Unlimited Forgiveness

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Pete

A clarifying question . . . that’s the term we often use at work for a question that’s asked in order to make sure we’re understanding the point someone is trying to make. Peter asked a clarifying question in my reading this morning in Matthew 18. Jesus had been teaching on the importance of and the process for brothers to be reconciled (Matt. 18:15-20). That reconciliation between brothers was important, was evident from Jesus instruction. So Peter, being a “bottom-line” type of guy tries to get to the point, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” (18:21)

Now I’m guessing that Peter thought that was a pretty generous number, “Seven times . . . I know it would be tough, Lord . . . but I can do all things through You who strengthens me . . . even to the point of forgiving someone who transgresses against me up to seven times.” And if you think about it, that would be pretty big of someone. But Jesus’ answer blows the lid off of Peter’s idea of what would be “above and beyond” behavior. Jesus comes back with “seventy times seven.” Not that He was setting a higher limit, but that He was conveying no limit at all. Who could track forgiving someone 490 times. Wouldn’t be done. The charge was clear . . . forgive.

And then, to make the point, Jesus tells a parable. He tells the story of a king who has determined to settle accounts with those who owe him money. One of them is a servant who somehow owes the master 10,000 talents. Ok . . . so that’s a huge amount . . . putting it in our terms, its like several millions of dollars . . . more than a lifetime of wages for most people, never mind for a servant. How he got into such debt is beyond understanding . . . and it’s also not the point. When commanded to pay up, the servant begs for time promising to pay it all back if the master would but have patience. Empty promise . . . no way he could pay it back. He knew it . . . the master knew it. But the master is moved with compassion . . . and forgives the debt . . . all of it . . . unconditionally.

The servant however, though given this new lease on life . . . though forgiven this huge debt . . . finds a fellow servant who owes him a hundred denarii, a hundred days of wages, and demands payment. Ok, so over 3 months wages is nothing to sneeze at . . . it’s a pretty significant debt . . . but the point is pretty clear . . . compared to what had been owed to and forgiven by the master, this was insignificant. It’s almost incredible to imagine this servant demanding that his buddy be thrown into debtors prison until he could pay in full. But that’s Jesus’ point, isn’t it? Forgive seven times? Forgive seventy times seven times? No, forgive in the measure to which you have been forgiven.

How great was my debt? Far too great for me to pay. The debt owed for my sin was beyond my ability to pay. Apart from the grace of the Master who freely forgave my debt in full, I would be without hope. How then can I not forgive?

Unlimited forgiveness . . . that’s what I have received. The Cross should be an ever present reminder of the price paid by the Father, through the Son, for my sin. Jesus bore my sin, and it, along with the Lamb of God, was nailed to the cross . . . the debt was canceled . . . new life imparted through faith in Him.

Unlimited forgiveness . . . that’s what I’m called to extend to others. Oh, I know it is much easier said than done . . . but it really is the appropriate response as we consider the grace we’ve known. Paul told the Ephesians to “forgive one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32). It’s not about keeping track of wrongs, apologies, and the number of times we forgive. It’s really not about keeping track at all. It’s about forgiving others as God has forgiven us through His Son. Trying counting that . . . try measuring the number of sevens in the Father’s forgiveness . . . unlimited!

Praise God!

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A Sudden Turn of Events

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Pete

Talk about your sudden turn of events . . . about going from your high to your low . . . about going from glory to grief. Sudden, swift, and absolutely life-changing . . . that’s the feeling you get as you finish reading Leviticus 9 and then head into chapter 10. Here it is:

Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’” So Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 9:22-10:3)

Man! What a sour, sobering end to what had been an amazing “opening ceremonies.” The tabernacle had just been opened for business . . . the business of atonement. The priests had just been consecrated . . . the offerings for their atonement completed, they were now ready to make atonement for the people. Aaron, the high priest, raises his hand in exaltation as he finishes up the offerings. Moses joins him and together they bless the people. The glory of the Lord then appears . . . fire comes directly out of the cloud (assuming a cloud was how God manifested His glory) and consumes the offerings on the altar. The people cry out with joy . . . or fear . . . or both . . . and then go facedown before Jehovah. And then it happens.

