Tag Archives: God

Access to the Throne: Are We Really Able to Talk to Almighty God?

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Men have sought God throughout history. They have built temples, gone on pilgrimages, and asked for signs. The Bible provides a detailed record of that quest for access to the Almighty, and it discloses a God who is far above his creation. It was a given that the Creator of all things would be majestic and powerful, and people in the Bible approached their Creator with fear and trepidation. That’s why it seems unusual that the writer of Hebrews challenged us with this:

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, NIV)

A Crazy Idea

To the Hebrew mind, access to God was impossible. Having the ability to come boldly before the Great, Awesome, and powerful YHWH was unthinkable. Moses was more intimate with God than any other man, and yet God told him in Exodus 32 that “no man may see me and live.” Because of that, Moses was only permitted to get a glimpse of God’s back as He passed by.

Dealing with God was life-and-death business, not something to be approached casually. Hebrews 10:31, perhaps mindful of the death of all Egyptian first-born sons, or the slaughter of over 200,000 Assyrians, says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.”. In Jewish worship, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and that only happened once a year. It was such a sacred place that they tied a cord around his ankle so that if he was stricken dead while performing his duties, they could drag him out without going in themselves. Dealing with a Sovereign God who had the power of life and death was not something the Jewish people took casually.

God With Skin On

The ministry of Jesus and the advent of Grace changed those dynamics. The idea of YHWH becoming a man was abhorrent to Jewish leaders, but Jesus illustrated Godly character in human form. He lived differently, and he even died differently.

When Jesus died on the cross, Mark says, “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38, NIV), indicating a radical change had taken place within the world of Hebrew worship. In our current cultural world of accessible, casual worship, it is difficult for us to even imagine the gravity and the sanctity that the Jews had regarding God’s presence or being in the Holy Place. It was so holy only one man even had access to it.

Worshipping the Lord, I think, meant something different to the men Jesus lived among than it does to us. I often think that our current trend of worship has lost much in terms of reverence and respect. I’m not talking about flip-flops and I hope I am not too cavalier about what being in church is really all about.

Lost in Translation?

(Hmmm…Since worship was so sacred and awesome, I bet they also treated confession and repentance the same way. Perhaps we can be too casual today not just about worship, but about those as well. Maybe our prayers of repentance are ALSO serious business!) In any case, the New Testament makes the case that believers are allowed to interact with God in a totally new way. It says that we have intimate access to the Almighty. We no longer have to approach Him through a human intermediary. Isn’t it refreshing to think of a Creator who loves us, who allows us to be intimate with Him?

If you want to know what that looks like, try noticing the way Jesus interacted with the Father. He spoke to Him often, privately and publicly; he prayed for long stretches of time. Jesus seemed to be intimate and familiar with His Father. Like Jesus showed us, we can go directly to our heavenly Father. Even though He is the most awesome, powerful force in the universe, we can approach Him anytime we want to seek grace and obtain mercy. When is the last time you really thought about God’s dreadful, fearsome power? And when was the last time you went boldly before His throne?

Boldly Go

This principle was commonplace, you can trace it back to early days:
No matter how intense the chase,
No member of the human race could dare to look upon God’s face,
Or walk into the Holy Place! But then our Advocate made his case,
Removed our sin and our disgrace — He took us into His embrace:
From the Highest Throne to the lowest place,
Each one of us can access grace.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Words Are Important. Read These and See if You Don’t Agree

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Read every word of this quote, and see if it sounds sane, or crazy. “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me.'” (John 14:6, NIV) This short statement is amazingly full, and it’s worth challenging. It’s also worth considering.

Depth Not Length

First of all, consider the first two words: Jesus SAID. The spoken word is incredibly important in the Bible, even from its earliest statements on. Genesis 1:3 says, “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Armed with nothing more than His Word, God created the heavens and the earth. The first chapter of John informs us that Jesus himself WAS the Word of God made flesh, which is validated in part by this: Armed with nothing more than his words, Jesus Christ changed history.

Quotable Quotes

Think about some of the things he said, and consider the impact of his words: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” (Luke 21:33) What are the odds of the sayings of any random rabbi or religious guru lasting over 2,000 years when they were uttered before the printing press, digital recording, or mass media? What Jesus said is eternal, and still provides guidance for millions around the world.

