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This is different for me. I usually find that I have a distinct place I am being led towards. However, I haven't written in a while and things have been sort of hard. So I guess I will try to talk a little bit about what I have seen as I have been reading through the old testament. The first thing I see is that the LORD takes very seriously any type of idol. Kings, countries, families all are brought to ruin by the sin of worshipping idols. In fact, it almost seems to be the one sin that draws GOD to wrath quickly. OF course God says that HE "slow to anger and quick to forgive" but HE is very serious about not being recognized for who HE is. When all the kings were judged as good or evil, the evil ones were recognized for worshipping the other gods. So we have that GOD takes serious the worship of people. And we all worship....the question is who or what do we worship? Close to this was the importance of what a family did. David was established as a legacy forever because of his role in worshipping the LORD. Another king see his family destroyed because of his evil. I think the LORD is trying to show us how serious this is. Maybe it even goes to a fundamental level. What you worship is what you become...not in a zen like sense of foolishness. But if I worship the living GOD then I will become to be conformed to HIS image. If I worwhip evil then I will begin to emulate that as well. The kings who worshipped other gods slowly began to do horrible things to the people as well. In essence what we worship leads us to what we become. Worship is powerful and intimate. Thus when we enter true worship of God we see HIM inhabit the praises of HIS people. And HIS people are changed. IT's the difference between true worship and enjoying the music. or worshipping the wrong thing.
posted by Darol at 11:41 AM

 
Lately I have been trying to reread through the old testament and obviously there is way too much there for my puny mind to comprehend. I have actually been able to finish up through I Samuel and still trying to understand all the things I read. In particular was the Book of Judges. Wow there is some amazing stuff in there. Towards the end of the book, in the last chapters, there are some strange things that occur. The people of Israel began to make some really harsh decisions. They have rebelled against God and they have made vows to wipe our people that they weren't supposed to wipe out. In fact, they decide that because one of their own groups of people didn't help them, they would wipe them out. Which they almost do. Then they take a covenant not to let any of the tribe have wives from their daughters. Then they feel bad about what they did but it was too late. So after looking around it dawns on them that now they have almost wiped out this group of Benjamin, and that what few remain can now no longer have wives from other tribes. And since it would be a sin to get wives from heathen people...Guess what? Benjamin is about to be wiped out. So then the group comes together and decides that the answer is for the Benjamites to sneak down and wait until some of the young women from a tribe who wasn't there to take the vow of not giving daughters over to Benjamites. Their reasoning was as follows: hey guys, you can take the women off and make them your wives. That way you still have proper women. Plus we will tell the men of the tribe that since they didn't give their daughters, they haven't broken any oaths. And everyone will be happy. Well everyone that is except the girls who apparently had not say in the matter. But even more importantly, everyone except the LORD. But hold on to that for a minute.
So what's the deal? It goes like this: I don't get why GOD was allowing all of this. At least not at first but then the key comes in two parts and one of the parts is the very last verse of the Book of Judges. And the verse basically says that everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Get that? Everyone did what they thought was right in their own eyes. They were the standard bearer...Not GOD. And then think of this...Everything that is in the Bible is of the LORD in that it is true. But that doesn't mean that everything that occurred was ordained by God. The Bible tells us that Satan, still called Lucifer, rebelled against God. That was truth but not what God wanted Lucifer to do. The bible says that Stephen was stoned for speaking the truth of God, but that doesn't mean that God desired Stephen to be stoned. We can deal with all of the but "why" later. Before you get to the why, you have to understand the "what". The what is plain and simple....When people do what is right in their own eyes....There is only tragedy and sin. There are rash oaths, great rebellion, and people being hurt. Welcome to the 21st century where nothing has changed. The people do what is right in their own eyes and reap these very things. Now ask the question why. Why did all those crazy things happen? Because the people did what was right in their own eyes. As we do today. Why does God let it happen? Well it gets down to freedom of choice. You see, God punishes idolatry more than anything else because HE alone is God, yet gives us the choice to acknowledge this. If we don't, then we reap the punishment therein. Without choice, then there really is no love. But because there is choice, the people can choose to do what is right in their own eyes. And many years from today, if the LORD tarries..And if everything in our lives was written for another generation to read about...I wonder if they would look at our lives and messes and see the verse "and _______did what was right in his/her own eyes" and then say to themselves, "see that's why ________had so many problems and messes in life.
posted by Darol at 1:41 PM

 
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever should believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.


What has value? When you look at the things you own, how do you know when you truly value those items? When they are borrowed? When you can't find them? What do you do and how do you react? If someone borrows something that you don't care about then if you don't get it back it's not big deal. But if someone borrows your favorite cd? Your first reaction is to not even let them and then you think about it and worry about it until you have it back again.
To some degree it's like new car syndrome. You get a new car and you shine it, love it, and park it away from other cars. You may wash it each week. Enjoy new car smell etc. But eventually what was precious to you begins to not have as much meaning. Maybe you start looking at other cars; you don't wash it as much. When you used to not eat in the car, after that first great spill, you notice that it's not such a big thing. So what does all of this have to do with John 3:16?