What exactly they were thinking, we don’t know. But the sons of Aaron . . . those called to minister with their dad as priests . . . Nadab and Abihu . . . they decide to improvise. They are inside the tent . . . at the altar of incense . . . just before the curtain which closes off the Holy of Holies. They take their censers . . . and they approach God with what they thought was a pretty cool offering . . . but one which the Lord had not commanded them. And then . . . BAM!!! Fire comes out of the cloud . . . the glory of God “devours” them . . . they are consumed by fire . . . they lay their dead. What they had thought would be their shining moment, had become the end of their service to God . . . and end to their lives.

And you can’t help but think, “Seems a bit extreme, don’t you think?” Apparently not.

God has made atonement . . . through the blood of Christ He has taken down the veil and given us, as believers, bold access into the most Holy place. We enter by the grace of God . . . we enter clothed in the righteousness of Christ . . . but we are to enter reverently. Those who would come near to God must regard Him as holy . . . not as common place. Those who would come near must come to glorify Him . . . not themselves.

And it’s not about ritual . . . but about a right heart. Setting Him apart as holy . . . desiring to bring Him the glory due His name . . . that’s the offering He desires . . . that’s the heart attitude He deserves . . . that’s the privilege we possess. Father, keep us from offering “profane fire” . . . by Your grace, and through the Spirit within us, lead us to offer only that which pleases You. Amen.

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Sweet!

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Pete

I know people who can talk about the Levitcal priesthood at such detail it’s mind boggling. I know people who can preach weeks on the meaning of the all the different sacrifices . . . the what’s, why’s, and wherefore’s presented in such a way as to talk not only of what they signified for the children of Israel but also their meaning concerning Christ. They are types . . . metaphors . . . pointing to a once-for-all sacrifice in the future. Yup, I know people who can slice and dice the text almost as much as those priests sliced and diced all the animal offerings . . . I know ’em . . . but I’m not one of them. But I love entering this part of my reading plan which takes me through Leviticus . . . because here, through the types, I encounter the wonders of my salvation and my Savior.

I guess I’m more of a “big picture” guy . . . not as interested in understanding all the detail . . . but, instead, glorying in the overall themes. Two of them just jump out at you in the first 4 chapters of Leviticus.

First, that fact that these animal sacrifices, these offerings made by fire, were “a sweet aroma to the LORD” (1:13,17; 2:2,9; 3:5,16, 4:31). The NIV says that the offerings rose as “an aroma pleasing to the LORD”, the NASB, “a soothing aroma to the LORD”. Yes . . . yes . . . and yes. Soothing is a really good translation it seems . . . the word literally means “quieting” or “tranquilizing”. What needs to be soothed? The displeasure and anger of a Holy, Holy, Holy God over the sin of His creation. The sacrifices quieted God’s just wrath as payment was made for sin. And, it was a pleasing aroma . . . because it was offered willing by those who acknowledged their transgression (1:3) before a Holy, Holy, Holy God. According to God’s prescribed method, men would offer a substitute in payment for their sin . . . they would bring a perfect offering, without blemish . . . they would place their hands upon the offering so as to identify with it as being offered for their sin . . . and they would willingly offer it to God. And God was pleased with the aroma. And too, it was a sweet aroma. Not sweet in terms of the sense of smell, but sweet in that it restored fellowship between God and man that had been broken by sin. I imagine God seeing the smoke come up . . . and God smelling that smoke . . . and God saying, “Sweet!”

And the pleasure it brought God was not from the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of animals over the centuries. No, it’s the other grand theme in the 4 chapters which made these such sweet smelling aromas: “So the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him” (4:20, 26, 31, 35). All this sacrifice . . . all the details of the Levitcal priesthood . . . all pointed to His beloved Son . . . the Great High Priest . . . the One who would one day offer the final sacrifice . . . the last of the shed blood . . . to pay the price for man’s sin. I imagine God seeing and smelling the smoke from the altar and saying, “Sweet. But they haven’t seen anything yet. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man that which I have prepared for them. They cannot conceive now the Lamb of God come to take away the sin of the world. But they will . . . soon they will!”

