Sour Grapes

Jeremiah 27-31

Jeremiah had a tough job as a prophet to the people of Israel for the words the Lord God told him to speak to the people were not words they wanted to hear. God told Jeremiah to put on a yoke as an object lesson to show how the people of Israel would be under the yoke of Babylon and that if anyone said otherwise, they were lying. The people preferred to listen to the prophet Hananiah, because he said they would surely not suffer under the yoke of Babylon. Hananiah lied and died. God told Jeremiah to tell the Israelites that they might as well settle down in Babylon... get a house and land, have children, marry your children off, etc. because you're going to be there for 70 years. The people preferred to listen to the prophet Shemaiah, because he said otherwise. Shemaiah lied and was punished by God. God told Jeremiah to report this to the people...

“The people will no longer quote this proverb: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.’ All people will die for their own sins—those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker. “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

What is music to our ears today was just more talk to the unbelievers of Jeremiah's day for they could not see beyond their immediate desires. Oh that we would not be the same. Alas, it is too late for this generation seeks self over God even though he has indeed written his words upon our hearts.

The Wisdom of Youth

Job 33-34

Elihu is just so sure of himself. He takes a couple facts... adds a dash of accumulated experience...a hand full of youthful exuberance... and several mouth fulls of braggadocio... and a bit of indiscretion... then stirs the pot and calls it wisdom. You just have to smile and shake your head... remembering back to when you were so brilliant. Elihu, Elihu, Elihu. And then to top it all off, Elihu accuses Job of arrogance.

Perhaps Elihu was one of the examples that Solomon used when penning the Proverbs... "The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness" or Alexander Pope when he wrote "fools rush in where angels fear to tread." Probably not, each generation seems to have its own share of fools.

Reflections of Glory

2 Corinthians 1-3

When Moses returned from his mountaintop retreat with God, his face reflected God's glory. The Israelites fear of getting close to God led them to ask that he hide his face. Paul confronts the Corinthians with a quandary...

If the ministry that brought death came with glory, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness? If what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts?

If the question was valid for the Corinthians, it is equally valid for us. Will we, like the Israelites, hide from God in fear... or seek his face that we might reflect his glory. He beckons us to come with unveiled faces to reflect his glory and be transformed into his likeness from glory to glory.

What a Difference a Good Woman Makes

2 Samuel 1-4

When David was convinced to leave Nabal alone by Nabal's Abigail, something changed in David... something softened. Twice he was afforded the opportunity to kill Saul, and twice he passed up the opportunity because Saul was God's anointed one. When an Amalekite informed David that he had slayed Saul out of mercy and had his crown, he must have surely thought he would be rewarded, so he must have been surprised to find that his message became his death warrant. David regarded his mercy slaying as murder of God's anointed one that must be avenged. Later when another of David's "enemies" was slain by a "friend", David cursed him and his entire family. Still later, another of David's "enemies" was slain and David had those responsible killed. David, it seems, had learned to let God take care of his enemies, lest he be dragged down by his allies well meaning, but sinful acts. Can't help by draw a conclusion that Abigail had much to do with that. Sadly, he did not allow his love for Abigail to restrict his quest for other women.

Got Your Back

Exodus 13-16

As the Israelites were departing from Egypt they followed ultimate navigation aid... the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. It was surely comforting to know that even though they had never gone that way before, they could be assured that the one who led them knew the way. I especially like the rear guard that was posted as Pharaoh and his charioteers began to close the gap.

Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night.

Slept like a baby that night even though the Egyptians were just on the other side of the cloud. When the  angel of the Lord and the the pillar of fire have your back, there is true security. Sing to the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously!

Would You Recognize Jesus If He Knocked on Your Door?

