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Well what shall I speak of? I guess what has been in my mind of late has been the idea about being a warrior for Christ, so to speak. I guess it's really the whole idea of fighting since we are told that our battle is with more than just flesh and blood (Galatians). I really have thought about battles and why we enter them or don't enter them. As a warrior, you don't get to choose the battle you participate in. A lot of us sit around (self included) and try to decide what battles we are going to fight. We decide whether we will battle or if we can battle. In essence we try to be both warrior and leader at the same time. But the Battle belongs to the LORD. I don't want to see that my battle may be with anger or pain or some sin. I want my battle to be over bad guys who are threatening the village. OR I want to defeat the alien armada with weapons or whatever else. Because those battles are easy ones. I will either win and have adoration or I will lose and probably be obliterated. And besides, in my head I never lose those battles anyway! But what about the battle that I am called to enter when it means remaining pure? Ugh, now that is different. Here the battle is murky and unpleasant. No one really knows if I win or lose, except me. And Christ. Here I may lose everything or I may be triumphant. But either way this isn't the battle I would choose on my own. For at heart that is part of my battle. Choosing to fight the battles that I told to fight instead of the ones I like to fight. Maybe that's where some of being afraid in our lives comes from. Will you fight the battle you are told to fight? The sad thing is when we don't fight, we don't really save our life at all--we lose it. Instead of fighting the battle we are to fight we may shrink in fear from it, or even worse a desire to not even fight that particular battle. And as a result? We are still slaves to that thing drives a wedge between us and God. We have no peace. And in our hearts we know we are cowardly, not because we tried and lost but because we never tried to fight it. OR we could take up the battle before us for being pure (in thought, mind, heart, deed) and fight. Throw caution and fear to the wind and fight. Trusting God because we are doing what He had ordered us to do. We can run the risk of losing our life, only to gain it the more. We are told in the Bible that to die is to gain, when we are dieing to self and living in Christ. But the battle front is far closer than we know. the battle is not safely tucked away in a land far away. The battle is in our hearts and minds. The battle is already here....we must simply decide whether or not we will surrender before the first shot is fired.
posted by Darol at 12:16 PM

 
Thoughts for today are this: I was reading in John this morning and over and over again the text spoke about how hard it was for the Jews to accept that Jesus was the Christ. Repeatedly they argued with Him about scripture. They knew many things but didn't know Him and more importantly they argued with Him about who He was. I thought but it's not hard for me to see Him as who he says He is, why was it so hard for them to see it? Is it a cultural problem? Is it the fact that He wasn't really the way they expected Him to be? I mean the people of the time were looking for an earthly kingdom to overthrow the Roman rule. And the priests and leaders of the temples were clearly not in touch with the heart of God--there was a lack of compassion for the people. All of those were true and vital points but then something was still bothering me about the whole thing. I mean they were not fighting his teachings (well at least not all of them). But they were fighting HIM being the Christ. There are tons of sermon points about this but I was still coming back to why was it easy for me to see Jesus as the Christ but those who knew about HIM and expected HIM (or at least should have) wouldn't see him that way. However God brought to mind a larger point for me. He reminded me of the parable about the man who told his son to do something and the son said yes but then never did it. Then he told the other son to do something and that son no but later changed his mind and did do as the father requested. The point that I think God was showing me was that it may be easier to see Him as who He is but if I don't do what He says then it's no different than not acknowledging HIM at all. And when I think about how often I don't do what I should or whatever else...then this whole point changes dramatically. Not that all those who doubted HIM later on believed but certainly some did. And as Jesus pointed out it is those who obey HIM that love HIM. And He even told the crowds that those who do the will of the Father are his brothers and mother (family if you prefer). It is the essential difference in knowing about HIM and knowing HIM...even more to the point what good is it to know that Jesus is savior and then not do as He says? For even the demons knew and trembled. That did not benefit them eternally. The question to ask is "am I doing what He has said to do?" about everything!
posted by Darol at 9:20 AM

