pure. Where his father was evil, Hezekiah was good. One wonders where Hezekiah learned such faithfulness. What made him turn from his father’s ways? Who taught him the ways of the Lord? How did he know to cleanse the Temple, reinstitute the Levites, and celebrate the Passover? These things had been absent for decades. The Temple had been desecrated. The priests and Levites forgotten. And yet somehow Hezekiah’s heart was not only stirred to seek the Lord in this pagan environment but God provided faithful teachers along the way to instruct and guide him. They remain nameless. Their identities known only to God. But what an impact they make through this great man!

Hezekiah is a great example of what can happen when key leaders seek the heart of God. God doesn’t need our wealth. He doesn’t need our power. He doesn’t need our influence or position or authority. He simply needs our hearts. If we seek to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; His promise is to use us to make a Kingdom-sized impact on those around us. Hezekiah  “trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” (2 Kings‬ ‭18:5‬) He dedicated his life to the destruction of idolatry. He tore down the pagan shrines that dotted the hillsides. He destroyed the bronze serpent Moses had made in the wilderness to save the people from poisonous snakes. We know from the Chronicles that he cleansed the Temple. He restored true worship. He sent messengers throughout the length and breadth of the nation to invite people to celebrate the Passover meal. And even though the people had forgotten how to cleanse themselves in preparation, Hezekiah interceded on their behalf, calling on God to honor the intent of their hearts. The impact of this time of celebration was so profound, the people asked to stay an additional seven days to keep worshipping! “And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers. Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭30:21-23) Once the feast was compete, the people - inspired by the worship of the True and Living God and Hezekiah’s example - returned to their homes to continue to purge the nation of its idolatry. “Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭31:1‬) This is nothing short of revival!

I know a lot of Christians who pray for revival. They pray regularly for a fresh movement of God’s Spirit through their lives, churches, communities, and their nation. If that describes you...and I hope it does!...I want to encourage you to follow Hezekiah’s example. Don’t wait! Don’t delay! Simply begin to seek God’s face right where you are! If you are a mother or father, seek God’s heart for your home and children. If you are a student or employee, seek God’s heart for your school or place of work. If you are a business, community, or church leader, seek God’s heart for the people you serve. If you are a national leader, seek God’s heart for your country. The secret to Hezekiah’s success had very little to do with his authority as king. It had everything to do with his heart for God. 

I want to challenge you to pray this prayer or one like it for yourself. “Father, I want to do what is good and right and faithful before You. Every work I undertake at my job, in my home, with my friends, at my church I do in accordance with Your commands. I am seeking You, Father. I want to serve you with all my heart. May everything I do prosper in order to bring glory to Your great name.” Now you try. Insert your name. Insert your situation. Insert your circumstances and seek God with all your heart. Put Him to the test. Call on His faithfulness. I trust you will be amazed at what takes place.  

The world has yet to see what God will do with a man or woman fully consecrated to Him. Your spouse has yet to see what God will do with a husband or wife fully consecrated to Him. Your children have yet to see what God will do with a mother or father fully consecrated to Him. Your boss or teacher has yet to see what God will do with an employee or student fully consecrated to Him. Your church or community has yet to see what God will do with a woman or man fully consecrated to Him. Consecrate yourelves, friends, to the Lord! Let Him use you for His purposes and His glory in the world! 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 20-22, John 6:60-71

We Are What We Worship

Readings for today: 2 Kings 15-17, John 6:1-21

There are lots of forces in this world that shape a person. Genetics. The environment we grow up in. Family of origin. Socio-economic status. Level of education. Exposure to social media. Peer pressure. But there is one force we often neglect and that is worship. Worship has the power to shape us in profound ways. It can form and de-form. It can build up or tear down. It can purify or corrupt. It can straighten out or warp how we think about God, ourselves, and the world around us.

Throughout the books of the Kings and Chronicles, we read about the high places Israel refused to tear down. Sacred shrines where they often worshipped false gods. Baal. Asherah. Molech. The list goes on and on. Some of these false gods demanded child sacrifice. Some of them demanded sexual orgies. Some of them demanded cutting and self-harm like we saw with the prophets of Baal who Elijah confronted a few chapters back. These false gods and goddesses were capricious and arbitrary. They placed no value on human life. They didn’t care at all about the people. And this makes perfect sense because they were not real. They were simply a projection of humanity’s worst fears and corrupt fantasies.

