Trust and Obedience

Numbers 20: 2-12

2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4 Why did you bring the LORD’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

 6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

 9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

Today's lesson is about obedience. Read the above verses carefully before you proceed. Let's start with a little perspective. If you read through the entire journey Moses took with the Israelites you will see that the people are prone to giving up. I can't say much about that, since I've never had such a large goal take 40 years of my life. However, it does seem that they will turn anywhere but to God when they are feeling sick and tired. Does that describe you? I know it describes me at various times in my life. It's easy to turn to God when things are going well. But when your community is in a drought, your spouse is out of work, and the food supply is short, where do you turn? Many times we turn to worldly answers first. God has become almost a last resort when we are not getting what we want. God should be the first place we look-not the last. 

Review our scripture again. In verses 2-5 we see the people yelling at Moses and complaining that life is hard. They quickly forget how bad it was in Egypt and think only that they had plenty of water then. This just sounds like, "Thanks for saving us from slavery, but what were you thinking?!?" Or, in the words of Princess Leia, "This is SOME RESCUE!" Moses must be getting frustrated by now if not downright angry. He's a better man than I and I know I'd have had a screaming match by this point if it were me. Unlike the people, Moses and Aaron turned directly to God first. We should all strive to do this every time we have a praise or concern. God gave them directions to help the people and restore their faith. He tells Moses to draw water from the rock and Moses did.

The first time I read this passage I was very confused by verse 12. What disobedience is he punishing here? He told Moses to draw water from the rock, right? Then I read it again under my pastor's guidance. God told Moses to speak to the rock. Maybe what he expected was more along the lines of Moses holding up the rock and speaking, "Now Rock, give forth the waters from the Lord!" or something like that. Instead, Moses struck the rock with his staff. Most likely his anger drove him to strike the rock instead of the calmer direction of speaking to it. Anger is not the right emotion to show the people when God is helping them. Moses needed to drive their anger out and bring back their faith. 

At first glance this looks like a small infraction, right? I had to ask mysef, "Does God really get that specific about how we obey Him?" After a year under the tutelage of our pastor and the local body of Christ, my answer is Yes. Don't think I'm saying that I think God is petty. The more I think about this passage, the more I consider that God wants us to obey for the right reasons. If we obey Him in anger, then how will His intentions be achieved? Consider the kind of example you set for others when you do what needs to be done in anger. When we show our anger we appear to be unwilling participants in what we do. But if we want to embody Christ and show others what it is like to be a child of God, we need to obey in love. There will certainly be times when what God wants us to do is not what we want to do. But if we truly trust God, then we need to take the time to accept his direction and obey in love. 

Charitable Giving

Today we look at the following passages:
Matthew 19:21

 21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Matthew 10:8

 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

With the arrival of All Saints Day, many of us begin looking toward the holiday season. Christmas is on its way and with it all the commercialism and stress that tends to accompany it.

It was not until I dedicated my life to God that I came to realize what this season of giving is really about: a miracle. Why do we give gifts at Christmas? It's not just because the wise men gave gifts to Jesus. The tradition is more than that. Gift giving at this time is about sharing our abundance with those who have less. It's about helping others to stock up for winter and be comfortable. It's about giving gifts in love. (Keep in mind, when Jesus was born there was no Wal-Mart around the corner to pick up preserved food every week.)

In light of that concept-giving in love-ask yourself: why do we give at this time? As a recipient of God's grace I want to share that all the time. For the last nine months that's about all I've been able to share due to our tight budget. Now, at this magical time of the year, I want to share more. I want to go out and share God's message through any means I can. But I don't want to stop after December. The people we give to for Christmas, whether they be homeless, abused, poor, or otherwise needy, still need that support after the holidays. Many of us forget then and move on with our comfortable lives.

