Think On These Things

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Pete

That the game is either won or lost in the mind seems clear. That it is just as much about the heart as it is about how hard you play is evident. Skill only takes you so far . . . it’s what’s going on in the inside that provides the “secret sauce” . . . that creates the “X” factor. True too, I think, concerning the things of God. Knowledge only gets you so far . . . checking the boxes concerning doing the right stuff is but a good start. But it takes something deeper, something internal, to make the difference between just going through the motions and going the distance. A couple of my readings this morning combined to get me thinking on these lines . . .

First was reading about the reform under King Josiah in 2Kings 22 and 23. Made king of Judah at age 8, his heart was stirred to do “what was right in the eyes of the Lord” . . . unlike his father and grandfather before him. When he was 18 he decided that the temple was in need of repair and so ordered that a cleaning and repair crew be sent in. In the course of the cleanup, a copy of the Book of the Law was discovered. And when king Josiah was brought the law, and read the law, he came to realize just how far Judah had fallen from God’s commands. It says that his heart was “penitent” and that he humbled himself before the Lord (22:19). As a result, he enacted reform in Judah the likes of which had not been seen since King David.

He destroyed everything concerned with the worship of other gods. He tore down idols and places of worship that had been established as far back as the days of Solomon. He enacted reform throughout the land, even restoring the observance of the Passover feast. Concerning Josiah it is recorded that, “Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him” (22:25).

But here’s what stopped me in my tracks. After a 31 years on the throne, Josiah is murdered by an enemy and succeeded by his 23 year old son, Jehoahaz. And of Jehoahaz it’s written, “He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done” (23:32). Though Jehoahaz had a “front row seat” to the passion with which his father sought after the Lord . . . though he had seen modeled a zeal for obeying the word of the Lord . . . it never took. Josiah could destroy all the external props and instruments of idol worship, but unless it impacted the heart of his son . . . unless there was a change of mind in the people . . . it really made very little difference. No “secret sauce” in the cleanup . . . no “X” factor at play in the reform. And that brings me to the other reading this morning that provided some divine perspective on the lack of lasting impact of Josiah’s efforts on God’s behalf . . .

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 ESV)

Just has Josiah had tried to do, Paul also was seeking to encourage revival amongst a group of God’s people. Just as Paul had counted all things loss for the sake of Christ . . . just as he had determined to pursue the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” . . . just as he was determined to press on in order to know Christ and the power of His resurrection . . . he wanted the Philippians to do likewise . . . “Brothers, join in imitating me” (3:17). And then he says, “Finally” . . . . finally . . . before I end this letter, get this . . . here’s the secret sauce . . . here’s the “X” factor . . . “think about these things.” Get your mind in the game . . . get your heart aligned with the beat of heaven . . . think! . . . meditate! . . . muse on! . . . internalize! . . . the things of Christ.

Jesus is true — He is the way, the truth, and the life. The King of Kings is worthy of all honor. The obedient Son of God is righteous and just The Lamb of God is spotless and pure. The soon returning Bridegroom is altogether lovely. The works and teaching of the Son of Man are of good report and commendable. The Second Person of the Trinity embodies the excellence of the fullness of God. All that Jesus is and all that He has done is worthy of eternal praise. So think on these things!

That’s what makes the difference . . . that’s where the game is won or lost . . . that’s where the mind, soul, and spirit are engaged in support of the efforts of the body. Oh, that I might know more of the “secret sauce” . . . that I might “bring it” with more of the “X” factor . . . that I might think on these things! For His glory . . . amen!

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The Lifeline

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Pete

22 Readings . . . 8 verses each . . . 176 verses in total . . . 9 columns of text in my Bible . . . 4 1/2 pages . . . one grand theme . . . “Your law is my delight.” Finished up Psalm 119 this morning . . . oh, how I love this portion of Scripture.

I underline verses that pertain to the Word of God with an orange colored pencil . . . do you wanna guess that these 4+ pages are pretty orange? Yup. Next most prominent color? Purple . . . my color for obedience. The psalmist’s high esteem for the precepts of God were expressed not only in that he wrote such a wonderful treatise concerning the word but in that he determined to hold fast to the word . . . to not forget . . . to not swerve . . . but to do and keep the testimonies of His great God.