Oh, how sweet the sacrifice! Not that I have a blood thirst . . . not that I enjoy remembering that which the Son of God suffered on my stead . . . not that I am enamored with the violence shown to the Creator nor the brutality of the Cross. But, that it allowed My Great High Priest to make once for all atonement for my sin . . . now that’s sweet! Atonement . . . at – one – ment . . . oh, to think that I can be in a relationship with Holy, Holy, Holy God! No fear of judgment and wrath . . . not because I’m perfect, but because He was . . . not because I’ve conquered sin (yet) . . . but because sin had no authority over Him . . . not because of what I done . . . but because of who He is . . . not because of who I am . . . but because of what He’s done (there’s a song there J ).

Thank You Father for intervening in my sin problem . . thank You that in the shedding of blood there is the remission of sin . . . that there is forgiveness. You have always sought a people . . . and you have always provided a way for that people to draw near. In Leviticus it was the high priest making atonement for sin through the offering of a sacrifice . . . resulting in a sweet aroma ascending to heaven and forgiveness descending upon the sinner. Today, I sit here forgiven because Jesus offered Himself as that sacrifice . . . and You were well pleased with Your Son . . and I am well pleased to know my sins washed away . . . and You and I join in single-mindedness . . . as You declare from heaven . . . and I declare on earth . . “Sweet!”

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Holiness to the Lord

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Pete

This morning I finished up Exodus. All the parts of the tabernacle have been constructed and fashioned, assembled, and are ready for occupancy . . . and the glory of God finds a home among His people (Ex. 40:34-35). In addition, the high priest’s garments are completed . . . ready for Aaron to wear in order to do his job as the one who would bring the offerings of the people to God, the one who would minister in the holy place. And it’s here that I paused . . . one piece of apparel catching my attention.

The high priest was to wear a headband over his turban. It was a type of crown . . . made of pure gold . . . and engraved upon it was “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” (Ex.39:30). How come? It’s explained earlier in Exodus . . . “It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD” (Ex. 28:38).

Aaron, in type, was to be “holiness to the Lord.” The people couldn’t approach God . . . their sin-stained hands prevented them from entering into the Holy of Holies . . . their guilt precluded them from drawing near to Most Holy God . . . thus, they needed a priest. He was to be their “go between” . . . He was to be their “holiness to the Lord.”

And you don’t chew on this very long before the praise starts to rise . . . giving glory to our High Priest . . . who truly is our “Holiness to the Lord!” Not because He wears a headband . . . but because He is Holy! He doesn’t need a symbol on His head to be our representative before Most Holy God . . . He is holy . . . and having born our sin and guilt, presents us as holy before the majestic throne of God. “Therefore [Jesus] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself” (Heb. 7:25-27).

That’s what I needed . . . someone to be my holiness to the Lord. And that’s my Jesus . . . Hallelujah, what a Savior!

And now that access has been made for all who believe . . . now that the veil has been rent . . . now that I bear the imputed holiness of the spotless, perfect Lamb of God through faith . . . now that I have been called out to be “a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Peter 2:5) . . . I too, am to be holy, for He is holy (1Peter 1:15-16). I wear a kind of headband myself, the righteousness and holiness of Christ, as I boldly approach the throne of grace . . . but I am also called to yield to the Spirit’s sanctifying work in my life that I might, in reality, reflect that holiness more and more. It’s not going to be perfection this side of heaven . . . but there should be progress. As I’m conformed to the image of Christ, His holiness should reflect itself more and more in this jar of clay.

Oh, that by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, I might be more and more, holiness to the Lord . . . for His glory . . . amen.

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So Big! . . . So Abundant! . . . So Satisfied!

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Pete

So, this morning there’s a lot that one could write on. In Exodus 35 I read of God stirring the hearts of His people such that they gave back to God more than enough material for the building of the tabernacle. In Matthew 16 I read of Peter’s great confession declaring His Master to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). In Acts 22 Paul testifies before a hostile crowd of how Jesus intercepted him on the road to Damascus . . . how that God had chosen Paul to know His will . . . to see the Just One . . . and to hear the voice of His mouth (Acts 22:14) . . . and I can’t help but think, “Me too!” Oh, there are thoughts to be thought and words to be penned on each of those passages, but then I read Psalm 36 . . .