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” (John 6:63) “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6 :68) “Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” (John 8:51) Listening to and obeying what Jesus said (the spoken Word) gives life that is different not only in quantity but in quality. Followers of Jesus participate in eternal life right here on earth. It changes not just how long they live, but how they live as well.

More Than Just Words

But wait, there’s more! “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7) “He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28) The Word provides blessing, and foundation for living. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

The Words of Jesus are not only foundational but they provide wisdom, and encourage us to live by higher standards. He challenged not only the religious and social institutions of his day but of ALL religious and social structures of all time.  “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24) The Word provides redemption from the penalty of sin, and a way to escape death and judgment. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

Pay Attention

The Word, which is the truth, offers us not only redemption, but also sanctification. It is an actual means to personal growth and behavioral change. And lest you dismiss all of this about the words of Jesus and take it lightly, consider this: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26) Consider what he said. Pay attention to his Word. Cross over from death to life. Be blessed!

Whose Words?

Twenty centuries ago, before recorders or TV,
Before the printing press became a new discovery,
The mystery of history depended upon memory,
And scribes who put things on a page to save them for another age…
Of all the pages that have been read,
Of all the things that men have said,
This claim withstands time’s harshest test,
And stands alone, above the rest:
“Heaven and earth will pass away,
And everything that men may say, But my words never will.”
He spoke two thousand years ago,
And history proves that this is so: His word is living still.
Think about it: What are the odds? Chances are, these words are God’s

To purchase my newest book Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Should We Have Infinite Dreams? Let’s Ask the Infinite God

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Robert Browning said, “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” Human dreams are unlimited. They are infinite, if you will. Have you ever wondered why, of all the animals, only man has the capacity for infinite dreams?

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he prays about the possibility of connecting finite man to an infinite God. If you stop to consider what that might involve, it will open up new realms of thought and possibility in your world. The resulting potential causes him to run clean out of superlatives! “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…” (Ephesians 3:22, NKJV) Wow. Read that again. Paul says that God is able “to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

Not Big Enough

Stop and think about that one for a moment. Are you a dreamer? Do you dream BIG? Even if you do, Paul says it may not be big enough. If you question his judgment, or think maybe he was a bit off, then check out 2 Corinthians 12:4, where he describes himself as a man who, either in a vision or in reality, was “caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell…” His statements seem almost giddy, or an expression of infinite wonder by a visionary who had entered a dream-world of fantasy. We might expect that from Ezekiel or John, but it’s a little surprising coming from Paul.

From Logical Legality to Happy Hyperbole

In most of his epistle writing, Paul is more likely to offer a legal brief than a hyperbolic exaggeration. His letters abound with brilliance in terms of connecting the Old Testament Scriptures to the person of Jesus Christ, and his language is usually organized and logical. If he ever waxes eloquent, it is usually connected to God’s glory, which he somewhat sheepishly admits to the Corinthians that he saw firsthand.

So when Paul gives advice about an infinite God, we should consider the source. (After all, he had been a Pharisee of the Pharisees; trained under Gamaliel; a missionary who was “not ashamed of the gospel”; and the man who was caught up into the third heaven and had experienced glimpses of God that very few mortals can imagine.) If Paul says that we need to recalibrate our earthly expectations regarding what God has in store for us, maybe we should pay attention.

Too Little? Too Late?

Our problem, he says, is not that we bother God by asking for too much; it’s that we limit ourselves by asking for too LITTLE. Jesus reminded us of that same thing in Matthew 7:11: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Paul says that God’s lowest starting point may just be exceedingly above our highest asking point. His smallest gift may be bigger than our biggest dream…. perhaps an infinite God offers more possibilities than we are aware of. As finite linear thinkers, we struggle with understanding God’s resources. We rarely imagine Him in all His infinite glory. Paul says we should venture out as far on the horizon of imagination as we can go; then go FARTHER. If you are willing to embrace that challenge, then Dream big. Pray big! God will take it from there.