Jesus told us to sell our possessions and give to the poor. What do you have that you don't need anymore? Imagine what you could do with the money from selling a few things. It might only amount to a meal or two for someone less fortunate, or maybe more. Jesus said, "freely you have received, freely give." How much clearer can it get? God gives us his grace freely. He answers our prayers because He wants to, not because we deserve it. We can't earn our way into heaven. But we CAN help someone else see that love that God shares with us.

So my challenge to you this year is to make a list of causes that are close to your heart. Research ways to give to those causes. It might be money, might be time, or might be gifts that you give them. Maybe you can volunteer at a soup kitchen. If you have no time, donate food to the food bank. If you have no money or time, take some things you don't need and sell them or give them to a shelter.

For example, I could donate some jewelry that is in perfect shape that I don't need to a women's shelter for gifts for Christmas. Or maybe some suits that don't fit me could go to Dress For Success. There are many ways to make this kind of commitment. But I encourage you to make it a year-long commitment. Don't just volunteer one day. Find a way to volunteer each month. Or join a sponsorship program where you give a monthly donation if time is your commodity.

If you're not sure how you can give or to whom-pray about it. God will help you find the charitable outlet that needs you.

Psalm 41:1-2 Consider the Poor

1Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 2The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. I turned to this passage quite by accident today. I was aiming for Psalm 46, but mistyped and ended up here. As I read this passage repeatedly, I found myself thinking of the Occupy Wall Street movement. It is a fight for the poor and unemployed. It is a fight against oppression. It is a fight-in its most basic form- for consideration. Corporations, politicians, and the general 1% are in a position to consider the poor. In particular those corporations that requested or accepted bailout money from the government (read: taxpayers ), should be keeping their promises to use that money to help the poor. But we do not see that happening. Corporations want money. Politicians want jobs. The 1% want influence, if not control. Funny that's what the rest of us-the 99% and the 53%-also want. We want jobs, enough money to live, and influence in our own government. That last is supposed to be a constitutional right, though these days it seems more of a purchased privilege. If corporations are people*, then they should read this message in God's word: Blessed is he that considerate the poor. If they create these jobs that they promised to help the poor, God says he will preserve them in times of trouble (so don't worry about that bottom line or tax liability). God says He will keep them alive and blessed upon the earth. I suppose some might think their fifth car or fourth vacation house more important, but I don't. On the other hand, if corporations are not people… then CEOs could still benefit from some basic lessons in humanity. *I am not saying that I believe that corporations are people. I don't. But if "you" think they are, then fear for their souls. And their CEOs.

The Revival of Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 34

Last week we looked at the life of King Manasseh-the longest reigning and most evil king in Jerusalem. His wicked ways influenced his people and his son to turn away from God and do evil things. When he humbled himself before the Lord, however, that also influenced his family and people. His people turned to the Lord as Manasseh tore down the altars and cleared out the House of the Lord. This redemption, however, came too late to influence his son, Amon.

In our own society this happens regularly. Perhaps a parent is an alcoholic or abusive. The child learns that about the parent and that's what they take from it. The child then must choose to walk in those footsteps or those of another. Statistics show that a recovering alcoholic must be clean for five years before anyone truly beleives them. People watch the person's actions to see if they truly are what they say they are.

This same thing is true to the redeemed. It is true that no one can walk so long in the darkness that he cannot come to the Lord. However, the longer someone has been walking in darkness, the longer it takes for others to believe a change. Even years after we are saved, those who knew us before our humbling might not believe that change. We must show it every day and live it every day.

Josiah, Amon's son and Manasseh's grandson, began his reign when his father died. He was eight years old at this time. This means he only saw the last six years of Manasseh's life. The part of his life that centered on God is what Josiah saw. Starting in his first young years, Josiah continued his grandfather's work of removing the dark altars. Josiah ordered the priests of the Lord to finish cleaning out the House of the Lord. In the long and wicked reign of Manasseh, the Word of God had been lost. The scriptures had been lost. The book of the Law was lost. Is it any wonder that the people of Judah were also lost on the wrong path?