You want to talk about a big God?!? You want to bask in blessing?!? Then the middle verses of Psalm 36 are for you. And, although The Message doesn’t always do it for me, Peterson’s interpretation here seems to express the impression this portion of Scripture is intended to leave:

“God’s love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, His verdicts oceanic. Yet in His largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks. How exquisite Your love, O God! How eager we are to run under Your wings, to eat our fill at the banquet You spread as You fill our tankards with Eden spring water. You’re a fountain of cascading light, and You open our eyes to light. Keep on loving Your friends; do your work in welcoming hearts.” (Ps. 36:5-10 MSG)

Everything in these few verses is big . . . overflowing . . . chew on it for a while, and it’s overwhelming.

His love reaches to the heavens . . . His faithfulness reaches to the sky . . . His righteousness is like a mighty mountain . . . His justices is like an ocean’s tide. Great lyrics for a song, huh? (check out Third Day’s “Your Love Oh Lord” ).

And there’s more . . . that love is unfailing and precious and priceless . . . big enough for all the children of men to find refuge under the shadow of His gracious all encompassing wing. And there is feasting in abundance at His table . . . no end to the good things He offers to those who will come and dine — and I’m not thinking of material good things . . . or things-are-going-my-way good things . . . but the sort of good things that fill the inner man and satisfy the very soul. And after eating it says in my Bible, “You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures” (36:8). Not a sippy cup . . . not a tap . . . not a stream . . . not even a fire hose . . . but a river. For those who come to Him with their thirst, there is a river to drink deeply from . . . literally it is His “eden” of delights. And its source is God Himself . . . He is the fountain of life . . . He is the satisfier or soul thirst (36:9). “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good” (35:8).

How big are His blessings? How abundant is His provision? How satisfied can our souls be? So big! . . . So abundant! . . . So satisfied!

And it all transcends circumstance. None of it depends on what’s going on around me. And none of it is dependent upon whether I’m worthy of it or not (and I’m not). Mine is to seek out the shadow of that great big wing . . . mine is to trust . . . to believe that His love reaches to the heavens . . . His faithfulness to the skies . . . that His righteousness is like a mighty mountain . . . and His justice is as deep as an ocean (did I already mention you should check our “Your Love Oh Lord”). Mine is to come to the table expecting to be fed . . . mine is to open wide my mouth assured that the river will flow.

And after just a few moments of meditating on such wondrous provision . . . after a couple of minutes of trying to take in the glories and mercies of my God . . . how can I not say, “Thank you.” How can I not praise Him . . . and worship Him!

And I will lift my voice to worship You, my King . . . and I will find my strength, in the shadow of Your wings!

(If I haven’t mentioned it already, now would be a really good time to listen to Third Day’s song )

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Puppy Love

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Pete

This Canaanite woman was absolutely desperate (Matthew 15:21-28). Her pagan religion and many house idols had caught up with her (though she didn’t necessarily make the connection). Now the “gods” she worshiped had entered her home . . . more specifically, they had entered her daughter. By her own testimony, her daughter was “severely demon-possessed.” She was demonized and was cruelly afflicted and oppressed. From other Biblical accounts of those who were demon-possessed, the torment likely went beyond the evil voices which echoed inside her head, and manifested itself in physical affliction . . . self inflicted wounds . . . continual pain and torment. And mom was desperate. And Jesus was in the region.

She had no claim to this Son of David . . . no basis to expect to be welcomed by Him or His entourage. But she had nowhere else to turn.

She knew Him by reputation. The stories of the signs and wonders He performed were many . . . healing the sick . . . giving sight to the blind . . . causing the deaf to hear . . . the dumb to speak . . . and yes, even delivering people from demon-possession. And it wasn’t just the miracles that were spoken of. Word had it that this young Rabbi from Nazareth also taught the Jews like no other teacher had ever taught . . . He spoke with authority, they said . . . it was like He had actually written the Scriptures. And the claims He made! Though everyone knew that the Jews believed only God could forgive sin, she had heard that Jesus had declared a paralytic’s sins forgiven and as proof of His authority to do so, healed the man — and that man walked out of the house on His own two feet leaving his mat and his sins behind. And she had become convinced, partly driven by need, but to a great extent by faith, that Jesus might look upon her and her daughter with favor and power.