Mark 13-14

In college, we used to pat each other on the back by rhetorically asking if someone would recognize Jesus if he returned today. More often than not, this would be a rationalization for doing something that Baylor society deemed sinful, but we (in our enlightened state) knew was exactly the kind of thing that Jesus would be doing if he were here then. From time to time, I still hear these kinds of fantasies, but the issues have changed. Back then, Jesus was most surely a partier (please re-read the gospels if you don't buy into this), whereas today I often hear it in the form of what kind of car Jesus would drive... the environmentalists claim he'd drive a hybrid because he cares about the earth and their opposites claim he'd drive an SUV because he'd want to be able to go to the ends of the earth and fit everyone into the vehicle. Blasphemy? Probably. But the real focus of these lines of questions is not about Jesus at all, but rather about us and our petty notions that we so jealously guard.

I like the understated manner in which Mark deals with this topic... "everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory." We're not going to have to guess whether that [insert stereotype here] is really Jesus, because when he comes for the second time around, it will not be as a babe in a manger, but rather with great power and glory. When I ponder the amazing, awesomeness of an infinite God, there is little doubt that when his son who has united with him comes in power and glory, that anyone will have trouble recognizing that it is Jesus who has returned. Believers and non-believers alike will instantly know that Jesus has knocked on their door. The only question remaining will be whether we answered.

Our God

Psalms 48-50

Our God approaches and he is not silent. He doesn't sneak up on us quietly on tiptoes to catch us in sin, because his omniscience tells him all he needs to know. He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people. He requires no corroboration from man, for all creation has seen man's misdeeds. He does not need our sacrificial bulls and rams for he owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and even if he were to be hungry, he would not need our offerings. All he really wants from us is thankfulness and obedience. Our counter-offer of perfect recitation of his laws and pretend obedience cannot fool him, nor does it amuse him. Pity the man that mistakes God's temporary silence for approval or nonchalance, for the wicked will be rebuked, and no one will be able to help them. Our God is a Mighty God, who saves the righteous. Do we desire his salvation?

Figs and Futures

Jeremiah 22-26

When God comes before you and declares "I swear by my own name, that..." my advice is to to do whatever God requests. Come to think of it, better go ahead and do what he says before he ever gets to that point. God placed a basket of figs before Jeremiah and asked what he saw... good and bad figs that foretell the future. The good figs represent the Israelites whom God will surely rescue and bring back to Jerusalem later, but the bad figs represent King Zedekiah and his officials whom God will ensure never return to Jerusalem. It seems that some people will not turn from evil no matter how warnings are given... no matter who gives the prophetic warning... until it is too late... until after they have killed the messenger. King Zedekiah was just such a king.

Accountability Outline

Job 31-32

Reading through Job’s Final Protest of Innocence, it occurred to me that his character defense would form a good (scary!) outline for an accountability group...

• Have I looked with lust at a young woman?
• Have I lied to anyone or deceived anyone?
• Have I strayed from his pathway?
• Has my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen?
• Am I am guilty of any other sin?
• Has my heart been seduced by a woman, have i lusted for my neighbor’s wife?
• Have been unfair to my male or female servants?
• Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows?
• Have I been stingy with my food and refused to share it with orphans?
• Have I raised my hand against an orphan?
• Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold?
• Have I gloated about my wealth and all that I own?
• Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies, or the moon walking down its silver pathway, and been secretly enticed in my heart to throw kisses at them in worship?
• Have I ever rejoiced when disaster struck my enemies, or become excited when harm came their way?
• Have I let others go hungry?
• Have I never turned away a stranger?
• Have I opened my doors to everyone?
• Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do, concealing my guilt in my heart?
• Have I feared the crowd or the contempt of the masses, so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?

Lead me down your paths Lord, that I may stand with Job and declare that I would be pure enough to sign my name to my defense and stand ready to appear before you for judgement. Thank you for the atonement provided by your son, that I can come before your throne with confidence, not because of my righteousness, but because of his sacrifice.

Reading With Fresh Eyes

1 Corinthians 15-16

Ever since I read Crazy Love by Francis Chan, my Bible reading has changed. He challenges the reader to read the Bible with fresh eyes. Read it, not to find what they said was in it, but for what it says. I think it is especially common for people who grew up in church to either confine themselves to certain comfortable parts of scripture or to read superficially in that they don't actually read the words, but kind of skim over it and go "yeah, yeah, I remember that" when what they are remembering is a muddy picture of what someone taught them in Sunday School.

