Right Now

7/7/2016

Hebrews 4.7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Today is today. The present. The moment. Yesterday is no more than a memory, but it is gone. Tomorrow never gets here, but we insist it does because we measure our days by sunrise and sunset and there was evening and there was morning – the next day. All we know is our present reality and that includes our speaking of yesterday as if it was today, and we dwell in the expectation of tomorrow; but where we really struggle is in today – just the present, in the moment.

Now, before you write me off to the ranks of the flat-earthers, let me just say that I think we have a warped view of today. For many of us, today is that which is sandwiched in-between our memories and our dreams. And many of us live in the memory of the past or the dream of a future. It’s almost as if we’d be happier with our memories, or our dreams, if we could just get rid of this pesky reality called: Today.

The writer of Hebrews doesn’t do much to help when he said, God again set a certain day, calling it, “Today”. But here’s what I think: God set a certain day, called it, “Today” and that’s exactly where He wants to meet with you and me. Today. Right now. The present.  God knows and understands our love affairs with what was, or what will be; but He helps us to see that right now today is where our reality happens, and He is in the midst of our reality. That’s why He called today, Today.

I think we underestimate Today. Today is where it all happens. Today is the make or break point for all of us, but as long as there is life within us, today is today. Reality. Now. Present. And present is where we need to be in the present. Life is much better lived in the moment than in our dreams or memories. We might learn from our memories to live better in Today, or, perhaps, Today will set the tone for Tomorrow, but we only have today. Right now. The moment.

So, who shares our Today? And what can we leave with them or learn from them in the moment called “right now”? When the religious ‘expert’ asked Jesus (in Luke 10) And who is my neighbor? Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan. I think Jesus meant it’s those with whom we share our moments whether in the grocery store, or the doctor’s office, or at the mall or the office or wherever – or, as is the case of the parable: a crime scene.

Our job, as Jesus’ friends, is to live in our moments, and to live out those moments with those with whom we are in those moments.

Lord Jesus, may I learn to live now – right now; not in the memories of yesterday or in the dreams of tomorrow. And as I live – properly – may I learn to live out those moments in the presence of the others in them, and with You. Today, I cannot afford to harden my heart over what has happened or what will be; I just need to live right now with You living in me. Amen.

The Attitude of the Heart

7/6/2016

Hebrews 3.12-13 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

I think most people, when they think of sin, would describe it as some kind of action or behavior. I think they’d give it a name like: addiction, adultery, gluttony, formication, or something like that. I think when pressed to explain what they mean, they’d still explain sin as an action or behavior. I don’t think they’d call it a lifestyle, or an attitude of the heart.

When the writer of Hebrews addressed sin and its deceitfulness, he explained it as an unbelieving heart. He said sin was unbelief. Now into unbelief we might throw actions and attitudes but unbelief is more all-encompassing than just an act here or a behavior there, it really is the bent of someone’s life.

To be sure, all sin is sin, but not all sin leads to death (1 John 5). But some sin is more insidious than that. And that is why the writer of Hebrews describes sin as deceitful. You see, the more we do something wrong (sinful) the easier it becomes to do; the second divorce is much easier than the first. Acts of sin, whether large or small, wear down our defenses against them when repeated. But it isn’t the act that is the problem, it’s our attitude toward the act. What do we really believe about what it is we do?

A sinful, unbelieving heart, says Hebrews, is a heart that turns away from God. Little acts along the way if left unchecked will add up to directional change at some point. A sinful, unbelieving heart is one that is resolved or convinced that God is somehow unnecessary, unimportant, or irrelevant. This is underscored by the fact that many who were led out of Egypt in the Exodus, were not really all that into the “God” that led them out. They liked Egypt. They wanted to go back.

I think the issue in the Church is, “What do we do with sin?” We all sin at some degree or another, but we aren’t sure what to do with it. I think the bigger issue is, “What do we do with God?” What does God think about the things we do and why we do them? And do we care what God thinks about the things we do? (Sometimes, I think if we even have to ask about what God thinks, we’re already admitting things are much worse than they appear to be!)