It’s not that the psalmist made a lifeless idol of the words . . . but that he adored the living Author of the book. Not that it was about legalistically checking off the “to do’s”, but that it was about experiencing real life . . . and life to the full. And so the psalmist would plead for understanding . . . would submit himself to divine teaching . . . would delight in the law of heaven. In the revealed word of God the psalmist had found a great treasure . . . and he would seek to plumb its depth and hold fast to its promise.

And it’s the last verse of this mega-psalm which captures my attention this morning . . . that the word of God can be a lifeline for those who will not let go of it . . .

“I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.”  (Psalm 119:176 ESV)

What an apt way to conclude 176 verses of contemplation concerning the wonder, the dynamics, and the benefits of God’s word . . . with the recognition that I am prone to wander . . . to, like a sheep, end up in places that I’m not sure how to get back from . . . to snooze at the wheel and find myself off kilter and/or off course. To acknowledge that I need the Shepherd to to seek me . . . to lead me back . . . to draw my heart once again to Him . . . to stand at the door and knock. That I need the depths of His grace and the power of His living Spirit in me to reel me back in and help me get my feet back under me. And the lifeline? . . . that vehicle by which I hear again the voice of God calling? . . . the agency by which clarity of thought is restored? It is the blessed word of God.

For those who love His commandments . . . for those who have cried out to be taught and given understanding . . . for those who have sought to hide His precepts in their hearts . . . for those who have subjected themselves to the revealed mind of God and sought to trust and obey . . . there is an abiding assurance. An assurance that though they may stray or feel they have lost their way, it will be but for a season . . . that though they might trip up, they will also get up . . . that though they wander, the Shepherd will seek them . . . and find them . . . and restore them . . . and return them to His loving fold. All through the inspired, living, and powerful, revelation of God.

His word is the lifeline. It is what keeps me tethered to the shores of heaven. It the anchor which holds fast during the storm. It is the communication link that conveys the “still small voice” of the Father during the raging cacophony of things gone wrong. It is the familiar landmark recognized in the desert which points back to the pathway of life.

Praise God for 22 readings . . . 176 verses . . . 4+ pages. Praise God for the lifeline! Amen?

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Seven Times a Day

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Pete

So what if we took more of the Bible literally? What difference might it make? What if we actually washed each other’s feet? . . . what humility! What if we actually sold more of what we had and distributed it within the church to those who were in need? . . . what community! What if we actually greeted one another with a holy kiss? . . . ok . . . maybe not. But, what’s got me thinking about this though, is something I read in Psalm 119 this morning.

“Seven times a day I praise You, for Your righteous rules.” (Ps. 119:164  ESV)

What if I literally praised God seven times a day?

And it’s got me thinking . . . how many times a day do I, on average, praise God? Morning devotions, one . . . if I eat three meals a day and pray before each, that would get me up to four . . . if, “now I lay me down to sleep, pray the Lord my soul to keep” that might get me up to five. But seven? I don’t hit five very often. I certainly don’t average five. So, what if I purposed to praise Him seven times a day?

I guess part of it has to be what’s the motivation to offer praise to God? For the Psalmist it’s clear: “My heart stands in awe of Your word . . . I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure . . . I love Your law . . . Great peace have those who love Your law . . . I love them exceedingly” (Ps 119:161-168). You gotta love Psalm 119. The Psalmist is crazy in love with the word of God . . . it’s his strength . . . his wisdom . . . his comfort . . . his lamp . . . his revival . . . his hope . . . and, it is a major well from which the spring of praise gushes.

But what else fuels the “praise factor?” How about my sin forgiven? . . . that should generate some praise. How about the knowledge that I am sealed with the Holy Spirit and that He actively is working within me to conform me to the image of Christ? . . . do I hear a “hallelujah” coming from that one. How about the reality of an intimate relationship with the Father? . . . worthy of worship? . . . I’m thinking so. Pile on a “peace that passes understanding” and a “hope that endures” and you’re starting to create a bit of revival meeting here. So . . . why don’t I praise God seven times a day?