Today's reading from 1 Corinthians 15 made me rethink some views I've had on the Trinity for a long time. Mind you, I don't know the answers yet, but I am pondering anew. I have always held a fairly traditional and simplistic view of the Trinity... three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in one godhead. I never really tried to think about that too much... because it hurt and I couldn't figure it out, especially since the Bible never actually says "Trinity." The part of today's reading that got me to thinking was 1 Corinthains 15:25-28.

For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

There is something about the difference between the relationship that Paul discusses here as compared to the relationship that the writer of Hebrews speaks of in Hebrews Chapters 1 and 2 and that which John speaks of in John 1:1 and that which Jesus later spoke of in John 17:5,21.

Please do not presume that I am stating that the Bible contradicts itself, I am not... Please do not presume that I am stating that the concept of the Trinity is false, I am not... What I am saying is that I get the feeling that the relationship between the Father and the Son (and the Holy Spirit) is far more complex than a simple notion of the trinity that I grew up with. Furthermore, I find it hard to find individuals who are will to delve into the depths of the trinitarian nature without also having to endure dogmatic (and denominational) preaching rather than dialog. I think we sometimes cloak spiritual concepts into material instantiations that may help us wrap our minds around a topic, but fail to wholly illuminate the inherent truths. I have researched a little more on what others had to say about the Trinity tonight, but not satisfied. I sense a richness in the Biblical narrative from from to back that whispers to be heard. Teach me your ways oh God! Open my heart to the truth! Open my mind to the mysteries of your love!

A Mark of Leadership

1 Samuel 26-31

David rises to the top even when under the stress of being pursued by Saul. In a time when "an eye for and eye" was accepted in law and society, David chooses to forgive... to take on the debt owed and rise above the rest of society. He shows what true kings and leaders should be made of. Sadly we are short on those kinds of leaders today.

David has another chance to slay his pursuer. Saul is asleep and David and Abishai stand over the sleeping King Saul. Abishai, the master of dry humor, asks David's permission to take Saul with these words "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice." I love that. Abishai is quite confident that one thrust of the spear is all that it will take, but David rebukes him, because Saul is still God's anointed one and David will not preempt God's timing.

Later, David and two-thirds of his men counter-attack the Amalekites for taking all their wives and children and goods while they were off on a mission. When they meet back with the other one-third of his men, several want to prevent the last third from sharing in the plunder, but David will not allow division in the ranks and shares with all.

It is not the case the great leaders will never fail, David certainly had his share of failure... failure that cost him his first-born son, but David's character was of a nature that was after God's own heart. We desperately need more of those kinds of leaders today.

Stubbornness Lives On

Exodus 9-12

Reading through the stories of the plagues that struck Egypt, one of the main character traits of Pharaoh that comes through is his stubborn refusal to acknowledge one greater than himself. Pharaoh and indeed all of Egypt paid a great price for his stubbornness. Sadly, many still proudly follow in his footsteps. Seems a new atheist hero emerges regularly, and all too often they hail from Hollywood. Mythbusters co-star Adam Savage is one of the latest. His speech to the Harvard Secular Society sadly contains this comment from a reader... "Adam Savage, among others, is one of the reasons I declared my atheism earlier this year." I assume that Adam will regard that as praise, but to my ears it rings more reminiscent of "It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin."

Of Figs and Financiers

Mark 11-12

On the way to the temple, Jesus saw a fig tree in full leaf, but without figs and cursed the tree. Continuing on into Jerusalem, he found a temple full of people, but without fruit and cleared out the temple. Oddly enough there are just as many today who want to judge Jesus for cursing the fig tree since it was not the time to bear fruit, as there were Pharisees then who wanted to judge Jesus for clearing out the temple. Unless out knowledge is perfect, we would do well to hold back on our judgement of the Messiah, for it probably indicates a wrongful intent in our hearts and a lack of fruit.

Throughout scripture, Jesus is very specific with regard to what will happen to trees that do not bear good fruit. They will be chopped down and thrown into the fire and the kingdom of God will be taken from them and given to another. If we abide in him, we will bear good fruit. If the fruit is missing, don't blame it on the season, but rather seek to abide in him, that the season may be now.