So, she approached . . . she called Him “Lord”. Though she had no claim to Him, she submitted herself to Him . . . He was the Master . . . she, less than a servant. “Have mercy on me, Lord . . . my daughter is severely demon-possessed,” she cried out. She was so far from proper protocol at this point . . . she knew it . . . the crowd knew it . . . Jesus knew it. The disciples urged Jesus to send her away . . . Jesus instead engaged her, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” That was His immediate focus . . . revealing Himself as Messiah to the people of God. But He addressed her and she responded. She drew near and bowed before Him . . . she fell to her knees and put her head to the ground . . . publicly she worshiped Him . . . again she owned Him as master . . . and again she pleaded with Him, “Lord, help me!”

And Jesus tested her faith . . . answering her in a manner consistent with the culture He was born into and called to reach, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Jesus verbalized what many, including his disciples, were thinking, “Who are you to come to Jesus for help?” She had no claim on any Jew . . . as a Gentile, relative to a Jew she was considered as a dog . . . second class . . . as Paul would write years later, ” . . . alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12 ESV). By His words, He said “dog” . . . but by His actions . . . by the very fact He engaged her in conversation, He was captured with compassion by her need . . . and drawn to respond by her faith. In fact, He didn’t use the term most commonly used for deriding the Gentiles as “dogs”, but he used a different word . . . a word only found in this encounter . . . literally “little dog” . . . puppy.

He tested her faith and she responded. “Yes Lord, I’m just a puppy. I have no claim to You or to the promises given Your people. You need to feed them. But even puppy’s will be satisfied with but a few crumbs that fall from the master’s table.” That’s all she believed she needed from Jesus . . . a few crumbs of blessing. She knew she didn’t deserve it . . . she had no right to it . . . but should the Master drop a few crumbs her way, she believed it would be enough. “Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (Matt. 15:28). Oh what faith that woman had . . . taking her desperation to the One she believed could meet her need . . . not wavering even when tested . . . not being offended as Jesus parroted the sentiments of the society against her . . . sensing in His words that His heart was for her and not against her . . . she claimed nothing more than being a puppy — after all it wasn’t about her reputation or what she deserved but about the Master and His power and His grace and His crumbs of blessing.

Yes, she was a puppy . . . a puppy with great faith . . . a puppy with a daughter freed from demons . . . a puppy who adored the Son of David for the grace shown her. A puppy loved by the Master . . . a puppy in love with the Master.

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Taste and See

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Pete

Theory only gets you so far. Reading about how to play the guitar . . . watching a video on how to swim . . . listening to an instructor run through how to do complex math . . . being taught by a coach how to catch a football . . . all of that only gets you so far. Eventually, if you want to encounter the joy of knowing how to do any of those things, you’ll need to pick up and strum a guitar . . . you’ll need to get in the pool and put your face in the water . . . you’ll need to put pen to paper and start working out equations . . . you’ll need to let someone throw a football at you and try and get your hands around it. Knowing the theory’s good . . . getting in the game is better.

That’s what comes to mind this morning as I read one of my favorite invitations in all of Scripture: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Ps. 34:8)

There’s a lot of “theory” surrounding the grace of God . . . a lot of theology and doctrine to be worked through. There are a myriad of promises in the Scripture to “claim” and be encouraged by. There are truths to believe . . . there are historical wonders to behold. All good stuff . . . all necessary stuff . . . stuff which is at the core of “being transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2).

But, as has been phrased by another, if you want to walk on water you’ve got to get out of the boat. Or, as David puts it, if you want to know the Lord is good, taste and see. Oh, David knew the theory . . . “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears open to their cry” (34:15) . . . “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (34:18) . . . “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (34:19).