2 applications: you and everyone else

You--God viewed you as so precious that He gave His son for you. Now consider the value you have. I remind you of this because you either aren't a Christian and don't realize your value, or you are a Christian. But I wonder if from time to time we forget about the value we have in God. It's like the new car but it's different. AS people we may not think of a thing until we realize it's lost and then we seek it out. But Jesus said that HE seeks the lost like a man who leaves the 99 sheep to find the one that is lost. Like the person who calls their friend to rejoice over finding a lost coin even though the others were accounted for. Now if you lose a quarter and call me in the middle of the night to tell me you found it, you are about to have bigger problems. But that's because at least one of us realizes the lack of value of the coin. However, Jesus is clearly showing this: the value of the coin is recognized by everyone. God recognized your value and gave of Himself to have you. He gave Jesus so that He can have you. You are precious.

Application of others:
Now the second part this value is both for the individual and all individuals. So the person you have a problem with is of great value to God. To not value someone else, is take God's price lightly. Hear that again: when we don't value someone else we literally are trampling on the blood of Christ. He says that each person is of enough value that HE died for them. We say if that jerk at work says one more thing to me...
Jesus left the 99 to find the one who was lost. We sayif I see that clown ever again... The value isn't based on what we think, it's what GOD establishes as the price. If you were handed a painting worth millions of dollars and you shred it because you don't really like the feel of canvas, you have many problems. Maybe it's because you didn't really know that the painting was valuable. However, that doesn't change the painting's value. Maybe you didn't really like the color of the painting but it doesn't change the value. Style, size, etc none of it matters because you still have destroyed a thing of value. It doesn't even matter that you didn't set the price or that you said I don't think it's valuable because you didn't set the price. Now if you had been at a gallery and destroyed the painting and claimed any of these things you would still be liable for the painting. And the same is true here. We are liable for the value of others whether we think they are valuable or not because God has already set the price. The life of Jesus.


Finally going back to the car there is the problem of taking what is valuable for granted. The piece of junk car you hate might be a luxury to someone who has no car at all. I am not going to start a job that only pays 25,000 a year. When there are countries that have the population surviving on 300 a year. The danger with valuable things is when we forget their value. When we take the value for granted we take the price for granted as well. So to take our own life or the life of someone else for granted, automatically takes Christ for granted. We begin to say that He was a fool for He died for someone we consider to be without value. The problem extends to a country or group as well. We traveled to Africa and saw people who were so hungry for anything that they would gulp down what was offered without hesitation. The church there had the lights turned off at 9:00 am. The people who were not Christians would beckon us to come pray with them. The children would run and follow us. Now granted they might have done some of those things no matter who we were. But the reality goes back to this. Christ valued them and was looking for them. When He went looking for the lost sheep, there is little doubt that wolves and such were out looking as well. It didn't change the reality of HIM looking for them. Nor did it change the fact that a tremendous prices was paid.



posted by Darol at 11:34 AM

 
IF you come here directly and skip the main page, you may want to head back over to Hail Storm Central for a quick update on Africa. I plan to get back to writing next week with some Old Testament studies. Thanks for stopping by.
Darol
posted by Darol at 8:49 AM

 
The last of the musings on Jonah. I don't know that this will be that enlightening for anyone but I will try. I think of Jonah and how the word of the LORD came to him. I wonder what he was praying about. Did he ask what would you have me to do LORD? Was he praying about his own needs or ministry and GOD spoke to him? I think, and I certainly don't know, but I think about all the times that I have prayed what do you want me to do LORD? But I haven't had much answer on those days. Maybe it's because it was asking GOD about me. I see what GOD told Jonah and I know that I need to research this more but it looks to me as if GOD told JONAH what to do about others. Go to Ninevah. Not what should I do? What do you want me to do with my life? Who is my wife? Will I get a wife? Those are all important questions and of course important for God's will to be the answer. But I am seeing that possibly the answer is to pray towards what ends do you want me to go today for someone else, LORD. What does Ninevah need? Who needs you? Maybe it's all about praying for someone or some place else and then God tells us what's going on. If Jonah were praying "where should I go LORD? And God said Ninevah why didn't he go? I suspect that if he had been praying should I go to Ninevah it would have revealed that Jonah wanted to go to Ninevah. I know, I know I am getting a bit confusing here. But somehow the word of the LORD came to Jonah and that's what I am focusing on. I don't know what Jonah thought when he heard the word. I don't know what he was praying for. But I know that when the word came to him he disobeyed. So that takes me back to the first question of how does the word come to us? I think it comes for praying for something other than ourselves (again not that this is a bad thing). But maybe when it comes to some of the big things in life we pray about others and let the word of the LORD come. I don't know the answers really I just know that I get frustrated wanting to know what GOD wants and wonder why I don't seem to get those clear answers that the prophets of old got. I know I could easily blame myself for not being wise enough, holy enough, loving enough or a thousand other very true statements. And I do think that is the case some of the time. But then there is Jonah who clearly was told what to do and didn't do it. Then when he finally does do it, he gets mad because GOD then gives mercy. Crazy. God gave him mercy yet he is upset for the mercy for others. I wish I could say that I didn't relate. I wish I could say that I have never denied others the very mercy that I need. But I have far too much of Jonah in me to think that way. So it still comes back to that one question of how and when do we hear from GOD. It's the one question I don't see answered from Jonah. But at least we know what the desire of GOD is.....to see people saved and to show mercy. That is the start and thankfully the truth.
posted by Darol at 10:59 AM