Josiah wanted the Word of God found so the people could truly know what God had said to His people. When the Word of God was found, he ordered it read to him. Then, immediately, Josiah gathered the entire kingdom to hear the Word of God. This is an example of a good, strong, old-fashioned Revival. Josiah knew that only the Word of God would tell the people of Judah who there were and who they needed to be.

The point I'm getting at is that we can have a positive or a negative impact on others. Those who see our sins will remember them and see us that way. Our children see what we do as what we believe. If they see us doing things we know are wrong, they might choose to follow those actions. If they see doing what we know is right, they might choose to follow those actions. We can be either a stepping stone or a stumbling block. Josiah followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, choosing not to follow his own father's evil ways. We can only hope that our influence will be a positive one in the same way.

The Life and Times of King Manasseh

2 Chronicles 33

Today I am looking at chapter 33 of the book of 2 Chronicles. This chapter was brought to my attention last week by our interim pastor. It depicts the reign of the longest reigning King in Jerusalem: Manasseh. I find interesting parallels for all of us in our daily lives in this story.

Manasseh's father, Hezekiah, had torn down the groves and high places used for pagan sacrifice and worship during his reign. In obedience to God, Hezekiah spent his reign bringing the children of Israel back to the worship of the Lord. However, when Manasseh began to reign at the age of 12, he turned a complete 180.

Manasseh started his reign by once again building up the groves and high places for pagan worship. He placed a carved idol in the House of the Lord. Most significantly, he led his people down a path of idolatry and evil. Manasseh set an example for his people by sacrificing his own children by fire to pagan gods. This is the smallest portion of what he did.

In answer to Manasseh's dark deeds, the Lord had him kidnapped and taken to Babylon by the King of Assyria. Only then was Manasseh able to see what he had done wrong and humble himself before the Lord. Only then was able to repent of his deeds and beg for a chance for forgiveness and redemption. When Manasseh was restored to his throne, he once again followed his father's example. He tore down the groves and high places, removed the idols from the House of the Lord and led his people in proper worship of God.

On the surface this might seem like a far-removed event from a long time ago. However, it has direct relations to our lives today. While Manasseh was redeemed and was able to turn things around, his surviving son, Amon, had already learned his father's evil ways. When Manasseh was laid to rest, Amon began to reign at the age of 22. He followed in his father's early footsteps, turning back to a way of idolatry. Where Manasseh reigned for 55 years and was given time to repent and redeem his reign, his son Amon was not so fortunate. His servants conspired and slew him, cutting his reign to a short two years before he was replaced by his eight year old son, Josiah.

What we can take from this is that our children see everything we do. Whether we are burning incense to a foreign God or simply watching television all the time-they see what we do and they learn it. Amon learned his father's evil ways better than his redemption. Amon acted on those evil ways and was slain because of it. What will Amon say when he faces the Lord on judgement day? My daddy made me do it? I don't think God will listen to that. But Manasseh will have to answer for it as well since he was the one who raised Amon.

As parents and even friends we are all responsible for the example we set for others. If we avoid people when they are hurting, we tell them we don't want to help. If we watch TV all day and night, we show our children that television is our main focus, not God or our children. What is your grove or idol that takes all your time? It might be television, shopping, books, food, or any number of things. What are you showing your friends and children is your main focus?

From the story of Manasseh we can learn that it's crucial that we show our loved ones what we truly hold dear. I want to show my children that they are precious not only in God's sight but in mine. I want them to know that they are more important than television or food. (Can you tell what my trouble stone is here? You got it, television!) So here are a list of the things I resolve to focus on and do to help my children and loved ones:

* Make sure I start each day with a prayer. Whether they see me pray or not, my children will benefit as will I when I begin my day in the presence of God.
* When I get home to the children, sit down with them during snack time. By spending solid time with them, they know that I love them. If I can show them my focus on them and God, they might better find their focus to finish homework quickly.
* Keep the TV off most of the time the children are awake. When they see me watching less television, they can follow my example and find better uses for their time. Like prayer and quality family time. Which am I like to remember tomorrow- a game of Sequence with the kids or the plot to yet another Law & Order?
* Pray with the kids when they go to bed.
* Call my friends when they are quiet or need help. This is a tough one for me as I get nervous about making phone calls. There's no reason for it at all-it's just how I am. It's not uncommon for me to consider that a friend might need a call when I haven't seen her in awhile. What is rare is that I actually make the call. Doing so shows my friends and loved ones that I am thinking of them. Jesus did not wait for the masses to come to him-he traveled to their cities so they could see him. I need to make the same effort.

