Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Since the time of Adam and Eve in the garden, spiritual influences have governed the long term development of humanity; the customs of family and clan, then walled city-states and finally nations. All of these influences over history are spiritual work in the heart of man. The result of spiritual influences that are not of God has developed a world of chaos and sin. Generally speaking, since the fall man does not seek the influence of God, and cannot hear Him.
Adam could hear God, who was a spirit, and he talked with God daily. How long this lasted no one knows. One thing is certain, Adam and Eve could no longer hear God’s voice after they collectively listened to the influence of another spirit and fell in sin. From that day forward, man has struggled with influences in life that are not seen nor are heard with the ear.
As time went on, God executed His plan to bring man back to Him; to be able to hear Him once again as the strong influence in life.
The flood removed the exceedingly bad outcome of self-governed behavior in humanity. This was because only a select group of people understood the rudimentary principle of worship. It was four generations before man began to call on the name of the Lord after the fall to sin. Noah was one who could hear God and built the vehicle of salvation of a small group of people.
Noah’s three sons started us all over again. The scripture we read here is a promise given to Japheth that is fulfilled by Shem and that encompasses all the rest of human history. This promise is culminated in the savior of all men, Jesus Christ. Yes, tonight we see that God intended to bring man back to him, and God started with Noah’s boys.
Noah was guided by the influence of God and Noah could understand how to live so that God was pleased with him. What we need to seek is a way to hear God and to live so that we please Him.
The promise given in this passage is revealed by examining the idiom of Hebrew culture, the tent. To enlarge the tent meant to increase the number of people living in the tent. You were going to have some kids. To live in the tents of Shem is another idiom that means that Japheth will develop a culture that mimics or is influenced by Shem. Japhethites will develop a society that is similar in structure to that of Shem in terms of law, ethic and morals. Japheth will be blessed by the culture of Shem.
The one group in this equation that did not dwell in the tents of Shem was the Canaanites who developed the really evil serving societies of the planet. Throughout history these people have been on the bottom of the success ladder because they were cursed. That means that society did not receive the blessings of God. This is how Canaan was a servant. They were not blessed with good influences. They did not dwell in the tent of Shem.
We know that the Bible tells us that Shem produced the Hebrews, the bringers of God’s law to mankind. We also know that the non-Jews (Gentiles) are descended from Japheth and Canaan. So there is a representation that bears examining. What is the difference between Gentiles that are Japheth descended as opposed to Canaanites? The answer is the blessing. This is the only thing that separates them as a society.
America is an example of the Japheth model that is heavily influenced by the Hebrews. Our society recognized God and the morals of that Hebrew society. There was no large scale destruction of society as a result of lawlessness and sin. But Sodom was a society that was Canaanite and was the model of cursed societies everywhere.
The alarming news is that now America is going the way of Sodom. This society has promoted promiscuity, especially among the young, and has created a legal system that has started ignoring the ethic and law that the Hebrew society brought to us. Family integrity is dissolving away in the loose lifestyle of strange flesh. Now we have widespread disease and crime. Rampant immorality has produced an escalating death toll due to disease and drug abuse. Alcoholism has become the escape valve that leads to destroyed lives and families.
How did this society become more like Sodom? Why will society lose the blessing?
We left the tents of Shem.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, May 25, 2009
What Are Prables For?
The account in the Gospels of Jesus’ teaching the parable of the sower is sometimes misunderstood. The purpose in discussing the various problems individuals will face as they try to enter into the kingdom of God is to let us know what we need to be prepared to combat.
The passage in no way suggests that we leave these situations and allow the people facing these problems to perish.
The passage ends with the declaration “he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.” That means pay attention and understand!
What do we need too understand? That we are to be proactive in helping to remedy these problems as they arise. We need to be actively working months after the altar call as much as we do during the salvation process.
The parable is an instruction to become a “gardener.” If the weeds are choking the plants, get out the hoe.
If the birds are snatching away the seed before it can germinate, build a scarecrow.
If the plant has shallow roots, put in support rods and keep the plant watered frequently until they can take hold.
Last Sunday, my teacher spoke about friendship. It was the perfect introduction to discipleship. We must become the friends of those who are trying to find the kingdom of God as their home.
Friendship is not like any other relationship. Other relationships begin without your knowing of the existence of the relationship. Romance, family and any other benevolent situation is not quite like friendship.
You chose to be a friend.
It takes a lot of work. It takes thinking about it. It takes faith that your effort will improve the circumstances and behavior of another person. Friendship is about others.
While this is a simplification, the result is the same for any situation of friendship. It is a selfless act.
So, why not choose to be a friend to a newly repentant person who has been missing from the kingdom?
They can really use a good friend.
The passage in no way suggests that we leave these situations and allow the people facing these problems to perish.
The passage ends with the declaration “he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.” That means pay attention and understand!
What do we need too understand? That we are to be proactive in helping to remedy these problems as they arise. We need to be actively working months after the altar call as much as we do during the salvation process.
The parable is an instruction to become a “gardener.” If the weeds are choking the plants, get out the hoe.
If the birds are snatching away the seed before it can germinate, build a scarecrow.
If the plant has shallow roots, put in support rods and keep the plant watered frequently until they can take hold.
Last Sunday, my teacher spoke about friendship. It was the perfect introduction to discipleship. We must become the friends of those who are trying to find the kingdom of God as their home.
Friendship is not like any other relationship. Other relationships begin without your knowing of the existence of the relationship. Romance, family and any other benevolent situation is not quite like friendship.
You chose to be a friend.
It takes a lot of work. It takes thinking about it. It takes faith that your effort will improve the circumstances and behavior of another person. Friendship is about others.
While this is a simplification, the result is the same for any situation of friendship. It is a selfless act.
So, why not choose to be a friend to a newly repentant person who has been missing from the kingdom?
They can really use a good friend.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Parable of the Sower
Luk 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
"…And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Every person that walks through the church doors is a potential plant that will bring forth fruit; every person.
Each one of these persons who commits their life to God at an altar of repentance has found the living water, yet many perish. The Word is there, but it fails to sustain them.
For a while they believe but eventually something comes along and destroys their belief. This passage of scripture says that it is a lack of moisture because there is no root to bring moisture into the stem.