 
Let's stick with Jonah a bit. Last week I was looking at the effects of Jonah's life on those around him. The idea was that the sin and disobedience touches more than just the one person. But this time I want to look at just one person for a moment--Jonah. I think my image of this story went something like this: Jonah is aroused from sleep in the midst of the storm and is informed of the storm. Then the group casts lots and discovers this all Jonah's fault. He tells them to throw him into the sea and all will be fine for them. They do and he is swallowed by a great fish. I have tended to think of the last two events as bang-bang. But Chapter 2 of Jonah records his prayer to God and I think that there was a bit of time elapsed. Jonah talks about seaweed wrapping about his head. He speaks of being at the "roots of mountains". In other words, Jonah had time to repent but also he saw his own death. Perhaps he began to drown and fluttered to the surface a time or two before being taken down again. Or maybe at the last moment he was swallowed up when he was already beginning to pass out. Regardless, his prayer reveals that he understands that God is a saving God. And strangely enough, he wasn't upset about the mode of saving God chose. He was grateful for the fish that swallowed him. A lot of times we learn where our gratitude is when we express our displeasure at the way God does things. Of course we have either ignored the fact that it was our doing that brought us to that place or we have chosen to forget that the result is for our betterment. 3 days in a great fish gave Jonah time to understand some things. He understood that it was his fault (repentance before God). He understood just how awesome and wonderful God was. And he understood his situation clearly...Which gave him the insight to be grateful for being swallowed. And in Chapter 3 we hear that after he was spit out on land, God spoke a second time. In other words, it's highly possible that the whole time he was in the fish, God wasn't speaking to him. That would mean that the days were spent praising God while hearing nothing from God. But when he did hear from God the second time, he did not hesitate to preach to Nineveh. Another important lesson for all of us is that once we learn what we have been saved from, it should be easier to tell others what they need to be saved from. Of course that brings up another point about Jonah, once the people do repent.....He is upset by God's grace. You would think that as one who knew what it was like to disobey, Jonah would have been glad that others were given the same grace. But Jonah displays that same thought process that we in the modern world do. "save them Lord but not the ones who are so horrible. Save only those who we don't view as horrible. Save the poor, kindly man who never knew you but surely don't save the murderer. That can't be right. Yet Jonah's disobedience was as horrible as the murderer. His prayer reflected that. It's a problem however that we all possess....Holding on to the very truth that God gives us.
posted by Darol at 12:47 PM

 
I am on a Jonah kick right now and not sure why. I hope I am not identifying too closely with said prophet. Reading in Jonah chapter 1, there is Jonah who flat out refuses to obey God. Kinda of freaks me out at first. After all, if the LORD spoke to me in a clear voice, why would I do the opposite? After all it's the one thing I clamor for all the time. Or so I say. Could I really hear the LORD and the purposely do the opposite? Surely not. Until I consider the fact that I clearly hear HIS word on such things as stealing, cheating, false witness, anger, greed, selfishness, etc and then clearly do the opposite. Is that any different? Why am I so sure that to "hear" a voice rather than read the words would be so different? No answer for that. And a question that is better left to come back to. For now though, consider a slightly different aspect of Jonah. In chapter 1 after Jonah deliberately runs from God and gets on a boat going the opposite way of where he is supposed to go, a huge storm comes upon him. But the storm doesn't come upon just him. It comes upon everyone in the boat. And it's so bad that they people around him, who aren't following the LORD, are fearful. In fact after making their sacrifices, they have to go wake up Jonah who is busy sleeping in the midst of the storm. Now this isn't the peaceful rest of one who has labored for the LORD. This is the dulled like state of one who has become so hardened that life barely breathes within him. He is somewhere between hibernation and a coma. How do we know this? Because his is unaware of the storm. A Christian learns to trust God above the storm, but he knows about the storm. A fool says in his heart there is no GOD. And therefore he will also foolishly deny the signs around him. In this case, the storm as well. Yet, here are these non-believers in the one true GOD and they can see what Jonah refuses. More interesting to me is this: our sin touches others even when it doesn't directly involve them. Jonah was disobedient about witnessing to Nineveh. These men didn't know that. They aren't people who are supposed to be witnessed to. Yet Jonah's disobedience hits them just as hard. In fact, they are all likely to die as a result. Yet Jonah didn't sin against them. Still the sins of each of us are against God and that has results. So to some degree, innocent people are suffering as a result of Jonah. Now the sovereigness's of God could be seen in that even in this God uses it to the benefit of others. They see that their sacrifices are failing and realize it has to do with Jonah. Jonah then testifies that the storm is about him not following GOD. As a final result the men on the ship learn who is the true GOD. Now that is a benefit but doesn't diminish that Jonah nearly cost the lives of many because of his disobedience. Thus it is with all sin. It hurts GOD. It hurts us. (after all, who wants to be swallowed by a big fish?) and finally it hurts people around us.
posted by Darol at 7:28 AM