And it’s not that I need to set a quota . . . not that I need to schedule seven praises a day . . . but maybe the question is, why don’t I find myself praising God more often during the day? Praying before each meal is a good start . . . a good foundation. A bit of praise mixed with devotion times just seems natural. But what about a spontaneous, “You are awesome God” when I catch a glimpse of Mt. Rainier? Or, how about a “thank you, Lord” just slipping past my lips when I’m reminded of some blessing I enjoy at His gracious hand?

In Luke’s gospel, Jesus declares that He is the One who fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy in the first part Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). But if you read on a bit more in Isaiah it also declares that Messiah will “provide for those who grieve in Zion–to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isa. 61:3 NIV). What if I took that literally . . . Jesus has provided a garment of praise . . . what if I determined to put it on? . . . what if I were to become more aware of it’s availability? Oh, that I might be more bound up in the clothing of praise . . . an attitude of rejoicing . . . a mindset of continual thanksgiving.

Father, I’m amazed at how quickly the praise factor that is present during morning devotions can dissipate throughout the day. The focus shifts . . . the distractions increase . . . oh, Father, how I desire to put on the garment of praise . . . oh, that “Praise the Lord” might be a frequently present thought as I encounter life . . . that You would be glorified multiple times a day as I “continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15).

One down . . . six (or more) to go . . .

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Door #2

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Pete

Put a dollar bill in my right hand and a hundred dollar bill in my left and tell me to choose one . . . I’ll take what’s in my left hand. Or tell me there’s an ’88 Toyota Tercel behind the first door and a Porsche behind the second and ask me to pick one . . . “I’ll take what’s behind door number two, Monty!” Kind of no brainers . . . picking something of greater value over something that’s of very little value . . . but only if you know the value of the objects in play. If you’re new to the paper money thing and you reason that $1 must be of more value than $100 because 1 is higher ranking than 100 . . . or, if you think a car with 5 doors (including the hatchback) must have taken more to make than a car with two doors . . . you might just choose the lesser over the greater.

So, what’s got me trying to come up with this sorta’ lame line of reasoning? I’m noodling on something Paul writes to the Philippians about relative value . . . and choosing the greater over the lesser . . .

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 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 . . . ” (Philippians 3:7-8  ESV)

It’s that phrase, “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”, that’s my “hover point” this morning.

Behind Door #1 Paul had a rich pedigree and a prestigious future. His lineage distinguished him as a “Hebrew of the Hebrews” . . . his smarts concerning the law and his ambition concerning his religion made him a “shoo-in” for the highest rankings of the elite in Israeli society . . . and his drive in pursuit of that which he considered righteousness was unmatched. “Success” was his to lay hold of . . . for a good portion of his life he had pursued Door #1 and it was paying off.

But then . . . then Paul got a glimpse of what was behind “Door #2”. Well . . . a bit more than a glimpse. He met the risen Savior on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5) . . . he received some personal tutoring at “Paradise U” (2Cor. 12:2-4) . . . he started to experience “knowing Christ.” Behind Door #2 was communion with the living Lord of Creation. The prize consisted not in physical or material returns but in the wonder, awe, and intimacy of being brought into close relationship with the One who formed Him . . . and knew Him . . . and intensely desired to “come in and sup with him”. Door #2 was less about the things of this world and all about things of the next . . . not so much about the treasures stored up here but coming into an inheritance as a co-heir with the precious Son of God . . . not so much about the sacrifices he might be called to make, but all about a continual abiding appreciation for the sacrifice made on his behalf by the spotless Lamb of God. So this . . . and so much more . . . were to Paul of a “surpassing worth.”

Doesn’t it come down to a value system . . . to looking at two “doors” and deciding the relative value of one over the other . .. and then choosing to pursue one, even if it costs the other? Paul counted everything behind Door #1 as loss . . . and he lost it all . . . the title, the esteem, the prestige, the “future”. But in Paul’s estimation it didn’t even compete with the surpassing worth of “gaining Christ”. He would readily let go of the things of this world in order to grow in the grace of knowledge of His Savior. He would release all claims to the “Tercel hatchback” of this age in order to enter into fully the fellowship available to him with the risen King of kings and Lord of lords.

Oh, the surpassing worth of know Christ Jesus my Lord . . .

I’ll take what’s behind Door #2, as well, Monty . . .