Do we want to go with God wherever He leads us? Or is our attitude such that we’d rather stay right where we are because we like where we are; and don’t think God is all that important, necessary, and relevant? The reality of the presence of the deceitfulness of sin will be fully displayed by our daily cooperation with God, and our attitude toward Him.

If, indeed, God is important, necessary, and relevant to our every thought, word, and deed, then we might be fighting hard against that deceit which would try to convince us otherwise. But, if God is secondary (or worse) to us in all we do, we just might be deceived already… If we don’t ever even bother to look, there might be a problem.

Father, what is most important is my daily attitude toward You. May I keep watch faithfully over that, and encourage others to do so as well. It isn’t my actions, but what is behind my actions that shows who I really am – keep me real! Amen.

Theology in a Mouthful

7/5/2016

Hebrews 2.17-18 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Sometimes a verse or two can be a mouthful – the above is a perfect example of a mouthful. Our theology needn’t be volumes of explanations and words; our theology ought to convince us with simple truths to drive home the point of the magnitude of God’s plan.

For this reason. The reason is: in order for Jesus to really be who He really was and do what He really did, He had to be really like us in every way. That is why He is the God-man.

Now, just because that is a hard concept for some doesn’t mean it isn’t true, or that Jesus didn’t accomplish the things He came to do. But to truly be a High Priest, He couldn’t do that as God, but had to do that as man because the people He came to minister to were people who had human high priests. It was only the High Priest who could make atonement for the people.

Fully human in every way. People like to entertain the thought that Jesus had a divine advantage that isn’t available to them: He can do it because He is God, but I can’t because I am not. That’s where our theology needs some adjustment. Jesus was fully human in every way and was tempted just like we are, in every way. If Jesus did anything at all, it was because of His relationship with the Father. Jesus knew God but had to learn of God at an early age. If Jesus had any advantage at all, it is the same advantage that is available to us: relationship with God and alignment to His ways.

Because He Himself was tempted. Jesus suffered temptation. Jesus had a human nature. But He learned He also had a God-nature. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. But Jesus had human eyes. Jesus was tempted just like we are but used His relationship with God the Father to fight temptation. Just like we’re supposed to do. Believing that Jesus played the God-card is not believing in Who He really was. That’s sin. Because Jesus knows our temptation, He helps us in our temptation. Do we accept His help?

It is hard, on a one page document, to even scratch the surface of the theology in Hebrews 2.17-18. But simply, it is this: Jesus knows me in every way because He was like me in every way. The only difference was His relationship with God the Father and God the Spirit. He knew them, accepted them, and lived in accordance to their wishes and direction. If you think that wasn’t a battle at times; think again.

My calling is to live like Jesus. My calling starts again today. If He lived and served God with all of His might, so should I. If He suffered temptation and suffered under it, I do too. God was His rescue; God is to be mine as well. When I accept Jesus as anything other than fully human, I rob Him of His relationship with the Father, which is fully available to me as well. Jesus did what He did with the Resources He had: God. That same Resource is mine, in Him.

Father, may I make full use of the resource of Your power and presence today, and live as Jesus lived: wholly and solely dependent upon You - Amen

Theology in a Mouthful

7/5/2016

Hebrews 2.17-18 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Sometimes a verse or two can be a mouthful – the above is a perfect example of a mouthful. Our theology needn’t be volumes of explanations and words; our theology ought to convince us with simple truths to drive home the point of the magnitude of God’s plan.

For this reason. The reason is: in order for Jesus to really be who He really was and do what He really did, He had to be really like us in every way. That is why He is the God-man.

Now, just because that is a hard concept for some doesn’t mean it isn’t true, or that Jesus didn’t accomplish the things He came to do. But to truly be a High Priest, He couldn’t do that as God, but had to do that as man because the people He came to minister to were people who had human high priests. It was only the High Priest who could make atonement for the people.