So these are just a few of the things I have taken from 2 Chronicles 33, the life of Manasseh. I hope they help you as much as they have helped me.

Father God, forgive me this day for those things I have put ahead of you. Help me to keep my eyes on you and show my children what is truly important. Amen.

Mark 6:31 Come Away with Me

Mark 6:31
"And then he said unto them, Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."

In this passage we see the disciples reporting to Jesus on their teachings and works. We can see from this verse that the area around them was busy with people. Many must have stopped to talk to the disciples and to Jesus.

Have you ever had one of those days when you seem to have no peace? Whether you are trying to clean the house, finish your work, do homework or just rest, some days it just isn't possible to get the peace we need to accomplish our tasks. If your to-do list is as long as mine, you might feel that you can't stop and must keep going.

I'm sure that's how the disciples felt this day. They had been out teaching and working in the community. When they returned to Jesus to report on their activities, they still couldn't get away. They didn't even have time to eat! I know we've all been in those sandals a time or two.

What Jesus said to them is something we should truly treasure: "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." This is advice we should all heed. When life is crazy busy and the phone won't stop ringing, we are tempted to keep trying harder and harder to accomplish "things." But it is this time most of all that we need to take some time away from the world. If we come away with Jesus to a quiet place, we are renewed by reading His Word and sharing a quiet time with Him.

This doesn't mean pulling out your Bible and reading it around others. Don't try to do this while you're sitting between your kids helping them with homework. Don't do it between phone calls. Don't do it during commercials on television. Jesus said, "Come with me BY YOURSELVES to a quiet place." This means turn off the ringer on the phone, close the door, tell everyone in your home that you need some quiet time. Put in ear plugs if you must. But go, by yourself, to a quiet place with Jesus.

Only by doing this are we able to truly get that time to commune with the Lord. That is how we renew our strength and keep a close walk with Him.

A little song about my life

This is a little song I've been writing for awhile. I will try to add some music to it soon.
Please note this content is copyrighted August 2011 and all rights reserved.

I'd done some wild things in my day
But none quite so crazy as this
To open my heart to a stranger
And together to jump off a cliff.

I've broken commandments one, three and two
The first thing in my life just wasn't You
Five, seven and six were easy to resist
For I'd never cross my mother or her switch
Eight, ten and nine bring me down every time
Without help my thoughts lead me into crime.
But four was easy,it's the life of the idle
Never mind the part about being mindful.


I've broken my share of rules and laws
So often it didn't even give me pause
Witchcraft or idolatry; nothing was too much for me
But I couldn't feel the pierce of Satan's claws.

But even one like me can find the Way
For Jesus came to save us every one
Not for the perfect but the sinner and the loser
He taught and died to bring me home.

For God so loved the world He sent His only Son
As a teacher and a sacrifice to save us
And as we live each day do we think about His way
And remember the precious gift He gave us?

When the world comes down on you
You know He will see you through
When you are down and out
Remember what his Love is all about.

I've made my share of mistakes
Some might be small and others vast
But all sins are equal in the eyes of God
And for all He will wipe away the past.

Just give Him your life and trust in his Love
The only one who knows what's right is the Lord above
Alone we can do nothing that is worthy to do
But you can do anything when He is inside you.

For God so loved the world He sent His only Son
As a teacher and a sacrifice to save us
And as we live each day do we think about His way
And remember the precious gift He gave us?

When the world comes down on you
You know He will see you through
When you are down and out
Remember what his Love is all about.