What is responsible for this lack of moisture? Is it not true that all persons who come to God initially have no roots?
The other parts of this parable point out the difficulties that one can face. Satan steals the Word before it can take hold in the heart. Some are lost because the cares of this life choke it out. Do we just let them die?
What is it that we need to hear in this parable?
We need to become “gardeners”
We can weed a garden. We can pray a wall of protection and an environment of worship for the ones the enemy tries to steal away the Word.
A plant that has no root system requires frequent watering and protection from extreme sunlight and wind until a root system develops.
That new convert is about to walk out of the building and into the wind and bright sunshine.
They are about to be inundated by torrential rains of information tugging at them from friends who think they have gone crazy, and convince them so, to acquaintances who want them to buy more drugs, all right outside the walls of the building. Old habits that held them before are waiting to jump back into their lives
What will protect them from the rain, the wind, the harsh sunlight until they can have a root system that will hold them on their own?
You.
Become part of the close-by network that provides constant moisture. Part of the strong roots nearby that holds them up. Join yourself to the new ones, wherever you are.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
"…And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Every person that walks through the church doors is a potential plant that will bring forth fruit; every person.
Each one of these persons who commits their life to God at an altar of repentance has found the living water, yet many perish. The Word is there, but it fails to sustain them.
For a while they believe but eventually something comes along and destroys their belief. This passage of scripture says that it is a lack of moisture because there is no root to bring moisture into the stem.
What is responsible for this lack of moisture? Is it not true that all persons who come to God initially have no roots?
The other parts of this parable point out the difficulties that one can face. Satan steals the Word before it can take hold in the heart. Some are lost because the cares of this life choke it out. Do we just let them die?
What is it that we need to hear in this parable?
We need to become “gardeners”
We can weed a garden. We can pray a wall of protection and an environment of worship for the ones the enemy tries to steal away the Word.
A plant that has no root system requires frequent watering and protection from extreme sunlight and wind until a root system develops.
That new convert is about to walk out of the building and into the wind and bright sunshine.
They are about to be inundated by torrential rains of information tugging at them from friends who think they have gone crazy, and convince them so, to acquaintances who want them to buy more drugs, all right outside the walls of the building. Old habits that held them before are waiting to jump back into their lives
What will protect them from the rain, the wind, the harsh sunlight until they can have a root system that will hold them on their own?
You.
Become part of the close-by network that provides constant moisture. Part of the strong roots nearby that holds them up. Join yourself to the new ones, wherever you are.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tyre
I wrote this blog almost two years ago. It was given to me as I worked in the yard, and seemed at the time very relevant as a warning.
It seems even more relevant to me today now that we have a President who says our country is not a Christian country (better check the history books) and has the name of Jesus covered at Universities where he gives talks.
Here it is for your review:
Isaiah 23
This chapter is the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the destruction of Tyre, a coastal city of grand splendor and wealth as a result of free trade in shipping. It was a daughter city, first established by the Assyrians forty years before Solomon’s Temple and then populated by many area people of various trades and skills. It was a city of great renown and possibly the greatest city of the time other than Babylon. It was the chief city of Phoenicia.
The society was then a wide mixture of people, and a city with great towers and fortifications; a mighty city with great security.
It was also a city grown so wealthy that the people were puffed up, spent great sums on luxury and entertainments, and somehow thumbed their political noses at the rest of the world. They were able to resist war efforts by other nations until the time after Isaiah began this pronouncement against Tyre.
Another aspect of this society was the economic character: free trade was not without the corruption of merchants and the government who used unfair weights of measure. Moral character was very low in both the government and on the personal level.
So great is the security of this city and its trade importance, that many other cities and nations depended on her for their own financial stability.
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that
there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Tarsus is a Spanish port from which Tyre had much gold and silver, but Tarshish also means the Sea, and represents all sea traders that are being warned of the failure of trade with Tyre soon to come.
Chittim (Kittim son of Javan) is the Greeks and Macedonians and is where Alexander arises from. This references the mechanism by which Tyre will be destroyed by Alexander. It also is the origin of the travelers who bring news of this destruction to Tyre.
Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon,
that pass over the sea, have replenished.
And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her
revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the
sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up
young men, nor bring up virgins.
Zidon is the parent city of Tyre, and more ancient than Tyre. It is being warned to not replenish the population of Tyre.
As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the
report of Tyre.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet
shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
The prophet is warning the surrounding economic forces of the impending doom of their trading port. He is also pointing out to the local commerce cities that their famous and wonderful city is going to be transported away and be no more.
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose
merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory,
and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more
strength.
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath
given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strongholds
thereof.
And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of
Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian
founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers
thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy
years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall
Tyre sing as a harlot.
God brought about the destruction of this great city, and Babylon, and Egypt for exactly the same reasons: Puffed up, Sinful and rebellious societies. Great wealth and earthly success brought about a change in the fabric of the societies and they forfeited the old paths for the sensual and self-indulgent lifestyle. In each case, no real city remains. In each case, the society no longer carries any influence in the world that resembles their former estate. The city of Babylon was rebuilt, but not a soul lives there. Tyre is now a small fishing village whose inhabitants barely eek out a living. Egypt is a dust bowl of major proportions, and rules no other lands, controls no other economics, and is surviving only because of the hard effort to coexist with her neighbors.
Isaiah is giving the word to Tyre that her days are numbered, and when she returns after seventy years, her export will be the righteousness of God, and holiness. Interestingly, this is a city where Paul passed through and was protected by some disciples found there.
And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD
will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication
with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not
be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell
before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
We are at the same place as Tyre, Babylon, Egypt, and many others that God has chastised. The United States has many enemies within and without. It would be an easy thing for the government of this country to swiftly change to a destructive one. We could easily fall prey to many different threats. We need to wake up to the fact that we are all little people living in a land that has great big attitude, but is on a spiritual precipice and about to fall.
Are we going to be like Lot, who barely escapes the destruction of Sodom because Abraham was trying to convince God not to destroy the city for the sake of the righteous? God did not have much respect for Lot, He only allowed his miserable survival because of His promise to Abraham. The sin of that society destroyed Lots testimony of righteousness, and ruined his life.
