Thoughts on Heaven

Today is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week; the central week in all of history.  This is the week that Christians "live" for.  Our redemption and justification was bought through the crucifixion that will take place on Friday.  Today, however, Jesus rides into Jerusalem as the triumphant King on a donkey's colt.  We learned in church this morning that the donkey's colt is a symbol of peace and if a king were to come into town riding on a colt, he was bringing peace.  That's exactly what Jesus is doing here.  He is riding into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt, knowing that this week He will give his life so that peace can be restored between God and fallen mankind.  And He will be forever praised for what He is going to do.

That being said, I was thinking on Jesus in my quiet time this week and this mental picture of heaven came to me and I just wanted to share it with you.  In my "mental picture" heaven was simply being at the feet of Jesus'.  We were all seated at His feet as He taught and shared eternity with us.  There was no temptation, no sorrow, only exceeding joy at being at the feet of the Savior and knowing that you would be there for all eternity.  That was such a beautiful picture to me.  Just to be sitting at the feet of Jesus for all eternity.  Able to serve Him without any hinderances or temptations to do other wise.  No improper or impure thoughts bombarding our minds.  No ill will or feelings toward others.  Only peace and love that comes from being in the presence of the God of all creation and knowing that you will NEVER be separated from Him again, EVER.  I don't know about you, but I can't wait for that moment!  Heaven to me is to be sitting at the feet of My Lord, gazing on His face, enjoying His presence, and hanging on His every word and knowing that that moment will never end.  I think that's what awaits us as believers.

As we enter Holy Week, I want to encourage everyone to think about what this week means.  The King of all creation stepped off of His throne and entered into a world that hated Him.  He came to die for a bunch of rebels that would rather see Him nailed to a tree than to submit to His will.  Romans 5:8 says that God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, rebellious and treasonous, He sent His perfect, innocent Son to die for us.  That is true love.  1 John 4:10 says it best when it says, "This is love: not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  If you haven't trusted in that I want to encourage you today to think about what Christ has done.  We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard.  Just look at the 10 commandements.  If you've broken any of them, even one, you're guilty and deserve death and eternal punishment for offending God.  That means me, you, and everyone else.  And the worst part is, there is NOTHING you can do about it!  You can't work your way out.  You can't wiggle your way out.  We are guilty, end of story.  But that's where the love of God steps in.  He made a way when there was no way.  We offended Him and when He had every right to leave us to die, He instead chose to have mercy and pity on us and send His beloved Son to take the punishment we so rightly deserved.  And He promises that anyone who believes in Him will no longer stand under the penalty of death required by the law, but will receive mercy and forgiveness (John 3:16).  I urge you to do that today!  Become part of God's story this Easter.  Take Peter's advice in Acts 3:19, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord".

If you submit your life to the Lord, there is no promise that everything will be roses and sunshine.  In fact, we will all likely face rejection and persecution from the world as we seek to live a godly life (2 Timothy 3:12, Matthew 5:11, etc.).  But, the Lord does promise to be with you and to work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28).  Submit to Him today and no matter what happens, look forward to the day that you will sit at His feet in His kingdom and enjoy Him and His presence for all eternity!

A word of confession and apology...

So, I just wanted to give a quick word of apology to those of you who had been following along with me through my journey this past year.  I confess that I did not make it a priority to keep up the blog.  I did indeed finish reading through the Bible this year so that is a praise!  However, I did not keep up my end of the bargain by bringing you all along.

That being said, I would like to try again.  I have some thoughts from my reading through the Bible this year that I still would like to share and I will be posting those through out the next few weeks/months.  I would love for you to read them if you have the time and to even add your two cents in.  I will pick up from where I left off which was King David and bring it through to the end of Revelation.  I will provide this disclaimer, some of the posts may not be "feel good" reads and may contain difficult ideas to work through, but you are not alone if you're wrestling.  I have had to, and continue to, wrestle with these difficult passages and concepts but I have to ultimately submit myself to what the Lord says in His Word and make changes in my life accordingly.

That being said, some of them I hope will encourage us as we strive to live godly lives in these not-so-godly times.  I pray that God can use me to encourage someone, uplift someone, and challenge someone just as He has done those things for me and that at the end of the day, in all of this, Christ will be glorified.

Thanks, and stay tuned!

King David: A MAN after God's own heart

I just recently finished the life of King David on my journey through the Bible this year.  We've all heard the traditional stories about David: killing Goliath, David vs. Saul, the story of Bathsheba, David running from his son.  However, I had never actually read the entire life of David from his anointing as king until his death and I must say it painted a brand new picture, for me, of who David really was.  First of all let me start by saying that David was an amazing man and there are many aspects of his life that many of us would do good to emulate.  However, David was just a human being just like the rest of us.  He didn't have access any special power to which the rest of the Church does not.