Fully human in every way. People like to entertain the thought that Jesus had a divine advantage that isn’t available to them: He can do it because He is God, but I can’t because I am not. That’s where our theology needs some adjustment. Jesus was fully human in every way and was tempted just like we are, in every way. If Jesus did anything at all, it was because of His relationship with the Father. Jesus knew God but had to learn of God at an early age. If Jesus had any advantage at all, it is the same advantage that is available to us: relationship with God and alignment to His ways.

Because He Himself was tempted. Jesus suffered temptation. Jesus had a human nature. But He learned He also had a God-nature. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. But Jesus had human eyes. Jesus was tempted just like we are but used His relationship with God the Father to fight temptation. Just like we’re supposed to do. Believing that Jesus played the God-card is not believing in Who He really was. That’s sin. Because Jesus knows our temptation, He helps us in our temptation. Do we accept His help?

It is hard, on a one page document, to even scratch the surface of the theology in Hebrews 2.17-18. But simply, it is this: Jesus knows me in every way because He was like me in every way. The only difference was His relationship with God the Father and God the Spirit. He knew them, accepted them, and lived in accordance to their wishes and direction. If you think that wasn’t a battle at times; think again.

My calling is to live like Jesus. My calling starts again today. If He lived and served God with all of His might, so should I. If He suffered temptation and suffered under it, I do too. God was His rescue; God is to be mine as well. When I accept Jesus as anything other than fully human, I rob Him of His relationship with the Father, which is fully available to me as well. Jesus did what He did with the Resources He had: God. That same Resource is mine, in Him.

Father, may I make full use of the resource of Your power and presence today, and live as Jesus lived: wholly and solely dependent upon You - Amen

A Sign for David

7/3/2016

Isaiah 7.13-14 13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. – Isaiah the Prophet

Scathing might be the word used to describe Isaiah’s prophecy in the years of his ministry with Ahaz. Harsh would also be a descriptor. He was standing before men having been sent by God, and when he dealt with Ahaz, the grandson of Uzziah, the great king, he spared no severity.

Much like our own country today, Judah had forgotten who she was, and what God had created her for. She certainly had a better track record with her run of kings than her sister Israel, to the north. Israel started off bad and got worse; for Judah it took a while longer. The biggest problem was both kingdoms ultimately ‘unfriended’ God. They wanted idols they could see, rather than God they couldn’t; and they attributed the visible ‘successes’ of the pagan kingdoms around them to the worship of pagan gods.

We are like that today – even in the practice of our Christianity: always looking for the best option to get us what we want. I think we are presently in a divine season of ‘no signs and wonders’. There are none, save this one: the faithful who, despite all the bad press about Christianity and God, remain because they refuse to doubt the promises God has made. That is impressive faith in the face of humanism and secularism. They are not faithful to impress; they are faithful because God has said. Much of the power of society would lose its steam if people simply quit believing every word thrown at them by the news media (Fox included). The great war of today combats the words of men against the word of God.

So, Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. The hard part about prophecy is, is it for now, or later?

Apparently, in this prophetic time, the prophecy of the Virgin birth was for later: the Virgin birth of Christ. You see, God didn’t accept their unfriending because God is eternally faithful and Paul says in Romans 11.29: God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them. Unfriending God doesn’t nullify His plan, purpose, or gifts. Many would feign power over God by thumbing their nose at Him as if to say: I don’t believe in You, or what You have, or how You do. God isn’t affected by our posturing; never has been, never will be.

So who is affected? Well, we are. Some things are true whether we believe them or not. God doesn’t want our belief – He desires our friendship. For some, that’s just too big an ask. For Ahaz, the ancient king, it was too big; and for millions today, it is the same, friendship with God is foolish and a nuisance. And so God reserves the unthinkable to shake our beliefs in ourselves and bring about a new understanding of Himself.

Father, You have shown us a sign and many just don’t believe it; but some will. Help me to be faithful in my beliefs of You, helping others to come to belief as well. Amen.

The Other Formula

7/2/2016

Jude 20,21 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. – St. Jude

It seems we’re always looking for a formula or a liturgy – if I just do this, God will do that. I think admonitions or instructions are important, because we need to be admonished and instructed. We don’t need law, but we do need someone to come alongside and instruct: keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. And how do we do that – by formulas and liturgy, or by building ourselves up in our most holy (other) faith and by praying in the Holy Spirit (as He guides and directs).