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No One Like Him

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Pete

He’s kind of a background player in the overall story of the New Testament. Saved as a young man, he and Paul developed a very strong bond and he faithfully accompanied Paul on many of his travels . . . often being asked to stay behind and do “the follow up work” or being sent back in order to encourage the believers and find out how things were going. Reference to him is frequently made in Paul’s letters . . . and, he was himself a recipient of two epistles from Paul. That Paul loved him . . . that Paul valued him . . . is clear. According to Paul, there was no one like him.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.” (Philippians 2:19-22 ESV)

Timothy was with Paul when Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi (Php 1:1). And though Paul was a bit predisposed at the moment (aka chained to Roman guards in a Roman prison) his care for the saints was such that he wanted to be with them . . . he wanted to care for them . . . he wanted to encourage them . . . and he wanted to be encouraged BY them as he observed their faithful walk and service to the risen Lord. What’s the next best thing to being there himself? Have Timothy go . . . for there’s no one like him.

Actually, based on the few study tools I have access to on my computer, this might be a case where the NKJV and the NASB got it “more right” than did the ESV. The NKJV says of Timothy, ” For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state,” while the NASB renders it, “for I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.”

In Paul’s estimation there was no one like Timothy, because none was as like-minded with the blessed apostle as was Timothy. They shared a similar spirit . . . they connected on a kindred basis . . . literally, they were “equal in soul.”

Paul trusted these upstart churches to Timothy’s care and follow up because Timothy was genuinely concerned for their welfare . . . just as Paul was. Did Paul “labor” for believers to grow up until Christ was formed in them? (Gal. 3:19) . . . Timothy did too. Would Paul “pour himself out” as an offering in order to encourage and enhance “the sacrificial offering” of those he had “fathered” into the kingdom? (Php. 2:17) . . . so too Timothy was less concerned about himself than he was the things of the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. There was no one like-minded as Timothy . . . there was no one like him.

Timothy was the real thing. He possessed the mind of Christ . . . the mind of a servant who did not grasp after the benefits of ministry but sought only to be a minister . . . who humbly counted others worth the effort of putting out — whether it was traveling miles and miles between churches or having to deal with the many, many trials presented by church members . . . who looked not to his own interests but to the interests of the other sheep for whom the Great Shepherd had given His life. Timothy was tested, tried, and proven . . . no one like him.

Oh, that I too would be like-minded . . . that I might know more and more the kindred spirit of those who are genuinely concerned for the welfare of others . . . that, though there is no one like him, I might be a bit more like Timothy . . . by the grace of Christ . . . through the power of the Spirit . . . for the glory of God.

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A Common Experience

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Pete

That Paul desired unity among believers is evident in a number of his letters. In Paul’s view, salvation was about so much more than just securing “fire insurance” . . . it was the launching pad for a life with potential to bring glory to the Savior and to the Father. And while some of this potential might be realized on an individual level, I’m thinking that it really happens on the corporate level . . . at the “body of Christ” level. If I think back to Ephesians, when Paul says to walk in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ, the first thing he launches into is how to live as a body of believers in order to “maintain the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:1-3). Reading in Philippians this morning, he again speaks of letting “your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” as you “stand firm . . . striving side by side for the faith” (Php. 1:27). And as I read Philippians 2 it’s clear that this “corporate challenge” is made in light of a common experience.

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:1-2)

The word “if” here is best understood as “since.” These are not attributes which are in question, but realities which are being experienced. They knew the encouragement of being in Christ . . . they had encountered the love of God and the warmth and comfort it brings . . . they could point to times when they sensed the intense desire and mercy of the Father, and . . . this one really caught my eye . . . they had known “participation in the Spirit.”

Other translations render it “fellowship of the Spirit.” The Greek word is koinonia . . . i.e. fellowship, association, community, communion, interaction, intimacy, joint participation. Because these believers shared in the common experience of the Holy Spirit, they were to make every effort to live in such community with one another that the community, in and of itself, would testify to the truth, power, and reality of the gospel.

And I think about “participation” or “fellowship” in the Spirit and I’m reminded of the privileged dynamic afforded the believer in terms of the depths to which we can interact with God as Jesus lives through us by the Holy Spirit, and the bond created among believers that makes us “instant family” in the Spirit.