David's life was racked with scandal and failure, just like any other life.  The king described in the Bible as a "man after [God's] own heart" was in fact a murderer, adulterer, and at times prideful individual.  He shirked his responsibilities as king and would sometimes rather lavish in his wealth rather than do what the Lord had anointed him to do.  For example, when David first saw Bathsheba on the roof he was being lazy and reclining in his palace when he should have been out leading his army in battle.  The first verse of 2 Samuel 11 says

"And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem."

Had David been doing what he was supposed to be doing he would not have been lying on his roof and would not have spotted Bathsheba and their subsequent affair likely would have never taken place.

David also took a census of the children of Israel when he had been explicitly told not to.  In 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 we see that God allowed David to be tempted into taking a census of the children of Israel.  David, giving in to his pride, gave in to Satan's temptation and numbered the children of Israel.  Many scholars debate why he did this but the general consensus is that David was trusting in the size of his military rather than in God for victory.  Whatever the case, we see David's pride cause him to stumble.

We also see David make mistakes in other areas.  The story of Mephibosheth is another good example. In 2 Samuel 16 David is deceived by Mephiboshet's servant Ziba and gives all of Mephibosheth's to him based off of his deception.  Thankfully David gets the opportunity to correct this mistake, but it's yet another example of David's humanity.

Now, none of this is to bring shame upon David or belittle him.  He was still an amazing servant of God.  But, this should also serve as a point of inspiration for us.  David was by no means perfect.  He made many mistakes, some of which were grievous errors that cost the lives of others.  However, in all these things God counted him as a man after His own heart!  How amazing is that?!  We serve a God that is a God of forgiveness, no matter what you've done.  No matter how many times you fail, if we honestly seek after Him, confess those failures, and truly seek to live a life of repentance He is faithful to forgive us!  Also, despite the many shortcomings and humanity of David, God still used him to do AMAZING things, illustrated by the fact that David is still revered as one of the greatest kings of Israel today.

Take home lesson:  Don't let your failures and shortcomings stand in the way of letting God use you.  God is powerful enough to work through those to use you for His glory!

A God of Second Chances? (And third, and fourth...)

I finished the book of Judges last week and I have to say, Israel is quite an interesting group of people.  As I read through the history of Israel I see a nation that can't seem to get it right.  Their disobedience delays their entrance into the promised land, they fail to obey God in His command of complete destruction of pagan influence, they fail to follow the prescribed laws of sacrifice, and the list goes on.  However, I also see a God that worked in spite of all those failings and short comings.  I see a God that , after He tells Israel how He will punish them if they continue in disobedience, goes on to say in Deuteronomy 4:29, "But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul."  I see a God that "is a merciful God" that "will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath."

Those verses are played out throughout scripture.  In the book of Judges we see a cycle of disobedience and judgement.  Israel disobeys God, God allows them to fall to their enemies, Israel cries out and returns to God, God raises up a judge to free Israel from it's enemies.  Then the cycle repeats itself.  It's amazing that God never gets tired of rescuing His children.  No matter how many times the cycle plays itself out, God is always faithful to deliver His people when they repent and turn back to Him.

Now how does that play out for us?  There is NO end to God's redemption and grace.  It's unceasing.  No matter how often we may fall, if we turn back to God He is faithful to forgive and redeem.  Notice there is a condition to this though.  We have to turn back to God.  The fact that God is loving and merciful does not mean we can presume upon that never-ending grace and live how ever we want, continuing in sinful behaviors.  Romans 6:1-2 speaks to this when it says, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

God is always standing with arms wide open for the repentant heart.  Those that desire to turn from sin will find a God willing to sacrifice His own Son for them.  However for those that have no desire to turn from there sin, there isn't the same promise.  Those that persist in sin, God says He will give them what they want, by giving "them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another" (Romans 1:24) and giving "them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done" (Romans 1:28).  For these individuals, there is no desire to repent and God allows them to continue in their choices.  But for those that truly seek redemption, it is waiting! Take the example of the prodigal son.  He found redemption once he "came to his senses" and returned to the father.  The same is true for us.  We have to turn and seek God.  In those instances He is a God of several chances.  

Holiness

I've just finished Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy and I must say it was a tough journey.  The census in Numbers was of course some dry reading and many of the laws were tough to get through, but as I look back on these three books I see one major theme, holiness.  God commands holiness from His people.  He states time and time again that His people are a holy people and they are to be holy as He is holy (Leviticus 20:26, Leviticus 11:44, Deuteronomy 14:2, etc.)  So if this concept of holiness is so important to God and what it means to be His people, it might be a good idea for us to take a look at it.  What does holy mean? A search on Dictionary.com returns several definitions but the one I want us to focus on is this, holy is having a spiritually pure quality.  That's what God wants, spiritual purity, spiritual cleanliness.  This is evident throughout these books, and all of scripture I might add, but especially in these three books.  God requires that His people be set apart and spiritually clean.  Now in the Old Testament this cleanliness was achieved symbolically through the various sacrifices that were required.  But, let's look at how God exemplified this holiness in a way that demonstrated the cleanliness He desired.  If you were physically unclean (i.e. sickness, had contact with dead bodies, deformities, etc.) you could not come to the temple and were often times even required to stay on the outskirts of the Israelite camp.  Now, was God being cruel and unfair in these regards?  No.  Many of these prescriptions had health and sanitary components that were actually quite advanced for their time.  What God was doing was giving the people a visual reference to exemplify the extent of holiness He required.  The lamb you sacrificed had to be without blemish.  The goat you sacrificed had to be perfect.  The bull had to be perfect.  Everything had to be perfect!  With such a high standard of holiness, how could any one person ever hope to fully please God?  This is the exemplification of Romans 3:19-20 which says

 ¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are ^[a]under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; ²⁰ because by the works ^[b]of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for ^[c]through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

The law was not intended to save us but rather to show us how dreadfully short we fall in regards to the holiness that God requires.  So what can we do?  If God sets the bar higher than anyone is capable of reaching, what hope is there?  Enter Jesus!  The very next verses in Romans say

²¹ But now apart ^[a]from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those ^[b]who believe; for there is no distinction; ²³ for all ^[c]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; ²⁵ whom God displayed publicly as a ^[d]propitiation ^[e]in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, ^[f]because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶ for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who ^[g]has faith in Jesus.

Jesus reached the bar we could never obtain and made it possible for us to enter into God's presence with spiritual purity.  As I'm reading through the Bible, it is AMAZING how scripture is all linked together and how everything points to Jesus.  The strict holiness of the Old Testament serves to show us just how incapable and sinful we are and shows us the need for a Savior.  Then in the New Testament God sends us that Savior!  Amazing stuff!

A Royal Priesthood

     Today I'm going to be looking at the New Testament as well because I think it's important that we remember the Bible is a whole book and that scripture in one place can help teach and expound upon scripture in another area.  As I read through Leviticus and Numbers I am astounded by the strict adherence that God requires of the priests and His people in regards to the tabernacle, sacrifice, and cleanliness.  It is extremely evident that God is a holy God and wants that His people be holy in the same way He is holy (Leviticus 11:44).  There are also some very serious punishments for those that fail to meet or respect the statutes that God has set up.  Many Israelites and even priests are sentenced to death for not exercising obedience to God's laws.  Now all this sounds pretty drastic but I think that God is trying to demonstrate to us the seriousness with which He views sin and I think we would do well to view sin in the same manner in which God does.  God placed a large responsibility on the Levites (priests) in regards to allowing them to conduct the business of the tabernacle and they were the intercessors between God and the people.  No one else could approach or intercede before the Lord, only the Levites.

     Now after Christ's death on the cross a beautiful thing happens.  The veil of the temple is torn and now all believers are welcomed into the presence of God.  1 Peter 2:9 says that we are now a royal priesthood.  We were saved by God for the sole purpose of serving Him as priests and proclaiming His excellencies and His glory.  What a huge responsibility and honor!  Given the seriousness with which God viewed the priests in the Old Testament I think we, as believers, should take our new responsibility as a "royal priesthood" with extreme seriousness.  God has saved us and entrusted us with the responsibility of priesthood.  What does priesthood mean and look like for us today?  Well as priests we are to exemplify God to those around us.  We are to represent God.  One quote I'm reminded of is that "you may be the only Bible some people ever read" and therefore we should make every effort to ensure that our lives, as royal priests, are a reflection of God's glory to those around us, especially those that may not know Him.

Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob: A Legacy of Faith

Hey everyone, I apologize for the lull in posts over the past few weeks, but life can get busy.  I'll be doing two posts over the next few days to try and catch everyone up.  There's so much to discuss.  I'm finishing up Exodus tonight but I want to go back and touch on the patriarchs in this post if I may.

We often equate these three men with immense faith and trust in God and rightly so.  However, I think we need to remember that they were men, just like us.  They had their struggles, they had their short comings.  Just look at each of them:


Abraham

• Disobeyed and showed distrust in God by lying about his relationship with Sarah to Pharaoh.
• Did not trust God's timing and gave in to his wife's offer of Hagar so as to produce an heir.
• Lied a second time concerning his relationship with Sarah

Isaac

• Followed in his father's footsteps by lying about his relationship with his wife Rebecca in an effort to save himself.
• After the prophecy concerning his sons, he still tried to bless his first born to follow customary norms, instead of God's plan.

Jacob

•  His very name meant supplanter
•  Deceived his blind father into blessing him instead of his brother

Now, I don't note these shortcomings to bring an unfavorable light on these guys, but simply to show that they were still human.  However, each one of them was still part of God's promise.

What does this mean for us?  It means that we don't have to be perfect to win God's favor.  We don't have to figure it all out and get it all right before God will use us.  It means that God still works in our shortcomings.  He is a God of mercy and forgiveness.  He can work in spite of our getting in His way.  There is nothing we can do that can keep Him from being faithful to His word.  He promised to make Abraham a great nation and He is faithful to that promise.