When you trust Him and give Him your heart
Know that He will never depart
You're never alone and all things can be done
Through the love of God is the victory won.

I've done some crazy things in my day
But none quite so right as this
To open my heart to the One true God
And together to jump off that cliff.

Listen and hear the answer

This is a word from David from Psalm 4: hear me when I call oh God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. Oh you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into Shame? How long will you love vanity and seek after leasing? But know that the Lord have set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not:commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. This particular psalm reminds me of the song that Monica was singing on Wednesday night service. The essential message of that song was that God will hear me when I call. God will move heaven and earth to rescue me when I call. He certainly did that for me this week. Prayed and cried I had pretty rough week as many of us did. I prayed that God help us and I can see the answers to those prayers coming through now. Sometimes it's just a phone call. Sometimes it's dinner with friends. God knows what we need when we call and listen. Listen for the answers to your own prayers and you'll find the Lord is working in your life, too.

What it really means

As we approached Easter, I find this is a good time to take an in-depth look at the book of Matthew chapter 27. In services lately, our pastor has been discussing the entire chapter a few versus at a time. I have found looking at each verse individually really brings out the true meaning of what was going on during Jesus' trial and crucifixion. Today I am looking really at the crucifixion itself. In Matthew 27 verse 45 and 46 it reads 'now from the sixth hour. There was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried in a loud voice, saying "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" That is to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' There's a reason why I find this particular verse so powerful. We know that Jesus endured torture, and humiliation, on our behalf. But what a lot of us never really look at is that he actually experienced separation from the Father during this moment. When he calls out asking "God why have you forsaken me?," it's at that moment that all the sins of the world have landed on Him. He has finally experienced that last thing that man experiences: being separated from God. What our pastor has pointed out of the last few weeks, is that the Pharisees and roman governor did not do these things to Jesus. Jesus allowed them to happen. As the son of God, he could have prevented. But then we would still be dead in our sins. He endured all of this for us. I still think that the most frightening part, the worst moment, is that separation from the Father. We should always remember what he endured for us. The most important thing about it, of course, is why he did it. He endured all of these things, including death and separation from God, for us. This was his gift to allow us to one day end our separation from God.

Betrayal Comes: Luke vs Matthew

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
Luke 22: ¹ Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ² and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 
³ Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴ And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵ They were delighted and agreed to give him money.  ⁶ He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. 

Matthew 26
¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.


I find these two authors to show two very different accounts of Judas' decision to turn Jesus in to the elders. In both cases we see Judas agreeing to turn Jesus over for a price. But in Luke's account, the decision is actually attributed to Satan entering Judas, rather than Judas making a conscious decision. So which one is true? We certainly can never know while on this earth.

I watched a special on the history channel that discussed Judas Iscariot and this very topic. By his name, Iscariot, he was associated with a group of zealots that much desired the coming of the Messiah. Their view of the Messiah was very different, however. They expected a conquering King, not a teacher that would sacrifice himself for our sins. The Naked Archeologist (the one whose show I was watching) surmised that Judas thought that by handing Jesus over he would bring out that conquering King. He never intended to have Jesus killed by these people.

Consider that the chief priests did not have the authority to kill Jesus. Why else would they even involve Governor Pilate? Regardless of why Judas did it, it is unlikely he foresaw where his actions would lead. How could he guess that handing Jesus over would end with his death when the chief priests had no such rights? Jesus was sent between the priests, Pilate and Herod before finally the masses themselves that were gathered for Passover were the ones to decide his fate. It was every citizen that stood before Pilate as he offered to release Jesus that instead yelled, "Crucify Him!"

So, though Judas might have committed the first betrayal, his was certainly not the last. The priests betrayed their own flock by wanting to have Jesus killed to get him out of their way. Pilate betrayed him by not following the law and setting him free as a "just person." And the crowd betrayed him by calling for his death and freedom for a murderer named Barrabas.

Consider though-had it gone any other way, where would we be today? Was this not all in God's plan from the beginning?

Share your thoughts.