My “participation” is with heaven itself through the agency of the Spirit of God. I have been made alive to the things of the kingdom of God and, as I learn more to hear the Spirit’s voice and seek to walk in and be led by the Spirit, I experience the realities of communion with the Father . . . I know more the mind and heart of Christ . . . I leverage increasingly the power of the resurrection. Not that I have “arrived” . . . but that I am gaining more and more a “real life” understanding of that “participation in the Spirit.”

In addition, this “fellowship in the Spirit” is about the community I’ve come to know with other believers. It’s about the kinship and responsibility I sense towards other “sinners saved by grace.” It’s about more than shaking hands on a Sunday morning, but it’s the privilege of being drawn into pathways of other pilgrims working their way home. It’s that bond that connects us as living stones being built into a holy temple, a dwelling place for God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:21-22). It sensing the reality of being a body part in the body of Christ . . . have a role . . . being part of the “building itself up in love” dynamic He has designed (Eph. 4:16). And it’s because of the reality of this common experience in the Spirit that I’m called to humbly count my brothers and sisters “more significant” than myself . . . that I’m to look out for their interests and not just consider my own (Php. 2:3-4).

A common experience . . . a divine participation . . . for the glory of God.

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Life’s Great Umbrella

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Pete

Paul was less worried about the destination and more concerned with the journey . . . he seems to have cared more about the process than the outcome . . . focused more on how he did life than on how life treated him. I’m reading in Philippians this morning and am again impressed and inspired by the apostle’s singular focus applied to what’s going down in his life at the time.

He’s in prison . . . but, he says, “My imprisonment is for Christ” (Php. 1:13). His “field of ministry” has been restricted to just the palace guard but he rejoices that “most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (1:14). There are those on the outside who are taking advantage of Paul’s imprisonment to increase their own ministry . . . trying to “out preach” the apostle . . . to build themselves up by putting him down while he’s out of the way . . . and to this Paul’s response is, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice” (1:18).

What’s with the guy? Is he just little Mr. Sunshine? Are the only glasses he has rose-colored? Is he just a lemonade maker? Does he just try and escape from reality by continually going to his own little happy place? No, not really. What he is, is focused. What he has is a filter . . . a way of looking at all that happens in his life . . . the good, the bad, and the ugly . . . through a single lens . . . evaluating how it aligns with his overriding life’s “mission statement.”

“. . . it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:20 ESV)

I’m in prison? . . . may Christ be honored in my body. I can only preach to a few Roman soldiers? . . . may Christ be “magnified” (NKJV) in my body. There are doofuses out their preaching the gospel out of rivalry and envy? . . . may Christ be “exalted” (NASB, NIV) in how I respond. I might die in this prison? . . . may it happen in such a way as “to make Christ more accurately known” (MSG). Don’t you get jazzed by Paul’s singular, overriding desire for his life? I do. Bringing honor to Jesus should be life’s great umbrella.

Oh, to be so sold out to Christ that everything . . . absolutely everything . . . is brought under the over-arching desire to honor Him. That all of life’s blessings would be received and then leveraged in such a way as to exalt Him. That life’s trials, persecutions, imprisonments, and even death would all be brought into subjection to the grand purpose of magnifying the Savior. That even the mundane, day-in-day-out stuff, would be influenced with the desire to walk in manner worthy of, and consistent with, the Christ being formed in me by the Spirit’s sanctifying work.

Paul’s greatest fear was that through the trials of his imprisonment he might do something of which he would be ashamed . . . literally, something that would “disfigure.” He dreaded the thought of reacting in some manner, or saying some word, that would bring shame upon him and would distort and dishonor the One he desired to proclaim in his body. And what was true for Paul in the trials and testings of Roman confinement should be true for me in whatever state I find myself in. That I would be guarded and directed by an intense inner dread of doing anything that reflects poorly on the One who died for me . . . the One who is, one day soon, coming again for me.

That Christ would be honored in my body . . . that He would be exalted . . . that He would be magnified . . . in all things . . . through all circumstance . . . so that He might receive all glory. Not a bad umbrella to get under. Amen?