Will there be enough righteous in this country to prevent another Tyre happening here? What is it that we think makes us an exception to those other destroyed places? One Nation Under God is not simply a National motto, but almost no one believes it anymore. People are afraid to acknowledge God publicly as a result of the ACLU and politically correct mandates in our country.
Like Lot, we are immersed in our society, bound to its economics, fixed in our perception of reality through the eyes of a wealthy and prosperous nation. Our population would laugh in our face if we told them that they must give up the attitude, the economic necessity to succeed, the sensuous lifestyles and the entertainments, and seek Gods face or be destroyed. The government as a whole is not aware of any word from God, because they do not see Him. They must be politically correct, and not mention His name. To appear to listen to God would mean that they acknowledge His dominion over them.
God is warning us now. Repent.
Will there be any crowns of righteousness from the USA of today? Will our miserable existence allow us to find a room in heaven?
The United States is not special in this respect. It may be destroyed like all other nations who usurped Gods authority in the land.
Repent.
We must find a way to shed the influences of our society, and take off the rose colored glasses and see our nakedness, or poverty, our lack. Yes, us. The anointed, the spirit filled as well as the not-so-righteous people of this country are warned to repent. What happens to the USA happens to God's people as well. There is something wrong with some of us. We must return to the old paths. Our elders are rapidly disappearing from the scene. They are the last of a generation of people in American society as a whole which feared God. The many remaining have been raised in a society much like Tyre and Sodom. How will we fair at judgment?
When is the last time we prayed all night, or fasted for three days. When is the last time to go out to the streets to visit with people? When was the last time people were convicted of their errors during a sermon at your church?
Now, people think you are a psychopath if you walk up to them on the street and introduce yourself. Our modern society is not receptive to God at all, largely because of the sophistication of people’s thoughts and manners, and the deviations in good behavior found in so many people. It is just not safe to let people approach you on the street.
So we shy away from this approach because we are worried that people are going to rebuff our effort. Is this not what God said would happen to us? Should we not proceed anyway? Remember Jonah and Nineveh. Maybe our citizens will repent as well, just as Nineveh did; we must not run from it like Jonah did, however.
A word from the Psalms (19:11-13):
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD
are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also
than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great
reward.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion
over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great
transgression.
The great transgression spoken of here is rebellion. By definition, rebellion is bitterness. It derives from a Hebrew word that means the head waters of a stream. Often, these waters are bitter because the water stands and stagnates. This morning in Sunday School we read from this passage in Matthew 24:9-14:
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate
one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
I believe we are there now. This seems to be the crucial time, the changing of the guard, so to speak, in the world status of nations and people.
This seems very negative, and quite disturbing. I think that this is necessary for me to understand that I can only remedy this situation in my life by following the Psalmist advice. I believe this was for my benefit, but is also a cry to all others. This Nation may receive a wake-up call soon.
Please preachers, preach conviction, castigate sin, make us aware! We must no longer feel that filling the pews by making it a kinder, gentler Gospel is the point of our efforts, but to bring in “whosoever will” and give them the real deal. Do not soft-soap the truth, but lay it out from the beginning to the end, including the hard, insensitive-seeming parts. Maybe repentance can be found. Maybe our nation will remain. Maybe there will be crowns of righteousness yet.
Please God, keep me from the presumptuous sins, give me the true judgments of God rather than financial success, luxuries of entertainments, sensuality, and attitude. Do not let me become a Jonah, but let me walk in righteousness, even though my society may never do so.
It seems even more relevant to me today now that we have a President who says our country is not a Christian country (better check the history books) and has the name of Jesus covered at Universities where he gives talks.
Here it is for your review:
Isaiah 23
This chapter is the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the destruction of Tyre, a coastal city of grand splendor and wealth as a result of free trade in shipping. It was a daughter city, first established by the Assyrians forty years before Solomon’s Temple and then populated by many area people of various trades and skills. It was a city of great renown and possibly the greatest city of the time other than Babylon. It was the chief city of Phoenicia.
The society was then a wide mixture of people, and a city with great towers and fortifications; a mighty city with great security.
It was also a city grown so wealthy that the people were puffed up, spent great sums on luxury and entertainments, and somehow thumbed their political noses at the rest of the world. They were able to resist war efforts by other nations until the time after Isaiah began this pronouncement against Tyre.
Another aspect of this society was the economic character: free trade was not without the corruption of merchants and the government who used unfair weights of measure. Moral character was very low in both the government and on the personal level.
So great is the security of this city and its trade importance, that many other cities and nations depended on her for their own financial stability.
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that
there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Tarsus is a Spanish port from which Tyre had much gold and silver, but Tarshish also means the Sea, and represents all sea traders that are being warned of the failure of trade with Tyre soon to come.
Chittim (Kittim son of Javan) is the Greeks and Macedonians and is where Alexander arises from. This references the mechanism by which Tyre will be destroyed by Alexander. It also is the origin of the travelers who bring news of this destruction to Tyre.
Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon,
that pass over the sea, have replenished.
And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her
revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the
sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up
young men, nor bring up virgins.
Zidon is the parent city of Tyre, and more ancient than Tyre. It is being warned to not replenish the population of Tyre.
As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the
report of Tyre.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet
shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
The prophet is warning the surrounding economic forces of the impending doom of their trading port. He is also pointing out to the local commerce cities that their famous and wonderful city is going to be transported away and be no more.
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose
merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory,
and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more
strength.
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath
given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strongholds
thereof.
And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of
Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian
founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers
thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy
years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall
Tyre sing as a harlot.
God brought about the destruction of this great city, and Babylon, and Egypt for exactly the same reasons: Puffed up, Sinful and rebellious societies. Great wealth and earthly success brought about a change in the fabric of the societies and they forfeited the old paths for the sensual and self-indulgent lifestyle. In each case, no real city remains. In each case, the society no longer carries any influence in the world that resembles their former estate. The city of Babylon was rebuilt, but not a soul lives there. Tyre is now a small fishing village whose inhabitants barely eek out a living. Egypt is a dust bowl of major proportions, and rules no other lands, controls no other economics, and is surviving only because of the hard effort to coexist with her neighbors.
Isaiah is giving the word to Tyre that her days are numbered, and when she returns after seventy years, her export will be the righteousness of God, and holiness. Interestingly, this is a city where Paul passed through and was protected by some disciples found there.