 
Wow it's been over a month. Not really a reason for the non-posting. Actually I have been rather busy but the real reason is more personal in nature. However so that I don't bore those of you who could care less, I will get to the real stuff now.

ACTS. I have spent about a month listening (via CD) and reading ACTS and there is obviously tons of great stuff. But I want to focus on chapter 7. In chapter 7 Stephen is about to become a martyr. He is speaking of the history of the Jewish people to a group of Jews. He is essentially telling them the story of their own history that will culminate in the cross of Jesus. But along the way he speaks of Joseph. Joseph was man a who stephen describes as a man whom God was with. In fact, it was Joseph who was able to save his family from a terrible famine by bringing them safely to Egypt. But I kept thinking about the way he was described--a man who God was with.
Yet it was this Joseph who was sold into slavery by his own brothers, who in truth wanted to kill him. He spent years as a slave and even in prison. When he had risen in notoriety he became the most trusted servant for his master. But his master's wife wanted him to become her lover. When he refused he rightly replied, "I can not do this sin against GOD". His reply shows that Joseph understood the true nature of sin and what it did, who it was against, and so forth. And of course his reward for the faithfulness was to be thrown in prison. But God was with him. And that's the point of this message. God was a man whom by our human standards probably didn't look like God was anywhere near. I mean can you imagine being in prison for "not" having an affair? For being faithful the reward is......Prison. I don't know the specifics of what kind of prison it was but I can't imagine a happy prison of any kind. Dark, dank, horrible food, chains, bars, all of it. Not a good thing. And don't forget this guy's upbringing. Sold into slavery by his own brothers who hated him so much that they really wanted to kill him. But they didn't because they were afraid of their father. His life didn't seem to reflect any of the things that we would say make a successful life, ministry, walk with God etc. Except that he did the right things. And that God was with him. Sure in the end, that was evident. I mean he rose to basically being the 2nd in power of Egypt. He protected his family from death. He had a family. And all in all he even said What was meant for Evil God has meant for good. There was this attitude of knowing about God. Joseph did what was right and seemed to have this perseverance of attitude and belief. Maybe there were times in the cold cell that he thought he had been left behind. I don't know but it's more interesting what God thought. God thought this is a man I am with.
Now even those who believe that in the end God's people will have great lives and all that they want can certainly see that God was with Joseph. But would it have looked that way during all those hard years? This was not a brief or week stay in prison. It went on for years. The slavery went on for years. The pain for his family went on for years. Did Joseph have stuff in him that needed to be taken out through hardship? Maybe. I don't know. But I do know that it says God was with him. We should all be that blessed.
posted by Darol at 1:46 PM