Some might be tempted to assume that because such gods are not real that there can be no harm in worshipping them. Not true! Listen to what God says in 2 Kings 17:15, “The people of Israel went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them.” You see, we can’t help ourselves. We become what we worship. When we worship something false, we become false. When we worship something evil, we justify all kinds of evil in our own hearts. When we worship like the pagan nations of the earth, we lost sight of our high calling to be a “chosen people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people for God’s own possession.”

A few years back I was talking to a friend of mine who grew up Hindu in India. He now lives and works in the U.S. and is functionally atheist. Over dinner, we talked about a wide range of topics. The state of the world today. The value of human life. Our goals and dreams and aspirations. What emerged was two very different visions of the “good life.” For my friend, human life held no intrinsic value in itself but only as one pursued “dharma” or the right way of living. Good and evil were relative terms depending on one’s station in life. The goal of existence is to leave the material body behind to join with Brahman. These beliefs shaped how my friend engaged politically, socially, and culturally. They shaped who he voted for, what public policies he supported, and how he perceived others. Especially those who disagreed with him. They even shaped how he understood himself on some level.

After listening to my friend, I had the opportunity to share what I believed. I shared with him my understanding that all human life has intrinsic value because every human being is made in the image of God. I shared with him how good and evil are immutable categories to a great extent because they are defined by God Himself. Finally, I shared with him how much God loves the world and all that is in it. In fact, He loved it so much He gave His life for it so the goal cannot be to escape this world but to redeem it. These beliefs shape how I engage politically, socially, and culturally. They shape who I vote for, what public policy I support, and how I perceive others. Especially those who disagree with me. They even shape how I understand myself on some level.

It was a rich and respectful conversation that validated a fundamental principle for me…we are what we worship. What we believe about God shapes everything. It shapes how we think about ourselves. It shapes how we think about others. It shapes how we think about the world. So who do you worship? Is it the God who revealed Himself fully and completely in Jesus Christ? Or is it a god of your own making? Is it the God who loved and valued you so much, He gave His only begotten Son for you? Or is it a false god on whom you project all your fears and fantasies? If we worship false gods, we become false ourselves. If we worship the true God, we become more truly ourselves. The people God created and calls us to be!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 18-19, John 6:22-59

The Steadfast Love of God

Readings for today: 2 Kings 12-14, John 5:30-47

Every time I read through the histories of the Old Testament, I am struck by the same tragic pattern that seems forever stuck on repeat. Humanity has been singing the same sad song since the Fall. Cain and Abel. The state of the world just before the Flood. Tower of Babel. The time of the Judges. Left to her own devices, humanity inevitably descends into godlessness. Violence. Suffering. Pain. God grieves over all He has made and executes His righteous judgment. Humanity drowns. Languages are confused. People scatter. Enemies oppress and enslave. God using all of it to bring humanity to her knees. To bring humanity to repentance. To bring humanity back to a right relationship with Him.

The time of the kings is no different. Good kings turn their hearts towards God and the people are blessed. Evil kings do what is right in their own eyes and the people suffer. God sends prophets like Elijah and Elisha to call them to repentance but they are largely ignored. Finally, God sends judgment. He raises up adversaries both within and without Israel. Rebellion. War. Death. Kings are murdered. Families are decimated. God’s righteous wrath over sin on terrible display.

Humanity never changes. No matter how much “progress” we make technologically, scientifically, culturally, intellectually, you name it…we remain morally depraved. Our hearts are hard towards God. Our necks are stiff. We refuse to bend the knee. The world around us is still awash in injustice and violence. We simply cannot escape our corrupt human nature. Our will to power. Our lust for pleasure. Our craving for wealth. The Bible’s diagnosis is incisive and true. “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." (Romans‬ ‭3:10-12‬) And just when it seems like all is lost. The end is near. All hope is gone. God relents. God reaches out. God intervenes once more.