When Earthquakes Come

Psalms 45-47

The news of late has been filled with earthquakes... Haiti, Chile, Baja, Sumatra, China, and more. Inevitably with so many strong earthquakes, many people have begun to wonder if these quakes might be the beginning of the end of the world. Are these prognostications based on fact, fantasy or fear? I don't know. But Psalms 46 has some advice that is still relevant for us today.

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Regardless of  what is happening today or tomorrow, whether the nations are in chaos... or their kingdoms crumble... God’s voice thunders. He calls us to be still, and know that I am God!

Deceit of the Heart

Jeremiah 17-21

So I start reading Jeremiah 17 and the first thing that comes to mind is a scene from Harry Potter where Harry is made to write with a blood quill and it carves the words he writes on paper into the back of his hand. It is not normal for me to think of Harry Potter when I read scripture, but Jeremiah 17 begins with God proclaiming through the prophet Jeremiah that "the sin of Judah is inscribed with an iron chisel— engraved with a diamond point on their stony hearts."

Even at this late, late stage, it is not yet too late. Yes their sin has been written on their hearts, but by their own hand and it can be removed if they will repent, but they do not desire to repent because "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" They go so far as to have the high priest imprison and punish Jeremiah for the words he prophesies.

Finally, when the the sin of Judah has reached a point where God will not turn back... when it is too late for repentance... when the Babylonian army is at the city gates, finally they ask Jeremiah to talk to God about saving them. I can almost see Jeremiah banging his head on the walls of the city... I've been trying to tell you, and trying to tell you but you wouldn't listen, and now you want me to talk to God. I'm sorry, it's too late. God desires that we turn back before it is too late. He desires that none should perish... but some will not listen for they have deceived themselves.

The Cry of the Fallen

Job 29-30

Job laments not just his present condition, but the fact that his previously good life has been turned upside down. Where there was once respect, now is disdain... where there was once alms for the poor and help for the needy, there is now need. To cap it all off, Job's harp plays sad music and his flute accompanies those who weep. Pensive...

Love's Restraint

1 Corinthians 13-14

Reading through Chapter 14 shed some light on a situation for me, but I don't know how to explain it here with love. If Chapter 13 is to mean anything, then love should restrain our words...

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

How Many David's Are There?

1 Samuel 21-25

That period of time between Samuel's anointing of David as King of Israel until he actually ascended to the throne was a rough time for David. To be fair, most of us wouldn't have handled as well as David, but David was all over the map character-wise. In these five chapters we meet the following Davids...

• David the Deceiver... as he meets with Ahimelech the priest of Nob, David deceives the priest into giving him sacred food and a weapon. Saul later kills all of the priests of Nob because of this.
• David the Madman... as he went to the King of Gath for asylum, David pretended to be insane
• David the Leader... as he led a ragtag group of 400 men
• David the Courageous... as he swooped into Keilah and saved the town from the Philistines 
• David the Listener... as he left Keilah after having saved it because the Lord told him the the townsmen would sacrifice his men even though they saved the town
• David the Loyal... as he made a pact with Jonathan
• David the Cautious... as he goes out to the wilderness to evade Saul
• David the Righteous... as he allowed Saul to go free when he could have killed him because Saul was still the Lord's anointed one
• David the Unrighteous... as he rode out to kill Nabal and all his men for not paying him protection money
• David the Wise... as he heeds Abigail's advice in not killing Nabal
• David the Unwise... as he marries another woman after just having wed Abigail when Nabal dies suddenly.

When our actions and character swing from righteousness to unrighteousness, from wise to stupid, from courageous to cautious, one thing is probably certain... we are following our own path instead of God's. David needed the time at Adullam between the anointing and the coronation to become a man after God's own heart... to get into the habit of consistently seeking after God's will, instead of his own. Where is our Adullam?