And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD
will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication
with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not
be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell
before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
We are at the same place as Tyre, Babylon, Egypt, and many others that God has chastised. The United States has many enemies within and without. It would be an easy thing for the government of this country to swiftly change to a destructive one. We could easily fall prey to many different threats. We need to wake up to the fact that we are all little people living in a land that has great big attitude, but is on a spiritual precipice and about to fall.
Are we going to be like Lot, who barely escapes the destruction of Sodom because Abraham was trying to convince God not to destroy the city for the sake of the righteous? God did not have much respect for Lot, He only allowed his miserable survival because of His promise to Abraham. The sin of that society destroyed Lots testimony of righteousness, and ruined his life.
Will there be enough righteous in this country to prevent another Tyre happening here? What is it that we think makes us an exception to those other destroyed places? One Nation Under God is not simply a National motto, but almost no one believes it anymore. People are afraid to acknowledge God publicly as a result of the ACLU and politically correct mandates in our country.
Like Lot, we are immersed in our society, bound to its economics, fixed in our perception of reality through the eyes of a wealthy and prosperous nation. Our population would laugh in our face if we told them that they must give up the attitude, the economic necessity to succeed, the sensuous lifestyles and the entertainments, and seek Gods face or be destroyed. The government as a whole is not aware of any word from God, because they do not see Him. They must be politically correct, and not mention His name. To appear to listen to God would mean that they acknowledge His dominion over them.
God is warning us now. Repent.
Will there be any crowns of righteousness from the USA of today? Will our miserable existence allow us to find a room in heaven?
The United States is not special in this respect. It may be destroyed like all other nations who usurped Gods authority in the land.
Repent.
We must find a way to shed the influences of our society, and take off the rose colored glasses and see our nakedness, or poverty, our lack. Yes, us. The anointed, the spirit filled as well as the not-so-righteous people of this country are warned to repent. What happens to the USA happens to God's people as well. There is something wrong with some of us. We must return to the old paths. Our elders are rapidly disappearing from the scene. They are the last of a generation of people in American society as a whole which feared God. The many remaining have been raised in a society much like Tyre and Sodom. How will we fair at judgment?
When is the last time we prayed all night, or fasted for three days. When is the last time to go out to the streets to visit with people? When was the last time people were convicted of their errors during a sermon at your church?
Now, people think you are a psychopath if you walk up to them on the street and introduce yourself. Our modern society is not receptive to God at all, largely because of the sophistication of people’s thoughts and manners, and the deviations in good behavior found in so many people. It is just not safe to let people approach you on the street.
So we shy away from this approach because we are worried that people are going to rebuff our effort. Is this not what God said would happen to us? Should we not proceed anyway? Remember Jonah and Nineveh. Maybe our citizens will repent as well, just as Nineveh did; we must not run from it like Jonah did, however.
A word from the Psalms (19:11-13):
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD
are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also
than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great
reward.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion
over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great
transgression.
The great transgression spoken of here is rebellion. By definition, rebellion is bitterness. It derives from a Hebrew word that means the head waters of a stream. Often, these waters are bitter because the water stands and stagnates. This morning in Sunday School we read from this passage in Matthew 24:9-14:
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate
one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
I believe we are there now. This seems to be the crucial time, the changing of the guard, so to speak, in the world status of nations and people.
This seems very negative, and quite disturbing. I think that this is necessary for me to understand that I can only remedy this situation in my life by following the Psalmist advice. I believe this was for my benefit, but is also a cry to all others. This Nation may receive a wake-up call soon.
Please preachers, preach conviction, castigate sin, make us aware! We must no longer feel that filling the pews by making it a kinder, gentler Gospel is the point of our efforts, but to bring in “whosoever will” and give them the real deal. Do not soft-soap the truth, but lay it out from the beginning to the end, including the hard, insensitive-seeming parts. Maybe repentance can be found. Maybe our nation will remain. Maybe there will be crowns of righteousness yet.
Please God, keep me from the presumptuous sins, give me the true judgments of God rather than financial success, luxuries of entertainments, sensuality, and attitude. Do not let me become a Jonah, but let me walk in righteousness, even though my society may never do so.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of these...
I went out this week with others from the church to look for homeless individuals. There were sack lunches to be handed out, and the locations were in the old district of town, across the tracks.
I witnessed a number of things, and I would like to tell you a few things about the homeless and about what God is doing with this outreach.
First, let me relate several encounters that we shared as we traveled about looking in alleys, around parks and abandoned buildings.
I never took notice before, but there are a large number of people who live in abandoned places. There was an elderly gentleman who was sitting in a chair on the porch of a condemned house. There were no windows, doors or facilities in that house. It was filled with refuse of various sorts, and clearly could not be maintained.
The man on the porch responded to the offer of a lunch negatively. He thanked us for the offer, but explained that he had enough money to buy food. He was still sitting in that chair, and said that this was once his home, but his retirement did not afford him the money to pay the bills and keep up the house. He still existed there, but with nothing we would consider “livable”. He did nothing wrong. He accomplished the steps our society considers acceptable, but was left in his old age in this condition because there was not enough money.
Next there was a shed or an old abandoned mechanics barn. On the outside was a sign that said “no drugs allowed”. There were five people living in this shed, and had banded together to prevent the drug traffickers from enticing them into that addictive process. I suppose they understood the need for mutual support in so dangerous an enterprise. I wonder how long it will last for them. We stopped and handed out lunches, and a woman asked “are you from a church?”. I responded that yes, we were, we just wanted to help folks out. She replied “well you made a hundred and one today!”.
As I ponder the life they lived and how they might have come to be homeless I remembered my own past. I was homeless for a time. I managed, by the Grace of God, to get back into mainstream society, but it was a rare case indeed. I had had the Holy Ghost and a lot of Biblical training to help me make choices that turned things around for me. These people do not necessarily have that advantage. I had prayer, and some people praying for me. There was a connection made for me when I could not help myself. This is the necessary ingredient needed to change the lives of those who are for one reason or another trapped in the darkness of the world. The chains that bind them are as real as air, and as easily palpable.