 
Back from Amsterdam and I guess the best thing to do is talk a little about some of what happened and some impressions (hopefully from the LORD). First of all, I am convinced now that everyone who is a Christian should go on mission trips. I know that not all can afford and so sometimes it may be years between trips. But we should go. We often speak that the idea is that we either go or we support those who go and that's true. However I believe the issue is one of riches. A Christian who is mature in the LORD is wealthy beyond belief and to not make that wealth available to those who are poor is to keep food from the hungry. I saw people who are sincere and honest and starving because they have no idea that they are even hungry. I have no personal experience with this but from what I understand of starvation there reaches a point where the body has begun to consume itself and even tricks the mind into thinking that the hunger is not there. Of course these are danger signs of death approaching. Such as it is with anyone in the spiritual realm as well. I met people who believed that Christianity was what you were born with. A woman I talked to told me she was half Hindu and half Christian because her mother was Hindu and her father was Dutch. Still others believe something may be there but most likely not. It's not just a lack of education, though that is some of the problem. But it's more. And when all the wealth is in one place, then the poor can't access it. Not to say that there aren't Dutch Christians, there are true Christians there. However, there aren't enough. Time and time again so many of the people I talked to said that (I speak of those who thought they were Christian) church was a boring place for very old people and certainly not for the young. You see they have a religion but they don't have relationship. They are poor--the poor is spirit that Jesus talked so much about. And we who are rich in HIM have a duty to give that wealth away. So yes I would climb the soapbox and say that we are called to go on mission trips as much as possible. Not because it's a checklist of duties but because it is the calling on our life. So where is the calling? I guess after this experience I do see the calling as away from America more than I used to. Not to say that the mission field of where we work, go to school etc, isn't the place as well. But we are wealthy here and there are the poor who have to yet to taste what so many here ignore. However, the LORD did impress this upon me. While in Amsterdam I found myself praying for anyone I came in contact with--praying always. And it struck me very deeply to ask this question--why do I not do the same here in my world? I go to the mall and do I intercede for everyone I see walking? Can not the same prayer in another country work in the one where I currently live? The mind set of the missionary should be for the world and wherever that world comes in contact with the one praying. Not just while in airplane, the beaten path, the streets of new country, or the gatherings of people who don't know the LORD. For the truth is that even in the country of the rich, there are many who don't JESUS. The difference in Holland was that at least those who didn't know HIM would say openly they didn't believe in HIM. Or they revealed their lack of knowing by their beliefs. I had the opportunity to share Christ with Muslims, Hindus, atheists and a host of others. I can not promise that they were saved or that I even made an impact. For the truth is that I didn't have impact. The truth is that GOD made impact in HIS word. The truth is that they impacted me. The truth is the seed of GOD has been spread and now it will take root or it won't but the truth is that it was not my job to evaluate the crop. My job was to spread the seed. Someone else will come to water. Someone else will come to harvest. Someday I will get to water other seeds. Maybe someday I will be allowed to harvest. But the final truth is that if I don't go then there is no seed spread. Yes others can spread the seed but maybe only I would have been able to spread the seeds to those I was able to.
posted by Darol at 9:55 AM

 
I don't have something from the Bible today but something to share that's indirectly from the Bible. One of the popular praise and worship songs based on one of the Psalms states "Better is one day in Your courts than thousands elsewhere." I believe that the message in there is the same but can be applied in different ways. For those struggling with a problem, a sin, a storm, or whatever--then there is the encouragement that one day with GOD is better than a thousand in the problem, sin, etc. But it can be hard to see it that way, can't it? I know my problem is loving the here and now. But GOD wants us to understand that it is better with HIM than with that stupid piece of sin we hold so dearly. A few years ago I was really struggling with something that was just blatant disobedience. The truth of the matter was that I had turned my back on GOD to embrace some junk that wrong. AS GOD helped convict me and finally start turning back to HIM, I realized that the chorus had to be sung personally for me. Better was one day in HIS court than a thousand with ___________________. At first I didn't know if I really meant it but I kept singing it (at least in my head) exactly like that until it became true. Which honestly took time. But it was real and true. Which brings about a second application of the song/Psalm. When we get to the point of know that Better is One Day in HIS court than a thousand with something that is not sin or wrong. I fear that it might have actually been easier to compare the sin's thousand days to the one with GOD because we know that sin is wrong and that HE is right. But what about when there are things that aren't exactly wrong or sin but either get in the way or just cause problems or whatever else? Can we still say better is one day in HIS courts than a thousand with our friends? Our family? Our loved ones? Etc. Or the disappointments that come and aren't based in sin or wrongness, just simply disappointments? Herein is my bigger struggle. Am I really at a point where one day with HIM is better than a thousand with all the good things (even the things that HE has given)? If so then I have learned the lesson of the Psalmist. But I fear I have a way to go on this one.
posted by Darol at 12:21 PM

 
First and foremost, I would appreciate any prayer concerning a tragedy at the school where I work. Over the weekend, a car accident killed one of our students and left another in critical condition. Because the community is so small, everyone is affected. Please pray for the kids and family members.