I Don't Know the Lord

Exodus 5-8

When Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh to ask that the Israelites be allowed to leave Egypt to go and worship the Lord, Pharaoh's response was “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” Bad move Pharaoh. Soon enough Pharaoh would learn who the Lord was, and he would listen, and he would let the Lord's people go... even with a hardened heart.

Reminds me of a conversation recently recorded in a Fixed Point Foundation blog. Larry Taunton was speaking with a particle physicist at Oxford about the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. The physicist was excited about the possibility of finding the Higgs Boson... a sub-atomic particle conjectured to be the source of mass within other forces. The particle physicist was encouraged to continue looking because, in his words... “We have every reason to believe that [the Higgs boson] is real.  Although we have never actually seen it, we see its effects.”  How like the observation of C.S. Lewis:  “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Pharaoh never met the Lord, but he certainly felt his effects. Hopefully we don't need the same "proof" that Pharaoh needed.

Kingdoms and Kings

Mark 9-10

Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!” 

Jesus talked to his disciples using plain language, yet they did not understand because nothing in their history had prepared them to go where he was going. We have the benefit of a rich scriptural history, yet are similarly unprepared because we do not believe the history we have. Peter sees Elijah and Moses appear on the Mount of Transfiguration, and then asks if it is true that Elijah must come before the Messiah. Confronted by Elijah's very presence, he can't accept it, and cannot he begin to fathom how Elijah had already come in John the Baptist. We scoff at his unbelief, and yet confronted by the resurrection of Jesus, we doubt. How we must frustrate the Perfect One! When I consider how I am frustrated by others who don't get it, God must laugh, shake his head, and love anyway. Thank you Lord, for loving me anyway, for putting up with me, for everything.

Why am I discouraged?

Psalms 42-44

   Why am I discouraged?
      Why is my heart so sad?
   I will put my hope in God!
      I will praise him again—
      my Savior and my God!

Why are evil people so happy?

Jeremiah 12-16

The history of God followers is full of those who wonder as Jeremiah and Job did. Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? Why must I suffer in my righteousness. God calls certain of his chosen ones... ones who have great faith to enter into the suffering of others, whether it be present day suffering or suffering to come.

The unfettered joy and rejoicing of Easter is not possible without suffering of Good Friday. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear fruit. Richard Foster describes the prayer of suffering in his book Prayer saying "there is a triumph that is in Christ, but it goes through suffering, not around it."

Jeremiah was known as the crying prophet or weeping prophet because he wept over the sins of the people of Israel. He entered into their suffering and desired greatly that they might repent and be saved, but didn't see how it would come to pass if they continued to experience good results in spite of their wickedness. God's assurance that it would not always be that way brought no comfort to him. God desires that we be a vessel fit for his use too, but there is no easy path.

The Wisdom Store

Job 27-28

Job almost seems to be settling into his suffering... not happy, but settled enough to be secure in his integrity... settled enough to proclaim his determination to continue on in his innocence... settled enough to philosophically consider the source of wisdom. He tells us that people "know" stuff. They know how to mine for gold and silver, know how to cut tunnels, know how to dam streams... but they don't know where to find wisdom. He mockingly declares that it cannot be found in the ocean or the sea, as though one would search there for it, then informs all who care to know that "the fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding."

Imitation of Christ

1 Corinthians 11-12

When I went off to college, Mom gave me a copy of Thomas a Kempis' Imitation of Christ. For many years this was the only Christian book, other the the Bible that I owned. Although I wish I could say that I drank in the collected wisdom of Thomas a Kempis, the reality is that I paged through.. I meandered among.. and sampled the wisdom rooted in a verse from 1 Corinthians 11:1

Imitate me... as I imitate Christ

 Paul exhorts us (just as Mom did) to be just like Jesus... and just in case we are wont to dismiss the idea as impossible since Jesus was the Son of God after all, Paul reminds us that we need to find another excuse, because he is imitating Christ... so we can too. What are we waiting for?

Everyone's Afraid

1 Samuel 16-20

Seems to be a lot of fear going around in Israel.