Infinite Possibilities

Try to stretch your highest dreams as far as they can go;
Stretch them out until they pass all boundaries that you know.
Let God take them every one and sprinkle them with love,
And they’ll expand exceedingly abundantly above
The fondest wish and deepest dream that you’ve been thinking of.
Be infinite, and take your dreams to Jesus face to face:
His lowest starting point’s above your highest asking place.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

David Was a SINNER. So Why Would We Ask for a Heart Like His?

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The Apostle Paul called David “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). When you consider that King David committed adultery and murder, that’s a surprising statement, isn’t it? It seems impossible that such a flagrant sinner could be a man who loved and pursued God, yet there it is. Wasn’t this the shepherd boy who wrote poetry and songs rhapsodizing about how much he loved the Lord? Didn’t he go on and on about loving God’s Word? How could the hero who killed Goliath fall so far and sin so much? It hardly makes sense, but when I really think about it, I realize that David was not only defined by his mistakes; he was very much defined by what happened after he failed.

 David Had a Heart Like His

Start with a boy, who, tending sheep,
Beneath the stars, too in love to sleep,
Looks up at the heavens’ glistening art,
And comprehends the Creator’s heart.

Least regarded, chosen King–
Transformed by a giant, a rock, a sling!
A man who gazed at God above,
And understood. And fell in love.

Powerful warrior, loyal friend,
Head of the kingdom without end;
Poet, prophet, singer: Dance,
Caught in the grip of God’s romance!

Love the Lord and love His word!
Let your songs and praise be heard,
Reaching countless human ears,
Timeless for a thousand years!

But O! That sword can cut two ways:
For those same lips that sang God’s praise
Will kiss their way into a fall,
A story shown and known to all…

Scheming, lying, murderous lust;
Broken hearts and broken trust,
Written down for all to see,
Captured for eternity.

Deep your capacity to transgress!
But deeper, a longing to confess:
To bring your contrite, broken heart
Back to the Maker’s matchless art.

Honest now, with no pretense,
No vain attempt at self-defense,
Broken as a consequence…
Confessing, teaching us that THIS
Is how to have a heart like His.

When he was asked about it, Jesus said this about the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37): “And Jesus said to him, you shalt love the Lord your god with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…” That commandment was written for people who fail, people like us. In spite of all the despicable things he did, and in spite of how badly he let God down, David loved God honestly and passionately. He’s not “a man after God’s own heart” because of the way he killed Goliath, or because of his valor in battle. It is not his love songs to God that make him special, as beautiful as they are. We should pay attention to the way he acted when he failed utterly. If you haven’t been there, you will be. Consider David, and then consider yourself. Whose heart are YOU after?

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David

To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

If You Lift Up Your Eyes, What Do YOU See?

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“I will lift up mine eyes to the hills — From whence cometh my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1, NKJV) There is actually quite a bit going on in this one simple verse, so it’s worth breaking down. Let’s take a look.

First, David is an observant man. Like many of us when we are out in nature, we behold the magnitude and majesty of our surroundings and feel strongly convicted that there is something out there greater than we are. In this case, David is so taken with the beauty around him that he is lifting his eyes UP towards the Creator. Think for a moment of things you have seen by lifting up your eyes.

Imagine Reality

You have seen the wind blowing through a canopy of leaves in a kaleidoscope of glittering green as you lay in the shade… Perhaps you have imagined shapes in the clouds as they shifted and passed overhead! You saw them forming nebulous white cotton-candy sculptures that floated across the heavens. You have gazed into a sky so blue it went on forever, or you have watched approaching thunderclouds with dread and apprehension.

Lift up your eyes… You have seen the miraculous palette of a sunset as its colors splashed across the horizon, full of shades so rich and so subtle that you almost couldn’t even process them…There are pastel shades of peach and gold, deepening in the twilight as the earth miraculously turns on its axis away from the sun; and there are times that same sun peeks out from behind grey clouds, turning their edges silver as beams of light poke through small windows in the clouds to bathe the earth with magical radiance… Perhaps a single ray of light descends from a cloudy portal to cast its blessing on an overcast day, or the sun breaks forth in glorious revelation after a passing rain to illuminate your very world…

Would You Look at That?