“But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has He cast them from His presence until now.” (2 Kings 13:23) No matter how far humanity falls. No matter how bad things may get. No matter how much violence and suffering and pain may be taking place. God is faithful. God is true. God is steadfast. He will not abandon us. He will not forsake His people. He loves us with an everlasting love. “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalms‬ ‭30:5‬)

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 15-17, John 6:1-21

Belief

Readings for today: 2 Kings 10-11, John 5:1-29

What is belief? All too often, this is an unexamined question. We simply assume we know what it means to believe. We accept uncritically that we all share the same definition of this word. And the result is that we often talk past each other when it comes to a discussion about our "beliefs." Perhaps if we sat down and carefully unpacked the layers of meaning that we are trying convey when we make a statement like, "I believe...", we might actually begin to get somewhere together. In fact, we may find new layers of meaning opening up to us that we hadn't considered before. Consider the following...

1. Layer #1: Facts - The first and most basic beliefs are ones based on historical or scientific facts. It is a fact that Julius Caesar existed. It is a fact that America was founded in 1776. Gravity is a fact. DNA is a fact. At this "layer of belief" one doesn't say much more than simply stating what is true. There are no judgments being made. No opinions being drawn. These are just historical or scientific facts that cannot be denied.

2. Layer #2: Convictions - Now we begin to get into more contested territory. We move beyond the simple statement of fact to conclusions one can draw by what we know about those facts, the historical context in which they took place, etc. Study the life of Julius Caesar and one should come to a conviction - good, bad, or mixed - about him. Study the founding of America and one will draw some conclusions based on those facts. Dedicate yourself to science and you will form hypotheses about gravity, DNA, evolution, etc. Based on the facts, one draws conclusions. And we often call those conclusions, "beliefs." I want to be quick to say that labeling such convictions "beliefs" in no way diminishes them but it does differentiate them from the first layer laid out above.

   1. It is important to note that at this layer, convictions can be tested. Some convictions are more true than others. Some convictions are more widely held than others. Some convictions are determined to be deficient when they are put to the test. Scientific hypotheses are tested through experiment. Historical convictions are tested by how well they match and explain the context of the events when they took place. Personal opinions are tested through life experience. We should hold onto our beliefs/convictions at this layer with open hands rather than clenched fists. Not because we believe any less fiercely but simply because we humbly acknowledge that in the course of human history, new facts come to light that force us to examine and even change our convictions.

3. Layer #3: Trust - Some convictions - through constant testing and self-examination - become so strong that we actually begin to trust in them. To order our lives accordingly. Gravity, for example, is such a conviction. It is based on fact. We know through testing that what goes up must come down. While we cannot see it, we can see the results of it all around us. There are few exceptions to this fact and most of them exist off-planet. As a result, we have ordered our lives accordingly. Or consider the alcoholic's journey to sobriety. It is a fact that alcoholics have certain genetic traits that make them more susceptible to addiction. The lifestyle of an alcoholic often has a negative impact on their physical bodies, their emotions, and takes a toll on those around them that they love. The resulting conviction is that alcoholism is a bad thing. This is a conclusion that has been tested and examined and found to be widely true. When an alcoholic comes to this realization and begins their journey to sobriety, they must order their life accordingly. They cannot drink. They cannot journey to sobriety alone. They must work backwards to make restitution. This is the foundational philosophy behind the 12 step programs. You have to trust your convictions enough to make a life change.

I am sure there are other layers one could tease out but here's the point I want to make. Throughout the gospels, Jesus Christ calls people to belief. He summons them to place their trust in Him and the One who sent Him. Consider what we read from John 5 today, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John‬ ‭5:19-24‬) What I find fascinating in passages like this is that Jesus is calling us to believe as He does! He’s not asking anything from us that He is unwilling to do Himself! Just as the Son must place His trust in the Father, doing only what He sees the Father doing, ordering His life after the pattern the Father has set, so we are to place our trust in the Son. Do only what we see Him do. Order our lives after the pattern He has set. As we do, we pass from death to life. From judgment to salvation.