David knew the theory . . . but his exhortation to us to “taste and see” was born out of experience. “I sought the LORD and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (34:4) . . . “This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (34:6). David knew what it was to have his back up against the wall . . . to be in a tough spot with no apparent way out . . . to be in desperate situations beyond what his natural resources could deal with. He knew the reality of his circumstance . . . he was familiar with the promises of God . . . now it was time to “taste and see.” Time to cry out and seek to encounter the God of heaven . . . and see if the God of heaven wouldn’t encounter him.

And David knew the goodness of God . . . the faithfulness of the Lord . . . the blessing of trusting in Him. He experienced the reality of God’s intervention. Not just of physical deliverance from his situation, but the very presence of God ministering to his soul . . . delivering him from his fears . . . binding up his broken and contrite heart . . . testifying in that deep down place of Spirit-to-spirit communication that God really does know . . . really does care . . . really does intervene in the affairs of His people. David acted on the theory and experienced a “taste” of God . . . David stood on the promises to “see” God’s active involvement in his life. And, when you taste and see, you know the Lord is good.

And it’s not about being delivered from every situation in the timing and in the manner I think is appropriate . . . it’s about knowing the reality of the goodness of God . . . it’s experiencing the presence of God . . . knowing that His mercies are new every morning and His grace is sufficient for the day. And when we know that . . . not just in theory, but through experience . . . then we can proclaim with David, “I will bless the LORD at all time” (34:1a). At all times . . . the good times . . . the not so good times . . . at all times I will bless the LORD . . . for I have tasted . . . for I have seen . . . for I have experienced the reality of drawing near to God, and having Him draw near to me (James 4:8).

Taste and see the Lord is good . . . Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Amen?

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Beautiful!

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Pete

Ok . . . so check out Psalm 33 . . . it is absolutely packed with put-you-on-your-face content. It has got to rank right up there, on a “praise-per-inch” basis, with other great passages which extol the glories of our God. No wonder the Psalmist declares, “Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (33:8b). Stand in awe indeed . . .

His character is glorious . . . “For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice” (33:4-5b). God is holy . . . God is the plumb line, setting the standard for what is good and right and just. No shadow of turning with Him . . .

His power is evident all around us . . . “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth . . . For He spoke and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” (33:5b-6,9). Yes, we live in a fallen world . . . for sure it’s no longer the garden of Eden, but the earth still proclaims the goodness of God. His faithful provision seen as each day breaks. His majesty declared in creation above . . . His creativity seen in the intricate details of this earth below. And, His might evident in the forces of nature.

His sovereignty is without dispute . . . “The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations” (33:10-11). Yeah, I know there’s a lot of goofy stuff going on in the world . . . too much suffering . . . too many despots in control . . . too free a reign by Satan and his forces possessing too many men to do things that make absolutely no sense. But . . . I’m reminded that God is control. Sound cliche? Maybe . . . might sound that way, but doesn’t it mean it ain’t so. The nations don’t move an inch beyond what God permits . . . and the plans of His heart go out to all generations . . . in all lands . . . whatever their condition.

His concern and compassion are beyond comprehension . . . He sees not only the nations, but the individual as well . . . “The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works” (33:13-15). He’s not just some “big picture”, deal at the macro level, God. Rather, He leans over heaven’s balcony and peers down upon the earth . . . seeing all inhabitants — yes, ALL . . . He considers all their works — yes, ALL . . . and He fashions their hearts individually — yes, EACH AND EVERYONE. How does He do that with billions of people? I don’t know. But I believe He does it . . . that’s how big my God is. All-knowing? You bet! Cares for everyone . . . that’s what it says . . . I believe it! “Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2Peter 3:9) — yes, ALL . . . salvation for all who would bow the knee to Christ.

His people are favored . . . “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance . . . Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine” (33:12,18-19). Peter tells me that, as believers, we are such “a chosen generation . . . a holy nation” (1Peter 2:9). And those who fear Him, He has taken as His inheritance . . . those who hope in His mercy, are blessed. Oh, what is that? . . . to be the people of God? Amazing!