You have watched a bird in flight, marveling with envy at such effortless freedom…You have looked at hills and mountains, impressed with their character and grandeur. Marveling at the scale, you have felt insignificant beside them, and have been awed and inspired by their majesty. You have looked deep into the eternal darkness of the night sky, watching the moon and stars in their courses, moved by the infinity of it all, captured by the deep twinkling lights which sent the very beams you are watching hundreds or even thousands of years ago…

When you lift up your eyes, you see the universe in its awesome magnitude, and perhaps you recognize that such a vast, diverse, and beautiful creation had a vast, diverse and beautiful Creator. David lifted his eyes to the amazing and intricate design in the hills and beyond, and fell in love with the Designer.

Up and In

Secondly, this Creator did amazing work with “up” and “the hills”. He also did some pretty nifty stuff with “around” and “in”. From horizon to horizon, from deep space to deep oceans, from vast mountains to microscopic life, the Lord who made heaven and earth deserves our respect and awe.

Everywhere you look, it’s pretty hard not to be impressed with God’s handiwork and curious about His character. David was very personally involved with Him, drew inspiration from Him, and found help in Him. If you stop and think about it just for a second, it really makes a lot of sense. Perhaps if there IS a Creator, He can offer help to those whom he Created.

David had great passion about his Creator. He prayed to the Lord, wrote and sang songs about Him, and even consulted him about important decisions. When he was lonely or troubled, he sought solace and comfort from the One whom he knew was stronger, greater, and wiser than he was. David was pretty smart. I guess he realized that if the Lord God made heaven and earth, He could help those who looked to Him for help. Say! When you  lift up YOUR eyes, what do YOU see?

Lift Us

Lord, who made the heavens and the earth,
Who blesses us with Thy eternal worth,
Surrounds us with Thy everlasting glory
And teaches us the never-ending story:
Enable us to lift our eyes and see
This world the way your will was meant to be.
When dreams are crushed, and life is filled with “why’s,
And, under circumstance, ambition dies,
Enlarge our faith by lifting up our eyes.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

YOU Might Be a Priest! No? Well, Here’s WHY!

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The priestly function is as old as the Bible, and we tend to think of a priest in sacramental terms (administering Mass, baptisms and such), or simply as “Father Stu” or “Father Tim”… But actually, the original notion of priesthood had nothing to do the Catholic church. The Biblical definition of priest is far more universal than any denominational function, and the application of that function may just strike closer to home than you think…

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16, NIV)

The Priest does What, Exactly?

For as long as men have lived in communities, there have been priests. Most cultures in ancient times had priests who represented gods and conducted religious rituals. Joseph married the daughter of Potiphera, who was a priest of On. Moses’ father-in-law Jethro was a priest of Midian. A prophet by Biblical definition one who speaks God’s word to men. A priest has the inverse function, in that he intercedes for men back to God. Priests can administer holy rites and conduct sacrifices, providing mediation and healing between men and God.

The first mention of a priest in the Bible was in Genesis 14. Lot and his family were carried off after a defeat of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah by an alliance led by Kedorlaomer. Abram took 318 warriors and went and rescued Lot from these marauding kings. Upon his return, it says “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” (Genesis 14:18-20, NIV)

Priests and Redemption…

After perhaps the first story of redemption in the Bible (since Abram went into enemy territory and rescued his own, bringing them back from hostile captivity), we meet the first priest. He represents the God Most High, he blesses Abram, serves bread and wine, and gives God all the credit. Sound familiar?

The writer of Hebrews calls Jesus “forever a high priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6), and most scholars feel that Melchizedek is a Theophany, or a pre-incarnation appearance by Christ. Jesus himself certainly pointed us back to this passage when he served bread and wine at the last supper, and he was certainly the King of Peace (Salem). Based on what I saw on our trip to Israel, it’s obvious from this picture I took there that Melchizedek is still recognized around Jerusalem:

Meeting the Qualifications

It’s interesting stuff worthy of further study, but for now I’ll just point out a couple of things. 1) Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, and yet remained sinless. As a sinless man, he was uniquely qualified to administer sacred rites (such as a sacrifice).
2) Jesus is called our high priest, and He is actually the ONLY person ever qualified to serve in that office on his own merit. As a man without sin, truly consecrated, he could certainly represent God to all of us, and show us what serving God truly looks like.