So then, is our faith most holy? Another word for holy, is, other. When we speak of a holy God or a holy nation, it may help us to be less superstitious about the word if we simply insert the word, other. If our God is other, then He’s is not like the rest of the ‘gods’ of men, or mankind.

Gods are what we bow down to (literally or figuratively) and give our allegiance to meet our desires. Power is a big one. Science and intelligentsia are a couple more. Independence is a big one; similar to power but far more selfish. These are examples of the gods of men. They are not holy, nor are they other; they are truly common, and false.

Jude said, [build] yourselves up in your most other faith. Other faith is not like the faith of mankind. Mankind puts its faith in those who will give them what they want – man’s faith is selfish and self-serving. But holy faith is: God, I will trust You no matter what because You have promised to walk with me, talk with me, and see my through this life into the glories of the next. That’s a faith far less of the present and far more of the future. It’s a faith of hope.

If it’s a formula we want, here it is: But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Staying in close communication with God, and leaving the results up to Him, is about as close as we can come to a formula.

Father, today may I heed St. Jude’s words and stay close to you in my thoughts, words, and deeds. May I learn to build myself up in my ‘other’ faith, and pray in the Holy Spirit, simply, but ardently trusting You and in You. It’s not a formula I need, it’s You. Draw me close – amen.

Trust Quotient

7/1/2016

Isaiah 2.22 Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem? – Isaiah, the Prophet

It seems they did the same thing in their day that we do in ours: placed a lot of trust in leaders, hoping (wishfully) that they’d make life better, more prosperous, and successful. We look to humans to do only what God can do. And we look to God to do what we think is important; not as He deems important. It’s no wonder we’re so mixed up…

So, Isaiah the ancient spiritual spokesman said: Stop trusting in humans. He said, all thy really have is breath in their lungs – same as you. Trust is sacred. To trust someone or something, is a big, big deal. By trusting, we mentally ascent to the notion that our trustors have our best interest in mind, and will provide as they say, or do as they say, or be steadfastly reliable in some way or other. The problem with trusting humans is they are untrustworthy. Not everyone, not all the time; but the track record speaks.

God calls every human into relationship with Himself. The highest calling of God to any man, anywhere, at any time is simply this: Come, be My friend. Even the old prophet said, quoting God: “Come now, let us settle the matter. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land...” (Is. 1.18-19) A promise, is a promise, is a promise.

But we’d rather trust the humans we can see, rather than the God we cannot. And the humans we can see are as messed up as we are. The blind leading the blind. The destitute offering wealth to the destitute. The inmates in charge of the asylum. The only power we truly have is the air we breathe and even that is given to us from above and only for so many days. (To make matters worse, it’s an election year – will we ever learn?)

It is okay to carefully trust someone, but not to trust in someone. The only one in Whom we may trust is the One who beckon: Come, be My friend and I will take care of you. God may not do what we ask, but God cares for us, and takes care of us, if we will let Him – if we trust in Him.

Today, my trust quotient is renewed in the God I cannot see, because the men I can, have let me down, again. I, too, have probably let someone else down. It’s the human way. It is not an accident that our US currency is embossed with the words: In God We Trust; because like the famous movie says: everyone else pays cash. Maybe my present needs are causing me to trust God more.

Today, I need God, my Friend. I can’t ask of men what I can only ask of God – it’s foolish and futile to do so. Today, I need God. I’d rather go through what I facing with Him, than without. I love you, but you cannot meet my needs. No offense, but I can’t meet yours either. The best I can do is encourage you, pray for you, and keep cheering you on in your life’s journey, and your quest of God (however that is).

Father, Your old prophet spoke powerfully to me today. There is really no one else but You. With that in mind, let me be a resource to others to point them toward You, and Your offer of friendship with them. Help me to guard my trust and invest it wisely, but especially in the foolproof way: with You. Amen