So what do you do with all this? How do you respond to such an overwhelming panorama of our God? “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful” (33:1). Praise is fitting . . . becoming . . . beautiful . . . from those who have known the favor of God. No holding back, give it all you got, sing at the top of your lungs, worship . . . “Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy” (33:2-3). Pull out the instruments . . . strike up the band . . . open up the songbook of the redeemed . . . and shout with joy! God’s character is glorious . . . His power is evident . . . His sovereignty without dispute . . . His care and compassion beyond comprehension . . . His people favored. Stand in awe! And then respond . . . offer up thanksgiving . . . lift high His holy name . . . declare His glory . . . sing His praise! Beautiful!

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Worship from Afar? No Way!

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Pete

Sometimes we can take privilege for granted . . . sometimes that which should be a source of everlasting wonder, becomes commonplace . . . sometimes that which should be cherished is neglected. Three words in Exodus brought that to mind this morning . . . “worship from afar”.

“Now [God] said to Moses, ‘Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD, but they shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him.’ ” (Exodus 24:1-2)

When it came to the presence of God and the people of Israel there was no “general admission” . . . no “festival seating” . . . no “first come first served.” Rather, there were “cheap seats” and there were “front row seats”. God had said that He would come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all people (Ex. 19:11), but God was also very specific about how the people were to approach the Mount — He established their bounds. The general population, the average Joe and his family, could stand at the foot of the mountain, but they were not to set foot upon it. They could witness the glory of God descending, but they could not approach it (19:12-13, 21-25).

Exodus 24 says that then the Lord invited Moses, Aaron and his sons, and the seventy elders to come up upon the Mount . . . they could approach more closely the presence of God . . . they would get a glimpse of God (24:10-11) not afforded the general populous, but they too would have to worship from afar . . . they would have to keep their distance. In fact, only Moses would be allowed to ascend the Mount and enter into the very presence of God . . . only He would know the glory in its fullness. Moses could draw near . . . the rest would have to worship from afar.

Now don’t get me wrong . . . worshiping from afar must have been something in of itself. The people would see the glory of God descend upon the mountain top, the sight of it being like a consuming fire (24:17). Aaron, the boys, and the elders were permitted an audience with God that should have impacted them for life (tragically it was lost on Aaron’s sons . . . see Leviticus 10:1-3). But only Moses could enter into His very presence.

And while Moses was in God’s presence, God spoke to Moses of His desire to have a sanctuary made where He could dwell among the people (25:8). God wanted to be near His people, but even with the sanctuary, His people could only come so far and no nearer to their God. While there would be a tabernacle in their midst, there would be a holy place where only the priests could enter and a Most Holy place (26:33-34) where only Moses would have regular access. The very presence of God was restricted to one man . . . the rest would worship from afar.

Oh, were that all that was permitted, to get a glimpse of the glory of God and worship from afar, that would be privilege enough. But as a child of God, my privilege is much greater. Not because of who I am . . . not because of anything I’ve done. But because a way was made for me into the Most Holy place. The veil to the Holy of holies was torn from top to bottom when Christ gave His life for my sin (Mark 15:37-38). The blood of Christ became the once for all sacrifice that provided eternal redemption and free access into the very presence of God (Heb. 9:12). The risen Christ having made open the way to boldly enter and approach the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). There is no need to worship from afar for those who by faith have owned Him as Savior and Lord.

But too often we do . . . we worship from afar. We don’t avail ourselves of the access . . . we don’t pursue the Presence. Sometimes its because of sin that needs to be dealt with . . . sometimes its because we lose focus and somehow think the world’s “glory” is more attractive than His . . . and sometimes we just snooze . . . take it for granted . . . yada yada. But to realize that we can draw near to God and He will draw near to us (James 4:8) . . . to think that we can enter the Most Holy place — that the Most Holy has entered us . . . to grasp the amazing privilege of worshiping at the feet of Jesus . . . it takes the breath away. Worship from afar? No way!

Father, forgive me for settling for worshiping from afar . . . for allowing to become commonplace the privilege of entering Your presence. Thank You for access into the Most Holy place where the glory of God is beheld. Thank You for the grace that allows me to enter. By Your Spirit, and for Your glory, help me to worship You as I should. Show me Your glory . . . usher me into Your presence . . . receive my offering . . . amen!