3) As a priest without spot or blemish, he not only administered sacrifice but also became the sacrifice on our behalf. So what does all this have to do with you? Think about what Peter wrote to all believers: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

If you are a follower of Jesus, Peter says, YOU are a priest, and you are “God’s special possession.” So, since you are a priest, start serving. Declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness. And as someone called out of darkness, keep shining. That’s what we priests are called to do!

The Role You Didn’t Know You Had

Abram saved his people, and the Lord gave him a sign:
He met the priest Melchizedek, who served him bread and wine.
Of all the jobs we tend to think we’re qualified for the least,
Perhaps the one we most avoid is acting as a priest.
We know that Jesus as a priest was truly qualified,
And that his right to fill that role was surely bona fide;
But Peter says that we are priests. God gave us every right
To sing His praise since we were called from darkness into light.
So if you doubt your status, probably just like I doubt mine,
Do this: Accept God’s calling to the light, and let yours shine.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Priceless Love Is Much More than Mastercard

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You may remember the credit card commercials… A few years ago there was a series of “priceless” MasterCard commercials which depicted different special events and then broke down the costs involved in getting there. (Naturally you could put all those costs on your credit card!) Each commercial concluded by reminding us of the greater value it actually had: Tutu, $48. Dance lessons, $800. Shoes, $54. Seeing your daughter dance at her first recital: priceless. That “priceless” theme is still used on some memes, and it often points out that there are things so valuable we can’t put a price tag on them.

Priceless Value

The Bible talks about value as well: “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep… How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! Both high and low among men take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:5-9, NIV)

David was called a man after God’s own heart, and many of the Psalms he wrote reflect his passion for and devotion to the Lord. He was smitten with the priceless love of God. If you are ever stale in your daily time with God, just start reading a Psalm a day and reflecting on God’s love and majesty the way David did. It will open your eyes. This passage offers several insights as to why David was so close to God:

Look At It This Way

1) David had the right perspective. He understood the Lord’s place in the universe, and he understood man’s place as well. God is majestic, more glorious than nature, loving, righteous, just and faithful. He transcends nature and has authority over man. The greatest evils in the world have always occurred when man reverses those roles and places himself in authority. Even when David made huge mistakes he maintained proper perspective and stayed humble before the Lord.

2) David understood that God’s love is more valuable than anything else. (Bread for your brothers at the front, 4 shekels. Five smooth stones, free. Sling, 2 shekels. Protection of the Living God: priceless.) David reflected often upon God’s priceless love and loving kindness. He sang about them as a shepherd and as a King. He believed in the unfailing riches of God’s love and kindness, took refuge in them, and proclaimed them to be universal, offered to all men great and small.

David took sustenance from God’s love, and likened it to a “river of delights”. When is the last time you truly felt that way about the love of God? Actually felt like you were seated at the banquet table of His feast, or bathing your parched lips with the coolness of living water? Pause for a moment and pray through those images the way David did. Enjoy a helping of God’s amazing grace and take a deep drink of God’s priceless love. Feel better?

Getting Well and Truly Lit

3) David saw that human wisdom and understanding were only relevant if they were connected to God. “In your light we see light.” There are dozens of light and dark references in the Bible, so this one might be easy to miss. But David was a man after God’s own heart because he sought illumination from the one true source rather than from something man-made… Some of my former Young Life kids would talk about “getting lit”—street talk for getting stoned. It may offer escape, but it’s a poor substitute for what David knew that REALLY worked. If you REALLY want to “get lit”, go to the light. The closer you get to it, the better you’ll see…

Truly Priceless

Your love goes to the heavens, Lord, your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like majestic mountains, strong and wise!
Thy justice is unfathomable; your loving presence brings
The great and small a refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Your holy love is priceless: from the greatest to the least
You offer us abundance in your house and at your feast.
We drink eternal water in your river of delight;
Your fountain gives us life, and in your light we see the light.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

The Game of Names: Why Not Call a Rose, a Lemon?