When God began to talk with me about this, I began to respond to God's influence in my heart with questions. I wondered how I could make any difference that mattered in these lives, other than to pray for them. What I did not realize was that God had prepared me well for this burden. He made me to know that it was the face-to-face contact that would make a difference. That there was a need for friendliness and trust before the goal could be realized.
I have spent a little time thinking about this. For those who do not understand, let me outline a few things for you to think about.
There are two basic ideas we have to embrace before we proceed to understand the situation of homelessness:
It could happen to any of us
The homeless are just like you and I.
There are people with advanced degrees, those who have had high paying jobs, and many who have, through no action of their own, found themselves stuck on the street. The main reasons people must exist this way are:
Some are illegal immigrants.
Some are veterans.
Some are people who found out a low-paying job doesn’t come close to paying for rent, electricity, food, and medicine.
Some have been rejected by family
The Bible speaks plainly about homelessness:
“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with
thee.” (Leviticus 25:35-36 ).
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58:6-8,9-10).
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
(Matthew 25:34-40).
Some important details:
With a tent and fifteen dollars, a homeless man can have shelter and food for the day, without the requirement of checking into a shelter, meeting its regulations about substance abuse and a curfew.
In any case, he will not find a job, a car, an apartment or health insurance this way. An abandoned building is also just as useful to him.
Homeless people who have worked in the past may be able to receive Social Security or even disability. If you combine this with the income from a full time, minimum-wage job, most could not afford the cheapest rent, electricity, and food.
There are a number who simply cannot work for a list of reasons that are larger than the following list, but are all still a reality:
because of physical disabilities.
because of mental illnesses.
because They are lacking in people skills and have a severe lack of coping ability.
They are fugitives from society, the society that we represent. They certainly will be uncomfortable with the idea of attending church at first. Many will simply say no to any involvement from a church on an ongoing arrangement. They want to stay where they are. They are often in the clutches of darkness (most likely all of them are, in some fashion or another).
We want to gain a foothold in that community by showing them that the establishment is not after them through us; that we are there to help and not exploit them. Until this presence is established, they will not respond well to the idea that we want them to change. I cannot change them if I tried, anyway. We need God to do a spiritual work in them.
God may be presented to these folks in a slightly different way. It must be shown to them that God has not abandoned them, and that He is able to heal them spiritually. Until that spiritual healing begins, they have almost zero chance of finding a better life or trying to integrate back into mainstream society. Remember, many of these are the people which cannot enter the established missions for help, either.
A spiritual outreach to help these people will take significant time. It will take dedication and resources.
The homeless are also aware of the fallacy of self-interest and self gratification. We must accomplish the goal of harvest in the forgotten fields, rather than just satisfy our own convictions about helping the homeless.
If you have a moment to pray for us in this effort, we will all benefit from it.
I witnessed a number of things, and I would like to tell you a few things about the homeless and about what God is doing with this outreach.
First, let me relate several encounters that we shared as we traveled about looking in alleys, around parks and abandoned buildings.
I never took notice before, but there are a large number of people who live in abandoned places. There was an elderly gentleman who was sitting in a chair on the porch of a condemned house. There were no windows, doors or facilities in that house. It was filled with refuse of various sorts, and clearly could not be maintained.
The man on the porch responded to the offer of a lunch negatively. He thanked us for the offer, but explained that he had enough money to buy food. He was still sitting in that chair, and said that this was once his home, but his retirement did not afford him the money to pay the bills and keep up the house. He still existed there, but with nothing we would consider “livable”. He did nothing wrong. He accomplished the steps our society considers acceptable, but was left in his old age in this condition because there was not enough money.
Next there was a shed or an old abandoned mechanics barn. On the outside was a sign that said “no drugs allowed”. There were five people living in this shed, and had banded together to prevent the drug traffickers from enticing them into that addictive process. I suppose they understood the need for mutual support in so dangerous an enterprise. I wonder how long it will last for them. We stopped and handed out lunches, and a woman asked “are you from a church?”. I responded that yes, we were, we just wanted to help folks out. She replied “well you made a hundred and one today!”.
As I ponder the life they lived and how they might have come to be homeless I remembered my own past. I was homeless for a time. I managed, by the Grace of God, to get back into mainstream society, but it was a rare case indeed. I had had the Holy Ghost and a lot of Biblical training to help me make choices that turned things around for me. These people do not necessarily have that advantage. I had prayer, and some people praying for me. There was a connection made for me when I could not help myself. This is the necessary ingredient needed to change the lives of those who are for one reason or another trapped in the darkness of the world. The chains that bind them are as real as air, and as easily palpable.
When God began to talk with me about this, I began to respond to God's influence in my heart with questions. I wondered how I could make any difference that mattered in these lives, other than to pray for them. What I did not realize was that God had prepared me well for this burden. He made me to know that it was the face-to-face contact that would make a difference. That there was a need for friendliness and trust before the goal could be realized.
I have spent a little time thinking about this. For those who do not understand, let me outline a few things for you to think about.
There are two basic ideas we have to embrace before we proceed to understand the situation of homelessness:
It could happen to any of us
The homeless are just like you and I.
There are people with advanced degrees, those who have had high paying jobs, and many who have, through no action of their own, found themselves stuck on the street. The main reasons people must exist this way are:
Some are illegal immigrants.
Some are veterans.
Some are people who found out a low-paying job doesn’t come close to paying for rent, electricity, food, and medicine.
Some have been rejected by family
The Bible speaks plainly about homelessness:
“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with
thee.” (Leviticus 25:35-36 ).
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58:6-8,9-10).
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
(Matthew 25:34-40).
Some important details:
With a tent and fifteen dollars, a homeless man can have shelter and food for the day, without the requirement of checking into a shelter, meeting its regulations about substance abuse and a curfew.
In any case, he will not find a job, a car, an apartment or health insurance this way. An abandoned building is also just as useful to him.
Homeless people who have worked in the past may be able to receive Social Security or even disability. If you combine this with the income from a full time, minimum-wage job, most could not afford the cheapest rent, electricity, and food.
There are a number who simply cannot work for a list of reasons that are larger than the following list, but are all still a reality:
because of physical disabilities.
because of mental illnesses.
because They are lacking in people skills and have a severe lack of coping ability.