 
Yeah a long time between posts, again. I have been puzzling over a lot of issues so it's more of "deep thoughts" by Jack Handy type of thing this time. So often as Christians we talk about giving things over to God or to lay our lives down and "pick up our cross, daily" as Jesus said to do. But when do things like that become reality instead of the proper thing to say? When do I move into a level of being able to really live those things out? I guess it's sort of like math...I can learn formulas and pass a test with them but still not understand them. Or I can learn formulas and pass the test but slowly begin to understand them as well. And when that happens, I do more that just get answers...I begin to really know something. When do we really begin to know God? Well somehow when these pat phrases that we have heard all our lives really begin to be more than just a phrase. The honest truth is I don't know what it means to lay my life down and carry my cross daily. And when I do suspect that I have something that should be laid down, I don't seem to know how to do it. So I will start with what I do know about that phrase---daily. Apparently God is telling me that there is something so critical to my life that it must be done daily. This laying down of life is a daily thing. That tells me something else. That whatever it means, it's a journey not a one time thing. It can't be done one time.....Of course I am not talking about salvation, I am talking about the laying down of my life and carry my cross. I suspect it means somehow putting something to death since that what the cross meant. And I suspect that since he says to lay down my life it means giving up something within me and allowing it to be taken to the cross. And the one thing I know is that it has to take place daily. I wish I could tell you I had learned what that meant. All I know is this about myself....I can be pretty selfish. And when I don't get what I want, I am pretty much ready to take my ball and go home and sulk. So I know that there are two things right there that need to die daily--my attitudes and selfishness. Carrying the cross for Jesus meant an expression of love, so maybe just maybe that's a part as well. Die to myself so that I can show love to others on a daily basis. The hardest part is that something within us makes us think that it will get easier each time. But I don't think so. I think each morning the journey up the hill carrying our crosses will take all that we have. But we have a savior who promised to help us with our burdens. And a savior who also carried those burdens. Overall that's pretty awesome. So maybe just maybe the whole idea of dieing daily and carrying our cross can start to mean something more than just the correct answer to a question. It can start to be what Jesus intended...The answer that is correct and is understood.
posted by Darol at 9:54 AM

 
It's been almost a month since I last was able to jump in here. Sorry for the extended amount of time but I will seek to do better. Yeah I always say that. I won't pick a specific verse this time, just talk a bit about Lamentations and Ezekiel. These aren't the two most quoted books of the old Testament but in reading through them there seem to be some very powerful images that are invoked. Lamentations is a short book but the idea that sprung off the page for me was when the writer spoke about the people, who were being punished for no longer following God, were going through great anguish. But one of the interesting things is that God reminded the people to call upon HIM. He asks them why they don't seek the one who had done such great things in the past. He mentions why don't they seek the one who had saved them from Egypt. Why don't they call upon the One who had done great things for them? One of the key things is remembering what God has done in the past. We don't live in the past but we should continually be reminded of the things God has done in the past. It builds upon our faith. It can reassure us. And it can give us hope when we have not hope. Call upon the one who has done so much. Seek the one who saved you from your sin, lifted your depression, healed your body, provided your income, created miracles when there were none, and so forth. The group PFR had a song called "Wait for the Son". One of the key lines in the song was..."He's won greater battles before, what makes you think He won't fight now?" Of course there are elements to God's timing. Things don't happen to our time table...Oh how well I know that. Abraham waited 10 years after the promise to have a son. After he was told he would have a son, it was 10 years longer. And he was already 90 at the time. How long did he wonder and search before the promise? And then he waited 10 more years. Me, I can't get help but get distressed because I am 37 and waiting for a family. Probably haven't really been looking but about 10 years. Still when I get into my little pity party, I forget about the God who has done so much. I forget the battles He has fought and won. I forget about the many blessings and times He saved my soul and very life. The healing, the corrections, the joys, the hurts, the words spoken and the very paths He illuminated: all are tossed to the side when I focus on what I want or don't have. Then I read in the Ezekiel and see how the people treated their God. He looked upon them in great hurt and anger because they were his very own and they sold themselves out for others. He continually compared them to spouses that were unfaithful. Their idolatry is the same as adultery. And both have hurt the very being of GOD. Not hurt in a sense of a mortal wounding but rather in the sense of taking for granted and considering as useless the very Creator of their souls. So much so that the LORD says He is tired of their dealings and will no longer put up with it. Yet even then He speaks about forgiving the many deeds of those who turn away from them and simply repent. He promises to forget the very hurt and evil they have offered to HIM. All for the sake of the Love that HE offers.
posted by Darol at 2:07 PM