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Names are pretty interesting. People today are giving their babies all kinds of exotic and special names… One current online list of suggested baby names includes Zeus, Adecyn (really? Is anyone EVER going to spell that correctly?), Kodiak, Merrigan, Primo, and Lorcan. I think that perhaps unusual names are given in the hope that the child will be deemed unique and special, and I get that. There might even be cases of someone trying to live up to a name, or standing out because of their name. But I would think that depending on character to make the names works better than depending on the names to make the character…

There is the old story about the young man who was thrown on the ground before Alexander the Great to be judged for stealing. Alexander looked down on him and asked, “What is your name?” The young man looked up at him hopefully, grasping at a straw: “My name is Alexander, sir.” The emperor looked down upon him and fixed him with a penetrating gaze: “Then boy, either change your ways or change your name!” Apparently, the great general felt that names could be indicative of character…

Chicken or the Egg?

The Bible feels that way, too. Consider this: “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:9-11, NIV) This contains the promise that those who know the name of God will put their trust in Him, and those who seek Him will find him. (I do know for a fact that it’s also possible to know his name and NOT put trust in him; there are a lot of people out there who seem know God’s name, because they use it a LOT, but that’s probably a different blog sometime…)

Shakespeare wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, but names matter too. Romeo and Juliet were still tied to the Montagues and Capulets, no matter how much they liked each other. And, what we call someone often indicates how we feel about them. Married couples often use terms of endearment like “Sweetheart”, and I have heard of a couple of toddlers who called their dad “Honey”, because that’s how Mom usually addressed them.

Many Facets of the Diamond

While you are thinking about names, stop to consider the names by which we know the Lord. There are lots of them: “I AM”. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Holy God. The Alpha and the Omega. The Living God. The LORD. The Creator of all things. Our Shield and Defender. Emmanuel (God with Us). Wonderful Counselor. Everlasting Father. The Holy Spirit. Comforter. Almighty God. Jesus. King of Kings. Lord of Lords. This partial list comes from Biblical writers who were inspired to describe God’s position, character, and personality through His name. David (a man who knew about trouble and needing refuge) says that if you know God’s name, you will put your trust in Him.

Reasons Not To

If that’s the case, why is it that so many people out there have not put their trust in God? Lots of reasons, but here are a few:

1) People expect a trouble-free life, and are disappointed in God when that doesn’t happen. Every rose has its thorns.

When we experience bad things in this life, it can be easy to blame God for pain and suffering. However, Jesus said “In this world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) David also knew that a refuge is not the absence of trouble, but rather a safe place within the troubles that beset us. In a world where trouble is coming and suffering is bound to happen, trusting the God who is called Shield, Defender, and Comforter makes sense.

Closer Than You Think

2) People assume God is too distant or Majestic to know. Many are still looking “out there” in the cosmos for God, not realizing that He lived among us, shared our sorrows, and is here with us. God’s names speak of relationship, of intimacy, and of connection. He is the God of knowing and being known. How well do you know Him? How acquainted are you with the characteristics reflected in His name? Have you talked to him lately?

3) Many are unwilling to accept God in His proper place. David calls him the LORD. He is the mighty king. He is our Father. If we try to create God on our own terms, relegate him to genie status, or limit His authority in our lives, then we do not know Him properly. Only when we submit our will to His do we begin to discover the many facets of His nature, and the attributes that make Him who He is. Have you submitted your will to His?

Introduce Yourself

4) A final reason why people don’t know God personally: they haven’t been properly introduced. Unfortunately, there are a lot people or things out there ascribed to God’s character that have nothing to do with Him at all. (Think: Westboro Baptist) Do you remember who introduced you to God? Can you think about places you have seen Him and felt His presence? Have you passionately pursued a relationship with your Father? It’s an awesome thing to do. And while you’re at it, remember to introduce some other folks to the God who loves you. Once they know God’s name, they will be glad they do. There might be trouble coming.

NAMES THAT MATTER: GOD

Creator, sustainer, the ancient of days
The Spirit, the shepherd, the Truth and the way;
Mighty, Eternal, All-knowing, all-wise,
Maker of all in the seas and the skies;
Star-breather, speaker of glorious light,
Hanging the stars in the vastness of night…
Redeemer, defender, the unblemished lamb–
The healer, the bridegroom, the only “I AM”;
Powerful potentate, Spirit of Truth,
Lover of Abraham, Isaac, and Ruth;
Counselor, Comforter, Almighty King,
Caring, Creative, the Dove on the wing…

Advocate, Righteous, the One who is higher—
The Judge, the avenger, the refining fire;
Father, forgiver, the Word become man;
Light of the World who created the plan…
Holy of holies, the Greatest and least,
Divider of sins from the West to the East;
Loving and intimate, faithful and true,
Giving each day bread and mercy anew;
Holy elector, the God over all—
Protector of sparrows and men when they fall—
Author of History, Elohim, LORD:
Captain, Commander, the bright flaming sword;
Author and finisher, Lover and Friend:
The Alpha-Omega, beginning and End…

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Is Merriment All There is to Life? Or Is There MORE?