They are fugitives from society, the society that we represent. They certainly will be uncomfortable with the idea of attending church at first. Many will simply say no to any involvement from a church on an ongoing arrangement. They want to stay where they are. They are often in the clutches of darkness (most likely all of them are, in some fashion or another).
We want to gain a foothold in that community by showing them that the establishment is not after them through us; that we are there to help and not exploit them. Until this presence is established, they will not respond well to the idea that we want them to change. I cannot change them if I tried, anyway. We need God to do a spiritual work in them.
God may be presented to these folks in a slightly different way. It must be shown to them that God has not abandoned them, and that He is able to heal them spiritually. Until that spiritual healing begins, they have almost zero chance of finding a better life or trying to integrate back into mainstream society. Remember, many of these are the people which cannot enter the established missions for help, either.
A spiritual outreach to help these people will take significant time. It will take dedication and resources.
The homeless are also aware of the fallacy of self-interest and self gratification. We must accomplish the goal of harvest in the forgotten fields, rather than just satisfy our own convictions about helping the homeless.
If you have a moment to pray for us in this effort, we will all benefit from it.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Amalek
Deut. 25:17-19
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.
This is the story of a people that represent a particular type of human mindset. This is the story of those who do not fear God.
Amalek was a tribe that attacked Israel soon after they left the banks of the Red Sea. The Red Sea crossing was the greatest miracle that the Hebrew people (and any other people) had seen. All the tribes of people in the area knew that there was a greater than human power (or powers) in charge of things, and a great power suddenly appeared to be on the side of the Jews.
Each of the tribes of people in range of this event worshiped idols. They attributed natural power to various things and so worshiped those things rather than living in the natural order of the environment and understanding that there was a single God in charge of the universe. These people were not atheistic at all, merely ignorant and superstitious.
Some idols had supernatural powers attributed to them, but miracles were attributed to them which were actually natural disasters or good fortune. When these people saw the acts of God clearly in favor of the survival of the Jews, they feared this God and refused to attack the weak and defenseless fledgling Nation of Israel.
The type of person who has a belief in supernatural power of any kind is not an atheist. He can attribute his position to good karma, a rabbit’s foot or whatever. He is not unbelieving, but believes anything. This is the person who will not castigate the beliefs of others just because they are different to their own system of understanding. Most people fall into this category of thinking. Paul the Apostle met some of these at Mars hill in Greece.
However, there is an increasing occurrence of disbelief in our population such that anything that can manipulate the environment is humanistic or natural but not supernatural. They do not believe in anything at all except random mechanical (statistical) chance. This is the way of the people the Bible refers to as Amalek.
The Amelakites were not fearful of the God of Israel. They snuck up on those trailing behind the crowd and attacked them. They were not worried that the God of Israel was going to smash them for the effort; they did not believe in any god at all. They were the nation of Atheists.
The Amelakites were to be destroyed by God’s commandment, and it was to be done as soon as Israel had established a nation in Canaan and in a state of “rest”. But the Amelakites did not hear that commandment. They also did not seem to observe the life giving miracles of God helping the Nation of Israel in the desert places.
The issue that began with the Amelakites attack in the wilderness was the disarming of the fear of God for the rest of the enemies of Israel. This created difficulties for Israel and God did not want Israel destroyed by war in the wilderness, but to be established in Canaan first.
This seems to be such a stringent point of view of God against a nation that simply ignored Him. Really, Amalek was guilty of only discounting the power of the Almighty. Why did God order them completely annihilated?
The purpose of this command is not so much for the people of Israel, or even the other tribes about Israel, as much as it is for us today. It is to instruct us and help us survive in the society we are presently in; this modern society that is beginning to be just like the ancient society of Amalek. A society that is almost completely humanistic.
Saul was the first king of Israel. The prophet Samuel told Saul that God wanted all the Amelakites killed, including the livestock; but Saul did not destroy all of them. He was killed in battle by an Amelakite soldier later in his life.
Much later in history, near the end of the Babylonian era of the Jews there was an incident at the palace. A Jewish scribe by the name of Mordecai was about to be hanged for treason against the crown.
Haman, an Agagite (Amelakite family of kings and princes), arrived in Babylon to secretly devise a way to destroy the Israelites who remained there after the captivity. Only by the sacrificial efforts of those who know God did the Nation of Israel survive the disobedience of one man, Saul of long ago.
We must not find ourselves guilty of allowing the Amelakite mindset in our thinking.
We do not need a rabbit’s foot or to knock on wood. We really do not need to wish upon a star or upon blowing out candles on a cake.
These are all going to discount our faith in God for the little things. For the water that helps us live each day, rather than just the great big miracles.
God wants to show us in our daily life that He is strong. The big stuff shows a doubting or ignorant world, but the daily miracles of God build our faith. Do not let Amelakite thinking destroy that.
Remember that Moses held his hands up while Israel repelled the attack of the Amelakites. When Moses grew weary, the Nation of Israel fell back and lost ground. So Aaron and Ben Hur held up Moses hands and sat him upon a rock until the battle was finished. The Israelites knew Moses to be the oracle of God to them, and knew that when he declared victory, they would certainly win. When that message from Moses was absent, they grew fearful and less sure of the battle and seemed about to be defeated. They did not believe that God was interested in the battle unless Moses was certain of it.
The Israelites also had a little of the Amelakite logical thinking in their minds. The ability to divide the sea was a great miracle that they could not deny, but they did not believe that God would supply the water they needed in the desert.
This was the result of the mind set of the Amelakites: rationale suggested that there would be scant water in the wilderness. This is what God wanted destroyed! This would prevent God from building the faith of Israel.
The last phrase in the scripture above is clear: do not forget to erase that which causes you to remember Amalek. We must strive to remove the thought processes that destroy our faith. When they come up in the mind, rub them out. Do not allow the thoughts to grow. Any rationalization will produce doubt. This is the poison of Amalek.
Science is destructive when taken as truth. Be aware that science is a job. Scientific models which predict the outcome of any process is the actual purpose of science; it will fail you as a rationale for the cause of events in your life. Science changes the models of probable cause as often as you change your socks. Science is not the “truth”, but to assume that it is the mindset of Amalek.
Atheism leads to rationalization of the universe which leads the innocent mind of the inexperienced non-scientist to doubt. This is the Amalek of today. Keep scientific thought where it belongs. The Christian should remove these concepts from the “true” bin to the “interesting rationale” bin in their mind.