• Samuel is afraid that Saul will kill him for anointing another king
• The elders of Bethlehem are afraid of Samuel
• Saul had a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear
• Saul and the Israelite Army were terrified of Goliath
• The Philistine army turned and ran in fear when Goliath was defeated by David
• Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David

The only ones mentioned who did not fear were Michal, Jonathan and David. Why not? 1 John 4:18 may hold the answer. "Perfect love casts out fear." David's love for the Lord and Michal and Jonathan's love for David allowed them to conquer fear and see truth. There is no room for fear in the heart of a believer.

I Am

Exodus 1-4

Not me, Him. Always Him. Like Rick Warren said in 40 Days of Purpose "It's not about you." It's not about Moses... It's not about Aaron... It's not about Pharaoh... It's not about the Israelites. It's about the one who existed before time and will continue to exist beyond time. Thank you God.

My Savior Lives... And More

Mark 7-8

Christ Jesus... being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Paul's words to the Philippians are both poignant and precise today. As I celebrate Christ's resurrection on Easter I can see the victorious outcome of his obedience... his sacrificial death on the cross. And I rejoice... and I am humbled. Thank you, Jesus.

In today's reading, I see the sacrifice he made for the 33 years prior to his death. He shed the glory that was rightly his and put on the cloak of humanity. He stepped out of the purity of heaven to directly experience the messiness of earth; sharing space with... Pharisees who insisted on proper hand-washing while their hearts were dirty... Gentiles who had more faith than the children of God... and Apostles who alternated between understanding and misunderstanding. 

When I review my lackluster performance in dealing with the idiosyncrasies of people, I am once again humbled by his grace, and thankful that he puts up with me in the same way he put up with them. Thank you, Jesus.

Just a Breath

Psalms 39-41

The psalmist proclaims that "My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath." What shall we do with that breath? Spend it in anger? Heap up wealth? Rebel? I like the way lecrae puts it...

I know in our day, rebel means sinner. But everyone is sinning, so it's no longer rebellious to sin! [...] You're just a conformist if you're drunk and naked, and driving around on a motorcycle, smoking cigarettes and breaking commandments and getting pregnant out of wedlock. Everyone's done that! That's so tired. If you really want to be a rebel, read your Bible, because no one's doing that. That's rebellion. That's the only rebellion left!

Maybe rebelling isn't such a bad idea, as long as we rebel from the world... not God. Use your breath wisely.

Trusting in the Wrong Thing

Jeremiah 7-11

The people of Jerusalem decided that they safe because they lived near the temple of the Lord. They put their trust in a building made of wood and stone, instead of putting their trust in the God of the Temple. Sounds strange until you realize that the people also put their trust in gods made of wood and stone instead of the living God. We no longer carve our Gods from wood and stone, but only because we lost the skills to do so. On this Good Friday evening, I place my trust... all my trust, in the savior on the cross,  who leads me to the promised land. May I never stray from him.

My Kind of Intellectual

Job 25-26

A couple of weeks ago, we had a short Sunday evening series viewing a couple of Louie Giglio DVDs... Indescribable and How Great is Our God. Louie described the awesome majesty of God and our relative insignificance through astronomic examples that current technology has revealed in the heavens... galaxies, solar systems, and individual stars. He describes God's greatness in words that many Christians have never pondered.

A couple of days ago, I ran across an article in Salon.com by Niall Stanage entitled "The search for an intellectual GOP presidential candidate." The article decries the poor intellectual state of the current field of major republican presidential candidates declaring one candidate intellectually unfit because he "doesn't believe in evolution."

I think Job would agree with Louie more than Niall. Job declares...

God stretches the northern sky over empty space
   and hangs the earth on nothing.
He wraps the rain in his thick clouds,
   and the clouds don’t burst with the weight.
He covers the face of the moon,
   shrouding it with his clouds.
He created the horizon when he separated the waters;
   he set the boundary between day and night.
The foundations of heaven tremble;
   they shudder at his rebuke.
By his power the sea grew calm.
   By his skill he crushed the great sea monster.
His Spirit made the heavens beautiful,
   and his power pierced the gliding serpent.
These are just the beginning of all that he does,
   merely a whisper of his power.
Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?