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Why are we here? Despite all of our technological advances, this is still a question every generation has to answer. And, honestly, each generation’s span on earth is apparently too short to figure it out. Is the answer, “Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die!”? Are we put on earth for merriment, or for meaning? What are we supposed to get out of life, anyway? The Bible says a couple of things about it, so consider this:

“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord”. (Psalm 118:17, NIV) David actually says a lot in this short comment from the Psalms about the celebration of life. To me, it echoes Christ’s statement in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and have it abundantly”. To start from the end and go backwards, David proclaims that he is alive to “declare the works of the Lord”. He looks to a Being greater than himself to find a purpose greater than himself.

Like David, your life has a purpose greater than what you see. If you play the game, “Six Degrees of Separation” where you know somebody who knows somebody else who knows the President or Kevin Bacon, you realize how interconnected and small the world is, and just how large your life is. If you think about it, it touches corners of the globe where you have never been, and all kinds of people you have never seen. Because of that, your life has a purpose much greater than simply living for yourself. And yet, simply living for themselves is what many people do.

The Mystery of History

As Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose Driven Life” says, we are here for God’s pleasure, not just our own. That’s why it is called His-story, and not My-story! Do you ever stop to realize that you are casual and short-sighted about life, even though you only get one chance at it? Life is not a dress rehearsal! The first part of this verse says, “I shall not die but live”, reminding us that our life will not end, and has a purpose far greater than its earthly span. I think we forget sometimes that life is far greater than an earthly sojourn—it is an eternal adventure.

C S Lewis said, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”

Are you serious about eternity? Do you enjoy merriment of the merriest kind?

How Long Do We Have?

As eternal beings, we have the opportunity to reflect the character and works of our creator. Do you think most people live as if their actions today mattered forever? Do you? Would your world be a better place if you interacted with others as though your conversation was an eternal transaction? As C. S. Lewis points out, it adds weight to things, even to our merriment. I’m not against parties (I love to party!), but I am not too impressed with purely frivolous parties. I mean, we all partied like it was 1999, but I’m not sure it added anything meaningful to our existence. But a party with people you actually love, celebrating together– why, that’s eternal.

Here, the Psalmist not only speaks of the length of his life, he also proclaims its purpose: to “declare the works of the Lord.” What if you lived today with that in mind? Would anything change? Has God done any work in you, around you, or through you that deserves declaration? Since you are no mere mortal, live as if you matter. Live as if GOD matters. And have some merriment of the merriest kind.

Purpose

Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die!
But do you ever look around, or pause to wonder why?
Why are we put here on earth, and what’s the reason for our birth,
And what could be the purpose that imparts to us eternal worth?
It’s really no great mystery, the way to make some History
Is living for God’s pleasure. That’s the only thing to measure.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

A Different Kind of King Might Rule a Different Kind of Kingdom

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There are fewer kings than there used to be, but there are still many political systems and rulers in this world. One list shows that there are still 43 monarchies so there are 43 kings ( https://www.infoplease.com/world/social-statistics/kingdoms-and-monarchs-world ), although many of them are merely ceremonial or cultural in function. But kings and other rulers are instrumental in defining what goes on in their countries. If you look at the shape our world is in, what with poverty, wars, corruption, genocide, nuclear weapons, high taxes, government corruption, etc., you could ask, like Dr. Phil, “How’s that working out for you?” Perhaps a different kind of kingdom would result in a different world…

The Bible says it is so. “For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bond-woman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bond-woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.” (Galatians 4:22-23, 28-29 NASB)

Which Promise?