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My Inheritance

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Pete

The psalmist says that it can be “songs in the house of my sojourning” . . . that it is better “than thousands of gold and silver pieces” . . . that it is sweet to the taste, “sweeter than honey to my mouth” . . . that it “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:54, 72, 103, 105). Oh how I love encountering these metaphors . . . these different word pictures ascribed to the word of God. Each reveals another dimension of this multi-dimensioned “Holy Book” that sits on my desk . . . causing me to reflect anew on some aspect of God’s word . . . to consider afresh a perspective that I should own concerning the whole canon of God-breathed revelation before me. And I encountered another this morning that puts a bit of smile on my lips . . .

“Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.” (Psalm 119:111 ESV)

While some people might, I don’t think a lot about inheritance . . . whether it’s about getting one or about leaving one . . . at least not about a monetary or material inheritance. Certainly, by God’s grace I would love to leave behind some measure of a spiritual heritage and inheritance, but beyond that, it isn’t something that is much on my radar.

But to consider this morning the word of God as my heritage . . . my inheritance . . . my forever possession provided freely from heaven itself . . . now that’s worth mulling over. To consider its value . . . to consider its longevity (forever is long . . . ) . . . to consider that I have it now . . . to think that I can, in some measure, partner with God to pass it on . . . how can it not be a source of joy to the heart?

It’s not an inheritance in the sense of some heirloom that sits on a shelf to be admired . . . or some sentimental keepsake handed down to be admired from afar. Instead it is living and active . . . relevant yesterday, today and forever . . . to be used just as earnestly now as it has been through out the centuries by those who have also received this inheritance. In it the mind of God is revealed . . . the character of God is known . . . the love of God is declared. It is truth. Truth, not just in some abstract sense, but “rubber-meets-the road” truth . . . life-changing, sanctifying truth (John 17:17). And, I’m reminded by the psalmist, it is mine . . . my heritage . . . my inheritance . . . forever.

Oh what joy to consider God’s gracious provision in conveying the wonders of the kingdom of heaven to those bound by earth. What delight to be reminded that, with the help of the Holy Spirit who will lead me into all truth, I can “partake of the divine nature” through the revelation of His “precious and very great promises” (2Peter 1:3-4).

Mine is a rich heritage . . . mine is an enduring heritage. My heritage is a storeroom of inheritance that can be explored through the entirety of this life and drawn from in the life to come . . . a forever inheritance.

Rejoice O’ heart . . . glory in the riches of God’s word! Let it work it’s perfect work in you as it transforms you through renewal (Rom. 12:2) . . . as it conforms you after the purposes of the Father (Rom. 8:29) . . . as it reveals to you the blessed Source of living water (John 7:38) . . . as it provokes in you a desire to praise and to worship the Author, and Him alone . . . . for His glory . . . amen!

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And You Shall Know That I Am the LORD

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Pete

It’s overshadowed by Mt. Carmel. While the events I read of this morning were intended so that “you shall know that I am the Lord”, it’s not something that comes to mind as does the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1Kings 18). Elijah’s 1-on-450 encounter was big . . . and flashy . . . and designed for a large audience who needed to stop “limping between two opinions” and needed to get off the fence, “If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.” (18:20 ESV) When Elijah stood on that mount and called down fire from heaven upon his water drenched sacrifice he pleaded, “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.” (18:37) But God was not done in trying to turn hearts back.

I’m reading 1Kings 20 this morning and Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, has amassed a great army against Ahab, king of Israel . . . yeah, Ahab, the Baal worshiping, prophet persecuting king of Israel. And God sends a prophet to Ahab as the king stares down a massive enemy army and says to him, “Thus says the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” (20:13).

“You shall know that I am the LORD” . . . You! . . . you demon-led, degenerate Ahab . . . I want you to know that I am the LORD . . . I want to turn your heart back to me . . . I haven’t given up on . . . I will move the heart of a Syrian king and the feet of a Syrian army in order to provide you the opportunity to know anew that I am the LORD.

And it’s not like God does it just once. After Israel sends the Syrian forces running for their lives, the Syrians regroup, rethink their strategy, and return for round two . . . this time in the valley, not the mountain, for Israel’s “gods are 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.” (20:23-25).