A prayerful attention to the thoughts that run through the mind when faced with stresses in life will give you the opportunity to dismiss the rationale you use. This rationale denies God the ability to solve even your small problems.
God assures us that He is interested in even the small things: enough to eat, enough water, electricity gasoline, etc. He wanted Israel to know this after they left Egypt, and God wants us to know it, too.
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.
This is the story of a people that represent a particular type of human mindset. This is the story of those who do not fear God.
Amalek was a tribe that attacked Israel soon after they left the banks of the Red Sea. The Red Sea crossing was the greatest miracle that the Hebrew people (and any other people) had seen. All the tribes of people in the area knew that there was a greater than human power (or powers) in charge of things, and a great power suddenly appeared to be on the side of the Jews.
Each of the tribes of people in range of this event worshiped idols. They attributed natural power to various things and so worshiped those things rather than living in the natural order of the environment and understanding that there was a single God in charge of the universe. These people were not atheistic at all, merely ignorant and superstitious.
Some idols had supernatural powers attributed to them, but miracles were attributed to them which were actually natural disasters or good fortune. When these people saw the acts of God clearly in favor of the survival of the Jews, they feared this God and refused to attack the weak and defenseless fledgling Nation of Israel.
The type of person who has a belief in supernatural power of any kind is not an atheist. He can attribute his position to good karma, a rabbit’s foot or whatever. He is not unbelieving, but believes anything. This is the person who will not castigate the beliefs of others just because they are different to their own system of understanding. Most people fall into this category of thinking. Paul the Apostle met some of these at Mars hill in Greece.
However, there is an increasing occurrence of disbelief in our population such that anything that can manipulate the environment is humanistic or natural but not supernatural. They do not believe in anything at all except random mechanical (statistical) chance. This is the way of the people the Bible refers to as Amalek.
The Amelakites were not fearful of the God of Israel. They snuck up on those trailing behind the crowd and attacked them. They were not worried that the God of Israel was going to smash them for the effort; they did not believe in any god at all. They were the nation of Atheists.
The Amelakites were to be destroyed by God’s commandment, and it was to be done as soon as Israel had established a nation in Canaan and in a state of “rest”. But the Amelakites did not hear that commandment. They also did not seem to observe the life giving miracles of God helping the Nation of Israel in the desert places.
The issue that began with the Amelakites attack in the wilderness was the disarming of the fear of God for the rest of the enemies of Israel. This created difficulties for Israel and God did not want Israel destroyed by war in the wilderness, but to be established in Canaan first.
This seems to be such a stringent point of view of God against a nation that simply ignored Him. Really, Amalek was guilty of only discounting the power of the Almighty. Why did God order them completely annihilated?
The purpose of this command is not so much for the people of Israel, or even the other tribes about Israel, as much as it is for us today. It is to instruct us and help us survive in the society we are presently in; this modern society that is beginning to be just like the ancient society of Amalek. A society that is almost completely humanistic.
Saul was the first king of Israel. The prophet Samuel told Saul that God wanted all the Amelakites killed, including the livestock; but Saul did not destroy all of them. He was killed in battle by an Amelakite soldier later in his life.
Much later in history, near the end of the Babylonian era of the Jews there was an incident at the palace. A Jewish scribe by the name of Mordecai was about to be hanged for treason against the crown.
Haman, an Agagite (Amelakite family of kings and princes), arrived in Babylon to secretly devise a way to destroy the Israelites who remained there after the captivity. Only by the sacrificial efforts of those who know God did the Nation of Israel survive the disobedience of one man, Saul of long ago.
We must not find ourselves guilty of allowing the Amelakite mindset in our thinking.
We do not need a rabbit’s foot or to knock on wood. We really do not need to wish upon a star or upon blowing out candles on a cake.
These are all going to discount our faith in God for the little things. For the water that helps us live each day, rather than just the great big miracles.
God wants to show us in our daily life that He is strong. The big stuff shows a doubting or ignorant world, but the daily miracles of God build our faith. Do not let Amelakite thinking destroy that.
Remember that Moses held his hands up while Israel repelled the attack of the Amelakites. When Moses grew weary, the Nation of Israel fell back and lost ground. So Aaron and Ben Hur held up Moses hands and sat him upon a rock until the battle was finished. The Israelites knew Moses to be the oracle of God to them, and knew that when he declared victory, they would certainly win. When that message from Moses was absent, they grew fearful and less sure of the battle and seemed about to be defeated. They did not believe that God was interested in the battle unless Moses was certain of it.
The Israelites also had a little of the Amelakite logical thinking in their minds. The ability to divide the sea was a great miracle that they could not deny, but they did not believe that God would supply the water they needed in the desert.
This was the result of the mind set of the Amelakites: rationale suggested that there would be scant water in the wilderness. This is what God wanted destroyed! This would prevent God from building the faith of Israel.
The last phrase in the scripture above is clear: do not forget to erase that which causes you to remember Amalek. We must strive to remove the thought processes that destroy our faith. When they come up in the mind, rub them out. Do not allow the thoughts to grow. Any rationalization will produce doubt. This is the poison of Amalek.
Science is destructive when taken as truth. Be aware that science is a job. Scientific models which predict the outcome of any process is the actual purpose of science; it will fail you as a rationale for the cause of events in your life. Science changes the models of probable cause as often as you change your socks. Science is not the “truth”, but to assume that it is the mindset of Amalek.
Atheism leads to rationalization of the universe which leads the innocent mind of the inexperienced non-scientist to doubt. This is the Amalek of today. Keep scientific thought where it belongs. The Christian should remove these concepts from the “true” bin to the “interesting rationale” bin in their mind.
A prayerful attention to the thoughts that run through the mind when faced with stresses in life will give you the opportunity to dismiss the rationale you use. This rationale denies God the ability to solve even your small problems.
God assures us that He is interested in even the small things: enough to eat, enough water, electricity gasoline, etc. He wanted Israel to know this after they left Egypt, and God wants us to know it, too.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Equality
I recall an Old Testament story about Israel collecting manna to consume each day. This was given to the Israelites by God to feed them in the wilderness. Imagine, just step outside and scoop up enough of the stuff for the day.( Exodus 16:18)
There were a few rules, however. You can’t take it with you, and you have to give away what you don’t need. That is, it would rot overnight so you could not store up any for the future, and if you had neighbors who were unable to pick up their own, you picked up extra and gave it to them to eat for that day.