As far as today is concerned I have some things to share that have really been on my heart for the past couple of days. I recently heard an interview with a former athlete who was retiring from professional football to work full time with a ministry. In the interview he was asked about becoming a coach some day, as many people believe that he possesses the skills and ability to become a great coach. He admitted that it might happen some day but that there were a lot of things he would like to do. And if he had a hundred lives then he would do most of them but since he had only one life to live, then that changed priorities. He then used the phrase having only one life to give. I guess that sort of works in concert with stuff I have been dealing with. It really helps to see things a little differently. But even though I have been dealing with some really big possible changes, that's not why anyone reads this! So getting back to that idea there is also this that GOD has laid upon me...the personal relationship of JESUS. We make a big deal of making things personal. We write our names on things, decorate stuff, etc. Now this is kinda of weird I know but for me at least there is something that makes my relationship with Christ a bit more personal and that is when I personalize what I have done to HIM and what HE has done for me. I think many Christians get used to the word sin and it becomes acceptable to use the word without thinking of the personal attachment. In other words I pray for GOD to forgive my sins and of course HE does. But it gets me a little more personal when I am putting something that I have directly done in the relationship of the cross. In other words, when I say something like "because of my anger over not get a promotion, Jesus was put to death" then I start to see a better relationship between what I do and what happens. And of course that was a poor example in many ways because there is certainly nothing wrong with anger when handled properly. However, to cuss or be bitter or whatever else that usually accompanies anger creates a different situation. The same is true for lies, stealing, lust, etc. I think that particularly when struggling with stuff this idea is powerful. I believe that the voicing of an idea such as, "Jesus was put to death because I want to run around and relationships outside of marriage" places a personal note into our lives. Now some might call this guilty feelings. And there is truth to that because we are guilty. But this also opens the door for how great HIS love is..to realize that He would die because of something so personal and twisted as that. The Word speaks of how sometimes a good man might die for another whom HE loved. But JESUS died for us while we were still sinners. Jesus died for me and my particular junk. But see even using the word junk, soften the blow of the reality of what I do. This shows HIS love. Now to me, and I may be alone in this, the more personal it is the more I am touched by it. And the bigger impact is this...the more I am able to related what HE has done for me to others. JESUS died because I am a liar. Or because I spend my time selfishly scheming how to get ahead for myself or whatever else. This opens the door of HIS love in my life and the door for others. That is what sharing what Christ has done in me is about. It's what needs to be done throughout the world. Jesus once told those listening to him about two people. The first person was forgiven a very large debt. The second person was forgiven an even larger debt. Then HE asked the question "who would show the most love to the man who had forgiven?" The reply was the one who had been forgiven more. In a real sense, there is no more sin in my life than yours (I am speaking now as towards the human condition of all human beings). However, the more I specifically understand the literal sins that cost Christ his life, the more aware of how much I owe HIM.
posted by Darol at 9:54 AM

 
Ok something completely different. I don't know if this should qualify for cup of water or not but I thought I would share a poem a wrote. If you like it great. If you don't great as well. If you think it's really goofy that I would even put a poem up, well I guess you are probably right. I just wanted to do something and try to create something for the LORD. Feel free to Email Me your opinion of the poem either way. Of course since there are only about 4 of you who read this, it won't take me long to get your feed back.

Pride and Grace
And I have failed again.
The pieces of my pride fall about me,
Scar my hands, my heart, my soul.
For when you break it to set me free,
I clutch and grasp at the broken shards.
Foolishly I flail my arms and blame You for my pain.
And I am sorry again. How I pray for you to heal my hands, my heart, my soul.

And my LORD does heal.

Yet I pause, moments later while try to rebuild with freshly healed hands,
heart, and soul.
Does clutching me scar Your hands, heart, and soul?
When I build I hurt us both; me in the building, You in the breaking.
Is this not grace?
To keep breaking what I rebuild despite Your pain?

posted by Darol at 10:16 AM

 
Another short posting today. In Luke chapter 11 verses 40 and 41 Jesus has just told the pharisees that they are so concerned with the outside but that what is clean (or in this case not clean) comes from the inside. So he tells them to give what is inside the dish to the poor and the rest will be clean. Some translations basically say to give all to the poor and then they will be clean. Obviously Jesus is speaking of the desire we have for wealth, possessions, and so forth. But I think that he is also possibly speaking about everything we have, including our knowledge of HIM. In this same chapter HE chastises them (those experts in the law) for giving people heavy burdens but then nothing to help lighten the load. In other words the more we give to others of all our possessions, gifts, talents, prayers, etc the more we benefit them and the more we become more like Christ and thus clean. Now this doesn't mean we do this to earn our cleansing. Again that's the basics of Christianity--Jesus is who makes us clean. But once we are HIS, we then must move on to doing the things HE had commanded of us. He speaks later of being offered as a drink offering for others. We too must be poured out for others. From within is where we are dirty or clean. When we are giving of ourselves to others then a lot of things are happening. Like a stream of water. If the stream continues to flow then the water is clean. But when the water stops flowing and begins to back-up, it becomes stagnate and not very good. If we are pouring out the things that GOD gives us to others, then the water (HIS SPIRIT) continues to flow not only to us but to others. This can be seen obviously in terms of giving of our resources. But again it goes so much further than that. When we empty out into others the GOSPEL of JESUS into others then lives are changed and saved. When we empty out the love and hope HE gives to those who are in despair again lives are changed. Jesus tells them (and therefore us) that we have to be willing to share anything and everything that has blessed us with others. This includes pain and suffering. Not the inflicting of pain and suffering but the sharing of it's effects and GOD'S ministering through-out. I have lost my father and though it has been nearly fourteen years, there is still times of sadness and pain. I can choose to hold onto that allowing for bitterness and hurt to well within myself or others who are experiencing pain. Or I can choose to make available the pain I have felt and the uplifting God has given me as a result to others and allow GOD to be blessed and others to be blessed. Perhaps it is the lesson of how GOD meets us in our pain. Maybe it's the lesson of not taking for granted a father while you have one. Maybe it's even the lesson of sharing the pain when someone else loses a loved one. The lesson goes on for every aspect of our lives. Jesus clearly wants the people the give of themselves to those who lack. I believe that lack comes in all forms and sizes, as does God's grace. We must choose whether or not to allow our lives to be poured out for others. This doesn't mean we cannot have good things or blessings. It doesn't mean we have to live lives of torment and pain so that we can reach or understand others. It simply means taking all that occurs as a follower of JESUS and pouring that out in love for others.
posted by Darol at 10:58 AM