So what does it mean to believe in Jesus? Running it through the grid above, let me suggest believing in Jesus happens in three general stages…

1. Belief in Jesus’ existence. I don't know many who seriously believe Jesus was a myth. Most will acknowledge that Jesus did indeed walk the earth, taught the Golden Rule, and in general, represented the best humanity has to offer. Most will acknowledge He was executed by the Romans on a cross. Most will acknowledge the tomb was empty after three days. Such beliefs do not require one to believe He was God or that He rose bodily from the grave or that He came to save us from our sins. These are simply statements of historical fact. There was a man named Jesus. He lived two thousand years ago. His manner of life was so compelling that we literally changed our calendars to mark his birth.

2. Believe what Jesus taught. A second level of belief in Jesus is to take what He said seriously. To believe that what He taught was true. To believe that following His teachings is a good way to live your life. To share Jesus' convictions and allow them to shape your worldview. This is, as far as I can tell, where most Christians I've encountered in my life prefer to live. I am not being judgmental here just sharing my own conviction which is based on observation and life experience after twenty plus years in full-time ministry.

3. Trust Jesus with your life. This is the deepest level of belief and ultimately what Jesus meant when he spoke those words in John 5. This is the layer where intellectual belief moves to saving faith. One actually believes Jesus came to die in our place. One actually believes when Jesus rose from the dead, he defeated death once and for all. One actually believes there are no other options that lead to the eternal life than the one Jesus offers. One seeks to order every facet of their life after Jesus. They find themselves loving their enemies, freely forgiving, pursuing reconciliation, and acting as peacemakers in the world. They discover new depths to love they never imagined. They experience a joy they cannot describe. They cannot help but seek to share this new belief with others. Far from being a "private" experience, it invades every corner of their existence.

So what do you believe? Everyone believes in something. Everyone is staking their lives on a certain set of convictions. What are yours? Are they open to examination and testing? Are they open to challenge and critique? I certainly hope mine continue to be and I am constantly seeking out relationships with those around me who will be honest with me and force me to examine my heart. I find it only deepens my belief in Jesus. 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 12-14, John 5:30-47

Open our Eyes

Readings for today: 2 Kings 4-9, John 4

I have heard it said that the world has yet to see the power that would be unleashed through one man or woman who’s sold out to God. I disagree. I think we see such power all the time. Certainly in Scripture. Take the story of Elisha for instance. The dude is a one-man wrecking crew when it comes to Syria. Ben-hadad wanted to destroy Israel. Invaded time after time. He had the best generals. Mighty men of valor like Naaman. He had all the resources. All the men. All the horses and chariots. The odds were surely in his favor. But Israel had one advantage...Elisha. A man who loved God with all his heart. From Elisha’s deep faith sprung wisdom and insight and even prophetic utterances. He thwarted the plans of Ben-hadad to such an extent that his counselors believed it was like Elisha was hanging out in Ben-hadad’s bedroom! 

Elisha posed such a great threat that Ben-hadad sent his entire army on a seek and destroy mission. Find him. Kill him. Destroy whatever city is giving him refuge. So Elisha and his servant wake up one morning only to see the Syrian army arrayed before them in all its might. It must have been an intimidating sight. The servant is immediately afraid. What will we do? How will we survive? But Elisha doesn’t miss a beat. He asks God to open the eyes of his servant so that he can see what Elisha sees. Horses. Chariots. The mountains ringed with fire from the army of the Lord. 

This is one of my favorite stories in all of Scripture because of the reminder that though my circumstances may seem bleak. Though I may undergo all kinds of trials and tribulations. Though I may suffer and struggle and hurt. Though the enemy wage war against me. Though the government or culture or society grow increasingly hostile to the gospel. No matter what may come, my adversaries - as numerous as they may be - are no match for the armies of the Lord! His sovereign hand continues to lead and guide and protect. His power cannot be measured. His wisdom cannot be fathomed. And if I will simply lift my eyes above the hills, I will see where my true help comes! (Psalm 121) 

“Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.” (Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9:11) I frequently find myself in positions where I am weak. I have no power. No authority. I am not strong or swift or wise or wealthy. In those moments, I am tempted to despair. And that’s when God has me right where He wants me! God does His best work when I come to the end of myself. God does His greatest work when I get out of the way. God is at His most glorious when I am weak and afraid and lonely and have nowhere else to turn. All I have to do is open my eyes. See the power He has brought to bear. Sit back and watch Him go to work. Trust Him for the victory. 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 10-11, John 5:1-29

Streams in the Desert

Readings for today: 2 Kings 1-3, John 3:22-36

On one of my many trips to Ethiopia, we met with a group of denominational leaders in the southern region of the country to launch a new regional training center. The people in that part of Ethiopia are beautiful and industrious. They engage in backbreaking work every single day. They are mainly pastoralists who live a semi-nomadic lifestyle depending on the rains. They herd cattle and sheep. They raise camels and goats. They grow mouthwatering fruit. However, they are located pretty far from Addis Ababa which is the nation’s capital. Because of the distance, they do not get a lot of aid from their government or even their denominational leadership. In addition, their remote location and nomadic lifestyle makes it difficult for them to connect with NGO’s and Christian non-profits. Different church groups have come and gone over the years but the challenges are too much for them to overcome.

The leaders we met with that day shared all this with us as we talked about what a partnership might look like moving forward. One of them referenced the story we read today from 2 Kings 3. He told us it felt like they’ve been wandering in the wilderness for years with no water. Their people were tired. Their churches struggling. What little resources they did have were long gone. He said they had been praying for God to do what He did for Elisha and the kings. Fill the dry streambeds with water. Flood their valley and their land and their churches with resources so they could help their people and bring them to Christ. As he listened to us outline the details of our partnership agreement, tears came into his eyes. He let us know he truly believed the Petros Network was an answer to their prayers and he has been right. The partnership God led us to forge with these brothers and sisters is leading to incredible fruit as hundreds of churches are now being planted and thousands brought to Christ. Further plans for education and clean water access are also being made as we continue to pray for God to fill the dry steams with Living Water!

Where do you need Living Water in your life? The prophet Jeremiah warns us not to try to quench our thirst in the broken cisterns we tend to make for ourselves. Instead we are to quench our thirst in Christ! We are to come to Him and let Him refresh and renew us every day. Too often, we make our plans just like the kings did. We do not consult God. We do what we think is best. And we end up in the desert. Wandering in the wilderness. Struggling to survive. Today’s passage calls us to “inquire of the Lord” when we find ourselves in those spaces. To seek His will through His Word and in prayer. To engage in worship as we seek His presence. Intimacy with Christ is the only thing that can truly quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger. His abiding Presence is the source of Life itself and our connection to Him is vital if we are to flourish.

Engage in self-examination today. Ask Christ to reveal to you those areas of your life where you are trusting in your own wisdom and strength. Engage in prayer today. Ask Christ to give you a hunger and thirst for His Presence. Meditate on God’s Word today. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His will to you through the text. Most of all, trust Christ is for you. He loves you. Christ longs to become a spring inside you eternally flowing with Living Water so you will never be thirsty again.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 4-9, John 4

A God of the Hills and Valleys

Readings for today: 1 Kings 21-22, John 3:1-21

Do you know what God cares about most? His glory. Whenever anyone would diminish Him in any way, God responds. God acts. God reminds us who He is and what He’s all about. In yesterday’s reading, the Syrian king, Ben-hadad, invades Israel. He places his trust in his power. His military might. The 32 client kings who join him. His numbers are overwhelming. Israel has no chance. But Ben-hadad makes a fatal mistake. He underestimates God. Overconfident. Prideful. Arrogant. He defies God and suffers an embarrassing defeat. Licking his wounds, he prepares yet another invasion. Again he gathers his forces. Again his numbers are overwhelming. Again Israel has no chance. But once again, Ben-hadad underestimates God. His servants encourage him in his foolishness. “And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Israel’s gods are the gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” (1 Kings‬ ‭20:23) Once again, he is defeated. Not by Israel but by the Lord as God declares His authority over both hills and plains. 