 
The text we are looking at this time is ISAIAH 44 via-11 (though really the whole chapter). Up to this point in Isaiah, the Lord has been speaking about the process that Israel has been going through. You see, the history has been marked by hearing from God--following for awhile then falling away to chase idols which brought about God's chastening. The costuming took many forms but eventually ended up with the people being taken away and conquered until such a time as mercy and restoration occurred. The LORD in this place is speaking about the foolishness of idols. There are three main points about idol worship here. But before we can look at that, we have to put our typical western point of view spin here. Most of us in America (whether Christian or not) do not have idols about the house in the typical sense of the old testament. While there are some certainly, for the most part our houses don't have wooden or stone idols that we bough too. But an idol is basically something that we put our trust in to either bring us what we want or something we turn to when we didn't get what we wanted. Keeping that in mind, verse 9 points out the first characteristic of an idol--it is manufactured. The verse speaks of the idol that a man makes from a tree. Later on in the chapter Isaiah points out that a man cuts down a tree for cooking meet, making a fire to keep warm and then for making an idol to pray to. He points out how silly it is to worship something that you can make. If you make it, it hardly qualifies for a god. In fact, without knowing it to worship an idol that is man made puts man back on the throne of being a god. Now wood for fire is good, and wood for cooking is good. But then to make the rest of it into a god is silly. And in effect you put yourself back on the throne because you made the god.
The second point from v 9 and 10 deals with the apparent value of the idol, which is really worthless. The point being made is that some things look valuable until compared to what really matters. Think of the item you bought or received as a present that you wanted for so long...Yet later it either didn't measure up or something new came along that was better. Like a new car that just makes you so happy until you see the new models for the next year. The problem is that the value of the object is so subjective that it depends on what it is compared to. Or as little kids with some sneakiness will tell you, you often trade 3 shiny nickels for one old quarter...Until you learn the value of the objects. The same here applies. The Lord tells us that the value of the idol is nothing...It has eyes but cannot see; it has ears but cannot hear, and it has lips but does not speak. It is foolish to worship or pray to such a thing. So doubtlessly you are thinking "yep that's right..Idols are stupid." so what about us? Remember we turn to idols to meet our need or because we didn't like the way things were. So often we turn to work..Is work good? Yes for the Lord has said that a worker is worth his wages. But when we turn to work all the time because things are falling apart around us and at least at work we can control some things...It can be an idol. If we turn to work to get the things we want and thus put it first in our lives..It becomes an idol. Even good things like family and doing good things can become idols when they reach the point of being our center. Remember the fire and wood were good things. When used improperly they become the problem. If family is my sole focus in life, it's an idol. If I am afraid to speak truth (in love naturally) with my friend or family for fear of "hurting" their feelings or creating disunity, yet they continue to be unsaved...They have become an idol.
This bring us to the last thing about idols. Verse 11 says that both the idol makers and those that bow down will be shamed and terrified before the Lord. The shame and terror takes many forms. First we are displeasing God and while He is forgiving, He also makes it clear that He is God alone. In verse 8 He speaks of being alone the Rock. There is no other. Secondly there is all the wasted time and effort of worshipping something that can provide nothing to you. If you live for work, realize this...When you are gone, someone else will take your place. The job continues. Then there is the bitterness that comes from following after something that by it's nature can not and will not give you the needs and wants you may have. No matter how dress up your idol...It will never answer you. In the end your patience and faith (in the idol) will be left empty and bitter.
However, the opposite is true with the LORD. When our faith and worship is in HIM there is blessing. But sometimes we still don't get what we want. But that's the point...We are worshipping a God who can answer for Himself. The idols we create cannot answer at all. God says "let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet they will be washed as white as snow."
one final thought: Remember that there were God's people...Much like His church today. The question of idolatry doesn't end just because you are a Christian. It may in fact begin because you are a Christian and can begin to answer the question of ....Do I trust in God or do I trust in the things and situations that I can control...Thus my idols?
posted by Darol at 1:17 PM

 
I and II Chronicles tell the stories of the kings who either followed or didn't follow after God. Sadly, most of them did not follow after God "with their whole heart" as God instructed them. And when they did follow after them, so often their children did not when they became kings. The problems were many. First when the king did not follow after God, the whole country suffered. Now I won't get off into the responsibility of officials who lead their country. Instead I will focus on our own responsibility to our kingdoms. What is your kingdom? Ok a bit metaphoric but your home and family fall into this. No, you don't lord over them but you have responsibility to them. Even if you are the child and not the parent. Then there is the friends we have and people we work with. The responsibility of the king did not only exist when wearing the crown. The burden was there whether on the hunt, at war, or even at play. So it is with us. We have responsibility to follow after God with our whole hearts. I have only begun to search this out but for the kings in the old testament, this meant getting rid of the things that conflicted with worship to God. It meant getting rid of shrines, alters, anything that people worshipped instead of the LORD. So part of following with our whole heart must include rooting out anything that conflicts with worship of HIM. In fact, that sin was the sin that cost the people more than anything. Worship. Following after other gods cost them their lands, lives, families, and all other things. However, God was faithful in that HE told them that if they would ever turn from their ways and come back to HIM and worship HIM, He would forgive them their transgressions. He would restore them. That was what HE longed for. To have them worship HIM. That means that worship is an act of will. What we choose to worship is the most important decision we could ever make. And God allows us to make that choice. Certainly to not worship HIM carries consequences. Yet the choice is still there.
posted by Darol at 1:43 PM