 
Just something to share briefly. And it's not my thoughts--they come from "My Utmost for His Highest". IT would be really wrong for me to take credit for good words that aren't mine! But a couple of weeks ago I was reading about an entry where one of the most basic thoughts about prayer suddenly came alive. Maybe no one else will really get much from this because they will think that it was obvious. But I have learned that we can know a truth, but not really have it revealed within us. Sort of like being able to pass a quiz on facts about Jesus but still not know HIM. So I think sometimes we know stuff but it takes the HOLY SPIRIT to really make the knowledge live within us, so to speak. Anyway, Chambers talks about that the focus of prayer is in trying to find answers to things. But it shouldn't be. He points out that we are missing the point of prayer in looking for answers. Not that we shouldn't ask and not that there can't be answers. As Christians we constantly hear that God always answers prayer with "YES, NO, or NOT NOW" or something close to those words. I believe that's true. Maybe the answer comes to us in some other form. However, the really big point is that we have missed the really big point. The answer is important but it's not what is vital. What's vital is that we have entered into the presences of our GOD and are in communion (communication if you like) with HIM. We focus on the outcome, yet it's the process of speaking with GOD that is the changing experience. Being able to come into the presence of the HOLY GOD who also desires us to call him Father. That is what prayer is. For me, it was like opening a new doorway. Instead of thinking and worrying only about the answers (which I still desire you understand) I am beginning to cast imagination upon the privilege of speaking with GOD. It makes prayer more special and certainly more than a checklist which I confess it easily falls into with me. Have all my desires and wants suddenly begun to be answered? Nope. But as Chambers points out, though a benefit of serving GOD is know that HE will provide and lead and love, the whole process of prayer is the specialness of coming into the presence of GOD. Like spending time with people we care deeply about. When prayer becomes the revelation of coming into contact with God and not just about petitions, there is the true awesomeness of God. Again Chambers puts it much better than me--I fear this is the putting into my own words what he put into better words. But though GOD is a father, provider, and full of love for HIS Children it's really about the fact that we are able to talk with HIM and not what we ask for. So yes, we ask for HIS will and we should pray for HIS will. Just as it's needed to ask for HIS wisdom and desire. We are even in good standing to bring the desires we have to HIM. But just as we ask our parents for things, we are better served in loving them for who they are. We are better served by loving GOD for who he is. After all, what is the bigger blessing--having a prayer answered the way we desire or the fact that we are able to come to the LORD and ask?
posted by Darol at 10:17 AM