You would think Ahab would learn from this experience. Sadly, he does not. He too underestimates God. He refuses to obey God and devote Ben-hadad to destruction. He compromises. He equivocates. He cuts a deal. But God doesn’t cut deals. God will never compromise. He is fiercely jealous for His name and for His fame. Ahab compounds his sin by concocting a scheme with his wife to steal Naboth’s vineyard. He not only has Naboth killed but he takes possession of his family inheritance. In all these things, Ahab shows himself to be selfish and petulant. Almost like a child. He pouts when he doesn’t get his way. He gets angry and offended easily. He refuses to listen to God until it is too late and he dooms his son in the process.

What do you believe about God? Is He only the God of the mountaintops of your life? Is He only present when you feel a spiritual high? Have a moving experience during a worship service? Do you only connect with Him when you are in worship on a Sunday morning? Or is He the God of your valleys as well? Those times when you feel like you’re walking in darkness? Those moments when depression and despair threaten to overwhelm? Those experiences which devastate and cause so much pain? Do you believe He is there with you? What do you believe about God? 

What you believe matters. What you believe drives how you think and feel and behave. If you believe God is limited or weak or not omnipresent or omnipotent, then you might act like Ben-hadad or Ahab. Believing God is confined to either the hills or the valleys of your life, you may believe you can get away with a certain level of sin. You may believe God helps those who help themselves. You may believe you can make it on your own. And you will fall into the trap of self-sufficiency. You will rely on your own wisdom and strength. And you will fall short of God’s glory. On the other hand, if you do believe God is all-powerful and ever-present, then you will act accordingly. You will submit every decision. Every action. Every thought to Christ. You will seek to bring all things under His Lordship. You will seek to align your will to His rather than the other way around. 

God cares about His glory. God cares about His great name. And God intends to fill the earth with His glory through the faithful obedience of His people. This was as true for Israel as it is for us today. This is why Jesus says to His disciples,  “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 1-3, John 3:22-36

God Still Speaks

Readings for today: 1 Kings 19-20, John 2

I love the story of Elijah. I love his faithfulness. I love his courage. I love his passion. I love his heart. What makes Elijah so great was his ability to listen to the Word of the Lord. His sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. His humble submission and willingness to sit in God’s presence in silence. As I mentioned in yesterday’s devotional, there was nothing great about Elijah. Nothing unusual. Nothing out of the ordinary. He was simply a human being. A human being like any other human being. A man just like any other man. But he was called to play a specific role in God’s Kingdom and the life of Israel.  

Elijah was a prophet. A man set apart to hear the Word of the Lord and deliver it to God’s people. The Word of the Lord came to Elijah, telling him there would be a famine in the land and to go and live by a brook where the ravens would feed him. When the brook ran dry, the Word of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to go to Zarephath where a widow would care for him. When the widow’s son died, the Word of the Lord came through Elijah to raise him the dead. The Word of Lord challenged Elijah to risk his life and confront King Arab. Queen Jezebel. 450 prophets of Baal. After a miraculous victory, the Word of the Lord opened Elijah’s eyes to see the coming rain. When Elijah ran for his life, the Word of the Lord again came to him bringing comfort and peace. 

This one of my favorite stories in all of Scripture. Elijah falling into a deep depression after his greatest victory. He must have wondered to himself, “What more can I do? I literally just called down fire from heaven and still it is not enough to bring Ahab and Jezebel to repentance.” But once again, Elijah leaned on the Word of the Lord. He traveled to the mountain of God. The same mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. The same mountain where God revealed Himself to Israel in fire and smoke and great darkness. On this same mountain, Elijah meets with God. The wind howls. The earth shakes. Fire breaks out. Finally there is silence. God speaks. Whispering His will to His beloved prophet.

I have no idea what life is like for you right now. Perhaps you are feeling buffeted by hurricane force winds. Perhaps you feel the earth giving way beneath your feet. Perhaps fire has broken out threatening to burn everything you’ve built to the ground. Maybe you’ve just won an incredible victory. Achieved a lifelong dream. Found professional success. Perhaps you’re depressed and lonely and anxious and afraid. Maybe you’re even considering taking your life. Let the story of Elijah encourage you. God is not done with you! He meets you in every season of life! He is with you on the mountaintop when everything is going so well. He is with you in the valleys when it feels like you can barely go on. He is speaking to you. He has some things to say to you. You are His beloved and He will never leave you or forsake you.