You see, nobody had ever heard of manna from heaven before. Who would have thought up this method of feeding millions except God?
What were these people thinking about when they began to complain about the food? They finally get a steady diet (probably the best regular diet these people have had since then) and then complain about the taste!
But I digress.
Where am I going with this? Equality in God’s eyes.
The Apostle Paul writes to a wealthy Corinthian church about equality:
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. (II Corinthians 8:9-15)
The apostle is commending the church for their giving for the needs of others who lack. This is in the interest of survival and not intended to milk the wealthy to support the lazy. There were real problems facing some churches because of famine and other disastrous events that left them unable to provide the basics for living. I suppose that our modern welfare system was designed, at least initially, to function in just this way.
The reference to equality is an odd one: if you have too much of something, and I have too little of it to get by then at some point If I can give you something that you lack but I have in abundance, maybe we can both survive.
In this kind of process, no one can boast of having something that some one else has not obtained.
I like this thought. I believe it has tremendous spiritual importance.
Paul is emphasizing the example of God (He created everything that is, and still holds the patent) becoming flesh to save us. The fleshly Jesus had only a small fraction of that which this Spiritual being held before he became flesh. This is a spiritual result.
What could the destitute and starving congregation of another church have in abundance that the Corinthian church did not? They provided the Corinthian church the chance to give. What that wealthy congregation needed was to find the benefit given to them by God, by blessing those who needed their help.
And how is this spiritual?
Seek the Bible for any gift from God that is for your personal benefit only. Look for the scriptures that tell you that the Gifts of God are for you to give something to others, and compare them to those that tell of the gifts that are just for you to enjoy for yourself (if you can find any).
Every gift is from God and is to edify others. I believe that every act we may participate in under the influence of the Spirit of God is to provide to some other person a needed thing in their life. God does not promote spiritual selfishness any more than He promotes monetary selfishness.
Where then is the equality in that? Your needs will also be met. Your spiritual growth will continue. God will pour out upon you spiritual blessings you cannot contain. You need to grow; others need edification and support that the gifts of God provides them through you. Both of you will have the necessary things in your life that allow you to continue to live in the kingdom of God.
God is very smart.
Equality in the scriptures is not really about personal rights, it is often about equalizing the abundance of some with the need of others on a continuous rotating basis to keep everyone healthy in the kingdom. Those who will argue with God about the validity of this plan are those who want to be financially wealthy at the expense of helping the poor.
There is no argument even possible about the spiritual validity of this plan. All gifts come from God. He can give you an abundance to help His sheep. He can take it away.
We every one depend on Him.
If you seek to become powerful in the Spirit of God and in the kingdom, give away what you have. Give it to those who struggle, who are complacent, and who are troubled. Assist the ones who are confused or despondent. Give your gifts to edify the body of Christ.
Promote the well being of others and then watch as God loads you up with benefits that will cause you to grow ever stronger. That is equality in the kingdom of God.
There were a few rules, however. You can’t take it with you, and you have to give away what you don’t need. That is, it would rot overnight so you could not store up any for the future, and if you had neighbors who were unable to pick up their own, you picked up extra and gave it to them to eat for that day.
You see, nobody had ever heard of manna from heaven before. Who would have thought up this method of feeding millions except God?
What were these people thinking about when they began to complain about the food? They finally get a steady diet (probably the best regular diet these people have had since then) and then complain about the taste!
But I digress.
Where am I going with this? Equality in God’s eyes.
The Apostle Paul writes to a wealthy Corinthian church about equality:
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. (II Corinthians 8:9-15)
The apostle is commending the church for their giving for the needs of others who lack. This is in the interest of survival and not intended to milk the wealthy to support the lazy. There were real problems facing some churches because of famine and other disastrous events that left them unable to provide the basics for living. I suppose that our modern welfare system was designed, at least initially, to function in just this way.
The reference to equality is an odd one: if you have too much of something, and I have too little of it to get by then at some point If I can give you something that you lack but I have in abundance, maybe we can both survive.
In this kind of process, no one can boast of having something that some one else has not obtained.
I like this thought. I believe it has tremendous spiritual importance.
Paul is emphasizing the example of God (He created everything that is, and still holds the patent) becoming flesh to save us. The fleshly Jesus had only a small fraction of that which this Spiritual being held before he became flesh. This is a spiritual result.
What could the destitute and starving congregation of another church have in abundance that the Corinthian church did not? They provided the Corinthian church the chance to give. What that wealthy congregation needed was to find the benefit given to them by God, by blessing those who needed their help.
And how is this spiritual?
Seek the Bible for any gift from God that is for your personal benefit only. Look for the scriptures that tell you that the Gifts of God are for you to give something to others, and compare them to those that tell of the gifts that are just for you to enjoy for yourself (if you can find any).
Every gift is from God and is to edify others. I believe that every act we may participate in under the influence of the Spirit of God is to provide to some other person a needed thing in their life. God does not promote spiritual selfishness any more than He promotes monetary selfishness.
Where then is the equality in that? Your needs will also be met. Your spiritual growth will continue. God will pour out upon you spiritual blessings you cannot contain. You need to grow; others need edification and support that the gifts of God provides them through you. Both of you will have the necessary things in your life that allow you to continue to live in the kingdom of God.
God is very smart.
Equality in the scriptures is not really about personal rights, it is often about equalizing the abundance of some with the need of others on a continuous rotating basis to keep everyone healthy in the kingdom. Those who will argue with God about the validity of this plan are those who want to be financially wealthy at the expense of helping the poor.
There is no argument even possible about the spiritual validity of this plan. All gifts come from God. He can give you an abundance to help His sheep. He can take it away.
We every one depend on Him.
If you seek to become powerful in the Spirit of God and in the kingdom, give away what you have. Give it to those who struggle, who are complacent, and who are troubled. Assist the ones who are confused or despondent. Give your gifts to edify the body of Christ.
Promote the well being of others and then watch as God loads you up with benefits that will cause you to grow ever stronger. That is equality in the kingdom of God.
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