 
Luke 19-- Mostly this is the famous little part about Zacchaeus, a tax collector and "sinner", who wanted to see Jesus so he climbed in a tree to get a better view. Then Jesus came to him and told him that JESUS himself was coming to his house to eat. Then something odd happened. In 19:7 Luke says that the crowd murmured or complained about Jesus going to eat with a sinner. Now what strikes me as interesting about this is that it is exactly what Jesus has been doing. He goes to those who are seeking HIM. He goes to people who are in deep sin and while never liking what they do, HE still cares for them. Now maybe as a Christian you have heard those things before. Maybe there is even an assent that says "yeah, that's what Christ does. He comes to those who need HIM." But the part that struck in me that little verse was that the crowd was amazed and murmuring (complaining) about the whole thing. Now I don't know who made up the crowd but it's safe to say that the crowd had followed Jesus around for a while, or at the very least heard about the things He did. Certainly there were some people following JESUS who were only there for the show. Some were there because they wanted to see a miracle or hear a good story or even just check out the crowd. Some were likely there because they thought "maybe this is the Christ--the one we have waited for." And hopefully some were there because they knew who they were following. At least knew in the way of what they saw. We know that some people genuinely wanted to be a disciple. But no matter why the crowd had come, these people bothered by JESUS doing what HE always did. They complained. They acted shocked--maybe angry. "Why is eating with that sinner?" "Doesn't He know who that it?" "What kind of a teacher--preacher--Christ--etc would hang out with this person?" "He must not really be who HE says."
Something along those lines seems to be the idea that the verse suggests. People are forgetting who the one they are following is. He is doing what HE has done so many times before. But even more, the people following Jesus around still haven't caught on. Zacchaeus is no different from them. He is no worse. But they still view this all as "Doesn't HE know how bad that guy is?" There is a subtle inference there. Zacchaeus is the one who is really bad. In contrast, I am much better than him. But even if that was true, the crowd is missing the point. They are seeing this as a "how could the Christ spend time with that guy?"
First, Jesus wouldn't have seen Zacchaeus as better or worse than the rest of the people in terms of the kind of sinner HE was. But for a moment pretend that it's true that Zaccheaus is a really bad sinner. This should not have been a moment of complaint or murmuring. It should have been a moment of rejoicing. After all if Jesus will hang out with someone like that, maybe HE will hang out with everyone who wants HIM! Which of course is part of the good news of the Gospel. Instead of seeing it this way, the people focus on what they can see. They saw someone they didn't like in Zaccheaus. They saw a man in Christ minister to Zaccheaus and they didn't like it. They saw Jesus do exactly what HE has been doing but it didn't appeal to what they wanted. And in turn we see a crowd of people following after JESUS for whatever reason they were following--and they never really were following HIM.
posted by Darol at 8:53 AM

 
Well the Romans study didn't quite happen the way I planned. I would apologize but I can't be sure anyone even reads these anymore because of my lack of consistent posting. So I do apologize if you stop by here. If it's just me then it's ok because the other day I was able to use one of these for actually preaching to a youth group. So on to the important stuff....the Word. LUKE is new for the month. Just trying to read and get a grasp of who Jesus was to HIS friends and disciples. I know that He often had to get away in the wilderness to pray. HE mentioned such in LUKE chapter 6. I just marvell at what it means to be able to go and pray for the length of time Jesus did. How easy it is to pray for 8 minutes (feeling like it was 90) and then jump up feeling whatever mood I am in. But with JESUS, as with all things in HIM, it was different. I don't know how HE prayed. maybe HE just walked and talked and listened. Maybe HE was stretched out before the Father. Maybe it was some of all. But I know there was deep intimacy the entire time. And as a result HE had strength to do and know HIS Father's will. Amazingly, Jesus spends HIS time either ministering to others or being ministered to through the Father. I am not sure that there was ever anything else. He may have gone to dinner parties, fellowshipped, or whatever else the day brought....but HE was always ministering to those around HIM. And then amazingly they would tell others of what HE had done even though HE might ask them not to. There were several people HE asked not to mention what HE had done, yet they did anyway. OF course HE didn't want people to think HE was back to set up the kingdom just yet and that was why HE asked them not to speak of it. Yet still they did. In fact there were instances, such as a few chapters earlier where HE actually told a man who wanted to follow HIM to stay behind and tell the people what GOD had done. Though in that case the people had seen Jesus heal the man and it freaked them out and they actually asked JESUS to leave!!! So Jesus left. But HE left them a person to tell of what HE had done because they needed to hear and know the good news. He didn't turn HIS back upon them, even though they requested it. So Christ left behind someone who would tell them of truth and good news and it wouldn't be taken as a setting up of an earthly monarch. Other times the people went away praising GOD and telling others because of the amazingness of what HE had done. Imagine a savior who at every turn was touching and helping those around HIM. And when HE wasn't, He was trying to get alone with HIS father so that he would have the ability to do HIS father's will. Even when it meant going back into the same wilderness where Satan tried to tempt HIM before. Now I am not quite sure what all of this means just yet but I think maybe there is something for all of us here.
posted by Darol at 10:47 AM

 
Sorry for the lack of posting but the holidays and such took up a lot of time and I got away from writing things. I have been moving into Romans again and will likely pick up the thoughts there. The topics have been really basic Christianity things but still vital. Even more so because it seems that I forget the basics way too easily. Such as what makes us clean is Christ's Blood. Not what we do or don't do. Again, as a person who gets so caught up in how he feels that's really tough to put into perspective. The fact that we can come to the father is based solely upon the blood of Christ--not how gross we feel after a sin. Not on the sin itself. Or just the opposite the goodness we suddenly feel for behaving for one whole day. Or for simply obeying one thing our Father tells us. The ability to come to GOD rests totally on the worthiness of the Blood. And it doesn't feel like anything because it wasn't a feeling thing. Christ's blood is worthy and awesome before I was a christian, while I was sinning, praying, eating, being sick, winning football games, playing video games, laughing or crying. None of those circumstances or feelings impacts HIS worthiness at all. So none of them impacts my standing with GOD in those terms either. Just the beginning of some thoughts.
posted by Darol at 1:53 PM