According to the Bible, Abraham had a son (Isaac) born to fulfill a spiritual purpose according to the promise of God, and a son born according to the flesh (Ishmael). Isaac was a miracle, born out of time to a 99-year-old man whose 90-year-old wife was also well past the age of child-bearing. (There are some dots to connect here, so please stay with me!)

Ishmael was the result of Abraham’s own effort to jump-start the promise by impregnating his servant girl. Ishmael, the son born according to the flesh, later bullied Isaac, and there was conflict between them and their offspring that persists to this day. This dichotomy between the flesh and the spirit is a common Biblical theme, and it applies to us individually just like it applied to Abraham’s sons.

Flesh or Spirit

In John three, Jesus told Nicodemus that everyone is born of the flesh but that you must also be born of the Spirit. He said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” This conversation was popularized during the Carter administration when the phrase “born again Christian” was used to describe Jimmy Carter and other evangelical Christians.

When writing the introduction to his gospel, John said that “to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” ( John 1:12-13) Nicodemus was confused by Jesus’ reference to the spiritual side of life, just like Pontius Pilate was later when he questioned Jesus. But, it’s something that affects every Christian.

Different Kingdom, Different Values

If you are a follower of Jesus, John says you are a child of God who has been adopted into His family. You are also part of a spiritual Kingdom with new potential and new possibilities. Christians hope for a redeemed and perfect world, achieved not through evolution or progress or science or technology, but through the Spirit of God. It is God’s Spirit that will bathe the world in love, that will be present in heaven, and will power the kind of kingdom where “the lion will lay down with the lamb”. It won’t be built on any kind of earthly power, but on the Graceful presence of God’s Holy Spirit.

Paul says here in Galatians that everyone born of the Spirit is an heir of the promises to Abraham. In Romans 7 and 8, Paul describes the natural conflict that exists between man’s fleshly nature and God’s Spirit. Romans 8:5 says, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”

Spiritual Differential

One of the things that makes Christianity unique is its reliance upon the Spirit of God as opposed to the works of man. Hindus believe in cause and effect; Karma teaches that what goes around, comes around. Islam proscribes keeping the law (efforts of the flesh) to be acceptable to God. (Legalistic “Christians” do the same thing, by the way.) Religions all start with man and his efforts to be like God, or to be acceptable to Him.

But, are man’s efforts adequate? Will they ever be? Anyone who tries to achieve righteousness in the flesh will always be at odds with those who accept grace. The kingdom of the flesh will always be opposed to the spirit. Based on the human logic of getting what you deserve, grace will never seem fair to those who try work their way into heaven…

Jesus’ kingdom was spiritual, not physical. It confused Pilate, and it has confused lots of folks ever since. It seems logical that we should work our way to God, but He has confounded that logic. Two takeaways: 1) it might be a good thing to depend upon God’s spirit, rather than your own effort; and 2) don’t expect a cessation in persecution anytime soon. It’s been going on for 3000 years, and as Paul said in Galatians, “so it is now also”.

Different

Abraham was a shepherd man
Without much wealth and without a plan,
But God told him to start afresh,
To walk in faith, but not in flesh.
So Abram started, not by sight,
To walk with God both day and night,
Beginning a spiritual family that actually changed history,
And somehow the genealogy was opened up to you and me…

Sometime later in history, two men discussed a mystery:
Nicodemus–a Pharisee–went out at night and tried to see
If he and Jesus could agree on how God’s plan was meant to be.
Jesus said, “Nick, the problem is sin.
To live, you must be born again!
And Nicodemus sat in his room,
and said, “I can’t go back in the womb!”
Jesus said, “not that kind of birth!
I’m speaking of heaven, and not of earth!
As a teacher, you should be smart–or near it–
So understand this: Be born in the Spirit.
Only by being born again
Can you free yourself from the power of sin.
(Like Pilate, Nick couldn’t see the worth
Of a spiritual kingdom that’s not of this earth.)

What Jesus told Nicodemus to do
Is still correct and still holds true,
And is still the best option for me and you:
Like Abraham, just start anew, like Jesus told Nicodemus to do,
Not of this world, and not of men, just this: You must be born again.
Spiritual birth makes all things new
If that is something you’re willing to do. I’ve done it, so I know it’s true. If you want to do it, that’s up to YOU.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Begg