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Behind the Scenes

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Pete

Some are fascinated by powerful displays of the Holy Spirit, I’m probably more intrigued by imperceptible directions. Some look for the signs and wonders, I’m trying to get better at hearing His voice. Some would say that it’s outward manifestations that really indicate your spirituality, I’m thinking it’s more the inward dynamics. That’s probably why a phrase in Acts 19 caught my attention this morning or, maybe it’s the subtle moving of the Spirit J.

“When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” – Acts 19:21

Paul certainly was familiar with the “Richter scale” side of the Holy Spirit . . . you know, that side of the Spirit that can really shake things up. He had seen visions, done miracles, witnessed countless new believers speaking in tongues and prophesying, indicating that they too had received the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. But Paul also knew the less obvious side of the Spirit . . . that one-on-one, inside the head and heart, dynamic. Paul knew how to interact with the Holy Spirit or, perhaps more accurately, knew how to let the Holy Spirit interact with Him.

Paul was sent out on his missionary journeys by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:4) and, while the Holy Spirit manifested Himself in many physical and mighty ways throughout Paul’s spreading of the gospel, you also know that the Spirit of God was working just as effectively “behind the scenes”, directing Paul along the way. And it’s the “behind the scenes” stuff that fascinates me. It’s wanting to know that “secret interaction” that has compelled me to pursue what Paul means when he says, “live by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16), be “led by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:18), “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25), “please the Spirit” (Gal. 6:8).

And so, Paul’s in Ephesus and he has to make a decision, “Where to after this?” And he decides that next he’s going to head over to the regions of Macedonia and Achaia and then head on to Jerusalem and then make his way to Rome. But, it’s not just him deciding, is it? It says that “Paul purposed in the Spirit” . . . the ESV says “He resolved in the Spirit” . . . making it pretty clear, I think, that there’s some sort of inner communion / voice / leading type of dynamic going on here. (Unfortunately, the NIV and MSG omit the Spirit’s influence here altogether, and thus I think omit a significant insight into how Paul ticked . . . or how the Holy Spirit was actively ticking in him.) So, I’m sitting asking myself, “So what does ‘purposing in the Spirit’ look like? . . . What does it mean to resolve to do something in the Spirit? . . . What’s going on behind the scenes?”

While I certainly don’t think I have this fully figured out, I guess there are some pieces to this that I’m pretty sure are involved. First, there’s giving the Spirit something to work with and I think that starts with filling up on the Word of God. I’m thinking that the Spirit interacts best with spiritually minded people . . . that He communicates the mind of God most effectively to those who have sought the mind of God through God’s own revelation. Sure, there may be times when we “hear voices” . . . but I’m guessing that most often it will be through bringing Scripture or a biblical principle to mind where He will assist our decision making.

I’m also thinking that communion is pretty important to practically knowing what it is to “purpose in the Spirit.” Jesus called it “abiding” in John 15. The persistent pursuit to keep attached to the Vine . . . that steady determination to remain “in Him” and keep our lives clear of junk so that He remains “in us.” It’s wanting to know Him . . . it’s wanting to be known by Him. It’s being heavenly minded . . . with our focus on “things above” and not things of this earth. It’s about priorities . . . desiring to put Him first in all things . . . and to do all things as unto Him . . . and to desire that all aspects of our lives would, in some way, bring Him glory.

And then, I think it’s about expecting to interact with the Spirit. I’m becoming more convinced that the reason we may not know His leading . . . the reason we haven’t experienced making a decision knowing that the Spirit has participated and guided, is because we simply don’t expect it. We don’t hear His voice, ’cause we’re not listening for it. And sometimes, when we do hear it . . . that inner prompting, that “gut feeling” . . . we don’t give Him the credit, but think we were the ones who came up with the idea. Oh, that I might expect to interact “real time” with the Holy Spirit . . . that I might recognize His voice more . . .that I might hear it more clearly.

Father, thank You for the gift or Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for the 24/7 presence of Jesus with me. By Your grace, attune my heart to hear His voice . . . remind me to ask His opinion in all things . . . that I might know what it is to “purpose in the Spirit” . . . so that I might walk in the Way. Continue to teach me to live life behind the scenes . . . for Your glory, amen!

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