How can you tune into what He’s saying? You have to do what Elijah did. You have to get quiet. You have to build time in your life for silence. Turn off the devices. Turn off the television. Turn off the ringer on your phone. Get by yourself. Find a spot to be alone. It could be in your home. Out on a trail somewhere. Even in your car. God speaks to us in whispers. He will not raise His voice to compete with the chaos of our lives. He will not talk over us. He will not interrupt us. He simply will wait until we are ready. Wait until we slow down. Wait until we get quiet. God wants you to hear Him today. He wants you to hear the things He has to say. Listen, friends. Give Him the space to speak and you will find the peace and comfort your soul craves.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 21-22, John 3:1-21

Elijah

Readings for today: 1 Kings 17-18, John 1

Elijah is one of my favorites. A powerful prophet in Israel. A man with the courage to stand up to kings and queens. A man of conviction who stakes his life on God. A man who has the faith to perform miracles. A man who literally lives not by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. But what makes Elijah truly great is his humility. He knows he is not the hero of this story. He knows he is not the center of attention. He knows his job is to point people beyond himself to the God he serves. The God who desires to make Himself known. The God who reveals Himself to those who love Him and fear Him.

Elijah is such a man. He’s a man who loves and fears God. Why else would he leave his home and family and community to obey when God tells him to live by a brook and be fed by ravens? Why else would he leave Israel to go to Sidon and live with a Gentile widow on the brink of starvation in a town called Zarephath? Why else would he have the faith to challenge the widow to trust the Lord for her food and for the life of her son? Why else would he leave Sidon and return to Israel to confront Ahab and Jezebel? Why else would he call for a public demonstration of divine power on the top of Mount Carmel in front of all Israel? Why else would he mock and taunt the prophets of Baal as they cried out to their god? “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” (1 Kings‬ ‭18:27‬) Why else would he leave no doubt by drenching his own sacrifice with water three times before calling out to God? Elijah is truly a man of deep and abiding and courageous faith.

The temptation, of course, is to assume Elijah was graced with special powers. It’s tempting to assume Elijah had some kind of special access to God not available to regular men and women. It’s tempting to think we could never live like Elijah. Believe like Elijah. Do the things Elijah did or say the things Elijah said. But nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve met men and women just like Elijah. No one knows their names. They will never go viral on social media. They will never be interviewed on cable news. They are men and women of deep faith just like Elijah who go to unnamed villages all over the Horn of Africa. Places that don’t show up on any map. God uses them to perform miracles of healing and resurrection and exorcism. They pray for rain and the rain comes. They pray for an end to pestilence and it ends. Their crops and herds flourish as God blesses them with His divine favor. Like Elijah before them, they call the people they serve to faith. They call them to place their trust in Jesus Christ rather than the pagan or tribal gods they worshipped before. It’s truly amazing.

And it begs the question…what about us? What does it look like to have the faith of Elijah in our lives? Here in America? In a place like Douglas County? Where we are blessed with so much and therefore are tempted to trust God with so little? First and foremost, I think it requires us to build space in our lives for quiet reflection. To sit in silence before the Lord and allow the noise of our lives to die down so we can hear from Him. I think it means creating unhurried space in our lives where we are not rushed. God is not on a clock. We aren’t expecting God to move according to our schedule. Second, I think it means cultivating a courageous spirit of obedience. Bravely walking in His ways in the midst of an increasingly hostile world. Faithfully clinging to the wisdom of God which will appear as foolishness to those around us. Much like John the Baptist - who is Elijah reborn according to Scripture - we too must be willing to “zig” when the world says “zag.” We must be willing to stick to the narrow path while the rest of the world chooses the six-lane highway. We must be willing to hold fast to our convictions in world where such convictions are now considered old-fashioned, out of date, even dangerous and oppressive. Ultimately, like Elijah. Like John the Baptist. Like so many saints who have gone before us. We must be willing to be a “lone voice crying in the wilderness…prepare the way of the Lord!”

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 19-20, John 2