And as the people of Israel muster before the formidable Syrian army again it says that they were “like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country” (20:27). Out numbered . . . again! . . . like a few feeble goats. And again a man of God draws near to King Ahab and says, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'” (20:28)

There it is again . . . “and you shall know that I am the LORD” . . . 127,000 Syrian soldiers would perish in that battle in order that one, hard-hearted king of God’s people might return to the living God and abandon idols of wood and stone. And while I get that God had other reasons for judging the Syrians, I am amazed at the lengths that He goes to in an attempt to get Ahab to wake up, repent, and return . . . at the lengths to which His grace compels Him in order to redeem not just a nation, but one wayward king. Sadly, Ahab never did return but lived out his life in rebellion to the One who wanted His heart so badly.

And as I noodle on it . . . while I might be amazed at the lengths God went to reveal Himself to Ahab, I shouldn’t be surprised. How far did God go in order to redeem me? . . . He sent His Son to die on my behalf. How persistent was God in seeking me and drawing my heart to Him? . . . pretty! What circumstances, that seemed to be about others, were orchestrated that I might know that He is the LORD? . . . I’m guessing a few.

How good is my God! How great His power! How amazing His grace!

Thank you Father for revealing Yourself to me . . . for showing me that You are the LORD . . . that my heart might be turned to You . . . that Your grace should be poured out on me. For Your glory alone, Lord!

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Taking On Flesh . . .Taking On the Devil

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Pete

This wasn’t the first time He had encountered the enemy. Not the first time that the one who opposed Him was before Him. But before, the lines had been clearly drawn. He inhabited the throne with the Father, the enemy could only approach so close. He was the high and exalted King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and his opposition was a defeated rebel on borrowed time. But, reading Luke 4 this morning, this encounter was different . . . very, very different . . . this time Satan was in His face!

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, He was hungry. The devil said to Him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.'” (Luke 4:1-3 ESV)

The “playing field” had changed. It was their first encounter outside the heavenly realms . . . the arena was the desert . . . the field was a wilderness on a small planet in the universe. But more importantly, the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Col. 1:16-17) entered this one-on-one battle with skin on. He had released His equality with God in order to be born in the likeness of men . . . to take on human form (Php. 2:6-8). He who was Omnipotent chose to clothe Himself with the weakness of the flesh. And in that state, He entered hand-to-hand combat with the Adversary . . . the devil . . . the enemy of our souls.

And as I’m hovering over this passage this morning, I can’t help but imagine what it was like for the Son of God to experience Satan’s opposition as the Son of Man. Divested of His heavenly glory . . . fully entering into the human experience . . . physically weakened by 40 days in the wilderness without food . . . and then face-to-face with the one who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pet. 5:8). And Satan gives it his best shot . . .

“If You are the Son of God, command these stone to become bread . . . feed Yourself. If You are the Son of God and if this world is eventually to be Your kingdom anyway, worship me and I’ll give it to you right now . . . exalt Yourself. If You are the Son of God then why go through all this? Cast Yourself off the top of the pinnacle and let God send His angels to guard You . . . prove Yourself.”

What was it like for the Son of God to have endured such taunting and temptation? He was Immanuel . . . God in flesh . . . and as such He experienced the attack of the enemy in the context of the weakness of the flesh. Oh, what humiliation He endured! And why would He, who had command of 10,000 angels, allow Himself to be drawn onto enemy territory in such a “compromised” state? It was that He might, “in every respect,” be tempted as we are . . . “yet without sin.” That He would be able to enter into and sympathize with our weaknesses in order to advocate effectively on our behalf as high priest (Heb. 4:15). “For because He himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Heb. 2:18)

And so, with skin on, taking up only the resources available to man — the filling of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God — He stood firm before the enemy. Jesus fully submitted Himself to the Father, resisted the devil, and the devil departed (James 4:7).

And as I meditate on Jesus’ “wrestling match” . . . not against “flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12) . . . and consider His willingness to endure such humiliation that He might model for me how to endure . . . and wonder at the depths to which He would descend that I might be lifted out of the mire and seated in heavenly realms . . . I can’t help but respond with gratitude and praise. To say, “Thank You Jesus” . . . for taking on flesh that You might lead me to life in the Spirit . . . for taking on the devil that I might see how to stand fast in the evil day. To You be all glory, Lord! Amen.

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